Month: February 2020

Asbarez: ARF Armenia Leader Visits ARS Regional Headquarters

Emil Lazarian

ARF Supreme Council of Armenia chairman Ishkhan Saghatelyan visits the ARS Western U.S. headquarters

The Armenian Relief Society of Western USA, Regional Executive hosted a meeting with the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Supreme Council of Armenia Chairman Ishkhan Saghatelyan on Wednesday, February 5 at the ARS Regional Headquarters in Glendale.

Chairman Saghatelyan was accompanied by ARF Bureau member Dr. Viken Yacoubian and ARF Central Committee members Dr. Carmen Ohanian, Garo Madenlian, Esq., Aida Dimejian, and Hrair Garabedian. ARS Central Executive Chairperson Dr. Nyree Derderian and Board members Maral Matossian and Arousyak Melkonian were also in attendance, alongside Homenetmen Regional Executive members Nora Tchaparian and Raffi Varjabedian, Hamazkayin Regional Executive Chairperson Knar Kortoshian and members Lucy Choukhajian and Carmen Libaridian.

ARS Regional Executive Chairperson Silva Poladian delivered opening remarks, welcoming Chairman Saghatelyan to the ARS Regional Headquarters and introducing guests. She detailed the various programs ARS implements in Armenia, Artsakh, and throughout the Diaspora, while affirming the organization’s continued support to the homeland. Poladian extended well wishes to Saghatelyan in his roles and responsibilities.

Chairman Saghatelyan delivered remarks, which included updates on current developments in Armenia. He highly commended the charitable and humanitarian work of the Armenian Relief Society and its imperative role in serving the Armenian people, as well as preserving its culture and heritage.

The meeting allowed the opportunity for guests to tour the ARS Regional Headquarters and also become closely familiarized with the work of ARS Social Services and the ARS Child, Youth and Family Guidance Center.

Following the visit, the ARS Regional Executive Board gifted Chairman Saghatelyan with the ARS signature Michael Aram plate.

Azerbaijan Holds ‘Elections’ that ‘Lacked Genuine Competition and Choice’

Bedik Zaminian

International observers said counting the votes in the elections in Azerbaijan was difficult

A restrictive political environment prevented genuine competition in Azerbaijan’s early parliamentary elections on Sunday, according to international observers who also said that despite the large number of candidates, voters were not provided with a meaningful choice.

According to preliminary results of the snap elections, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s New Azerbaijan Party (YAP) won 71 seats in the 125-seat parliament, with officials in Baku reporting a 47.8 percent voter turnout.

The decision to call snap elections was made during a November special session of the ruling YAP party, which explained that the current parliament did not correspond to the political course led by Aliyev and did not advance Aliyev’s reforms agenda.

The observation mission, a joint effort of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), noted that many of the 1,314 candidates used social media to reach out to the voters, but this did not compensate for the absence of campaign coverage in traditional media.

Significant procedural violations during the counting and tabulation of votes on election day raised concerns over whether the results were established honestly, the observers said.

“I regret very much that what could have been improvements did not lead to a competitive environment enabling truly democratic elections. Counting [votes] on election day was disappointing,” said Artur Gerasymov, Special Co-ordinator and leader of the OSCE short-term observer mission.

Armenian Soprano Dazzles at Dresden Event

Emil Lazarian
February 10, 2 020

Soprano Ruzan Mantashyan performs at the 2020 SemperOpernball festival in Dresden, Germany

Armenian soprano Ruzan Mantashyan dazzled the audience at the SemperOpernball 2020 festival in Dresden on Friday with a dramatic performance of Tatiana’s aria from Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin opera.

Mantashyan became a household name last month after SemperOpernball organizers reneged her invitation when a Azerbaijani tenor Yusif Eyvazov said he would not perform with the Armenian soprano because of her ethnicity. After many protests and confrontation from Mantashyan’s agents, the singer was reinstated to the program

“I am happy that the performance took place and reached its logical and triumphant end,” Mantashyan told Armenpress after the event.

Yerevan Komitas State Consevatory lecturer Margarite Sargsyan shared a video of Mantashyan’s performance on Facebook, and praised the soprano. “This was truly brilliant. Well-done….This is our school,” she said.

Other musicians who performed at the concert included violinist Pavel Milyukov, soprano Yulia Muzichenko and pianist Alexander Kashpurin, as well as the Azerbaijani Eyvazov.

ACNIS reView from Yerevan #4, 2020_Weekly Update_1-8 February

Markos Nalchajian
Weekly Update  

09 FEBRUARY 2020  

 

President Armen Sarkissian’s Office has received the parliament’s decision on calling a referendum for the bill on ending the terms of Constitutional Court Chairman Hrayr Tovmasyan and several justices of the high court, Sarkissian’s aide Hasmik Petrosyan told ARMENPRESS. She said the Speaker of Parliament sent the draft legislation to the President. By law, now Sarkissian has 3 days to sign or not sign the bill.

 

After following, with deep concern, the events that unfolded in the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia on February 6, we state that the legislature’s decision to designate a referendum is an overt violation of the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia and constitutional legislation. This is stated in the statement issued by first Human Rights Defender of Armenia Larisa Alaverdyan, President of the Helsinki Committee of Armenia Avetik Ishkhanyan and lawyer Ruben Melikyan, said NEWS.am.

 

ARMINFO reported, Armenian President Armen Sarkissian considers the legal justification of the amendments adopted by the National Assembly regarding the disclosure of banking secrets controversial and appealed to the Constitutional Court with a request to consider their compliance with the country’s Constitution.  This was reported by the press service of the President of Armenia. According to the information, the matter concerns additions and amendments to two laws: the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Bank Secrecy Law. These amendments were adopted by the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia on January 22, 2020.

 

RFE/RL’s Armenian Service (Azatutyun.am) reported, in a move denounced by the Armenian opposition, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s My Step bloc has drafted constitutional changes that would dismiss seven of the nine members of Armenia’s Constitutional Court locked in a bitter dispute with the government. The amendments were unveiled on Wednesday one day before an emergency session of the Armenian parliament which will discuss a separate My Step bill limiting the court’s powers. They call for the replacement of the court’s embattled chairman, Hrayr Tovmasian, and six other judges who were installed by the former Armenian governments.

 

The Presidential Office informed, President Armen Sarkissian today at the Presidential Palace had a working meeting with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian. Stressing the importance of the regular working meetings, which have become a tradition, Armen Sarkissian and Nikol Pashinian discussed issues pertinent to the country’s current agenda.

President Armen Sarkissian: Mr. Prime Minister, I am glad to host you today. This, it looks, has become a tradition – to meet regularly, to discuss all events which are going on in the country and beyond, on the international arena, and share information about visits, meetings, achievements, and difficulties of our own – government and presidential institutes. Thus, I once again welcome you at the office of the President of Armenia.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian: Thank you, Mr. President, I am glad to see you. This is actually our first working meeting in 2020, and I am glad also to note that year 2019 was successful for the Republic of Armenia. Data on the economic activity in 2019 has been published and I can state that in 2019 we had the highest index of economic activity since the application of that method of the economic analysis which was introduced in 2011. In 2019, we registered the period of transitional governance after the revolution and the topic of institutional changes in our country has been becoming more and more important in our discussions as well as the conceptualization and introduction of the strategic governance logic.

I believe, in 2020 we will enter such a phase and maturing of institutions in our country, introduction of the system of checks and balances has always been in the center of our attention and stay there. We have also responded to the situation around the Constitutional Court, the crisis, if I may say so, and I hope that today we will discuss problems related to it and will exchange views.

I certainly share your viewpoint that we should approach the problem based on the logic of the country’s institutional sustainability, our country’s national and state interests’ logic, the logic of having a clear-cut and working system of checks and balances because only then we will have the irreversible democracy, irreversible rule of law with all the ensuing consequences and, certainly, irreversible constitutional reality which has always been in the center of our attention and the focus of our working discussions. So, I am very glad to have this opportunity.

 

President of the Venice Commission Gianni Buquicchio has issued a statement over the situation surrounding the Constitutional Court of Armenia, emphasizing the principle of voluntary early retirement of the judges. He urged to de-escalate the situation and resolve the situation in an atmosphere of restraint and mutual respect. ARMENPRESS reports the statement of Gianni Buquicchio runs as follows, “Following my statement of 29 October 2019, I remain preoccupied about the open conflict involving the Constitutional Court of Armenia. I share the concerns of the rapporteurs of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in this respect.

 

Chaired by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, the draft strategy for public administration reform was discussed in Government, the Prime Minister Office Opening the meeting, Nikol Pashinyan noted that the public administration reform is very important. “Our goal is to ensure that the citizens of the Republic of Armenia experience as little discomfort as possible in relations with the public administration system. To solve this problem, we must make the public administration system more attractive for highly skilled professionals who can live up to the task in all aspects. On the other hand, we have set ourselves the task of ensuring higher efficiency in public spending. The ultimate goal is to create a business-friendly environment and make people’s life better through a citizen-centric public administration system,” Nikol Pashinyan said. The meeting discussed issues related to the development of policies in the areas of public administration, human resource management, the provision of public services, accountability and institutional development. The Premier emphasized the importance of establishing clear-cut assessment criteria and instructed those responsible to continue developing the strategy.

 

Sources: https://www.president.am, https://www.azatutyun.am/en, https://armenpress.am, https://news.am/eng/, https://arminfo.info/, https://www.panorama.am/en/, https://www.primeminister.am/en/press-release/.

  

ACNIS reView from Yerevan #4, 2020_Editorial_The 7th Point: With What to Replace the Old System

Garo Vardanian
Editorial 

 

08 FEBRUARY 2020  

In 2018, in the days of the regime change carried out under large waves of popular pressure, Nikol Pashinyan promised to change the incumbent “corrupt system” with a new democratic one.

As a slogan, such words leave a strong impression, but complications set in when one tries to understand what kind of system used to prevail and, as a consequence, what kinds of system change need to be made in order to achieve the new one.  The new government has not presented to the public any concrete or conceptual approaches in this regard.  Only recently Mr. Pashinyan attempted to propose such a concept, composing a six-point “all-national consensus.”

Naturally, it is laudable that even belatedly they are trying to give meaning to the “revolution” and to present a vision for the future. But these six points, whether or not they end up getting implemented, are incomplete.

What, for example, does systemic corruption mean?  These are relations upon which the system is built and functions according to the principle of written and unwritten laws.  The written laws are for the people, while the unwritten ones are for the ruling circles.  Hence big capital is formed and set into action, offices are distributed, and the country is divided into spheres of influence.  In short, the nation is governed by shadow levers.

When systemic corruption is overcome, and the system enters the evolutionary phase, the members of the system now begin to live and work according to the written rules.  In other words, the system once run on closed, shadow-based understandings is replaced by an open one, transparent before the public and operating under laws.

Once that transition takes place in our life, it will be possible to assert that in 2018 a revolution truly took place, bringing with it a new, fundamental and deep transformation in our relations.

Welcoming of course Nikol Pashinyan’s six points, we must note that it is time to give effective solutions to a string of pressing mainstream issues.  And so, a) in domestic political life, violence must be ruled out and the destiny of the country must be determined exclusively through elections; b) in the case of Artsakh, the people of Armenia and the entire Armenian nation have long expressed their united standpoint and, in the name of national reunification, voluntarily endured many sacrifices; and c) real, not rhetorical reforms in the judicial system are the imperative of the time–the courts must be really independent.

The list of issues that have ripened long ago can go on and on.  But let us not be carried away by dreams or illusions, registering instead one simple fact.  No thought, idea, program or concept can see the light of day without the seventh consensus or, as it is often referred to in the intellectual heritage of humanity, the “social contract.” This relates to rights, social life, and the bedrock of economy that is known as the right to property and the sanctity of property.

Without coming to a popular consensus on this matter, we will be unable to build the rightful state of our dreams, under the rule of law and, as its result, with quantum progress.

  

ATP and Agrarian University Initiate New Training Programs

Karakhanian Suren 
ARMENIA TREE PROJECT
400 W Cummings Park, Suite 3900
Woburn, MA 01801
Tel: (617) 926-TREE 
Web: www.ArmeniaTree.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Lessons from #ForestSummit19
Armenia Tree Project and Agrarian University Initiate New Training Programs to 
Develop Much-Needed Specialists
By Jason Sohigian
Speakers on several panels at Forest Summit: Global Action and Armenia 
highlighted a common theme that is at once alarming, and a call for proactive 
action and resources. This is the lack of specialists in the fields of nursery 
management and forestry. Many speakers identified the challenge, and it has been 
confirmed by Armenia Tree Project's experience on the ground, in trying to build 
the capacity of its nursery and tree planting staff.
This issue is of special importance since Armenia announced its ambitious goal 
to double its forest cover by 2050. This will require significant resources in 
terms of financing, seedling capacity, and human resources in the form of 
trained experts who are familiar with techniques such as tree propagation, 
nursery management, site identification, tree planting, and long-term tree care 
and management.
The issue was brought to the forefront during the Summit's first panel, in a 
discussion about the key challenges and opportunities to increase Armenia's 
forest coverage. In addressing some of the gaps, Hovik Sayadyan, technical task 
leader at UNDP Armenia, pointed out that there are no institutes for forest 
management in Armenia, in particular for forest inventory, afforestation, or 
forest management.
Vardan Urutyan, rector at Armenia's National Agrarian University, expanded on 
this issue with a number of challenges around forest education. For example, 
financial resources are often insufficient for training specialists and there 
are few graduates from the Agrarian University. Those who do graduate often 
cannot find employment in this sector. He cited the need to improve the 
attractiveness and competitiveness of the forestry profession.
Given the challenges, there is an expectation within Armenia that more trained 
professionals must be developed in order to succeed in expanding the forest 
cover and managing the existing forests. 
Dr. Urutyan discussed a number of target areas for the Agrarian University, 
including contemporary forest science labs, endowment funds to support forest 
education, updated training materials, ongoing education for lecturers, and 
incentives to encourage and reward scientific research.
The issue of capacity and shortage of trained professionals was also raised by 
Karen Manvelyan, director of WWF Armenia, in a panel on impacts and gaps of 
forestry initiatives supported by international organizations. Mr. Manvelyan 
pointed out that for organizations that do have specialists on staff, such as 
Armenia Tree Project, reforestation and afforestation projects have been 
implemented successfully. However in some other cases in Armenia where relevant 
specialists were not consulted, the results have been less successful.
"We picked up on this common theme at the Forest Summit, and it is something 
that Armenia Tree Project has also noticed when we have job openings or expand 
into new program areas," notes Arthur Harutyunyan, ATP's operations manager in 
Armenia. "There have been cases where young professionals apply for a job, and 
they don't have any real-world experience in a tree nursery, or may even have 
difficulty identifying species in a forest. This needs to change, and we are 
committed to helping to improve the capacity of professionals in our field."
A new partnership between ATP and the National Agrarian University has emerged 
to address this problem. Students at the university will conduct internships and 
field research at ATP's nurseries and greenhouses. A pilot program will be held 
this year with the support of UNDP. 
"Already we have hosted a number of students and professionals at our nurseries 
and other locations for training," explains Harutyunyan. "This partnership with 
the Agrarian University will expand the program and help us educate a new cadre 
of young professionals, as well as people currently working in our field who may 
need to learn about the latest techniques and methods."
ATP's facilities and planting locations offer a number of learning 
opportunities, including nursery management, greenhouse management, forest 
management, urban forestry, and fruit tree production. "Our programs are wide 
ranging, from site selection for a new forest to knowing which types of trees 
need to be planted at a certain location, or establishing a fruit orchard in a 
town," adds Harutyunyan. "We are encouraged by this collaboration and hope it 
plays a constructive role in Armenia's goal to expand its forests."
There were many topics identified at the Forest Summit where additional 
training, study, and capacity building are needed. These include the need to 
study and understand Armenia's biodiversity and the potential impact of invasive 
species, creating and implementing sustainable forest management plans, tree 
nursery management, and wildfire prevention. 
The 30-year reforestation plan will create many job opportunities; creating a 
trained workforce to fill those jobs is essential.

For Immediate Release – Armenian Community of China Releases Video of Support for China in its Fight against the Coronavirus

Hagop Kamalian

PRESS RELEASE

***For Immediate Release****

Armenian Community of China Releases Video of Support for China in its Fight against the Coronavirus

Hong Kong –

 The Armenian Community of Hong Kong and China released a touching video to show its support for China in its battle against the Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia (NCP). The video showcases Armenian community members, including numerous children, living in various cities in China sending their encouragements to the Chinese people and authorities, who have taken unprecedented steps to stop the virus. The video, produced in Armenia, also features Armenian students studying Chinese at the Confucius Institute in Yerevan.

Henri Arslanian, President of the Armenian Community of Hong Kong and China said: “We want to show to our Chinese friends that the Armenian nation is always here to support them, not only in good times but in more challenging times as well.” 

The video titled “#ArmeniansWithChina- – Armenians Supporting China in its Fight against the Coronavirus” is available on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0ACyTaRato) and will be shared across Chinese and Western social media with the hashtags #ArmeniansWithChina and #WeAreChina

 The Armenian community has been helping China in various ways since the start of the NCP outbreak. For example, a group of volunteers, including students at the Confucius Institute in Yerevan, collected and donated over 10,000 face masks and gloves to China that were sent from Yerevan last week.

The Armenian Community of China, also known as ChinaHay, has been growing tremendously in recent years. Its members mainly live in the cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hong Kong. Anyone interested in learning more about the community can do so by visiting the community’s Facebook page.

—

 For any further media enquiries, please contact Ms. Hasmik Yumushaghjyan at [email protected]

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in China Armenian community the message Չինաստանին՝ directed coronavirus prevention against to the struggle.

 

Hong Kong – February 11, 2020

 

Hong Kong and: of China Armenian: the community exciting video is publish ՝ directed coronavirus prevention against of China to the struggle: In the video their encouraging the word are transfer of China different in cities living Armenians. They their with words to try are to encourage china to the people and: to the authorities, who? undertake are unprecedented steps the epidemic to stop for: The video, which get ready is In Armenia, also present is Of Yerevan Confucius at the institute Chinese student Armenian: students:

 

of China and: Hong Kong Armenian: community president Henry Arslanyan խոսքերով՝ «this step by step we want to we are our chinese friends to remind, that Armenian: the nation permanently to support and: to be is of the Chinese կողքին՝ especially this difficult in the region»:

 

«Armenians of China with» with the title the video already available is YouTube-to whom (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0ACyTaRato) and: will be displayed chinese and: western լրատվամիջոցներով՝ #ArmeniansWithChina and: #WeAreChina with hashtags:

 

of coronavirus of an epidemic outbreak from the beginning in: up, Armenian: the community to try is different initiatives useful to be is to China. Such initiatives was more than 10,000 medical of masks and: of gloves donation to China, which get organized was don’t group volunteers, that seems also Of Yerevan Confucius of the institute students by

 

of China Armenian the community, which the most famous is ChinaHay by name,  huge increase is to live last years: The community the members mostly live in are Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and: Hong Kong in cities: of the community about more to know for, can are you to visit ChinaHay facebook page::

 

—

Additional questions for can are you apply Jasmine Yumushaghyan as follows: email–փոստով՝ [email protected]

 —

Chinese Armenian Community releases video supporting China’s fight against coronavirus

 

 Hong Kong, China– 2020Year2moon11day

 

The Armenian Community in Mainland China and Hong Kong has released a touching video to express its support for China and the novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19).NCP) fighting support. This video was produced in Armenia. The video shows members of the Armenian community living in various cities in China, including many children, offering encouragement and support to the people and governments across China who are taking unprecedented measures to stop the virus. The video also includes Armenian students studying Chinese at the Confucius Institute in Yerevan.

 

 

Henry, Chairman of the Armenian Community in Mainland China and Hong Kong·Arslanian (Henri Arslanian)express:“We want to show our Chinese friends that the Armenian people are always with them, whether China is in prosperity or facing challenges.”

 

Titled“Armenians and China”The video is available atYouTube（https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0ACyTaRato) and will be shared on Chinese and Western social media with#ArmeniansWithChinaand#WeAreChinatags

 

 sinceNCPSince the outbreak, the Armenian community has been helping China in various ways. Recently, a group of volunteers, including students from the Confucius Institute in Yerevan, collected10,000Multiple donations of masks and gloves sent from Yerevan to China.

 

 In recent years, the Chinese Armenian community (also known asChinaHay) has been greatly developed. Its members mainly live in cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hong Kong. welcome Those interested in learning more about the community visit the community’sFacebookpage.



MS-Word 2007 document

The California Courier Online, February 13, 2020

Jirair Kafian

1 –        The World Dislikes Trump & his Policies,
            According to Pew Research Center
            By Harut Sassounian
            Publisher, The California Courier
            www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com
2-         Armenia to hold referendum on Constitutional Court in April
3 –        At Sold Out Gala, AEF Celebrates 70 Years of Service and
Accomplishments
4-         Presidential Candidate Tom Steyer Appoints Senior
Armenian-American Staff
5-       Glendale approves unique building for Armenian-American health center
6-         Wilk Announces Scholarship Contests to
            Raise Awareness of the Armenian Genocide

 *****************************************
******************************************

1 –        The World Dislikes Trump & his Policies,
            According to Pew Research Center
            By Harut Sassounian
            Publisher, The California Courier
            www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com

A study published by the Pew Research Center revealed that many in the
world do not approve Pres. Donald Trump’s foreign policies. This is
not a surprising discovery, but is in total contrast to what the
President has been claiming regarding his exaggerated accomplishments.
Even before his election, candidate Trump repeatedly stated that Pres.
Barack Obama was not respected by the rest of the world and that he,
as President, will restore respect to the United States by foreign
countries.
Given Pres. Trump’s many exaggerations and outright lies, no one
should be surprised by the untruth of what he claimed. The fact is
that his predecessor, Pres. Barack Obama, was highly respected around
the world, and to the contrary, Pres. Trump has become the laughing
stock of most people, in and out of the United States, except by the
autocratic leaders of Turkey, North Korea, Russia, China and Saudi
Arabia.

Let us look at the actual numbers based on the Pew Research Center. In
the 33 countries surveyed, the median of only 18% of the people stated
they viewed Trump’s foreign policy as positive. Not surprisingly,
Trump’s highest foreign policy rating was among Israelis (55%), while
32% disapproved and 13% said, “no difference.”

The following countries, in descending order, expressed their degree
of Pres. Trump’s approval of foreign policy: Poland (34%), Hungary
(31%), Ukraine (29%), Nigeria (29%), India (27%), Kenya (25%), South
Africa (25%), Slovakia (24%), Australia (24%), Lithuania (22%), Czech
Republic (22%), Philippines (21%), Indonesia (19%), Greece (19%),
Bulgaria (18%), Lebanon (18%), UK (18%), Italy (17%), Japan (17%),
South Korea (16%), Canada (16%), Russia (14%), Netherlands (11%),
Sweden (11%), Argentina (10%), Tunisia (9%), Mexico (9%), Turkey (9%),
France (9%), Brazil (8%), Spain (7%), and Germany (6%). In the United
States, Trump’s approval rating on foreign policy was 37%. It is
concerning that some of the lowest ratings were among the NATO allies,
while the ratings in the neighboring countries of Canada and Mexico
were also very low.

When asked about individual policy issues, the median of the people in
the 33 countries surveyed showed the following ratings:

— U.S. increasing tariffs or fees on imported goods from other
countries: 18% approve; 68% disapprove.

— U.S. withdrawal from international climate change agreements: 14%
approve; 66% disapprove.

— Building a wall on the border between the U.S. and Mexico: 24%
approve; 60% disapprove.

— Allowing fewer immigrants into the U.S.: 34% approve; 55% disapprove.

— U.S. withdrawal from the Iran nuclear weapons agreement: 29%
approve; 52% disapprove.

— U.S. negotiations with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un about the
country’s nuclear weapons program: 41% approve; 36% disapprove.

Regarding the respect the current and the two previous U.S. Presidents
— Trump (2017-2019), George W. Bush (2001-2008) and Barack Obama
(2009-2016) — enjoyed around the world, the Pew Research Center
discovered that Obama was ranked much higher than both Bush and Trump
among the people in the 33 countries surveyed. Here are the rankings
of the three Presidents with the lows and highs during the various
years of their presidency:

Canada: Bush (28%-59%); Obama (76%-88%); Trump (22%-28%).

France: Bush (12%-25%); Obama (83%-91%); Trump (9%-20%).

Germany: Bush (14%-51%); Obama (71%-93%); Trump (10%-13%).

Greece: Bush (not available); Obama (27%-41%); Trump (17%-25%).

Italy: Bush (30%-43%); Obama (68%-77%); Trump (25%-32%).

Netherlands: Bush (39%); Obama (92%); Trump (17%-25%).

Spain: Bush (7%-26%); Obama (54%-75%); Trump (7%-21%).

Sweden: Bush (21%); Obama (93%); Trump (10%-18%).

UK: Bush (16%-51%); Obama (72%-86%); Trump (22%-32%).

Bulgaria: Bush (27%); Obama (not available); Trump (26%).

Czech Republic: Bush (36%); Obama (75%-77%); Trump (28%).

Hungary: Bush (not available); Obama (58%); Trump (29%-33%).

Poland: Bush (29-47%); Obama (49%-64%); Trump (23%-51%).

Slovakia: Bush (21%); Obama (not available); Trump (34%).

Russia: Bush (8%-28%); Obama (11%-41%); Trump (20%-53%).

Ukraine: Bush (19%); Obama (11%-41%); Trump (44%).

Australia: Bush (23%-59%); Obama (77%-84%); Trump (29%-35%).

India: Bush (not available); Obama (48%-74%); Trump (40%-56%).

Indonesia: Bush (14%-23%); Obama (53%-71%); Trump (23%-30%).

Japan: Bush (25%-35%); Obama (60%-85%); Trump (24%-36%).

Philippines: Bush (not available); Obama (84%-94%); Trump (69%-78%).

South Korea: Bush (22%-36%); Obama (75%-88%); Trump (17%-46%).

Israel: Bush (57%-83%); Obama (49%-71%); Trump (56%-71%).

Lebanon: Bush (17%-34%); Obama (35%-46%); Trump (15%-23%).

Tunisia: Bush (not available); Obama (24%-28%); Trump (12%-18%).

Turkey: Bush (2%-8%); Obama (12%-45%); Trump (11%).

Kenya: Bush (72%); Obama (78%-95%); Trump (51%-65%).

Nigeria: Bush (not available); Obama (53%-84%); Trump (58%-59%).

South Africa: Bush (32%); Obama (72%-77%); Trump (39%-42%).

Argentina: Bush (5%-7%); Obama (31%-61%); Trump (11%-22%).

Brazil: Bush (not available); Obama (52%-69%); Trump (14%-28%).

Mexico: Bush (16%-28%); Obama (38%-55%); Trump (5%-8%).

Finally, in comparison with other major world leaders, Pres. Trump
ranked at the bottom third of the Pew Research Center survey in 33
countries, losing to French President Emmanuel Macron, German
Chancellor Angela Merkel, and even Russian President Vladimir Putin,
but outscoring Chinese President Xi Jinping by a single point.

The next time Pres. Trump boasts about how he is respected around the
world vs. Pres. Obama, you can smile and tell yourself: one more lie.

************************************************************************************************************************************************

2-         Armenia to hold referendum on Constitutional Court in April

YEREVAN (Azatutyun.am)—Armenia’s parliament decided on Thursday,
February 6 to hold a referendum on April 5 on constitutional changes
that would dismiss seven of the nine members of the Constitutional
Court locked in a bitter dispute with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s
government. The bill was signed by President Armen Sarkissian on
February 9.

The move has been seen by political analysts as Prime Minister Nikol
Pashinyan’s attempt to remove judges who have opposed him.

They would be replaced by other judges to be confirmed by the current
132-member National Assembly in which Pashinyan’s My Step bloc holds
88 seats.

The decision was unanimously backed by virtually all My Step deputies.
Lawmakers representing the opposition Bright Armenia Party voted
against it while their colleagues from the other parliamentary
opposition party, Prosperous Armenia, did not vote at all.

My Step’s Vahagn Hovakimyan, who presented the draft amendments during
the parliament debate, said that the Constitutional Court is Armenia’s
least trusted state institution.

Addressing the National Assembly shortly before the vote, Pashinyan
also strongly defended the amendments rejected as unconstitutional by
opposition deputies. He again accused Constitutional Court Chairman
Hrayr Tovmasyan and six other judges installed by former Armenian
governments from 1995-2018 of being linked to the “corrupt former
regime.”

“The Constitutional Court represents the corrupt regime of [former
President] Serzh Sargsyan, rather than the people, and it must go,” he
declared.

Pashinyan also claimed that Armenia’s highest court “limits the
people’s power” and poses a “terrible and direct threat to democracy.”
Its legal powers must therefore be superseded by “sovereign rights of
the people,” he said.

Pashinyan went on to warn his political opponents against attempting
to thwart the constitutional changes through legal or other
mechanisms, saying that they would be declared “anti-state” elements
in that case.

The warning prompted an angry response from Bright Armenia Party
leader Edmon Marukyan, who accused Pashinyan of “blackmail.”

“Is it you who decides who are anti-state forces and who are patriots?
Is this the ‘democracy’ you dream about?” Marukyan asked him on the
parliament floor.

Marukyan reaffirmed his party’s view that the draft amendments run
counter to other articles of the Armenian constitution. He also noted
that the current Constitutional Court consists of judges appointed
under different governments. This is an important safeguard for the
court’s independence, he said.

Another senior Bright Armenia Party figure, Taron Sahakyan, insisted
that under Armenian law the amendments cannot be put on a referendum
without being examined and endorsed by the Constitutional Court.

Parliament majority leaders gave no indications that they will submit
the amendments to the court for approval before setting a referendum
date. They cited articles of the constitution which make no reference
to such a validation.

The Constitutional Court judges and Tovmasyan in particular have for
months been under growing government pressure to resign. The
parliament also passed in December a government bill offering them
financial incentives to retire before the end of their mandate. None
of them has accepted the early retirement offer so far.

Later in December, prosecutors brought criminal charges against
Tovmasyan. The Constitutional Court chairman rejected the accusations
as politically motivated and again ruled out his resignation. He has
said that the authorities want to get rid of him in order to gain
control over the court.

************************************************************************************************************************************************

3 –        At Sold Out Gala, AEF Celebrates 70 Years of Service and
Accomplishments

LOS ANGELES—More than 500 community leaders, supporters, and generous
donors attended the Armenian Educational Foundation’s 70th Anniversary
Gala.

The momentous event was held on January 26.at the iconic Beverly Hills
Hotel. The gala opened at 5:30 p.m. with a cocktail hour, followed by
dinner at 6:30 p.m.

The evening kicked off with a performance of the American and Armenian
national anthems sung by Talia Avedissian and Araz Arabian, students
from Mesrobian School and Holy Martyrs Ferrahian High School,
respectively. Both schools were co-founded by the AEF as pillars of
education for Armenian students in America.

Opening remarks were made by AEF President Peter Baghdassarian, who
welcomed guests and thanked committee members for making the sold-out
event a big success. Baghdassarian then introduced Armine Haroyan,
AEF’s administrator in Yerevan, who herself was an AEF scholarship
recipient. Haroyan shared with the audience the impact of AEF’s
generosity on her life and the lives of hundreds of other scholarship
recipients in Armenia.

AEF Vice President Dr. Aida Rechdouni then introduced Vahik
Petrossian, the recipient of AEF’s Lifetime Service Award for his
decades of service to the organization. This recognition prompted an
anonymous donation of $50,000 in honor of Petrossian.

Following remarks made by Dr. Rechdouni, Committee Chair Al Cabraloff
introduced AEF’s Lifetime Achievement Award recipients Sam and Sylva
Simonian. The Simonians were honored for their pioneering work in
bringing technical education to Armenia by funding and establishing
TUMO Center for Creative Technologies.

Mr. and Mrs. Simonian were also honored by Catholicos Aram I of the
Great House of Cilicia, as the couple was awarded the prestigious
Mesrob Mashdots Medal, which was presented to them by Western Prelate
Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian.

The AEF Gala Banquet is held to help raise funds for AEF’s charitable
programs, including computer engineering labs in village schools,
university scholarship awards, school renovation projects, and other
education related programs.

For more information about AEF, please call the AEF office at
818.242.4154, or visit AEF’s website, www.aefweb.org

************************************************************************************************************************************************

4-         Presidential Candidate Tom Steyer Appoints Senior
Armenian-American Staff

LOS ANGELES—The Steyer presidential campaign has announced its
Armenian-American senior and regional staff in California, continuing
its commitment to building a talented team that is representative of
our state’s diverse communities.

“We are excited to have Rostom Sarkissian and Astine Suleimanyan on
TeamTom,” said Katie Vavao, the campaign’s California state director,
who recruited both staffers. “Their years of experience on local and
national campaigns, their leadership in the communities they have
worked in, and their dedication to Armenian-American community make
them welcome additions to our team.”

Rostom Sarkissian is responsible for coordinating the political and
field efforts across the State. Rostom is a Los Angeles-based public
affairs professional with 20 years of experience in political, issue,
and advocacy campaigns in California and across the United States.
Sarkissian worked on behalf of the Democratic presidential nominee in
2004, 2008, and 2012 in Oregon, Colorado, and Florida.

Sarkissian holds a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from Harvard
University’s Kennedy School of Government and a Bachelor’s Degree in
Diplomacy and World Affairs from Occidental College.

“I’m proud to work for a candidate who believes in social, economic,
and environmental justice. Tom’s father was a part of the team that
prosecuted the Nazis at Nuremberg, and his dad taught him ‘when you
see something wrong, you fight it.’ That’s the type of leader we need
in Washington,” said Sarkissian.

Astine Suleimanyan will serve as the campaign’s deputy political
director for the Inland Empire and labor liaison across the state. She
has a decade of professional experience managing the diverse and
complicated elements of electoral, legislative, and constituent
campaigns for mission driven-organizations such as the American Civil
Liberties Union, Service Employees International Union, California
School Employees Association, and SEIU-United Long Term Care Workers.

“It is exciting to be part of this campaign. Tom Steyer has been an
early and vocal advocate for addressing climate change and building a
more just economy,” said Suleimanyan. “His justice-based approach to
addressing race, the economy, and the environment speaks to my core as
an activist, and his actual success as businessman will provide the
best contrast to Trump’s failing administration.”

************************************************************************************************************************************************

5-         Glendale approves unique building for Armenian-American health center

By Shane Reiner-Roth

On January 21, the City Council of Glendale, California, unanimously
approved the construction of a daringly-designed office building from
the Los Angeles-based architecture firm P-A-T-T-E-R-N-S and Santa
Monica-based Sharif, Lynch: Architecture. When complete, the Janoian
Building will be the new home of All For Health, Health For All, a
local community health center began in 1999 by Dr. Noobar Janoian, and
will include rentable office space, ground-floor retail, and a small
amenity space in the terrace. As approved, Glendale residents can
expect to see a 5-story, 70-foot-tall complex rise on the site.

The five-story building’s shifting character on the corner of Broadway
and Isabel Street is designed to visually connect the urban promenade
of the stylistically-diverse Glendale Civic Center. “Responding to the
brief of providing a commercial office building in a very formal
context,” the architects explained, “the project aims to construct an
authentic dichotomic image: one that can be confused for a strange
civic building, too mute to be publicly engaged, but yet too
eccentrically unusual to be privately used.”

The building’s irregularly-striated brise-soleil system and exterior
voids along Isabel Street contrast the smooth, unbroken glass facade
to break up the structure’s otherwise imposing presence. A series of
exterior soffits and cantilevers unify the building’s envelope while
adding continuous open balconies accessible via the medical office
spaces. The health center will be set back along Isabel Street to make
room for a small pocket park, for which Armenian artist Zadik Zadikian
was commissioned to create a public mural as a backdrop that reflects
the community’s diverse citizenship. Construction on the Janoian
Building will begin this summer and is expected to be completed by
late next year.

This article appeared in The Architect’s Newspaper on February 5, 2020.

************************************************************************************************************************************************

6-         Wilk Announces Scholarship Contests to

            Raise Awareness of the Armenian Genocide

The California Armenian Legislative Caucus is holding two scholarship
contests for the 2020 commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, Senator
Scott Wilk (R-Santa Clarita), who represents the state’s 21st Senate
District, announced on February 3.

California high school students in 9th through 12th grades are invited
to participate in an essay contest and/or a visual arts contest to
increase greater awareness of the Armenian Genocide. Students may
enter both contests, but submissions must be entered separately.

In addition to the scholarships, the winners will also receive a trip
to Sacramento for a press conference where they will be acknowledged
by the California Armenian Legislative Caucus during the Caucus’
annual Armenian Advocacy Day on April 27, 2020.

Original artwork will be requested from visual arts finalists, for
display in the California State Capitol.

Criteria for each content can be found at wilk.cssrc.us.

Submission deadline for both contests is Monday, April 6, 2020. The
California Armenian Legislative Caucus will contact winners directly
and announce their names to media on Friday, April 16, 2020.

***********************************************************************************************************************************************

California Courier Online provides viewers of the Armenian News News Service
with a few of the articles in this week’s issue of The California
Courier.  Letters to the editor are encouraged through our e-mail
address, However, authors are
requested to provide their names, addresses, and/or telephone numbers
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, or by phone, (818) 409-0949.

RFE/RL Armenian Report – 02/10/2020

Dabaghian Diana 
                                        Monday, 
Referendum On Armenian Constitutional Court Scheduled For April 5
        • Ruzanna Stepanian
Armenia -- Constitutional Court Chairman Hrayr Tovmasian (C) reads out a ruling 
on an appeal lodged by former President Robert Kocharian, Yerevan, September 4, 
2019.
President Armen Sarkissian has validated the parliament’s controversial decision 
hold a referendum on constitutional changes that would dismiss seven of the nine 
members of Armenia’s Constitutional Court locked in a bitter dispute with Prime 
Minister Nikol Pashinian.
In a weekend decree, Sarkissian scheduled the referendum for April 5 amid 
continuing opposition statements challenging the legality of the amendments 
drafted by Pashinian’s My Step bloc.
Under the proposed amendments, the court’s chairman, Hrayr Tovmasian, and six 
other members installed by former Armenian governments would be replaced by 
other judges to be confirmed by the current parliament controlled by My Step. 
Pashinian again accused them of remaining linked to the “corrupt former regime” 
as the National Assembly opted for the referendum on February 6.
Tovmasian has been under particularly strong government pressure to resign in 
recent months. He has refused to quit and said the authorities are keen to gain 
control over the country’s highest court. Tovmasian is strongly backed by the 
former Republican Party of Armenia and other hardline critics of the government.
The ruling bloc’s efforts to install new high court judges through the 
constitutional changes have also been strongly criticized by the more moderate 
opposition parties represented in the parliament and some legal experts.
Armenia -- Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian (R) and Constitutional Court Chairman 
Hrayr Tovmasian shake hands ahead of a 2018 meeting in Yerevan.
Edmon Marukian, the leader of the opposition Bright Armenia Party (LHK), 
insisted that the far-reaching changes sought by Pashinian are unconstitutional 
and were passed with serious procedural violations. Marukian said Sarkissian 
should have therefore sent the draft amendments to the Constitutional Court for 
examination instead.
Both the LHK and the other parliamentary opposition party, Prosperous Armenia 
(BHK), say that an Armenian law on referendums also makes the court’s approval 
of constitutional changes obligatory.
Vladimir Vartanian, a senior pro-government parliamentarian, countered, however, 
that the seven court justices cannot make an “objective” decision on the matter 
because at stake is their own future.
In a written “clarification” issued immediately after his decree, Sarkissian’s 
office argued that the referendum would have been scheduled even if the head of 
state had refused to sign the parliament’s decision. It cited an article of the 
Armenian constitution in support of this assertion.
“It has to be noted that by setting nor setting a date for the referendum the 
president of the republic does not express his attitude and position on the 
essence of the constitutional amendments adopted by the National Assembly … or 
the procedures used for making that decision,” said the statement.
Naira Zohrabian, a senior BHK figure, dismissed this explanation on Monday, 
accusing Sarkissian of seeking to dodge responsibility for the planned ouster of 
the Constitutional Court judges. She said that the president, who has largely 
ceremonial powers, effectively sided with Pashinian.
“If you sign [the parliament’s decision] it means that you fully accept the 
legitimacy of the process,” Zohrabian told RFE/RL’s Armenian service.
Armenia -- President Armen Sarkissian (R) meets with Prime Minister Nikol 
Pashinian, Yerevan, February 4, 2020.
The BHK and the LHK may still prevent the holding of the referendum if their 
parliament deputies appeal to the Constitutional Court and convince it to 
declare the draft amendments unconstitutional.
Under the constitution, such appeals must be signed by at least 27 members of 
the 132-seat parliament. The BHK and the LHK control 26 and 17 parliament seats 
respectively, putting them in a position to request a court judgment.
The LHK has already indicated its readiness to challenge the proposed 
constitutional changes in the court. BHK representatives have made more 
ambiguous statements in that regard so far.
“We have not yet discussed [the issue,] so I find it hard to say whether 
Prosperous Armenia will join in [the appeal,]” said Zohrabian. The BHK 
leadership should formulate its position “in the coming days,” she said.
Zohrabian dismissed suggestions that the party led by businessman Gagik 
Tsarukian is wary of antagonizing Pashinian.
The prime minister was quick to hail the presidential decree on the referendum. 
In a video address aired on Facebook, he also urged Armenians living abroad to 
travel to their home country and vote for the amendments on April 5. Armenian 
law bars them from voting outside the country.
To pass, the amendments would have to be backed by the majority of referendum 
participants making up at least one-quarter of Armenia’s 2.57 million or so 
eligible voters.
Prosecutor Again Dismisses Indictment Against Former Armenian Speaker
        • Naira Bulghadarian
Armenia -- NA Speaker Ara Babloyan, 30Dec2018
An Armenian prosecutor has again dismissed coup charges brought by another 
law-enforcement agency against former parliament speaker Ara Babloyan and one of 
his former senior aides.
The Special Investigative Service (SIS) indicted Babloyan and Arsen Babayan in 
October as part of a criminal inquiry into Hrayr Tovmasian’s appointment in 
March 2018 as chairman of Armenia’s Constitutional Court. Babayan was arrested 
but freed on bail three weeks later.
The SIS claimed that the former Armenian parliament elected Tovmasian court 
chairman as a result of an illegal seizure of the judicial authority by a “group 
of officials.” It said that Babloyan illegally accepted and announced the 
resignation of Tovmasian’s predecessor, Gagik Harutiunian, before receiving a 
relevant letter from him. It said that Babayan, who was the deputy chief of the 
parliament staff at the time, backdated the letter to enable Tovmasian to head 
the Constitutional Court before the entry into force of sweeping amendments to 
the Armenian constitution.
The amendments introduced a six-year term in office for the head of Armenia’s 
highest court. Tovmasian, 49, became chief court justice under the previous 
constitution which allows him to hold the post until the age of 70.
Both suspects strongly deny the accusations. Babloyan maintains that 
Harutiunian’s letter of resignation was dated March 1, 2018 and that he received 
and signed it on March 2, 2018, not three days later, as is claimed by the SIS.
The SIS announced on December 13 that it has completed the investigation and 
asked prosecutors to endorse the accusations of “usurpation of state authority” 
and forgery leveled against the former officials.
The prosecutor overseeing the probe refused to do so and ordered the SIS to 
conduct an “additional investigation” for properly evaluating Babloyan’s and 
Babayan’s actions. The SIS again sent the case to the prosecutor for approval 
last month.
It emerged on Monday that the investigators have been rebuffed for a second 
time. Armenia’s Office of the Prosecutor-General said they should revise the 
indictment and charge the two former officials with abuse of power, rather than 
its usurpation. It said the well-known suspects had created an “illusion” of 
Tovmasian’s lawful appointment as Constitutional Court chairman.
The SIS did not immediately react to the prosecutors’ decision which will 
further delay Babayan’s and Babloyan’s trial.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian used the high-profile case in his recent verbal 
attacks on Tovmasian. He said on January 25 that law-enforcement authorities’ 
allegations that Tovmasian illegally became chief justice shortly before the 
2018 “Velvet Revolution” are “effectively proven and irrefutable.”
Tovmasian deplored that claim, saying that Pashinian violated the presumption of 
innocence guaranteed by the Armenian constitution.
Iranian Company ‘Interested’ In Armenian Chemical Giant
        • Sargis Harutyunyan
Armenia -- Nairit chemical plant, undated.
The Armenian government confirmed on Monday that an Iranian company sanctioned 
by the United States is exploring the possibility of taking over and 
reactivating Armenia’s largest chemical plant that has stood idle for the last 
ten years.
The Yerevan-based Nairit plant employed several thousand people in Soviet times. 
It struggled to remain afloat after the breakup of the Soviet Union, repeatedly 
changing foreign owners and operators in murky deals overseen by successive 
Armenian governments.
Nairit had around 2,300 workers when it stopped manufacturing synthetic rubber, 
its main product, in March 2010. It currently employs only 250 people mostly 
tasked with guarding its waste disposal and other facilities.
Varag Siserian, a senior aide to Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinian, said that 
senior executives of Iran’s Tabriz Petrochemical Company expressed an interest 
reactivating the sprawling plant when they met with government officials in 
Yerevan on January 30.
Siserian said the company plans to conduct a feasibility study for that purpose 
by the end of next month. “After the study we will be ready to discuss possible 
variants and formats of cooperation,” he told RFE/RL’s Armenian service in a 
written statement.
According to Economy Minister Tigran Khachatrian, the government is open to 
investment projects that would “contain guarantees of long-term stability” at 
Nairit. “I can’t give details,” he said when asked about Tabriz Petrochemical 
Company’s interest in the former chemical giant.
Khachatrian also would not be drawn on the amount of capital investments needed 
for restarting manufacturing operations there.
Siserian noted that the planned feasibility study could be followed by a 
financial audit of Nairit.
Nairit was declared bankrupt by a court in Yerevan in 2016 because of its 
failure to pay electricity bills totaling 1.24 billion drams ($2.6 million). It 
currently owes a total of $262 million to 300 other firms and individuals.
Tabriz Petrochemical Company was among Iranian entities which the United States 
blacklisted in 2018 as part of its renewed economic sanctions against Iran.
“We have no information about the Iranian company being under U.S. sanctions,” 
Siserian claimed in this regard.
Arrested Official Denies Taking Bribes
        • Marine Khachatrian
Armenia -- Vahagn Vermishian, head of the Urban Development Committee, speaks at 
a news conference in Yerevan, July 1, 2019.
Vahagn Vermishian, the arrested head of the Armenian government’s Urban 
Development Committee, denies bribery charges leveled against him, his lawyer 
said on Monday.
The National Security Service (NSS) arrested Vermishian and two other 
individuals on February 5 hours after searching his office. One of those 
suspects, John Farkhoyan, is a former senior law-enforcment official. He was 
released on bail at the weekend.
In a February 5 statement, the NSS said Vermishian has admitted receiving five 
bribes, worth between 1 million drams ($2,100) and 2.5 million drams each, from 
private construction firms that were given privileged treatment by various 
government bodies in return. It said that the kickbacks were channeled into an 
architectural firm which the official had set up and registered in a friend’s 
name.
Contradicting the NSS claim, Vermishian’s lawyer, Mushegh Arakelian, said his 
client denies taking the alleged bribes. “In essence, the version of events 
published in the media has nothing to do with him,” he told RFE/RL’s Armenian 
service.
Arakelian declined to comment further, saying that he will make a more detailed 
statement soon.
The categoric denial did not prevent a court in Yerevan from remanding 
Vermishian in pre-trial custody on Monday.
Vermishian, who has headed the government agency since March 2019, is the third 
senior member of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s government prosecuted on 
corruption charges. The two other suspects worked as deputy ministers of 
education and health.
Speaking at a February 6 cabinet meeting, Pashinian potrayed Vermishian’s arrest 
as further proof of his commitment to eradicating corruption in Armenia.
The high-profile arrest came nearly four months after Sarhat Petrosian, the 
prominent head of Armenia’s Cadaster Committee, resigned in protest against 
government policies on urban development. Petrosian hit out at Vermishian and 
the previous head of the Urban Development Committee, Avetik Eloyan, after 
tendering his resignation.
In particular, Petrosian claimed that Eloyan, who now works as an adviser to 
Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinian, has used his position to win lucrative 
contracts for an architectural firm registered in his brother’s name in May 
2019. Avinian and Vermishian dismissed those claims at the time.
Petrosian on Monday criticized the authorities for not prosecuting Eloyan as 
well. “So double standards are still part of our reality, and while Vermishian 
can be indicted, another official, who found himself in virtually the same 
situation, cannot,” he wrote on Facebook.
Reprinted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
Copyright (c) 2020 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.
www.rferl.org

Prosperous Armenia faction quits cooperation with deputy Tigran Urikhanyan due to raised differences in approaches

Antonian Lara
Aysor, Armenia
Feb 11 2020

Prosperous Armenia parliamentary faction stated about quitting cooperation with deputy Tigran Urikhanyan.

Urikhanyan has submitted application to the faction head Gagik Tsarukyan on leaving the faction.

“Tigran Urikhanyan has passed a long political path as member of Prosperous Armenia faction but at this phase the approaches and principles of the deputy are not consistent with the approaches of the Prosperous Armenia faction. For this reason, starting from this moment Prosperous Armenia faction quits cooperation with Tigran Urikhanyan. The latter will continue his activity in the status of freelance deputy,” the party’s statement said.