Month: May 2008

DAY OF VOTE TO RECTOR OF ARTSAKH STATE UNIVERSITY HAS NOT BEEN APPOINTED YET

KarabakhOpen
21-05-2008 11:44:49

During the recent meeting of government the regulations of Artsakh
State University State Non-Profit Organization were affirmed by
the government.

The founder of the university is NKR in the person of the government.

According to the regulations, the university is entitled to several
types of entrepreneurship.

The board of the University which has 28 members elects rector,
according to the regulations. The minister of education Vladik
Khachatryan said soon the staff of the members of the board will be
presented to the prime minister, the president and secretary will be
elected who will hold election of rector.

LABOR MINISTRY IMPLEMENTS 46 PROGRAMS FOR TOTAL OF $135 MLN DRAMS

ARKA
May 20, 2008

YEREVAN, May 20. /ARKA/. Armenia’s Ministry of Labor and Social Issues
implements 46 programs for total of 41.6bln drams (about $135mln)
this year.

The Ministry is to report not only on the financial indicators, but
also on the quality of works under the programs, Armenian Minister
of Labor and Social Issues Aghvan Vardanian said.

He also reported that the State Fund for Social Security making
pension payments was reformed to a department of the Ministry at the
end of 2007.

The 2007 budget of the social security sphere was 106bln drams
($343.9mln), whereas in 2008 the budget is 152bln drams ($493.1mln)",
he said. The Minister added that the financing has been increased
due to unprecedented rise in pensions in January 2008.

Armenian Government raised the pensions at least by 60% on January
1 2008.

The basic pension has been increased by 60% up to 6,800 drams; average
monthly salary is 21,842 drams against 13,242 drams (64.9% increase).

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

FIRST 100 DAYS OF BANKER.AM PROVES SUCCESS

ARKA
May 20, 2008

YEREVAN, May 20. /ARKA/. The first hundred days of the newly launched
Banker.am portal came to prove its necessity for Armenian society. The
originators of the project say the slogan of the portal "
– the real banking sector" became a reality.

Survey shows that the site is among ten most visited sites in business,
finances and career categories.

Banker.am, founded in February, 2008, is an informational, analytical,
scientific, consulting, and educational website also offering, jobs
contests and entertainment.

Banking and financial news, description of the participants of
Armenia’s financial and banking sectors, information on their services
and an interactive banking map, as well as the results of various
surveys carried out among specialists and people, economic forecasts,
and other related information can be found on the website. The visitor
can also read the opinion of bankers, professional consulting and
find vacancies.

Soon visitors will be able to submit requests for different banking
services and get offers from the banks and credit institutions choose
the one that fits their needs most.

A virtual game will soon be placed on the website. Any visitor may
create his own virtual bank and compete with others on Armenian market.

Among information partners of the project are ARKA News Agency,
Novosti-Armenia Agency, the Smart Systems Company, GIS info, Ararat
Magazine, "We about Us" Magazine, USAID, and Global SPC.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

630 FAMILY DOCTORS, NURSES NEEDED FOR OPTIMAL MEDICAL SERVICES TO POPULATION IN YEREVAN

ARKA
May 20, 2008

YEREVAN, May 20. /ARKA/. 630 family doctors and nurses are enough
to ensure optimal outpatient medical services to the population in
Yerevan, the Chief of Healthcare and Social Security Department of
the Yerevan Municipality Armen Soghoyan said. The Municipality expects
the family doctor institution to be completely introduced by 2009.

Training of out-patient doctors and nurses to form family medical
staff started three years ago: now there are 344 family doctors and
205 nurses in Yerevan, Soghoyan said.

Currently 42 doctors and 43 nurses are attending the training. 427
family doctors and 255 nurses are to be available in Yerevan by the
end of 2008; they will work both through independent groups of family
doctors and individual medical practice.

The family doctors institute is being introduced in Yerevan under
the World Bank loan program ($20mln). Two hospitals of Yerevan –
"Surb Grigor Lusavorich" and "Surb Astvatsamayr" are to be modernized
under the same project.

ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT CONSIDERS AMENDMENTS TO LAW ABOUT RALLIES

ARKA
May 20, 2008

YEREVAN, May 20. /ARKA/. Armenian Parliament gave its first reading to
the amendments to the country’s law about rallies and demonstrations.

Under the document clarifications are made to the list of reasons
for the Municipality to turn down an application for holding a mass
gathering, said Armenian Parliament Speaker Tigran Torosian.

A new definition – spontaneous mass gatherings where the public can
voice its opinion – is introduced under the draft law. Strict time
limits are set for spontaneous mass gatherings: they cannot last
longer than six hours, the Speaker said.

The document also provides for a procedure to appeal against the
municipality decision to refuse a rally application; the complaints
should be considered within a day.

The Speaker stressed the importance of the fact that international
experts provided a positive conclusion on the draft law.

ARMENIAN PRIME MINISTER INVITED TO BRUSSELS

ARKA
May 20, 2008

YEREVAN, May 20. /ARKA/. Ambassador Raul de Luzenberger, Head of the
European Commission delegation to Armenia, has invited Armenian Prime
Minister Tigran Sargsyan to visit Brussels.

Luzenberger congratulated Sargsyan on appointment to the premier’s
post, wished him success and invited to Brussels for a more detailed
discussion of cooperation issues.

Sargsyan and Luzenberger discussed prospects of EU-Armenia partnership
and a wide range of issues on reforms initiated as part of the EU
New Neighborhood Program.

Sargsyan said the new government will be consistent in its
efforts aimed at economic integration including formation of a
European-standard market system in the country, deeper trade links
and economic cooperation with the European Union.

The Premier hailed the programs being implemented as part of the
financial instruments of the New Neighbourhood Program, as well as
the establishment of a new fund – Neighbourhood Investment Facility.

Sargsyan also stressed the importance of cooperation between Armenia
and European Investment banks. He said Armenia is seeking to get a
status of a market economy from the EU – an important stimulus for
further cooperation.

Neighbourhood Investment Facility was launched on May 6. The EU
earmarked EUR 400mln for its implementation. The program includes

Armenia, Azerbaijan, Egypt, Georgia, Jordan, Lebanon, Moldova, Morocco,
Palestine, Tunisia and Ukraine.

European Program action plan was signed on November 14 2006 and
officially took effect on January 1 2007.

MEETING OF LEADERS OF GOVERNMENTAL AND OPPOSITION CAMPS WILL NOT TAKE PLACE

arminfo
2008-05-21 10:01:00

ArmInfo. The meeting of the leaders of the governmental and opposition
parties initiated by the leader of the Heritage party Raffi Hovannisian
will not take place.

The member of the Board of heritage, MP Vardan Khachatryan said in
an interview to ArmInfo that the meeting was to take place at the
Armenian Center for National and International Studies but all the
leaders had indirectly refused to take part in it. "Their key argument
is that the invitation should not have been sent in the form of an open
letter. But I would like to point out that our initiative reflects the
public order and can bring the sides closer to one another. Should
any one of them agree to meet we are ready to create all necessary
conditions for such a meeting," Khachatryan said.

Asked why all the leaders refused to take part in the meeting,
Khachatryan said: "Perhaps, our approach was different from the
positions of the other forces. I hope that the challenges our country
is facing now will urge the other political players to change their
stance."

To remind, on May 19 the leader of Heritage party Raffi Hovannisian
appeared with an open letter urging the leader of the Republican
Party of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan, the leader of the Prosperous Armenia
party Gagik Tsarukyan, the member of the Supreme Body of ARFD Armen
Rustamyan, the leader of the Orinats Yerkir party Artur Bagdassaryan
and the first president of Armenia Levon Ter-Petrossyan to meet on
May 20 evening in order to search for ways out of the present internal
political crisis.

ICRC REPRESENTATIVES HAVE NOT BEEN YET PERMITTED TO VISIT FOUR RA CITIZENS BEING ON AZERBAIJANI SIDE

arminfo
2008-05-21 11:12:00

ArmInfo. Representatives of the International Committee of Red
Cross have not been yet permitted to visit four RA citizens being on
Azerbaijani side.

As ICRC Yerevan delegation told ArmInfo, the ICRC learnt from their
families of the arrest during the night of April18/19th of four
Armenian citizens, who were apparently subsequentlydetained in the
Nakhichevan Autonomous Region of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Since
then, in conformity with its usual practice, the ICRC has sought
access to these individuals in order to assess their conditions of
detention and offer them the possibility of exchanging family news
with their relatives. Unfortunately, to date, ICRC staff based in
Azerbaijan have not been permitted to visit the four persons, but
efforts to arrange such a visit continue.

To recall, civilians Vanik Zmboyan (Gavar), Artyom Zohrabyan (Noraduz),
Karen Torosyan (Noraduz) and Aghasi Yenokyan (Noraduz) turned out to
be on the Azerbaijani side after the incident in one of Nakhichevan
near-border military units. The incident happened due to interpersonal
relations. By unofficial data, a group of civilians arrived "to help"
their friend, having been recently transferred to the new military
unit. A conflict started among the young man and his comrade-in-arms,
and the "brothers" arrived by several cars at the unit to settle a
dispute. A scuffle happened and the commander had to shot in air to
stop it, unofficial data say. As a result, the stranger- young men
were captivated. The Azerbaijani party tries to represent them as
raiders in every way.

GASPROM AND ARMENIA AGREE TO MAKE MID-TERM CONTRACT FOR GAS SUPPLY AND CHANGEOVER TO EUROPEAN GAS TARIFFS IN 2011

arminfo
2008-05-20 13:46:00

ArmInfo. Chairman of Gazprom OJSC Board Aleksey Miller, President of
the Republic of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan and Prime Minister of Armenia
Tigran Sargsyan agreed to make a new contract for gas supply. Gazprom
press-service reports the parties agreed that it will be a mid-term
contract with a price formula i.e. a changeover to the European
price level is expected in 2011 (like in Russia). ‘Gas price will be
changed gradually given the high level of strategic cooperation and
strengthening Gazprom’s position in Armenia due to the increase of
its stake in ArmRusgasprom Company’, the source reports.

Before January 2009 Russian gas will be supplied to Armenia for
110 dollars per 1,000 cubic meters. The parties stressed that
ArmRusgasprom JV is extending its activity and preparing to launch
IPO. Earlier Head of ArmRusgasprom Karen Karapetyan said that the
company is working on a preliminary IPO and conducts international
audit. In the spring of 2006 Gazprom and the Government of Armenia
signed a 25- year contract to determine the strategic principles of
cooperation in gas and energy projects in the territory of Armenia. The
contract implies acquisition of the fifth power unit of Hrazdan TPP
(Hrazdan-5) from the Government of Armenia and the country’s gas
facilities. The Russian holding pledged to complete the construction
of the 5th power unit within 2 years and to build a gas turbine with
up to 140 MW capacity hereby increasing the general capacity to 440 MW.

After the investments, Gazprom will have majority stake in
ArmRusgasprom CJSC. The above gas price (110 dollars per 1.000 cubic
meters before January 2009) was established in exchange for the sale
of the assets to Gazprom.

Starting from January 1 2009 up to 2011, the gas price for Armenia will
make up 165 dollars per 1,000 cubic meters. Armenia has no own natural
gas resources. Gazprom resumed gas supply to Armenia in June 2003 and
it is the only gas supplier to Armenia. Gasprom Export LTD (100pct
subsidiary of Gazprom) is engaged in gas supply up to the Armenian
boundary. Gasprom holds 67.94pct stake in ArmRusgasprom at present.

ARRESTED MPS DON’T RECEIVE THEIR SALARIES AS THEY DON’T GO TO WORK, A REPRESENTATIVE OF RPA FACTION THINKS

arminfo
2008-05-21 09:56:00

ArmInfo. Galoust Sahakyan, a representative of the parliamentary
faction of the Republican Party of Armenia, thinks that the
arrested MPs, particularly, Sasoun Mikayelyan, Myasnik Malkhasyan
and Hakob Hakobyan don’t receive their salaries as they don’t go to
work. Sahakyan expressed his opinion in a conversation with ArmInfo
correspondent.

"The one who led these people should have thought about this issue
as well.

Today Levon Ter-Petrosyan lives perfectly and could have solved this
problem", he stressed. At the same time, the MP noted that if the
authorities are asked to help in this matter, they are willing to
"display a relevant approach". To recall, the specified MPs were
arrested after the March 1 mass disorders in Yerevan.