WILL HE BECOME NA SPEAKER
A1+
[02:50 pm] 25 August, 2008
Head of RoA President’s Personnel, Hovik Abrahamian, was elected NA
deputy during the by-election at constituency 17 on August 24.
Being a sole candidate he got vast majority of votes – 33322 out
of 33811.
The post had been vacant since Hovik Abrahamian’s brother handed in
his resignation.
Hovik Abrahamian is said to claim to the post of the NA Speaker
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
GARBAGE "EMPIRE"
A1+
[04:50 pm] 25 August, 2008
The garbage of Yerevan’s Shengavit, Kentron, Erebuni and Arabkir
districts is dumped in Nubarashen’s trash dump. The place resembles
a garbage "empire" guarded by dozens of watchdogs.
Sentry post never stops a passer-by thinking he is an ordinary vagabond
and like many others has come in search of luck.
The highway is surrounded scrap heaps of 1.5-metre height. One can
see multi-coloured sacks, worn-our shoes and hats, bins and cans,
keyboards and the such thrown here and there. Sea gulls hover over
the dump all day long.
You finally reach a group of people along the dusty and muddy road.
The work is in full swing here. One can see both adults and
children. Seeing video-cameras many of them look askew, whisper
something to each other and point out. A middle-aged man steps out
of the group and comes up to strangers.
"What’s up? What are you looking for?" he wonders.
"I am a journalist. I have come to watch you working," I said.
"Is that a video or a photo camera? Do not shoot us or…," warns the
man and joins his friends. I immediately hid the camera in my bag. But
everybody seemed to know my occupation and watched me in a curious way.
I noticed two fellows putting polyethylene bottles into sacks. The
brothers have worked in the dump for a few summers. The elder brother,
Arsen, is going to leave for Russia in autumn and is saving money
for the ticket. The younger brother, Artak, studies at a Yerevan
university and works to meet his daily needs.
"People may think we are of no fixed abode. But we work over 30.000
drams a day. Do you earn so much a day?" said Artak.
The brothers deliver the polyethylene bottles to the sand factory of
Masis. They are given 100-150 drams for a kilo.
The brothers didn’t let me shoot them as they feared lest their
friends should recognise them and know about their work.
"I want you to understand me properly. I am not ashamed of my work. I
simply don’t want to starve. The point is that our friends will not
understand us because of the Armenian mentality."
Arsen says most of local employees are already well-off people. "They
drive luxurious cars and wear expensive jewellery. They work here as
they find it profitable." Last year Arsen saw a man find 2.000.000
drams in the dump.
"They say someone even found â~B¬5.000.000 but no one saw him."
Artak and Arsen do not get in touch with others. They say there are
groupings in the dump.
Though the brothers are content with the money they earn they wouldn’t
like to work in such a place. "Why should a student work in a dump
to earn his daily bread? Why should my brother leave for Russia and
work for Russians?" said Artak.
On the way I met a woman bending over a garbage heap. She was a
middle-aged woman in worn-out clothes. "Hello. I want to talk to you."
"What do you want? I am simply a garbage-collector. Go away."
–Boundary_(ID_+fi2ZOOic4Q8++r2H1N08g )–
"STRUGGLE AGAINST POSTERS"
A1+
[07:15 pm] 25 August, 2008
On August 25 the Armenian National Congress (ANC) issued a statement
which runs,
Today at 10.30 a.m. over 100 policemen and people wearing plain
clothes, showed up in Northern Avenue, shouted abuse at the sit-down
strikers, tore posters and left taking along their posters.
Armenia’s leadership is in a terrible plight. They fear the size,
efficiency and reputation of the sit-down strike in the avenue.
On the eve of a September 5 rally, collection of signatures on
bringing Robert Kocharian before the Court of the Hague gathers new
momentum. Holding 76 political prisoners as hostages the authorities
have waged a struggle against their photos and posters.
They fully realise the size of the upcoming rally organised by the
ANC and fear public vivacity, economic crisis and unprecedented terror
against businessmen. Therefore, the administration resorts to threats,
illegality and torture.
Today when the international community is seriously concerned over the
Georgian-Ossetian conflict Armenia’s leadership tries to seize the last
opportunity and abolish human rights and freedoms. The ANC is surprised
at the silence of international structures towards these events.
We call for patience and restraint as they are mighty weapons. We
state that the leadership’s unbalanced steps and minor hooliganism
will not break the will-power of the Armenian National Congress and
its supporters aimed at overthrowing this totalitarian regime.
TURKEY IS IN TROUBLE
Panorama.am
15:59 25/08/2008
Sen. Joe Biden, Democratic presidential contender Sen. Barack Obama’s
choice for vice presidency, during his 35 years in the U.S. Senate
has almost constantly voted for or joined initiatives against Turkey’s
interests. It is reported by "Turkish Daily News".
Like Obama, Biden is a staunch supporter of the Armenian cause. The
two men both back last year’s draft resolution in the Senate calling
for the United States’ official recognition of World War I-era killings
of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire as "genocide".
Biden, 65, was close to and influenced by former Democratic
Sen. Paul Sarbanes, who is of ethnic Greek origin, and has adopted
an anti-Turkish position on several disputes with Greece and Greek
Cypriots.
Over the past 15 years, Biden has also worked against a number of
planned U.S. arms transfers to Turkey.
Note, Barak Obama has announced that after the election he will adopt
the article, on World War I-era killings of Armenians in the Ottoman
Empire as "genocide".
ANGELA MERKEL TO INVITE GEORGIA NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES TO A CONFERENCE
Panorama.am
16:19 25/08/2008
German Chancellor Angela Merkel proposed to organize a conference of
EU countries with participants from Georgia neighbor states.
According to German mass media, by neighbor countries Merkel means
Armenia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Moldova, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan.
German government has already presented this proposal to French
delegation working leader of EU. Now it has to clarify the matter
and make the final call.
"We hope that in close future the EU will make an undisputed decision
on the matter," press secretary of German government says.
ALPP DISCUSSING ARMENIA’S POSSIBLE MEMBERSHIP IN NATO
Panorama.am
16:32 25/08/2008
"South Caucasus is again at the door of geopolitical transformations:
in the view of world leaders’ perpetual disagreements, Georgian
membership in NATO will be hampered by strong resistance of
Russia. This in its turn will make more obstacles for us," the leader
of ALPP Eduard Antinyan says.
Antinyan also mentioned that even in the light of changes in ALPP
(Armenian Liberal Progressive Party) its chief goal still remains
Armenia’s membership in NATO. As for inter-party meetings ("Terjanyan
debates"), the ALPP leader says they are meant to find effective
solutions to the complicate problems of our country. "However, the
participants of these meetings have completely different views on
foreign policy of Armenia; therefore our country’s membership in this
organization is becoming pointless."
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION COURT MADE A DECISION IN FAVOR OF ARA ABRAHAMYAN
Panorama.am
17:15 25/08/2008
International Arbitration Court of Lausanne has qualified the
refereeing of semi-final Greco-Roman wrestling contest (84kg weight)
biased. The contest was held between Armenian sportsman representing
Sweden Ara Abrahamyan and Italian Andrea Mingucci.
According to international mass media, the court decision highlights
Abrahamyan’s right to express his dissatisfaction with the referees
from the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles,
the representatives of which weren’t present at the court trial.
Note that after defeat in semi-final contest Abrahamyan entered a
protest against judging but the International Association of Wrestling
dismissed the appeal. Abrahamyan won the contest for bronze, but
during the award ceremony threw his medal on the mat. As a result,
the IOC deprived Abrahamyan of bronze medal.
3 BILLION DRAMS FOR PAYING EXTERNAL DEBTS
Panorama.am
15:27 25/08/2008
Nearly 3 billion drams were assigned for paying external debts
during first seven months of 2008. According to the Ministry of
Finance, 2.3 milliard drams were assigned for debts on World Bank
support programs, 374.2 million drams were allocated to pay the US
commodity credits, 272.2 mln. drams were to disburse the debts for
International Agriculture fund programs and 17.1 mln. drams for AEP
"dry energy maintenance" France supported program debts.
Ministry of Finance also reports that from RA state budget was
made an assignment of 15.1 billion drams for NKR in January-July
period. This transfer has already excelled the previous year’s result
for 31.1%. Also 28.8 million drams came from external financial
sources giving credit to Georgia.
RUSSIA NEVER IMPOSES FRIENSHIP ON ARMENIA: PRESIDENT SARGSIAN
ARKA
Aug 25, 2008
YEREVAN, August 25. /ARKA/. Russia has never imposed its friendship
on Armenia, RA President Serge Sargsian has told the Austrian Der
Standard.
The President was quoted as saying: "If you look back at Armenia’s
past, you will see that Russian-Armenian friendship has never
compulsory. It is needless to say that one can never make friends
by force."
Sargsian stressed that Armenian-Russian relations are open, sincere
and constructive.
He said Armenia’s alliance with Russia had never spoiled the country’s
relations with international organizations, including NATO and EU.–0–
ALL MUNICIPAL SCHOOLS IN YEREVAN TO BE PROVIDED WITH LOCAL HEATING SYSTEMS BY 2010
ARKA
Aug 25, 2008
YEREVAN, August 25. /ARKA/. All Yerevan municipal schools will be
provided with local heating systems by 2010, Yerevan Deputy Mayor
Kamo Areyan said on Monday.
He told journalists that 20 schools had local heating in 1999, at
initial stage of the implementation of the municipality’s program
and the number of schools enjoying local heating reached 157.
He said that the city authorities are planning to provide all
202 municipal schools in Yerevan with local heating systems by
2010.