YEREVAN, MARCH 26, NOYAN TAPAN. With the untimely death of Prime Minister Andranik Margarian the Armenian people lost not only a great statesman, but also a devotee of culture. As Armen Khandikian, Art Director of Yerevan H. Ghaplanian State Dramatic Theater, said in his interview to Noyan Tapan correspondent, the Prime Minister was one of single political figures who was anxious about fate of art, especially theater. In A. Khandikian's words, the Prime Minister was the friend of the Dramatic Theater: nearly a dozen of performances were staged at the theater with A. Margarian's support, including Hamlet, Macbeth, Neutral Zone. "During the years of his tenure we never met indifference when applying to him with some issue. And if it wasn't for A. Margarian's support, our theater would have a serious regress," A. Khandikian said. In the words of Ruben Gevorgiants, Chairman of Union of Cinematographers of Armenia, the Prime Minister was loved by the people. In his words, many performances were staged at various theaters, cultural events were organized with A. Margarian's support. "A. Margarian did rather great work during his tenure. He could still long work and serve his people," R. Gevorgiants said.

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