Month: March 2007

ACCORDING TO MILLIYET, NO NECESSARY MEASURES ARE TAKEN FOR SECURITY OF AGOS AND OTHER ARMENIAN INSTITUTIONS OF ISTANBUL

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Mar 02 2007

ISTANBUL, MARCH 2, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The Security
Service of Istanbul did not take necessary measures in the direction of
defending the Agos editorial office and other Armenian institutions. As
Marmara states, the Turkish Milliyet newspaper wrote about it. The
newspaper correspondent states that after adoption of the Armenian
resolution by the Parliament of France, Archbishop Mesrop Mutafian,
the Armenian Patriarch of Turkey addressed to the Governor’s Office,
demanding to take under protection a number of Armenian institutions,
and that responding this appeal, the Istanbul Governor’s Office
prepared a 7-page list of institutions of primary importance of
protection. The Agos editorial office was the 12th in this list. In
spite of it, no measures of security were taken in front of the
editorial office after Hrant Dink’s murder. On the next day after
Dink’s murder the Istanbul Governor and security head explained it
during the press conference by the fact that Hrant Dink did not ask for
protection. "18 editors are at the present moment under the protection
of our service, but Hrant Dink did not ask us for such protection,"
Istanbul Governor Guler said at the press conference. Milliyet presents
October 12, 2006 decree of the security service deputy head by which
it was demanded to set the Armenian Patriarch’s appeal going. But in
spite of that decree, no measures of security were taken in front of
the Agos editorial office, and criminal Ogust Samast was not noticed
by video cameras placed by the Security Service, and it would remain
unknown if it was not accidently shot by the camera of an institution
placed in the neighbouring street. The newspaper reminds on this
occasion that no measures of security were taken even after the issue
when the Police was informed about preparing an attempt at Hrant Dink.

ONE KILLED HRANT DINK PROBABLY NOT TO BE SENTENCED TO LIFE IMSPRISONMENT

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Mar 02 2007

ISTANBUL, MARCH 2, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Ogun Samast,
accused of Hrant Dink’s murder, will probably not be sentences to life
imprisonment. He will probably be sentenced to 24-year imprisonment
and it is possible that he will be set free in nine years. Marmara
daily stated about it, informing that the special group of specialists
which is engaged in specifying the criminal’s age, finished its work
and came to the conclusion that Ogun Samast is below 18. The Istanbul
Prosecutor’s Office will still examine the prepared report.

PENTAGON WOULD LIKE TO LOCATE RADAR IN CAUCASUS

ArmRadio.am
02.03.2007 14:53

Pentagon would like to have a radiolocation station in Caucasus
as part of its anti-missile defense system, Head of the US Missile
Defense Agency, Major0General Henry Obering said at a press conference
Thursday.

"We would like to locate radar in this region," he noted, without
clarifying the concrete country the question refers to. According to
Obering, this additional radiolocation station would not be useless,
but would not play a drastically important role.

Obering is now traveling in a number of European states to speak about
the construction of a missile military base in Poland and location
of radar in the Czech Republic.

TURKISH PARLIAMENTARIANS WILL SEND A "PINK BOOK" TO US CONGRESSMEN

ArmRadio.am
02.03.2007 15:52

Turkish Parliamentarians will lobby the US House of Representatives
and Senates members against the Armenian Genocide resolution which
was introduced in January, by sending a "Pink Book". The Pink Book
includes detailed information and documents concerning the genocide
allegation. After sending the books to US Senators, MP Aziz Akgul
and Egemen BagıÅ~_ will contact the leaders of Muslim and Jewish
communities in the United States to start a campaign preventing the
adoption of the resolution, the Turkish daily News reports.

Akgul and BagıÅ~_ announced yesterday in Parliament that for the
purpose of presenting the right information they had prepared a
booklet. Akgul said that the booklet included information, documents
and proof provided by the Turkish History Association. Akgul also
added, "We are stating with documents that the claimed genocide
never happened."

–Boundary_(ID_5MfNDGrVTspcojr2HE HyrQ)–

2 PARTIES PLACE NOMINATION ORDERS WITH RA CEC AS OF 13:00, MARCH 2

Noyan Tapan
Mar 02 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 2, NOYAN TAPAN. Two orders, from the "Zhoghovrdavarakan
Ughi" ("Democratic Path") party and the Democratic Party of
Armenia, for nomination at the coming parliamentary elections by
the proportional electoral system were placed with the RA Central
Electoral Commission as of 13:00, March 2.

Tsovinar Khachatrian, the CEC Press Secretary informed the Noyan
Tapan correspondent about it. There are 35 candidates in the list of
the "Zhoghovrdavarakan Ughi" party. The list is headed by the party
Chairman, RA National Assembly independent deputy Manuk Gasparian, and
"Azgayin Zhoghovrdavarneri Dashink" (National Democrates’ Alliance)
party Chairman, NA "Ardaroutiun" (Justice) faction member Arshak
Sadoyan is the second in the list. There are 34 candidates in the DPA
pre-electoral list. It is headed by party Chairman, RA NA "Ardaroutiun"
faction member Aram Sargsian.

MY INVOLVEMENT IN RPA PROPORTIONAL LIST IS RESULT OF JOINT WORK, HRANUSH HAKOBIAN SAYS

Noyan Tapan
Mar 02 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 2, NOYAN TAPAN. "The Parliament is being politicized
where the work must be team. And one must strengthen that work and
assist some team."

RA National Assembly deputy, non-partisan Hranush Hakobian who was
nominated for the coming parliamentary elections with the proportional
list of the Republican Party of Armenia expressed such a viewpoint at
the March 2 press conference. In H.Hakobian’s words, her involvement
in the RPA proportional list is a result of joint work with the party
and the estimation of that work.

"Still after the 2003 parliamentary elections, the RPA easily and
with pleasure gave the post of the Chairperson of the NA Standing
Committee on Science, Education, Culture to a non-partisan person,"
she said. Responding the question why she was not nominated by the
majoritarian electoral system, H.Hakobian mentioned that she has
already proved 5 times that "she can be nominated and elected by the
majoritarian system: today there is not need of it any more." In her
words, there are all the preconditions for holding fear elections as
"it is allowed to shoot the whole process of election and calculation."

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TAX REVENUES OF ARMENIAN STATE BUDGET INCREASE BY 21.1% IN JANUARY 2007 ON SAME MONTH OF LAST YEAR

Noyan Tapan
Mar 02 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 2, NOYAN TAPAN. In January 2007, tax revenues of the
RA state budget made over 28.1 bln drams (about 77.26 mln USD),
which ensured 6.4% of the annual program. According to the RA
Ministry of Finance and Economy, tax revenues increased by 21.1%
or 4.9 bln drams on the same month of 2006, mainly at the expense
of VAT. VAT revenues amounted to about 16 bln drams, making up 56.8%
of the total tax revenues in January. 9.2 bln drams of this sum was
received from taxation on the Armenian borders, 6.8 bln drams – from
domestic turnover of goods and services. VAT revenues of the state
budget grew by 59.3% or 5.9 bln drams on the same month of 2006. Taxes
from both import and domestic turnover increased. In January 2007,
7.8% of tax revenues of the RA state budget were excise tax revenues,
which amounted to 2.2 bln drams.

Particularly, 1.6 bln drams was received from taxation of imported
goods subject to excise tax, including 845.5 mln drams from taxation of
imported gasoline and diesel fuel and 723.5 mln drams – from taxation
of imported cigarettes. State budgetary revenues from taxation of
goods, which are produced in Armenia and subject to excise tax, made
614.7 mln drams, 553.1 mln drams of which was received as excise tax
on cigarettes made in Armenia. Excise tax revenues declined by 34.4%
or 1.2 ln drams on January 2006, mainly due to a decrease in taxes
from imported and domestically produced cigarettes, as well as imported
gasoline. 12.5% of tax revenues in January was ensured at the expense
of profit tax of over 3.5 bln drams. Profit tax revenues declined by
0.4% or 13.9 mln drams on January of last year. Income tax revenues of
the RA state budget amounted to 2.2 bln drams in January 2007, which
is less by 22.8% or 635.7 mln drams than the index of January 2006.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NON-TAX REVENUES OF ARMENIAN STATE BUDGET INCREASE 2.4FOLD IN JANUARY 2007 ON SAME MONTH OF LAST YEAR

Noyan Tapan
Mar 02 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 2, NOYAN TAPAN. In January 2007, non-tax revenues of
the RA state budget made 7.2 bln drams (about 19.8 mln USD), which
ensured a 37.1% fulfilment of the annual programmed index. According
to the RA Ministry of Finance and Economy, 4.613 mln drams paid by
the reconciliation agreement with ArmenTel CJSC was included in the
indicated sum. Without it, non-tax revenues grew 2.4fold on January
2006. State budgetary revenues from capital operations made over 4
bln drams in January 2007. Revenues from capital operations made up
35% of the annual programmed index. These revenues grew by 68.5% or
1.6 bln drams on January 2006, which is conditioned by an increase in
revenues from sale of lands in Yerevan. Official transfers received in
the period under review made 1.6 mln drams. This money was transferred
to extra-budgetary accounts of state institutions.

ARMENIA’S STATE DEBT SERVICING EXPENDITURES DECLINE BY 5.8% IN JANUARY 2007 ON SAME MONTH OF LAST YEAR

Noyan Tapan
Mar 02 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 2, NOYAN TAPAN. In January 2007, 487.7 mln drams (about
1.341 mln USD) of budgetary resources was allocated for servicing
of the RA state debt. Particularly, 341.6 mln drams was allocated
for servicing the domestic debt, 146.2 mln drams – for servicing the
foreign debt. According to the RA Ministry of Finance and Economy,
state debt servicing expenditures declined by 5.8% in January 2007 on
January 2006. 137.5 mln drams was allocated for payment of external
liabilities, which was spent on repayment of loans provided under
the energy system maintenance program and the enterprise development
program implemented with World Bank assistance.

CUSTOMS DUTIES INCREASE BY 52.3% IN JANUARY 2007 ON SAME MONTH OF LAST YEAR

Noyan Tapan
Mar 02 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 2, NOYAN TAPAN. In January 2007, the RA state budgetary
revenues from customs duties made over 1.5 bln drams (over 4.1 mln
USD), exceeding by 52.3% or 522.2 mln drams the index of January
2006. According to the RA Ministry of Finance and Economy, fixed
payments amounted to 1.2 bln drams in January 2007, exceeding by 24.3%
or 241.8 mln drams the index of January 2006.

This growth is mainly conditioned by an increase in payments for
organization of lotteries, gas filling and trade facilities, as
well as transport activity. In January 2007, the RA state budgetary
revenues from simplified tax amounted to 841.5 mln drams, growing
by 19.1% or 134.9 mln drams on the same month of last year. State
budgetary revenues from other taxes made 689.8 bln drams in January
2007. Particularly, nature use and environmental protection payments
amounted to 292.3 mln drams, road payments – to 144.1 mln drams. These
taxes declined by 16.7% or 138.5 mln drams on the same period of 2006,
mainly because of a decrease in nature use payments. State budgetary
revenues from state duty made over 1.1 bln drams, growing by 24.3% or
218.8 mln drams on January 2006, mainly due to an increase in duties
collected from such services as granting legal documents to natural
persons, deprture of natural persons by means of air transport, etc.