Speaking to Armenpress, the Chairman of the Armenian Cultural Center of Hungary Nikoghos Hakobyan said that members of the Armenian community will place flowers by a cross-stone near the Danube River. Later, Hungarian public activists, who paid a visit to Armenia after Safarov’s extradition and apologized to Margaryan’s parents, will speak at the Armenian Cultural Center.
Hakobyan also said: “We are planning to erect a monument dedicated to Gourgen Margaryan’s memory in the academy. We intend to apply to the Ministry of Defense for permission, so that we can start planning.” In addition, Hakobyan noted that the application will be submitted after the elections.
Safarov, who was sentenced to life imprisonment for killing an Armenian officer in his sleep in Budapest in 2004, was transferred back to his home country on August 31, 2012, under an extradition agreement. Although Azerbaijan formally pledged that the life sentence handed down to him in Hungary would be directly continued when he was returned to his homeland, the Azerbaijani president granted him a pardon and formally recognized him as a “national hero” upon his arrival.
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan announced the same day that Armenia suspended diplomatic relations with Hungary.
