Epress.am News from Armenia
Following the Apr. 3 Tashir 2011 Music Awards in Moscow, what began as a Facebook campaign has spread into the public sphere with a number of individuals and local NGOs calling on those singers and musicians who were awarded apartments in the lavish awards show to donate them to homeless families in Armenia. Ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) MP and president of the Football Federation of Armenia Ruben Hayrapetyan spoke to local daily Aravot,
“It’s been 10 years that [president of Tashir Group, Russian-Armenian tycoon] Samvel Karapetyan has carried out tens of millions of dollars’ worth of charity in Armenia and Artsakh [Nagorno-Karabakh]. At no time did we see those same news outlets or websites say thanks to this patriotic benefactor. You can’t spatter and discredit him like that today. [And] in the case when he gave gifts from his personal possessions. Maybe he made a mistake, but he gave gifts to whoever he wanted. And who’s to say that he shouldn’t have given a gift to [popular Armenian singer] Shushan Petrosyan? Do we have a better singer in her style [of music] than her? Or is there a better singer than Sirusho in her style? Definitely not.
“In any case, it was Samvel Karapetyan’s private business and his [personal] right to decide who he’s going to give a gift to. And one can’t criticize philanthropy by a benefactor. They do it so that everyone turns away from our country. This hostility should be removed from within the people. They also assess negatively that which is good — charity,” he said, reports Aravot.