YEREVAN. – Armenia’s Minister of Education, Science, Sport and Culture Arayik Harutyunyan and Deputy Minister Narine Tukhikyan carried out an awareness campaign in Yerevan today to preserve, use, and publicize the historical and cultural monuments of the country.

"We are taking a symbolic step today," the minister told reporters. “With the letter in the envelope, we inform the people that they are living in the monument building and inform them what their rights and responsibilities are related to that building. (...) we believe that this will significantly change the situation with monument buildings."

Deputy minister Tukhikyan, for her part, noted that they started this awareness campaign from the communities, and carried it out in Syunik, Ararat and Vayots Dzor Provinces.

"Now we are also working on legislative changes," she added. "And after the informing, we are inclined to further harshen the [respective] penalties in the related laws."