Hungary Armenians plan erecting Gurgen Margaryan's monument in Budapest

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 18, ARMENPRESS. An event dedicated to the 10th anniversary of death of Armenian officer Gurgen Margaryan, who was brutally killed by Azerbaijani criminal Ramil Safarov, will be held on February 19 in the Armenian Cultural Centre of Hungary. In a conversation with “Armenpress” the Chairman of the Armenian Cultural Centre of Hungary Nikoghos Hakobyan stated that the representatives of the Armenian community will place flowers by the cross-stone near the Danube River. After, the Hungarian public activists, who paid a visit to Armenia after Safarov’s extradition and apologized to Margaryan’s parents, will perform speeches at the Armenian Cultural Centre of Hungary.

Among other things the Chairman of the Armenian Cultural Centre of Hungary Nikoghos Hakobyan underscored: “We are planning to erect a monument dedicated to Gourgen Margaryan’s memory in the academy. We intend to apply to the Ministry of Defense for the permission, so that we could start the activities.” In addition, the Chairman of the Armenian Cultural Centre of Hungary Nikoghos Hakobyan noted that the application will be submitted after the elections.

Safarov, who was sentenced to life imprisonment for killing an Armenian officer in his sleep in Budapest in 2004, was transferred back to his home country on August 31, 2012 under an extradition agreement. Although Azerbaijan formally pledged that the life sentence handed down to him in Hungary would be directly continued when he was returned to his homeland, the Azerbaijani president granted him a pardon and formally recognized him as a “national hero” upon his arrival.

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan announced the same day that Armenia suspended diplomatic relations with Hungary.