ARMENIAN FAMILY BECAME HOMELESS BECAUSE OF TURKISH DRIVER
news.am
February 16, 2012 | 12:10
TBILISI. – An Armenian family, the Muradyans, is left homeless in
Georgian Akhaltsikhe region because of a Turkish driver.
The Turkish trailer crashed and completely destroyed the house,
Georgia Online reports.
The family demands that the Turkish driver should rebuild the house,
while the driver claims he crashed it because of icy road in Georgia.
An investigation is underway.
ARMENIANS IN AUSTRALIA TO COMMEMORATE SUMGAIT VICTIMS
news.am
February 15, 2012 | 00:51
SYDNEY. – The Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC Australia)
will honor the memory of the Sumgait Massacre victims during a
commemorative evening scheduled for March 16.
Member of the New South Wales Legislative Council Hon. Walt Secord
will participate in the commemoration marking the 24th anniversary of
the tragic massacre as well as excerpts from the documentary Karabakh
Wounds will be shown, the ANC Australia website reports.
“It is important that we remember the massacre and bring greater
awareness to Nagorno-Karabakh’s right to self-determination,” ANC
Australia Executive Director Varant Meguerditchian said.
NKR MFA: BAKU TRIES TO DISTRACT ATTENTION FROM ARMENIAN MASSACRE IN SUMGAIT
PanARMENIAN.Net
February 15, 2012 – 10:27 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net – Khojalu population became hostage of Baku
authorities’ dirty tricks who turned this tragedy into speculative
political capital, the Foreign Ministry of Nagorno Karabakh
Republic said, commenting on the discussion of Khojalu issue in OSCE
Parliamentary Assembly.
“Baku is trying to present the betrayal of Khojalu population by
Azerbaijan’s authorities as the Armenians’ revenge for the bloody
carnage in Sumgait. Meanwhile, the propaganda is carried out with
obvious insinuation and escalation of ethnic intolerance and enmity
towards Armenians. Regularly playing on Khojalu, the official Baku
is trying to distract the attention of the international community
from the massacre of Armenians in Sumgait, Baku, Kirovabad, Khanlar
and other Azerbaijani settlements the whole territory of which saw
in fact barefaced extermination of Armenians. The same happened also
in frontier regions of Karabakh, in particular, in the village of
Maragha where intervention of Azerbaijan’s regular army perpetrated a
bloody massacre of about 100 locals in April 1992,” says the statement
disseminated by the press service of NKR Foreign Ministry.
Earlier, representative of Azerbaijan in OSCE PA voiced Azerbaijani
delegation’s readiness to raise the issue of the alleged “Khojalu
massacre” during Assembly’s winter session.
ARMENIANS INVEST IN GREAT BRITAIN FOR CITIZENSHIP
Story from Lragir.am News:
Published: 10:40:39 – 15/02/2012
The Haykakan Zhamanak Daily reported that the number of foreign
millionaires who receive citizenship in exchange for an investment
of at least one million pounds in Great Britain has increased in the
past 8 years.
According to the British Telegraph, 320 millionaires have arrived in
Great Britain since 2008. 30% of these people are citizens of Armenia,
Azerbaijan, Ukraine and Kazakhstan. People, through an investment of
at least one million pounds, are granted the right to residence for
5 years and citizenship in two years. Those who invest 10 million
pounds are granted citizenship 2 years after the investment.
ARTAK NAZARYAN’S FAMILY BOYCOTTS TRIAL AFTER JUDGE APPROVES WITNESS’ REQUEST
epress.am
02.15.2012
Tsovinar Nazaryan, sister of rifle platoon commander Artak Nazaryan,
who died on Jul. 27, 2010, her representative Ruben Martirosyan and
attorney Mushegh Shushanyan on Tuesday participated in the trial
held in Idjevan; however, after the judge’s ruling they boycotted
the session and left the courtroom.
Judge Samvel Mardanyan said he received a notice in writing from an
important witness in the case, Arman Mnatsakanyan, saying that the
latter cannot attend the court sessions as he is ill. The witness
also asked that the court accept his previous testimony. This news
was conveyed to Epress.am by Arman Veziryan, a representative of the
Yerevan-based Helsinki Association for Human Rights, which is closely
following the case.
Recall, the attorney representing Artak’s family, Mushegh Shushanyan,
last month had predicted such a scenario would occur. The witness
not being examined in court reinforces the victim’s family and its
representatives’ belief that he is being pressured and intimidated by
power-wielding officials. It’s important to note, in the early days
of the trial, Mnatsakanyan was consistently escorted to the courtroom
first by military police (when he was still in the service) and then
by civilian police (after he completed his mandatory two-year service).
In court on Feb. 14, Shushanyan said that if the judge makes public the
witness’ pre-trial testimony then the victim party won’t participate
in the trial.
“The court is not a notary office, that it doesn’t examine the witness
and publishes its pre-trial testimony. This already proves that the
judge confirms the incriminatory inference,” he said.
The judge, nevertheless, granted the witness’ request, to which the
victim party left the courtroom.
The prosecution was opposed to the court session continuing without
the other party, but the judge continued the trial.
Note as well, Hrant Gevorgyan, attorney to Hakob Manukyan, late
last year motioned for the Judge Samvel Mardanyan to withdraw on the
grounds that he is not impartial, as well as the fact that he moved
the court sessions from Yerevan to Ijevan, to which all parties were
opposed. However, the judge overruled the motion.
Earlier, Tsovinar Nazaryan had informed Epress.am that at court on
Dec. 14, 2011, Mnatsakanyan said it was the investigator who wrote
his pre-trial testimony, but he (Mnatsakanyan) dictated what to write.
“Despite this, the witness was unable to explain several words used in
his [written] testimony, and instead of his left forearm [as written]
he pointed to his back. Several times the witness insisted that the
murder took place not on Jul. 27, as noted in the official version, but
one day before – on the 26th. He also argued that before the murder,
battalion commander Misha Gabrielyan got up to the base – the same
man who the investigation insisted was on vacation during the entire
time… The witness also said that after the incident, he was taken to
the military police station in the city of Berd and kept there for 23
days. Mnatsakanyan’s testimonies [in court] contradicted one another,
as well as to his pre-trial testimony,” said the victim’s party,
believing that the witness is being pressured by the authorities.
Note, the defense ministry claims that Artak’s death was a suicide;
however, an autopsy and physical examination of the body conducted
later revealed traces of violence on his face and body, inflicted
upon the platoon commander 6 hours before his death.
UN PARTI DE LA COALITION BLOQUE UN PROJET DE LOI DU GOUVERNEMENT ARMENIEN
Stephane
armenews.com
mercredi 15 fevrier 2012
L’homme d’affaires Gagik Tsarukian a fait grimper la speculation d’une
discorde avec la coalition au pouvoir car les deputes du parti Armenie
Prospère (BHK) ont bloque un projet de loi du gouvernement fortement
soutenu par leurs collègues soutenant le President Serge Sarkissian.
Le projet de loi comprenait un paquet d’amendements a plusieurs lois
economiques. Le plus important d’entre eux interdisait les transactions
en cash excedant 3 millions de drams (7770 $). Le gouvernement armenien
dit que la mesure ameliorerait l’administration fiscale et rendrait
la fraude fiscale plus difficile.
Les membres de la faction parlementaire du BHK n’ont pas participe
au vote des amendements proposes ce qui fait aue le quorum n’etait
pas atteint et que le vote etait nul et non avenu.
Le projet de loi n’a pas pû etre vote malgre que le president de
l’Assemblee nationale Samvel Nikoyan l’ai mis au vote une deuxième
fois. Seulement 56 deputes de l’assemblee sur 131 membres etaient
presents.
Samvel Nikoyan et d’autres membres du parti Republicain ont rapidement
attaquer le BHK pour ce fiasco parlementaire subi par le parti
presidentiel.
Le president de l’AN a dit que les adversaires du projet de loi ont
perdu le droit moral de ” parler de la perception des impôts, de la
justice et d’autres questions de la part des gens “. ” Chaque faction
a maintenant expose sa reelle position envers le combat contre la
corruption ” a dit Eduard Sharmazanov porte-parole en chef du HHK.
” Armenie Prospère n’est pas contre le projet de la loi. Nous le
considerons juste premature pour notre societe ” a precise Samvel
Balasanian resiste, l’autre vice-president affilie au BHK.
D’autres parlementaires du BHK ont rejete la critique du HHK. Mais ils
ont pretendu en meme temps que cela ne doit pas etre interprete comme
la nouvelle preuve de desaccords serieux entre Sarkissian et Tsarukian.
” Les tentatives de chercher des desaccords politiques entre nous et le
parti Republicain derrière ce projet de loi techniquement imparfait
sont sans fondements ” a dit l’un d’entre eux, Aram Safarian, au
service armenien de RFE/RL (Azatutyun.am).
JOHN HEFFERN EST SATISFAIT DU DEROULEMENT DES ELECTIONS LOCALES
Laetitia
armenews.com
mercredi 15 fevrier 2012
John Heffern, l’ambassadeur americain en Armenie, a exprime mardi sa
satisfaction concernant une election locale a Hrazdan. L’opposition
denoncait des methodes frauduleuses.
Heffern, qui a personnellement observe le vote dans la ville
armenienne, a declare que cette election presageait une bonne conduite
pour les elections legislatives prevues en mai.
” C’etait très excitant de voir une forte concurrence politique, et
c’etait passionnant de voir a Hrazdan qu’il y avait deux candidats
forts “, a-t-il declare aux journalistes.” Ce fut une campagne
âprement disputee et les resultats etaient serres. Il y a une reelle
concurrence politique et je pense que c’est essentiel pour les
prochaines elections. ”
” Les deux parties ont confirme que les procedures electorales ont ete
suivies d’une manière transparente et ordonnee “, a declare Heffern.
Aram Danielian a remporte les elections, arrivant legèrement devant
son unique challenger, Sassoun Mikaelian du Congrès National Armenien
(HAK). Mikaelian a affirme que le resultat des elections a ete
essentiellement decidee par l’achat de voix lors de la campagne
de Danielyan.
Le HAK a fait echo a ces allegations dans un communique publie lundi
soir. Il a declare que les commissions electorales contrôlees par le
gouvernement a Hrazdan egalement ont bafoue une disposition du Code
electoral. Le HAK a declare que les elections locales qui ont eu lieu
dimanche 12 fevrier a Hrazdan et dans 38 autres collectivites locales
devraient etre annulee pour ce seul motif.
Cependant, le gouverneur de la province de Kotayk, dont Hrazdan est
le chef-lieu, a affirme que le scrutin etait libre et equitable.
Kovalenko Shahgaldian a affirme que c’est la raison pour laquelle
Mikaelian n’a pas conteste les resultats officiels de la Commission
electorale centrale a Erevan ou dans les tribunaux.
Heffern a exhorte les autorites armeniennes a enqueter sur toutes
les allegations de fraude signalees par les medias. ” J’ai vu dans
la presse et j’ai entendu certains parler de certaines violations.
J’espère que nous apprendrons bientôt la verite. ” Le diplomate a
egalement rappele que les Etats-Unis feront ” tout ce qu’ils peuvent
pour contribuer a la liberte et a l’equite des elections legislatives
en Armenie. La communaute internationale est très interessee par
la democratie de l’Armenie. Nous travaillons avec la Commission
electorale centrale, les partis, la societe civile et la presse pour
faire permettre le bon deroulement de ces elections “, a-t-il dit.
Le Departement d’Etat americain a critique les dernières elections
parlementaires et presidentielles armeniennes, les qualifiant de ”
sensiblement erronees “.Eric Rubin, un sous-secretaire adjoint de
l’Etat americain, a declare en novembre que le gouvernement armenien
est serieux au sujet de son engagement pour les prochaines elections
presidentielles.
WORLD BANK APPROVES $11 MILLION CREDIT FOR ARMENIA
news.am
February 15, 2012 | 16:53
The World Bank has approved a $11 million credit, the Third Additional
Financing for the Social Investment Fund III Project for Armenia.
The Additional Financing will further assist the Government of
Armenia in its efforts to improve the living standards of the poor
and vulnerable groups by expanding labor-intensive infrastructure
projects in response to critical needs of the local communities.
Total financing of the Additional Financing is US$ 14.6 million,
of which the Government of Armenia will finance US$2.9 million and
US$0.7 million will be provided by beneficiary communities.
The Project focuses on ~Sinfrastructure gaps~T through renovation
and rehabilitation of secondary and special schools, kindergartens,
gymnasiums and playgrounds, primary health clinics, potable water
pipelines and sanitation systems, community-cultural and social
service centers, minor irrigation schemes throughout Armenia, World
Bank~Rs website says.
~SThe proposed project will directly benefit 50 rural communities.
While this creates much-needed jobs in the current environment, the
success of the program will also depend on how well local communities
are able to sustain these new investments,~T said Asad Alam, World
Bank Regional Director for the South Caucasus.
So far, under ASIF III, 233 community infrastructure micro-projects
have been completed and another 27 are under implementation.
MARCHES TO RAISE AWARENESS ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HELD IN GLENDALE, BURBANK
PanARMENIAN.Net
February 15, 2012 – 16:30 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net – Nearly 60 volunteers marched the streets of Glendale
and Burbank to raise awareness and gain support for a new domestic
violence help center that they hope will make inroads with Armenian
families.
Volunteers met in front of St. Peter Armenian Apostolic Church in
Glendale and walked to St. Leon Armenian Apostolic Church in Burbank,
marching under the slogan “Violence Hurts, Love Conquers.”
Fr. Vazken Movsesian of St. Peter Armenian Apostolic Church in
Glendale formed the domestic violence task force under the auspices
of His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, primate of the Western
Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America.
“Nobody has a right to hurt a human being,” Movsesian said. “You don’t
have a right to hurt your wife and your children. In these cases, I
don’t look at statistics because if we have one case, that’s too many.”
The purpose of the domestic violence task force is to create a resource
center where victims can get help and support, or be taken to a safe
place. The center, with a central office at the Western Diocese in
Burbank, will probably open this fall, organizers said.
The walk ended in Burbank St. Leon Armenian Cathedral, where Derderian
conducted the blessing ceremony of volunteers, Glendale News-Press
reported.
NA MEDAL OF HONOUR TO FRANTIÅ¡EK MIKLOÅ¡KO
14.02.2012
On February 14 the RA NA Speaker Samvel Nikoyan awarded František
Mikloško, first Speaker of the National Council of Slovakia, NA
Medal of Honour.
In his word, Mr Nikoyan has reminded those present that on November
30, 2004 the National Council of the Republic of Slovakia adopted a
Resolution on Recognition of the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey
in 1915, proving with it that the crime aimed at the annihilation
and forced deprivation of Motherland of a whole nation has not time
limitation, and the justice, thought with difficulty, paves its way,
as there are political figures, countries and international structures
fighting for it and accepting its inevitability. Mr Mikloško presented
that proposal as a deputy in the parliament.
“About a year ago in the National Assembly of Armenia we hosted one
more political figure, Pavol Hrušovský , former Speaker of the
National Council of Slovakia, a fervent supporter of the Resolution
condemning the Armenian Genocide from the Slovakian Parliament. Today
our guest are you, honourable Mr Mikloško, and in the name of you we
see dignified sons of the friendly Slovak people, figures classifying
beyond political interests the fairness and truth and simply honest
people, who are not indifferent towards the destiny of the peoples
of the same faith and gravest crime perpetrated against human,”
the NA Speaker noted.
In Samvel Nikoyan’s word, today the civilized world gradually gets
convinced that the crime, even not condemning the people’s genocide,
can give birth or become an occasion for new ones, if the criminal
feels himself free and without punishment. According to the NA Speaker,
the Slovak counterparts with their adopted Resolution are among the
people, who are sure that today’s Turkey is not only responsible for
the crime, but they should knock at Europe’s door cleansed and also
later with the sincere guarantee of abstaining from crimes.
“Dear Mr MikloÅ¡ko, I am glad that you are also among them with
your all-human way of thinking, observing the truth as priority and
considering it above everything. All this once again proved that as
European observer, taking part in the elections held in the sovereign
Republic of Nagorno Karabakh, which had paved the way of justice with
its own efforts, not hearing the extortions of some people conditioned
by political interest and Azerbaijan’s threats,” the NA Speaker said.
Thanking Samvel Nikoyan for high award František Mikloško expressed
his warm liking towards the Armenian people, which, being the first
nation adopting Christianity as a state religion, has the right to be
proud of both by its built history and cultural heritage. According
to Mr MikloÅ¡ko, it’s a miracle that the Armenian people subjected to
the Genocide in Ottoman Turkey, today outliving continues to build its
independent statehood, and the whole Slovakia thinks like that. He
is convinced that the European community should review its pages of
the 20th century. In Mr MikloÅ¡ko’s word, in the last century three
anti-human realities have taken place: the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman
Turkey, communist dictatorship and the establishment of fascism in
Germany. In Slovak figure’s opinion, Europe should realize that the
precedent of all this was the Armenian’s Genocide perpetrated just
by Turkey.
According to Mr Mikloško, Europe should also adopt a decent position
in the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh problem, as a nation lives
here, which is inflexible to stand for its country, history, Christian
and democratic values.