Author: Ara Felekian

New tensions erupt over Karabakh, 3 soldiers killed

Ara Felekian
Al-Mayadeen
Aug 3 2022
  • By Al Mayadeen English 
  • Source: Agencies
  • 3 Aug 21:16 
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Azerbaijani military captures several heights in Karabakh, and the Russian MoD accuses Azerbaijan of breaching the ceasefire in Karabakh.

New tensions erupted over Nagorno-Karabakh on Wednesday as three soldiers were killed and Azerbaijan said it had taken control of several strategic heights in the disputed region.

Armenia and Azerbaijan fought two conflicts over Azerbaijan’s Armenian-populated area of Nagorno-Karabakh, one in 2020 and one in the 1990s.

Six weeks of violence in the autumn of 2020 claimed over 6,500 lives and ended with a ceasefire accord sponsored by Russia.

Russia sent 2,000 peacekeepers to monitor the truce, but tensions remain despite a ceasefire deal.

The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry claimed on Wednesday that Karabakh troops attacked Azerbaijani army posts in the district of Lachin, which is overseen by the Russian peacekeeping force, killing an Azerbaijani conscript.

Read next: Armenia to withdraw its soldiers from Nagorno-Karabakh by September

According to Baku’s Foreign Ministry, the “bloody episode” indicated that Armenia violated the ceasefire agreement.

“All responsibility for the incident in Azerbaijan lies with the military and political leadership of Armenia, which has not yet withdrawn its illegal armed formations from the territory of the neighboring state,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The army of the breakaway statelet accused Azerbaijan of breaking a ceasefire and murdering two troops while injuring 14 others.

Karabakh declared a “partial mobilization”, the army said in a statement, adding that the situation was “relatively stable” Wednesday evening.

“Measures are being taken together with Russian peacekeepers to stabilize the situation,” the Karabakh army said.

The Azerbaijani troops took multiple heights in Nagorno-Karabakh on Wednesday, according to the Defense Ministry’s press office.

The Ministry claims that Armenian forces engaged in sabotage against the Azerbaijani military, in breach of trilateral agreements signed by Baku, Yerevan, and Moscow.

“As a result of the response operation carried out by the units of the Azerbaijan military, several heights in Karabakh were taken under control,” the office said.

On its part, the Russian Defense Ministry stated in a report on the activities of Russian peacekeepers in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone that the Azerbaijani Armed Forces violated the ceasefire in the region of the height of Sarybaba.

“The situation in the zone of responsibility of the contingent is aggravated. In the area of the height of Sarybaba, the ceasefire regime was breached by the armed forces of Azerbaijan. The command of the Russian peacekeeping contingent, together with representatives of the Azerbaijani and Armenian sides, is taking measures to stabilize the situation,” the Ministry said.

Beglaryan: International institutions again maintain artificial parity between Azerbaijani and Armenian sides

Ara Felekian
NEWS.am
Armenia – Aug 5 2022
21:00, 05.08.2022

International institutions and leaders again support the artificial parity between the Azerbaijani and Armenian sides in their recent statements, given that the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry and Russian peacekeepers have recorded violations by Azerbaijan, Artsakh State Minister Artak Beglaryan wrote.

“Such parity introduces a false legitimization of the use of force,” Beglaryan wrote in his Telegram channel.

Central Bank of Armenia: exchange rates and prices of precious metals – 05-08-22

Ara Felekian

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 17:13, 5 August 2022

YEREVAN, 5 AUGUST, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 5 August, USD exchange rate up by 0.19 drams to 406.14 drams. EUR exchange rate up by 1.98 drams to 415.64 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate down by 0.02 drams to 6.71 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 1.23 drams to 493.05 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price up by 297.38 drams to 23284.50 drams. Silver price up by 4.62 drams to 264.61 drams. Platinum price stood at 16414.1 drams.

Arrested Vanadzor election winner hospitalized, lawyer says

Ara Felekian
Panorama
Armenia –

Mamikon Aslanyan, who won a second term in the Vanadzor municipal elections in December 2021 and was arrested shortly afterwards, has been taken to a civilian hospital after feeling sick, lawyer Arsen Babayan, a senior member of the opposition Homeland Party, said on Telegram on Wednesday.

“I was told a short while ago that elected Vanadzor Mayor and political prisoner Mamikon Aslanyan was being moved from the Vardashen Penitentiary to a civilian hospital,” he wrote.

“Mamikon Aslanyan’s health condition deteriorated dramatically,” he said.

Aslanyan was arrested on 15 December on charges of abuse of office and fraud. The law enforcement authorities claim that he illegally privatized municipal land during his tenure as Vanadzor mayor from 2016 to 2021.

An opposition bloc led by Aslanyan won the local election with around 39% of the vote. The ruling Civil Contract party finished second with 25%.

Glendale International Film Festival Returns In-Person in September

Ara Felekian

 

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2022 Glendale International Film Festival flyer

Glendale Arts Producing and Presenting the 8th Edition of GIFF As Part of Film Week Glendale

GLENDALE—Following a one-year hiatus, the Glendale International Film Festival has returned under the management of Glendale Arts. From Thursday, September 29 to Thursday, October 6, GIFF audiences will convene in person for Film Week Glendale—eight days of screenings, special events, Q&A sessions, and panel discussions; a film, screenplay, and student competition and awards ceremony; and networking opportunities with industry professionals.  

Now in its eighth year, the Glendale International Film Festival is a celebration of the cinematic arts – spotlighting the powerful medium of film, the creative artists who make them, and the moviegoing experience. GIFF Board President Justin Smith is pleased that the festival will continue following founder Velvet Rhodes’ passing in 2020 and expand its reach under Glendale Arts.

“It’s been a long road getting to this point from 2020 when we lost Velvet and hosted the festival in a virtual format. We’re thrilled that GIFF is returning in person this year and for Glendale Arts, our long-time non-profit partner, to take the reins on the festival. We’re looking forward to bringing filmmakers and filmgoers together and welcoming past and new members of the growing GIFF community,” Smith stated.

The Glendale International Film Festival, which has been ranked in the Top 100 Best Reviewed Festivals in the World on submission platform FilmFreeway, is based in Glendale, CA, the fourth largest city in Los Angeles County (population: 200,000) and home to a robust business and creative sector. This year’s growing list of GIFF sponsors include Kiwanis of Glendale, Athens Services, City National Bank, Laemmle Theatres, Glendale Community College, Kilter, and Simple DCP.

The Glendale Arts producing team, CEO Nina Crowe and COO Maria Sahakian, shared their excitement about helming the City’s premier film event, stating: “The Glendale International Film Festival has tremendous value for both the local economy and the creative artists who live in, work in, and do business in Glendale and surrounding cities. We’re leveraging Glendale Arts’ extensive history of producing and managing large-scale productions to design a dynamic festival centered around building connections and collaboration among filmmakers, audiences, and our community.”

GIFF sponsorship opportunities are currently available through Glendale Arts. Sponsorship packages range from $250 to $10,000, include a host of marketing and event access benefits, and are customizable to suit each sponsor’s goals. Contact Glendale Arts CEO Nina Crowe at [email protected] or 818-243-2611 to become a GIFF sponsor.

Mark your calendars to attend GIFF from September 29-October 6, 2022. Screenings will take place at Laemmle Glendale and Glendale Community College. The full event and programming lineup, ticket on-sale details, and additional information will be announced in August 2022 on the website and on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter at @GlendaleIFF.  

For more information about the Glendale International Film Festival, contact Glendale Arts COO Maria Sahakian at [email protected] or 818-243-2611.

Launched in 2014 by actress, writer, producer, director Velvet Rhodes, the Glendale International Film Festival (GIFF) is dedicated to spotlighting emerging and established independent films and filmmakers from around the world. Find out more by visiting the website or @GlendaleIFF on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Glendale Arts is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization whose mission is to generate opportunities throughout greater Los Angeles to showcase, promote, encourage, and engage with the arts. Find out more at GlendaleArts.org or @GlendaleArtsCA on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Armenia: Audition Process to Select Junior Eurovision 2022 Entrant

Ara Felekian
EuroVoix News
July 13 2022

AMPTV, the Armenian national broadcaster, has confirmed that they will use an audition process to select their Junior Eurovision 2022 entrant.

The Armenian selection for Junior Eurovision 2022 will consist of two audition rounds. In the first round, applicants need to submit a live cover of two different songs. In the second round, a jury will select a winner from those artists who passed the first round. After the winner is selected, the entry with which they will represent Armenia on home ground in Yerevan will be composed for them.

Anyone who wishes to participate in the selection can submit their application between now and August 1. Applicants must be aged between 9 and 14 years old on December 11 2022 and must be Armenian citizens/residents or of Armenian descent. For duos and groups, only one application needs to be filled in per act.

Maléna represented Armenia at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2021 with “Qami Qami”. She won the contest with 224 points, giving Armenia their second Junior Eurovision victory. As a result, the 2022 contest will take place in Yerevan.

The Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2022 will take place in Armenia, following the country’s victory at the 2021 contest in Paris. This is the second time Armenia has won the contest, the first being in 2010. To date, the following countries have confirmed participation or expressed their interest:

  • Armenia
  • Bulgaria
  • France
  • Georgia – Mariam Bigvava
  • Ireland
  • Italy
  • Malta
  • Netherlands
  • North Macedonia – Lara Trpčeska and Irina Davidovska
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Spain

Image source: EBU / Andres Putting | Source: AMPTV

Armenia debuted in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest in 2007, and have had 14 entries to date. The country is one of the most successful in the history of the contest, placing in the top 3 on 7 occasions, and winning twice in 2010 and 2021. Their first victory came from Vladimir Arzumanyan with his song “Mama”, which received 120 points. They won again in 2021 with “Qami Qami” by Maléna. Armenia went on to host the contest on home soil in Yerevan in 2011 and will host again in 2022. Their debut was almost as successful, as Arevik and their song “Erazanq” was just 1 point off the winning score.

Estonian PM resigns to form new government

Ara Felekian

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 12:55,

YEREVAN, JULY 15, ARMENPRESS. Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas resigned in order to form a new government coalition.

“I will form a new government. According to the constitution, I just announced that the current government will resign”, Kaja Kallas tweeted. “I’ve proposed to convene extraordinary parliament sitting on Friday, where I’ll ask for a mandate for the new government coalition”.

Following constitutional protocol, Kallas informed the Riigikogu of her wish to end the current government on Thursday morning and handed a resignation notice to President Alar Karis at Kadriorg Palace, ERR reports.

The prime minister and the remaining Reform Party ministers have all resigned from the government.

Karis has now nominated Kallas as prime ministerial candidate to form the next government.

We give the prodigal son the opportunity to return to parliament: authorities changed their minds about depriving opposition MPsof their mandates

Ara Felekian
ARMINFO
Armenia –
Naira Badalian

ArmInfo. The ruling “Civil Contract”  faction of the Armenian Parliament changed its mind to apply to the Constitutional Court on the issue of depriving  opposition MPs of their mandates. Deputy Speaker of the Parliament  Ruben Rubinyan told journalists this on July 14 following the meeting  of the NA Council.

Earlier it was reported that Speaker of the Armenian Parliament Alen  Simonyan initiated the process of depriving the mandates of 33 MPs of  the “Hayastan” and “I have the Honor” opposition parliamentary  factions on the basis of their absence at more than half of the  meetings of the last session of the National Assembly of the Republic  of Armenia.  According to Rubinyan, the Council decided to postpone  the discussion of the issue for a week due to the absence of  opposition representatives at the meeting. However, this is of a  technical nature, and today it has already been decided not to  address the issue to the CC, .  “We respect  the voice of the voters. We hope that the citizens who voted for  theseMPs will draw conclusions,” he explained. The decision not to  apply to the Constitutional Court is also due to the desire to  maintain political stability and solidarity in the country.  The  representative of the ruling power emphasized that the issue of  deprivation of mandates was automatically included in the agenda of  the Council, because the number of disrespectful absences exceeded  the allowed.

In response to the journalists’ remark that the opposition has always  stated that it will come to parliament only with its own agenda,  namely, the demand for the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol  Pashinyan, the vice speaker said that if they do not present in  parliament in the fall, the issue of applying to the CC on the basis  of missed meetings is updated again. 

PM Pashinyan, EU Special Representative refer to steps aimed at peace and stability in South Caucasus

Ara Felekian

 

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 19:50,

YEREVAN, JULY 13, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan received Toivo Klaar, the EU’s Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the Crisis in Georgia. The Head of the EU Delegation to Armenia, Ambassador Andrea Wiktorin was also present at the meeting, ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Prime Minster.

The Prime Minister highly appreciated the efforts of the President of the European Council Charles Michel aimed at strengthening mutual understanding and stability in the region.

At the meeting, reference was made to the processes taking place in the South Caucasus region, the situation around Nagorno Karabakh, the steps aimed at ensuring peace and stability. In particular, the sides exchanged thoughts on the results of the trilateral meetings held in Sochi with the mediation of the President of the Russian Federation and the President of the European Council in Brussels and the implementation of the agreements.

The consistent attention of the international community towards the protection of the Armenian cultural heritage in the territories that have passed under the control of Azerbaijan was highlighted, in particular, the provision of the access of the UNESCO mission and international humanitarian organizations to the NK conflict zone, considering the steps already taken towards the destruction of a number of Armenian monuments.

The interlocutors also referred to the Armenian-Turkish normalization process.

Artsakh FM: Faith, patriotism and professionalism among effective tools to fight eternal enemies

Ara Felekian
Panorama
Armenia –

The Armenian people are a great people, and every great people has great virtues and great vices, Artsakh’s Foreign Minister David Babayan says.

“There is a well-known _expression_ in foreign policy, “there are no permanent friends and permanent enemies, there are permanent interests.” Nevertheless, there are permanent enemies. These are such concepts as the degradation of values, selfishness, greed, lack of patriotism and contempt for it as well as for national values, etc.,” he wrote on Facebook on Wednesday.

“All the great representatives of the Armenian people have been thinking about getting rid of these vices throughout our history. First of all, you need to analyze their thoughts. Faith, patriotism and professionalism are among the effective mechanisms for fighting these eternal enemies. These values must be inculcated from birth, maintained at the highest state level.

“This is both easy and difficult, but a society where patriotism and professionalism are not fundamental value components is doomed. Naturally, it is necessary to always feel the fine line and avoid obscurantism in every possible way, and this requires a harmonious synthesis of healthy traditionalism and healthy progressivism,” the minister said.