Month: February 2015

ARTHUR SAKUNTS. PERMYAKOVI’S BEING UNDER THE RUSSIAN LAW ENFORCEMENT CUSTODY HAS A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON EFFECTIVENESS OF THE INVESTIGATION

February 24 2015

Director of the Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Vanadzor Office Arthur
Sakunts and lawyer of the same office Arayik Zalyan are involved in the
murder case of seven members of the Avetisyan family as representatives
of legal successors of the victim. In conversation with Aravot.am,
Arthur Sakunts said that the investigator has presented them the
activities conducted by the investigation body, which were made
available to the victim’s legal successor and his representatives. “We
are talking about the decisions of criminal proceedings and bringing
accusations. We got also acquainted with about 43 investigations. When
we attended the general meeting with the victim’s legal successors
and Vice Chairman of the Investigative Committee, at that time, we
had already published our questions in writing that were addressed to
the preliminary investigation body, we wanted to clarify additional
matters. The matter is about receiving information on the criminal case
for violation or an attempt of violation of Armenia’s state border
and implementation of an investigation for identifying the results
of using an automatic weapon by Permyakov who currently is the only
culprit.” To the question of how he assesses the actions that took
place prior to it, Arthur Sakunts replied, “Given the volume of the
materials or the limit of the possibility, which is available to the
Investigative Committee, all necessary expertise are conducted from
this perspective. But given the fact that he, the main suspect, and
many-many other issues related to him are beyond the jurisdiction of
the investigative body, in this regard by the same content, no. At
this point, we state that the fact of Permyakov’s being under the
Russian law enforcement custody has a significant negative impact on
the effectiveness of the investigation, as well as on the objectivity
and comprehensiveness.”

Ami CHICHAKYAN

Read more at:

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ANALYST: SLUMP IN EXPORTS IN JANUARY CONDITIONED BY RUSSIAN CRISIS, UNCERTAINTY IN TRADE REGULATIONS

ECONOMY | 24.02.15 | 11:16

By SARA KHOJOYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter

While the Armenian government says it is taking all measures to
activate the country’s economy and to disprove negative predictions
of international institutions, economic indexes registered in last
month are already considered alarming by experts.

According to the data published by the National Statistical Service
(NSS), in January this year, compared to January 2014, economic
activity increased by 1.3 percent, and the largest positive progress
was registered in the field of services – 3.8 percent, construction
volume grew by 2.2 percent, agricultural gross production – by 1.8
percent.

Other indexes, however, are negative – a 4.3-percent inflation,
electricity production fell by almost 20 percent, a 7.4-percent
decrease was registered in sales, a 6.3-percent decline of volume of
industrial production.

“Compared to last January, this January’s indices are upsetting,
and this is a process that started still last October-December,
it is conditioned by the Russian crisis and the vulnerability
of our economy,” Hayk Gevorgyan, an economic analyst writing for
the pro-opposition Haykakan Zhamanak (Armenian Time) daily, told
ArmeniaNow.

Another negative index is more than 30 percent decline of foreign
trade turnover, as well as almost 22 percent decline of export,
which Gevorgyan again explains by the problems in the Russian economy.

“Since the NSS indices are preliminary, and in their report it does
not specify export to which countries declined and for which goods,
it is impossible to say more now. But the main reasons I think
is the Armenian dram’s devaluation to a lesser degree than the
Russian ruble’s, besides exporters are still waiting for new export
regulations.”

According to Gevorgyan, although in any country the national currency’s
devaluation gives an extra trigger to exporters, however, the Russian
market, which our government saw as a potential market for increasing
the export, does not look appealing for businessmen.

“As the dram lost its value by 18 percent, and in Russia the ruble
devaluation was by 100 percent, in Russia the selling price for our
products will be higher than of the products produced locally and,
hence, we cannot export our products to Russia.”

“The Russian market is becoming less and less appealing for us;
that is first of all conditioned by the exchange rate, as I wrote,
the other factor is the decline of the purchasing power [of the
population] in Russia,” the economic analyst added.

At the same time he said that it is not clear how the NSS presents
foreign trade, whether the export to the Eurasian Economic Union
(EEU) states is registered as internal sales or not.

“Maybe such a decline is explained by the fact that after becoming a
member of the EEU, foreign trade with the other EEU-member states is
not registered as foreign trade. That will become clear in one week
when the NSS publishes a more complete report,” Gevorgyan said.

Armenia joined the EEU that also includes Russia, Belarus and
Kazakhstan on January 2.

TWO KARABAKH WAR VETS RETURN MEDALS OVER BERDZOR INCIDENT

NEWS | 24.02.15 | 10:35

Two veterans of the Karabakh war have returned their medals over an
incident that happened in Berdzor in Karabakh last month and in which
dozens of opposition activists participating in an automobile march
towards Stepanakert were beaten up by local police.

Enlarge Photo

Pavel Manukyan and Armen Lambaryan gave up a total of 11 medals,
saying that they could not wear the same medals that are also worn by
“bandits”.

Both men are supporters of the hard-line opposition movement called
Founding Parliament, whose members were assaulted by police as well
as plainclothes men on January 31 as they planned to enter Karabakh
and conduct actions there as part of their campaign for regime change
in Armenia.

The Karabakh police defended the use of force, saying that they
prevented “mass disturbances”. But leading opposition parties and
human rights activists in Armenia condemned the violence.

At a press conference on Monday, war veteran Manukyan described the
incident as a blow against the dignity of the Armenian people.

“If a bandit and a soldier can wear the same medal, then it is already
incompatible,” he said.

Manukyan and Lambaryan believe other war veterans will also follow
their example and will return their medals.

Earlier this month two other supporters of the Founding Parliament
movement who participated in the Karabakh movement and war already
gave up their medals as a sign of protest against the Berdzor incident.

PARLIAMENT POLITICS: OPPOSITION DISCUSSES “GOVERNMENT CRISIS” AMID PAP BOYCOTT

POLITICS | 24.02.15 | 10:38

By GAYANE MKRTCHYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter

The first parliament session after the “truce” concluded by two major
Armenian political parties – the ruling Republican Party of Armenian
(RPA) and its top challenger, the Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) –
took place against the background of a PAP boycott and included a vote
on an opposition lawmaker’s motion to impeach President Serzh Sargsyan.

MP Nikol Pashinyan’s initiative failed to gain any major support in
the chamber, with only four members voting to support it, while 68,
a majority of them representing the majority party, voted against
the resolution.

Before the vote Pashinyan said that the bill did not violate
the presumption of innocence in respect of anyone as it listed
only publicly known facts that “serve as a key to verification of
numerous unverified reports about the dark aspects of Serzh Sargsyan’s
activities”.

Heritage faction member Zaruhi Postanjyan said, for her part, that
“Sargsyan’s resignation is going to happen sooner or later” and that
“it is desirable that it take place not through a painful procedure,
but through a legal procedure.”

On Monday, the Parliament also began considering a draft resolution on
“crisis in governance” that was put on the agenda still last October
upon the initiative of one-third of MPs.

Opposition Armenian National Congress (ANC) faction leader Levon
Zurabyan presented the bill in the absence of co-author Naira Zohrabyan
from the PAP and the PAP faction. Deputy Speaker of Parliament Eduard
Sharmazanov, who represents the ruling RPA, used this circumstance
to substantiate his view that while there is a political crisis, this
crisis is inside the opposition rather than within the government. “A
whole faction of a political party that, as you say, signed the
petition for discussing the government crisis issue is not with you
today and does not share your ideas,” he said.

Responding to Sharmazanov, Zurabyan said that the latest RPA-PPA
standoff is the best indication of how deep a crisis there is in the
country’s political system and in its system of state governance.

Some other opposition lawmakers, meanwhile, also spoke critically
about the Zurabyan-advocated draft resolution.

Pashinyan, for example, accused the opposition of only speaking about
the need for regime change, while doing nothing to make it.

MP Edmond Marukyan, who is not affiliated with any faction in the
National Assembly, meanwhile, called for a “change of generations”
in Armenian politics.

“There is a need for an alternative vision,” he said, stressing that
the current opposition is also “part of the political system crisis”.

From: Baghdasarian

ANTI-CORRUPTION COUNCIL: TI HEAD SKEPTICAL OF GOVERNMENT-FORMED INITIATIVE

SOCIETY | 24.02.15 | 15:34

Alina Nikoghosyan
ArmeniaNow intern

Although an anti-corruption council is provisioned to be created in
Armenia, the head of the organization fighting against corruption in
the country is skeptical about this council being able to realize a
serious mission.

On Thursday an anti-corruption council will be created on a government
initiative and led by Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan. The council
include the government’s Chief of Staff, Ministers of Justice and
Finance, Attorney General, Chairman of the Ethics Committee for high
rank officials, one member from each Parliamentary opposition faction
(if they agree), Chairman of the Public Council, one representative
from each Union of Armenian Communities and two representatives of
civil society.

Reaction has been skeptical, as some observers see the makeup of the
council as something of a “fox guarding the hen house” situation.

Transparency International (TI) anti-corruption NGO Executive Director,
Varuzhan Hoktanyan spoke about the anti-corruption council and told
reporters Tuesday that there is no serious fight against corruption
in Armenia today.

“Let both the wolves be full and the sheep not suffer; that is the
attitude here. They try to take up some cosmetic measures – electronic
governance, so that there are less citizen-official relations, that
is a very mild solution of the problem, it cannot be considered a
serious solution, that is why, if there is no political will, then
I do not see a serious fight happening today,” Hoktanyan said.

According to Hoktanyan, the situation with corruption is not that
favorable and six studies done in Armenia showed that, according to
the perception, Armenia is in stagnation.

“The situation does not ameliorate, but it does not improve, either and
remains stable at a level which is typical of countries with high level
of corruption. Upon the latest data Armenia is the 36th, on a scale
from 0-100, 0 – highly corrupt and 100 – completely clear,” he said.

Compared to the corruption level of the neighboring countries,
according to Hoktanyan, Armenia stays back both from Georgia and
Turkey, but it still is in a favorable state compared to Azerbaijan
and Iran.

EURASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK’S ANTI-CRISIS FUND TO LEND $150 MILLION TO ARMENIA FOR CONSTRUCTION OF NORTH-SOUTH MOTOR ROAD

YEREVAN, February 24. /ARKA/. Eurasian Development Bank’s Anti-crisis
Fund will lend $150 million to Armenia for construction of North-South
motor road, Dmitry Pankin, chairman of the bank’s board, said Wednesday
at an online conference.

In his words, the deal is already formalized and the money will be
sent to Armenia soon.

From: A. Papazian

HOVIK ABRAHAMYAN CORNERED

Lragir.am
Country – 24 February 2015, 15:36

Yesterday Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan met with the USAID Acting
Assistant Administrator Susan Fritz and USAID Mission Director Karen
Hilliard. They discussed cooperation between Armenia and USAID.

Currently Armenia solely relies on the U.S. financial and economic
assistance. The USAID officials and the new U.S. Ambassador have
announced that the United States is willing to help Armenia but
Armenia has to improve the climate for investments. In particular,
Armenia must fight money laundering and corruption.

After these statements Hovik Abrahamyan formed some Anti-Corruption
Council which will be coordinated by him. And now USAID wants to
corner Hovik Abrahamyan. According to the press release, USAID has
provided flow-meters to the Ministry of Nature Protection to improve
monitoring of groundwater resources in the Ararat Valley.

Hovik Abrahamyan is known to be closely related to the issue of
thoughtless use of groundwater resources of the Ararat Valley. During
the ex-prime minister’s office some investigation of unauthorized
water wells was carried out. A corruption episode was revealed
featuring Hovik Abrahamyan. Some wells were closed until the end of
the investigation.

However, as soon as Hovik Abrahamyan became prime minister, the issue
of water wells was closed, and water wells were re-opened. Moreover,
Hovik Abrahamyan allocated money from the state budget to “modernize”
these wells.

Apparently, the American government has a humorous attitude to Hovik
Abrahamyan’s anti-corruption initiative and has given the flow-meters
to find out how far the prime minister can go.

SOUTH CAUCASUS RAILWAY LAUNCHES GEORGIA SIGHTSEEING SERVICE IN ARMENIA

YEREVAN, February 24. /ARKA/. The South Caucasus Railway offers a
new tour service to its passengers, sightseeing tours to Georgia,
the company’s press office reported.

Both group tours (from 14 to 17 people) and jeep tours (for 4-6
people) are arranged. Tourists will have the chance to take any of
the sightseeing tours to Tbilisi, Kutaisi, Zugdidi, Borjomi, Kakhetia,
Svanetia, Megrelia.

Trains will start from Yerevan at 21:30 on even days and be back at
20:20 on uneven days. Passengers will travel in sleeping cars with
Wi-Fi available.

As part of its service expansion policy, the company has already
started establishing legal contacts with tour companies in Yerevan
and Tbilisi, according to the report.

The staff of the company, service and department chiefs in particular,
have successfully tested the trip and reported high standard of
comfort and safety.

Additional information about the tours is available on

South Caucasus Railway, a subsidiary of Russian Railways, runs
Armenian Railway, which was handed over to the South Caucasus Railway
on February 13, 2008 for 30-year concession management with a right
to prolong the management term for other 10 years. –0–

GERMAN COURT TO RULE ON STOLEN CYPRIOT TREASURES IN MID MARCH

February 24, 2015

Some of the artefacts seized from Dikmen’s apartments

On March 16 the German Court of Appeals will issue its final decision
on the fate of the remaining 85 treasures stolen by a Turkish art
smuggler from the north as effort to reach an amicable settlement by
February 13 has failed, the Cyprus News Agency reported on Tuesday.

The treasures, including fragments of church wall paintings, icons,
a manuscript of an Armenian gospel and 40 prehistoric antiquities,
were found in 1997 in the possession of Turkish dealer in illicit
antiquities Aydin Dikmen in apartments he maintained in Munich. A
total of 173 looted treasures found in Dikmen`s possession in Munich
have already been repatriated to Cyprus.

CAN said it had learned that although the German judge in December made
a final attempt for an out-of-court friendly settlement by February
13, and despite the fact that there was a mutual proposal on behalf
of the lawyers of the two sides, the Turkish dealer raised new claims
which were rejected by the Cypriot side. Furthermore, the Turkish
side responded to the Cypriot side`s proposals after the deadline,
giving a negative answer.

Following this development, the German Court of Appeals is expected
to issue its final decision on March 16.

A first conciliation procedure was proposed in 2008, but the effort
collapsed.

One of the biggest cases of illicit trading in antiquities involving
Dikmen was the plundering of the wall paintings from the church of
Ayios Euphemianus and the 6th century wall mosaics from the Church
of Panayia Kanakaria.

In October and November 1997 the German Police raided apartments
maintained by the Turkish dealer in Munich. The number of works of
art they uncovered, hidden behind a false wall, was massive.

The records kept by Dikmen have been submitted as evidence at the
Bavarian Court. The detailed way in which he kept his records was
unprecedented, according to CAN. They included photographs and sketches
prior to the theft of the mosaics and wall paintings, photos taken
during their removal and after. (CNA)

INTELLECTUALS ARE DESPERATE – NIKOLAY TSATURYAN

19:03 / 23.02.2015

An intellectual is a person with sensitive soul, he is on other
platform, Armenia’s people’s artist, theatrical figure Nikolay
Tsaturyan told at a news conference today.

In his words there are people with more sensitive soul than he, but
he cannot bear the atmosphere existing in our country. “When I turn
on TV and see who is talking on TV, what is being said I do not want
believe that they are ruling us. I do not want to leave the house as
the atmosphere outside is not clean,” he said.

Tsaturyan said today the intellectuals are in despair, they are sitting
silently as they feel that this is not their homeland. “The homeland
belongs to oligarchs, an oligarch is not a bad thing a rich person
may be engaged in politics but when a thumb force comes up you start
feeling bad. That is why the intelligence is not shining,” he said,
adding that the death equalizes all.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress