Author: Andres-Papazian

President Sargsyan meets MCC Chief Executive Officer

armradio.am
05.05.2011 15:33

President Serzh Sargsyan received today the Chief Executive Officer of
the Millennium Challenge Corporation, Daniel W. Yohannes, who has
arrived in Armenia to review the results of the five year MCA-Armenia
Program.

The President expressed gratitude to the Fund for the assistance
rendered to Armenia, noting that the MCC programs were among the most
successful projects ever implemented in Armenia.

`It’s very important that the programs are targeted at the development
of rural infrastructures. We make efforts to find recourses to
complete the projects we did not manage to accomplish with the MCC
assistance,’ the President said.

`I arrived in Armenia to review the results of the five year
MCA-Armenia Program. I had a chance to meet the beneficiaries and
farmers and visit the sites, where we renovated canals. I’m impressed
by what I saw. I think our investments resulted in positive changes.
Many farmers told me they doubled or even tripled their harvest and
revenues thanks to the program,’ Daniel W. Yohannes stated.

From: A. Papazian

Food safety management systems introduced in fish breeding companies of Armenia

YEREVAN, May 5. /ARKA/. Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points
will be introduced in fish breeding companies of Armenia, said Deputy
Minister of Agriculture Samvel Galstyan on Thursday to the
journalists.

This system provides control in all phases of food chain, anywhere in
the process of production, storage and sale of products in dangerous
situations and is used mainly by producers of food products.

In this regard, a working group which will conduct study of the
potential, conditions of implementation of the system and necessary
financial assistance for their work, for more productive organization
of fish export and fish products to European markets in accordance
with the requirements of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points.

Production of fish products in Armenia is actively developing in
recent years and for export to European countries Armenia should meet
certain standards.

Earlier, Prime Minister of Armenia Tigran Sargsyan said that Armenia
intends to double export of fish in 2011 making 800 tons. According to
the Ministry of Nature Protection of Armenia, Ararat and Armavir
regions recorded 239 fish breeding farms.

According to the Association of Fish Farmers of Armenia, fish
production makes 300 thousand tons annually. The volume of fish
breeding in Armenia in the presence of fish markets can make at least
$1.5-2 billion. –0–

From: A. Papazian

Production of dry and condensed milk in Armenia will be marked `Milk beverage’

YEREVAN, May 5. / ARKA /. By the decision of the Government of
Armenia, production of dry and condensed milk will be marked `milk
beverage’, said Deputy Minister of Agriculture Samvel Galstyan on
Thursday to the journalists.

He noted that on the packages of milk products prepared by cow’s milk,
the type and name of the product should be indicated.

The given product should have relevant certificate stating of what it
is produced, as well as receive appropriate expert conclusion before
the sale.

Control in this sphere was carried out till now, but this decision
will allow to regulate the situation and implement full control. –0–

From: A. Papazian

SCR to act as a sponsor of music festival-contest “Revival”

YEREVAN, May 5. /áRëá/. CJSC “South-Caucasian Railways” (SCR) acts as
a sponsor of third international music festival-contest “Revival” to
be held in the Armenian city Gyumri from May 5-13.

Last year, SCR was also sponsoring the festival-contest.

SCR General Director Shevket Shaydulin welcomed the participants and
stressed the importance of holding such events in the regions of
Armenia.

“Festival-contest “Revival” has its firm place in the international
contests which collects more and more musicians every year. I hope
that after the third festival new names of talented musicians will
appear. I am glad that SCR is contributing to the detection of new
talents. Today, we lay foundation for their future success”, he said.

1100 young musicians from all the regions of Armenia and other
countries of the world, including the USA, Argentine, Belarus, Egypt,
Turkey, Iran, Latvia, Lithuania, Lebanon, Nagorno-Karabakh republic
(NKR), South Korea, Greece, Great Britain, Moldova, Czech Republic,
China, Russia, Georgia, Estonia, France and Uruguay will participate
in the festival.

The festival will also host international forum “Armenia and world
culture” dedicated to 90th anniversary of famous Armenian composer
Edward Mirzoyan.

From: A. Papazian

Armenian ministry of agriculture assesses the damage of hail in
Aragatsotn region

YEREVAN, May 5./ARKA/. Armenian Ministry of Agriculture assesses the
damage caused by hail in Aragatsotn region, said Deputy Minister of
Agriculture Samvel Galstyan on Thursday to the journalists.

Last night around 17:15 (16:15 Moscow time) powerful storm clouds
entered the territory of Armenia, causing hail in 22 communities of
Aragatsotn region.

`From evening until late at night, Agriculture Minister accompanied by
the Minister of Emergency Situations has visited the affected areas
and center of management of studying the situation’, said Galstyan.

Currently, appropriate instructions are given for clarification of the
situation, damage and other data are assessed. –0–

From: A. Papazian

The company Viest Assets bought the whole package of shares of
Armenian network of “STAR” supermarkets

YEREVAN, May 5. /áRëá/. The company Viest Assets Ltd. registered in
British Virgin Islands bought 100% of shares of “STAR” supermarkets,
said representative of Viest Assets Ltd. Hovsep Manukayn in the
press-conference on Thursday. The company is based on the Armenian
capital but he refused to tell the name of the owner of the company.

“We believe the acquisition of STAR network is a great success. We are
ready to make necessary investments for the development of the brand”,
he said without mentioning the size of investments.

There will not be changes in the top management of the company.

Executive Director Vahan Kerobyan said that after re-branding the
policy of the company will be changed, particularly the prices and
service. “We plan to move from low-price segment to middle”, he said.

The company plans to open not large 10-12 new shops of STAR in Yerevan
and the surrounding areas.

“Currently, the daily flow of visitors to our supermarkets are about
35 thousand. In the result of re-branding we plan to increase the
number of customers”, said Kerobyan.

He said that soon three supermarkets STAR will appear in the center of
Yerevan in a new form.

Re-branding process will be completed by mid-2012.

Currently, the network of supermarkets STAR includes 18 shops. The
company’s turnover in 2010 was 18 billion drams.

Previously, the shareholders of STAR have been European Bank of
Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) with the share of 28.3% and
entrepreneur Henrik Zakharyants – 71.7% of shares.

British Virgin Islands (BVI) is one of the offshore jurisdictions. BVI
is a British colony, legislation of which is based on English common
law and have an excellent reputation for political stability.

Business environment of BVI is rather favorable and has excellent
relations worldwide, level of literacy is 100% and English is the
primary language. The main component of GDP is tourism and
international service sector. ($1- 372.79 drams). -0-

From: A. Papazian

“ArmaviÁ” increases the frequency of flights Yerevan-Moscow to five daily

YEREVAN, May 5. /áRëá/. National air carrier – airline “Armavia”
increases the frequency of regular flights from Yerevan to Moscow from
four to five daily, reported press-secretary of the company Nana
Avetisova.

“From May 12, regular flights U8 520/519 Yerevan-Moscow (Vnukovo) are
restored”, she said.

Currently, the planes of the company make two flights from Yerevan to
Moscow airport “Domodedovo” daily and one – to “Vnukovo” and
“Sheremetevo”.

National airline of Armenia “Armavia” was established in 1996 and
complies with international standards of IATA. Today, “Armavia” makes
over 100 flights weekly in more than 40 directions to 20 countries of
the world.

President of “Armavia” Mikhail Baghdasarov plans to develop new
investment projects, introduce information technologies, issues of
systemic approach in the provision of safety and aviation security.
Among the priorities are the improvement of quality of rendered
services, service on board and provision of comfortable flight. –0–

From: A. Papazian

Leader of “Prosperous Armenia” purchased the brewery Kotayk

YEREVAN, May 5. /áRëá/. Leader of political party “Prosperous
Armenia”, large entrepreneur Gagik Tsarukyan, bought the brewery
“Kotayk” from French company which was sold some years ago, newspaper
“Zhoghovurd” (People) informs.

Press-secretary of the party Khachik Galstyan, answering the questions
of the journalists, did not inform the price of the deal and the
purpose of the plant sale and repurchase. “Negotiations over this
issue continue and after the completion of the transaction we will
inform the details”, he said.

The deal will be formalized next week.

Abovyan brewery “Kotayk” was established in 1974. In 1997, the company
was established on the basis of joint venture, in which 71% of shares
belonged to the French company Castel and 29% – to the citizen of
Armenia Gagik Tsarukyan.
Investments of the French company in the enterprise was $18 million.
The company produces 7 types of beer, including non-alcoholic beer.
Export of the product is implemented particularly to the USA, Russia,
France and Germany.

However, in 2006 French entrepreneur Pierre Castel, founder of the
concern Castel Beer, bought from Tsarukyan 29% of shares of the
brewery “Kotayk” by $4. -0-

From: A. Papazian

Hetq Denied Jail Visit to See Sarkis Hatspanian

hetq
15:11, May 4, 2011

Hetq`s request to visit written to visit Sarkis Hatspanian, a
French-Armenian serving time in the Vardashen Correctional Facility
for “false denunciation”, has been turned down twice by the Department
of Corrections

We originally sent a written request to Minister of Justice Hrayr
Tovmasyan. Our petition was then forwarded to the Department of
Corrections and two weeks later we received a refusal letter from
Arsen Babayan, who heads the departments oublic affairs division.
Babayan argued that that due to the agency’s tremendous workload our
request couldn’t be permitted at this time and that we should reapply
in 1-2 months.

This is not the first time we have received such a puzzling response
from Mr. Babayan.

We wrote back to Minister Tovmasyan, explained the situation, and
asked what exactly was going on at the Department of Corrections for
them to be so busy and stretched for the next two months.

Given that the Corrections Department is under the jurisdiction of the
Ministry we asked Mr. Tovmasyan to tell us when reporters would be
allowed into the prisons.

The reply we got was again from Babayan at the Department of
Corrections. This time the excuse given was organizational and
security concerns.”

Go figure…

(The photo on the right is Minister of Justice Tovmasyan; the other,
Arsen Babayan)

From: A. Papazian

Sasun Mikaelyan may be released early – Republican MP

13:53 * 05.05.11

Political prisoner Sasun Mikaelyan may be released ahead of time upon
the ruling coalition’s request, Karen Avagyan of the ruling Republican
Party faction in parliament has said.

“The coalition made the decision considering his health condition,”
Avagyan told reporters on Thursday.

Former National Assembly íember Sasun Mikaelyan was sent to jail over
charges on the March 2008 political turmoil in Yerevan. In June 2009,
he was sentenced to eight years in prison. His health condition
deteriorated while in detention. He underwent surgeries twice.

On Wednesday, Armenia’s first president and leader of the opposition
alliance Armenian National Congress Levon Ter-Petrosyan visited
Mikayelyan.

Tert.am

From: A. Papazian