President Vahagn Khachaturyan held a working consultation in the Shirak Regional Council

President Vahagn Khachaturyan had a working consultation in the Shirak Regional Council, with Regional Governor of Shirak Nazeli Baghdasaryan, Mayor of Gyumri Vardges Samsonyan, the Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures Gnel Sanosyan and the Executive Director of “Hayastan” All-Armenian Fund Haykak Arshamyan.

Governor Nazeli Baghdasaryan and Mayor Vardan Samsonyan presented to the President the results and the current state of the house construction, improvements and regional infrastructure projects implemented in Gyumri and other communities of Shirak region during the past year.

The Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures Gnel Sanosyan reported to the President details of the subsidy and road infrastructure projects for the forthcoming year, particularly the construction and overhaul projects of the North-South highway and inter-community roads.

The Executive Director of “Hayastan” All-Armenian Fund Haykak Arshamyan presented to the President the completed and ongoing projects of the Fund and provided some details.

During the consultation, a number of problems existing in the Region of Shirak and in Gyumri and ways to solve them were discussed, particularly, Nazeli Baghdasaryan and Vardges Samsonyan touched upon the matter of having a gallery and a concert hall in Gyumri.

“It is at least strange that Gyumri, proclaimed the cultural capital, has neither an art gallery nor a concert hall, and as a result, after the earthquake, the cultural heritage of the Gyumri art gallery is stored in the basements of the National Art Gallery, and is therefore physically at risk,” noted the Governor of Shirak Region.

During the discussion, President Vahagn Khachaturyan expressed willingness to support the initiatives and projects of both local self-government bodies and charitable foundations aimed at the activation of the cultural and social life of Shirak as much as possible.

”We should look at Gyumri and Shirak in a much broader perspective - as our Northern Gateway, as an important economic and communication hub and, surely, as an active cultural center. We should spare no effort to make sure that Gyumri, which is already noticeably changing at present, develops and flourishes even more, returning its former role and significance,” noted the President.