Month: December 2008

‘BJNI’ PLANT TO GO UNDER THE HAMMER AT $16 MILLION

ArmInfo
2008-12-09 12:45:00

ArmInfo. The property and the property right of "Bjni" Mineral Waters
Plant will be put up for the electron auction on December 19, 2008,
the Judicial Acts Compulsory Execution Service of Armenia Justice
Ministry told ArmInfo.

The brands "Bjni" and "Noy" are to be sold at an auction. According
to the available information, the initial price at the auction will
make up 4,9 bln drams ($16 mln). To recall, financial violations were
revealed as a result of tax audits at "Bjni" plant. According to the
judicial decision, the amount of fines to be paid to the state budget
made up 4.1 bln drams.

AMD 93,370,438 ALLOCATED BY ARMENIA’S LEADING MOBILE OPERATOR FOR OBTAINING 11 APARTMENTS FOR THE HOMELESS PEOPLE IN GYUMRI

ArmInfo
2008-12-09 12:53:00

ArmInfo. VivaCell-MTS makes the dreams of 11 homeless families in
Gyumri come true 1988 Earthquake, a devastating event that left
behind sad memories and changed the lives of thousands people that
lost everything – family, friends, employment and homes… they were
only left with hope.

One day before the 20th Anniversary of the 1988 earthquake,
VivaCell-MTS made the dreams of 11 homeless families in Gyumri come
true. The good will of an Armenian Company who felt that something
should be done was motivation enough to extend helping hands to 11
needy families who now moved to their simple, decent and affordable
apartments before the Armenian freezing winter started and to meet
the New Year with rebuilt hope and new dreams. Now they can raise
their children in safe and decent conditions.

"We dare to dream because we believe in the future of Armenia,
and we care for our nation", noted VivaCell-MTS General Manager
Ralph Yirikian.

‘VIVACELL-MTS’ PRESENTS WINTER PROMOTION FOR PREPAID SUBSCRIBERS

ArmInfo
2008-12-09 12:59:00

ArmInfo. "VivaCell-MTS" announces winter promotion for prepaid
subscribers from December 1, 2008 till February 14, 2009. For each
10 AMD spent over 2009 AMD, the subscriber will receive 1 point. To
check the points one should dial *209#.

>From January 13 till February 28, with the points accumulated one can
make on-net calls, send MMS or on-net SMS, or use GPRS service. One
minute of talk or 1 SMS will make up 15 points, MMS – 7 points, GPRS –
30 points per 1 MB. Number 5" tariff plan subscribers should switch
to any other prepaid tariff plan in order to use their points. The
accumulated points become zero as soon as the grace period of the
card expires. For more information please visit

RA PRESIDENT TO LEAVE FOR BULGARIA ON OFFICIAL VISIT

De Facto
Dec 9, 2008

YEREVAN, 09.12.08. DE FACTO. At the invitation of the President of
the Republic of Bulgaria, the President of the Republic of Armenia,
Serzh Sargsian, will leave for Sofia on December 10 for a two-day
official visit.

The same day the Armenian President will meet his Bulgarian counterpart
Georgy Prvanov. The meeting will be followed by Armenian-Bulgarian
consultations in an extended format, after which the two Presidents
will sign documents and give a joint press conference.

Presidents Serzh Sargsian and Georgy Prvanov will adopt a joint
Communiqué on the results of the visit. They are expected to sign
a protocol of organizing and conducting Days of Bulgarian Culture
in Armenia in 2009 and Days of Armenian Culture in Bulgaria in 2010,
the working plan on the cooperation in the field of state governance
between 2009 and 2014, an agreement on cooperation in the sphere
of archiving, as well as a protocol on excluding double taxation of
income and property.

The Presidents of the two countries are expected to attend the opening
ceremony of the Armenian-Bulgarian Business Forum.

During the two-day official visit the Armenian President will have a
working dinner with the Prime Minister of Bulgaria, Sergey Stanishev,
will meet with the President of the National Assembly of Bulgaria,
Georgy Pirinsky and will lay a wreath to the memorial to the Unknown
Soldier.

At the Na tional Gallery for Foreign Art Presidents Serzh Sargsyan
and Georgy Prvanov will be present at the opening of the exhibition
of Sergey Parajanov’s collages.

RA President will also visit the Armenian Embassy in Bulgaria, the
RA President’s Press Office reports.

–Boundary_(ID_u15fpk3FLAAPcmoFD4OE1g)–

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

3730 UNEMPLOYED REGISTERED IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH

De Facto
Dec 9, 2008

STEPANAKERT, 09.12.08. DE FACTO. 3730 people looking for a job were
registered at the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic employment services by
October 1, 2008.

According to the information DE FACTO received at the NKR Ministry
of Social Security, as compared with the same period of 2007 the
number of the unemployed had increased by 555 people, 491 of which
were from Stepanakert.

Over 90% of the unemployed are women. Most of the unemployed – 2708 –
were registered in capital Stepanakert.

93, 7% of those looking for a job have the status of the
unemployed. 733 people receive an unemployment relief, the amount of
which is 15, 000 AMD.

According to the Ministry’s officials, 161 people were provided
employment by November 1, which is twice more than the same period
of last year.

RA PRESIDENT RECEIVED MEMBERS OF NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF FRANCE

De Facto
Dec 9, 2008

YEREVAN, 09.12.08. DE FACTO. On December 8, President Serzh Sargsian
received members of the National Assembly of France, Chairman of the
France-Armenia Friendship Group Francois Rochebloine and Vice-Chairman
Rene Rouquet, who have arrived to Armenia to attend the commemoration
of the 20th anniversary of the devastating earthquake of 1988.

The President of Armenia said that Armenia is grateful to France for
the assistance provided to our country after the earthquake.

Serzh Sargsian hailed the activities of the French parliamentarians and
informed that he has signed a decree to award Francois Rochebloine and
Rene Rouquet with the Medal of Honor for their assistance to Armenia
after the devastating earthquake of 1988 and their continued work
directed at strengthening friendly relations between the peoples of
Armenia and France.

The President of Armenia thanked them and handed the high state awards.

Mr. Francois Rochebloine said the award was compelling and he would
continue to do his best to be worthy of it. Mr. Rene Rouquet noted
that he considers the award to be the acknowledgment and recognition
of his twenty-year long activities.

Stressing particularly warm feelings of our people toward France and
the French people, Serzh Sargsian spoke with satisfaction about the
prospects for development of the bilateral economic and political
relations, noting that during his short time in office he has had
met with the President of France twice.

The parties spoke also about the Armenian-French cooperation in the
framework of international organizations, the RA President’s Press
Office reports.

CONSULTATION ON SITUATION IN JUDICIAL SYSTEM HELD IN STEPANAKERT

De Facto
Dec 9, 2008

YEREVAN, 08.12.08. DE FACTO. On December 8 Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
President Bako Sahakian convoked a consultation on situation and
the course of reforms being carried in judicial system The President
considered important the establishment of the institute of forensic
department which is to contribute to increasing the effectiveness of
the system’s work.

Bako Sahakian underlined that the necessity to keep implementing
activities to form a corresponding moral and psychological atmosphere
in sphere as well to sum up the activities of each organ of the
judicial system in a public way on an annual basis.

The heads of judicial system organs, NKR finance minister and other
officials partook at the consultation, the Central Department of
Information of the Office of the NKR President reports.

NKR PRESIDENT VISITED SOME SITES IN CAPITAL STEPANAKERT

De Facto
Dec 8, 2008

STEPANAKERT, 08.12.08. DE FACTO. On December 8 President of the
Nagorno-Karabagh Republic Bako Sahakian, accompanied by NKR minister
of municipal engineering and mayor of Stepanakert, visited industrial
concrete plant construction site and a territory of the Center of
children’s creative work where a new kindergarten is to be built.

According to the information DE FACTO received at the Central
Department of Information of the Office of the NKR President,
both objects are located in capital Stepanakert and sponsored by
"Four Direction" company. The Head of the State got acquainted with
construction activities and plans on site.

REFERENDUM IN ARMENIA AS WELL

Lragir.am
14:13:21 – 09/12/2008

The head of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun office of political affairs Kiro
Manoyan stated December 9 at the Pastark press club that a referendum
on the settlement of the Karabakh conflict should be held not only
in Karabakh but also in Armenia at the same time because the issue
of the liberated territories is a matter of security of not only
Karabakh but also Armenia.

Kiro Manoyan noted, however, that the package resolution rather than
a separate issue should be put to a referendum.

Kiro Manoyan also said that Azerbaijan should also make amendments to
its constitution because obviously no matter how the Karabakh issue
is solved, at least the former Nagorno-Karabakh autonomous region
and Lachin cannot be part of Azerbaijan. Of course, Kiro Manoyan
also said that this is not enough for the ARF Dashnaktsutyun. Kiro
Manoyan presented the stance of the party on the resolution. If
earlier the ARF Dashnaktsutyun used to say not a patch of land, now
they diplomatize. Kiro Manoyan says the issue should be settled in
talks, and they think that compromise should be equal and simultaneous.

According to Kiro Manoyan, it is impossible to cede territories
in return for opening a railway, for instance, because tomorrow
they may close the railway but we will not be able to return the
territory. Besides, presenting the opinion of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun,
Kiro Manoyan stated that in the beginning of the settlement the
status of Karabakh should be set down, the issue of the Armenian
refugees from Azerbaijan and the Azerbaijan territories controlled
by Azerbaijan should be brought up.

Most importantly, the ARF Dashnaktsutyun member thinks the talks
cannot be effective, and since these issues are not negotiated
now, Kiro Manoyan says the ARF Dashnaktsutyun has "worry, concern,
dissatisfaction".

LORI REGION ALREADY HAS ANTI-CORRUPTION CENTER

Lragir.am
15:54:40 – 09/12/2008

On December 10, 2008 the anti-corruption center of the region of Lori
will open its doors for the people of the region. The anti-corruption
center is set up by the Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Vanadzor office
and is part of the Transparency International Anti-Corruption Center
NGO’s program of creation of center for protection and support of
interests in Yerevan, Gyumri and Vanadzor.

The Center will have branches in the towns of Spitak, Stepanavan,
Tashir, Alaverdi. The anti-corruption center will provide free legal
consultancy to citizens who suffered from corruption and dispute
violation of rights at courts of law. The Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly
Vanadzor office will provide anonymous and free consultancy through
the toll-free telephone 0 8000 1112. The program is implemented by
the Casals & Associates Inc. which implements the USAID Mobilizing
Action Against Corruption Activity.