Author: Babajanian Karo

CHIEF OF ARMENIAN ARMED FORCES GENERAL STAFF ATTENDS ANNUAL NATO STRATEGIC MILITARY PARTNER CONFERENCE

Friday 20 June 2014 16:42
Photo: PanArmenian Photo

Yuri Khachaturov

Yerevan /Mediamax/. The delegation headed by Chief of the General
Staff of the Armed Forces of Armenia, Colonel General Yuri Khachaturov
took part in the annual NATO strategic military partner conference
held in Bulgarian capital – Sofia – under the command of the North
Atlantic Alliance.

The conference under “NATO and Partners” theme was chaired by Strategic
Allied Commander Transformation, General Jean-Paul Palomeros (French
air forces) is aimed at discussing issues related to strengthening
cooperation between NATO and partner nations and exchanging opinions
on seeking joint solutions to the newly emerged challenges the
international security faces.

CORRUPTION: SOLUTIONS AND THE DIASPORA’S ROLE

Jirair Tutunjian, Toronto, 1 June 2014

Close to 200 people attended Armenian Renaissance’s day-long
“Corruption in Armenia: Solutions and the role of the Diaspora”
symposium at Toronto’s Westin Prince Hotel on May 31, 2014. The
gathering comprised of speakers from Armenia and from the Diaspora.

Dr. Zareh Ouzounian, founding member of the Toronto chapter of Armenian
Renaissance (AR), opened the gathering and outlined the aims of the
gathering and specifically the objectives of the speakers–human
rights, governance, and corruption in Armenia.

Dr. Ouzounian described how, despite many difficulties, the Diaspora
has kept the Armenian cultural heritage alive, and aided the fatherland
during emergencies such as the earthquake. He then focused on the
“catastrophic” depopulation of Armenia and concerns rising from that
dismal trend. Aiding Armenian coalitions of forward-thinking groups
and individuals to bring about positive change in Armenia is a key
mission of the AR, he said and repeated his group’s role to inform,
engage, and act.

Dr. Berge Minassian, another founding member of the Toronto chapter
of the AR, talked about the challenge AR and Armenians in general face
in putting an end to corruption in the fatherland. He then introduced
famed film director Atom Egoyan who screened the world premier of his
personal short feature (“The Illuminator) about Armenia and Armenians.

Bronwen Best of Transparency International spoke in lieu of Varuzhan
Hokanyan who didn’t attend because he couldn’t obtain a visa from
Armenia. Ms. Best said corruption undermines a government, results
in the misallocation of assets, harms the private sector and hurts
the poor.

She said corruption in Armenia is systematic and covers many levels
of the government and society. Corruption is rooted in a sense of
entitlement, authoritarian style of decision making in business and
in politics, in lack of political will and absence of autonomy on the
part of the police, the judiciary and other public servants. Loopholes
in legislation are other shortcomings which contribute to corruption.

Finally, the web of patronage and the networks of monopoly lead to an
informal government which actually makes decisions in Armenia. Armenia
is in 94th place on the international corruption index. Australia,
with the least corruption, is number one. Canada is in ninth place.

Human rights defender Dr. Artak Zeynalyan, a former deputy minister
of health in Armenia, tackled the subject of the independence of
judges as a means to fight systematic corruption. He argued that
anti-corruption institutions and agencies will not be able to counter
systematic corruption as long as the resources of the people are
significantly lesser than the resources of the corruptors.

Policy Forum Armenia (PFA) founding member Vladimir Shekoyan of
Washington presented the latest corruption findings of his group.

Titled “State of the Nation Report on Corruption in Armenia”, the
survey offers the concrete costs of corruption at macroeconomic,
business and household levels.

During her 50 trips to Armenia to provide medicine and medical
relief to Armenia and to Artsakh, Dr. Carolann Najarian of Boston has
witnessed a great deal of corruption. Indeed, her and her husband’s
property in Armenia was stolen by local criminals. She talked about
the difficulties in obtaining fair and unbiased trial to regain title
to their property and to prosecute the wrongdoers.

Dr. Najarian described corruption as “the use of encrusted power for
personal or private gain.” She then cited that sometimes parents in
Armenia can’t even obtain birth certificates for their newborn unless
they paid a bribe.

Kamo Mailyan of Toronto, study co-coordinator of “Depopulation
in Armenia” survey, focused also on corruption and the inefficient
judicial system, lack of government accountability and the high level
of poverty in Armenia. Citing a 20% decline in Armenia’s population
in the past two decades, Mr. Mailyan said the most important factor
influencing depopulation is lack of hope.

The final speaker was Garegin Chugaszyan, a founding member and
coordinator of Pre-Parliament democratic and progressive organization
in Armenia. His speech was titled “Is There a Road Map from Deadlock?”

He described Armenia as a post-Soviet colonial society and a
dictatorship. He said that because of the current dismal situation
in Armenia there’s “real fear that we might lose the last Armenian
presence in the last portion of Armenia.”

During the Q &A, which was moderated by Dr. Dikran Abrahamian of
Keghart.com, Mr. Chugaszyan said that while Armenia can’t ignore
the importance of Russia (supplier of gas at discounted prices), it
doesn’t mean Armenia should be dictated by Moscow. He stressed that
the post-Soviet young generation is the nation’s hope for progressive
change. Mr. Chugaszyan added that dictatorship makes pre-Parliament
a necessity. He also said that the primary assistance Armenia needs
from the Diaspora are in the educational and economic fields.

When Mr. Chugaszyan was then asked by an attendee, during Q & A,
whether pre-Parliament members considered the perils involved in
their anti-corruption activism, Mr. Chugaszyan said: “If you enter
the forest, you must be prepared to encounter wolves.”

PARTIES IN TERRITORY OF CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL MONUMENTS IN ARMENIA TO BE PROHIBITED – PREMIER

YEREVAN, June 20. /ARKA/. Armenian Prime Minister Hovik Harutyunyan
told journalists today that the government will prohibit any party
on Armenia’s historical and cultural sites.

In recent days, media sources reported about a party held in the
territory of Zvartnots historic sanctuary for partners of Russia’s
Troika Dialog and a cultural event the Central Bank of Armenia
organized in Garni museum as part of the eighth annual session of
the European Fund for Southeast Europe (EFSE) in Armenia.

“I discussed the matter with the culture minister and demanded to
take appropriate steps and to punish persons responsible for that,”
Abrahamyan said. “I demanded to prevent things prompting public anger
in the future.”

Today Culture Minister Hasmik Poghosyan reprimanded severely Vladimir
Poghosyan, the director of the agency for protection of historical
monuments, and fired Vartan Grigoryan, chief of a unit of Zvartnots.

As for the second event that has been held in Garni by the central
bank, the regulator has explained that it was an official reception
organized jointly with the EFSE which was mistakably confused by media
sources with a party and that the organizers of the event ensured
compliance with all the requirements put forward by the historical
environment protection agency. –0—–

– See more at:

AZERBAIJAN OPENS FIRE ON ARMENIAN BORDER VILLAGE OF AYGEPAR (VIDEO)

Friday,
June
20

Yesterday the Azerbaijani side opened fire at frontline positions of
the Armenian armed forces in the northeastern direction of the Line
of Contact. Border villages of Armenia’s Tavush province also came
under gunfire in the evening.

The administrator of Aygepar village Andranik Aydinyan told Aysor.am
that shots were fired at the village from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm.

“Gunfire stopped after our servicemen replied,” the village
administrator said, noting that shots were fired mostly from
large-caliber weapons.

“There was also a shooting a few days ago. Bullets hit a five-story
building. Children were playing in the yard at that time,” Aydinyan
said.

The Azerbaijani mass media reported today that there were wounded
persons after the Armenian side opened fire at the Azerbaijani village
of Alibeyli.

We want to stress that our side returned the fire – in response to
the shots fired at children, not our servicemen.

The video was filmed in April 2014. It shows the fire-story house
mentioned by Aygepar village administrator.

PENSION LAW CONTROVERSY: AMENDMENTS TO REFORM PACKAGE STIR MORE DEBATE

Society | 20.06.14 | 15:21

By Gayane Lazarian
ArmeniaNow reporter

Discussions of amendments to the controversial law on funded pensions
in parliament were taking place under “extraordinary” conditions this
week. The opposition chose the tactics of scuttling the proceedings
by trying to “kill” the quorum, and it managed to do so on several
occasions. Still, the parliament majority on Friday looked set to
have the amendments passed in the ballot.

By the amendments the government is trying to solve various problems
brought forth both by the Constitutional Court and by the public.

Henceforth, instead of the pension fund there will be a social payment
which is a mandatory payment made to the state budget.

Minister of Social Affairs Artem Asatryan stated that the rate of the
social payment is suggested to be five percent. It will be mandatory
for public sector employees, and the private sector will have an
opportunity to voluntarily participate in the system till 2017 (the
compulsory norm may be introduced for them from July 1, 2017). He gave
assurances that state sector employees will not suffer financially
because from July of this year their salaries will be increased.

Starting from July 1 the government raises the average salaries of
200,000 state employees: in the healthcare sector for 21 percent,
in the field of education – 13.9 percent, in the field of culture
– 29.6 percent, in the field of social protection – 21.6 percent,
in the field of state administration – 47 percent, in the field of
civil service – 68 percent.

“And in this case considering that salaries rise and the consumption or
owned income is untouched, it is suggested including state employees
in the first stage. For those born after January 1, 1974 it is
suggested participating in the system voluntarily for three years,”
Asatryan said.

Opposition Armenian National Congress (ANC) faction head Levon
Zurabyan said that the bill is anti-constitutional because there
appears discrimination between those born before and after 1974.

“With this new package the government creates discrimination also
between state and private sector employees, as well as for those born
in 1996 because the social payment will be applied to them as well,”
Zurabyan said.

Parallel to parliamentary discussions a few dozens of young activists
from Dem.am civic campaign gathered in front of the parliament entrance
on Demirchyan street, expressing their discontent against the new
bill suggested by the government, stating that thus the pension fund
turns into a taxation system.

Arsen Manukyan, a member of Dem.am, said that the mandatory component
of the pension reform applies only to state employees, but it is not
clear why a component, considered anti-constitutional, must apply
even to state employees.

The campaign members condemn the working ethic of the new government
– developing a new bill without discussions, without public opinion,
without considering the employees’ will.

A member of the campaign, Gevorg Gorgisyan, mentions that the
government did not consider their suggestions, whilst the prime
minister had promised to listen to their suggestions.

“Our suggestion was that participation in the system must be
exceptionally voluntary. Any member of the system may withdraw
from it at any time, applying the system must not mandatorily add
the financial burden of the employer and/or the employee. This new
bill is again anti-constitutional. If it is accepted and ratified,
our eight-month fight and the public will be ignored,” he said.

Dem.am members urged the public, especially those in the state sector,
to stand up and demand from the Parliament not to approve the bill.

ARMENIA AUTHORITIES WILL NOT FULFILL “PARLIAMENTARY FOUR’S” 12 DEMANDS – NATIONAL SECURITY PARTY

June 20, 2014 | 15:12

YEREVAN. – The Armenian halls of power will never fulfill the
twelve-point demands of the four non-ruling National Assembly factions.

National Security Party (NSP) Chairman, former presidential adviser
Garnik Isagulyan stated the above-said at a press conference on Friday.

Isagulyan predicted that as a result, major domestic political
developments will take place in Armenia in September.

In his view, to achieve victory, the “parliamentary four” needs to
work actively this summer.

“It is very important that the [political] parties inform about
the twelve-point demands to the body politic and also include their
signatures under this document,” the NSP leader said.

In addition, Garnik Isagulyan called upon President Serzh Sargsyan
to transform and travel around Armenia’s villages without bodyguards,
to see how people actually live and what they think about the country.

On June 10, the four non-ruling National Assembly factions (Armenian
National Congress, Prosperous Armenia, ARF Dashnaktsutyun, and
Heritage) issued their twelve-point demands from the authorities.

These demands specifically refer to the mandatory funded pension plan,
the restart of the operations of capital city Yerevan’s Nairit chemical
rubber plant, a revision of the fines for traffic violations, passing
to 100-percent proportional parliamentary elections, and the refusal of
any international integration that will undermine the Armenia-Karabakh
single economic space.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

ARMENIAN CITIZENS EMPLOYED ABROAD TO GET MINIMUM PENSION ONLY – MINISTER OF LABOR

YEREVAN, June 20. /ARKA/. Armenian citizens who are employed abroad
and will not work in Armenia by the retirement age, will be entitled
to a minimum pension only, Armenian minister of labour and social
affairs Artem Asatryan said in the parliament.

The minister said any citizen of Armenia getting his first employment
in the country before the age of 40 will be included on the pension
scheme, but found it difficult to answer how pension will be paid
based on earnings in another country.

Asatryan said the government set a target to ensure a pension above
poverty level.

At its sitting on Tuesday the government approved the amendments to
the country’s pension law and related bills required by the ruling
of the constitutional court, the government press office says.

The bill package rules out possible reductions in wages after the
pension system comes into force. The amendments proposed to enforce
the compulsory funded pension system in the public sector as from July
1 and to introduce the scheme in the private sector on a voluntary
basis within a three-year period.

The compulsory fees paid under the law as from January 1 2014, are
not relevant anymore. A social fee of 5% is to be paid to the budget
instead. A maximum of 25,000 in social fee is proposed for wages
above 500,000 drams.

On January 24, Armenia’s Constitutional Court suspended some provisions
of the new, controversial law that aims to reform the country’s pension
system to launch a detailed inquiry into the constitutionality of
the law.

The highest court of the country suspended Article 76 of the new
law, which provides for penalties for failed or delayed pension tax
payments, and the third paragraph of Article 86, which obligates
employed citizens to choose a pension fund, among other parts of
the law.

On April 2, the Constitutional Court of Armenia found some provisions
of the new pension law contradicting to the Constitution and voided
them instructing the government to make changes here.

The National Assembly passed amendments to the law suspending
enforcement of the compulsory component of the new pension scheme. It
means compulsory component was transformed into voluntary.–0—

– See more at:

Prime Minister of Nagorno Karabakh opened renovated hospital in Chartar

17:00, 21 June, 2014

STEPANAKERT, JUNE 21, ARMENPRESS. The Prime Minister of the Republic
of Artsakh Ara Harutyunyan conducted a visit to Martuni region Chartar
village to take part in the opening ceremony of the renovated district
hospital. As “Armenpress” was informed from the Department of
Information and Public Relations of the Government of the
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, the Prime Minister was accompanied by the
Minister of Health Harutyun Kushkyan and Artsakh Diocese Archbishop
Pargev Martirosyan.

The Prime Minister got familiar with the conditions of the reopened
hospital and expressed satisfaction with level of the work done. He
welcomed the initiatives of the donors and assured that the Government
was ready to support their programs.
The co-financiers of the program Vladimir Avagyan and Hamlet
Hambartsumyan stressed the importance of the hospital with
comfortable conditions and appropriate equipment for the health care
of the population of such a large village. They said they would
continue to contribute to the development of Chartar.

A Pro-Russian Country Is Turning Anti-Russian

Lragir.am
Politics – Saturday, 21 June 2014, 15:45

Political scientist Igor Muradyan was hosted by Vremya show on the
General Television of Odessa, Ukraine. In his interview he indicated
the link between Maidan and the developments in the entire post-Soviet
space. Maidan did the impossible – it returned hope that we will
return to the riverbed of the Eastern Europe policy. At some point the
West gave up on its policy in this part of the world which enabled
Russia’s total expansion. There is hope now that this policy will
change, Igor Muradyan said.

Describing the situation in Ukraine, He said it has chosen an
independent way which is neither pro-Russian, nor pro-European. This
is also reassuring, he notes.

Speaking of the Armenian developments, Igor Muradyan reminded that
Armenia conducted a pro-European policy for three years but Russia has
put forth conditions that changed everything. It has pushed us into
international isolation, which does not allow full cooperation with
NATO and development of the strategic potential. The second factor is
supply of weapons worth billions of dollars to Azerbaijan. “Can Russia
go on to state that it is the guarantor of Armenia’s security,”
Muradyan says.

Being an absolutely pro-Russian country, we increasingly become a
fundamentally anti-Russian country, Igor Muradyan said, speaking about
the consequences of the policy conducted in Armenia.

– See more at:

David Babayan: Sarsang water reservoir could become starting point for
relations of Baku and Stepanakert

by Ashot Safaryan
Saturday, June 21, 14:09

Exploitation of the Sarsang water reservoir is gradually occurring on
agenda of relations of NKR and Azerbaijan, Artsakh President’s
Spokesperson David Babayan told ArmInfo when commenting on the
upcoming discussion of the issue at PACE. According to him, if Baku
showed willingness to start a constructive dialogue, Sargsang’s issue
could become a starting point for the relations of Baku and
Stepanakert.

“Unfortunately, Baku keeps politicizing the issue and refuses to start
a constructive dialogue and cooperation. Azerbaijan prefers using the
issue for propaganda purposes,” Babayan said.

Earlier, a member of the Armenian Parliamentary Delegation to PACE
Naira Zohrabyan said Sargsyan’s issue will be discussed at the PACE
Session on 23-27 June. The reason of the upcoming discussion was
Azerbaijan’s misreports that the NKR authorities allegedly close the
water reservoir leaving Azerbaijan’s lands without water. Zohrabyan
said she will make Armenia’s suggestions on how to resolve the problem
at the PACE session.