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MINISTER CONFRONTED BY ANGRY STUDENTS
Elen Chilingaryan
http://www.azatutyun.am/content/article/24553985.html
19.04.2012
Armenia - Students at Yerevan State Linguistic University protest
against the dismissal of its rector Suren Zolian, 19 Apr 2012.
Education Minister Armen Ashotian was confronted on Thursday by
hundreds of angry students of a state-run university in Yerevan
protesting against the controversial sacking of their rector Suren
Zolian.
Ashotian visited Yerevan State Linguistic University to explain and
defend his decision which Zolian has denounced as illegal. He again
said that the rector can challenge it in court.
The sacking resulted from a bitter dispute that was sparked by
Ashotian's decision on April 6 to formally reprimand Zolian for being
absent from Armenia from March 19-23 without his permission. The rector
reacted furiously and lambasted the young minister through the media
before receiving a second "strict reprimand" earlier this week.
Armenia - Education Minister Armen Ashotian (L) is confronted by
students at Yerevan State Linguistic University prtesting against the
dismissal of its rector Suren Zolian, 19Apr2012.xArmenia - Education
Minister Armen Ashotian (L) is confronted by students at Yerevan
State Linguistic University prtesting against the dismissal of its
rector Suren Zolian, 19Apr2012.
â~@~Kâ~@~KAshotian agreed to meet the university students when more
than 100 of them demonstrated outside his office on Wednesday.
The meeting was due to take place in a university auditorium. But
the room proved too small to accommodate all students, leading the
deputy rector, Gabriel Balayan, to ask the minister to address them
in the university courtyard.
"The students standing downstairs are the people with whom you agreed
yesterday to meet," Balayan said. "We represented those students at
the meeting with you."
Ashotian was reluctant to hold the meeting outdoors. "Are you concerned
with the quantity or quality?" he asked.
"Listen to what they are saying," Balayan replied as the mostly female
crowd chanted "Come down, minister!"
The ensuing outdoor meeting turned chaotic and was cut short as word
spread of police detaining one of the students supporting Zolian. The
student, Narek Samsonian, was released shortly afterwards. Samsonian
told RFE/RL's Armenian service (Azatutyun.am) that police officers
accused him of trying to provoke a brawl before letting him go.
Elen Chilingaryan
http://www.azatutyun.am/content/article/24553985.html
19.04.2012
Armenia - Students at Yerevan State Linguistic University protest
against the dismissal of its rector Suren Zolian, 19 Apr 2012.
Education Minister Armen Ashotian was confronted on Thursday by
hundreds of angry students of a state-run university in Yerevan
protesting against the controversial sacking of their rector Suren
Zolian.
Ashotian visited Yerevan State Linguistic University to explain and
defend his decision which Zolian has denounced as illegal. He again
said that the rector can challenge it in court.
The sacking resulted from a bitter dispute that was sparked by
Ashotian's decision on April 6 to formally reprimand Zolian for being
absent from Armenia from March 19-23 without his permission. The rector
reacted furiously and lambasted the young minister through the media
before receiving a second "strict reprimand" earlier this week.
Armenia - Education Minister Armen Ashotian (L) is confronted by
students at Yerevan State Linguistic University prtesting against the
dismissal of its rector Suren Zolian, 19Apr2012.xArmenia - Education
Minister Armen Ashotian (L) is confronted by students at Yerevan
State Linguistic University prtesting against the dismissal of its
rector Suren Zolian, 19Apr2012.
â~@~Kâ~@~KAshotian agreed to meet the university students when more
than 100 of them demonstrated outside his office on Wednesday.
The meeting was due to take place in a university auditorium. But
the room proved too small to accommodate all students, leading the
deputy rector, Gabriel Balayan, to ask the minister to address them
in the university courtyard.
"The students standing downstairs are the people with whom you agreed
yesterday to meet," Balayan said. "We represented those students at
the meeting with you."
Ashotian was reluctant to hold the meeting outdoors. "Are you concerned
with the quantity or quality?" he asked.
"Listen to what they are saying," Balayan replied as the mostly female
crowd chanted "Come down, minister!"
The ensuing outdoor meeting turned chaotic and was cut short as word
spread of police detaining one of the students supporting Zolian. The
student, Narek Samsonian, was released shortly afterwards. Samsonian
told RFE/RL's Armenian service (Azatutyun.am) that police officers
accused him of trying to provoke a brawl before letting him go.