Month: February 2012

JUDGE SCHNEIDER: ANTI-TRUST LEGISLATION CAN’T BE ENACTED BY GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS ENGAGED IN BUSINESS
Grisha Balasanyan

hetq
00:20, February 6, 2012

Hetq speaks with Mr. Markus Schneider Presiding Judge at District
Court of Hamburg (Enforcement), and a specialist in unfair economic
competition issues.

What dangers do monopolies pose for small nations like Armenia and
what are the primary measures to be taken to combat it?

While I am not an expert in monopolies, in Germany there exists
an anti-trust structuure that primarily deals with preventing such
manifestations. But I can say that monopolies can pose both economic
and cultural problems for a country.

Monopolies are problematic from a democratic perspective, as well
from a human and political stance. It all comes down to just how
strong the anti-monopoly agencies are in your country and whether
they can prevent the creation of monopolies. The German anti-trust
body is quite severe when dealing with such issues.

But aren’t such anit-monoply measures purely for show, when you have
government official and MP’s who are engaged in business activities?

In Germany, the courts deal with such questions and the courts enjoy
the highest degree of independence. A minister or other government
official cannot exert any influence on the courts. The anti-monopoly
agency also enjoys a fair degree of independence regarding its actions,
but the main question of import is whether the entire sector is being
regulated legislatively and to what degree are the laws being applied.

If there are laws on the books but they remain on paper, then it’s
a tragedy. In Germany, without doubt, the laws must be applied.

Presently, the process of oligarichization is taking place throughout
the world and is progressing at a fast clip in Armenia. Naturally,
given this situation, the role of anti-monopoly structures takes on
heightened significance.

Now, if government officials and MP’s, that’s to say the ones who are
responsible for enacting anti-trust legislation and other measures, are
also involved in business, then there’s a very entrenched problem here.

But I must say that based on what I have seen from your State
Commission for Economic Protection my impression is that their work
isn’t just for show.

Take for example the recent sour cream scandal. The Commission took
the correct decision. Naturally what I have witnessed is just a tiny
fragment of the entire picture you have amassed.

What about the fact that the owner of the sour cream company found
violating the law is an MP? Then again, the company of another MP
has been churning out knock-off vodka for years and the Commission’s
decisions have no real effect?

This is a question dealing with legal culture. In the case where a
real legal culture exists, the violating business owner should not
be able to continue operating in such a manner if fined or shut down.

If a business continues to flout the law after being fined then I am
at a loss how to describe the situation. The fines levied must be
so prohibitive as to halt such behavior. They just can’t be at the
level of another business expense.

From: A. Papazian

FRENCH SENATORS ARRIVE IN BAKU

TODAY.AZ
06 February 2012

A delegation of the French Senators led by deputy chairperson of the
Caucasus friendship group Natalie Goulet on Sunday has arrived in
Baku. At the Heydar Aliyev International Airport the French visitors
were welcomed by officials of the Milli Majlis, Foreign Ministry and
the State Committee on Work with Diaspora.

The delegation includes Senators Silvi Go-Shaven, Juan Mari Bokel,
Evre More, Andre Rexar and Jani Lorju, who make their first visit
to Azerbaijan, the State Committee said. In a series of meetings the
French parliamentarians will meet with Azerbaijani officials to discuss
bilateral relations between the two countries. The French Senators are
expected to visit also the refugee camps to closely acquaint with the
life conditions of the refuges and IDPs who have lost their homelands.

The members of delegation are the French Senators who have voted
against the bill penalizing the negation of the so-called “genocide of
Armenians” adopted by the French Senate. The French Senate delegation`s
visit will end on February 10.

From: Baghdasarian

HERITAGE, FREE DEMOCRATS, TO FORGE UNITY TICKET?
Mаry Mamyan

HETQ
16:51, February 6, 2012

At a press conference today, Free Democrats President Khachatur
Kokobelyan held out hope that his party and the Heritage Party
would jointly contest seats in the upcoming parliamentary elections
in Armenia.

Kokobelyan said there was “a public demand to see these two forces
unite.”

He said that it wouldn’t be hard for the two to reach the 5% vote
threshold to get into parliament.

The Free Democrats leaders said he had met with Heritage Party chief
Raffi Hovannisian and declared Heritage as a political force that
has proved itself to be a defender of the people’s interests.

Kokobelyan said that a final decision regarding electoral cooperation
would be reached in the period of March 2-10.

“ARMENIAN GENOCIDE” BILL IN FOCUS OF AZERBAIJANI, FRENCH MPS

TODAY.AZ
06 February 2012

A delegation led by the Deputy Chairman of the France-Caucasus
friendship group of the French Senate met with the members of the
committee on International Relations and Inter-parliamentary Ties of
the Azerbaijani Parliament on Monday, spokesman for the Parliament
Akif Tevekkuloglu told Trend today.

While on a visit to Baku, Nathalie Goulet discussed Azerbaijani-French
relations, including development of inter-parliamentary ties, Mr
Tevekkuloglu said. Special attention was paid to the law criminalizing
the denial of the so-called “Armenian genocide” adopted by the
French Senate.

The delegation includes senators Goulet, Sylvia Goy-Chavent, Jean-Marie
Bockel, Herve Maurey, Andre Reichardt and Jeanny Lorgeoux.

All senators in the delegation voted against this law.

The delegation also plans to meet with Chairman of Parliament Oqtay
Asadov.

Previously on January 23, after an eight-hour debate, the French
senate adopted the bill. Some 127 senators voted in favour, while 86
voted against. The bill demands a years imprisonment and a fine of
~@45,000 for denying the so-called “genocide.”

THE LAST SESSION OF THE PARLIAMENT OF FOURTH CONVOCATION OF ARMENIA KICKS OFF

ARMENPRESS
FEBRUARY 6, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 6, ARMENPRESS: The first sitting of the 11th session
of Armenia’s National Assembly of the fourth convocation kicked off.

Armenpress reports that 97 members of parliament attended the sitting.

National Assembly Chairman Samvel Nikoyan declared the launch of
the session.

The agenda of the 11th session includes 134 issues and 20 international
agreements. The draft agenda of the coming four-day sittings includes
133 issues, including 19 international agreements.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTRY OF ARMENIA CONFIRMS FACT OF KIDNAPPING OF ARMENIAN YOUNG MAN IN SYRIA

ARMENPRESS
FEBRUARY 6, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 6, ARMENPRESS: The information about kidnapping of
an Armenian young man for getting a ransom has been confirmed.

Speaking to Armenpress, spokesman for the Foreign Ministry of Armenia
Tigran Balayan said Armenia’s embassy to Syria confirmed the fact of
kidnapping of an Armenian young man. His identity is known but for
safety reasons is not being publicized.

Initially information was spread that two young Armenians were
kidnapped in Aleppo.

RECORD INFLATION REGISTERED IN SUGAR MARKET IN 2011

ARMENPRESS
FEBRUARY 6, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 6, ARMENPRESS: The incomes of citizens of Armenia
do not grow like the inflation. Last year the inflation in our country
made 4.7%. Prices for meat products increased by 10%, dairy products’
prices by 7%, oil prices by 12%. The record growth has been registered
in the sugar market 35%. Speaking to reporters today, chairman of the
Association of Consumers Armen Poghosyan said inflation is a natural
phenomenon and the main factors promoting it are transport expenses.

“It is much more cheaper to transport cargos from different parts
of world to Batumi, than from Batumi to Yerevan. It is necessary to
build Fioletovo-Vanadzor railway to cut the length of Batumi-Yerevan
railway by 260 kilometers,” he said.

Poghosyan noted that according to consumer basket in Armenia, people
spend 55% of their income on food and in western world 25% is directed
to food which is considered extreme poverty.

“A person is not born to eat and to buy clothes and shoes. If 55%
is being addressed to food and what remains for living with spiritual
life, visiting theatres, cinemas,” Poghosyan said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

WHY HAS ARMENIA’S CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS DROPPED?

news.am
February 06, 2012 | 16:18

YEREVAN. – In line with the publication of the National Statistical
Service of Armenia, the country’s construction business has dropped
by 11.5 percent in 2011, in comparison with the previous year.

Construction by the state budget, the communities, and the Armenian
Apostolic Church has increased. But the primary reason for the
drop is the reduction in the volume of construction financed by
the international organizations, and of the construction by private
organizations, and individuals.

The organizations account for nearly 45 percent of all construction
in Armenia, but there is 13.5-percent drop here. The second largest
financer of construction in the country is the state budget, which
has increased its funding by 15.2 percent. But the greatest growth is
recorded in the communities, with 5.9 times. And the community-financed
construction virtually equaled the international organization-financed
construction.

All international donors have considerably reduced their construction
financing, except for the German Development Bank (KfW) which has
secured a 2.2 more growth.

The volume of Armenian Apostolic Church-financed construction has
increased by 13.8 percent, but the residents’ construction activities
have considerably dropped by nearly 30.5 percent.

From: A. Papazian

DOLLAR AGAIN TUMBLES DOWN IN ARMENIA

NEWS.AM
February 06, 2012 | 17:15

YEREVAN. – The US dollar’s exchange rate against the Armenian dram
(AMD) again started to fall in Armenia’s financial market.

The average USD/AMD exchange rate made AMD 387.42/$1 at NASDAQ OMX
Armenia stock exchange on Monday. So, the dollar devalued by 0.28
percent as compared with Friday.

The sales totaled $950 thousand.

Armenia’s exchange offices purchase US dollar at the maximum rate of
AMD 387/$1, and sell it at a minimum of AMD 389/$1.

From: Baghdasarian

ONE-YEAR-OLD BABY POISONED IN YEREVAN

news.am
February 06, 2012 | 15:08

YEREVAN. – One-year-old Irina P. was poisoned and hospitalized in
Yerevan on Monday.

Her health condition is satisfactory, while nothing is available on
reasons of the poisoning Armenian Ministry of Emergency Situations
informs.