Month: April 2007

MEDIA ORGANISATION TERMINATED ITS ACTIVITY

A1+
[02:35 pm] 27 April, 2007

The Educated Media Foundation temporarily discontinued its activities.

On 18 April, 2007, officers of the Department of Economic Security of
the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia carried out a seizure of
financial documents and electronic devices, the computer servers, over
a period of 11 hours in the offices of the Educated Media Foundation,
a non-governmental organization and the legal successor of Internews
Russia.

The raid was carried out in connection with the criminal charges
brought against Foundation President Manana Aslamazyan, who in January
2007 while going through customs after a private trip to Paris did
not fill out a declaration form for 9,550 Euros and 5,130 Rubles
(legally it is possible to bring $10,000 into the country without a
declaration form).

Thousands of media representatives requested Vladimir Putin, the
President of the Russian Federation, to see to the matter and cease
the pursuit of Manana Aslamazyan.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RESIDENCE TO EX-PRESIDENT

A1+
[05:49 pm] 26 April, 2007

As the presidential election is drawing nearer, the parliament
has amended the law on pay, service and security of the NKR
president. According to these amendments, the NKR president will
be provided with an office, a house, a summerhouse and special
transport. The minister of justice Robert Hairapetyan who presented
the bill said the ex-president will also be provided with residence
and security, as well as possibility to go abroad twice a year.

‘WHERE DO YOU GO NARROW MINDED?’

A1+
[06:30 pm] 26 April, 2007

4 proponents were beaten in Zolakar village mayor’s office. To remind,
they were the proponents of communist Khoren Trchun, nominated in
the majority ticket by "National Unity" in the constituency 24.

The incident took place in the mayor’s office where Khoren Sargsyan’s
proponents had been deliberately invited to talk over some technical
issues.

‘It is a common thing in Zolakar,’ Khoren Trchun told the journalists
at the press conference. As a matter of fact NA Deputy Hakob Hakobyan
and "Alliance" member Koryun Barseghyan are competing with Khoren
Sargsyan in the same polling station. "May 12 will show who has more
respect and reputation," comrade Khoren commented on the incident.

Khoren Sargsyan reminded that the communism slogan, saying that money
was nothing but dirt which spoilt a person, was actual even nowadays.

As far as money was concerned, Khoren Sargsyan focused on the statement
made by Garnik Isagulyan, RA president councilor. "Where are you going
with empty pocket? And I dare say: Where are you going with narrow
mind?" Khoren Trchun also mentioned that Serzh Sargsyan was the first
to address to the incident. "National Unity" condemned to the case too.

The case is under investigation and Hakob Hakobyan’s brother-in-law
is one of the inspectors.

To conclude, Khoren Sargsyan intended not only to win at the coming
elections but also adopt a law to put an end to terror in Zolakar.

LOANS FOR SEVAN ECOLOGY MANAGEMENT

A1+
[08:10 pm] 26 April, 2007

Residents of five municipality located near lake Sevan in Central
Armenia will benefit from improved waste water management services
following a ~@7 million sovereign loan from EBRD to the Republic
of Armenia.

The funds will be on-lent to the state-owned Armenian water and
Sewerage Company to finance the wastewater treatment plants and network
rehabilitation in the municipalities Gavar, Vardenis, Martuni, Sevan
and Jermuk.

Minister of finance and economy Vardan Khachatryan signed "soft"
loan contract with Alexander Auboeck, EBRD Business Group Director
for Infrastructure.

As to the minister, the loan is provided with privileged terms. The
further interests are not that high taking into account the fact that
Armenia is provided with two other grants apart from the loan.

The loan provided by the Bank is complemented by a ~@ 5 million
grant from the European Commission and the Early Transition Countries
Initiative Fund will provide technical co-operation grants of ~@1,2
million for implementation support and advisory services.

This will be EBRD’s first municipal and environmental infrastructure
project in Armenia.

To-date, the EBRD has invested almost ~@ 120 million in more than 40
projects in Armenia.

In fact, EBRD representative Alexander Auboeck reminded that they
would be very consistent with the project.

BRITISH COUNCIL TRUSTS ARMENIA

A1+
[09:44 pm] 26 April, 2007

Armenia is the first country in South Caucasus, where British Council
office director was appointed the citizen of the very country.

Today, the newly-appointed director Arevik Saribekyan was officially
presented in Saryan house-museum. This will be implemented in three
South Caucasian states. The above mentioned experiment particularly
with Armenia is due to the office work quality and readiness.

Andy Williams, regional director of British Council in South Caucasus
arrived in Armenia to participate in the ceremony. Today she also
talked over the preferences of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, which will be
directed to regional programs of British Council. They are the follows:

To support productive management system

To support economy development and formation of intercultural
relations.

"Intercultural dialogue creates a sufficient ground to solve various
problems, as well as antagonisms," Arevik Saribekyan, newly appointed
British Council director assures.

at present, British Council Armenia is going to realize three
regional programs, as well as English teaching and educational
programs. British Council programs are realized in three countries
of South Caucasus. Before implementation of the projects, surveys
are carried out. Arevik Saribekyan states, "In Southern Caucasus we
work as one organization and we must coordinate each step. In this
respect no country can be stayed behind, as we will be deemed not as
just Armenia, Georgia or Azerbaijan, but as a whole unity."

WOMEN CONSTRUCTORS

A1+
[12:55 pm] 27 April, 2007

The programme "Constructors are Women" has kicked off on the initiative
of the "Association of Armenian Women " and "Habitat for Humanity
Armenia."

The Armenian Apostolic Church signed a historic partnership with
Habitat for Humanity in April 2006, aimed to combat poverty housing
in Armenia, and worldwide. The construction launched last year. Over
37 families of Gavar were provided with homes in the framework of
the program.

37 homes for families in need will be completed in Armenia in 2007. The
number symbolizes 36 worldwide Dioceses, plus the Holy See of Mother
Echmiadzin.

In Armenia, more than 40,000 families live in poverty housing
and have no permanent dwelling places. Over the past decade, a
devastating earthquake, conflict, the Soviet Union’s collapse, and
a newfound independence have led to economic crisis. Thousands still
live in metal "domiks", iron containers used for temporary earthquake
relief, which act like refrigerators in the winter; and boilers in the
summer. Habitat for Humanity Armenia has been working with families in
need since 2000, and provided homes for more than 1,400 people. The
Haroyan family of the Khor Virap village is the first selected among
the 37. Sahak, 43, and his wife Piruza, 36, are vegetable farmers,
currently residing in a neighbor’s basement with their three children,
aged 18, 16, and 14. The family will move to a new house in August,
2007. Economic strife forced the family to the basement for seven
years, as they have been unable to raise enough funds to complete their
own home. Piruza suffers rheumatism in her legs due to the humidity.

" As soon as we learned about Habitat we turned to them. They arrived
and studied our living conditions. The construction began in 2007. It
was a great surprise for the whole family," Sahak tells.

Members of Habitat for Humanity Armenia, volunteers of "Global Village"
International organization, presidents of international and local
organizations and local sponsors participated in the construction
works.

Habitat for Humanity Armenia has been working with families in need
since 2000, and provided homes for more than 1,400 people.

SEYRAN OHANYAN NEW COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF?

A1+
[01:48 pm] 27 April, 2007

more images "Joint Aspiration – 2007" maneuver inauguration kicked
off in the Military-Aviation Institute after Marshal Khanperyants. The
ceremony was attended by Michael Harutyunyan, the RoA Defence Minister,
and Anthony Godfrey, the U.S. Embassy Charge d’Affaires.

Being a leading operational zone of 2007, Armenia hosts the delegations
of Croatia, France, Russia, Georgia and the USA.

It is already five Armenia has been engaged in the leading group.

After the ceremony, Michael Harutyunyan, the former Commander-in-Chief
of the RoA Armed Forces and First Deputy of the Defence Minister,
informed the journalists that the new Commander-in-Chief of the RoA
Armed Forces will be known after May 9.

"There are many skillful generals who can take over the office,"
the Defence Minister says. Michael Harutyunyan didn’t exclude the
appointment of Seyran Ohanyan, the NKR Defence Minister to the post.

REPUBLICANS AND PROSPEROUS ARMENIA TO GET HIGHEST NUMBERS

A1+
[03:00 pm] 27 April, 2007

The results of a poll conducted by Sociometer in the center of Yerevan
suggest that over 51 per cent voters will participate in the upcoming
parliamentary elections. The Republican Party of Armenia will get
the highest number of votes – 13 per cent and the Prosperous Armenia
Party will get 11 percent. The Orinats Yerkir Party, the National
Solidarity, the ARF Dashnaktsutyun, the Heritage Party will either
win over one another’s votes or the voters who have not made up their
mind yet. The director of Sociometer Aaron Adibekyan released the
data in a news conference at the Friday Club on April 27.

The poll was conducted in Yerevan on April 21. Over 1466 respondents
participated in the poll.

Aaron Adibekyan also found out the career layers of the supporters of
the parties. Public officials will vote for the Republican Party, the
workers employed in the public sector will vote for the Republican
Party and the Prosperous Armenia Party, students, housewives and
pensioners will vote for the Orinats Yerkir Party.

42-45 percent think the election will be marred by electoral fraud,
20-29 percent think there will be separate cases like before, and
only 3-8 percent think that the election on May 12 will have an
unprecedented high level and quality.

Aaron Adibekyan assured that he had no influence on public opinion;
he only submitted the polling results.

GOLF FEDERATION IN ARMENIA

A1+
03:36 pm] 27 April, 2007

A golf federation has opened in Armenia. The federation was officially
registered in December, 2006.

Egor Melikyan, the president of the federation, says they are
presently negotiating with the World and European federations for
further membership.

"They fully realise that Armenia is a weak country from economic point
of view and they have fixed special membership dues for us. But matter
is not fully considered."

It is noteworthy that the Armenian people have recently become
interested in golf and the number of players has significantly
increased. Golf is the most profitable sports in many developed
countries. The annual income of many players exceeds $30 million.

ZHIRAYR SEFILYAN SUPPORTS SAMVEL BABAYAN

A1+
[04:43 pm] 27 April, 2007

Zhirayr Sefilyan, a veteran of the Nagorno-Karabakh war, a coordinator
of a public organization "Protection of Liberated Territories" and
commander of the Shushi battalion, urged the Armenian people to vote
for the "Dashink" (Alliance) Party. To note, Sefilyan sent the letter
from the NSC isolation ward.

"We can impede the further reproduction of the acting authorities
by joint efforts, coordinated activity and consolidation of the
opposition. We didn’t hide our stance and called on the opposition
to run for the elections in 2-3 fronts as they had failed to
unite. Surely, the scared high-level officials watched our steps
and applied drastic methods to frustrate our hopes; they isolated my
proponents and me thus hindering our activity."

Unfortunately, the oppositional forces run for the parliament under the
scenario of the acting officialdom. But we mustn’t be discouraged by
that fact. I urge the Armenian people to participate in the elections
and vote for the Dashink Party and its leader Samvel Babayan,"
Zhirayr Sefilyan’s letter reads.