Court injunction freezes Melkonian closure decision

AZG Armenian Daily #110, 16/06/2005


Diaspora

COURT INJUNCTION FREEZES MELKONIAN CLOSURE DECISION

Commercial deals on hold

Nicosia, June 15, 2005 - The Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople and 
Turkey, Mesrob Mutafyan, has filed a court injunction against the
AGBU to overturn the decision to close the Melkonian Educational
Institute in Nicosia.

The interim order, issued on June 7, also forbids the AGBU or its
agents in Cyprus from selling or developing any part of the school's
estate on the busy Limassol Avenue.

The AGBU has managed the property, as well as the secondary boarding
school and decided last year that the school would close in June
2005. This decision was challenged by parents and members of the
school's worldwide alumni, as it is the only institution of its kind in
the enlarged European Union, while also teaching the Armenian language
and culture to youngsters from eastern Europe and the Middle East.

The injunction follows a recent court action filed by the Patriarch
in Nicosia District Court, challenging the AGBU's decision to close
79-year old school, in violation of the initial trust set up by the
school's founder, Garabed Melkonian.

The new injunction also demands that the AGBU accounts for all amounts
collected from the management of the estate as well as any amount
collected during the past eight decades.

Finally, the Patriarch also demands that the transfer of the estate's
deed to the AGBU be considered null and void and that this should be
transferred to the Patriarch in trust for the Armenian communities
of Cyprus and the region, as well as the Armenian Diaspora as a whole.

The injunction order has been served on the AGBU in New York and copies
have been handed to their representative in Cyprus, Gordon Anderson,
the school's Principal and the school's secretariat.

In a statement issued Wednesday, the Melkonian Alumni in Cyprus and
concerned parents hailed the court order saying that "justice will
take its course".

This, they said, raises hopes that the school could be saved and may
even resume operations in September.

"Many wanted to grab part of the school's estate, either to develop
commercially, or to build luxury homes or even sports facilities. But
what they had in mind was not in the best interest of the school or
the students and should forget any plans they may have, thanks to the
injunction order," said Shavasb Bohdjalian, Chairman of the Alumni
Association in Cyprus.

"We are sending a message to all concerned of 'Hands off the
Melkonian'," added the association's vice-chairman Masis der Parthogh.

He explained that the Ministry of Interior had issued a protection
order on some 60% of the school's estate, declaring the twin historic
buildings erected in 1925, as well as the small forest along Limassol
Avenue, as a national heritage site.

Der Parthogh added that with the new court order, anybody planning to
develop any part of the school's property, or change the spirit of
the establishment of the trust, i.e. operating a boarding secondary
school offering primarily Armenian education, would be in violation
of a court order and could face jail.

Alumni, parents and friends have united to challenge the AGBU's
decision to close the school and have found support in the people of
Cyprus, the government and the House of Representatives.

The House unanimously adopted a resolution in March 2004 saying that
the Melkonian school should remain and that any decision intended to
change this situation would be considered as a "hostile act", while
the House Education Committee reopened discussion on the matter a
few weeks ago, demanding that the AGBU reveal all its plans regarding
its decision to close the Melkonian.