Month: February 2015

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY REJECTS NIKOL PASHINYAN’S INITIATIVE ON PRESIDENTIAL IMPEACHMENT (VIDEO)

14:09 | February 23,2015 | Politics

With a vote 4 to 68, the National Assembly today voted against
opposition lawmaker Nikol Pashinyan’s initiative on presidential
impeachment.

Before the vote, Head of the Armenian National Congress (HAK) faction
Levon Zurabyan said while they find the bill to be important they
believe that their support to the bill would be ‘a great gift to
Serzh Sargsyan.’

“Do not make the National Assembly into a stage,” said Margarit
Yesayan, a lawmaker representing the ruling Republican Party of Armenia
(HHK) faction.

Nikol Pashinyan said he had nothing to add as everything had been
said at the NA Standing Committee of State and Legal Issues.

Lawmaker Alexander Arzumanyan said regardless of legal arguments
and formulations ‘the bill was a good opportunity to unseat Serzh
Sargsyan.’ He added that he was going to vote for the initiative.

Lawmaker Khachatur Kokobelyan said the bill had entangled the
opposition field and advised Pashinyan to discuss the bill with his
opposition colleagues first in order not to make it ‘a subject of
speculations.’

Pashinyan said the bill had been put in circulation for several months
but he had received no proposal during those months.

“I said I was ready to accept all proposal and observations without
paying attention to their content. Moreover, if someone else submitted
a bill to unseat Serzh Sargsyan I would sign it without hesitation,”
he said.

POLITICAL ANALYST: SERZH SARGSYAN’S STATEMENT WAS AN ATTEMPT TO BLAME SITUATION ON ANOTHER PERSON

13:27 | February 23,2015 | Politics

Political analyst Andrias Ghukasyan says Serzh Sargsyan cannot unite
Armenia, Artsakh and Diaspora around the Pan-Armenian Declaration on
the Armenian Genocide Centennial. He came to the conclusion following
the recent political developments in Armenia.

The political analyst says Serzh Sargsyan’s statement describing
Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) Leader Gagik Tsarukyan as “an evil”
for the country was merely an attempt to shift the responsibility
for the current situation onto another person.

Andrias Ghukasyan says the use of leverages against its political
opponents by the ruling party is viewed as repression. “This is a
political revenge and violence unleashed against BHK Leader Gagik
Tsarukyan and it only refers to the supporters of [former president]
Robert Kocharyan,” he said adding that there is a problem of violation
of the constitutional order in the country.

The political analyst says the political arena in Armenia is dead
today: all parties are ‘political corpses’ and after April 24 the
Armenian Revolutionary Federation – Dashnaktustyun will appear in a
situation that the BHK is today.

Political analyst Shushan Khatlamajyan added, in turn, that in his
letter addressed to Serzh Sargsyan, Armenia’s first President Levon
Ter-Petrosyan did not sharply criticize Sargsyan since he behaved in
the same way with the Dashnaktustyun during his presidency.

“EVEN IF THE WORLD BANK EXPERTS ISSUE A POSITIVE CONCLUSION, ANYWAY, “NAIRIT” WILL NOT BE REACTIVATED.”

February 23 2015

The World Bank has agreed to find and attract a consulting company
with international experience, which will assess the technical and
financial feasibility of the “Nairit” chemical plant. The World Bank
will provide 110,000 dollars for expertise. “Nairit” plant employees
are filled with skepticism. During yesterday’s protest, the “Nairit”
plant employees who were demanding the government their 18-month
unpaid wages of 5 billion drams, were sure that the experts will come,
put these 110 thousand dollars into their pockets, will eat and go
away. “Nairit” press secretary Anush Harutyunyan, in the conversation
with Aravot.am, told that they were expecting the team of experts much
earlier. “We were told that they will arrive on February 5, but the
audit will begin just on February 25. We were expecting that they will
finish by February 23 to 25.” Our interlocutor says that there are two
versions of conclusion, either they are saying “yes” or “no”. Saying
“yes” gives a hope that the plant will work in the future, but there
had been a few of such audits and all of them had given positive
conclusion, but the plant did not operate. This results in people’s
distrust. I do not believe this audit. The audit was a few times and
I repeat that the plant did not operate, moreover, people were fired
from their jobs. In other words, what is the probability that the
plant will be reopened after this positive conclusion, there is none.”

In Anush Harutyunyan’s words, even if the World Bank issues a positive
conclusion and decides that the plant should operate, then it has
nothing to do with repayment of the debt. “They fired the employees
and have to pay their salaries, and as to by what means, it is up
to the government to worry about.” Anush Harutyunyan is sure that
the company will come, will do its job very duly, will issue the
conclusion and will go away. “It is very likely that the audit will
apply to the same company that has already conducted auditing. Thus,
we can logically conclude that, yes, they extend time.”

Elya HOVHANNISYAN

Read more at:

PAP BOYCOTTS FOUR-DAY PARLIAMENT SESSION

POLITICS | 23.02.15 | 12:34

The Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) of embattled tycoon Gagik Tsarukyan
has decided to boycott the four-day parliament session that opened
today.

The decision was ready out by the faction secretary Naira Zohrabyan,
after which all members present in the chamber left.

“Considering the unprecedented situation created in the internal
political field of Armenia, the PAP parliamentary faction declares
that we will boycott this four-day session,” Zohrabyan said. “In the
next few days the PAP will come up with clear explanations and will
present to the public and its partners its steps and strategy.”

Five PAP members have quit the party’s parliamentary faction and
another member said he was quitting the parliament since the start
of the standoff between Tsarukyan and President Serzh Sargsyan and
his ruling Republican Party of Armenia on February 12.

Tensions subsided only after a report about the Tsarukyan-Sargsyan
meeting on February 17 after which the PAP withdrew its participation
from a joint rally scheduled with its two opposition allies – the
Armenian National Congress and Heritage – for last Friday.

ANALYSIS: TURKEY FACES ‘INTERNATIONAL LEGAL EXPANSION’ AHEAD OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE CENTENNIAL

ANALYSIS | 23.02.15 | 10:24

By NAIRA HAYRUMYAN
ArmeniaNow correspondent

Over the weekend the Turkish newspaper Sunday’s Zaman reported that
the Turkish government had canceled the celebrations of the victory
in the Battle of Gallipoli, which was to take place on April 24 –
coinciding with the commemoration of the centenary of the Armenian
Genocide. The newspaper said that it was because only five nations
have confirmed their participation in the events at the highest level.

Another Turkish newspaper, Daily Sabah, citing its sources at the
presidential administration, denied this information, but the fact
that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan could cancel the event
is probable. Turkey has entered a very difficult period when an
“international legal expansion” is being planned along the entire
perimeter of its borders. Traditionally, Turkey responds to this with
real expansion of its own.

On Saturday, Turkey conducted a military operation in Syrian territory
to evacuate the tomb of Suleyman Shah, the grandfather of the founder
of the Ottoman Empire, Osman the First, from the area near the Syrian
town of Kobani, which is populated by Kurds and which is now occupied
by the Islamic State.

Syria has already expressed its protest in connection with the
invasion, but the actions of Turkey show that Ankara has put up with
the idea that Syrian Kurdistan will soon cease to be available for it.

And most importantly, Turkey begins to make sure that the treaties
concluded after the First World War and the collapse of the Ottoman
Empire will be reviewed. Interestingly, under the treaties the tomb
of Suleyman Shah was left under the protectorate of Turkey.

In this regard, Turkish relations with Armenia are becoming more
and more tense relations. On April 24 they may quite turn into
international claims to Turkey. And they can also be linked to the
revision of a number of treaties. Turkey is working actively not
only in order to prevent this, but also to prevent the unification
of Kurdish and Armenian efforts.

However, the recent meeting of Armenian Foreign Minister Edward
Nalbandian with President of Iraqi Kurdistan Massoud Barzani in Munich
shows that closer cooperation is being established between Armenians
and Kurds. Armenia is opening a consulate in Erbil and intends to
establish air links with Iraqi Kurdistan.

Meanwhile, in Turkey they have started to prepare for likely protests
of Kurds. The Parliament is considering a law to toughen penalties
for organizing mass protests, which has already caused discontent
of the Kurdish community. Turkey has hinted that the movement of
Fatullah Gulen, whom Erdogan considers to be his opponent, may use
the Armenian and Kurdish factors in its struggle against Erdogan’s
imperial ambitions.

TURKOLOGIST: RASH MEASURES OVER “GALLIPOLI INITIATIVE” UNVEIL ANKARA’S PANIC AHEAD OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE CENTENNIAL

by David Stepanyan

ARMINFO
Monday, February 23, 12:12

Rash measures over “Gallipoli initiative” and its cancellation have
unveiled Turkey leadership’s panic ahead of the Armenian Genocide
centennial, Ruben Safrastyan, Director of the Oriental Studies
Institute, National Academy of Science of Armenia, told ArmInfo.

According to Today’s Zaman the centennial commemorations of the
Gallipoli Campaign of World War I initiated by the Turkish government
and to be celebrated on April 24 of this year — the same date as
the centennial commemorations of the “Armenian genocide” — have been
cancelled due to the unwillingness of international leaders to visit
Ankara and overshadow the genocide ceremonies in Yerevan.

“If confirmed, Zaman’s reports will become a shame to the Turkish
authorities, given that the Gallipoli commemorations were cancelled
for lack of international interest in Ankara’s initiative,” the
Turkologist said. Safrastyan believes that the world community has
adequately responded to the cynical and immoral idea of Ankara, and
the leaders of most of the invited countries refused to participate in
the Gallipoli comedy. The reports disseminated by Zaman, inherently,
belong to Fethullah Gulen and shows how deep are the discrepancies in
the Turkish elite. On the other hand, Gulen and his movement still
remain part of that elite. “I think, we should not disregard that
the United States might stand behind that story,” the Turkologist said.

The Gallipoli celebrations have been cancelled. All preparations
have been suspended as the number of RSVPs to the invitation is not
positive. Only five countries have accepted the invitation and they
will not be represented by high-level officials, Ankara has not made
any official statement on the cancellation of the Gallipoli event yet.

SEVERAL ALEPPO ARMENIANS KILLED AND INJURED

Lragir.am
Country – 23 February 2015, 11:02

Mortar fire by armed militants at different districts of Aleppo killed
and injured several, the Facebook page of the Gandzasar informed. Sago
Karakyulean and Haroot Aksanean were killed, Jacques Aksanean, Hovsep
Chaloghlean, Avo Zarminean, Levon Barseghean and Nazo Aksanean were
injured.

DANGER AT ARMENIAN-TURKISH BORDER

Hakob Badalyan, Political Commentator
Comments – 23 February 2015, 13:18

The head of Russian border guards, Major General Vyacheslav Biryukov
announced during the oath ceremony at Armavir border guard unit that
the Russian border guards will protect the external borders of Armenia
and the CIS.

Recently the Russian border service has been in focus of attention
though it is strange that only recently. It is strange because the
Armenian public and political forces are strangely used to the thought
that the external borders of independent Armenia must be guarded by
the border troops of another state.

However, it is even stranger that the Armenian public has been quite
inert towards most scandalous episodes of the activities of this
service. For example, some time ago there was an incident in Syunik
when people with the insignia of the Russia Federal Security Service
limited the mobility of RA citizens, Member of Parliament Zaruhi
Postanjyan in Syunik region without any explanation. In addition,
they stopped her 30 km off the state border which is beyond their
zone of competence.

What were the Russian border guards doing 30 km off their zone of
competence? Nobody ever explained this incident. The Russian border
guard service had some correspondence with Hovik Abrahamyan, and the
issue was closed. Perhaps the letter was about export of produce
from Armenia to Russia and border issues relating to their export
were mentioned, and the sides agreed.

A few months later the Russian border guard service was in the
headlines again. This time it was a tragedy, the manslaughter in
Gyumri, according to the official version, by the serviceman of the
Russian 102nd military base Valery Permyakov. He killed a family of 7,
including two kids, in Gyumri.

Again according to the official version, 18 hours after the murder
the Russian border guards arrested Permyakov when he was trying to
cross the section of the Armenian-Turkish border entrusted to them.

Everything is normal until this moment.

The abnormal thing starts when the Russian border guards hand
Permyakov to the Russian military base without explaining or notifying
the Armenian side whereas they had to hand him to the Armenian law
enforcement bodies, and even the Armenian prosecutor general confessed
there is such obligation.

Hence, the border guard department of the Russian Federal Security
Service violated the laws of the Republic of Armenia, it hid the
person suspected of terrorism against the citizens of Armenia from
the Republic of Armenia.

Before pledging reliable protection of the border Vyacheslav
Biryukov should give the Armenian society explanations for this
obvious violation.

At the same time, there seems to be nobody to demand explanations
from the Russian border guards. The Armenian government does not dare
to address the Russian border guards and prosecutor general’s office
relating to Permyakov’s case. The story of the letter of the Armenian
prosecutor general was ridiculous, or rather a tragicomedy.

In fact, there are doubts whether the border guards caught Permyakov
and whether he could ever walk 20 km in freezing cold in an unfamiliar
place with police combing the area.

There are doubts that the version of the border guards has been
invented to cover up how Permyakov appeared in the Russian military
base. There are doubts that the Armenian law enforcement bodies found
him but the Russians demanded him back or it is also possible that
Permyakov himself walked to the military base after committing the
crime or task.

To shed light on this story, the Russian border guard service has to
account for the reason of this breach, how the trespasser illegally
appeared under the jurisdiction of the military base.

Unless there is no answer to this question, the statements about
defending the Armenian border are not only ridiculous but also
dangerous. Unless there is a clear answer to the question about
Permyakov, the Armenian-Turkish border which is under the control of
the Russian border guards is simply in danger, it is not known who
they catch and whom they hand, and the Republic of Armenia does not
receive any information or justification.

If the Armenian border is to be defeated with such breaches, it is
not defense but threat, and if the Russian border guards are ever
defending anything at the border of Armenia, it is the national
interests of the Russian Federation.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

DEPUTY ENVIRONMENT MINISTER’S CONFESSION: ILLEGAL ANIMAL TRADE EXISTS BUT WE HAVEN’T UNCOVERED ANY ACTUAL EVIDENCE

Kristine Aghalaryan

11:35, February 23, 2015

While Armenia’s Deputy Minister of Nature Protection Khachik Hakobyan
confesses that Armenia has a problem regarding the illegal trade of
endangered animals, the official also confesses there has been no
evidence of Armenia’s involvement in the matter.

Hakobyan made the statement to reporters at a recent seminar in
Yerevan that explored ways to stem such illegal trade in animals.

He added that this is the reason why Armenia signed the CITES (the
1973 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild
Fauna and Flora) in 2009.

The Ministry of Nature Protection, the body tasked with monitoring
such trafficking in Armenia, confesses that it only heard about the
problem through the pages of the press.

“Naturally, we followed up at the ministry and beefed up the monitoring
procedures,” Hakobyan told Hetq.

When asked if the ministry had taken steps to return illegally imported
animals to Armenia to their countries of origin, Hakobyan replied
that law enforcement bodies were dealing with the matter and that, if
professional assistance was necessary, the ministry would get involved.

When asked to evaluate the work of the ministry, the body tasked with
coordinating the implementation of CITES regulations in Armenia,
Hakobyan answered, “I believe its activities are satisfactory and
should improve day by day. Proof of the process is this four day
seminar.”

RELATIVES OF AVETISYAN FAMILY GATHER OUTSIDE PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE IN SHIRAK (VIDEO)

14:51 | February 23,2015 | Politics

Relatives of the seven-member Avetisyan family murdered in Armenia’s
second largest city of Gyumri in January are now holding a protest
outside the Prosecutor’s Office in Shirak marz (province).

They demand that the accused, Russian soldier Valeri Permyakov,
be handed over to the Armenian side to stand trial for the murders.

Azatutyun.am is web-casting the event live.