Author: Andres-Papazian

ARMRUSGAZPROM CJSC TO BE HEADED BY VARTAN HARUTYUNYAN

ArmInfo
10-12-17 12:43:00

ArmInfo. ArmRusgzprom CJSC will be headed by Vartan Harutyunyan, Deputy
Chairman of ArmRusgasprom Board, well-informed sources told ArmInfo.

Vartan Harutyunyan was born on January 1, 1975, in the village of
Kotayk of Armenia’s Kotayk region. In 1996, he graduated from Yerevan
National Economy Institute, department of Economy and Production
Management. He headed gasification and gas supply branches of Abovyan
industrial-building section of “Kotaykgaz”, Abovyan gasification and
gas supply branch of ArmRusgazprom CJSC, Yerevan gasification and gas
supply branch of ArmRusgazprom. In 2010, V. Harutyunyan was awarded
“Anania Shirakatsi” medal by the Armenian president’s decree. He was
conferred academic title of a candidate of economic science on the
same year. V. Harutyunyan is non-party.

From: A. Papazian

YEREVAN BRANDY FACTORY HOLDS ‘OPEN DOORS DAY’

ArmInfo
10-12-17

Arminfo. On the threshold of New Year holidays Yerevan Brandy Factory
will hold an , press-service of the factory reported.

The action will be held on 18-19 December from 10:30 AM to 5:30 PM.

The participants in the event will be given an opportunity to get
acquainted with historical and industrial heritage of Ararat brandy, as
well as to view tour at the workshop of very the superior old brandy.

The free of charge buses will take those who want to take part in
the event from the monument to Aram Khachatryan to the Yerevan Brandy
Factory. Entrance is free.

From: A. Papazian

DEPUTY COMMANDER OF ARMENIAN POLICE DISPROVES RUMORS ABOUT FILING OF LAWSUIT IN CONNECTION WITH INCIDENT IN WHICH EX-MAYOR OF YEREVAN TOOK PART

ArmInfo
2010-12-17 12:52:00

Arminfo. Deputy Commander of Armenian Police, General Hunan Pogosyan
said at today’s press-conference that no lawsuit was filed in
connection with the incident in which ex-mayor of Yerevan, Gagik
Beglaryan, took part.

Asked if Beglaryan beat Aram Kandayan’s brains out, Pogosyan replied
‘there was no severe beating from the side of Beglaryan’.

As it was earlier informed, the former mayor of Yerevan Gagik Beglaryan
kidnapped an employee of the Protocol Service of the Armenian President
Aram Kandayan, took him to his Metax plant and beat him. Unofficial
sources say that Beglaryan did it because Kandayan asked his wife to
change her seat during Placido Domingo’s concert in Yerevan because,
according to the protocol, only the Catholicos of All Armenians,
the Speaker of the Parliament and the Prime Minister can seat near
the President. When the information about the incident was published
in the press, Beglaryan tendered his resignation.

To note, according to Armenian legislation, in case of an incident
between citizens (if the point is about abuse of power), as a rule
the suffered party should protect its interests, that is to say,
apply to law-enforcement agencies or court. At the same time, taking
into account that the incident is connected with high rank officials,
it is not ruled out that publications in the press may also become
a basis for gathering of materials and initiation of a criminal case.

From: A. Papazian

ARTSVIK MINASYAN: I KNOW KAREN KARAPETYAN AS A GOOD MANAGER BUT NOT AS A POLITICIAN

ArmInfo
2010-12-17 14:01:00

ArmInfo. Artsvik Minasyan, Parliamentarian representing ARF
Dashnaktsutyun Party, gives no unique assessment of Karen Karapertyan’s
election to the post of Yerevan Mayor. Previously, K. Karapetyan was
Director General of ArmRusgasprom CJSC.

“He is a good manager, an experienced specialist in the sphere of
business. Our economy needs such professionals. But I do not know
him as a politician,” A. Minasyan said.

To recall Ex-Mayor of Yerevan Gagik Beglaryan sent in his resignation
on Dec 8 after he kidnapped an employee of the Protocol Service of the
Armenian President Aram Kandayan and beat him. G. Beglaryan as elected
Mayor by the Elders’ Council as the first in the Republican Party
ticket at the elections to the Council in May 2009. The first in the
ARFD Party ticket was Artsvik Minasyan. The Elder’s Council elected K.

Karapetyan to the post of Mayor by 50 votes out of 51, on Friday. The
second party represented at the Council – Prosperous Armenia – did
not nominate anyone to the post and supported Karapetyan’s canditature.

From: A. Papazian

NEW MAYOR OF YEREVAN – KAREN KARAPETYAN, HEAD OF ARMRUSGASPROM COMPANY

ArmInfo
2010-12-17 12:25:00

ArmInfo. The Elder’s Council of Yerevan has elected Karen Karapetyan,
Head of ArmRusgasprom Company, to the post of Yerevan Mayor, ArmInfo’s
correspondent reported from the Municipality.

At the request of the Counting Board voting on election of Yerevan
Mayor started in the afternoon and will took an hour. The results
were summed up within 30 minutes.

The Republican Party of Armenia nominated Karen Karapetyan, Head of
ArmRusgasprom, to the post of the mayor, today. Prosperous Armenia
Party faction supported Karapetyan’s candidature. After voting the
Counting Board will present the vote result and protocol. In line with
the Law on local self-government of Yerevan, the mayor will swear in
and take office on the third day after election. In his speech, K.

Karapetyan said that in his activity he will be rely on the Yerevan
Municipality staff. He said that there are all the chances to turn
Yerevan into a comfortable modern city.

Ex-Mayor of Yerevan Gagik Beglaryan sent in his resignation on
Dec 9 after he kidnapped an employee of the Protocol Service of
the Armenian President Aram Kandayan, took him to his Metax plant
and beat him severely. The reason of such behavior was as follows:
Kandayan asked Beglaryan’s wife to change her seat during Placido
Domingo’s concert in Yerevan because, according to the protocol,
only the Catholicos of All Armenians, the Speaker of the Parliament
and the Prime Minister can seat near the President.

Beglaryan challenged Kandayan via K. Karapetyan.

Karen Karapetyan was born on August 14 1963. He graduated from the
Yerevan State University Faculty of applied mathematics. He taught
in the given university. Later Karapertyan occupied the position of
the Deputy Director General, then Director General of Armenergo.

Afterwards, he was deputy minister of energy. Since 2001 he has
been elected to the post of ArmRusgasprom Company Chairman of Board-
Director General. K. Karapetyan is Doctor of Science, Economics.

Married, has three children.

From: A. Papazian

CENTER FOR ARMENIAN REMEMBRANCE LAUNCHES A NEW WEBSITE

Tert.am
17.12.10

The Center for Armenian Remembrance has launched a new project – the
1915Club – which is an innovative new website laying the foundations
for the building of a Virtual Western Armenia on the Internet.

The site, available at has been designed to revive
the sights, sounds, and sensations of Western Armenia that came to
an abrupt halt in 1915, the representatives of the center say in a
news release.

It enables readers to post photos, written memories, and videos that
will help enhance and enlarge the site, making it a valuable resource
for the global Armenian community.

People having relatives who died in the Genocide are invited to become
a member of the global 1915Club.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIA ‘AWARDS’ MONEY TO SOME PEOPLE THROUGH CAR INSURANCE, SAYS OPPOSITION MP

Tert.am
17.12.10

The Armenian government is channeling money to some people through the
mandatory car insurance, Armen Martirosyan of the opposition Heritage
party has said at a debate with Gagik Minasyan of the Republican
Party of Armenia (RPA).

“The government awards money to some people. We consider this as a
legalized robbery,” said Martirosyan.

Though the government introduced some amendments to the regulations for
mandatory car insurance following complaints by some MPs, Martirosyan
thinks that the problem will not solve that way and that systemic
changes are required.

Further he said that Heritage party does not oppose the idea of car
insurance, but finds its introduction premature given the current
socio-economic situation in Armenia. The party is also against those
mechanisms used for mandatory car insurance.

Martirosyan also expressed his discontent over the fact that the fees
for insurance are as high as in Eastern Europe, while the compensation
is rather small.

Besides, according to him, the process of mandatory car insurance
in Armenia is aimed at gaining super profits for a few people to get
richer as a result – something acceptable for the RPA.

Gagik Minasyan countered him, saying the fees for mandatory car
insurance are lower compared to those not only in Eastern Europe,
but also in Russia.

Concerning the super profits, Minasyan mentioned that the profit
gained from the mandatory car insurance makes 2%.

“Just show me a business that gets 2% in profits. I think they will
be wasted efforts as there is no such thing,” he explained.

From: A. Papazian

HENRICH MKHITARYAN WINS SECOND PLACE IN ONLINE VOTING

Tert.am
17.12.10

Half-back of the Armenian national team Henrich Mkhitaryan, currently
representing Donetsk’s Shakhtar, has won the second place in the
Ukrainian football club’s online voting.

Goal keeper Andrey Pyatov won the third place, with 1327 (25.4%)
votes, the Armenian sports website Armsport.am reported.

The team’s best footballer is leading player David Srna who received
1248 (25.64%) votes.

The online voting launched by Shakhtar FC was aimed at selecting
the best 2010 sportsman of the team. Overall, 5258 football fans
participated in the voting available on the club’s official website.

From: A. Papazian

OSCE SUPPORTS PREVENTING HUMAN TRAFFICKING, ASSISTING VICTIMS IN ARMENIA

armradio.am
17.12.2010 15:53

A national forum on the implementation of the Armenian national
referral procedure of trafficked victims organized by the
Anti-Trafficking Support and Resource Unit (ATSRU) established by
the OSCE office and operating within the Labour and Social Affairs
Ministry of Armenia, started today in Aghveran.

The two-day event brought together state officials, regional
representatives from Labour and Social Affairs Ministry’s units for
family, children and women’s protection, the labour inspectorate,
the state employment service, police, international organizations and
non-governmental organizations. They will discuss ways of improving
inter-agency co-operation and co-ordination, look at existing
challenges in combating trafficking, addressing labor migration and
forced labor, providing better assistance to the victims of trafficking
and developing a truly victim-oriented strategy. The forum participants
will also examine the implementation of the 2010-2012 Anti-Trafficking
National Action Plan adopted by the Government of Armenia.

“For several years our office in Yerevan has been actively involved
in combating trafficking in human beings in Armenia. Today’s forum
reflects increased awareness and co-operation among national actors
which we have been supporting in the anti-trafficking field,” says
Doris Vogl, Democratization Programme Officer.

“It is important to have a large-scale forum where anti-trafficking
community members could raise priority issues and share their
experiences. For our Unit this is an opportunity to assess the results
achieved during the two years of work in Yerevan and all the regions
of the country,” Said Nazeli Asriyan, representative of the ATSRU. “We
will continue our support to the state and non-governmental actors
in the implementation of the Armenian National Referral Procedure
prioritizing a victim-oriented approach.”

In his opening speech the Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Issues
Filaret Berikyan said that as a result of co-ordinated work of the
OSCE Office in Yerevan, the Ministry, Armenian police and other
stakeholders, a comprehensive picture on the situation with human
trafficking in the country is available and regularly updated. “Within
the framework of the ATSRU project the relevant agencies of the
Labour and Social Affairs Ministry have strengthened their capacity
in preventing human trafficking and assisting victims,” said Berikyan.

From: A. Papazian

PM TIGRAN SARGSYAN MEETS THE AMBASSADOR OF LATVIA

armradio.am
17.12.2010 15:47

Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan today received the newly appointed
Ambassador of Latvia to Armenia, Gints Apals (seat in Vienna).

Congratulating the Ambassador on appointment and wishing him successful
activity throughout his tenure in office, the Prime Minister voiced
hope that he would contribute to the deepening and reinforcement of
Armenian-Latvian relations.

The prime Minister attached importance to the determination of new
directions of cooperation and exchange of experience in the field of
European integration.

The Ambassador said his country was ready to share its experience of
European integration with Armenia.

During the meeting the interlocutors talked about the perspectives
of development of economic cooperation, stressing the need for
organization of business forums and dwelt on the political and economic
developments in both countries after the global financial-economic
crisis.

From: A. Papazian