YEREVAN, JUNE 18, ARMENPRESS. During the annual meeting of the Board of Trustees of Hayastan All-Armenian Fund today in Yerevan, Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan shared his recent concerns relating to the Fund with the meeting participants.

Pashinyan said some episodes of the Fund’s activities are viewed differently while looking from the other side.

“Perhaps every Armenian has a certain emotional connection with the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund, and perhaps in order to record this connection it’s enough to pass through the roads linking Armenia to Artsakh and see the symbols of the Fund on these roads, and understand that all these have been constructed by the Fund’s support, as well as numerous schools, kindergartens, water reservoirs have been built in Armenia and Artsakh, in order to understand what important mission the Fund has carried out in the life of the Third Republic, in the life of Artsakh, by standing together with Armenia and Artsakh at the most difficult days. I agree with the President of Armenia that in these new times we should view and assess the Fund’s activities in a new way and also see the opposite side of the medal. Recently I have heard several interesting notifications from the Diaspora representatives which I would like to share with you. By highly valuing the activity of the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund, sometimes it is stated that the concrete episodes of the Fund’s activity have contributed to the demystification of Armenia or the global Armenian potential”, the PM said.

According to Pashinyan, the issue is conditioned by the perception of Armenian potential existing in the world and the discrepancy of its display during the activities of the Fund.

“I mean that in general we ourselves and also many others by saying an Armenian potential understand a very powerful, a very influential power, and this is such in fact. And so how and what a negative affect the certain episodes of the Fund’s activities had on the Armenian potential and image? Every year we happily record that 15, 10, 20, 25 million USD has been donated within the framework of the Fund, and this, of course, is very important and appreciated. But let’s understand how this is seen for others? A question arises among others whether this is the Armenian potential? I want to state that those who act against the Armenian potential, familiar to you and us, spend billions of dollars annually to reduce the Armenian influence around the world. And moments come when we carry out greater works, than our adversaries, for blowing this process, the Armenian potential, the image. Of course, it’s understandable that the Armenian potential is not making investments in Armenia only through the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund. There are dozens of other organizations in Armenia and Diaspora which have provided invaluable support, continue providing and I am still confident that will provide that support to Armenia and Artsakh”, Pashinyan said.

He noted that the Fund should implement such tasks the effect of which will be more influential.

“Of course, it’s understandable that during this period we had many problems. We had a problem with corruption. There can be and have been separate cases of abuse, but of course we will do everything to rule it out, but this a common work. Of course, it’s understandable that we have a problem with programs. These programs should be such that they will inspire as many people as possible and it would be possible to prove their importance. The adjacent effects of the implementation of these programs should be more influential so that we will not only construct a road, but will see that this road brings with it development, new life, new opportunities and much more people”, Nikol Pashinyan said.

The annual meeting of the Board of Trustees of Hayastan All-Armenian Fund has kicked off today in Yerevan. The meeting is attended by Armenia’s President Armen Sarkissian, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, President of Artsakh Bako Sahakyan and other high-ranking officials from Armenia, Artsakh and the Diaspora.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan