Author: Badalian Vardan

STUDY SHOWS ARMENIA LAGS IN “JOB FLEXIBILITY”

hetq
11:13, June 10, 2011

Want a flexible work schedule?

Then don’t look in Armenia. According to a study by Grant Thornton
International, the country ranked the lowest in terms job flexibility.

The survey looked at 7,700 businesses in 39 countries. Topping the
list were Finland, Sweden and Australia as countries with the highest
percentage of companies offering flexible work arrangements.

Coming in at the bottom were Japan, Greece and Armenia. Only 18%
of Japanese companies permit these kinds of work schedules. Greece
was second at 26% and Armenia was last at 35%.

ZHIRAYR SEFILYAN: ELECTIONS AFTER CHANGE OF GOVERNMENT RATHER THAN CHANGE OF GOVERNMENT AFTER ELECTIONS

arminfo
Thursday, June 9, 22:56

In the present situation elections cannot result in change of
government in Armenia, member of the action group of Sardarapat
movement, Hero of Artsakh war Zhirayr Sefilyan said during a
press-conference today.

He said that Armenia needs change of government and only then normal
elections. “We must root out the current regime as some Arab countries
did this year. The coups in Tunisia and Egypt were incompetent:
they overthrew their regimes without knowing what to do next. Their
oppositionists did not have clear programs. Sardarapat does have
such a program. We have a clear strategy for as many as 40-50 years
and we have professionals who can put this strategy into practice,”
Sefilyan said.

He said that the Third Republic was a failure and soon there will be
Fourth Republic, a country whose rulers will not be knee-crooking.

CENTRAL BANK OF ARMENIA KEEPS INTEREST RATES STABLE AS INFLATION RISKS EASE
BYLINE: Venla Sipila

Global Insight
June 8, 2011

The Central Bank of Armenia (CBA) has in June decided to keep its
refinancing interest rate at 8.5%, Reuters reports. This follows a
similar decision in May, after increases in the policy rate had been
implemented in each of the three previous months (seeArmenia: 13 April
2011:). The central bank took the decision stating that it did not see
it likely that inflation would accelerate. The CBA’s decision closely
follows publication of the latest inflation data by the Armenian
National Statistical Service. These figures show that consumer prices
in May remained unchanged on average from April. Meanwhile, marginal
acceleration from 8.9% year-on-year (y/y) in April took the annual
inflation rate to 9.0%, which still is considerably lower than the
11.5% y/y gain seen in March. Inflation developments were driven by
food prices, which remained stable compared to April, while they still
provided for the fastest annual gain among different price categories.

The CBA has earlier projected that Armenian inflation will ease back
to the target range of 4.5% with a band of 1.5 percentage points on
either side within the second half of 2011.

Significance:Even as monthly deflation in March did not continue and
annual inflation did not moderate further, we share the CBA’s view that
inflation pressures in Armenia at present are easing. Food prices play
an important role in the Armenian consumption basket, and the recent
easing of price pressures from these is welcome news. In addition
to the direct impact on the outlook for macroeconomic stability,
this also suppresses the risks that rapid food price gains might even
have lead to some social unrest. The expectations of easing–even if
still notable–inflation pressures seem warranted.

However, y/y inflation still remains significantly above target,
and thus, rapid price gains still remain a source for concern.

Inaugural ANCA-WR Meet and Greet a Big Success

asbarez
Thursday, June 9th, 2011

ANCA-WR Board members fland Assemblymembers Achadjian and Portantino

GLENDALE – California State Assemblymembers Anthony Portantino and
Katcho Achadjian were welcomed by a full house at the inaugural
Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region (ANCA-WR) Meet
and Greet at Phoenicia restaurant in Glendale yesterday evening.

The two representatives had flown down from Sacramento just for the
event in an opportunity for them to meet members of the community and
talk to them about the important issues California was facing today.
Both representatives were on a plane back to the state capital after
the event.

Attendees of the first Meet and Greet filled the room to capacity,
enjoying their food and drink and socializing until the program
started.

`It’s never easy to know how a first-time event will go but with the
popularity of Assemblyman Portantino in our community and with the
addition of Armenian American Assemblyman Katcho Achadjian, I was not
surprised that our event was a huge success,’ said ANCA-WR Board
Member and lead organizer for the event, Pattyl Aposhian.

`What we learned was that there is a high demand for events like this
where members of our community come and meet their elected
representatives and leaders while also networking and socializing with
each other,’ Aposhian concluded.

After a short introduction by ANCA-WR staff, Portantino, who is in his
last term, took center stage to discuss the work that he had done as
an Assemblyman in Sacramento. A recurring theme throughout the night
was the state budget and what legislators, along with Governor Jerry
Brown, were doing to make sure that a deal is reached in the near
future.

Although the two representatives come from different political
parties, Portantino being a Democrat and Achadjian a Republican, they
both emphasized the importance of working across party lines to do
what is best for California. In a more lighthearted moment,
Portantinto quipped that, `it was the Armenian community that finally
brought Democrats and Republicans together.’

Both Portantino and Achadjian expressed their thanks and gratitude to
the ANCA-WR for being a leader and a voice for the Armenian American
community and for their initiative in putting the Meet and Greet
series together.

The Meet and Greet series is based on a program started by the
Armenian National Committee of Glendale, a local chapter of the
ANCA-WR, where citizens were given the opportunity to hear and
question local leaders on issues of concern to them.

The Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region is the
largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots advocacy
organization in the Western United States. Working in coordination
with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the
Western United States and affiliated organizations around the country,
the ANCA-WR advances the concerns of the Armenian American community
on a broad range of issues.

`Entire Village is on its Feet’: Aragats Village Residents Protest,
Ask Officials to Inspect Village Councilor

06.10.2011 20:00
epress.am

A dozen or so villagers were protesting outside the Armenian
parliament building today. The protestors were from the village of
Aragats in the region of Paran in Aragatsotn marz (province) and they
were asking the National Assembly Control Chamber to carry out
inspections at their village council’s office.

One of the protestors, Vahan, speaking to Epress.am, described the
issue in detail:

`Our village is the largest village in the area – it has 4,600
residents – but today everyone wants to leave the village. It’s a
terribly tense situation. No one understands what’s going on in the
village, how the village councilor is working [i.e. what he’s up to].
He’s divided up the villagers into those who are his own folk and
those who aren’t [i.e. he gives preferential treatment].’

Vahan said they handed over their appeals with signatures to the
Armenian presidential residence, the parliamentary chair, and the
Armenian government, but they have not yet received a response.

`There are so many problems in the village, you can’t imagine. Land
estrangement is taking place; the villagers know nothing about it. The
village councilor is transferring students’ tuition, but transfers are
ensured for the children of families, not the vulnerable, and there
are so many people in the village that are in debt, have loans, and
they can’t pay their children’s tuition. Then, elite barley seeds have
been given to the village on the government’s behalf, for the village
councilor to give to needy families, but till now we don’t know where
that barley has been sown, where the seeds went,’ he said.

Vahan informed Epress.am that their village councilor, Gagik
Poghosyan, has held his post for 12 years and recently registered with
the ruling Republican Party of Armenia.

`We want them to come perform inspections, to find out what’s going
on, for these people to be a little more calm. Otherwise, if the
responses to these appeals are negative, the entire village is on its
feet, is ready to come out in front of the government [building],’ he
said.

Armenia’s vision of future is fully related to cooperation with EU – president

21:40 – 10.06.11

Armenia’s President Serzh Sargsyan has said the issue of rapprochement
with the European Union has always been one of the most important
issues for Armenia since its independence.

At a meeting with Miroslav Laichak, the managing director of EU’s
foreign affairs’ service on Russia, Easter Neighborhood and Western
Balkans, on Friday Sargsyan also said that cooperation `is gradually
it is obtaining more importance’.

`The issue of rapprochement and cooperation with the European Union
has been one of the most important tasks for Armenia since its
independence, and gradually it is obtaining more importance,’ Sargsyan
said.

`We realize that it is mutually-beneficial process and reforms
implemented in our country and generally we are tying our vision of
future entirely to that cooperation,’ Sargsyan added.

According to a press release by the presidential office, Sargsyan
congratulated him on the occasion of the appointment, and said that
EU’s foreign affairs’ service will give a new impetus to the Union’s
unified foreign policy.

Miroslav Laichak, in turn, said that the EU has created the foreign
relations service so that its policy to each country or region will
reflect the Union’s needs, requirements and agenda issues.

Further, Laichak expressed content for the progress achieved with the
European Neighborhood Policy and for the achievements and
goal-oriented approach of the Armenian side in the talks over the
Associative Agreement.

Tert.am

Catholicos’ historical meeting in Georgia starts earlier than reported

20:51 – 10.06.11

His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All
Armenians made Friday a historical visit to Georgia where he met with
Catholicos of All Georgia Ilia II in Tbilisi.

The meeting of the spiritual leaders of the two countries in Saint
Trinity Church (Sameba) took place more than half an hour earlier than
reported.

His Holiness Karekin II is the first Armenian Catholicos to visit
Georgia in the recent century.

Ilia II expressed hope that Karekin II’s visit will contribute to
enhancing the historically brotherly relations between the Armenian
and the Georgian nations. He also said he would personally do
everything to strengthen the existing mutual ties.

His Holiness Karekin II, in turn, said that his visit is aimed at
discussing `issues of further cooperation and overcoming the
difficulties that have existed so far’.

He also expressed his condolences over the political unrest in late
May in Georgia that left at least two people dead, several wounded and
dozens arrested.

Further, Karekin II is expected to visit the predominantly
Armenian-populated region of Samtskhe-Javakheti and meet with the
local population.

Tert.am

Family Safe After Freak Apartment Shooting
KTLA News

8:45 PM PDT, June 10, 2011

GLENDALE (KTLA) — A 19-year-old woman is lucky to be alive after a
bullet shot through the floor of her family’s one-bedroom apartment.

Anashe Torosian was lying on the living room floor of her family’s
second-story apartment around 5:30 p.m. Wednesday when she heard an
explosion and felt something whiz past her face.

Heranoush Torosian was sitting at a table less than two feet away from
her daughter. When her father Soltan Torosian came in, he recognized the
object as a bullet.

The bullet pierced through the floor of her apartment and ricocheted off
a cabinet before the family realized what had happened.

Fortunately, nobody was hurt.

“If it was a little towards my mom, she would have been killed. If it
was a little toward me, I would have been killed,” Anashe said.

According to police reports, downstairs neighbor Darren Moses was
fiddling with his .40-caliber Smith and Wesson handgun when it
discharged and shot through the ceiling.

Police said Moses, 42, had been off of work and drinking all day when
the shooting occurred.

“It was an accident…I just went upstairs and apologized to my
neighbors who I dearly love,” Moses told KTLA.

He was booked on suspicion of discharging a weapon and is being held on
$250,000 bail.

Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region
104 North Belmont Street, Suite 200
Glendale, California 91206
Tel: (818) 500-1918

PRESS RELEASE
June 10, 2011
Contact: Haig Hovsepian
Telephone: (818) 500-1918

ANCA-WR EXPRESSES CONCERN REGARDING FIRST DRAFT REDISTRICTING MAPS

LOS ANGELES, CA—The Armenian National Committee of America-Western
Region’s (ANCA-WR) Elections Committee’s 2011 Redistricting Task Force
expressed grave concern today regarding the first draft of legislative
district boundaries proposed by the Community Redistricting Commission
(CRC). The maps were released earlier today and can be viewed online
at

The CRC is the body responsible for drawing the new districts. It
released its first draft district maps today based on feedback it
received through public hearings and written testimony.

“We are disgusted with the first draft of the CRC’s maps,” said Garen
Yegparian who leads the ANCA-WR task force. “The core of our community
in the North Hollywood-Crescenta Valley-Glendale-Burbank-Hollywood
area has been unacceptably splintered among State Assembly, State
Senate, and Congressional Districts.”

Yegparian also expressed concern with some of district lines which
split the Armenian communities in the greater Montebello area as well
as in Orange County. However, he noted, only a couple of the proposed
districts respected the testimony provided by the community in the
greater Los Angeles area.

California is home to the largest Armenian community in the United
States. The ANCA-WR task force has been working with local ANCAs
throughout the state to help raise awareness of the redistricting
process and how it impacts the Armenian community in California. Over
the past two months, Armenian Americans have attended public hearings
to educate public officials regarding the dynamics of the community.

“These preliminary maps demonstrate that we need to be more vocal in
educating the CRC about our community dynamics,” remarked Yegparian.
“These are not the final maps. We can only change things for the
better through increased Armenian community participation in the
process.”

Every 10 years, the State of California redraws its federal and state
legislative district boundaries to more accurately reflect the state’s
residents’ demographics and overall dynamics.

This year, the process is being led by a 14-member commission, the
CRC, as established by the Voters FIRST Act which was voted into law
by Californians in 2008. Previously, the State Legislature was
responsible for redistricting.

The CRC is made up of five Republicans, five Democrats, and 4 not
affiliated with either of those two parties but registered with
another party or as decline-to-state. The CRC must draw the district
lines in conformity with strict, nonpartisan rules designed to create
districts of equal population that will provide fair representation
for all Californians.

The CRC must hold public hearings and accept public comment. After
hearing from the public and drawing the maps for the 80 State Assembly
districts, 40 State Senate districts, House of Representatives
districts, and four Board of Equalization districts, the CRC must vote
on the new maps to be used for the next decade.

To approve the new maps, the maps must receive nine `yes’ votes from
the Commission – three `yes’ votes from members registered with each of
the two largest parties, and three `yes’ votes from the other members.

For more information about the CRC, how its work impacts the Armenian
community or how someone can get involved in the process, individuals
can contact the ANCA-WR at [email protected].

The Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region is the
largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots advocacy
organization in the Western United States. Working in coordination
with a network of offices, locals, and supporters throughout the
Western United States and affiliated organizations around the country,
the ANCA-WR advances the concerns of the Armenian American community
on a broad range of issues.

ARMENIA TREE PROJECT
65 Main Street
Watertown, MA 02472 USA
Tel: (617) 926-TREE
Email: [email protected]
Web:

PRESSS RELEASE
June 10, 2011

ATP Celebrates World Environment Day & International Children’s Day at Mirak
Family Reforestation Nursery

YEREVAN–Armenia Tree Project (ATP) celebrated World Environment Day and
International Children’s Day on June 1 at the John and Artemis Mirak Nursery
in Margahovit Village. The event was attended by the staff from ATP’s
Yerevan Office and the Mirak Reforestation Nursery, along with their
families.

“The children made friends instantly and started playing together,”
explained ATP Community Development Specialist Vardan Melikyan. “The nursery
workers invited musicians from the village to take part in our gathering and
the kids had fun dancing to traditional live music in the fresh mountain
air. The boys were impressed with ATP’s agricultural equipment such as
tractors and an all-terrain motorcycle, while the girls enjoyed gathering
field flowers.”

ATP’s Environmental Education staff presented notebooks and the children
drew beautiful pictures of nature and trees which now decorate the inside of
the small building at the nursery. After an outdoor lunch, ATP specialists
showed the children how to plant trees and they planted five symbolic
evergreens at the nursery. “Everyone, especially the children, had a great
time and ATP hopes to organize similar events with our stakeholders in the
future,” concluded Melikyan.

International Children’s Day is celebrated on June 1, when activities are
organized for children including outings with families. The day is dedicated
to children worldwide and is often marked with speeches on children’s rights
and well-being.

World Environment Day is a widely celebrated global day for environmental
action held on June 5. The UN Environment Programme describes it as a day
for people from all walks of life to come together to ensure a cleaner,
greener, and brighter outlook for themselves and future generations, and
this year’s theme was “Forests: Nature at Your Service.”

ATP’s mission is to assist the Armenian people in using trees to improve
their standard of living and protect the environment, guided by the need to
promote self-sufficiency, aid those with the fewest resources first, and
conserve the indigenous ecosystem. ATP’s three major programs are tree
planting, environmental education, and sustainable development initiatives.
For more information about ATP, please visit the web site