Will Crosses Installed Along Roads Be Removed? Clarification

Reports have circulated in the media indicating that the authorities have instructed local government leaders to dismantle all crosses, cross stones, and memorial pillars installed along inter-state and community roads. It was noted that a letter had been sent from the relevant department of the government to the municipal administrations. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had mentioned this during a government meeting on July 7, 2022, stating that "some crosses are appearing in Armenia at spontaneous or panic-driven rates." He also indicated that he had given the order to study the ongoing process and provide an assessment.

Aysor.am submitted a written inquiry to the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures to clarify whether such an order exists, what this decision is based on, and whether a study has been conducted along with its assessment. The Ministry clarified that the protective zones of public highways in Armenia are designated as special urban planning objects, where a specific land use regime is applied, and corresponding regulatory measures for construction activities are enforced.

Specifically, according to part 6 of Article 13 of the Law on Public Highways, it is prohibited to construct buildings and structures in the territories of protective zones of public highways without coordinating with the road administrators and other interested bodies. It is also forbidden to conduct work that could result in adverse changes to the hydrological regime or violations of the stability of relief elements in the lands of protective zones.

The regulations for ensuring the safety of state public highways of international and national significance and the construction in adjacent areas are established by the Armenian government’s decision No. 2404-N dated December 29, 2005.

Among other regulations, construction must also ensure roadside visibility requirements for public highways of international significance at 18.0 meters from the edge of the trafficable part, and for public highways of national significance at 15.0 meters.

“In the context of the aforementioned legal regulations, an inventory is being carried out by the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures and other relevant bodies for unapproved constructions and structures built without the consent of the road administrators in the protective zones of the public highways, in order to align the existing objects with current legislative norms and requirements, as well as to ensure traffic safety. Within the framework of this process, the inventory of crosses, cross stones, and memorial pillars installed without compliance with the aforementioned requirements is also being conducted under the instruction of the Prime Minister dated July 8, 2022, and based on the results, appropriate recommendations will be presented,” the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures responded to the inquiry.