Author: Adrine Hakobian

Robert Kocharyan is in court. the motion to detain him is being considered

Adrine Hakobian
  • 27.07.2018

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  • Armenia:

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  • arm

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On the morning of July 27, in the Shengavit seat of the court of general jurisdiction of Yerevan city, the examination of the motion of the pre-trial body to detain Robert Kocharyan was resumed.


As the media reports, he also participates in the session Robert Kocharyan. he entered the court through the back entrance of the building. On the evening of July 26, the examination of this petition was postponed due to proper notification to Kocharyan.


On July 26, Robert Kocharyan was interrogated as an accused in the March 1 case at the SIS. He was charged under part 1 of Article 301.1 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia, for having subverted the constitutional order of the Republic of Armenia with prior agreement with other persons.


In the framework of the case, the former Minister of Defense has also been charged Mikyael Harutyunyan, which is located outside the Republic of Armenia.


Robert Kocharyan called the prosecution against him a vendetta and noted that “Kusturitsa would dream of having such an imagination.” According to the 2nd president, the ongoing process is a bomb placed under the country, condemns the army and endangers the country’s legal system.


“They have already appointed the culprits and are looking for formalities to ensure that accusation,” he said.

What happened in Panik village is the focus of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s attention. speaker

Adrine Hakobian
  • 18.07.2018

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  • Armenia:

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  • arm

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RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is in the center of attention of the incident of July 17 military training in Panik village of Shirak region by soldiers of the 102nd military base of the Russian Federation without instructions and permission. Prime Minister’s press secretary Arman Yeghoyan said this, HJ reports.


According to Arman Yeghoyan, the RA Ministry of Defense is currently investigating what happened. The press secretary of the 102nd military base of the Russian Federation also reported on the situation. The Prime Minister is also aware that the head of the military base met with the governor of Shirak today and talked about Panik’s case. Other details can be verified from the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia. “Every detailed detail is reported to the Prime Minister,” he said Arman Yegoyan:


To remind, yesterday between 11 and 12, units of the 102nd military base of the Russian Federation entered Panik village of Shirak marz without warning and carried out a military exercise. Explosions and shots were heard. Seeing tanks and armed troops near their houses, the residents panicked and ran away from their houses. Children fainted from fear. Some were also intimidated and hid during the shootings.

Film: Ukrainian film wins International Film Festival in Armenia

Adrine Hakobian
Ukrinform. Ukraine and world news


16.07.2018 14:38
Ukrinform
“Volcano”, a film by Ukrainian film director Roman Bondarchuk, won the Grand Prix at the 15th Golden Apricot Yerevan International Film Festival in Armenia, according to Sputnik Armenia.

The plot of the film is based on the story of Lucas, an interpreter for the OSCE monitoring mission. A series of odd coincidences leaves Lukas stranded near a small southern Ukrainian steppe town and further events completely change his life.

The script is written by Alla Tiutiunnyk, Roman Bondarchuk, Dariya Averchenko, cast members – Serhiy Stepanskyi, Viktor Zhdanov, Khrystyna Deilyk, Tamara Sotsenko.

Guillaume Toumanian jusqu’au 28 octobre au château Labottière

Adrine Hakobian
Bordeaux Gazette-France
5 juillet 2018
Guillaume Toumanian jusqu’au 28 octobre au château Labottière
Bernard Lamarque

Lauréat du Grand Prix Bernard Magrez 2017 avec son huile sur toile “Lucioles III”, Guillaume Toumanian se voit offrir les cimaises du rez de chaussée du château Labottière pour quatre mois.

Les couleurs de la nuit fascinent Guillaume Toumanian car pour lui elles ne sont pas noires mais sur des valeurs plus ou moins foncées du bleu et du vert voire du gris ou du rose. Au delà, son imaginaire est peuplé d’arbres dont les troncs sont rarement absents de ses tableaux ou à minima réduit à une ligne de feuillage avec toujours une source de lumière identifiable qui a fourni son nom à cette exposition baptisée “De la lumière”. Né à Marseille mais ayant grandi dans les Landes le tableau qui l’a profondément marqué c’est celui de sa jeunesse en précisant : “la fenêtre de la cuisine donnait sur un grand chêne et le tableau de ma jeunesse, c’est cet arbre sur fond de lumière s’ouvrant sur la pièce“, image qui le poursuit inlassablement. Un leitmotiv qui pourrait sonner comme une chanson de Brassens “Auprès de mon arbre je vivais heureux…“. Même si un jour retournant dans les Landes il a vu cet arbre séparé en deux à un moment sombre de son histoire familiale, mais l’arbre est toujours là, il continu à vivre en lui, bien présent et toujours actuel. Son goût pour la nuit fait suite à un second voyage vers ses racines en Arménie où en 2016 en ayant eu accès aux collections de la Galerie National d’Erevan, il a découvert les « peintures de nuit » de Gevork Bachindjaghian qui l’ont profondément marqué et influencé son orientation, ainsi que les œuvres d’Ivan Aïvazoski. Comme il le dit dans sa peinture : “Je transpose une émotion“.

Vol de nuit 2017 Huile sur toile 180 x 260 cm

Aucun de ses voyages ne l’a laissé indifférent dans la mesure où ils ont tous marqué une empreinte sur sa manière de peindre qu’elle soit de courte ou de longue durée que se soit à New-York ou à Berlin. Il considère que certains tableaux ne sont jamais fini et il les conserve dans un coin pour les reprendre parfois plusieurs années après jusqu’à ce qu’il trouve le ton juste. Même si son univers personnel est peuplé de tableaux, il n’y expose aucun des siens par contre il y a ceux de ses amis et ceux qu’il aime. Son contact avec la nuit l’a amené à commencer à peindre vers seize dix sept heures jusqu’à souvent au levée du jour le lendemain et il lui est arrivé parfois d’arriver à son travail recouvert de traces de peinture récoltées durant la nuit. Quand il est plongé dans la peinture le temps n’existe plus. Il vient de passer deux mois en Chine et ce qu’il y a croisé l’a beaucoup intéressé pour son _expression_ artistique. En Chine il a fait beaucoup d’aquarelles, de carnet d’après nature sur le modèle ou d’après des photos qu’il prend qui deviennent une base de travail. Il a ramené de Shangaï du papier de feuille de riz, du papier assez grand pour être comme dans une gestuelle dans le travail et si cela reste la représentation d’un arbre, cela à quelque chose de calligraphique et la qualité du papier fait qu’il fond littéralement quand on le maroufle. Dans la culture chinoise on le maroufle avec de la toile de riz. “L’intérêt pour moi c’est que je retrouve dans cette technique là, l’ambiance d’une peinture“.


Renaissance of legendary blend: Yerevan Brandy Company re-launches production of ‘Yerevan" brandy on the threshold of 2800th anniversary of capital

Adrine Hakobian
Arminfo, Armenia
Renaissance of legendary blend: Yerevan Brandy Company re-launches production of ‘Yerevan” brandy on the threshold of 2800th anniversary of capital

Yerevan June 19

Alina Hovhannisyan. In honor of the 2800th anniversary of the capital of Armenia, the Yerevan Brandy Company launches the “ARARAT Yerevan” project, within which the legendary “Yerevan” brandy will reappear on the Armenian market,. The brandy was fisrt created in 1947 by the past master of the blend of the Yerevan Brandy Company Margar Sedrakyan. This was announced to the journalists at the press tour to the Company by Karine Madelrieu, director of Sales and Marketing of the Yerevan Brandy Company.

“In September this year, on the eve of the jubilee celebration, the Yerevan Brandy Company will launch the legendary ‘Yerevan’ cognac, which will be included in the Vintage collection of ARARAT cognacs, “she said. K. Madelrieu noted that “Yerevan” has a special place In the production range, considering the fact that it is the first cognac having such a high degree.

Director of the Yerevan Brandy Company Hamlet Antonyan in his turn informed that the strength of “Yerevan” cognac is 57 degrees, the sugar level is 19.5 percent, the average age of the alcohol is 10 years, but 37 years old alcohol was used to make this brandy. ”Yerevan”, according to Antonyan, was created already in September last year, at the end of August it will be bottled and will enter the market in September. “Experience transferred from master to master gives us the opportunity to create or recreate the whole complexity of blending of ” Yerevan “. This is a difficult, responsible, but pleasant work, because we have to work with spirits, to which very few people in general had the opportunity to come into contact in Armenia. I compare this work with the restoration of ancient paintings, for the reconstruction of which you can not miss a single detail, “he stressed.

Answering to the question of ArmInfo, Karine Madelrieu noted that like the “Armenia” brandy, “Yerevan” will be an exclusive product that can be purchased only in Armenia, but several bottles will be delivered to the Russian market. “We want the guests of the capital be able to find a special product that they will not be able to buy in their country, “she stressed. In the same connection, K.Madelrieu noted that in the first year the volume of production will be about 10 thousand liters. The price category will slightly exceed the cost of ”Armenia’‘ brandy, 25 thousand drams per bottle with a capacity of 0.75 liters.

The Director told the story of Margar Sedrakian’s creation of the legendary “Yerevan” cognac. “The master dismantled all existing stereotypes that the cognac strength can not exceed 50 degrees,” he stressed. The very history of the creation of high-degree cognacs in Armenia, according to Antonyan, began in 1937, when the Papanin team equipped an expedition to the North Pole. Armenians gave them their brandy for warmth. ”However, the expedition participants wrote that it is so cold that cognac does not warm them. They noted that the cognac is strong, but not as much as the local frosts. This served as a direct message for Sedrakyan to create such a cognac, which would be stronger and softer. And he succeeded to do that, “said the director of the YBC production.

Antonyan demonstrated to journalists how to taste brandy. “It is necessary to bring a glass to the nose at a distance of 2-3 cm. Without inhaling sharply, try to feel the notes of creamy caramel, white honey, oak barrel, almonds, the aroma of spices, black pepper, notes of cloves and finally dried plums and half-boiled apricot, “he explained.

In addition, according to K. Madelrieu, the “ARARAT Yerevan” project envisages within the framework of cooperation with the photo agency PAN Photo, a photo project “History of Yerevan”, in which 10 photographers will take part. ”The project is designed to show the untold stories of the capital. 10 photographers, each of whom will have his/her own specific topic, will independently work on the content and will introduce new faces of Yerevan to the residents and guests of the capital, “said sponsor of the photo project Vahan Stepanyan. The photos, he said, will be rigorously selected. Only 10 will be selected of more than 50 photographs. The project will be completed on September 14, after which the photographs will be presented at the exhibition in the ARARAT museum. Moreover, one can watch the photos on the specially created page of Yerevan Stories in the Instagram. (https://www.instagram.com/yerevanstories)

Starting from June 16 this year within the framework of the project, the “ARARAT Yerevan” application was launched, K.Madelrieu informed. The application was created with the assistance of ARLOOPA corporation, thanks to which residents and guests of the capital can see how dozens of years ago about 30 architectural monuments of Yerevan looked like. After downloading the application, each user will have a virtual map with a designation of a number of interesting locations in the capital, each of which will be scanned by the user to see the object in its historical view. Moreover, within the framework of the application, a story will be presented about one or another place. “The concept of the application somewhat resembles ARARAT itself, which preserves and respects its roots and traditions, but at the same time seeks to keep up dynamically with the times,” she stressed. The application can be downloaded from the following links: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.arloopa.ararat and https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ararat- yerevan/id1397856706?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

Director of Marketing and Sales of YBC noted that the purpose of the project attached to the 2800th anniversary of the capital, is the opportunity to show the city from a different view. The YBC will also launch a map of Yerevan, which will show historical, but hidden places in the city, which the residents of Yerevan themselves do not know. Maps will be distributed in the capital’s institutions, so that everyone has the opportunity to get acquainted with those locations in the city that were previously unknown to the citizens, she concluded.

The legendary Armenian brandy ARARAT is produced by Yerevan Brandy Company using traditional technology, the foundations of which were laid in 1887 by the brothers Nerses and Vasily Tairyants. ARARAT brandy is created using only local endemic high-quality Armenian grapes and crystal clear spring water. Precious ARARAT brandy is aged exclusively in barrels made of Caucasian oak, produced in their in-house cooperage plant. In 1998 Yerevan Brandy Company became a part of Pernod Ricard, an international company and the world’s leader in the Premium spirits industry.

PM Pashinyan visits new church in Artsakh with President Sahakyan (photos)

Adrine Hakobian
| 15:27 | June 16 2018
Categories
Artsakh
Official

Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan arrived in Artsakh on a working visit in the morning of June 16.

Together with President of Artsakh Bako Sahakyan and governmental official of both Artsakh and Armenia, the PM visited the new St. Vardanank Church of Chartar community, Martuni region.

Archbishop Pargev Martirosyan, Primate of the Diocese of Artsakh of the Armenian Church, delivered a mass at the church.

Construction of the church began in 2014. Russia-based philanthropist Vladimir Avagyan sponsored the construction. Avagyan hails from Chartar.

Pashinyan’s re-appointments and new installments for deputy ministers

Adrine Hakobian
| 13:03 | June 11 2018
Category
Politics

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has re-appointed a number of deputy ministers.

Arthur Hovhannisyan, Suren Krmoyan and Vigen Kocharyan have been re-appointed as deputy mini8ster so justice. Hovhannisyan was re-appointed as first deputy minister.

The Prime Minister also re-appointed Ara Nazaryan to serve as deputy minister of emergency situations.

Davit Pakhchanyan, a defense ministry official, was appointed deputy minister of defense.

Vache Terteryan was re-appointed first deputy minister of territorial administration and development. Karen Isakhanyan was re-appointed deputy minister of territorial administration and development.

New appointments include: Aram Tankaryan as deputy minister of emergency situations, Davit Gevorgyan as deputy minister of territorial administration and development, Lusine Arakelyan as deputy minister of education and science, Artak Asatryan as deputy minister of justice, Tigran Arzumanyan as deputy minister of energy infrastructure and natural resources.

Asbarez: Known Oligarch’s Company Accused Of Tax Fraud

Adrine Hakobian
  • Armenia

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6 hours ago

Samvel Aleksanyan is known as “Lfik Samo”

YEREVAN (Azatutyun.am)—As part of its declared crackdown on corruption, Armenia’s National Security Service on Wednesday accused a company controlled by a wealthy businessman linked to the former ruling Republican Party of evading millions of dollars in tax payments.

It claimed that Samvel Aleksanyan’s Alex Holding group colluded with the former leadership of the State Revenue Committee to run a tax scam in the country’s largest food supermarket chain owned by it.

The NSS detailed the accusations after raiding the head office of the Yerevan City chain and confiscating documents kept there. It reported no arrests, saying only that senior company executives have been questioned as part of the criminal investigation into “large-scale tax evasion” and “false entrepreneurship.”

An NSS statement said the company has illegally sold agricultural products and “numerous” other items at Yerevan City supermarkets through 461 small firms mainly registered in the name of its employees and their family members. Some of those workers were not even aware of that, it said.

Under Armenian law, small firms with an annual turnover of up to 115 million drams ($237,000) are exempt from profit and value-added (VAT) taxes paid by larger businesses. They are only required to pay “turnover tax” equivalent to 2 percent of their revenue.The VAT rate is set at 20 percent.

The NSS statement said the fraud scheme has enabled Alex Holding to avoid making an estimated 7.2 billion drams ($15 million) in VAT payments since the end of 2016. A tax audit will determine “the precise amount of the damage inflicted on the state,” according to the powerful security agency.

The 49-year-old Aleksanyan, who is known as Lfik Samo, is one of Armenia’s richest men who has long effectively controlled lucrative imports of sugar, cooking oil and other basic foodstuffs. He has had close ties with the country’s former leaders, notably former President Serzh Sarkisian. The tycoon has been a parliament deputy representing Sarkisian’s Republican Party of Armenia since 2003.

The NSS claimed that the SRC, which collects taxes and other duties in the country, also allowed 11 other large retailers to use the same method of tax evasion. It advised them to voluntarily “re-calculate” their tax obligations before being inspected by the NSS in the coming weeks.

The SRC’s previous head, Vartan Harutiunyan, and his two deputies resigned shortly after Nikol Pashinyan was elected Armenia’s prime minister on May 8. The latter have been questioned in a separate NSS investigation launched earlier this month.

The NSS arrested late last week three senior executives of a customs brokerage company accused of failing to pay millions of dollars worth of taxes. The company’s executive director is a figure close to Harutiunyan. The former tax chief has not been questioned or indicted so far.

Artur Vanetsyan, the new NSS director appointed by Pashinyan, announced the unprecedented crackdown on corruption and tax fraud on May 19. The NSS said on Wednesday that it is determined to continue the “consistent fight against corruption and economic crimes.”




Cyprus stands by Armenia, House Speaker says

Adrine Hakobian
Cyprus News Agency
Tuesday
Cyprus stands by Armenia, House Speaker says
 

 
House of Representatives President Demetris Syllouris has said that Cyprus stands by Armenia, stressing that it was the second country in the world and the first on a European level to recognise the Armenian Genocide.
 
Sylllouris was addressing, on Tuesday, the Armenian National Assembly, in the context of an official visit he is paying Yerevan this week.
 
With every opportunity, Cyprus ‘unites its voice with that of its Armenian brothers in the efforts for recognition of this hate crime as a genocide,’ he noted.
 
The House of Representatives, the House President said, has established the 24th April as the Day Commemorating the genocide. He added that the Cypriot Parliament has adopted three resolutions condemning the genocide while in 2015 it has also criminilised denial of this and any other Genocide.
 
In statements a little earlier, after having visited the Genocide Memorial Monument, he also pointed out that recognising the Armenian Genocide by the entire world and in particular by the perpetrator, that is to say Turkey, as well as the recognition of every genocide, is of particular importance for the future as an example of what acts humanity should avoid.
 
During his address at the Armenian National Assembly Syllouris also referred to the efforts to reunify Cyprus, which has been divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. He said that the solution sought is one based on the relevant UN resolutions and EU principles and values.
 
‘Our efforts are met with the obstacle of Turkey, which maintains an unrelenting and extreme stance,’ he said, adding that its provocative behaviour has been increasing dangerously not just as regards Cyprus but for the region in general.
 
Turkey, Syllouris said, uses the Turkish Cypriot community, which is under its full control politically and financially, as an excuse to justify its presence in Cyprus.
 
More recently, he continued, Turkey has been intervening within the Republic of Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone, violating international law in general and the Law of the Sea using its preferred ‘canon-boat’ diplomacy in order to prevent the energy plans of Cyprus to take fruition while at the same time threatening peace and stability in the region.
 
He assured that ‘our side remains committed to reaching a just and viable solution on the basis of UN resolutions and European law, without anachronistic guarantees and dependence relations.’ A solution, he noted, ‘which will make Cyprus a modern, normal, sustainable and functional state.’
 
He thanked Armenia for its principled position on the Cyprus problem.
 
At the same time, the House President assured that Cyprus’s support for an enhanced relation between Armenia and the EU will be constant and strong.
 
 

168: Shooting in Gyumri kills 2

Adrine Hakobian
| 19:01 | May 17 2018
Category
Society

Two people were killed in Gyumri on May 17 as a result of shooting.  Gyumri medical center informed that two citizens were hospitalized at 17:15 with gunshot wounds. Their death was registered at the medical center.

Prosecutor of Shirak Province Karen Gabrielyan informed ARMENPRESS that the Police received the alarm call from the medical center. He added that the operative group is carrying out investigative measures at the scene. “The victims, according to some information, are cousins. A criminal case has been initiated”, Karen Gabrielyan said, emphasizing that everything is being done to discover the suspects.