Month: July 2007

RIVALS OF PYUNIK, BANANTS, AND MIKA BECOME KNOWN

Noyan Tapan
Jul 2, 2007

NION, JULY 2, NOYAN TAPAN. The drawing of lots of the UEFA’s Cup
Tournament and the European Champion League of the 2007-08 tournament
season took place in the UEFA’s central station in the city of Nion
in Switzerland.

Pyunik, the champion of Armenia, will compete with the Derry City
team in Ireland on July 17 in the first match of the first stage of
the Champion League Tournament. The second leg will take place in
Yerevan on July 24.

Banants, the league runner-up and cup-holder of Armenia, will compete
with Young Boys in Switzerland on July 19 in the UEFA’s Cup Tournament,
and, finally, Yerevan Mika, who finished in third place, will compete
with MTK of Hungary. The second legs are set for August 2.

If Pyunik are successful, they will compete with Shakhtar Donetsk
in the second stage. It should also be mentioned that Mika played
against Young Boys last year and were defeated with the scores of
1:3 in Yerevan, and 0:1 in Switzerland.

SECOND LEG OF INTERTOTO CUP TOURNAMENT BETWEEN "ARARAT" AND "SHAKHTAR" TAKES PLACE IN YEREVAN ON JULY 1

Noyan Tapan
Jul 2, 2007

YEREVAN, JULY 2, NOYAN TAPAN. Ararat received the Shakhtar team of
the city Soligorsk, from the Ukraine, in the second leg of the first
stage of the Intertoto Cup Tournament on July 1. In the first game
Ararat yielded to its rival with a score of 1:4. The second leg of
the teams will take place in the Republican sports ground at 20:00.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN SPORTING DELEGATION TO LEAVE FOR TRABZON ON JUNE 30.

Noyan Tapan
Jul 2, 2007

YEREVAN, JULY 2, NOYAN TAPAN. Armen Grigorian, the RA Minister of
Sport and Youth Affairs, received the Armenian delegation, which
was going to take part in the first sports games of the Black Sea
Economic Cooperation member countries. The Minister wished success
to the members of the delegation and expressed hope that they will
return from the competitions with medals.

The Armenian team was to leave for Turkey on June 30. The delegation
includes 61 people, 38 of whom are sportsmen. They will take part in
competitions of football, athletics, tai kwon do, and both Greco-Roman
and free-style wrestling. The games will take place in the city of
Trabzon on July 2-8.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RA GOVERNMENT SUGGESTS PROHIBITING USE OF PUBLIC RADIO-TELEVISION FREQUENCIES BY ANOTHER MASS MEDIA

Noyan Tapan
Jul 2, 2007

YEREVAN, JULY 2, NOYAN TAPAN. The RA National Assembly got down to
the discussion of the package of bills of the RA government by the
first reading at the June 28 sitting of the special session.

According to the bill, which envisages to make amendments in the valid
law on "Television and Radio", the activities of other broadcasting
organizations are unequivocally prohibited on the frequencies used
by the Public Radio-Telvision company. According to the current law
in force, such an activity is possible only in case the Cfouncil of
the Public Radio-Television company agrees to this.

The government connects this change with the fact that the activities
of the Public Radio and Television company, which was created by
the state, has a special status and solves problems concerning,
exclusively, public interests, can not go with the activities of
other broadcasting organizations, which are directed at solving
private problems.

With another bill the government suggests making addenda in the RA Law
on "State Duty". According to this bill, a state duty of 70 thousand
drams (about 200 U.S. dollars) is defined for each broadcast of the
programs of national editorial staff and service of foreign mass media
by a RA private television company, irrespective of the duration of
the broadcast.

According to independent analysts and some MPs, the above mentioned
package of bills is directed against the broadcast of the programs
of the Armenian service of the Azatution (Liberty) radio station by
the Public Radio company. This is connected with the fact that about
20 MPs were registered in order to make speeches and ask questions
to Gevorg Danielian, the RA Minister of Justice and the main speaker.

The Minister denied the fact that the bill is directed against
Azatutiun (Liberty) radio station. According to him, there are two
more similar companies, one of which is the MIR television company.

Raffi Hovannisian, the head of the Zharangutiun (Heritage) faction,
mentioned in his speech that MPs should not "put stigma on themselves
by vertical orders" as they are to take responsibility for that
decision. He believes that there are still a number of other foreign
mass media broadcasting in the territory of Armenia: the ORT and
RTR Russian television companies, in particular, as well as Euronews
and CNN.

ACTION OF PROTEST IN PROTECTION OF RADIO LIBERTY TAKES PLACE

Noyan Tapan
Jul 2, 2007

YEREVAN, JULY 2, NOYAN TAPAN. The Transparency International
international organization’s Armenian office, the Helsinki Committee
of Armenia and a number of other NGOs on July 2 organized an action
of protest against the amendment to the RA law "On Television and
Radio" proposed by the RA government, which, in the opinion of the
participants of the action of protest, is unequivocally aimed against
the broadcasting of the Radio Liberty.

It should be mentioned that the bill adopted in the first reading on
June 29 at the NA envisages to "unanimously forbid activity of other
organizations on the frequences of the Public TV and Radio Company."

The action participants moved from the RA government building to
the RA National Assembly, their mouths tied with white ribbons. The
demonstrants placed slogans "To Close Liberty: For You, Armenia,"
"1937-2007," "Shame on the Feudal Clan and Its Myrmidons" near the
NA building.

As Noyan Tapan correspondent was informed by Amalia Kostanian, the
Chairwoman of the Transparency International Armenian Office, the goal
of the action of protest is to prevent adoption of the bill by the
RA MPs in the second reading. "We have no doubt that the law will be
adopted, as we have self-will in our country," she mentioned meanwhile.

DETENTION TERM OF ALEXANDRE ARZUMANIAN PROLONGED FOR TWO MORE MONTHS

Noyan Tapan
Jul 2, 2007

YEREVAN, JULY 2, NOYAN TAPAN. The detention term of Alexandre
Arzumanian, the former RA Minister of Foreign Affairs, was prolonged
for two more months by the July 2 decision of the Court of First
Instance of the Kentron and Nork-Marash communities of Yerevan, headed
by judge Ruben Nersisian. This information was provided to a Noyan
Tapan correspondent by A. Arzumanian, the lawyer of Hovik Arsenian,
who is accused of money laundering. He expressed his doubtfulness
with the fact that the court has not referred to the petition of the
defensive side concerning the application of alternative precautionary
measures, that is to say pawn, as well as the ones of 19 MPs.

H. Arsenian declared that he will appeal against the decision of the
Court of First Instance in the Court of Appeal on criminal cases.

GEGHAM BADALIAN ACCUSED OF KILLING DALAR VILLAGE HEAD SENTENCED TO 12 YEARS’ IMPRISONMENT

Noyan Tapan
Jul 2, 2007

YEREVAN, JULY 2, NOYAN TAPAN. The first instance court of the Ararat
region, presided over by judge Levon Arazian, by the July 2 judgement
sentenced Gegham Badalian, accused of killing Tigran Petrosian,
the Head of the village of Dalar, to 12 years’ imprisonment.

On August 30, 2006, G. Badalian shot four times at T. Petrosian with
a one-barrelled gun belonging to him. T. Petrosian, who was in his car
in the the yard of the Dalar administration building, died on the spot.

According to the prosecution’s conclusion, when making inventory
at the Dalar administration in 2005 December, the newly elected
Head of the village of Dalar, T. Petrosian, revealing the facts of
abuse committed by the former village head, G. Badalian, informed
law enforcement bodies about it and in June 2006 submitted claims
to the first instance court of the Ararat region, because of which
G. Badalian decided to take revenge on T. Petrosian and to kill him.

VIVACELL COMPANY PROVIDES MORE THAN 100 THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR ASSISTING INCLUSIVE EDUCATION PROGRAM IN ARMENIA

Noyan Tapan
Jul 2, 2007

YEREVAN, JULY 2, NOYAN TAPAN. The VivaCell company provided more
than 100 thousand dollars for the purpose of assisting the inclusive
education program in Armenia. With the funds provided by the company,
in particular, inclined planes will be built in eight inclusive schools
of Yerevan and the Tavush region, teachers’ retraining courses will
be held, resource classrooms will be created in some schools. Besides,
three minibuses adjusted specially for the disabled will be purchased
for the purpose of ensuring children’s taking to school and back.

Narine Hovhannisian, the Head of the General Education Department of
the RA Ministry of Education and Science, said on July 2, when signing
the agreement, that 14 inclusive schools function in Armenia, at which
attend 257 children needing special conditions for education. At the
same time, she said that many disabled children are still isolated
from society and are not involved in the general education.

Ralf Yirikian, the Director General of VivaCell, said that the
private sector bears responsibility towards the country where it
promotes activity.

In his words, the latter should do everything possible to reduce
social inequality, especially among children.

Sheldon Yett, a representative of UNICEF in Armenia, expressed the
hope that the other Armenian companies will also follow the positive
example of VivaCell.

ANNUAL MEETING OF ARMENIAN ASSISTANCE FUND HELD IN YEREVAN ON JUNE 30 FOR FIRST TIME

Noyan Tapan
Jul 2, 2007

YEREVAN, JULY 2, NOYAN TAPAN. The repaired office of the Armenian
branch of the Armenian Assistance Fund of America will, henceforth,
be named after Gevorg Hovnanian, the Founder-Chairman of the fund,
and his wife, Sirvard Hovnanian. Archbishop Khazhak Parsamian, the
Head of the U.S. Eastern diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church,
and the Chairman of the Armenian Assistance Fund, declared at the June
29 press conference that G. Hovnanian has always taken part in making
and implementing the programs carried out by the Armenian Assistance
Fund. He also mentioned that the charity of G.

Hovnanian is not limited to the one implemented within the framework
of the Armenian Assistance Fund: he is one of the Armenian-Diasporans
who has made donations of millions of dollars to the Hayastan All
Armenian Fund.

Rendy Sabah-Gulian, the Chairman of the Armenian Assistance Fund,
mentioned that since 1989 the fund has allocated 265 million drams
to Aremenia.

According to him, the Armenian Assistance Fund has changed its
human assistance programs into development ones. It is currently
implementing a number of similar perspective programs in a number of
spheres of Armenia.

It was also mentioned that the members of the Council of the
U.S. Eastern diocese and those of the Board of the Fund Directors have
arrived in Armenia for the purpose of organizing the annual meeting
of the Armenian Assistance Fund in Yerevan for the first time. The
delegation has already been to Gyumri and Vanadzor, and had meetings
with the Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II, the RA President,
and the Prime Minister.

The principle directions of the activities of the Armenian Assistance
Fund for the forthcoming ten years were also mentioned at the annual
meeting, which was held on June 30.

ARMENIAN YOUNG BOXER TIGRAN ARMENAKIAN REACHES FINAL STAGE OF EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP

Noyan Tapan
Jul 2, 2007

YEREVAN, JULY 2, NOYAN TAPAN. The quarter final matches of the
European Young Boxers’ Championship were held in the city of Siophok
in Hungary on June 28. The Armenian representative, Tigran Armenakian
(74kg, Yerevan), defeated his Romanian rival, reached the final stage,
and secured at least a bronze medal for himself. The other boxers of
Armenia did not qualify to get medals.