An official at the RA Ministry of Culture has confirmed to Hetq that the construction of a restaurant in the proximity of Kecharis Monastery is illegal.

In a lengthy response to Hetq reporter Ani Hovhannisyan, who recently wrote about the restaurant construction, Serzhik Arakelyan, temporary director of the Monuments' Preservation Agency at the Ministry of Culture, said that the ministry has found a number of violations pertaining to construction norms and procedures.

Mr. Arakelyan, in his response, also confirmed that the ministry has verbally ordered a halt to the construction and has suggested that another site be selected for the restaurant.

The official said that the contractors and owners of the enterprise must submit an architectural plan that satisfies all conditions of building on a historical site if they want to continue at the present site.