Author: Andres-Papazian

HAYKAKAN ZHAMANAK: GOVERNMENT HELPS BAGHDASARYAN AT EXPENSE OF TAXPAYERS

13:20 09/07/2013 ” DAILY PRESS

The issue of granting tax privileges to ‘Hayasy Group’ company will
be discussed at the upcoming cabinet session. The company is linked
with the name of Armenian National Security Council Secretary Arthur
Baghdasaryan, Haykakan Zhamanak reports.

According to the paper, the company once decided to produce whiskey,
but the project was a failure and to stabilize the financial situation
of the company, the government decided to delay the fulfillment of
its tax liabilities.

“It is not quite clear why the government helps Baghdasaryan at the
expense of taxpayers,” the paper says.

From: A. Papazian

THE END OF A JOURNEY, THE BEGINNING OF A LEGACY

Wednesday, July 10th, 2013

Rose and Alex Pilibos Armenian School’s class of 2013 at their
graduation ceremony.

Rose and Alex Pilibos Armenian School’s 12th Grade Commencement
Ceremony and College Acceptances for the Class of 2013

LOS ANGELES-57 seniors walked through the gates of Pilibos on August
20, 2012 to begin their senior year. Most of them had walked past those
same gates many times before as kindergarteners or as 1st graders. This
time was different, however, as it marked their last year as a Pilibos
Eagle. It was on June 9, 2013 that those same 57 seniors walked out
of the Pilibos gates as alumni, to be Pilibos Eagles forever.

On graduation day – the day that the Class of 2013’s accomplishments
would be recognized and celebrated – students walked into the Nerses
Tashjian Gymanasium as Sir Edward Elgar’s “Pomp and Circumstance”
played over the speakers. The excitement was palpable as pride shone
upon the faces of parents, friends and relatives and as anticipation
and hope for the future radiated from each student.

Throughout the ceremony, students were reminded to think about who
they are and who they want to be. They were encouraged to dream big and
strive for excellence every day in all they do. But most importantly,
they were asked to “Leave a Legacy” – a mantra heard throughout the
year. Students were asked to return to Pilibos, like many alumni
before them, to contribute to the fabric of education that shaped
their destiny. Examples of such commitment were present that day, as
they have been every other day: the Mistress of Ceremonies, Elizabeth
Antonyan (Class of 1993), the Keynote Speaker, Gary Daghlian (Class
of 1997), Principal Dr. Alina Dorian (a former student of Pilibos),
and other teachers were all examples of individuals who were once
a part of Pilibos and who returned to contribute their talents and
experiences. Students were asked to do the same. They were asked to
go out into the world, accomplish the amazing things that they are all
capable of, and then to return home to Pilibos to inspire, encourage,
and lead future students of Pilibos so that they may achieve their
own goals and in turn leave their own legacy.

The Class of 2013 is definitely on the right track. 33 students
received the Honor Roll Award; 31 students received the California
Scholarship Federation Award; 30 students received the Presidential
Fitness Award; 7 students were a part of the National Honors
Society; and 19 students were recognized for their dedication and
accomplishments in athletics.

The Pilibos Class of 2013 gained admission to 19 different
institutions, including UC campuses (UCLA, UC Berkley, UCSB, and
others); California State campuses (CSUN, CSULA, CSUF, and more);
and private Universities such as USC, LMU, Woodbury, Pepperdine,
Occidental, and La Verne. Many were accepted into more than one
university, allowing them to have a wide range of options in pursuing
higher education. The school is proud to say that all 57 students will
be attending a college or university and that 72% of its graduating
class will be attending a 4-year university in the Fall.

These kinds of accomplishments were hard to overlook. During
the commencement ceremony, parents, family, friends, and teachers
cheered for the students and their many achievements. At the end of
the ceremony, a traditional “Dhol and Zurna” Armenian band played
time-honored celebratory music as students, led by the Principal,
walked out of the gym and toward their future.

As an educational institution, the ultimate goal of Rose and Alex
Pilibos Armenian School is to prepare its students for their journeys
beyond graduation. The school is extremely proud and impressed
with its students’ talents, accomplishments, and dreams for the
future. The school is confident that its graduates will move forth
as proud Pilibos alumni and future leaders of the community.

From: A. Papazian

GIPA LOOKS FOR THE BEST ARMENIAN CANDIDATES FOR THE ACADEMIC YEAR 2013/2015

18:08, July 10, 2013

The Georgian Institute of Public Affairs (GIPA) is pleased to announce
scholarships for Armenian students to study journalism and multimedia
at the Caucasus School of Journalism and Media Management (CSJMM)
located in Tbilisi, Georgia.

The program includes five semesters of study from October 2013 to
May 2015. The students will spend their first and fifth semesters
in Yerevan and their second, third and fourth semesters in Tbilisi
(January-December 2014). The core program, thesis defense and final
project, and graduation will take place in Tbilisi.

While studying in Georgia, Armenian students will receive monthly
stipends for housing and food expenses. Each student will also receive
funding for an internship with a media organization abroad. All tuition
costs are covered by the program funded by the U.S. Embassy in Armenia.

This master program is taught in English and is targeted for
international audience. The mission of this program is to teach
students the principles and techniques of journalism. This includes the
gathering of information via interviewing and documents; the analysis
of this information and the use of this information to impartially
and accurately tell stories in words, graphics, photographs, audio
and video. These stories should serve the public and promote social
justice.

The Program teaches students to simplify complex matters for a general
audience and to investigate wrongdoing; how to provide a public forum,
via social media and other interactive venues, so that the public
feels empowered to take action in its best interests. In addition,
the program provides knowledge on how to analyze original research and
write a research paper. Teaching students research includes helping
them develop their analytical, critical and creative thinking skills.

The program gives students opportunity to specialize in media
management or multi-media journalism.

CSJMM seeks to accomplish this mission by providing a practice-based
education taught by international and Georgian faculty in a
state-of-art multimedia lab. Students of the CSJMM are main
beneficiaries of the Multimedia Education Center (MEC), which is
an innovative education center and provides a multipurpose learning
environment for students and recent graduates of journalism programs.

CSJMM master programs are offered in partnership with The University
of South Carolina’s School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Under the scope of this partnership, professors from the United States
give lectures at CSJMM.

Deadline for applications is September 30, 2013 at 16:00.

Before reading information below, we would like to ask you to follow
us on Facebook page here:GIPA looks for the best Armenian candidates
for the academic year 2013/2015

ENTRANCE TESTS:

· English language test (institutional TOEFL/PBT/; Organized
by GIPA coordinator in Armenia) · Interview with the selection
committee APPLICANTS MUST HAVE:

· Bachelor’s and/or master’s degree in any field (including
media management and journalism); · Good command of English;
· Commitment to pro-active journalism; REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:

· Completed application form, which can be downloaded here.

· Copy of bachelor’s or master’s degree diploma (previous
training or education in journalism not required) · Passport
copy · Statement of purpose (in English, max 300 words) · 2
recommendations (in English, max 200 words) Required documents will
be accepted from 12:00 to 16:00, Monday to Saturday, from September
01 to 30, 2013.

For more information, please contact Suren Deheryan, national
coordinator in Armenia at e-mail address: [email protected]
(Subject: GIPA).

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIAN SPEAKER HOPES FOR SPEEDIEST SOLUTION TO SYRIAN CRISIS

July 10, 2013 | 18:13

YEREVAN. – Speaker of the Armenian parliament Hovik Abrahamyan on
Wednesday received Syria’s Charge d’Affaires Essam Nayyal.

During the meeting, they discussed issues related to Armenia-Syria
friendly relations, inert-parliamentary cooperation and regional
problems.

Syrian diplomat informed the Speaker of current situation, adding
that his country will soon overcome the crisis.

Hovik Abrahamyan expressed concern over Syrian developments, noting
that this affects civilians, including local Armenians. Abrahamyan
is hopeful that reasonableness of the Syrian people will lead to
speediest solution to the crisis.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

From: A. Papazian

ESTONIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY ADVISES TO REFRAIN FROM TRAVELING TO AZERBAIJAN BECAUSE OF TERRORISM THREATS

19:05 10/07/2013 ” IN THE WORLD

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia advised to refrain from
traveling to Azerbaijan because of possible terroristic attacks in
that country, the Estonian agency Mke.ee reports.

Estonian Foreign Ministry also recommends avoiding visiting
Nagorno-Karabakh, as shootout is possible on the border with
Azerbaijan. The Office notes that the use of the air traffic in the
area may also be unsafe.

There is neither embassy nor Honorary Consulate of Estonia to
Azerbaijan. If there is need you should contact the Embassy of Latvia
in Baku for consular assistance or the nearest representative offices
of one of the EU countries, the report said.

Source: Panorama.am

From: A. Papazian

WORLD SERVICE AUTHORITY ISSUES WORLD PASSPORT FOR SNOWDEN

16:26 10/07/2013 ” SOCIETY

The World Service Authority (WSA), a Washington-based charity and
executive branch of the World Government of World Citizens, has
issued a world citizen passport for Former US national Edward Snowden,
who disclosed America’s mass monitoring program, the Voice of Russia
reported.

“WSA Issues World Passport to Edward Snowden Based Upon Article 13
(2) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,” reads the message
posted on the charity’s Twitter page.

“This unprecedented situation reveals dramatically the power of
one individual versus the nation-state system, while highlighting
individual sovereignty. The fact that Snowden is immobilized in
a Moscow Airport Transit lounge further exposes the fiction of
nation-state frontiers,” WSA’s founder Garry Davis said.

The World Government of World Citizens has been issuing its passports
since September 1953, although only four countries – Mauritania,
Tanzania, Ecuador and Togo – recognize these IDs.

Source: Panorama.am

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIAN COMPANIES HAVING FALSE FIGURES IN THEIR FINANCIAL REPORTS NO LONGER ELIGIBLE TO COMPETE IN GOVERNMENT TENDERS

YEREVAN, July 10. /ARKA/. The Armenian government decided today to
strip large companies having false figures in their financial reports
or companies where gross faults had been found during audits of their
right to take part in government tenders.

Finance Minister David Sargsyan said that such companies will not only
be stripped of their right to take part in government procurements,
but will also find themselves in the State Revenue Committee’s
high-risk zone.

Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan stressed that this is the second
consecutive year the government demands companies to observe the law,
but this demand has produced little effect so far.

“People should know that those large companies hiding their audit
conclusions have problems,” he said.

Vache Gabrielyan, head of the government administration, said large
companies were obliged to release audit results as of July 1, but
there are only one or two releases so far.

The government’s decision made earlier obliged all those companies
whose revenue or assets exceed AMD 1 billion to undergo international
audit starting from 2012. ($1 – AMD 411.76). —0—–

– See more at:

From: A. Papazian

DASHNAK MEMBER ACCUSES PM OF SPREADING ‘DIRTY GOSSIP’

POLITICS | 10.07.13 | 15:09

A senior member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF,
Dashnaktsutyun) has accused Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan of openly
declaring a war on the party and spreading ‘dirty gossip’ through
the media as part of this warfare.

In an interview with RFE/RL’s Armenian Service on Wednesday ARF Bureau
representative Hrant Margaryan claimed to have verified information
about Sargsyan speaking about declaring the war on Dashnaktsutyun
“within his own circles”.

The ARF representative may have referred to media publications
suggesting that there is a discontent within the party and attempts
were being made to remove Margaryan from the Bureau position.

Margaryan acknowledged that there were certain issues within the party,
in particular, in connection with the results shown by the ARF in
the elections, but those issues, he said, have already been solved
and there is no problem anymore today. He claimed that such a ‘war’
against the ARF could have been the result of the party’s criticism
of the prime minister’s ‘failed economic policies’.

According to the same source, the prime minister’s spokesman denied
the claims made by the Dashnak representative.

From: A. Papazian

MOLDOVAN OMBUDSWOMAN IN HOT WATER OVER CONTROVERSIAL STATEMENTS IN ARMENIA

KARABAKH | 09.07.13 | 09:31

Photo:

Igor Korman

Igor Korman, the speaker of the Moldovan parliament, has accused
ombudswoman Aurelia Grigoriu of damaging the country’s reputation by
delivering a controversial speech in the Armenian National Assembly
last week as part of an international conference held in Yerevan.

Enlarge Photo Aurelia Grigoriu

Grigoriu, one of the delegates attending the conference on European
standards for the rule of law that was organized by the Council
of Europe in the Armenian capital on July 4-5, accused Armenia of
continuing the ‘occupation of 20 percent of Azerbaijan’s territory’
and of having committed a ‘genocide’ against the Azerbaijani people
during the 1992-1994 war in Nagorno-Karabakh as she made her speech
from the tribune.

The statements drew an angry response from both the Armenian hosts of
the event and many international delegates attending it. Grigoriu’s
assurances that she was not explicitly serving the interests of
Azerbaijan did not convince most of the observers as the Moldovan
jurist’s ties with the oil-rich nation could easily be tracked via
online social networking sites.

Meanwhile, media in Azerbaijan gave a new dimension to the story by
claiming Grigoriu was pressured in Yerevan because of her comments
– something that the Armenian side has vehemently denied, blaming
Azerbaijan for fueling another anti-Armenian hysteria.

Anyway, after the conference in Yerevan the Moldovan ombudswoman
safely returned to Chisinau where she is facing backlash this time
from her colleagues in parliament.

According to the Moldovan news website publika.md, Grigoriu risks
losing the support of members of the country’s parliament as Speaker
Korman said that she is to testify before the parliamentary human
rights commission over her behavior in Armenia.

“This was a serious mistake. This shouldn’t have happened,” said the
top Moldovan legislator.

Meanwhile, the Armenian Diaspora in Moldova demands that Grigoriu
resign before her parliamentary mandate formally expires in three
months’ time.

From: A. Papazian

CHESS: ARMENIAN PLAYERS SUCCESSFUL AT DIFFERENT INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENTS

CHESS | 09.07.13 | 11:42

Armenian grandmaster Avetik Grigoryan scored 6.5 points out of 9
and shared 1st-4th places together with GMs Igor Kurnosov (Russia),
Zahar Efimenko and Mikhailo Oleksienko (Ukraine) at the open held in
Abu Dhabi, UAE.

WGM Lilit Galojan’s result at the same tournament was 3.5 points,
report Armchess.am.

Meanwhile, Armenian IM Mikael Agopov representing Finland scored 7
points out of 9 to share 1st-2nd places with IM Vladislav Kovalev
(Belarus) at Ilmar Raud Memorial that was held in Viljandi, Estonia.

By the tie-break Agopov took the second prize.

GM Varuzhan Akopian (USA) was among seven other participants leading
at the World Open held in Arlington, USA, before the last round of
the competition.

GMs Karen Grigoryan and Hovik Hayrapetyan, and Karen Movsziszian are
also among leaders at the continuing chess tournaments in Spanish
Barcelona and Benasque, respectively, the same source reports.

From: A. Papazian