French Presidential candidate visited memorial of Armenian Genocide victims

French Presidential candidate Francois Oland met the representatives of Armenian Community in France.

Head of the managing council of Armenian organizations in France Julian Harunyan and Secretary Pascal Shamasyan hosted Oland.

He put garland at the monument of victims of Armenian Genocide at Armenian cathedral in Prado. Before him French 21^st socialist President Francois Miteran put the galand here.

Oland reconfirmed his decision to accept the law of criminalization of Armenian Genocide denial. Armenian-French magazine Nouvelles d’Armenie informs about this.

J. Harunyan welcomed his decision and hoped that he would really fulfill his promise.

Remind that French Senate accepted the bill on criminalization of Armenian Genocide denial on January 23.  According to the bill worked out by French Deputy Valerie Boyer anyone on the territory of France publicly denying the Armenian Genocide would face up to one year in prison and fine of €45,000.

Some lawmakers in France were opposed to the bill and later they appealed to the Constitutional Council with application to overview the document. French President N. Sarkozy promised to work out a new bill if the Constitutional Court denied the previous one, but he will hardly manage to do it.

France recognized the Armenian Genocide in 2001, but the Council ruled the bill unconstitutional, arguing that would restrict freedom of speech in the country.