Author: Andres-Papazian

SAMAD SEYIDOV: I DEMAND THE PACE TO HOLD DISCUSSIONS ON NAGORNO KARABAKH

APA
Oct 1 2012
Azerbaijan

Baku. Fuad Goulubayli-APA. “One of the conditions was to find peaceful
solutions of Nagorno karabakh conflict, when Azerbaijan and Armenia
became member of the Councel of Europe. Despite we proposed discussions
a number of times since 2001, the problem was not discussed”, said
Samad Seyidov head of Azerbaijani Delegation at the plenary session
of PACE, APA’s correspondent at the PACE reports.

Samad Seyidov called the Council of Europe as “Democracy and Human
rights house” and stressed importance to discuss Armenian-Azerbaijani
Nagorno Karabakh problem together.

Samad Seyidov noted importance to hold discussions on Nagorno Karabakh
conflict. “Your silence stimulates new violations and problems. I
demand PACE to hold discussions on Nagorno Karabakh conflict”, said
Samad Seyidov.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIA’S FORMER FM ACCUSES AUTHORITIES OF INTOLERANCE TOWARD POLITICAL RIVALS

news.am
October 01, 2012 | 16:17

YEREVAN. – The Civilitas Foundation founder, former FM, and currently
Prosperous Armenia Party MP Vartan Oskanian believes that the current
situation in connection with the charges made against him “remind the
year 1937. There is a man and a Criminal Code article, but there are
no facts.” Oskanian himself stated this while addressing the National
Assembly (NA).

To note, the NA is discussing on Monday the Prosecutor General’s
formal petition to include Vartan Oskanian as a defendant in a
criminal lawsuit.

“This is not even a storm in a glass of water; this is a storm
in a thimble. It turns out that there is money, but there are no
grievances,” Oskanian noted, and stressed that the accusations made
against him are simply insulting.

The MP added that his family never had a need for money and, as proof,
he recalled that he is the descendant of a wealthy Armenian family,
whose four generations conducted gold and diamond trade.

“I have never spent Armenia’s money. But, owing to me, many
organizations provided loans to Armenia. I don’t doubt that this is a
political directive [handed down] against me and Prosperous Armenia. I
worked as head of MFA for ten years. Do I deserve such treatment?”,
Vartan Oskanian concluded.

As Armenian News-NEWS.am informed earlier, on May 25 the National
Security Service (NSS) Department of Investigation filed a criminal
lawsuit on charges of money laundering with respect to The Civilitas
Foundation.

The NSS Press Center had informed that an investigation is underway
in connection with selling the 100-percent shares of the Huntsman
Building Products Company for around $2 million, but not informing
Armenia’s tax authorities about this business deal; not using for
charitable purposes $1,135,000 of that amount envisioned for charity;
transferring this amount to the bank accounts opened under the names
of the Civilitas Foundation’s founder Vartan Oskanian, and of the
Foundation’s Board of Trustees member Tigran Karapetyan; and using
some of this amount for private purposes.

In addition, as per the NSS Press Center, The Civilitas Foundation
had not presented a report on the $2 million allocated for charitable
purposes.

From: A. Papazian

AHARON ADIBEKYAN: ARMENIA NOT TO HAVE A NEW PRESIDENT

“Radiolur”
17:06 01.10.2012

Armenia will most probably not have a new President after the
forthcoming elections, Director of the “Sotsiometer” research center,
sociologist Aharon Adibekyan told reporters today.

According to him, incumbent President Serzh Sargsyan has the highest
chances to be reelected. This is what the results of surveys suggest.

“Of course, this is an interim poll, where only 60% of the respondents
support the authorities, and only 60% of them actively follow the
political developments today,” he said.

Others are waiting for the start of the election campaign, he added.

From: A. Papazian

FILMMAKER EGOYAN SHOCKED BY CHARGES AGAINST OSKANIAN

PanARMENIAN.Net
October 1, 2012 – 16:26 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Canada-based filmmaker Atom Egoyan, member of the
Civilitas Foundation Honorary Board issued a letter in support of
former Armenian Foreign Minister and Civilitas founder Vartan Oskanian
accused of money laundering.

“I have known Vartan Oskanian for many years, and believe that he is a
brilliant statesman, committed to Armenia’s prosperity and well-being.

He is a truly international presence, capable of creating important
bonds and bringing cherished ideas of democratic reform and free
media to a country that is still recovering from over seventy years
of Soviet-era control,” Egoyan said.

“With this in mind, I immediately accepted Mr. Oskanian’s invitation
to lend my name to the formation of Civilitas. I have watched as this
vital organization has helped shape the course of open discussion
and debate within a country I cherish and so proud of. This is why
I am so shocked and upset by the current charges that have been
brought against Mr. Oskanian. The persecution of Vartan Oskanian
is a deplorable and politically motivated action which is extremely
dangerous to the health of the country.”

“I urge the Prosecutor General of Armenia to seriously consider the
consequences of removing Vartan Oskanian’s immunity and to charge
him with this trumped-up charge. This action is being watched with
great concern by anyone who is concerned with freedom of expression
in a truly democratic and modern country,” he said.

From: A. Papazian

IF TIGRAN SARGSYAN, HOVIK ABRAHAMYAN, EDUARD NALBANDYAN AND ASHOTYAN SELL THEIR CARS…

2012-09-30 09:44:25

Facebook user David Hovhannisyan wrote on his page: “If Tigran
Sargsyan, Hovik Abrahamyan, Edik Nalbandyan and Armen Ashotyan sell
their cars and go to work by bicycles, disaster zone 50 families will
move to apartments from cabins… ”

From: A. Papazian

EITHER WE SHOULD GET RID OF THE PRESIDENT OR HE – FROM THE GOVERNMENT: HRANT BAGRATYAN

2012-09-29 13:44:15

No matter how hard RA Government brags, RA budget is less as compared
to that of Azerbaijan and Georgia, former PM, NA ANC parliamentary
faction MP Hrant Bagratyan told reporters today.

According to Bagratyan, we need to get rid of this Government:
“Either we should get rid of the President, or he should get rid of
the Government, as discontent is in the elite.”

Following Bagratyan’s conviction, Government presents other figures
to state agencies, and others at their debates.

Former PM touched upon the bill of changing minimum salary wage
suggested to the Government by him. “We ask, why don’t you agree with
72 thousand? We say raise the minimum wage, reduce the shadow one.

Government replies, that the shadow one will increase if we approach
the minimum to the average, employers won’t register their employees,”
ANC MP stated, adding that they don’t possess elementary knowledge on
Macroeconomics. “By raising salaries more benefit can be observed. I
can bring a range of examples, which succeeded due to approaching
minimum to average,” he said.

From: A. Papazian

IRANIAN CULTURE MINISTER: IRANIAN-ARMENIANS ENJOY PARTICULAR RESPECT IN SOCIETY

Panorama.am
01/10/2012

The Iranian people respect representatives of all religions;
Iranian-Armenians enjoy particular respect in society, Iranian Minister
of Culture and Islamic Guidance Seyyed Mohammad Hosseini announced
during his meeting with Armenian Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan
in Tehran, the state-run Iranian news agency IRNA reported.

Noting that three Armenian historical churches in Iran were included in
UNESCO’s World Heritage List, the Iranian Minister expressed the hope
that the Blue Mosque of Yerevan will also be included in that list.

Armenian Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan noted that the monument
of Armenian-Iranian friendship in Meghri testifies to warm and sincere
relations between Armenia and Iran.

The dialogue of religions helps nations, including Armenians and
Iranians, get to know each other’s cultures better, Hranush Hakobyan
said.

During her meeting with the Iranian Culture Minister, Hranush Hakobyan
offered to shoot a joint film on historical relations between Armenia
and Iran.

From: A. Papazian

NUMBER OF ARMENIA’S SENIOR CITIZENS TO DOUBLE BY 2050 – UN

NEWS.AM
October 01, 2012 | 13:03

YEREVAN. – Armenia is already an aging country in line with
international rankings, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
Armenia Assistant Representative Garik Hayrapetyan stated during a
press conference on Monday.

He added that the data on Armenia are very concerning, as the number
of Armenia’s senior citizens is expected to virtually double by 2050,
reaching 885,000 from today’s 469,000, the average age will rise
to 49.4, instead of today’s 32.6, and all this could place upon the
state’s shoulders a huge responsibility in terms of taking care of
the pensioners.

Likewise reflecting on this matter, Armenia’s Labor and Social Affairs
Deputy Minister Jemma Baghdasaryan noted that the Government recently
approved the 2012-2016 action plan to resolve the aging-related issues
in the country.

“In addition, we are attempting to find the shortfalls in this domain.

There are 14,000 single elderly in Armenia. They are being served and
taken care of. The polyclinics provide them free medical service, and
the question has been raised as to do the same in hospitals as well.

At present, there are three state-run and four private retirement
homes. Old-age-homes and shack-clubs are envisioned to be opened in
the regions,” the Deputy Minister noted.

She added that those who are 63 years of age or older are considered
seniors in Armenia, but many of them still wish to work, and, also,
numerous crafts are either being forgotten or solely the elderly
master them.

From: A. Papazian

CENTER TO PROMOTE ARMENIAN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS WILL BUILD HEATED GREENHOUSES ON 50 HECTARES

/ARKA/
1 October, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, October 1. / ARKA /. The Center for Promotion of Armenian
Agricultural Products said today it will build heated greenhouses
on a total area of 50 hectares near Noragavit community in a Yerevan
outskirt. The project, which is part of a broader program to develop
greenhouses, was earlier approved by the government. The construction
is expected to be over before 2015.

The program is designed for construction of greenhouses on the total
area of 500 hectares with involvement of private sector. The Center
for Promotion of Armenian Agricultural Products is now negotiating
with several foreign companies manufacturing greenhouses to introduce
their effective technologies here and loaning possibilities.

The company said Brice Richel, a senior official from French Richel
Group, a greenhouse producer, was in Armenia on September 25-26 at
the invitation of the Center for Promotion of Armenian Agricultural
Products and presented to investors the company’s greenhouses and
answered their questions concerning receiving loans from French banks.

The discussions resulted in an agreement on acquisition of RICHEL
GROUP’s greenhouses on loans to be issued by French banks at 5 percent
interest rate at French company COFACE’s guarantee.

Today there are about 1000 greenhouses in Armenia which occupy some
130 hectares. The majority are greenhouses on several hundreds square
meters. Several dozens of farmers are united in the Association of
Greenhouses.

From: A. Papazian

PACE TO DISCUSS OSKANYAN’S CASE

13:50 – 01.10.2012

“We demand the end to the political persecution of Vardan Oskanian”
social movement released a statement:

“Prosecutor’s petition, to recognize Oskanyan as defendant for “money
laundering” will be raised in PACE. MP Naira Zohrabyan announced
about this and tomorrow she will be leaving for PACE session. She
also announced that General Prosecutor’s petition has no legal base”.

From: A. Papazian