Month: June 2022

Evacuated Karabakh residents gradually return despite Azeri presence

Mike Maghakian
PanARMENIAN
Armenia – June 8 2022

PanARMENIAN.Net - Head of the village of Khramort in Nagorno-Karabakh Zorik Abrahamyan has revealed that only one Azerbaijani flag is visible instead of the previous four on a nearby strategic height known as Karaglukh.

In an interview with Pastinfo, the official revealed that 25% of the population that had been evacuated as a result of Azerbaijan's incursion earlier in the year, have already returned home.

"Residents are gradually returning to their homes, setting an example for each other. People have begun to cultivate their gardens, harvesting mulberries, busy with daily work. They are returning little by little. We can't call them all at once, because we have to make sure that people are completely safe. It's true that we have positions. Strongholds of Russian peacekeepers are also located in the village, but in any case, if something happens one of these days, who is going to be responsible for it? The situation in the Karaglukh area remains the same; the enemy is still there," Abrahamyan said

Azerbaijani troops continue to remain in positions they set up on Karaglukh, a strategic height in Nagorno-Karabakh, which Azeri forces stormed in March, killing injuring Armenian soldiers.



Armenian authorities committed to the process of democratic reforms, Deputy Speaker of Parliament tells Venice Commission chief

David Nargizian
Public Radio of Armenia
Armenia – June 8 2022
June 8, 2022, 16:43

 Less than a minute

At a meeting with Venice Commission chief Claire Bazy-Malaurie, Deputy Speaker of the Armenian National Assembly, Head of the Armenian Delegation to the PACE Ruben Rubinyan hailed the effective cooperation with the structure.

Member of the National Assembly delegation to the PACE Arusyak Julhakyan and Secretary General of the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe Simona Granata-Menghini were present at the meeting.

According to Ruben Rubinyan, the Armenian authorities remain committed to the process of democratic reforms that began after the Velvet Revolution. In this regard, the Vice Speaker stressed the need for the support of the commission.

Reference was made to the work of the newly established Constitutional Reform Council.

The Chair of the Venice Commission highlighted the fruitful cooperation with Armenia.

https://en.armradio.am/2022/06/08/armenian-authorities-committed-to-the-process-of-democratic-reforms-deputy-speaker-of-parliament-tells-venice-commission-chief/

Armenia joins European Archeology Days event

Antranik Varosian
Public Radio of Armenia
Armenia – June 8 2022
June 8, 2022, 11:30

 1 minute read

For the first time Armenia has joined the European Archeology Days event to be held on June 17-19 in archeological excavation sites across the country.

The European Archeology Days have been held since 2010 and are coordinated by the French National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research (INRAP).

During the three-day event, visits will be organized to archeological sites, archeological research centers, which are usually closed to the public. Archaeologists will present the details of their work. A number of entertainment and educational events – excavations, exhibitions, courses, restoration of the finds – are also expected within the framework of the event.

The Institute of Archeology and Ethnography of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia, the Research Center for Historical and Cultural Heritage, the Historical-Cultural Reserve-Museum, the Historical Environment Protection Service SNCOs and the Erebuni Historical-Archaelogical Museum-Reserve have joined the event.

No explosive found at Zvartnots International Airport

Adrine Hakobian
Public Radio of Armenia
Armenia – June 8 2022
June 8, 2022, 18:00

 Less than a minute

No explosives were found at Zvartnots International Airport.

At 2:54 today the Crisis Management Center was alerted about an explosive device placed at the airport.

Fire-fighters, psychologists, cynologist and engineers were dispatched to the scene.

No explosive device was found during the search.

​Russian FM arrives in Armenia for working visit

Arbi Tashjian
Public Radio of Armenia

Armenia – June 8 2022

Russian FM arrives in Armenia for working visit

June 8, 2022, 18:06

Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov arrived in Yerevan. Foreign Minister of the Republic of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan welcomed him at the airport.

On June 9, the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Russia will take place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia.

Within the framework of the visit, meetings are also scheduled with the President and the Prime Minister of Armenia.

Council of Europe anti-racism body to prepare report on Armenia

Emil Lazarian
June 8 2022
STRASBOURG 8 JUNE 2022

A delegation of the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) visited Armenia from 30 May to 3 June 2022 as the first step in the preparation of a monitoring report. During the visit, ECRI’s delegation gathered information on effective equality and access to rights; hate speech and hate-motivated violence; and integration and inclusion.

The delegation held meetings with representatives of government and other authorities, the Human Rights Defender and civil society. It also visited the newly opened safe space for LGBT people in Armenia (Yerevan), to discuss the situation of Armenian LGBTI communities together with representatives of relevant NGOs.

Following this visit, ECRI will adopt a report in 2023, in which it will make a new set of recommendations on measures to be taken by the authorities to address racism and intolerance in the country. The implementation of two priority recommendations will be reviewed in two years’ time after publication of the report as part of ECRI’s interim follow-up procedure.

In its previous report on Armenia, published in 2016, among other recommendations, ECRI recommended that the various action plans containing programmes for the integration of vulnerable groups include a description of their objectives, a complete set of criteria for assessing their impact on these groups, and a clear financial plan. This recommendation concerned existing stand-alone programmes and any future programmes deriving from the comprehensive integration policies which were being developed. In its interim follow-up conclusions, published in 2019, ECRI considered that this recommendation had been partially implemented.

ECRI also recommended that a national integration strategy be developed, in consultation with representatives of the vulnerable groups concerned. This strategy should also establish clear co-ordination mechanisms between all relevant ministries, implementing agencies and potential donors.

https://www.coe.int/en/web/european-commission-against-racism-and-intolerance/-/council-of-europe-anti-racism-body-to-prepare-report-on-armenia

Oscar-winning director Terry George to preside over Golden Apricot jury

Babken Chilingarian
Panorama

Armenia – June 8 2022

CULTURE 11:33 08/06/2022 ARMENIA

Oscar-winning Irish director and screenwriter Terry George will head the Golden Apricot 19th Yerevan IFF International Feature Film competition jury, the festival said on Wednesday.

He was nominated for two Oscars: Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium (1993; In the Name of the Father), and Best Writing, Original Screenplay (2004; Hotel Rwanda). In 2012, he received an Academy Award in the live action short film category for “The Shore”.

His famous works include “The Boxer”, “Some Mother's Son”, “In the Name of the Father”, “Hotel Rwanda” and other movies.

Terry George's films feature world movie stars such as Helen Mirren, Daniel Day-Lewis, Bruce Willis, Colin Farrell, Joaquin Phoenix and others.

In 2016, George directed the film "The Promise" about the Armenian Genocide, starring Oscar Isaac, Charlotte Le Bon, James Cromwell, Christian Bale, Angela Sarafyan and other actors.

The 19th Golden Apricot Yerevan International Film Festival will take place on July 10-17 this year. As always, this year the international film festival will present to the public films from different countries of the world in the competition sections as well as films from the most prestigious film festivals.

https://www.panorama.am/en/news/2022/06/08/Terry-George-Golden-Apricot/2692792

Armenian opposition announces upcoming actions

Rose Khoyetsian
Panorama

Armenia – June 8 2022

Armenia’s opposition Resistance Movement has announced its action plan for Wednesday and Thursday.

Accordingly, no protests or marches are planned for Wednesday. A discussion on "Armenia: Yesterday, today and tomorrow" will be held in Yerevan’s central France Square this evening in attendance of MPs from the opposition Hayastan and Pativ Unem blocs.

A rally is scheduled to be held in France Square on Thursday evening,

Opposition MPs protest outside Yerevan hotel hosting forum on judicial reforms

Emil Lazarian
Panorama

Armenia – June 8 2022

Armenian MPs from the opposition Hayastan and Pativ Unem blocs on Wednesday staged a protest outside the Armenia Marriott Hotel in downtown Yerevan, which is hosting a two-day forum on judicial reforms.

Opposition lawmakers have not been invited to the forum attended by representatives of international organizations and Armenia’s judicial authorities.

“We and our colleagues expressed a desire to attend the event to present the real situation of the judiciary in Armenia, to speak about persons arrested for their political views, police violence as well as the silence of judicial authorities about them, however opposition MPs were denied access to it,” Hayastan MP Hayk Mamijanyan told reporters during the protest.

"The Constitutional Court officials who have organized the event probably don't read PACE reports and don't listen to Ararat Mirzoyan, who claims that our country is a ‘bastion of democracy’," he added.

Mamijanyan unveiled plans to inform the Council of Europe headquarters about the decision to bar opposition MPs from the conference.

Earlier on May 20, opposition MPs were not invited to the Armenian Forum for Democracy attended by Armenian government officials, pro-government deputies, civic activists and Western diplomats.

European Parliament urges Turkey to recognize Armenian Genocide in fresh report

Arsine Chaltikian
Panorama

Armenia – June 8 2022

In a report adopted on Tuesday by 448 votes in favor, 67 against and 107 abstentions, the European Parliament urged Turkey to recognize the Armenian Genocide and fully respect its obligations to protect Armenian and other cultural heritage.

In the fresh report, MEPs “commend” the recent rapprochement between Turkey and Armenia with regard to the decision to start bilateral contacts, the appointment of special envoys and the resumption of flights between the two countries, considering this attempt a “highly positive development which has a positive impact on prosperity and security in the region”.

The Parliament encourages both sides to pursue these efforts with a view to fully normalizing their relations and calls for the EU to actively support this process.

“The European Parliament encourages Turkey to pave the way for genuine reconciliation between the Turkish and Armenian peoples, including settling the dispute of the Armenian Genocide, and to fully respect its obligations to protect Armenian and other cultural heritage; expresses the hope that this may lead to a dynamic of normalisation of relations in the South Caucasus; further welcomes Turkey’s diplomatic efforts to normalise relations with various countries in the Middle East, especially Israel; encourages Turkey, once again, to recognise the Armenian Genocide,” the report says.