Expensive facility of finance ministry to become military school
The Armenian government decided today to turn an expensive facility with whirlpool bathtubs, restaurants and tennis courts in the resort town of Dilijan that was originally meant to serve as a “training center” for Armenian tax officials, into a military school.
The construction of the training center was a source of a public outcry because of its huge costs, financed by the government budget. Immediately after being appointed as prime minister, Karen Karapetyan decided to transfer control of the facility from the State Revenue Committee, a division of the Ministry of Finance at that time, to the Department on State Property Management, a government agency tasked with privatizing state assets, which was to find a buyer for it or rent it out.
According to various estimates, the ministry of finance had spent an equivalent of $33 million on the facility since 2011 when the construction began.
Armenian Defense Minister Vigen Sargsyan said today that the sprawling complex with its movable and immovable property is given to his ministry for turning it into a military school to be named after Monte Melkonyan, a hero of the Karabakh war.
The minister said the school will be designed for 10-12th grade cadets. The minister noted also that the school will provide a high level academic training and 3-4 cadets will share one room. He stressed that the complex provides also excellent conditions for sports.
The minister said the graduates will have the possibility of continuing their studies in the best military academies in Greece, Russia, China, Germany, Italy and France. -0-