World Jewish News

Armenian government minister in anti-Semitic outburst

Statements made by Armenia's Environment minister Vardan Ayvazyan have angered the local Jewish community. Talking to journalists, Ayvazyan referred to the activity of the American company Global Gold by saying: "Do you know who you protect? You protect Jews! Go and find out who backs this company, and should we let them come here?" The head of the Armenian Jewish, Rimma Varzhapetyan, called the statement an insult to Jews. A minister should not make such statements, she said. Varzhapetyan pointed out that anti-Semitism was not widespread in Armenia and that Jews lived there in rather a calm atmosphere. "I do not know the company Global Gold, but I do not think that its activity will damage Armenia," she said. The Jewish community is unlikely to take action on the words of the Armenian minister as it does not take them seriously. What the minister said was in no way representative of the opinion of the Armenian government or the people, Varzhapetyan said. Ayvazyan told the local media that he had no intention to insult Jews as a whole and that he had only referred the activity of the Global Gold company.

Источник: worldjewishcongress.org