Author: Babajanian Karo

VARTAN OSKANIAN, IF ELECTED, IS GOING TO ATTRACT FOREIGN INVESTMENTS AND GRANTS FOR DEVELOPMENT OF YEREVAN’S ECONOMY

ARMINFO
Monday, April 29, 19:18

The mayor of Yerevan should personally tackle the problems of ordinary
citizens. It is necessary to change the philosophy of municipal
governance, Vartan Oskanian, MP from the Prosperous Armenia Party,
candidate for mayor of Yerevan, said at today’s press conference.

He said that the goals of ordinary residents of Yerevan differ from
those of the city authorities. “During our numerous meeting with the
residents of Yerevan, I have repeatedly seen how simple and at the
same time how acute their problems are. They are simple because they
can be solved in no time by means of the funds of the Municipality;
and they are acute because they have been unresolved for many years.

The mayor should be aware of all the affairs concerning the capital”,
said Oskanian. He pointed out that, if elected, he is going to attract
foreign investments and grants for development of Yerevan’s economy,
using all the foreign contacts he established when he was the foreign
minister of Armenia.

Oskanian believes that one of such important goals is to improve the
living conditions of the simple residents of Yerevan. “The mayor of
Yerevan should organize an open day for the residents once a week at
least to listen to them and give a solution to their urgent problems.

The mayor should take public transport at least twice or thrice a
week to see what is going on in the transport sphere”, he stressed.

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT MEMBER: ARTSAKH – LIGHTHOUSE OF FREEDOM FOUNDED ON BLOOD AND VICTIMS OF WAR

ARMINFO
Monday, April 29, 17:12

Artsakh – lighthouse of freedom founded on blood and victims of the
war, said Head of the European Parliament’s EU-Armenia Parliamentary
Friendship Group, Dr. Eleni Theocharous, at the Nagorno Karabakh
Republic National Assembly, the NKR NA press-service told ArmInfo.

Earlier, members of the group visited NKR.

The Greek parliamentarian said that she was in Artsakh 25 years ago
and now she is back to NKR as a member of the European Parliament and
addresses the brave people of Artsakh at their Parliament. She said hat
Artsakh is a prospering democracy and a country where people believe
in freedom. People fulfilled their duties of self-determination and
freedom and they have managed to create a system of values based on
the principles existing in the western civilization, she said. The
parliamentarian said that as members of the European parliament they
should work to prevent repetition of the history and preserve Artsakh
free and proud.

A member of the French Parliament Valerie Boyer, in turn, said
that Artsakh is based on the principles of freedom, democracy and
self-determination, and the world should see how those principles
are displayed in the NKR public.

“We must work together at the political, social, and cultural levels to
help Artsakh and the people of Artsakh achieve justice and recognition
they deserve,” she said.

MOSCOW WON’T PRESSURE ARMENIA IN KARABAKH SETTLEMENT, EXPERT SAYS

April 29, 2013 – 17:57 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The situation with Karabakh conflict will remain
the same as it had been since 1994 unless neither of the sides chooses
to use force to prove itself right, a Russian political scientist said.

Adzhar Kurtov sees no forthcoming change in the political dialogue.

However, he said, a war is always unpredictable it being hard to
calculate which of the sides will take the upper hand.

“Moscow, adhering to its policy line, won’t pressure Yerevan on
Karabakh issue. The conflicting sides are the ones responsible for
finding a solution to the issue,” the expert said.

“Russia, however is far from being pleased over Baku’s recent actions
– here belong Gabala Station, Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline and others,”
he noted.

“However, it would be unfortunate if in solving Karabakh issue, NATO
used the same tools it did for Kosovo “settlement”,” Vesti.az quoted
the expert as saying.

BAREV YEREVAN ALLIANCE CLAIMS POWER WAS CUT AT YESTERDAY’S PUBLIC MEETING

15:10, April 29, 2013

The Barev Yerevan alliance issued a statement claiming that its
campaign rally yesterday in Yerevan’s Kanaker-Zeytoun district was
hindered when electrical wires were cut and later, when power was
completely cut to the building in which voters had assembled.

The alliance also says that when its members attempted to search for
alternate power sources, staffers of the Republican Party headquarters
approached and incited a tussle, forcing the police to intervene.

PAP TO BE COUNTERBALANCE TO RULING FORCE IN CASE OF VICTORY – VARTAN OSKANIAN

14:22 ~U 29.04.13

Prosperous Armenia party MP Vartan Oskanian refereed in his Facebook
post to the upcoming Yerevan City Council election.

He said May 5 election will be resolute and fatal and if people want
serious changes they should start from May 5. “The May 5 election is
important and decisive election. If we want essential positive changes
in our lives we should start from May 5. The other opportunity for
making changes will be in four-five years during parliamentary or
presidential elections. Will Yerevan and the country manage to stay
in such stagnation for the upcoming 4-5 years? With its economic
opportunities, constitutional authorities of the mayor and City
Council, Yerevan may be a role maker and not an implementer.

Figuratively saying, Yerevan mayor is the capital’s PM and may
conduct independent economic policy, create jobs, attract foreign
investments and irrespective of government’s wish solve the issues
of its residents,” he wrote.

Oskanian said in case of taking the wheel of the capital the
Prosperous Armenia party will be a counterbalance to the ruling
force and government’s competitor from which he said the country,
the capital will benefit.

“By trusting the capital’s management to the PAP you will launch the
process of curing of political atmosphere, establishment of competition
and counterbalance, which will put the country in the right path of
democratic developments,” he wrote, stressing that it is for people
to decide how the country will develop in the near future.

Armenian News – Tert.am

HOW MANY MORE “DOGS” ARE LEFT IN POLICE?

On Sunday the chief of police of Armenia Vladimir Gasparyan dismissed
a police officer nicknamed Dog who had used violence against the
reporter of the Hetq. On the eve the deputy chief of police of Nor
Nork community of Yerevan was dismissed because he did not prevent
violence against another reporter.

A few weeks ago the chief of police of Yerevan Nerses Nazaryan was
dismissed for his coalescence with business. Besides, the press
reported that Nerses Nazaryan headed a financial pyramid dealing
with racketeering.

Interestingly, the chief of police Sashik Afyan’s name featured in
the same context, while his son working at the police of Kotayk region
has been dismissed recently.

The reshuffle followed the presidential election when the chief of
police Vladimir Gasparyan was able to put the revolution to sleep. By
the way, Nazaryan and Afyan allegedly provoked clashes on April 9.

The next development was the shooting incident in Gyumri involving
criminals in which regard the chief of police stated that criminal
culture and mores will not be had, and people will not go with
impunity.

Criminal systems are legitimate in the inaction of law and police.

Moreover, functions are redistributed upon mutual agreement, specific
areas pass under the control of criminal systems, instead they are
loyal to the police and act upon agreement, ranging from the criminal
situation to business.

This is typical of not only the police but also the army. The inertia
of the Soviet system continues when different spheres of life were
controlled by criminals-in-law, shadow businesses were ensured.

So far the police have followed this logic. Is Vladimir Gasparyan
translating words to actions? In order to bring into being his vows in
Gyumri he must “clean up” the police. And there are still so many more
“Dogs” in the police who must be removed. Saakashvili, for example,
fired all police and hired new people who did not have any commitments
to the former criminal groups in power.

In Armenia efforts are made to form a police state because the
government is unable to establish something more efficient. At some
point it may be positive because systems may find themselves in
a situation when they also need the national laws. The Armenian
government is currently in such a situation and lacks internal
legitimacy and cannot resolve any vital issue for itself or the state.

Haik Aramyan 14:02 29/04/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

WINNERS OF HAYAK AWARDS KNOWN

13:09 29.04.2013

The second annual “Hayak” Film Awards Ceremony was held at Aram
Khachatryan Hall on Sunday. The full list of the winners is provided
below.

Harutyun Khachatryan was honored with the best director award for
the documentary “Endless Return and Endless Escape.” Apologizing to
the jury, however, the prominent director bestowed the prize upon
Maria Sahakyan, a young director, whose film “It isn’t me” was later
awarded a prize in the Best Live Action nomination.

The best camera operator award went to Mkrtich Malkhasyan (It isn’t
me). His film, Garegin Nzhdeh, was also nominated for the award.

Tereza Varzhapetyan and Mikael Poghosyan received the best script
writer award for the film “If Only Everyone.”

Armen Ghazaryan was honored with the Best Painter award for
“Wandering.”

Vahagn Hayrapetyan was declared the Best Composer (“If Only Everyone”).

The winner in the Best Actress nomination was Mariam Davtyan (“Voice
of Silence”).

Zhenya Mkrtumyan was declared winner in the Best Supporting Actress
category (“If Only Everyone”).

Yevgeny Tsivagov was honored as the Best Actor for the film Garegin
Nzhdheh. Four actors had been nominated for this award.

The Best Supporting Actor prize went to Khoren Levonyan (Garegin
Nzhdeh).

Tamara Stepanyan’s “February 19” was honored with the Best Short
Film award.

Harutyun Khachatryan’s “Endless Return and Endless Escape” was further
awarded the Best Documentary prize.

Naira Muradyan’s Ballet was declared the Best Animation Film.

The Best Debut award went to Marine Zakaryan (Pheasant Hunter).

Russian Armenian film director Karen Shahnazarov’s White Tiger was
honored as the Best Foreign Film.

Special prizes were further awarded to the merited actors Armen
Jigarkhanyan and Nerses Hovhannisyan. The Cinema Development
Foundation granted its special prize to Arman Yeritsyan for the film
Donkeymentary. Vigen Chaldranyan was honored with the Ministry of
Culture’s special award for his “Voice of Silence”

ARMENIAN MP ADDRESSES DEADLY SHOOTOUTS IN GYUMRI

11:36 ~U 29.04.13

The headquarters of Martun Grigoryan, a Prosperous Armenia lawmaker
elected from Gyumri, has denied his possible involvement in the recent
shootout that saw one person dead and another injured.

In a statement issued after the deadly incident, the headquarters
dismisses Grigoryan’s complicity in the gun attack, saying that the MP
should be regarded more as a survivor rather than a perpetrator. It
further accuses the media for preferring “material interest” to the
objective truth.

Grigoryan himself also confirms that he is a survivor, saying that
Artyom Khachatryan, the man who was killed in the gun attack, was
the best friend of his team, while the injured, Harutyun Khachatryan,
was friend and relative.

The statement slams the Hraparak newspaper for “lashing out” against
the MP.

Chief of Police Vladimir Gasparyan, who recently visited the second
largest city, said parliament members periodically call him, asking
him to demand oral (instead of written) testimonies from those jailed
over the incident.

Hraparak said, in further comments, that Gasparyan’s hint was directed
at the Prosperous Armenia MP. But the subsequent statement denied
the fact.

“Let’s note at once that the parliament member is not Martun Grigoryan,
because he has not ever turned to or called the police chief or his
deputy on any occasion.

We too, have watched the Police chief’s well-known news conference
and cannot but agree to the allegation that the way a person lives
should pose no hindrance to others” reads the statement.

Addressing the conflict between Grigoryan and the former mayor of
Gyumri, Vardan Ghujasyan, the statement refers to the MP’s earlier
calls for avoiding hostility because of an election race that sees
both of them running for office as two different contenders.

“The man won’t put up with the idea that [others] filed their candidacy
against him in the 2008 mayoral election and won him in the 2012
National Assembly election, thus marking the start of his downfall
on the political arena. He cannot come to terms with the reality,
hence what is being done is comprehensible and visible,” the statement
says further, questioning whether a man inciting hostility would have
called for reconciliation between former and incumbent mayors.

Grigoryan’s office also dismisses the allegations about “vendetta”
and the reports about a joint business shared between Grigoryan and
the provincial prosecutor.

Armenian News – Tert.am

BELARUS TO HOST DAYS OF ARMENIAN CULTURE

12:33, 29 April, 2013

YEREVAN, APRIL 29, ARMENPRESS. Belarus will host the Days of the
Armenian Culture from 30 April to 5 May. As Armenpress was informed
by BelTA Telegraph Agency, the Days of Culture will open on 1 May
with a concert of the Honored Armenian State Dance Troupe Barekamutiun
directed by People’s Artist Norayr Mehrabyan. The gala night will take
place at the Belarusian State Philharmonic Society. Barekamutiun is
considered one of the best art groups in Armenia for the high skills,
diversity of genres and means of expression.

The program of the Days of Culture also includes the opening of
the Days of the Armenian Cinema and an exhibition by artist Arevik
Petrosyan on 2 May.

The Barekamutiun dance troupe will also perform in Mogilev on 3 May.

Mogilev is the Capital of Culture of Belarus and the CIS in 2013.

The Armenian delegation will be headed by Deputy Minister of Culture
of Armenia Artur Poghosyan

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VICTIMS COMMEMORATED IN GEORGIA

12:33, 29 April, 2013

YEREVAN, APRIL 29, ARMENPRESS. On the initiative and by the support
of the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia in Georgia and the Georgian
Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church, a row of events dedicated
to the 98th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide launched in Georgia
days before April 24. The Press, Information, and Public Relations
Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of
Armenia informed “Armenpress” that an exhibition titled “Armenian
Golgotha” launched on April 13. The exhibition was organized due to the
support of the Board of Trustees of “Armenia” centre, the Embassy of
the Republic of Armenia to Georgia, the Ministry of Diaspora of the
Republic of Armenia, The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, the Union
of Armenian Artists of Georgia, and Association of Young Artist
of Javakhk.

Writer-translator Givi Shahnazarov, Adviser to the President of
Georgia, Editor of “Georgia” newspaper Van Bayburtyan, filmmaker
Mikayel Grigoryan, and historian Enoch Tovmasyan introduced remarks
condemning the Armenian Genocide at the opening ceremony. The
exhibition will continue in April 30.

On the initiative of “The Armenian Community of Georgia” NGO a photo
exhibition dedicated to the Armenian Genocide launched in I.

Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University on April 25.