Month: February 2012

“GO TO MASHTOTS PARK, AND THEN WE’LL TALK”

05:13 pm | Today | Social

The environmentalists protesting at Mashtots Park are the bad students
of architect Levon Igityan.

During a press conference at “Hayeli” Club, the architect suggested
leaving the mayor alone since he had found a temporary solution for
the elite stands on Abovyan Street by placing them at Mashtots Park.

Igityan says he doesn’t understand what the environmentalists are
suggesting.

Environmentalist Karine Danielyan suggested that he could give Igityan
her suggestions that she had given the mayors and the president.

In response, Igityan said he had read those suggestions, but Karine
Danielyan counter-argued and said he hadn’t.

Karine Danielyan also doesn’t condemn the municipality’s decision
and says she would like to believe in the mayor.

Environmentalist Meri Khachatryan told the mayor that the
environmentalists were demanding for the preservation of the green
areas in Yerevan and that Taron Margaryan hadn’t liked the term
“demanding”.

Khachatryan says the municipality should stop construction and discuss
the issue of the stands.

Levon Igityan calls on the environmentalists to remember that the
stands are being placed at Mashtots Park temporarily and doesn’t know
what is going on there. “Unfortunately, I haven’t been there.”

The environmentalists tell him to go to Mashtots Park and then they
will talk.

FRENCH-ARMENIANS TO PAY TRIBUTE OF HONOR IN MEMORY OF VICTIMS OF SUMGAIT POGROM

ARMENPRESS
FEBRUARY 21, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 21, ARMENPRESS: Commemoration events will be
organized February 26-27 in France on the occasion of the 24th
anniversary of the Sumgait pogrom. The events have been undertaken
by the Coordination Council of Armenian Organizations in France and
Nagorno Karabakh Republic’s mission in France,

Armenpress reports citing Nouvelle d’Armenie.

A holy liturgy will be chanted February 26 in Saint John (Hovhannes)
Church of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Paris, after which the
French-Armenians will put a wreath and flowers at the Komitas Statue,
paying tribute of honor in memory of Sumgait victims.

A campaign condemning the Sumgait pogrom will be conducted near the
Mayor’s Office, Paris, on February 27.

ARMENIAN OPPOSITION WELCOMES STRUGGLE OF ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVISTS

news.am
February 21, 2012 | 19:16

YEREVAN. – The opposition Armenian National Congress (ANC) welcomes
the struggle of environmentalists in various regions of Armenia and
expresses its readiness to join their environmental initiatives.

“Stressing the importance of literate environmental policy and
necessity of comprehensive approach to environmental issues, ANC’s
environmental committee introduces draft project of environment policy
for public discussions.

Lots of mining deposits are being exploited in Armenia while being
public property, but the super profit is received by only several
people in ruling administration.

Authorities continue to build cafeterias in public parks. ANC sees the
solution only in change of authorities,” ANC environmental committee
statement reads.

SCIENTISTS OFFER DECLARATION ON RIGHTS OF DOLPHINS

news.am
February 21, 2012 | 17:45

Scientists and animal rights groups have developed a special
declaration on the rights of dolphins and want it to be approved at
the legislative level.

If the bill on dolphins is passed, then attacks of fishermen, as well
as keeping dolphins in zoos will be a criminal offense.

The bill says representative of cetaceans – whales, dolphins and
belugas – has the right to life and nobody has the right to own these
creatures or do something that infringes their rights, liberty or
the rules, NEWSru.com reports.

Last year Armenian environmentalists filed a lawsuit against the
Armenian Ministry of Nature Protection demanding that court should
order the ministry to conduct an inquiry into construction project
of the Yerevan dolphinarium.

The Nemo dolphinarium was opened in 2010 December in the territory
of one of the Yerevan parks. Environmentalists objected to the idea,
saying the dolphins would not survive in Armenia.

ARMENIA’S POLICE DETAIN HOOLIGANISM, ABDUCTION SUSPECTS

news.am
February 21, 2012 | 16:52

Officers from Armenia’s Police Force arrested, on Monday, a 33-year-old
resident of Dimitrov village, who was wanted, since the same day,
on hooliganism charges.

Also on Monday, the law enforcement officers detained, from a Vanadzor
city street, a 22-year-old resident of Alaverdi city, who was wanted,
ever since February 18, on charges of abduction.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

MODERN ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT CENTER OPENS IN ARMENIA’S CAPITAL

Tert.am
21.02.12

Armenian Minister of Education and Science Armen Ashotyan participated
in the opening of a modern electrical equipment center in Vocational
School #4 in Yerevan, on Tuesday.

The program has been implemented with the assistance of Bosch Group,
a leading global supplier of technology and services.

Minister Ashotyan pointed out the importance of the private sector’s
involvement in organizing the education process. He stressed that
Armenia’s education system needs up-to-date technologies and equipment.

“This center is the first specialized education and training center.

We hope, however, that it will not be the last one. Such centers
are in great demand – they promote market-oriented education. The
center is provided with cutting-edge equipment. If a student learns to
operate this equipment, it will find his place in the labor market,”
Minister Ashotyan said. The teaching staff will be retrained. Minister
Ashotyan proposed further cooperation in establishing similar centers
in other schools to the private sector representatives.

A Bosch representative that attended the opening ceremony noted that
this is the first center in the South Caucasus.

ARMENIAN PREMIER LAYS FLOWERS AT MESROB MASHTOTS’ TOMB

Tert.am
21.02.12

An official delegation led by Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan
and Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan visited Oshakan and laid
flowers at the tomb of Mesrob Mashtots, creator of the Armenian
alphabet.

The delegation also participated in a ceremony dedicated to the
Armenian alphabet and Armenian language.

International Mother Language Day is an observance held annually on 21
February worldwide to promote awareness of linguistic and cultural
diversity and multilingualism. It was first announced by UNESCO on 17
November 1999. Its observance was also formally recognized by the
United Nations General Assembly in its resolution establishing 2008 as
the International Year of Languages.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

BREAKER-MPS NOT TO BE PUNISHED

Tert.am
21.02.12

No sanctions will be applied against the Armenian MPs that voted in
place of others.

A Tuesday meeting chaired by Parliament Speaker Samvel Nikoyan
discussed the issue of the MPs of the Republican Party of Armenia
(RPA) that voted in place of others. The meeting decided against
applying any sanctions against them.

The Press and Public Relations Department, Parliament of Armenia,
reports that, in the written responses to a number of letters, Speaker
Samvel Nikoyan stated his intention to urge the parliamentary groups
to rule out such incidents.

At the latest four-day parliamentary session, Larisa Alaverdyan,
a Heritage party member, noticed some of the RPA MPs voting in
place of others. She stated that “two-headed people” were present
in parliament. The Center of Parliamentarism NGO demanded that the
Special Investigation Service initiate criminal proceedings against
the MPs. The Special Investigation Service forwarded the complaint
to Speaker Samvel Nikoyan.

According to the official report, none of the MPs named anyone that
voted in place of others. “Therefore, pursuant to Article 45 of the
NA Regulations, the chairman did not apply any sanctions against the
MPs, but called on them not to vote in place of others.”

FREELANCE JOURNALIST ON HUNGER STRIKE IN ARMENIA’S CAPITAL

Tert.am
21.02.12

Freelance journalist Bayandur Hovhannisyan, one of the activists
protesting against the installation of kiosts in Mashtots park,
is holding a hunger strike.

He plans to stage the hunger strike and a sit-in for eight days.

His step is aimed at showing the authorities that the protest against
construction of kiosks is a rather serious action.

Bayandur calls on the other activists to join.

“Activity is not only ‘like’ in Facebook. Come to the park and bring
another ten people along. Do not politicize the action,” said of
the activists.

The environmentalists announced their intention to gather in the park
on Wednesday morning.

Singer Artur Ispiryan is among the protestors.

From: Baghdasarian

THE REPORT ON DINK MURDER CASE IS NOT PUBLISHED FULLY: CHETIN WILL APPEAL

19:07 . 21/02

In Turkey even if they tell a truth, it must surely be not complete.

Yesterday such a situation was created around the document published
in the result of the long-term investigation into Dink’s murder and
the trial by the special council under President Abdullah Gul.

On January 28 in 2011, at the order of President Abduallh Gul, the
Turkish State Supervisory Council started the investigation into trial
on Hrant Dink’s murder. A part of the report prepared in the result of
the investigation was presented to the public yesterday. The report
considered to be confidential is not only partly made public, some
points and details which are meant for public are not publicised,
but also it isn’t provided to the Dink family and the advocates in
full text.

Dink family attorney Fethiye Chetin is categorically against this
decision. According to her, how confidential the report may be, the
family and the advocates have full right to get the whole version. The
latter ones will launch an appeal at corresponding bodies to get
the report.

Before that, after the publication of the report, the local media
continuously speak on several important points of the report. Some
TV channels even say this report means that the state at last, even
indirectly accepted its guilt. One of the axial points in the report
states that the staff of the police and gendarmerie was quite aware
that Dink’s life is in danger and contrary to that, they hadn’t
taken any steps. Thus, Article 17 of the Turkish Constitution and
Article 2 of the European Convention of human Rights forming part of
the internal laws were violated. This means it is necessary to start
investigation immediately on the state bodies involved in Dink’s case.

Abuse of powers, negligence in ones duties and many other similar
points, which were included in the report of the state supervisory
council, give hope of probable restart of Dink’s trial from the
very beginning.

Finally, in the result of these long 5 years a tangible result was
achieved today. There is a verdict not accepted by the public and at
the same time, there are serious doubts on impartiality and reliability
of all the state structures.

From: Baghdasarian