Month: May 2021

The Armenia bloc has unveiled its list of top 50 candidates for the snap parliamentary elections slated for June 20.

The electoral alliance is led by Armenia’s second President Robert Kocharyan. It has been formed by the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) and the Reviving Armenia parties.

The 50 candidates on the list are as follows:

1․ Robert Kocharyan
2․ Ishkhan Saghatelyan
3․ Anna Grigoryan
4․ Vahe Hakobyan
5․ Armen Gevorgyan
6․ Lilit Galstyan
7․ Armen Rustamyan
8․ Seyran Ohanyan
9․ Elinar Vardanyan
10․ Artsvik Minasyan

11․ Artur Ghazinyan
12․ Kristine Vardanyan
13․ Gegham Manukyan
14․ Aghvan Vardanyan
15․ Agnesa Khamoyan
16․ Andranik Tevanyan
17․ Mkhitar Zakaryan
18․ Hripsime Stambulyan
19․ Ashot Simonyan
20․ Armen Charchyan

21. Elena Kirakosyan
22. David Sedrakyan
23. Alexander Khachaturyan
24. Armenuhi Kyureghyan
25. Aram Vardevanyan
26. Tadevos Avetisyan
27. Marianna Yepremyan
28. Artur Sargsyan
29. Artur Khachatryan
30. Aregnaz Manukyan

31. Gegham Nazaryan
32. Arush Arushanyan
33. Aspram Krpeyan
34. Argishti Gevorgyan
35. Garnik Danielyan
36. Rima Ghazaryan
37. Ruben Melkonyan
38. Mher Sahakyan
39. Maria Petrosyan
40. Sayad Shirinyan

41. Robert Hayrapetyan
42. Arpine Vardanyan
43. Arman Ghazaryan
44. David Sahakyants
45. Irina Gasparyan
46. Mher Melkonyan
47. Mihrdat Madatyan
48. Anzhela Nalbandyan
49. Gerasim Vardanyan
50. Levon Kocharyan

The Azerbaijani team was disqualified for unsportsmanlike behavior and removed from the European Sambo Championships 2021.

All results of Azerbaijani sambists at the European Sambo Championships 2021 have been canceled, the International SAMBO Federation reported.

The championships were held in Limassol, Cyprus from May 26-29.

Armenian sambist Aram Aghajanyan (64 kg) won bronze in Combat Sambo, the Sambo Federation of Armenia reported.

President of the Armenian SAMBO Federation Mikayel Hayrapetyan spoke about the incident after which the Azerbaijani sambo team was removed from the championships.

“When Magomed Gadzhiev from Russia and Emil Hasanov from Azerbaijan were competing in the 71 kg final and when the victory was awarded to the Russian, the opponent showed unsportsmanlike behavior, which was followed by stormy and noisy entry of the entire Azerbaijani delegation into the mats, prompting clashes. In order for us, Armenians, not to have anything to do with it, I told all our athletes and coaches to leave the sports hall,” he said.  

Armenian military expert Tigran Abrahamyan, the head of the analytical center Henaket, reacted to caretaker Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's latest statement, stating it pointed to how he “destroyed” the Armenian statehood.

“Over the past three decades, the Armenian troops have been deployed in almost all areas of the Artsakh-Armenian border, where it was possible to ensure control over the enemy [Azerbaijan], its military, civil infrastructure and movements in the rear,” he wrote on Facebook on Saturday.

“Since 1994, there have been constant positional fights with Azerbaijan for taking important heights and obtaining a tactical and strategic advantage,” he said, adding the key purpose was to carry out an effective process of deterring Azerbaijan and, if necessary, taking punitive action.

“In carrying out this hard and extremely responsible task, our armed forces have passed a difficult path, literally setting up fortifications in rocks, mountains, sometimes even in mountains higher than 3,000 meters.

“Nikol Pashinyan's statement, "Why do we need to deploy soldiers on the top of the mountain, which is snow-covered for half a year?" not only points to the fact that he does not have a basic idea of the land, homeland and the mission of the military, but also reveals what principles he was guided by in the recent 3 years and how he destroyed our statehood.

“In the conditions of the rule of a leader with such a mentality and system of values, we could not have had a chance to win [the war with Azerbaijan]. Naturally, in the conditions of the border crisis unfolding today, the current authorities are leading the country to a guaranteed destruction.

“People who know me are aware that there was no combat position in the Artsakh area, there was no military unit from Araks to Mount Gomshasar (Gamish), where, due to the nature of my service, I did not visit and did not carry out activities,” the expert said, praising the dedication and responsibility of Armenian soldiers carrying out military service in the most difficult sections of the frontline.

“Those who do not realize it all and the forces behind them, as well as those deliberately pursuing such a policy, have brought the country to this tragic point and continue to justify their steps,” Abrahamyan noted.

He also shared a photo of servicemen on top of Gomshasar (3,724 meters) located in the northern part of the Republic of Artsakh.

“On one of its peaks, strong defensive structures and a military post were set up, and Artsakh forces gained a huge advantage over the enemy. Many know in what difficult and adverse weather conditions our forces were deployed there and perfectly performed their combat mission,” he added. 

Second President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan, the leader of the Armenia bloc running in the snap parliamentary elections, on Saturday gave an interview to the Russian RBC TV channel, his bloc said in a Facebook post.

The most urgent issues of Armenia's domestic and foreign policy, as well as geopolitical issues were touched upon in the interview, the bloc said.

“The interview will be broadcast in full in the next few days," it added.

https://www.panorama.am/en/news/2021/05/29/Robert-Kocharyan-interview/2510518

Political scientist Hrant Melik-Shahnazaryan, the head of the analytical center Voskanapat, claims the Azerbaijani and Turkish leaders made a final decision to attack Artsakh on 12 December 2019 following Nikol Pashinyan’s statement on Armenia's state apparatus.

“Would you like me to name the specific day when Aliyev and Erdogan made a final decision to attack Artsakh? It was on December 12, 2019. Do you remember what happened that day? The vile traitor announced that the state apparatus did not fulfil his instructions, was sabotaging and acting against the revolution. And he promised to break the state apparatus,” Melik-Shahnazaryan wrote on Facebook on Saturday.

“This was an ‘invitation’ from the Armenian authorities to start a war against Artsakh and Armenia. What else did the enemy need to achieve the desired result? Of course, the destruction of the Armenian statehood. And they did not miss the opportunity.

“From December 12, 2019 to September 27, 2020, Armenia’s treacherous prime minister repeatedly disclosed the number of troops and strategic resources we had. Even after all this, he still dares to voice various accusations against Hrant Bagratyan,” the political scientist said. 

Azerbaijan, its armed forces and political elite are becoming “coordinators” of Armenia's domestic political processes, MP Edmon Marukyan, the leader of the opposition Bright Armenia Party, said in a Facebook live video on Saturday, referring to the Azerbaijani incursion into Armenian territory, the killing of an Armenian soldier and the capture of six Armenian servicemen by Azerbaijani forces.

According to Marukyan, the border tensions have been causing shocks in Armenia, preventing them from focusing on the domestic political issues.

The Bright Armenia leader noted that Azerbaijan has active participation in Armenia's domestic political life.

"Azerbaijan has become a key player in the campaign for the upcoming snap elections," he said.

Marukyan stated that in such conditions there can be no campaign involving criticism of the current authorities or anti-government rallies not to undermine the foundations of the state.

"That's why our political techniques will be different from the previous ones," Marukyan said, adding that his party stands by the statehood and is ready to fight on foreign fronts. 

The Armenia bloc on Saturday presented its electoral program and the team.

The head of the election campaign headquarters of the Armenia bloc, former Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia Armen Gevorgyan said that the program is entitled “365 days: The future starts today”.

Reviving Armenia party member Anna Grigoryan, renowned doctor Armen Charchyan, a member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF, Dashnaktsutyun) Supreme Council, Candidate of Philology, publicist Lilit Galstyan and consultant on finance and banking law Aleksandr Khachaturyan were invited to present the program.

Subsequently, the leaders of the Armenia alliance, second President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan, ARF Supreme Council member Ishkhan Saghatelyan and Chairman of the Reviving Armenia party Vahe Hakobyan, were invited on stage.

The national anthem of Armenia was played. Then the attendees observed a minute's silence to pay tribute to the victims of the 44-day war in Artsakh.

What is happening in the spheres of Armenia's security and foreign policy can be characterized by a single phrase – a complete fiasco, second President Robert Kocharyan said at the presentation of the pre-election program of his Armenia bloc on Saturday.

According to him, their first step in the security sphere will be the restoration of the combat readiness of the Armenian armed forces nor for fighting a war, but for ensuring a “decent peace”.

“There is simply no other option. The army is the basis of the country's security, it must be modern, highly professional and combat-ready. Our army needs support and serious reforms,” said the former president.

Kocharyan stated that the National Security Service (NSS) should again deal with the country's security issues, instead of carrying out "stupid orders to search for Satan, check cash register receipts or persecute the opposition.”

“Highly professional officers serve there, for whom, I am convinced, such assignments are offensive. We will take measures to never again allow the NSS to turn into political intelligence,” Kocharyan said.

Speaking about the police, the leader of the Armenia bloc underlined that the law enforcement agency is not meant to ensure the movements of one official, carry out his “whims” or serve his “morbid fears”.

“We will return the police exclusively to the sphere of functions envisaged by the laws of the Republic of Armenia. What we see almost on a daily basis is not normal,” he said.

Speaking about the foreign policy priorities, Kocharyan said that the “cheap policy of nimbleness” pursued today in the international arena will be ended.

“We will restore confidence in the country as a predictable and understandable partner,” he said, adding that friendly states will be offered a new and understandable agenda for bilateral cooperation.

“We should not suffer from a loser complex after losing the war. Believe me, this will be one of the most difficult challenges to overcome in the coming years. Defeat dealt us a hard blow, we must help our people overcome the complex that comes after such defeats,” Kocharyan said.

He claimed Armenia has the potential for quick recovery from the war, adding his team will do everything possible to make it a vital issue for Armenia's allies, first of all, for Russia.

“It is really very important to form a new agenda, we cannot but come up with new ideas. Together with our allies, we can ensure and protect the interests of the Republic of Armenia. We will restore our lost positions in international organizations, first of all, in organizations dealing with security issues,” said the second president, expressing strong conviction that they are able to provide such solutions for these issues so that Armenia never finds itself in such situations in the future.

“Therefore, we must move to build a strong Armenia,” Kocharyan said.