Former director of the National Security Service of Armenia Artur Vanetsyan recently registered the "Homeland" Development Foundation, the members of the board of trustees of which are Artur Vanetsyan, Head of the Chair of Iranian Studies at Yerevan State University Vardan Voskanyan and Head of the Chair of Applied Sociology at Yerevan State University Artur Atanesyan.

In an interview with Armenian News-NEWS.am, Artur Atanesyan said he and Artur Vanetsyan had come up with the idea of establishing the Foundation.

“It derives from the natural logic of and need for serving our country, responding to the issues of the country and society professionally and providing solutions to those issues collectively,” the sociologist stated.

Artur Atanesyan stressed that the Foundation is an institution that consolidates patriotic Armenians and is guided by the principles of mutual respect and cooperation. “We want our country to be sustainable and protected, and our society — progressive and self-sufficient,” he said.

When asked about funding, Atanesyan urged to address the question to the Foundation’s accountant and went on to say the following: “I can say that the budget will consist of funds from the Armenian benefactors of Armenia and the Diaspora and anyone who wants to and is ready to invest their ideas and a part of their revenues for implementation of the programs that Homeland Foundation will present,” Atanesyan said.