Civilnet
The state funeral of ARF Bureau member and the Republic of Armenia’s Ambassador to Germany Vahan Hovhannisyan took place today in Yerevan. After a prolonged illness, Hovhannisyan passed away on December 28 in Germany.
Thousands came to Komitas Music Hall to pay their respects to Vahan Hovhannisyan, who was lying in state, surrounded by his political comrades. Attending the funeral was President Serzh Sargsyan, Spokesperson of the National Assembly Kaloust Sahakyan, Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan, Foreign Affairs Minister Edward Nalbandyan, Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan and thousands of Hovhannisyan’s friends, colleagues and acquaintances.
Foreign Minister Nalbandyan in his speech said that Vahan Hovhannisyan was the unique combination of a scholar, an intellectual, a soldier, politician and humanitarian, a combination which almost never happens. He said that Vahan was a man who loved his country, a patriot who had the ability to dream.
ARF Chairman Hrant Margaryan in his speech also paid tribute to Hovhannisyan, who was a permanent fixture in Armenia’s political life and not only: “Dear Vahan, I have remembered so many things since your departure that it feels like in the last few days, I have relived the past 25 years...During the Artsakh war we lost so many comrades, we weren’t any better than them, but you were different than everyone. I remember that at the time we were opposed that you be in Artsakh, on the battlefield, but in your own calm way you convinced us otherwise and said ‘Our nation’s destiny is being determined today, without a success in this struggle, political activity in Armenia is senseless.'”
Margaryan went on to say: “You gave your fatherland all that you could, and even all that you could not, in return you took upon the pains of the fatherland. And you knew what the cure was for your fatherland. But alas, there was no cure for you.”
Vahan Hovhannisyan was not only a soldier in the Karabakh War, he was a politician, a political prisoner, a presidential candidate, a member of parliament, a writer and an academic. He was buried next to his father, well known dissident Edik Hovhannisyan.
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