Author: Badalian Vardan

IS TIGRAN SARGSYAN ASHAMED?
Naira Hayrumyan

Lragir.am

Published: 12:49:25 – 17/02/2012

Prosecutors want Germany’s president Christian Wolff’s immunity lifted
in order to investigate the scandal relating to the loan he took.

Most probably, the German parliament will meet the request of the
prosecutors, following the resignation of the minister of defense who
“left” only because used the ideas of other authors in his thesis.

The Western scandals, no matter what they are related to, are based
on the simple human feeling of shame. Shame is the feeling that a
human being has after breaking a moral norm. And if the person is
incriminated of a crime, it should cause shame.

In Armenia, shame is not a political category, so scandals are
practically impossible here. The breaches of officials are bluntly
pointed out, they are accused of protectionism and theft but no
scandals follow because officials are not ashamed.

Yesterday, something sensational happened in Armenia. The minister of
energy stated that one of the major plants of Armenia, Nairit chemical
plant of Yerevan, became the property of a bank about which hardly
anyone had heard. Since last November, Harutiun Arakelyan, a citizen of
Armenia, has been publishing materials proving that the government and
Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan sent Nairit into bankruptcy on purpose,
some people gained a fortune by way of machinations involving the
plant and the plant is mortgaged in the Interstate bank and Armenia
may lose it.

The prime minister who was accused of an economic crime did not
even sue him for slander. Apparently, he did not want to appear in
court. A safer method has been chosen. The prime minister appealed
to the Prosecutor General’s office requesting to launch criminal
proceedings into the facts. The Prosecutor’s office somehow handed the
materials to the police which does not have a department of economic
crimes but Arakelyan was never invited there for an interrogation.

In fact, what Harutiun Arakelyan had been stating for months on was
yesterday confirmed by the minister. The plant was really passed
to the CIS Interstate Bank. But the issue brought up by the citizen
needs to be addressed.

There is no clear line separating “economic mistakes” and economic
crimes in Armenia. The absence of such definitions enabled the
authorities to state that the decision on the privatization of Nairit
was part of the policy but who can be insured from mistakes. The fact
that thousands of people suffered in the result of this policy is
not taken into account. The government reserves the right to commit
mistakes, at the same time depriving the others of this right.

But along with the legal side of the issue, there is also another
on the simple human shame. Democracy is built on public control of
the government which should be based on the ability of the society to
make those in power feel ashamed. If the authorities are not ashamed,
there will be no public control. Although there may also be the reverse
of this. The feeling of shame will come as soon as the society poses
claims to the government openly.

ZHOGHOVURD: BUSINESSWOMAN SILVA HAMBARDZUMYAN TO BID FOR PARLIAMENT

Tert.am
17.02.12

The paper says it has learned from sources that businesswoman Silva
Hambardzumyan is determined to join the parliamentary campaign
and is planning to propose her candidacy in one of the 41 majority
constituencies in Armenia.

Speaking to the paper, the businesswoman confirmed her plan to run for
election, but declined to say which constituency she will represent.

“Yes I am going to propose my candidacy, and will make a statement
one of these days to say in which constituency I will be nominated. I
am also going to join a political party, but I will not now say which
one. I will announce that at a news conference, ” the businesswoman
was quoted as telling the paper.

Citing its sources, the paper claims that the businesswoman is going
to join the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA).

ARMENIA DETERMINED TO CONTRIBUTE TO INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS AIMED AT ERADICATING THE ILLICIT DRUG PRODUCTION

armradio.am
17.02.2012 10:58

On February 16, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian
participated in the Third Ministerial Conference of the Paris Pact
Partners dedicated to the fight against opiates trafficking from
Afghanistan. The United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon and
the high-ranking delegations of about fifty countries attended the
conference and delivered speeches.

Speaking at the conference, Minister Nalbandian stated, in part:

“Although a decade has passed since the Paris Conference on Drug
Routes from Central Asia to Europe and international efforts in this
respect have increased, the risks posed by the illicit production of
opium in Afghanistan have not been reduced.

We have come together to express our support for the continuation,
further enhancement and broadening of the scope of this initiative,
to identify and recommend targeted interventions for mitigating the
trafficking and consumption of Afghan opiates, to enhance further the
coordination of technical assistance and cross reference of Paris
Pact activities with those of the UNODC Rainbow Strategy and other
related initiatives.

The successful implementation of the adopted strategic decisions cannot
be insured without coordinated action and support of other regional and
international organizations dealing with transnational crime, and most
importantly, the extensive bilateral cooperation between all countries
along the main trafficking routes. Regional initiatives and cooperation
in the fight against opium and heroin trafficking from Afghanistan
is gaining more importance as it allows to better synchronize the
efforts of different countries and amplify their efficiency and impact.

Since the launch of the Paris Pact Initiative, Armenia has fully
aligned itself with the priority goals set by the Paris Statement
and Moscow Declaration. We fully acknowledge the social and human
impact of illicit drug trade and drug abuse which increase the
human insecurity and create further impediments to the stable and
sustainable development.

While the cases of drug trafficking through Armenia are insignificant
in comparison to those countries on the main routes of Afghan opiate,
the Government of Armenia has adopted strategies and implemented
policies aimed at increasing its capacity to stop the illicit drugs
from crossing through the country. Despite the two decade-long blockade
of Armenia by its neighbors to the west and east, has at the same time
blocked the drug trafficking from those countries, the borders in the
north and south can still be attempted to be used by drug traffickers,
and Armenia has spared no effort to apply preventive measures against
it in cooperation with our partners.

The Armenian National Programme on Combating Drug Addiction and
Trafficking of Narcotic Drugs for 2009-2012 identifies all those
necessary measures to address the illegal trade and the consumption
aspects of the problem. Twice a year an assessment of the measures
undertaken under the Strategy is carried out and the results are
made public.

The fight against transnational crimes requires effective
international cooperation. As a member of the Collective Security
Treaty Organisation, Armenia actively participates in its anti-drug
operations. The multinational operation “Kanal” brings together not
only member states, but also representatives from around two dozens
of states and international organizations. As a result of these
operations carried out since 2003 several tons of drugs in the area
of CSTO member states have been confiscated. In 2008 this operation
was given the status of a standing regional antidrug operation.

In conclusion, I would like to reaffirm Armenia’s determination
to continue to bring its active contribution to the international
efforts, including the Paris Pact and other international initiatives,
which aim at reducing and eradicating the illicit drug production,
trade and trafficking.”

SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE IN STEPANAKERT DEDICATED TO THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF NKR PROCLAMATION

armradio.am
17.02.2012 13:31

An international scientific conference dedicated to the 20th
anniversary of proclamation of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic kicked
off in Stepanakert. The two-day event has brought together political
scientists, representatives of scientific and political structures
from Armenia and NKR, as well as experts from Great Britain, Greece
and the Netherlands.

The Armenian delegation headed by Deputy Speaker of eth National
Assembly Edward Sharmazanov has left for Karabakh to participate in
the conference.

The participants will discuss issues related to the legal bases
of proclamation of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, the historic and
political components.

On February 19 NKR President Bako Sahakayn is expected to meet the
participants of the conference.

LA MAISON DE TOUMANIAN A TBILISSI SERA BIENTET LA PROPRIETE DU MAIRE DE GUMRI ET DE SON FRERE
Gari

armenews.com
vendredi 17 fevrier 201

La vente de la maison a Tbilissi du grand ecrivain armenien Hovannes
Toumanian serait imminente et il semble que cette transaction
immobilière qui avait emu la communaute armenienne de Georgie et failli
provoquer un incident diplomatique entre l’Armenie et la Georgie
ait obtenu un denouement heureux, a meme de dissiper les tensions
qu’avaient suscitees les projets d’achat de la maison par une societe
mixte turco-georgienne. Un contrat de vente devrait en effet etre signe
le 22 fevrier, au benefice du maire de la ville armenienne de Gumri,
Vartan Ghukasyan, et de son frère, qui se porteraient acquereurs de
la maison de Toumanian pour la somme de 145000 dollars, a fait savoir
Levon Ananyan le president de l’Union des ecrivains d’Armenie qui
s’etait mobilisee contre les menaces qui pesaient sur cette maison,
devenue le symbole de l’eminente contribution des Armeniens a la vie
intellectuelle de Tbilissi, l’ancienne Tiflis, qui fut par ailleurs
l’un des principaux foyers de la culture armenienne au 19e siècle.

Le mois dernier, le maire de Gumri avait annonce qu’avec son frère,
il projetait de racheter cette maison dont une partie appartenait au
fils d’un riche homme d’affaires georgien qui prevoyait de ceder son
bien a une societe mixte turco-georgienne. Non seulement la maison
risquait de disparaître du patrimoine armenien de Tbilissi, mais pire
encore, les nouveaux acquereurs projetaient de la transfomer en hôtel
pour les travailleurs turcs habitant dans la capitale georgienne.

Les frères Ghukasyan quant a eux, avaient fait part de leur intention
de mettre la maison a la disposition de la communaute armenienne de
Tbilissi, qui peine deja a preserver son patrimoine religieux dans la
capitale georgienne, et d’en faire une maison-musee dediee au grand
ecrivain armenien.

Une bonne action, aux forts accents patriotiques, qui pourrait faire
oublier en tout cas les vives critiques qu’a suscite l’ouverture en
grande pompe, dernièrement, par le meme maire de Gumri, d’un hôtel de
luxe degoulinant de dorures et de stucks a rendre jaloux les nouveaux
riches de Miami et qui avait ete denonce comme une insulte au bon
goût comme aux habitants d’une ville qui porte encore les stigmates
du terrible seisme de decembre 1988 et dont une partie attend toujours
d’etre relogee dans des logements decents.

Une delegation comprenant notamment M.Ananyan, mais aussi un cousin
des Ghukasyan, le depute Artom Ghukasyan et deux representants de la
mairie de Gumri s’est rendue a Tbilisi le mardi 14 fevrier. M.Ananyan
a indique que la delegation, a laquelle s’est joint l’ambassadeur
d’Armenie en Georgie, Hovhannes Manukyan, a rencontre l’actuel
proprietaire de la maison de Toumanian le lendemain et il semblait
plutôt optimiste quant a l’issue des discussions et a la signature
imminente de l’acte de vente.

L’Union des Armeniens de Tbilisi avait attire l’attention sur le
sort de la maison de Toumanian en decembre 2011 et avait diffuse un
communique a ce sujet.

“Le bâtiment historique est la propriete d’un home d’affaires depuis
les annees 1990. L’homme d’affaires a mis son bien en vente et la
compagnie turco-georgienne ‘GeoTuran’ cherche a l’acquerir en vue de
le transformer en hôtel pour les travailleurs turcs. La direction
de la compagnie a meme demande a l’arrière petite fille du poète,
Alina Toumanian, qui habite l’autre aile de la maison, de lui vendre
son bien, mais elle a categoriquement refuse”, indiquait notamment
le communique.

Lors d’une conference de presse a la fin 2011, M. Safrazbekyan avait
regrette que l’Armenie n’ait pas rachete ce bien quand il en etait
encore temps, a un prix qui aurait ete d’ailleurs bien inferieur. Les
autorites armeniennes avaient invoque des raisons financières pour
justifier leur inaction.

ST. VARTAN AND THE BATTLE OF AVARAYR

Haytoug Magazine

Feb 16 2012

Many of us are beginning to think that February is an empty month
in the Armenian calendar. Or that Saint Valentine’s Day is the only
significant holiday. However, the idea that this is traditionally
an Armenian festival is incorrect. In fact, for those unaware,
the Armenian equivalent for celebrating love and affection between
companions takes place on February 4th, under the Saint Sarkis
(Õ~MÕ¸O~BO~@Õ¢ Õ~MÕ¡O~@Õ£Õ”Õ½) name. More to the focus of this
article though, is the commemoration of the Battle of Avarayr
(Ô±Õ¾Õ¡O~@Õ¡ÕµO~@Õ” Õ³Õ¡Õ¯Õ¡Õ¿Õ¡Õ´Õ¡O~@Õ¿Õ¨) on February 16th.

This battle came to be out of necessity for continuity as a People:
the Persian Empire wanted Armenians to abandon their faith. Their
king, King Yazdigerd II, loathed Christianity and wished to destroy
their individuality on the whole.

Those who grew up going to an Armenian school have undoubtedly heard
of Vartan Mamigonian (Õ~NÕ¡O~@Õ¤Õ¡Õ¶ Õ~DÕ¡Õ´Õ”Õ¯Õ¸Õ¶Õ¥Õ¡Õ¶), and the
epic battle during which he led the Armenian forces against a vastly
outnumbering Persian army. Vartan, who was later canonised, was of
noble lineage whose family tree includes Saint Gregory the Illuminator
(Õ~MÕ¸O~BO~@Õ¢ Ô³O~@Õ”Õ£Õ¸O~@ Ô¼Õ¸O~BÕ½Õ¡Õ¾Õ¸O~@Õ”Õ¹). His father,
however, was General Hamazasp (Õ~MÕºÕ¡O~@Õ¡ÕºÕ¥Õ¿ Õ~@Õ¡Õ´Õ¡Õ¦Õ¡Õ½Õº)
and, like him, Vartan became a soldier. He was a highly respected
soldier at that, with integrity and wisdom: in addition, he had a
strong Christian belief. The fact that he had Holy Communion with his
soldiers; prayed, recited the 23rd Psalm and shared food with them,
all prior to the commencement of battle, can attest to these.

It was in this period immediately before the battle when Vartan
was quoted as saying “We have served until now mortal kings… now
it is time to serve the immortal king”. Vartan’s speech instilled
inspiration and stimulated his troops towards defending not only their
religion but also, in the wider scheme, their culture and entire way
of life. Finally, the battle commenced on May 26th, 451 AD, on the
Avarayr Plain (Ô±Õ¾Õ¡O~@Õ¡ÕµO~@Õ” Ô´Õ¡Õ·Õ¿). Vartan Mamigonian led
66,000 Armenians against an army outnumbering them almost 4-to-1 and
consisting of war elephants too.

Many Armenian martyrs were made that day – Vartan Mamigonian
included – but, while the battle was lost, their sacrifice was not
in vain. The Persian king, astounded by the valour of his opponents
and acknowledging that this could only stem from their passion for
their beliefs, developed a great respect for Armenians and put an
end to his attempts at converting them. In this way the Armenians
of the time lived on in relative peace, their traditions safeguarded
for another period.

We’ve suffered countless episodes such as this where, for one reason or
another; our rights, customs, traditions, faith, freedom and uniqueness
have been challenged. We’ve endlessly endured stiff oppression, but,
as a brilliantly proud and zealous People, we’ve largely staved off
assimilating.

1600 years have since passed, our identity all the while maturing, and
we’ve spread across the globe achieving many things. As a persevering
people we must continue to uphold our identity in whichever corner
of the world we find ourselves. Wherever we may be and whatever we
pursue we all share a common history: a story of constant struggles
for peace which unites us and enriches our lives. As Hrant Dink, Serj
Tankian and Monte Melkonian (to name a few) have done, by digging
deep towards our roots we can find and adopt the same spirit with
which Vartan’s soldiers fought in defending our heritage.

Heros Jojaghaian

AYF London “Khanasor” Chapter

ARMENIAN CITY BESIEGED BY WOLVES

Voice of Russia
Feb 16 2012

Residents of the city of Sisian, in the south of Armenia, try not to
go out at night for fear of wolves, according to local media reports.

Due to heavy snowfall wolves can not find food in the mountains and
at night enter the town in search of food.

The wolves have started to prey on stray dogs as a source of food.

So far there have not been any reported cases of attacks on humans.

U.S. JURIST PUBLISHES ARTICLE ON FRENCH BILL CRIMINALIZING GENOCIDE DENIAL

PanARMENIAN.Net
February 16, 2012 – 18:10 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Professor of Law at the University of Pittsburgh
School of Law, member of the American Law Institute and of the
International Academy of Comparative Law Vivian Curran published an
article about French Senate’s adoption of the bill criminalizing the
Armenian Genocide denial, titled “Balancing Freedom of Expression
and Human Rights in France.”

Curran stresses the need to review France’s past to have better
understanding of definitions of freedom of speech and human rights
applied in the country.

“French politics became virulent, as the Dreyfus Affair soon revealed.

A ferocious anti-Semitism developed and exploded during the time
of the Affair, when an innocent French Jewish captain was tried and
convicted of spying for Germany,” Curran writes.

The author further calls attention to France’s role in Holocaust.

“France’s part in the Holocaust was highly complex. In part, it was
fueled by the rhetoric and actions of those whose anti-Semitism harked
to the Dreyfus days and made common cause with the Nazis during the
Second World War,” the article reads.

“Due to France’s history, the freedom of speech and press which has
allowed a vast panoply of views and practices to flourish in France is
not the same as its First Amendment counterpart in the US. Underlying
the French value of freedom of expression is a greater sense of
vulnerability that comes from knowing first-hand that democracy is
not necessarily a self-perpetuating system,” Curran writes.

On January 23, the French Senate passed the bill criminalizing the
Armenian Genocide denial with 127 votes for and 86 against. Expected
to be signed into law by President within 14 days, the bill will
impose a 45,000 euro fine and a year in prison for anyone in France
who denies this crime against humanity committed by the Ottoman Empire.

ORANGE TO MAKE ACCESSIBLE ITS SHOPS TO PEOPLE IN WHEELCHAIRS

IT and Telecom | 16.02.12 | 16:55

>From now on Orange Flagship store staff will have at its disposal
a new and innovative device that will help them to assist customers
with wheelchairs to enter the shop. Today Orange management, with the
support of Unison NGO Executive Director Armen Alaverdyan, tested a
special device in Orange Flagship. This device aims to make accessible
to Orange customers those Orange shops, which, due to their stairs,
are not accessible to the disabled and where it is not impossible to
build ramps. To climb up and down the stairs the wheelchair is put
on the device, which safely moves it up and down the stairs.

Bruno Duthoit, Orange Armenia CEO, said: “We have 75 shops throughout
the territory of Armenia, and majority of them are with stairs. We have
built ramps in the shops where it was possible to build, in order to
make our shops accessible to everyone. We target to make accessible
to everyone 70% of our shops by the end of the year. We consider
this as an important point in our corporate social responsibility,
so we are doing our best to provide equal opportunities to everyone
to benefit from our services”.

Before acquiring this device of Italian production, Orange Armenia
has consulted Unison NGO. This device is considered as the best of
its type.

Orange Flagship at Northern Avenue is still the one to have this
device, but some time later, after having feedbacks of the customers
and shop staff on the efficinecy of the device, the company intends to
equip some other shops as well with such device, or to find alternative
solutions, such as mobile ramps.

EX PREMIER: INTER-PARTY STRUGGLE IN ARMENIA IS GROWING INCREASINGLY FIERCE BUT IS NOT YET CLOSE TO BEING DANGEROUS

arminfo
Thursday, February 16, 15:41

The inter-party struggle in Armenia is growing increasingly fierce but
is not yet close to being dangerous, Khosrov Harutyunyan, the leader
of the Christian-Democratic Union, the ex Prime Minster of Armenia,
told journalists on Thursday.

“There should be no intrigues in the politics, but in Armenia intrigues
and politics are closely connected. What our politicians must do is
formulate the urgent tasks of our home and foreign policies with due
regard for the people’s view – something they have seldom done so far,”
Harutyunyan said.

He said that the problem of proportional or majoritarian election
systems is not new. “The transition to the proportional system will
be effective only if our parties show higher responsibility for the
lives of our people,” Harutyunyan said.