On November 19, during his program aired on Public Television of Armenia, Petros Ghazaryan hosted Alvard Semirjyan, Associate Professor at the Chair of Theory of Literature and Literary Criticism at YSU. The topic of the discussion was the exclusion of Armenian language, literature, and history from the list of compulsory subjects taught at universities, which was opposed by many students and lecturers. Mrs. Semirjyan did not find it dangerous; according to her, the exclusion of the compulsory component would not affect the Armenian language. The talk was in favor of the ministry’s decision, with the main emphasis that there is no trust in universities․
Some of Petros Ghazaryan’s questions had a certain attitude: “We do not trust universities. We ask the state to force them, by saying there is no trust, we mean that they are probably not patriotic, universities have no professional ability and they are traitors, they will immediately expel the Armenian. The students also do not trust the universities and that there will be adequate decisions, they request the ministry to force the universities.” In Petros Ghazaryan’s questions one can often notice cynicism, this time he surpassed himself. The problem was unilaterally presented and was not complete. It was not mentioned that the lecturers and students were dissatisfied with the recent meeting with Arayik Harutyunyan. The minister had told the lecturers to go and to find a common ground with their colleagues. The lecturers considered the meeting nonconstructive, and the students announced that they would continue the demonstrations.
“Media Advocate” urges the Public TV to stop propaganda of any project of the authorities and to present the events comprehensively.
