Author: admin

KOSOVO’S NEW CONSTITUTION WENT INTO FORCE

PanARMENIAN.Net
16.06.2008 18:13 GMT+04:00

Kosovo’s new Constitution went into force Sunday, an important
milestone on its path toward full-fledged statehood. But a simmering
dispute over who has authority over this land threatens to destabilize
the newborn country and plunge the Balkans into crisis.

The Constitution envisions handing over executive power to the
majority ethnic Albanian government from the United Nations, which
has administered the province for the past nine years after NATO
intervened in 1999 to halt Slobodan Milosevic’s repression of ethnic
Albanians. It comes four months after Kosovo declared its independence
from Serbia, the culmination of a long and bloody struggle for national
self-determination, the IHT reports.

But even as Kosovo’s president, Fatmir Sejdiu, on Sunday lauded the
"historic" launching of the document ahead of what was expected to be
a low-key ceremony in Pristina, the introduction of the Constitution
threatened to unleash tensions in a territory where the international
community is already struggling to maintain a fragile peace between
the country’s 2-million-strong ethnic Albanian majority and its more
than 100,000 minority Serbs.

The two communities lead parallel but separate lives, with Serbs living
in segregated enclaves surrounded by ethnic Albanians, creating an
atmosphere of mutual suspicion, if not resentment.

Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia on Feb.

17, with the backing of the United States and the European Union,
and has since been recognized by some 40 countries. But Belgrade
and its ally Moscow are vehemently opposed to Kosovo’s independence,
which they regard as a reckless breach of international law.

For now, Kosovo remains the poor adopted orphan of the West, its
security guaranteed by 16,000 NATO troops.

NKR PRIME MINISTER: MORE FIRES IN SUMMER

Panorama.am
20:36 16/06/2008

"In recent years Azerbaijan used to accuse NKR side of firing more
border line territories in summer, hence the fire is spread over their
side," announced the Minister of Agriculture of NKR, Prime Minister
Armo Caturyan. According to the Prime Minister the reality is quite
different and the opposite as these are Azeri rural inhabitants who
fire their fields after the harvest.

According to Caturyan they make harvest two month earlier than in our
region, and the fire is spread in hot and dry climate. "I guess those
complains are more like PR campaign. If they are seriously concerned
with those fires, then they should not decline the recommendations of
the OSCE mission in 2006 on the ecological conditions of the regional
countries," he said.

‘SHAREMETYEVO’ LAID AIR BRIDGE TO ARMENIA

arminfo
2008-06-16 12:54:00

ArmInfo. The new partner of ‘Sheremetyevo’, airport ‘Armavia’ Air
Company, opens regular flights to Yerevan.

As the Russian mass media report, the first regular flight of "Armavia"
started today at 7:05 AM from "Sheremetyevo" airport. The flights
to Yerevan will be carried out by safe and modern aircrafts Airbus
319. The flights will be daily from the new comfortable terminal C.

Air Company is a leader of the Armenian air market and the national
air carrier of Armenia. The Company has been founded in 1996 and is
an active member of the International Air Transport Association IATA.

MOST IMPORTANT STEPS IN DIRECTION OF FULFILMENT OF PACE RESOLUTION
HAVE BEEN TAKEN IN LEGISLATIVE SPHERE, DAVID HAROUTIUNIAN SAYS

Y EREVAN, JUNE 13, NOYAN TAPAN. Some steps recorded so far in the
direction of fulfilment of PACE Resolution N 1609 have been taken
especially in the legislative sphere. David Haroutiunian, the Chairman
of the National Assembly Standing Committee for State and Legal Issues,
the Head of the Armenian delegation in PACE, said at the June 13 press
conference. In his words, the most important step is adoption of new
amendments to the law On Holding Meetings, Gatherings, Marches, and
Demonstrations. Therefore, the issue of regulation of mass events,
according to D. Haroutiunian, can be considered finally solved.

He said that in the respect of expanding opposition’s rights the most
important reform is giving oppositionists a possibility to challenge
disputable issues by a judicial order in the Constitutional Court.

D. Haroutiunian affirmed that any change, including those made within
the framework of the PACE Resolution, should enjoy public confidence.
Therefore he has sent an invitation of participation in sittings of
working groups created for the purpose of resolution’s fulfilment to
all former presidential candidates. Among them, first President Levon
Ter-Petrosian has not responded to the invitation and Arman Melikian
refused it in a written form. As regards issues discussed by the group,
according to D. Haroutiunian, is it still early to publicize them.

A1+

-THEY CANNOT BE BLAMED FOR STAYING ALIVE-
[12:35 pm] 13 June, 2008

The freedom fighters (hereinafter azatamartiks) of
Shirak Marz made an appeal to His Holiness Karekin II,
Catholicos and Supreme Patriarch of All Armenians.

-Patriarch of Armenians, we do not want to storm your
soul and tranquility by reminding you of the tragic
events of March 1. We do not want to remind you of the
slaughter of Armenian people who, with the name of God
on their lips, like those looking for the flower
brabion, were seeking justice at the Square of Freedom
for 10 days. Ten days which were followed by political
persecution and arrests,- runs the appeal of the
Gyumri office of the Yerkrapah Union of Volunteers.

As a result, hundreds of honest, free and law-abiding
citizens, political activists, azatamartiks and
commanders of the liberation war were appeared in
jails. By the way, some of the arrestees are members
of the National Church Council, Ashot Zakarian, Sasun
Mikayelian, Hakob Hakobian, Miasnik Malkhassian, and
many others. They are all worth mentioning as on
October 27, 1999, they elected you but today they are
imprisoned with put-up charges based on false evidence
of people who have sold their conscience to Mammon.

Trials resemble judgments of the era of the
inquisition, and it would be like committing a sin if
we used the word justice. And all this happens in
Armenia, with your silent indifference. Thus, if we
commit a sin with our unawareness and ignorance, it
means the fault lies either with the pro-government
media or with the silence of the Holy See for
confidence in the authorities and the government has
vanished. The country’s reputation is soiled, which
will result in unpredictable consequences. If this
tense and heated climate of intolerance continues, the
state will considerably weaken, and eventually faith
in the person of the catholicos of all Armenians will
be shattered.

We hereby appeal to you. It is time you used the power
of your patriarchal seat and supported the devout and
faithful children of the Armenian Apostolic Church who
sacrificed everything for our faith, independent state
and are not to be blamed for having stayed alive by
God’s mercy. So do make a patriarchal appeal to the
government to listen to your authoritative voice and
restore the rights and freedoms of people set by the
Constitution. Set free all the political prisoners
because the Armenians worldwide will never tolerate
tyranny in Armenia with its inhuman expressions, and
if people believe the void and bombastic promises and
forgive them, God will not forgive those who ignore
God’s commandments, including you. Do prove that you
are the person chosen by God’s will and you are the
patriarch of all Armenians.-

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT SIGNS DECREE ON CREATION OF PUBLIC COUNCIL

YEREVAN, JUNE 14, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenian president Serge Sragsian on
June 13 signed a decree on creation of a Public Council. The Public
Council has status of an advisory body.

With the aim of coordinating the work on formation of the Public
Council, a commission has been set up. The commission has been
instructed to form working groups with the participation of the
political forces making part of the opposition and the authorities and
representatives of civil society within 3 months, thus ensuring the
participation of all the interested sides in the process of forming the
Public Council, as well as to present proposals on the structure and
regulations of the Public Council to the Armenian president, while
taking the current approaches into account.

The advisor to the RA president Garnik Isagulian and the assistant of
the RA president Sevak Lalayan were instructed to ensure efficient
functioning of the commission.

According to a press release of the RA president’s press service, the
commission on coordination of the work of formation of the Public
Council is composed of the following persons:

Robert Amirkhanian, chairman of the Union of Composers of Armenia,
People’s Artist of the RA, professor (by consent),

priest Mesrop Aramian, chairman of "Gandzasar" theological center (by
consent),

Emil Gabrielian, academician of the RA National Academy of Sciences (by
consent),

Victor Dallakian, deputy of the RA National Assembly (by consent),

Hovhannes Zanazanian, deputy chairman of "Banants" football club (by
consent),

Perch Zeytuntsian, member of the chairmanship of the Union of Writers
of Armenia (by consent),

Khosrov Harutyunian, chairman of the Christian Democratic Union of
Armenia (by consent),

Tovmas Poghosain, chairman of "Sayat-Nova" cultural union, Honored
Artist of the RA, professor (by consent),

Arshak Sadoyan, chairman of the Alliance of National Democrats party
(by consent),

Yuri Sargsian, academician of the RA National Academy of Sciences (by
consent),

Sos Sargsian, People’s Artist of the USSR, professor, artistic director
of "National" theatre (by consent),

Shavarsh Kocharian, chairman of the board of the National Democratic
Party (by consent).

CITY HALL OF YEREVAN REFUSES TO SANCTION THE JUNE 20 RALLY OF LEVON TER-PETROSYAN’S SUPPORTERS AT LIBERTY SQUARE

arminfo
2008-06-13 01:15:00

ArmInfo. After a long discussion on June 12, the City Hall of Yerevan
refused to sanction the June 20 rally of Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s
supporters at Liberty Square.

As Arman Musinyan, the press-secretary of the first president of
Armenia Levon Ter-Petrosyan, told ArmInfo correspondent, the City Hall
said that it is going to hold activities at Liberty Square the same
day. "Unlike us, the present authorities of Armenia are not guided
by political categories. The only thing they are guided by is the
position of brute force, which is incompatible with the elementary
principles of a democratic state", Musinyan said.

Asked about the reason why the authorities did not make compromises
even on the threshold of discussion of the situation in Armenia over
the PACE summer session, press-secretary of the opposition leader
replied ‘the point is, the regime is frightened of the many-thousand
strong rally of the pan-national movement’. Arman Musinyan also added
that tomorrow Pan-National Movement Centre will send the new warning
to the Yerevan mayor’s office about holding of the all-republican
meeting of the opposition supporters.

To add, Armenian first president’s supporters declared many times
about their intention to hold a rally on 20 June at Liberty Square
despite its being sanctioned by the mayor’s office or not.

CENTRAL BANK OF ARMENIA WARNS PEOPLE AGAINST ACCEPTING BANKNOTES WITH WRITING

ARKA
June 13, 2008

YEREVAN, June 13. /ARKA/. Central Bank of Armenia warns people against
accepting banknotes with writing on them.

The Central Bank says there are many such banknotes in circulation.

The bank says referring to the law that those banknotes covered with
writing are considered unfit for using, and neither legal entities
nor individuals ought to take them.

The Central Bank views spoilage of banknotes as contempt for one of
the most important symbols of Armenia – Armenian dram – and urges
everybody to display respect toward it and intolerance to such actions.

The Central Bank says that banknotes totaling AMD 250.3 billion was
in circulation by early 2008.

Banknotes of AMD 5,000; 10,000 and 20,000 made 85% of the cash out
of banking system against 83% a year earlier.

STATE EMPLOYMENT CENTER TO HOLD JOB FAIR

ARMENPRESS
June 13, 2008

YEREVAN, JUNE 13, ARMENPRESS: On June 14 the State Employment Center
of the Armenian Labor and Social Affairs Ministry in partnership with
World Bank’s Social Security Administration program and German GVG
organization will organize a job fair in Yerevan’s Dynamo sport hall.

The press division of the State Employment Center told Armenpress
that about 60 employers will take part in the fair. The goal of the
fair is to help employers and job seekers meet, as well as raise
employment level.

The employers will have an opportunity to showcase their companies
and find qualified people to fill in their vacancies. Earlier two
similar job fairs were held in the town of Abovian on May 24 and in
Goris on May 31.

The Union of Armenian Employers, Armenian Commerce and Industry
Chamber, American Armenian Commerce Chamber, DVV International
organization, National Tempus, Yerevan State University, American
University of Armenia and Russian-Armenian (Slavonic) University will
take part in the fair.

The State Employment Center held its first job fair, in cooperation
with USAID, in 2007 October 13, which, according to the State
Employment Center, helped 100 people find jobs.

CBA WEBSITE UPDATED
X-X-Sender: [email protected]
X-Listprocessor -Version: 8.1 — ListProcessor(tm) by CREN

NOYAN TAPAN

Ju ne 12, 2008

The design and contents of the Central Bank of Armenia (CBA) website
, which was launched in 2000, have been updated, the head
of the CBA PR Service Zaruhi Berseghian stated on June 12.

According to her, changes to the website were planned in 2006. Sorsio
IT company (Armenia) was announced the winner of the tender for
changes and it has done the update of the website.

The site previously had 15 sections, whereas now the number of sections
has been reduced. These sections and subsections have been grouped by
the tasks of the CBA’s policy. Besides, information on the CBA managing
staff, exchange rates of currencies, and interest rates has been added.

The CBA website is bilingual (Armenian and English). Z. Barseghian
said that a Russian version will also be launched. In her words,
the CBA PR Service staff has been increased by two employees who will
update information on the website. News on the site’s first page will
remain there for 10 days. The section with information for users of
the Armenian banking system services will be updated quarterly.