Cremation of deceased does not run counter to Armenian traditions – parliament speaker
28.04.2015,
16:35
Armenian parliament speaker Galust Sahakyan has endorsed today arguments in favor of building crematoria in the country as the parliament began discussions on amending the law on organization of burials and operation of cemeteries and crematoria, saying the proposed changes (to cremate the deceased) do not conflict with national traditions and interests.
YEREVAN, April 28. / ARKA /. Armenian parliament speaker Galust Sahakyan has endorsed today arguments in favor of building crematoria in the country as the parliament began discussions on amending the law on organization of burials and operation of cemeteries and crematoria, saying the proposed changes (to cremate the deceased) do not conflict with national traditions and interests.
According to him, cremation of deceased people is new in Armenia, ‘however, no one is going to take steps opposed to Armenians ‘national traditions and interests."
He said serious work had been done to flesh out the proposed changes, but some mechanisms of the law could be specified only after the law comes into effect.
The proposed changes specify some aspects relating to the procedures of cremation, burial of the cremated ashes, allocation of land for burial.
The changes envisage one square meter of free land for burial of ashes. The area could be increased to 6 meters in return for a payment. The changes also envisage a columbarium (a "wall of sorrow") for ashes.
It is this aspect that angered MPs who believe that columbarium runs counter to Armenian tradition of burial and installation of memorial stones. 0-
