2012

Ashot Grigorian: “Armenian media kept silent about Slovakia’s passage of a law criminalizing Armenian Genocide denial” Slovakia has passed a law criminalizing Armenian Genocide denial, but the Armenian media is still silent.
This is what President of the Forum of Armenian Associations of Europe Ashot Grigorian informed during a May 22 press conference and added that those who denied the Armenian Genocide in Slovakia would face five years in jail.
Grigorian also said he received a letter from the RA Foreign Minister, telling him not to raise voices about the law passed in Slovakia.
Grigorian recalled that when the draft law criminalizing Armenian Genocide was being discussed in the French Senate, the latter stated that Slovakia had already passed a similar law.
“We will soon present the plan that we will implement so that the Armenian Genocide is recognized by 2015. We will suggest taking advantage of Slovakia’s experience and drafting a similar law,” said Ashot Grigorian.

Head of the Forum of Armenian Associations of Europe (FAAE) said he repeatedly addressed the Armenian envoys in the region with a request to foster promotion of bills criminalizing the Armenian Genocide denial, but was rejected. According to Ashot Grigoryan, only Armenian Foreign Ministry’s call for explanation for Slovakian ambassador to Armenia and Azerbaijan Josef Migash’ Genocide denial was significant in promotion of Genocide recognition campaign. “However, RA Foreign Ministry shows no activity in the process,” he said. Mr. Grigorian further explained the situation by his harsh criticism of the Armenian-Turkish protocols, stipulating formation of an interstate group of historians to study the “fact” of Genocide. “Ratification of protocols would result in full breakdown of Genocide recognition campaign ahead of the 100th anniversary of the crime,” he said,