Armenia PM publicizes promised fact about Constitutional Court president

News.am, Armenia
Jan 26 2020

17:18, 26.01.2020
                  

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has publicized the promised fact about president Hrayr Tovmasyan of the Constitutional Court (CC) of Armenia.

“This is Hrayr Tovmasyan’s pen. I’d been thinking about whether or not throwing it to the garbage bin for a long time,” he wrote, in particular, on Facebook. “In the end, I decided to keep, as a testimony of the most bizarre buttering-up, flattery I’ve ever seen.

After being elected Prime Minister, I met with Hrayr Tovmasyan for the first time at the meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Hayastan All Armenian Fund convened in May2018. He was sitting next to me.

It seemed strange to me, Mr. Tovmasyan’s obviously flattering attitude towards me—a man as a result of whose actions his longtime political team had been crushed just days earlier.

Then I had to make a note, I couldn’t find my pen, (…) he suggested this ‘elite’ pen of his.

I made my notes, gave a talk, and my attempts to return the pen to him became a story.

In short, this pen remained with me as a ‘pledge of faithfulness.’

Anyway, then the petitions for a reception by me started. I didn’t accept.

Then July 5 [Constitution Day anniversary] was drawing near. ‘Message-requests’ began for me to participate in the reception to be held at the CC that day.

I refused, moreover, several times because I understood that the person occupying the CC wanted achieve legitimacy in this way.

Then we met in the Christmas [church] liturgy in 2019. He began buttering up to [my wife] Anna [Hakobyan] that, ‘I thank you for giving my daughter scholarship.’

Then, the person whom he referenced recently came to me several times to report that ‘Hrayr says, ‘I wrote this Constitution. Why doesn’t the Prime Minister use my capabilities?’

In response, I suggested to him to go somewhere far, far away.”

7 hrs ·

This is Hrayr Tovmasyan’s pen. For a long time I thought about whether to throw it in the garbage or not.

In the end, I decided to keep it as a testament to the strangest cuddling I’ve ever seen.

After being elected Prime Minister, I met Hrayr Tovmasyan for the first time in 2018. at the meeting of the Board of Trustees of Hayastan All-Armenian Fund held in May. He was sitting next to me.

I found Mr. Tovmasyan’s apparently flattering behavior towards me, a man whose long-time political team had been crushed by his actions just days before, to be strange to me.

He used to address me exclusively as “Dear Mr. Pashinyan”, “Dear Prime Minister”. Those “gentlemen” are still scratching my ears. By the way, during the entire history of our contact, he did not address me in any other way. exclusively with “jan”.

Then he suddenly remembered and considered it important to emphasize that he is Ijevan’s son-in-law.

Then I had to make a note, I couldn’t find my pen, I don’t remember, I wanted him to notice that I was looking for a pen and offered him this “elite” pen.

I made my notes, gave a speech and my attempts to return the pen to him became history. It is your pen, please take it, what will happen, etc. It was already becoming an awkward story in front of the cameras.

In short, this pen has remained with me as a “faithful stalwart”. Now I think, when I picked up the pen back then, my subconscious was working to have an “objective fact” today.

Anyway, then applications for admission started coming to me. I did not accept.

Then July 5th approached. “message-requests” started for me to participate in the reception to be held at the CC that day.

I refused, several times, because I understood that the person occupying the CC wants to gain legitimacy that way.

Then we met in 2019. at the Christmas Mass. He started teasing Anna, thank you for giving my daughter a scholarship. When I saw that the level of flattery was going too far, I said that they didn’t know who it was. Although, it turned out, they really did not know (I should also say that knowing or not knowing would not matter for the decision: it is a matter of clear criteria).

Then several times the person to whom he had referred recently came to report to me that Hrayr says that I wrote this Constitution, why the prime minister does not use my opportunities.

In response, I offered him to go somewhere far away.



Armenpress: MPs of Armenia and Artsakh hold minute’s silence to honor victims of Baku massacres

MPs of Armenia and Artsakh hold minute’s silence to honor victims of Baku massacres

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 11:27,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 18, ARMENPRESS. The joint special session on the 30th anniversary of Baku massacres held by the Inter-Parliamentary Committee on Cooperation between Republic of Armenia and Artsakh started with a minute’s silence, reports ARMENPRESS.

The Committee is co-chaired by Presidents of the National Assemblies of Armenia and Artsakh Ararat Mirzoyan and Ashot Ghoulian. 

Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan

We must not hope that time can change the genocide. Sasun Mikaelyan

From January 13 to 19, 1990, an Armenian pogrom was carried out with the knowledge of the Azerbaijani government. it was a continuation of the Genocide carried out by the Ottoman Empire at the beginning of the century, it was the same handwriting, the same way of working. At the joint special session of the inter-parliamentary commission on cooperation between the parliaments of Armenia and Artsakh in the National Assembly, which is dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the Baku pogroms, MP Sasun Mikayelyan of the “My step” faction announced.

He narrated several episodes from the Artsakh war, which he witnessed.

“When I was wounded and in the hospital, they brought a woman from Maragha, they tied her to the car, weighed her, her body was worn out, almost the bones remained. Thanks to the efforts of our doctors, the woman survived,” said Sasun Mikayelyan.

He added that not only the living but also the martyrs received such treatment.

“There were cases when prisoners were exchanged with the corpses of our victims, the corpses were mutilated to such an extent that it was simply impossible to distinguish them. We cannot forget those cruelties, the international courts should know about this, and civilized humanity should evaluate what happened and support the Armenian people who fought against genocides and terrorism. We have felt the cruelty of the genocide on our skin and we have the right to demand from the world not only condemnation, but also effective steps aimed at the complete elimination of the atrocities of the events,” stated Sasun Mikayelyan.

According to him, we should not hope that time can change the genocidals, the April war is a vivid proof of that.

“As long as the world cannot prevent the recurrence of genocide, we have to rely only on our own forces and always be ready to resolutely counter any manifestation of genocide against us, and the only guarantee for this is our unity,” he emphasized.

Asbarez: Ararat-Eskijian Museum to Present ‘The Promise: Contextualized’

“The Promise: Contextualized with Testimony.”

MISSION HILLS, Calif.–The Ararat-Eskijian Museum (AEM) and USC Shoah Foundation announced an upcoming presentation “The Promise: Contextualized with Testimony.” The event will take place on Sunday, November 10 at 4 p.m. at the Ararat-Eskijian Museum/Sheen Chapel 15105 Mission Hills Rd., Mission Hills.

This unique presentation invites the general public to watch key scenes from The Promise extended with audiovisual testimony of survivors and witnesses to the Armenian Genocide. Through an interactive guided viewing with Dr. Carla Garapedian and Sedda Antekelian, Education and Outreach Specialist, Armenian Genocide Education at USC Shoah Foundation, attendees will learn about significant details about the production of the film and how testimony extends the historical understanding of the Armenian Genocide beyond the film.

Dr. Carla Garapedian is the Associate Producer and Historical Consultant of The Promise, 2016. Garapedian is an accomplished and renowned filmmaker, award-winning director of the film “Screamers”, writer and broadcaster. Garapedian continues to produce film and documentaries, consults on diverse projects and programs and serves as an active advocate and researcher.

Sedda Antekelian is the Education and Outreach Specialist, Armenian Genocide education at USC Shoah Foundation. Antekelian develops testimony-based educational content for educators and students and leads educator training workshops on how to teach with testimony in the classroom. Antekelian has experience in the educational sphere for over eight years.
The presentation is open to the public and free of charge. For more information call the Ararat-Eskijian Museum at 747-500-7584 or e-mail [email protected].

$5 million to be invested in "Vanadzor Armenia” Health Resort

$5 million to be invested in “Vanadzor Armenia” Health Resort

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 16:26,

VANADZOR, OCTOBER 26, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan visited the “Vanadzor Armenia” Health Resort during his trip to Vanadzor on October 26 to tour the facility.

The PM visited the city on the occasion of Vanadzor Day. 

The owner of the resort, Sargis Amiryan, told the PM that 5,000,000 dollars will be invested within 10 years for a complete reconstruction of the facility, which includes 9 different buildings. 

Amiryan said the therapy section is currently functioning, and that the resort is the only one in the country offering peat therapy.

The first phase of the reconstruction is already completed and the resort is now offering new standard, deluxe and suite class hotel rooms.

After the completion of the renovation the hotel will be open in all seasons.

Photos by Gevorg Perkuperkyan

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan




Armenian Assembly of America Meets with Armenia High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs Zareh Sinanyan

Armenian Assembly of America Meets with Armenia High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs Zareh Sinanyan

LOS ANGELES, CA – On October 16, Armenian Assembly of America staff, Southern California Regional Council, and Los Angeles County Regional Committee members were pleased to meet and discuss priority matters and challenges in Armenia-Diaspora relations with Zareh Sinanyan, the Republic of Armenia’s High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs. The meeting was graciously hosted by Mayer Brown LLP and the firm’s attorney Arteen Mnayan, Esq. in its downtown Los Angeles office.
High Commissioner Sinanyan emphasized that a concerted effort for the repatriation of diaspora-based Armenians to Armenia is currently in its planning stage. The Armenian Assembly of America wholeheartedly supports Commissioner Sinanyan’s vision for repatriation to the motherland.
Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian issues. The Assembly is a non-partisan, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization. 



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Armenian Minister of Environment cannot guarantee 100% safety of Teghout Mine

Arminfo, Armenia
Oct 17 2019

ArmInfo.Minister of Environment of Armenia Erik  Grigoryan does not have enough information to give a final answer to the question whether the Teghout  mine is insured  against situations similar to what happened today with the Zangezur  Copper-Molybdenum Plant. He stated this in an interview with  reporters on October 17 after a government meeting.

At the same time, the Minister admitted that he was acquainted with  the conclusions of international experts on the problematic nature of  the tailing damps of Teghut CJSC. As Grigoryan pointed out, the  information was transferred to the appropriate structures.

To recall, the Teghout Mine ceased operation in January 2018. At  first, the company that operated it stated that the reason was the  need for ongoing repairs, and two months later, it stated that there  was a problem in the tailings pond and the interruption would be  long. Later it became known that VTB Bank confiscated at the mine and  mining plant because of about $ 400 million in debt outstanding by  “Vallex Group”.

In July this year the representative of the American consulting  company, David Hallman, stated that there is a risk of collapse in  the tailing dumps of the Teghout Mine and there is a risk if it is  exploited. Activists began demanding to stop the mine development.

Nevertheless, the current management Teghout company, which is  subordinate to VTB Bank, restarted the mining and processing plant in  mid-July and claims that there are no problems in the tailing dump.  On the day of the restart, Lori Region Governor Andrey Ghukasyan and  Teghut CEO Karen Ghazaryan stated that they had suspicions that  “false rumors” about the danger of the collapse of the tailing dump  were being deliberately disseminated.

 Meanwhile, in a statement issued the day before, the Vallex Group  noted that in October-November 2017, three internationally recognized  organizations investigated the tailings damp, and concluded that  “urgent measures should be taken to strengthen the tailings damp and  ensure safety”, otherwise case “operation of the plant will lead to a  real threat of collapse of the dam.” On August 15, those in charge of  Teghout CJSC reported that an agreement was signed with a Bulgarian  company to carry out the necessary research on the tailing damp. The  company said that work will begin in the first days of September,  with the arrival of Bulgarian specialists.  The entire process of  engineering-geological and hydrogeological examinations and  initiation of a study of the sustainability of the tailings dam will  be under their direct control, and the results will be ready within  7-8 months.  “The September 10 earthquake proved that the government  was right about the sustainability of the Teghout tailing damp,”  Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan wrote on his Facebook page. He  recalled that there were many allegations of the imminent destruction  of the tailing damp. However, according to the prime minister, if  these statements were true, then after the 4-magnitude earthquake  recorded in the territory of the mine, the tailing damp would have  collapsed. Pashinyan recalled that the management company was  required to conduct a detailed analysis of the situation, identify  the degree of risk and ensure long-term safety, only after which the  mine will be possible to operate.

Sports: AIBA Women’s World Championship: Armenia’s Grigoryan to face Turkey’s Cakiroglu

MediaMax, Armenia
Oct 7 2019
AIBA Women’s World Championship: Armenia’s Grigoryan to face Turkey’s Cakiroglu

Armenia sent three-strong team to the tournament, but only U22 European champion Anush Grigoryan is still in the competition. She will face Busenaz Cakiroglu (Turkey) in 1/8 finals tomorrow.

Grigoryan beat Heaven Garcia (USA) 3-2 in the first fight in Ulan-Ude.

Two other Armenian athletes, Anahit Haroyan (54kg) and Ani Hovsepyan (69) have left the competition.