Author: Andres-Papazian

CITY MAYOR: YEREVAN SHOULD CORRESPOND THE STANDARDS OF TOURISM CITY

/ARKA/
DECEMBER 24, 2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, December 24. /ARKA/. Yerevan should correspond to the
standards of tourism city, said the City Mayor of Yerevan Karen
Karapetyan in the meeting of Council of Elders.

He emphasized the importance of promotion of investments in economy
and tourism development. “Yerevan is the only capital where New Year
tourism is on zero level. No tourist visits Armenia as all Yerevan
organizations are closed till January 4-5”, he said.

He said that Yerevan Municipality should develop and suggest
entrepreneurs different packages of investment proposals.

From: A. Papazian

CONTROL SERVICE: ARMENIA IMPORTED NON-REGISTERED MEDICINE BY CHARITY CANALS

/ARKA/
DECEMBER 24, 2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, December 24. /ARKA/. Armenia imports non-registered medicine
by charity canals, said the Head of Control Service of the President’s
Office Ashot Hovsepyan.

They don’t undergo complete expertise of quality, effectiveness and
security”, he said in the press-conference on Friday.

They don’t have quality certificate, name of production company and
expiration date. Such medicine is imported upon the end of expiration
date in large quantities which is impossible to sell.

“If there is a demand of 1000 ampoules, the country imports 2000
ampoules. 1000 ampoules are kept in the store in the case that the
given medicine cannot be kept for a long time and (completion of
expiration date) should be thrown away which requires large expenses”,
he said.

In the above mentioned example Armenia imported medicine, 80% of
which is kept in the store and “nobody knows what to do with it”.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIAN AGRICULTURE FALLS 14.5 PERCENT IN JAN.-NOV.

/ARKA/
DECEMBER 24, 2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, December 24, /ARKA/. Wrapping up the outgoing year Armenian
agriculture minister Gerasim Alaverdian said the sector saw a 14.5%
decline in the first 11 months of the year. Speaking at a news
conference he blamed the slump on unfavorable climatic conditions –
snaps of cold in early spring, heavy rains in the middle of the year
that were followed by droughts

The largest decline was seen by plant growing. Thus the land under
crops slashed by 16,000 hectares to

283,000 hectares. The minister complained also of a poor yield of
potato crop that dropped from 590,000 metric tons last year to 490,000
tons this year. The fruit yield has slashed by a factor of three.

However, there was a bright side as well. Thus, the number of cattle
has grown by 8,000 and that of sheep and goats by 9,000, but the
number of pigs has contracted by 17,000, caused partly by African
swine flue and increased sales of pork.

As achievements the minister mentioned installment of new anti-hail
stations, raising food security and fighting against illegal logging
and rodents.

From: A. Papazian

PRESIDENT SARGSYAN SAYS EFFORTS NEXT YEAR SHOULD BE DIRECTED AT ENSURING FULL RECOVERY AND DIVERSIFICATION OF ECONOMY

/ARKA/
DECEMBER 24, 2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, December 24, /ARKA/. Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan said
today all efforts next year should be directed at ensuring a full
recovery of the economy and achieving its further diversification. He
made the remarks during a meeting with representatives of the country’s
business community to convey his New Year congratulations.

‘The outgoing year was a year of purposeful work, aimed at overcoming
the aftereffects of the global financial and economic crisis. I mean
not only the government but also the combined efforts of our business
people. It is inspiring that in very dire conditions we managed to
stabilize the situation and ensure a certain growth,’ he said.

According to the president, Armenia overcame the first wave of the
global crisis without major shocks.

“The second wave, however, has inflicted a heavier blow to our
economy. Virtually all sectors of our economy declined, financial
flows and investments reduced drastically and export markets ceased
to feed our economy. In those hard days when the threat of a dramatic
fall in living standards forced thousands of Europeans to the streets,
the Armenian society, our business community and all branches of power
joined efforts to preserve the social situation at before-the-crisis
level,’ he stressed.

The president noted also that the crisis made all revalue old and
reliable partners and look also for new ones and fight on a daily
basis for the salvage of domestic businesses.

“We had to use all available means to avoid social spending cuts and
withstand an economic winter,’ he said.

“We shall overcome the consequences of the crisis and emerge from it
stronger and armed with understanding that our economy must undergo
serious changes. Leaving behind the destructive wave of the crisis we
can say with certainty that we have succeeded in the last 19 years
in shaping a substantial flexibility reserve and building a stable
financial and economic system,’ he said.

From: A. Papazian

UKRAINIAN ECOLOGISTS TO PROTEST OPENING OF DOLPHINARIUM IN YEREVAN

PanARMENIAN.Net
December 24, 2010 – 17:09 AMT 13:09 GMT

Ukrainian ecologists will gather at the Ministry for Environmental
Protection in Kyiv to protest opening of dolphinarium in Yerevan,
where dolphins from Odessa were delivered.

“Our Ukrainian colleagues will organize a protest action on December
27,” chairperson of Eco Dashink NGO Silva Adamyan told journalists
in Yerevan.

According to Pro Paws NGO chairperson Elsik Azizyan, dolphins swim
about 100 km a day, with the essential depth of the pool to be
20 meters.

“The pool in which the dolphins will be kept in Yerevan is 18 meters
in diameter and is 5 meters deep. Moreover, the water in the pool
where these cleverest mammals will live is filled with chlorine,
which will make them blind in six months,” she said.

For his part, director of the Foundation for the Preservation of
Wildlife and Cultural Assets Ruben Khachatryan said that dolphins
can choose to stop breathing, thus committing suicide.

Dolphinariums are forbidden in Croatia. Some were closed in UK and
a number of U.S. states.

The construction of Yerevan dolphinarium is implemented by Nerum
Ukrainian company. Four dolphins, two sea bears and a sea lion were
brought to Yerevan from Odessa.

From: A. Papazian

SEA MAMMALS’ IMPORT ROUTE TO ARMENIA REMAINS UNDISCOVERED

PanARMENIAN.Net
December 24, 2010 – 19:20 AMT 15:20 GMT

At news conference in Yerevan, the head of Eco Dashink NGO Silva
Adamyan expressed concern over the organization’s failure to find out
the identity of Yerevan dolphinarium owner as well as sea mammals’
import route.

“The sea mammals might be imported either through Georgia or Iran.

Customs officials deny the fact of the import, which suggests
involvement of people in pursuit of their own ends rather than public
interest,” she stressed.

According to Pro Paws NGO chairperson Elsik Azizyan, at present
proceedings against Nerum company have been instigated, referring
the import of dolphins in Armenia.

Dolphinariums are forbidden in Croatia. Some were closed in UK and
a number of U.S. states. The construction of Yerevan dolphinarium is
implemented by Nerum Ukrainian company. Four dolphins, two sea bears
and a sea lion were brought to Yerevan from Odessa.

From: A. Papazian

TIGRAN SARGSYAN: HRANT MATEVOSYAN ENJOYED PEOPLE’S LOVE AND RESPECT

ARMENPRESS
DECEMBER 23, 2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 23, ARMENPRESS: Musical soiree dedicated to the
75th anniversary of Hrant Matevosyan was organized yesterday by the
Armenian Culture Ministry and Hrant Matevosyan Foundation in Gafesjian
Art Center.

Fragments from Matevosyan’s prose sounded accompanied with performances
of classical music. Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan said
he has had the luck to communicate and have discussions with Hrant
Matevosyan, which turned out to be very important and useful for him.

“Hrant Matevosyan was a very talented writer, who people honored when
he was still alive. Hrant Matevosyan enjoyed the love and respect of
people,” the Prime Minister said. The series of anniversary events
will continue during the whole year.

Highly assessing the event, Matevosyan’s spouse also attached
importance to the events organized by higher educational establishments
as well as to the reading organized at the Armenian National Library
and Vanadzor, which, according to Verzhine Movsisyan, expressed the
spontaneous attitude of the organizers.

From: A. Papazian

STEPAN DEMIRCHYAN: CONDUCTION OF FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS IS THE ISSUE OF THE SOCIETY

ARMENPRESS
DECEMBER 24, 2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 24, ARMENPRESS: The issues mentioned in Serzh
Sargsyan’s speech do exist and must be eliminated, Chairman of
Armenian People’s Party Stepan Demirchyan said today at a meeting with
journalists, referring to Armenian President’s speech delivered at the
event dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the Armenian Republican
Party. According to him, the defective phenomenon mentioned in
the President’s speech can be eliminated by means of free and fair
elections.

“The conduction of free and fair elections is not only the issue
of the leadership or the opposition, but the issue of the whole
society,” Mr. Demirchyan said. Referring to the way of activity to be
assumed by the opposition in 2011, the head of the Armenian People’s
Party stressed that despite essential contradictions in the Armenian
National Congress, the opposition will continue to follow the path of
consolidation, as the latter is the most efficient, and the Armenian
People’s Party has consistently followed that path.

Referring to social-economic issues, Mr. Demirchyan attached primary
importance to issues concerning export and poverty and noted that
necessary steps must be taken for their solution.

From: A. Papazian

WINTER FESTIVAL TO LAUNCH

ARMENPRESS
DECEMBER 24, 2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 24, ARMENPRESS: “Winter Festival Armenia 2010” will
kick off tomorrow – December 25. The festival is implemented on the
initiative of “Kanachastan” NGO and “DEEM Communications” company
already for the 4th year uninterruptedly. Program Coordinator of
“Kanachastan” NGO Eduard Levanyan told Armenpress that the festival
will start with a winter parade – from the territory of Yerevan
municipality it will move to the Lovers’ Park, where the conduction
of the main events of the festival is intended.

“We can single out the expo-contest of nature protection New Year
trees, which are made from processed materials; they will have no
artificial decoration. There will be a contest of the exhibited works
and the author-organizations of the best trees will get prizes,” Mr.

Levanyan said. Musical Days, a winter fair, games, a meeting with
Santa Claus, reading of fairytales and “Silver and Golden Soiree” are
intended within the framework of “Winter Festival Armenia 2010”. The
latter is the only event of the festival, whose entrance is not free.

From: A. Papazian

VICTOR VLASOV: ACTIVITIES FOR KEEPING ARMENIA’S SECURITY IN ARMENIAN-IRANIAN AND ARMENIAN-TURKISH BORDERS IMPLEMENTED ON HIGHLEVEL

ARMENPRESS
DECEMBER 24, 2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 24, ARMENPRESS: The activities for keeping Armenia’s
security in Armenian-Iranian and Armenian-Turkish borders have been
implemented on high level. Summing up the works of 2010, Head of the
board of the Russian frontier troops, General-Lieutenant Victor Vlasov
said at today’s press conference that over 600 persons trespassed
the border have been arrested in the mentioned border points, 140
unit arms have been seized, cases of illegal turnover of drugs have
been prevented, over 3000 people tried to pass the border with false
documents have been revealed.

Compared with the last year, the border violation cases have decreased
by 34%. The servicemen appearing to be Russian and Armenian citizens
are taken into service in the brigades of the board of the Russian
frontier troops, the majority of who are contractual. Only this
year capital repair has been implemented in over 50 buildings of the
frontier board, for which 760 million AMD has been invested.

Means have been extended for providing the servicemen with apartments
as well. Mr. Vlasov assured that if Armenian-Turkish relations are
regulated, and a diplomatic cooperation is established between the two
states, they will be ready to implement all the measures of keeping
the security of the border. “We have implemented our actions at our
best, cooperating with our Armenian partners,” he said, expressing
gratitude to Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan and Secretary
of National Security Council Arthur Baghdasaryan.

From: A. Papazian