Author: Andres-Papazian

QUARREL ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE BRAKES OUT BETWEEN FATIH AKIN AND FORMER TURKISH MP

December 19, 2014 13:53

A small quarrel broke out between the German film director of Turkish
origin Fatih Akin, who had recently introduced the movie “The Cut”
dedicated to the issue of the Armenian Genocide, and the former German
MP of Turkish origin Hakkı Keskin.

STEPANAKERT, DECEMBER 19, ARTSAKHPRESS: Turkish Demokrathaber.net
stated about this.

Fatih Akin demanded from Hakkı Keskin to remove his name from
Keskin’s email list. Among other things, Fatih Akin underscored: “I
don’t want to receive Your statements of political nature contrary to
my will. I qualify the 1915 events as Genocide. I have a feeling that
I am forced to send You an answer like this for Your own standpoints
and letters sent to me without my desire. I guess You know about “The
Cut” and its content. Probably You’re also aware about my viewpoints
published in the media. I don’t share Your opinion.”

The story offers a window onto the Armenian genocide which started in
1915 and led to the death of 1.5 Million Armenians and consequently
their displacement across the world.

The story follows Nazaret Manoogian, an Armenian blacksmith played by
Tahar Rahim, who is separated from his family when he is forced into
labor for the Ottoman Empire. He survives the mass killings but loses
his ability to speak and begins to search for his family members who he
learns were on a death march. When he finds out that his daughters are
alive, he resumes his journey searching for his daughters once again.

Armenians weren’t just slaughtered; they were chased, starved, raped
and sold as property. The film depicts instances of these atrocities,
for example, we watch a death march passing before a labor camp,
and bandits target and rape a woman in front of the laborers and
soldiers, and soldiers protected the bandits from the laborers who
thought of stopping the rape. We are taken to a camp after a death
march where people are begging to die to end their misery. It is
in these atrocious details that we can see what a genocide means,
not as whole but to an individual who has to deal with the aftermath.

Yet with all that comes the story of survival in the face of all the
ugliness in the world, the survival through a dream, and the love of
a father for his daughters. Survival through finding friendships in
the least expected places. The Cut is not primarily about the killing
of Armenians during the genocide, but rather their survival after. It
is a tale about one man’s journey and his search for a home having
been deprived of one.

From: A. Papazian

NAGORNO-KARABAKH WILL NOT ENTER EEU: BELARUS DEPUTY FM

16:37, 19 Dec 2014

Nagorno-Karabakh will not become part of the Eurasian Economic Union
(EEU) after Armenia’s accession, Belarusian First Deputy Foreign
Minister Alexander Mikhnevich said while presenting the draft law
on the ratification of the treaty on Armenia’s accession to the EEU,
BelTA reports.

“We were concerned about the fact that the territories that do not
form part of Armenia could join the Customs Union. The Armenian side
appeared to be understanding of this requirement, of our request. A
memorandum stating that Nagorno-Karabakh is not part of Armenia was
attached to the agreement. The Armenian side made an official verbal
statement,” Alexander Mikhnevich noted.

He also emphasized that there are no obstacles for Armenia to become
de facto member of the Customs Union and the EEU.

Besides, Alexander Mikhnevich pointed out that before the agreement
on Armenia’s accession to the EEU was signed, the country had done
a lot of work to bring its regulations in line with the ones already
adopted by Belarus, Russia, and Kazakhstan.

From: A. Papazian

EBRD AND EU HELP TO IMPROVE SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ARMENIA

16:15, 19 Dec 2014

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)
is providing a EURO 3.5 million loan to Armenia to finance the
construction of the country’s first European Union (EU) compliant
solid waste landfill. The loan is complemented by a EURO 3.5 million
capital grant provided by the European Union Neighbourhood Facility.

The new landfill, to be located in the city of Hrazdan in Kotayk
Province and managed by eight participating municipalities – Hrazdan,
Abovian, Charentsavan, Tsakhkadzor, Byureghavan, Yeghvard, Nor Hachn
and Sevan – will be operating as a commercially sustainable unit
with modern solid waste management systems, covering the collection
and disposal of municipal solid waste. This will provide major
environmental and social benefits for some 215,000 people in the area
covered by the facility.

The legal agreements were signed today in Yerevan by Armenia’s Minister
of Finance, the participating municipalities and the EBRD.

This development represents a significant step forward in the
implementation of the government’s plans to modernise and upgrade
Armenia’s waste management system to European standards. It will
serve as an example, raising public awareness of the importance of
solid waste management.

On top of EBRD and EU financing the investment has received grant
funding from donors. The government of Austria will support the
implementation of the project and the corporate development of the
landfill management company. The EBRD’s Shareholder Special Fund and
the Early Transition Countries Fund are also providing additional
grants.

Mark Davis, Head of the EBRD’s Yerevan Office, said: “The investment
will bring substantial benefits to the residents and the environment
in the region, and will help to develop better public awareness of
the benefits of recycling. We are grateful for the strong support from
our donors for whom, as it is for us, modernisation and environmental
protection have always been a priority.”

Since the start of its operations in Armenia in 1992, the EBRD has
invested over EURO 650 million in 133 projects in the country’s
financial, corporate, infrastructure and energy sectors, with 87 per
cent of the investments being in the private sector.

From: A. Papazian

“DESPITE EVERYTHING, WE ARE READY TO CONTINUE THE COOPERATION”

Thursday, 18 December 2014 15:46

Executive Director of the VivaCell-MTS assured the students.

December 13 was a significant day for the Artsakh State University –
it received Executive Director of VivaCell-MTS Company Ralf Yirikyan,
who is not only the leader in the mobile telecommunications in Artsakh
and Armenia, but also a benefactor and patriot.

NKR Minister of Education and Science Slava Asryan, Minister of
Industrial Infrastructures Hakob Ghahramanian, Chief Manager of
Karabakh Telecom CJSC Garegin Odabashyan, members of the ArSU Academic
Council, and students participated in the meeting.

As the Artsakh State University Rector, Manush Minasian, noted in
her welcoming speech, the event was dedicated to the cooperation
between the University and the Company. , said the ArSU Rector. According to her, Ralf Yirikyan is
one of the few persons who shared the hardest days with the people of
Artsakh, when the economy was being restored after the destructions
and the sprouts of free economic relations were tried to form. That
period, the Company came to Artsakh and implemented reforms in the
telecommunications sphere. Currently, telecommunication is one of
the most developed economic spheres in Artsakh. According to Manush
Minasian, today there are people trying to manipulate the company’s
policy in the field, but the authorities, experts and all conscious
people properly assess the realities.

The Rector noted that Ralf Yirikyan had come to Artsakh with quite a
rich program. Today, all the spheres of our Republic need investments.

The educational sphere is the most prospective, and the program,
which is aimed at training specialists, is one of the best ones.

For the contribution to the development of the University, the Academic
Council has decided to award Ralf Yirikyan with the ArSU gold medal,
which was handed to the honorable guest by Rector Manush Minasian. She
noted that they were ready and glad to cooperate with the Company in
other spheres too. Let’s note that back in 2013, in accordance with the
trilateral agreement signed on March 29 between the Synopsys Armenia,
Karabakh Telecom and Artsakh State University, an intercollegiate
department of communication means, microelectronic circuits and
systems was opened at the ArSU, which currently has 17 students.

“I’m very glad and proud each time to visit Artsakh. I started my
first steps from here. And I’d like to note that a branch of my
ancestors is rooted in Shushi. Consequently, I have Artsakh blood”,
said Ralf Yirikyan. As for the cooperation with the University, the
benefactor noted that he was ready to develop the agreement, this time
as the VivaCell-MTS Executive Director. Within the agreement, Ralf
Yirikyan and the Company’s specialist will deliver lectures to the
students. Besides, the ArSU students will be able to take practical
courses at the VivaCell in order to gain extensive knowledge and to
get acquainted with the activities of the large company in Armenia.

The leading mobile operator has always been guided by the sense of
responsibility before the society, laying the foundation of social
partnership between business and society, being convinced that a
commercial company must appropriate part of its incomes to the people.

“A man should not be indifferent to the reality and to the society,
as well as should not deny his identity. If a person can and has the
opportunity, he should always give his hand to the environment in
order to develop it, be it a university, shop, business or any other
affair… And if he cares only for himself, it will lead to a crash. I
can and must give my hand, because the strengthening of my family,
my future, the rich economic and cultural heritage for my children,
grandchildren and great-grandchildren depend on the consolidation
of my people, nation and society. We should do this to be remembered
for our good deeds and not with shame”, said the benefactor.

Expressing his gratitude for the high award, Ralf Yirikyan said,
“Despite everything, we will continue to work and cooperate, because
we want to share our experience with you and will do it, as we like
our identity.

Laura GRIGORIAN

From: A. Papazian

DEFINITION D’UN PRISONNIER POLITIQUE : LES RESPONSABLES GOUVERNEMENTAUX DISENT QU’ILS N’Y EN A PAS EN ARMENIE

ARMENIE

La commission permanente de la defense des droits humains et des
affaires publiques de l’Assemblee nationale a tenu des audiences
parlementaires relatives a la mise en oeuvre par l’Armenie de la
Resolution 1900 de l’APCE >,
au cours de laquelle l’opposition a critique le gouvernement.

Depute d’opposition et membre de la commission Alexander Arzoumanian
a affirme que sous les mandats des trois presidents d’Armenie – depuis
1994 – il y a toujours eu des prisonniers politiques dans le pays.

Alexander Arzoumanian a declare qu’il etait inacceptable d’avoir des
gens qui sont persecutes pour leurs opinions politiques au 21e siècle.

“Actuellement il y a des prisonniers politiques en Armenie. Il y a
des gens qui donnent des evaluations differentes, mais il n’y a pas
de critères qui puissent etre mesures en terme de règle” a-t-il dit.

Les membres de l’opposition considèrent Volodia Avetisyan, un
colonel a la retraite et veteran de la guerre du Karabagh, qui a
ete condamne pour fraude et condamne a six ans de prison plus tôt
cette annee, comme un prisonnier politique. En 2013 Avetisyan a lance
une protestation afin de soulever les problèmes sociaux des anciens
combattants. Le Militant de l’opposition Shant Harutyunyan et ses amis,
qui ont manifeste dans les rues avec des revendications politiques
le 5 Novembre 2013, ont egalement ete condamnes a l’emprisonnement
en octobre.

Le 8 Decembre lors d’une conference en direct sur Facebook Azatutyun TV
le ministre de la Justice Hovhannes Manukyan a repondu aux questions
sur Volodia Harutyunyan, Shant Harutyunyan et ses amis, indiquant
qu’il n’y a pas de prisonniers politiques en Armenie.

.

From: A. Papazian

LIFTTEKHNIK PLEDGES $4.5 MILLION WORTH INVESTMENTS

YEREVAN, December 18th. / ARKA /. The Armenian government on Thursday
has allowed Lifttekhnik company to operate in Armenia’s free economic
zone Alliance, located in the territory of Mars factory. Economy
minister Karen Chshmarityan said the company has pledged to make $4.5
million worth investments.

He said the company, engaged in the design of passenger elevators
and production of electronic control systems, will occupy an area of
350 square meters. The minister said also the company will sell its
products to Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Spain.

In 12 months the exports are supposed to reach $2.5 million and grow
to $12.5 million in five years, according to Chshmarityan. The company
will create 35 new jobs, he said.-0-

From: A. Papazian

GUERRE DES DOUANES : L’IMPASSE RUSSO-BIELORUSSE AJOUTE DE L’INCERTITUDE DANS L’INTEGRATION EURASIENNE DE L’ARMENIE

ARMENIE

Aujourd’hui, le 10 Decembre, la Douma russe examinera le traite
d’adhesion de l’Armenie a l’Union economique eurasienne que le
Parlement armenien a ratifie le 4 decembre.

Peu d’observateurs doutent que les parlementaires russes ne ratifient
pas le document, mais il existe des doutes concernant les plans du
parlement Belarus, un autre membre du bloc commercial emergent. À
l’heure actuelle, la Bielorussie et la Russie sont en desaccord sur
certains règlements de douane actuels qui peuvent conduire a d’autres
processus de desintegration.

En particulier, la Russie a interdit le transit des marchandises en
provenance du Belarus vers le Kazakhstan après son embargo sur les
importations de produits alimentaires des Etats membres de l’Union
europeenne. Moscou estime que cet embargo que Minsk viole le traite,
mais le president du Belarus Alexandre Loukachenko accuse la Russie de
violer l’accord sur le retrait des restrictions douanières entre les
deux pays. En reponse Minsk a restaure le dedouanement des marchandises
qui sont transportees de l’enclave russe de Kaliningrad au > la Russie.

En fait, la base de l’union douanière, sur lequel l’UEE doit etre
forme, a ete brise. L’affaire concerne l’abolition du contrôle douanier
aux frontières des pays membres. Mais en depit de cette controverse,
il y a une opinion que le 23 Decembre, lors du sommet de l’UEE qui
doit avoir lieu, la Russie et la Bielorussie vont parvenir a un accord.

L’Armenie n’a pas de frontière terrestre avec les pays de l’UEE, et
apparemment, ceci explique la declaration du ministre de la Commission
economique pour l’integration eurasienne Tatyana Valovaya, qui a dit
que l’Armenie peut devenir un centre financier de l’UEE. Le système
bancaire en Armenie est vraiment très developpe, il y a un système
de paiement national et une integration dans le système financier
mondial. En outre, les fonctions de banque ne souffrent pas de
l’absence de frontières communes.

Dans la presse armenienne il y a des opinions que l’Armenie peut etre
transforme en une > pour de l’argent d’origine
douteuse eurasien en particulier qu’en Russie, par exemple, de
nombreuses grandes banques sont soumises a des sanctions occidentales
et n’ont pas accès a la finance mondiale.

L’ancien Premier ministre armenien Tigran Sarkissian, qui est
actuellement ambassadeur aux Etats-Unis, a parle de la possibilite de
l’Armenie de devenir un grand centre financier deja en 2009. L’Armenie
a reussi a creer un système bancaire, mais l’argent de ce secteur a
ete canalisee non pas par le secteur reel de l’economie, mais pour des
transactions douteuses offshore et autres. A en juger par la nature
de l’UEE, le meme rôle attend l’Armenie aussi dans le groupement
economique dirige par la Russie.

Par Naira Hayrumyan

ArmeniaNow

jeudi 18 decembre 2014, Stephane (c)armenews.com

From: A. Papazian

IMF REPRESENTATIVE’S OPTIMISM MADE SOME ARMENIAN ECONOMISTS ANGRY

December 18 2014

“The more deteriorated is the economic situation in the world,
the happier in Armenia. Did I understood correctly of what you
said? You said that you have excessively great opportunities; like
the Central Bank, so as the government, in particular, talked about
the serious fiscal consolidation in our country. Which is it that
we do not manage to know?” asked economist Vardan Bostanjyan to IMF
Resident Representative Teresa Sanchez after her observations. Another
participant asked how fundamental are the media reports that some
Russian companies and banks buy dollar in great quantities and
transfer to Russia, because it is more expensive to buy in rubles in
Russia. What mechanisms shall the government apply to prevent it? IMF
representative preferred to answer to these and other questions in
general rather than one by one, “You misunderstood me, I did not
mean that the situation in the world is bad, while in Armenia it is
not so bad. Simply, at this moment, the situation in Armenia is not
so complicated as in a number of other countries. Approximately one
percent decline in the economy will be registered in Russia and 6% in
Ukraine. Armenia’s economy is still growing, it’s true that it is low
of the potential level, but our goal is to assist Armenia to record an
economic growth next year under the present conditions,” said Teresa
Sanchez. She said that the fiscal consolidation data are available,
because during the previous crisis, the budget deficit sharply
increased, now, it is quite low and is about 2 percent of GDP. “Now,
let’s qualify it like that. Let’s call it a consolidation, regardless
that there is no investment in our country, no activity is conducted,”
interrupted Vardan Bostanjyan. IMF representative continued, “I did
not say such a thing, what I am saying is that given the consolidation
or deficit reduction, now, we have the opportunity, if necessary,
to increase this indicator.” Vardan Bostanjyan again interrupted,
“I would oppose that you said that the budget will be performed by
100 percent, forty percent of the budget depends on the dollar. With
regard to dollar fluctuations, how are they going to perform the
budget by 100 per cent?” Teresa Sanchez continued, “It is a serious and
important concern, I understand it, but the fact that the majority of
capital expenditures is financed by international organizations and the
funding is in dollars, it is already a problem, but on the other hand,
the debts that are involved by international organizations are made at
privileged conditions. If the situation further worsens, Armenia has
the support of international organizations.” Some economists present
in this discussion were dissatisfied with the IMF representative’s
optimistic assessments, and some of them left the discussion still
unfinished.

Arpine SIMONYAN

Read more at:

From: A. Papazian

SITUATION MAY GET OUT OF CONTROL IN 12 NON-WORKING DAYS – SAYS NIKOL PASHINYAN (VIDEO)

17:40 | December 17,2014 | Politics

After a 12-day holiday the government and the entire banking system
will get out of control, opposition lawmaker Nikol Pashinyan announced
in parliament on Wednesday.

He suggested curtailing the number of non-working days after New Year.

By a decision of the Armenian government, the working days on January
8 and 9, 2015 were moved to December 20 and 27, 2014 and holidays will
last from December 31, 2014 till January 11, 2015. Thus, citizens
will have a 12-day break for the New Year and the first working day
of 2015 will be January 12.

From: A. Papazian

“IT SEEMS TO THEM THAT EUROPE AWAITS FOR THEM WITH OPEN ARMS, THERE IS NO SUCH A THING” (VIDEO)

December 17 2014

“Our people sell everything at once and leave, it seems to them that
Europe awaits for them with open arms, there is no such a thing. They
have problems with their population, and they will keep those whom
they need,” such opinion was expressed by Maria Allahverdyan, Head of
Migration Policy Department at the State Migration Service, referring
to the fact that the Armenian migrants often trust the narratives
of their neighbors and relatives rather than official releases. A
discussion was organized at the Media Initiatives Center office ahead
to the International Migrants Day. Ilona Ter-Minasyan, Head of the
Armenian Office of the Migration International Organization, attending
the meeting said that in European countries, giving a work or other
permit to the migrant is very personal, this depends on how fast the
migrant learns the language, what profession he has and so on. “People
need to understand and be informed prior to going that if they have
decided to go, it should be only legal.” To the question of Aravot.am
of whether the European countries continue providing a shelter for the
people leaving from Armenia who justify that they are being persecuted
in their homeland for sexual orientation, or subjected to pressure
for political views, Mrs. Ter-Minasyan said that different countries
show different approaches, but all these countries check out all of
that, and it is not that they take it as they hear it. In addition,
Ilona Ter – Minasyan said that Europe’s financial resources are also
reduced, therefore, they have become more tough, and since Armenia
is considered to be economically sustainable and non-poor country,
Europe gives shelter more to the migrants of the countries, where there
is an unstable and wars situation, like Pakistan, Afghanistan, Syria
and others. Maria Allahverdyan, Head of Migration Policy Department
at the State Migration Service, mentioned that in 2015, our citizens
can travel and work in Russia without a work permit, and should get
registered within 30 days. Mrs. Allahverdyani told that there are few
people who let’s say are leaving Armenia for work, but abroad, they do
the same work, which they could do here, for instance, floor cleaning.

Generally, the speakers of the discussion claimed that before leaving,
the migrants should realize that the abroad would not keep the
mediocre, they choose from the migrants and keep the good-qualified
ones.

Nelly BABAYAN

From: A. Papazian