Month: April 2007

FRLETS URGES POLICE TO REACT

A1+
[05:54 pm] 20 April, 2007

On April 20, RA NA Speaker Tigran Torosyan, received Boris Frlets,
head of the observatory mission of the OSCE Organization of Democratic
Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) to Armenia.

On Mr. Frlets’ request, Mr. Torosyan dwelt on the activity of the
parliamentary working group which is to register the election frauds
and violations fixed by the observers.

"I voice hope that we shall be able to recover the errors in a short
period," Mr. Torosyan says.

The NA Speaker finds the PACE observers’ announcement concerning the
public indifference to the upcoming elections inadmissible. Firstly,
people will display their attitude on the Election Day. Secondly,
recent polling results testify that over 50-60 % electorate will
participate in the election.

Mr. Torosyan disagrees to the observers’ opinion that the opposition
and the acting authorities aren’t given equal footing. In this respect
he said, that leaders of certain oppositional forces find the campaign
coverage normal and balanced.

Mr. Frelts urged the RA police forces to reveal the recent incidents
and encroachments in the city (shots at Erebuni district-editorial
office) and wondered whether suchlike incidents have criminal or
political grounds.

The two sides highlighted the atmosphere of tolerance and competence
among the political forces cornerstones for free, fair and democratic
elections.

TWO CANDIDATES ARE KNOWN

A1+
[07:32 pm] 20 April, 2007

The names of two NKR presidential candidates are already known:
Bako Sahakyan, the head of the NKR National Security Service, and
Dr. Vania Avanesyan, a professor of Artsakh State University.

The initiative groups of these candidates have submitted the documents
for registration with the NKR Central Electoral Commission, the chair
of the NKR Central Electoral Commission Sergey Naibyan informed the
KarabakhOpen.

To remind, the nomination of the candidates kicked off today.

REPORT OF YEREVAN PRESS CLUB

A1+
[08:39 pm] 20 April, 2007

On April 20 Yerevan Press Club released the intermediate report on
the monitoring of the coverage of the May 12 election, which includes
the first week of the election campaign, from April 8 to 15. 13 TV
channels, one radio channel and four newspapers were monitored.

The chair of Yerevan Press Club Boris Navasardyan said unlike the
year 2006 when only the government and pro-government forces figured
on TV and the opposition did not, as the election is drawing nearer,
the Armenian TV channels start to cover the activity of the opposition
forces. However, it is not thanks to upgrading their professional
maturity but because the international organizations are increasingly
interested in the Armenian parliamentary election.

Boris Navasardyan thinks after the election we will return to the year
2006 when the opposition will not appear on TV, and such forces as the
Nor Zhamanakner Party, the Republic Party and the Heritage Party will
be completely ignored. The reason, according to Boris Navasardyan,
is the painful reality that limitation of the freedom of speech and
the media has become deeper.

He added in a joke that if the interest of the international
organization lasted longer, things which are typical of civilized
countries might become rooted in Armenia, such as a balanced coverage
of all the parties, the administrative resource would not be used in
the election, etc.

According to Yerevan Press Club, on April 8 to 15 on 10 Armenian
channels (4 national channels, 6 Yerevan channels and 3 regional
channels of Shirak) the Republican Party appeared most frequently, 588
times for 62 668 seconds, then the ARF Dashnaktsutyun 248 times for 40
778 seconds. The Prosperous Armenia was the third, 236 times for 27
294 seconds. The fourth was the Orinats Yerkir Party. The Prosperous
Armenia is the leader on Kentron Channel, the ARF Dashnaktsutyun is
the leader on Yerkir Media. The Republican Party is the leader on
the rest of the channels. Even on ALM channel the Republican Party
is the first with 12 018 seconds. Tigran Karapetyan’s People’s Party
is the second with 10 974 seconds. The reason, according to YMA,
is that Tigran Karapetyan, who is a parliamentary candidate, does
not have the right to host TV shows during the campaign.

Nevertheless, ALM channel provides 85 percent of coverage of the
political activity of Tigran Karapetyan.

Besides, Yerevan Press Club reported some problems. In a report
on ALM the reporter gave an obviously negative evaluation of the
activity of the People’s Party of Armenia. The texts of hosts contain
ironic elements, which is not illegal but influences the voters, in
TV commercials images of political figures flash, which also affects
the voters. Yerkir Media often broadcasts a song devoted to the ARF
Dashnaktsutyun, which is perceived as campaign, etc.

EDUCATION MINISTER HAPPY THAT ARMENTEL HAS PUT DOWN ITS MONOPOLY RIGHTS

Panorama.am
19:08 20/04/2007

Levon Lazarian, minister of education, said some 300 schools have
internet connection thanks to not only the state but also international
organizations.

The minister believes it is good that ArmenTel has put down
its monopoly rights and the market will have more internet
providers. Lazarian said that increases the chances to have more
schools with internet connection.

"The state budget has allocated funds to provide internet connections
to all schools throughout the republic," he said.

JUSTICE MINISTER SAYS HHK MOST INTERESTED IN FAIR ELECTIONS

Panorama.am
20:57 20/04/2007

"If elections happen to run not free and fair, the authorities will
be weak. You may have 90% of votes but you will be weak and you will
not feel public support," Davit Harutunyan, minister of justice and
member of the Armenian Republican Party (HHK), told reporters before
his interview with Shant TV.

Harutunyan believes the elections must be free and fair to have strong
authorities, which may act as a partner for both the people and the
international community. "HHK is a force that is most interested in
that," the minister said.

Speaking about international election mission, Harutunyan said,
"They came to assist us to have proper electoral process. Observers
are not political figures. They belong to different teams – right and
left, democrats and conservatives. So, we cannot say that observers
have one face. One is clear – all observers want to see free and fair
elections here."

"We must not perceive the observers as instructors, as was in the
past, when Moscow Central Committee instructors used to come and
give instruction and we had to perform their orders. Now we enter
into debate with observers, make our suggestions. After all, we are
a sovereign state," Harutunyan said.

MINISTER OSKANYAN DOES NOT COMMENT ON IMPEACHMENT IN ROMANIA

Panorama.am
19:05 20/04/2007

Asked about the situation in Romania where the parliament has proposed
impeachment to the president of the country, Armenian Foreign Minister
Vartan Oskanyan said, "It is an internal issue of Romania."

Oskanyan had spoken to the newly appointed foreign minister of Romania
who said that the parliament and president had deep disagreements on
different issues but no one thought the parliament would take such
a harsh step.

STRING QUARTET AFTER KOMITAS TO PARTICIPATE IN INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL TO TAKE PLACE IN FRANCE

Noyan Tapan
Apr 19 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 19, NOYAN TAPAN. "The string quartet after Komitas was
not involved in the events being held within the framework of the Year
of Armenia to France, whereas both performance level and history of
the quartet give right to participate in those events." Artistic head
of the quartet, professor Eduard Tadevosian expressed this confidence
in the interview to the Noyan Tapan correspondent. In his words,
he has never addressed and will not address with that issue to the
organizers as the dignity does not allow: "It is a state program,
if they find proper they send, if not, then we are not of their taste."

At the same time E. Tadevosian mentioned that the quartet will leave
for France in the summer to participate in the international music
festival. The invitation was got from France. And the string quartet
after Komitas will go on tours to Uruguay in the autoumn.

NATIONAL HOCKEY TEAM OF ARMENIA LOSES POSSIBILITY OF PARTICIPATION IN ELIMINATION GAMES OF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Noyan Tapan
Apr 19 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 19, NOYAN TAPAN. The elimination games of the 3rd
group of the world championship of hockey with puck started in the
city of Dublin, Ireland, on April 15. The national team of Armenia was
to also participate in the struggle of teams of 6 countries involved
in the group, but they were not given possibility to participate in
the tournament.

As Karen Khachatrian, the Chairman of the Hockey Federation of Armenia
informed the Noyan Tapan correspondent, personal documents of all
the members of the delegation were sent to Moscow, to the Embassy
of Ireland a month ago for getting entrance visas. But, on the last
day of the defined term the Embassy refused giving entrance visas
of Ireland to Armenian hockey players. In K. Khachatrian’s words,
one of the Embassy officials explained that "they doubt that Armenian
hockey players will return Armenia after the competition."

K. Khachatrian also stated that he addressed a protest to the
International Hockey Federation on the occasion of that issue.

ISSUE OF COMPETITION PLACE FOR MEETINGS OF NATIONAL FOOTBALL TEAMS OF ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN BY EURO-2008 PROGRAM POSTPONED

Noyan Tapan
Apr 19 2007

CARDIFF, APRIL 19, NOYAN TAPAN. The European Football Union (UEFA)
congress took place in the city of Cardiff, on April 18. It was
expected that the competition place for meetings of the national
teams of Armenia and Azerbaijan by the Euro-2008 elimination stage
program will be decided. But, the UEFA decided to touch upon this
issue in June.

NATIONAL TEAM OF ARMENIA RETREATS 8 DEGREES IN FAFA CLASSIFICATION TABLE

Noyan Tapan
Apr 19 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 19, NOYAN TAPAN. The FIFA made public on April 18 the
new classification table of the national teams of football.

Teams of Italy, Argentina and Brazil are in the first three of
the table.

The national team of Armenia descended from the 119th horizontal to
the 127th one, and Azerbaijan rose from the 123rd horizontal to the
103rd place.