Month: June 2009

WIVES OF CURRENT AND PREVIOUS RA PRESIDENTS JOIN SIGNATURE COLLECTION AGAINST TEGHUT MINE OPERATION

NOYAN TAPAN
JUNE 4, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, JUNE 4, NOYAN TAPAN. Zaruhi Postanjian, a member of the RA NA
Zharangutiun (Heritage) faction and of Armenian delegation in PACE,
is going to raise the issue of environmental disaster threatening
the territory in case of Teghut mine operation at the PACE June
session. The deputy stated it at the June 3 press conference.

On June 5, the International Day of Environmental Protection, the Group
of Teghut Protection is organizing a procession dedicated to problems
of Teghut, Sevan, uranium ores, Sevan’s environmental problems. It
was mentioned that the Group of Teghut Protection has organized a
signature collection, and nearly 5000 people have joined it in the
past 10 days. The wives of the current and previous RA Presidents, Rita
Sargsyan and Bela Kocharian have also joined the signature collection.

Government’s decision on Teghut operation was made in 2007, when
the current President was the RA Prime Minister. The right of
mine operation was given to the Vallex group of enterprises for 25
years. It it envisaged to create 1500 jobs by the agreement. The
government has allotted an area of 2000 hectares for mine operation,
75% of which are forests. The agreement envisages that 357 hectares
of the mentioned territory should be deforested.

Environmentalists consider that Teghut mine operation will result
in an environmental disaster, in particular, the environment will
be polluted, diseases will spread among population in the vicinity,
as well as flora and fauna will be damaged, some species of which
are registered in the Red Book. Environmentalists demand that the
company operating the mine assess mine operation’s influence on the
environment for not 8 but 25 years, with involvement of society and
international experts, as well as perfection of the environmental
legislation. According to environmentalists, against government’s
assurances, no step has been taken in this direction.

Vahram Avagian, a representative of the Vallex group of enterprises
operating the mine, refuted environmentalists’ assertions in his
interview to journalists. According to him, the organization
has presented an assession of influence on environment for 25
years, and all statements on violations of legislative norms are
abstract. "We have never affirmed that we will entirely neutralize the
environmental harm. However, our working program envisages to reduce
to minimum a possible environmental damage," he said. In particular,
a program compensating deforestation will be implemented envisaging
planting forests in a territory two-fold larger than the deforested
one. According to the company representative, the average annual
deforestation volume will not exceed 10 hectares.

V. Avagian does not accept, either, environmentalists’ assertion on
water pollution. According to him, the most economizing technology
from environmental point of view has been chosen, a closed circulation
system of industrial waters excluding industrial waters’ outflow.

PAN-ARMENIAN EXPO 3RD INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSAL EXHIBITION TO BE HELD BETWEEN OCTOBER 23 TO 25 IN YEREVAN

NOYAN TAPAN
JUNE 4, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, JUNE 4, NOYAN TAPAN. The Pan-Armenian Expo 3rd International
Universal Exhibition will be held between October 23 to 25 at Yerevan
K. Demirchian Sports and Concert Complex. Masis Sargsian, the Head
of the Business Assistance Department of the RA Chamber of Commerce
and Industry, reported this.

He reminded that the Expocenter company of the RA Chamber of Commerce
and Industry organizes the Pan-Armenian Expo Exhibition once every
three years. According to M. Sargsian, the organization work was
launched nearly two months ago, and the fulfillment of the Memorandum
signed on June 2 between the RA Chamber of Commerce and Industry and
the Ministry of Diaspora will make that work active.

It was mentioned that the idea of supporting a native producer is the
basis of Pan-Armenian Expo. "We should strive for promoting native
production in any way, create favorable atmosphere for Armenian
enterprises for getting raw materials, sale of production, renewal
of technologies, and entering new markets," M. Margarian said.

He expressed the hope that the tradition of increase of the number of
Pan-Armenian Expo’s participants from one exhibition to another will
be kept. It should be mentioned that Pan-Armenian Expo 2003 had nearly
160 participants and the exhibition of 2006 more than 200 participants.

ANC MAKES APPEAL OF CONSOLIDATION TO ALL DEMOCRATIC FORCES OF ARMENIA

NOYAN TAPAN
JUNE 4, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, JUNE 4, NOYAN TAPAN. "The whole state system led
and coordinated by Serzh Sargsyan was made to serve for the
falsifications committed in the May 31 Yerevan Council of Elders
elections," the statement of the Armenian National Congress (ANC)
mentioned. ANC stated that the RA Defence Ministry ensured illegal
voting of soldiers and other servicemen. They were given illegal
leaves for the purpose of voting and instead those giving them leave
demanded that the servicemen’s relatives should also vote for the
pro-governmental forces.

Besides, according to ANC, before the election day heads of hospitals
and comprehensive schools were instructed to prepare so-called "100
percent" lists of those to vote for the authorities’ candidate. "Lists
of socially insecure people were made up in advance by orders given
to various state structures, in particular, to Ministries, Pension
Fund, and condominiums, and voter buying was done by those lists,"
the statement read.

Mass voter buying was done in the evening and at night before the
voting day. And in the morning of May 31, at 8:00-11.00 all kinds of
transport services transported bribed citizens under control of special
groups, and their voting was controlled by various methods. Groups of
citizens not registered in Yerevan were sent to Yerevan from Gyumri,
Vanadzor, and other towns, who voted at various polling stations.

Proceeding from the above mentioned, ANC concludes that "a criminal
totalitarian state system with a democratic facade" has been created in
Armenia. "ANC has hoisted a flag of struggle against this anti-human
system leading the nation to ruin. We call all political forces
for consolidating in this struggle for establishment of democracy,"
the ANC statement read.

ARMEN HAROUTIUNIAN: REPRESENTATIVES OF OPPOSITION AND POWER ARE EQUALLY TO BLAME FOR FACT-FINDING COMMITTEE’S FAILURE

NOYAN TAPAN
JUNE 4, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, JUNE 4, NOYAN TAPAN. The activity of fact-finding committee
of experts on study of the cases of mass disorders of 2008 March
1-2 in Yerevan failed, and representatives of both the opposition
and the authorities are equally to blame for it. RA Ombudsman Armen
Haroutiunian said in his interview to the Shant TV company. According
to him, representatives of opposition and ruling coalition brought
the atmosphere of intolerance reduced to extremity to the fact-finding
committee, did not act as independent experts, and it was impossible
to carry out fact-finding committee’s mission under the circumstances.

A. Haroutiunian considers that some media publications had a very
negative impact on committee’s activity: in particular, press tried
to make unique commentaries having nothing in common with committee’s
documents.

Under the circumstances A. Haroutiunian considers that fact-finding
committee’s general conclusion cannot be even spoken about, and
the only possible legal way is that each of fact-finding committee
members should present his individual conclusion on committee’s 6-7
months’ activity.

ARMEN HAROUTIUNIAN: POLITICAL FORCE BUYING VOTES WILL NEVER CONTRIBUTE TO IMPROVEMENT OF CITIZENS’ CONDITION

NOYAN TAPAN
JUNE 4, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, JUNE 4, NOYAN TAPAN. The number of complaints addressed
to the RA Ombudsman in connection with the May 31 Yerevan Council
of Elders elections was much less and tension much lower than in the
previous elections, including elections of Yerevan Kentron prefect. RA
Ombudsman Armen Haroutiunian stated in his interview to the Shant TV
company. At that, besides a complaint on voters’ not being included in
the list, the rest complaints were oral and not concrete. "I formed
an impression that different political forces organize calls in the
direction of each other to fix that this or that force has done such
things," the Ombudsman said.

According to the information of Ombudsman’s Office, voter buying
had a mass nature in the past elections. The Ombudsman said that he
has repeatedly applied to voters asking them not to take money that
will be spent in a day or two and not to sell their future and the
future of their children. "A political force buying votes will never
contribute to improvement of citizens’ condition, for that citizen
to be always needy, to take 5-10 thousand drams and to elect it."

Speaking about cases of beating journalists, A. Haroutiunian
said: "It is a permanent, everyday culture, it has become the
topic of the day. We are surprised if no violence is used to a
journalist." According to him, that phenomenon has also become a
component of the political culture.

DAVID HAKOBIAN: RENOUNCING ELDERS’ MANDATES IS ABSOLUTE POLITICAL IDIOCY

NOYAN TAPAN
JUNE 4, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, JUNE 4, NOYAN TAPAN. "The whole responsibility of depriving
Hakobian David of the mandate at Yerevan Council of Elders institution
before the God and the people lays on the robber leaders of the
Armenian National Movement party." David Hakobian, the Chairman of the
Marxist Party of Armenia, a member of the Armenian National Congress
(ANC), stated at the June 4 press conference. According to him,
ANC’s renouncing its 13 mandates and not using them for the purpose
of strengthening the opposition is an "absolute political idiocy."

Therefore, according to D. Hakobian, if ANC leaders decide that he
can work in the Council of Elders as the only oppositionist and move
them from proportional list’s 22th place to one of the first passing
13 places, he will work. In response to the question of what he will
do unless ANC gives him a possibility to be included in the Council
of Elders, D. Hakobian repeated that his being deprived of a mandate
will "lay on ANC’s conscience."

According to D. Hakobian’s estimation, the May 31 elections were the
slaughter of Armenian civilization and democracy, and the "dirty,
stinking mechanisms" used by the Republican Party of Armenia during
the election campaign made the elections an "Asian bazaar." "RPA
members with their barbarity surpassed their forefather, the Armenian
National Movement party," the marxist said.

Speaking about granting an amnesty to those arrested on the March 1
case, D. Hakobian said that it is though retarded, yet a necessary
step. According to him, the RA President should have granted an
amnesty as far back as on the day of his inauguration, on 2008 April
9. D. Hakobian added that in general, it is not foreign forces that
should persuade the President to grant an amnesty, as it is only the
mission of the country head.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ACCORDING TO SAMVEL FARMANIAN, FACT-FINDING COMMITTEE MEMBERS FAILED TO GET FREE OF THEIR POLITICAL AGENDA AND ACT AS REALLY INDEPENDENT EXPERTS

NOYAN TAPAN
JUNE 4, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, JUNE 4, NOYAN TAPAN. "Time showed that being nominated by
political forces, fact-finding committee members, unfortunately, failed
to get free of their political agenda and act as independent experts,
a circumstance, without which fact-finding committee’s existence
becomes problematic, which, in its turn, led to the current atmosphere
in the committee and in essence, failure of committee’s activity,"
RA President’s Spokesperson Samvel Farmanian said answering Radio
Liberty’s question.

He said that formation of an independent fact-finding committee
of experts was the manifestation of RA President’s political will
and efficient cooperation with European structures. According to
S. Farmanian, the authorities were convinced that the fact-finding
committee established outside official circles and consisting of
independent experts could meet public expectations and provide serious
assistance to the NA Ad-hoc Committee in the issue of revealing the
causes of the the 2008 March 1-2 incidents.

‘GOLD APPETITES’ OF GEOPROMINING DISCUSSED AT INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON CHEMICALS MANAGEMENT (ICCM 2) IN GENEVA

ArmInfo
2009-06-04 16:32:00

"Gold appetites" of GeoProMining were discussed at International
Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM 2) held in Geneva on May
11-15.

As Chairwoman of the Armenian Women for Health and Healthy Environment
(AWHHE) NGO Yelena Manvelyan told journalists, Thursday, the news
about the GPM company’s plans to build a gold recovery plant near
the Sevan basin has caused great interest among the conference
participants. "They expressed willingness to seriously support the
fight against construction of the plant in Sotk",- she said.

According to her, representatives of environment ministries of European
countries, as well as other nature protection structures took part in
the Conference. "We disseminated 30 copies of the documentary "Gold
mine for Lake Sevan" created by the efforts of "Ecolur" and AWHHE
with the support of Women in Europe for a Common Future (WECF)",-
Manvelyan said.

She recalled that organizations from the USA, Great Britain, Mexico,
Venezuella, Kirghizia, Bulgaria and Uruguay have already joined
the campaign ‘SOS Sevan’ directed against the construction of GPM
plant near Lake Sevan. The information on the situation around the
Sevan was disseminated by "Ecolur" jointly with AWHHE via WECF. The
latter includes over 100 organizations from 30 countries. Letters with
proposals of support were received from the United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP) and BankWatch NetWork.

AMNESTY WILL NOT SOFTEN OPPOSITION’S HEART

LRAGIR.AM
16:43:59 – 03/06/2009

The Armenian government thinks as a "criminal boss". This opinion
was expressed by the coordinator of the Armenian National Congress
Levon Zurabyan, who stated that all the steps of the HAK to establish
a dialogue with the government go no response from the government.

Levon Zurabyan stated that the government perceived all the steps
of the opposition as signs of weakness. And after this outrageous
election, it became clear for the opposition that the government does
not understand the conception of a dialogue.

Levon Zurabyan stated that even in case Serge Sargsyan declares
an amnesty, it would not create grounds for the Armenian National
Congress to launch a dialogue with the government, and the HAK thinks
that the situation in this country may be changed only after Serge
Sargsyan’s resignation.

Levon Zurabyan sated that it is not ruled out that the HAK may call
for a civil disobedience. He stated that though there is not such
a decision.

BEELINE-UNIVERSITY IN ARMENIA INITIATES TRAINING OF YOUNG PEOPLE TO WORK IN SERVICE OFFICES AT PEAK HOURS

ArmInfo
2009-06-04 16:15:00

Beeline-University in Armenia has initiated training of young people
to work in service offices at peak hours, press-secretary of ArmenTel
(Beeline brand) Anush Begloyan said. ‘The young people will be trained
and attracted to work serving clients in sales offices at peak hours’,
– Begloyan added.

‘Beeline University is of great importance for training and raising
qualification of the company personnel, including those which are
giving service to clients. It will help our employees to adapt for
new job conditions and realities of business’, director general of
ArmenTel Igor Klimenko said. The Training-Centre of Beeline got a
status of Beelie University in July 2008.