ARAKEL MIRZOYAN TO TAKE PART IN WEIGHTLIFTING WORLD YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP
Noyan Tapan
June 3, 2009
YEREVAN, JUNE 3, NOYAN TAPAN. The Weightlifting World Youth
Championship will be held on June 12-29 in the capital of Romania
Bucharest. Champion of Europe and Beijing Olympic Games Arakel Mirzoyan
will be the only sportsman to represent Armenia. He will perform in
the 69 kg weight category.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
INDIVIDUAL SKATERS ANI AND GEGHAM VARDANIANS TO HOLD TEACHING AND TRAINING GATHERING IN LOS ANGELES
Noyan Tapan
June 3, 2009
YEREVAN, JUNE 3, NOYAN TAPAN. On June 2, figure skaters Ani and
Gegham Vardanians left for the USA. There they will prepare for
the International Olympic Rating Tournament which will be held on
September 24-30 in Oberstdorf, Germany. In order to take part in
Vancouver-2010 Winter Olympic Games they should take a place in the
first six in that tournament.
In Los Angeles Vardanians will train with a famous specialist
Rafayel Harutyunian. The private trainer of the individual skaters
Armen Asoyan, who is the pupil of R. Harutyunian at Yerevan Figure
Skating sports school, will also participate to the teaching and
training gathering.
IN 2008 RA MINISTRY OF DIASPORA ECONOMIZES 20% RESOURCES PROVIDED FROM STATE BUDGET
Noyan Tapan
June 3, 2009
YEREVAN, JUNE 3, NOYAN TAPAN. In 2008 the RA Ministry of Diaspora
spent 80m of 101m drams allocated to it. Minister of Diaspora Hranush
Hakobian reported on June 2, at the joint sitting of the RA NA
Standing Committees.
According to her, the economy was done due to Ministry staff’s being
incomplete yet.
The Minister said that property, equipment and several cars were
bought for the newly created Ministry within the three months of the
previous year, on which 50m drams were spent. The Ministry organized
a conference in late December dedicated to repatriation problems in
1946-48. As to the All-Armenian Conference of Architects, the 1.5m
drams spent on it was envisaged by the current year’s budget.
In response to deputy Naira Zohrabian’s question on the fate of the
Yaraj newspaper of Paris H. Hakobian said that she personally visited
newspaper’s editorial office and talked to the editor-in-chief,
who is also newspaper’s owner. The latter on no condition agreed to
continue publishing the newspaper, which was stopped from June 1.
ALL PROGRAMS INITIATED BY EDUARDO ERNEKIAN IN VARIOUS SPHERES IN ARMENIA ARE IN PROCESS OF NORMAL IMPLEMENTATION
Noyan Tapan
June 3, 2009
YEREVAN, JUNE 3, NOYAN TAPAN. RA President Serzh Sargsyan met with
Chairman of the American International Airports company Eduardo
Ernekian on June 2.
It was mentioned at the meeting that in spite of some difficulties of
the international financial-economic crisis, all programs initiated
by the Argentinian Armenian businessman in various spheres in Armenia
are in the process of normal implementation.
Presenting investment programs implemented in the agricultural sphere,
E. Ernekian said that they use modern technologies, a new method of
cultivation and irrigation. S. Sargsyan attached importance to study
of these technologies and their spreading in other agricultures.
E. Ernekian said that the Fruitful Armenia program operating with
his financing has announced a competition of essays on the spheres of
agriculture and agricultural products, finances and infrastructures
in order to encourage innovation, fresh ideas and revealing Armenian
young people with new way of thinking, fulfilling their proposals.
According to RA President’s Press Office, during the talk they also
touched upon programs implemented in the banking sphere and at the
Haypost company.
RA PARLIAMENT RATIFIES AGREEMENT ON PROVISION OF STATE CREDIT OF 500M USD BY RF
Noyan Tapan
June 3, 2009
YEREVAN, JUNE 3, NOYAN TAPAN. On June 2, the RA National Assembly
ratified the agreement signed between the RA and RF governments on
2009 May 20 in Moscow on provision of state credit to RA. According
to it, a credit of 500m USD will be provided to Armenia.
According to the main reporter, RA Minister of Finance Tigran Davtian,
the credit can be assessed as "soft," beneficial for Armenia. It is
provided by 15 years’ term, without the repayment obligation in the
first four years.
The Armenian side will repay the debt in 2013-2024 with equal six
months’ shares and for using the credit will pay to the Russian
side for 6-month deposits LIBOR rate plus 3 percent annual interest
rate. According to the Minister, at the moment LIBOR rate is 1.22,
that is, the interest rate to be paid is 4.22.
One part of the credit will be spent on financing the budget deficit
and the other part will be used for anti-crisis measures: crediting
of small and medium-sized, as well as system-creating enterprises,
implementation of restoration work in the earthquake zone, formation
of a Stabilization Fund at the Central Bank of Armenia.
The Zharangutiun faction voted against agreement’s
ratification. Faction head Armen Martirosian said that it is
inadmissible to take such a credit without government’s exact actions
aimed its its repayment, without grounding. He also expressed an
apprehension that the LIBOR rate will increase parallel with the
positive tendencies on the world market and as a result the credit
will become a big burden for the future government.
Former NA Speaker, independent deputy Tigran Torosian also
voted against ratification. The ARFD faction did not take part in
voting. Faction head Vahan Hovhannisian stated that their decision
is political.
ISSUE OF GRANTING AMNESTY DISCUSSED AT PUBLIC COUNCIL SITTING
Noyan Tapan
June 3, 2009
YEREVAN, JUNE 3, NOYAN TAPAN. The first plenary sitting of Public
Council was held on June 2 in Yerevan. One of the issues on the sitting
agenda was the issue of granting an amnesty. The initial variant of
the draft decision made in consequence of concessions was submitted
to Council members’ discussion.
The draft decision, in particular, mentioned that amnesty is one of the
problems having public resonance, it can mitigate the current tension
in public life, promote formation of an atmosphere of tolerance and
mutual confidence.
According to the draft decision, in order to introduce the proposal of
amnesty to the RA President they should also discuss it at the Public
Council structures, as well as should apply to the NA Committee on
State and Legal Issues, Justice Minister, Prosecutor General, Police
Head "with the request of providing information regarding amnesty."
Karen Bekarian, a member of the Committee, the Head of the European
Integration NGO, considers that the issue of amnesty should not be
narrowed and brought to the amnesty of cases on the March 1-2 mass
disorders. Actor Sos Sargsian noted that if the decision on amnesty
mentions only March 1-2, it will be already not amnesty, but pardon.
VLADIMIR KARMIRSHALIAN GIVEN DEGREE OF AMBASSADOR EXTRAORDINARY AND PLENIPOTENTIARY OF RA
Noyan Tapan
June 3, 2009
YEREVAN, JUNE 3, NOYAN TAPAN. Under RA President Serzh Sargsyan’s
June 2 decree, Vladimir Karmirshalian was given a degree of Ambassador
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Republic of Armenia to Argentina,
Chile, Uruguay. Noyan Tapan was informed about it by RA President’s
Press Office.
ASHOT GALOYAN GIVEN DEGREE OF ENVOY EXTRAORDINARY AND MINISTER PLENIPOTENTIARY OF RA
Noyan Tapan
June 3, 2009
YEREVAN, JUNE 3, NOYAN TAPAN. Under RA President Serzh Sargsyan’s
June 2 decree, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of RA to
Estonia Ashot Galoyan was given the degree of Envoy Extraordinary and
Minister Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Armenia. Noyan Tapan was
informed about it by RA President’s Press Office.
VAHAGN KHACHATRIAN: AMBULANCE PERSONNEL CHANGED BALLOT BOX AT A POLLING STATION
Noyan Tapan
June 3, 2009
YEREVAN, JUNE 3, NOYAN TAPAN. "What took place on May 31 in Yerevan
cannot be named "elections," Vahagn Khachatrian, ANC representative,
coordinator of ANC Malatia-Sebastia community’s election headquarters,
stated at the June 3 press conference. According to him, as a
result of mass stuffing of ballot boxes with ballot papers done by
pro-governmental forces 90% and more turnout was recorded at many
polling stations of electoral districts N 7 and 8. Besides, according
to V. Khachatrian, all known and unknown means of rigging elections
were used on May 31, from organization of "karoussels" to attack of
"bandit groups" on polling stations. And all this, according to the
ANC representative, was done in the presence of policemen and with
their "silent approval."
V. Khachatrian also said that at one of Malatia-Sebastia polling
stations immediately before counting the votes the ambulance car
arriving on the occasion of alleged worsening of health condition of
a commission member brought a ballot-box already stuffed with ballot
papers and took away the ballot box placed at the polling station. As
a result, according to him, nearly 1300 ballot papers were counted,
while ANC’s proxy had recorded participation of nearly 700 voters
within the day.
V. Khachatrian added that in the house where he lives the
resident carrying out RPA’s election campaign was a thief and
hooligan. According to the ANC representative, that young man had a
big sum of money during the campaign and he started, on the one hand,
to bribe and, on the other hand, to intimidate the house residents.
OSCE MISSION CARRIES OUT PLAN MONITORING AT NKR AND AZERI ARMED FORCES CONTACT-LINE
Noyan Tapan
June 3, 2009
STEPANAKERT, JUNE 3, NOYAN TAPAN. According to the agreement reached
with the NKR authorities in advance, on June 3, the OSCE mission
carried out a plan monitoring at the NKR and Azeri armed forces
contact-line in the direction of Aghdam, near the populated area
of Marzili.
>From the positions of NKR Defence Army the monitoring was conducted
by OSCE Office Coordinator, Lieutenant-Colonel Imre Palatinus
(Hungary) and Field Assistant of Personal Representative of the OSCE
Chairman-in-Office Vladimir Chuntulov (Bulgaria).
According to the NKR Foreign Ministry Press Service, the monitoring
was held according to the schedule. No cases of violation of the
cease-fire regime were recorded during the monitoring.
Representatives of the NKR Foreign Ministry and Defence Ministry
accompanied the monitoring mission from the Karabakh side.