Goy Theater workers protest in Yerevan
Employees of Yerevan's Goy Theater staged a protest outside the Armenian Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports (MESCS) on Monday.
They demand that the government retract its decision to dissolve the theater and merge it into the Gabriel Sundukyan State Academic Theater.
Speaking to reporters at the protest, Goy Theater Artistic Director Artur Sahakyan accused the ministry of “destroying” cultural institutions.
“They have created nothing good so far and are only focused on destroying art centers,” he stated. “We should be allowed to engage freely in creative activities in our country.”
Sahakyan said Goy Theater’s acting director, accountant and personnel management inspector had been summoned to the MESCS to sign the theater merger contract.
“We are not going to sign it,” he noted. “This theater is our home and we aren’t ready to give it away.”
The Goy Theater staff has challenged the government decision in court, pending a ruling.