Author: Badalian Vardan

MANE SHPP PROJECT LACKS DATA IMPORTANT FOR EXPERTISE

14:52 February 11, 2015

EcoLur

“Mane” SHPP construction project is undergoing environmental
expertise. Under the environmental substantiation of the project,
“Mane” SHPP will be constructed on the Vorotan River, Syunik Region.

The environmental substantiation doesn’t describe SHPP structures, the
most important of which is fish passway from environmental viewpoint.

It even doesn’t mention the environmental flow planned for SHPP
operation, the hydrological description of the Vorotan, fish species
in the Vorotan River, the impact of the project on the fish species,
annual production of electricity, SHPP project affected communities,
the amount of harmful substances emitted into environment during
construction etc. That is, all the data needed for environmental
expertise are missing. The document, as such, comprises of evaluations
and conclusions. According to these evaluations, the negative
impact of “Mane” SHPP on nature will be almost zero, as an already
existing water scheme will be used. The project also says that as an
alternative mean “Mane” SHPP will promote emissions polluting air in
Armenia, which is explained in the document as follows: “In parallel
with SHPP electricity production decreases electricity production by
thermal power plants, and consequently, the amount of toxic emissions
generating from gas combustion.” The project outlines in case of
“Mane” SHPP construction, the new constructed thermal power plant
in Yerevan won’t annually burn 1446 tons of fuel and won’t emit into
environment 12.5 kg of carbon dioxide, 15350 kg of nitrogen oxide.

Hrazdan TPP won’t annually burn 2892 tons of fuel and wont’ emit into
environment 15.0 kg of carbon dioxide and 13 tons of nitrogen oxide.

A question arises here: whether there is arrangement with thermal
power plant to reduce their production in parallel with the increase
of SHPP number?

“The material was developed in the frames of “Supporting reforms in the
sector of small hydro power plants through enabling a dialogue between
civil society and the Ministry of Nature Protection for sustainable
use of river ecosystems” supported by UNDP/GEF Small Grants Programme”.

GYURMI PROTEST PARTICIPANT CHARGED WITH HOOLIGANISM

02.12.2015 17:03 epress.am

The prosecutor of Shirak marz has charged 22-year old Sarnaghpyur
resident Mnatsakan Aleksanyan with hooliganism, based on the RA
Criminal Code article 25.4, said Aleksanyan’s lawyer Hayk Harutyunyan
to Epress.am. According to him, they found out about the charge today,
when Aleksanyan was called to the investigative unit and was given
the corresponding documents. They also demanded a testimony from
Aleksanyan about the incidents, however the latter found it right to
refuse giving testimony.

Recall, that Aleksanyan was the only one arrested in the framework
of a criminal case initiated over the clashes with police during the
protests on January 15, with articles of hooliganism and violence
against representatives of the authorities. Thousands of people
demonstrated on the day in front the Shirak’s Prosecutor’s office
demanding that the murder suspect of the 7 members of the Avetisyan
family Russian soldier Valery Permyakov be transferred and tried by
Armenian law enforcement. Many witnesses from Gyurmi, Yerevan, and
other provinces to the framework of the case related to the protest
have been examined.

Aleksanyan was called in to be questioned as a witness on January 17.

On February 4 he was called in again as a witness to the investigative
unit but was arrested on the spot . After around two days in custody,
Aleksanyan was released with the assurance that he’d stay in the
country.

U.S. POINTED TO WAY OF WITHDRAWAL OF RUSSIAN BASE

Hakob Badalyan, Political Commentator
Comments – 12 February 2015, 11:42

The U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs
Eric Rubin said that a Russian military presence in Armenia should
restrain neither the Armenian nor the American sides. Rubin announced
that the United States intends to strengthen bilateral relations in
these spheres because Armenia and the South Caucasus are very close
to the world’s most dangerous spots. Rubin said they therefore intend
to deepen relations with the Armenian government, the military and
security agencies.

He announced that they intend to deepen cooperation and implement new
bilateral projects in this sphere. As to the Russian military presence,
Rubin said the Russian military presence is reality conditioned on
the current situation in Armenia and is not a hindrance.

In other words, Rubin hints that the situation must be changed to
change the reality. This is not an easy task, considering that this
situation has formed for decades. This change is a must for Armenia
because withdrawing Armenia from dominance of Russia, full dependence
on Russia stems from the national interests and sovereignty of Armenia.

In this sense, the United States is an important partner to Armenia,
there is harmony of interests which opens up opportunities that
should be used. Security is a primary sphere, it is the basis for
relationship, cooperation, partnership. Efficient and long-term
relations in other spheres depend on it. Here the spectrum is
broad, ranging from methodological support to technological and arms
assistance. In this regard, the United States which is an undisputable
leader of the security system in Armenia is a key partner to Armenia.

The problem is limited to opportunities to promote cooperation.

Russia is jealous. But perhaps jealousy is overestimated, and as Rubin
hints, everything depends on the situation: once situation changes,
risks related to jealousy will decrease.

In this sense, practical expressions of cooperation over security
are important to change stereotypes that affect the situation in
Armenia considerably and are regularly manipulated by Russia and
certain Armenian governmental and non-government circles serving
its interests in Armenia. The stereotype that Russia is the “only
deliberator” must be destroyed. The Armenian public has been made
believe that only Russia can protect Armenia from danger. In addition,
dangerous manipulations are in place, which produce a deep effect
not only on information and propaganda but also fundamental social
and national psychology.

The problem is that Armenia is a security consumer in the
Armenian-Russian security relationship. In other words, Armenia itself
is not capable of anything, and only Russia generously protects us.

And in return for this “generosity” the opinion is spread that even if
Armenia is not noticed, is ignored, hit or steps are taken behind its
back which infringe on its interests, Armenia must tolerate everything
for the sake of “generous imperialistic security.”

Meanwhile, Armenia has a different objective and must: change public
psychology by busting stereotypes and, instead of instilling the
psychology of security consumer develop Armenia into a subject of
international security system. It means methodological assistance
besides direct assistance to defense, which lies at the basis
of the U.S.-Armenia cooperation. This cooperation is aimed at the
modernization of the defense system in Armenia, reforms of methodology
and values and structures.

Security in the modern world is a broad and multi-component notion,
it is strong in the wholeness of its system. The United States offers
Armenia the model of systemic security, when Armenia is not under
someone’s strong care but becomes part of the international modern
security system. This is the change of situation in which case the
Russian military base in Armenia automatically loses its mythical
importance because it has lost its practical importance or has never
had such importance from the point of view of the interests of Armenia.

In other words, the problem is to withdraw Armenia from the Russian
military base.

ARMENIA RANKED 78TH IN 2015 WORLD PRESS FREEDOM INDEX

14:03, 12 Feb 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan

Armenia is ranked 78th out in 180 countries in the 2015 World Press
Freedom Index with a score of 28.43.

Top of the list, as so often, are three Scandinavian countries:
Finland, which has been in first place for five years in succession,
followed by Norway and Denmark.

At the other end of the scale, Turkmenistan, North Korea and Eritrea,
in last place, were the worst performers.

Other countries in the region are placed as follows: Russia – 152nd,
Georgia – 69th, Turkey – 149th, Azerbaijan – 162nd, Iran – 173rd.

The 2015 World Press Freedom Index highlights the worldwide
deterioration in freedom of information in 2014. Beset by wars,
the growing threat from non-state operatives, violence during
demonstrations and the economic crisis, media freedom is in retreat
on all five continents.

The World Press Freedom Index has been published ever year since 2002
by Reporters Without Borders, an international nonprofit organization
registered in France that defends freedom of information and has
consultative status with the United Nations and UNESCO.

The aim of the index is to measure freedom of information in 180
countries. It reflects the degree of freedom that journalists, news
media and netizens (Internet citizens) enjoy in each country, and
the efforts made by the authorities to respect and ensure respect
for this freedom.

RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN LANCE UN APPEL A L’ARMENIE POUR UN NOUVEL EXAMEN DES EVENEMENTS DE 1915

en voyage en COLOMBIE

Le président turc Recep Tayyip Erdogan a appelé l’Arménie a examiner
les événements de 1915 a travers le prisme de la ” science,
pas de la politique,” critiquant le rejet de l’invitation d’Ankara
aux représentants de tous les pays d’assister aux cérémonies de
commémoration de la guerre en Turquie.

“Enlevons les événements de 1915 de la région de la politique et
référons-nous a la science et aux scientifiques”, a déclaré Erdogan
lors d’un colloque sur le sujet, co-organisé par l’Université
Externado de Bogota et l’Université d’Ankara. Il assistait a
l’événement dans le cadre de sa visite officielle en Colombie le
10 février.

“Qu’est-ce que les Arméniens ont fait contre les Turcs et ce que
les Turcs ont fait contre les Arméniens il y a 100 ans n’a pas été
correctement examiné,” a déclaré M. Erdogan.

“Nous avons fait un effort pour fixer les relations avec l’Arménie
et ouvrir une nouvelle page. Malheureusement, notre main de la paix
a toujours été rejetée par l’influence de la diaspora arménienne
“, a-t-il ajouté.

En Janvier, le président turc a envoyé des lettres d’invitation a
plus de 100 dirigeants, dont le président arménien Serge Sarkissian,
afin de participer aux cérémonies du 24 Avril marquant le centenaire
de la bataille de Gallipoli a Canakkale.

La Turquie a fixé les cérémonies a Canakkale cette année pour les
faire coïncider avec la commémoration du génocide arménien de 1915.

Serge Sarkissian avait dénoncé l’invitation d’Erdogan comme une
tentative “a courte vue” d’éclipser le 100e anniversaire des massacres
des Arméniens.

” Nous aimerions qu’il vienne et soit a Canakkale le 24 Avril, de
respirer dans cette atmosphère et essayer de comprendre ce qui est
arrivé parmi nos centaines de milliers de martyrs. Mais ils ne le
feront pas “, a déclaré M. Erdogan.

“Ils ont a nouveau bloquée la paix et le dialogue avec leur
déclaration, qui a violé les protocoles de courtoisie ”, a-t-il
ajouté, tout en promettant de “ne pas abandonner nos efforts pour
la paix et le dialogue.”

“Nous allons continuer d’aborder cette question a la lumière de
l’histoire et de la science, pas de la propagande, des jeux de
perception ou de la laide politique internationale” a-t-il souligné.

” Cette année est le 100e anniversaire. Nous réitérons toujours
notre appel sincère ”, a ajouté Erdogan.

jeudi 12 février 2015, Stéphane ©armenews.com

SEFILYAN: AUTOMOBILE MARCH TOWARDS KARABAKH AIMED TO RAISE AWARENESS, NOT CREATE TENSIONS

POLITICS | 11.02.15 | 15:53

Alina Nikoghosyan
ArmeniaNow intern

Despite opinions that the plans of a radical opposition group, Founding
Parliament, to stage an automobile march towards Nagorno-Karabakh
was aimed at creating tensions there, leader of the movement seeking
a change of regime in Armenia before the “Centennial of the Armenian
Genocide” Zhirayr Sefilyan insists on the opposite, emphasizing that
their aim was to keep Karabakh residents “aware” of their campaign.

On January 31, dozens of Founding Parliament activists took part
in the march as part of their campaigns. They were met by Karabakh
police and plainclothes men on the Goris-Stepanakert highway near
Berdzor and were turned away. A number of activists were beaten up
and about two dozen of their vehicles were damaged.

“We were not going to Artsakh for no reason, as we evaluate the
situation very critical, we could not but go and tell the people
about our concerns, especially after Armenia became a member of the
Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) Artsakh completely appeared in the air,
in an indefinite status, and if we do not point at the danger from
today on and if the people are not aware of the danger, we will lose
Artsakh,” Sefilyan, one of the prominent veterans of the Karabakh war,
told reporters Wednesday, on his first public appearance since the
day of the incident in which he was among those activists who were
injured in the violence.

The Founding Parliament spread a statement, urging the public to take
to the streets on April 24 and win over the regime. On the same day,
April 24, Armenians in Yerevan and elsewhere in Armenia and abroad
will be marking the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

“That day we invite everyone to the street with an aim to not return
home until we get rid of the regime. There were misunderstandings
regarding that day, many think that we will be trying to confuse
people, that is not true, we will take part in the ceremonies as well,
but we will not be satisfied with that only, we will start a process
which will enable us to get rid of this system,” Sefilyan said.

Sefilyan expressed confidence that in the near future Armenia will
finally get rid of today’s government and it will be replaced by
“clever and young forces”.

ARMENIA PENAL STATISTICS FOR 2013: MORTALITY RATE ALMOST TWICE HIGHER IN ARMENIA THAN COE AVERAGE

14:35 | February 11,2015 | Social

The Council of Europe has published its 2013 Annual Penal Statistics,
which include a survey on prison populations in Europe and a survey
on alternatives to pre-trial detention and on community sanctions
and measures.

The report says Armenia has seen high increase in prison population,
besides, spending per inmate is among the lowest in CoE region.

Prison population: 4,698 inmates; this is 155 inmates per 100,000
inhabitants (slightly above average). This number includes 27
juvenile offenders, out of them 9 younger than 18 years old. The
prison population has grown by 7.8% from 2012; the country is among
top ten countries where the prison population grew by more than 5%.

Total number of releases in 2012 was 1,752; it amounts to 58 per
100000 inhabitants.

Capacity is used beyond standard (106 inmates per 100 available
places), here Italy with 148 people per 100 places is a champion,
Andorra with 32 is the lowest.

Share of females in prisons is 4.7% (average for the CoE region).

Almost 70% are sentenced to 3-10 years – this is almost two times
higher than the CoE average for this sort of sentences. Only in
Azerbaijan (78%) this indicator is higher.

Mortality rate was almost twice higher than the CoE average, 60 people
per 10,000 inmates, out of them some 6 people committed suicide –
this is an average indicator for the CoE region.

Total budget spent by Prison Administration in 2012 was roughly 11,9mn
euro. Average daily expense per inmate was assessed at 6.65euro, which
is among the lowest and is comparable to such countries as Croatia,
Georgia and Moldova. It is 15 times lower than the CoE average of 98
euro. The lowest daily expenses per inmate are in Russia (slightly
over 2 euro/day) and Greece (slightly over 3 euro/day). The highest
spending per inmate per day is in Sweden (318 euro/day).

Factors that influenced prison population: . Changes in criminal
law: No;

. New legislation concerning certain categories of prisoners: No;

. Amnesties: 0;

. Individual pardons: 5 individual pardons granted on 1st October 2013.

. Collective pardons: 0;

Data were not available for Nagornoâ~@~PKarabakh.

The economic crisis hampers improvement of conditions in European
prisons

Spending per inmate in European prisons has decreased during the
economic crisis, and this has likely caused a negative impact on
the quality of life of persons in custody. The crisis has not had a
significant effect on the number of individuals in custody, although
there has been a minor reduction in prison overcrowding. These are
some of the conclusions that can be drawn from the 2013 Council of
Europe Annual Penal Statistics (SPACE I and SPACE II surveys), which
were published today.

On the other hand, the average prison population rate – which indicates
the number of individuals in custody per 100,000 inhabitants –
increased by 2.7% between 2007 and 2012. This, however, also varied
greatly across countries, many of them experiencing significant
increases or reductions.

There was a slight increase in the total proportion of foreign inmates
(14.1% of all inmates were foreigners in 2013 versus 13% in 2012).

This proportion was above 30% in many Western European countries and
around 2% in Eastern European countries. There was also an increase
in the proportion of inmates from EU member states (from 34% to 37%).

The SPACE survey is conducted for the Council of Europe by the
Institute of Criminology and Criminal Law of the University of
Lausanne. The SPACE I 2013 survey contains information from 50 out of
52 prison administrations in the 47 Council of Europe member states,
whereas SPACE II contains information from 47 probation agencies.

ARMENIA’S COGNAC PRODUCTION DROPS BY 8.1% IN 2014

YEREVAN, February 11. /ARKA/. Armenia’s cognac production dropped by
8.1% to a total of 18,725,500 liters in 2014, compared to the year
before, Armenia’s National Statistical Service (NSS) reported.

A drop was seen also in wine production in the country – 8.2% down
to about 6,130,900 liters in the reporting period.

Vodka production fell by 4.1% to 9,502,300 liters in twelve months. A
total of 634,400 liters of champagne (18.3% increase) and 23,716,500
liters of beer (18.3% increase) was produced in the period.

Non-alcoholic beverages manufactured in the period totaled 79,972,600
liters, an increase of 26.1% compared to January-December the year
before. -0–

NEW BILL PROPOSES TO SOLVE HEALTH PROBLEMS WITH ENVIRONMENTAL FEES

18:49 February 10, 2015

EcoLur

Ara Babloyan, head of RA National Assembly Standing Committee on
Health Care, Maternity and Childhood, made a proposal to direct the
environmental fees to solve the health problems caused by environmental
pollution. On 15 January the Armenian Government approved draft law
“On making amendments and supplements” to RA Law “On Targeted Use of
Environmental Fees Paid by Companies” authored by Ara Babloyan. The
draft law has been submitted to the National Assembly.

Under the law, the following companies make environmental fees:
“Manes ev Valeks”, “Zangezour Copper and Molybdenum Combine”,
“Agarak Copper and Molybdenum Combine”, “Kapan Ore Dressing Combine”,
“Akhtala Ore Dressing Combine”, “Araratcement” CJSC, “Hrazdancement”
LLC and “Dzulakentron” public company in Charentsavan.

In 2013 due to the environmental fees paid by these companies 11
communities of Armenia received subventions of 321.7 million AMD from
the state budget. Nevertheless, as the substantiation of the draft
law says, these funds were spent on asphalting roads, reconstruction
of playing grounds etc because of absence of specifications in the law.

The draft law proposes the following actions:

– regular medical checkups and screenings of the population in
regard with the adversary effect of the environmental pollution,
buying relevant equipment and other property,

– implementation of disease treatment programs among community
residents conditioned with the environmental pollution,

– implementation of preventative measures, including implementation of
study programs to reduce the hazardous consequences of environmental
pollution,

– development and provisions of special diet to vulnerable groups in
communities conditioned with environmental pollution.”

RIGHT TO WATER VIOLATED IN ARMENIA

14:45 February 10, 2015

Nelli Babayan, Aravot

The right to water is violated in Armenia in 2015. A group of NGOs has
studies and prepared a report on the violations of human rights in
a number of fields in our life with the support of the Open Society
Foundations Armenia. The report has been submitted to the UN Human
Rights Council. “Right to water” section records that the expansion
of mining activities, irresponsible construction of SHPPs and the
increase in fish farms endanger the quality and accessibility of water
in Armenia. Mining pollutes rivers, particularly, transboundary Debed,
Voghji and Aras rivers. These rivers are polluted by those mining
companies, the activities of which are related with these rivers in the
region: particularly, mining activities are carried out by Zangezour
Copper and Molybdenum Combine owned 60% by “Cronimet mining Gmbh”
Company, Kapan Ore Dressing Combine owned by “Dundee Precious Metals
Kapan”, Agarak Copper and Molybdenum Combine owned by “Geopromining
Gold”, Alaverdi copper smelting facility owned by “Armenian Copper
Program” and Akhtala Ore Dressing Combine – owned by “Metal Prince”.

Then referring to Lake Sevan, the report says that despite the ban of
any processing activities in the basin of Lake Sevan – a requirement
prescribed in RA Law “On Lake Sevan”, the lake is polluted because
of the activities of Sotq gold mine developed by “Geopromining Gold”
Company, which established a crushing complex in the lake basin.

“Under the information possessed by the civil society, two rivers
of Lake Sevan basin already have high concentration of arsenic,
antimony and other extremely toxic metals because of the mine
wastes,” the report says. Amulsar gold mine is another potential
source of danger, and, under the report, it’s an open pit mining,
where ore will be dressed on the spot. The report says that the Nature
Protection Ministry has approved the environmental component of the
mine development despite the negative opinion of the Scientific-Expert
Committee on Lake Sevan Preservation. As Inga Zarafyan noted, nothing
has changed in environmental section, as nothing has changed in regard
with Amulsar mine.

“What will change, if it’s an illegal project? The Scientific-Expert
Committee on Lake Sevan Preservation, which issued a negative
opinion to Amulsar project in 2012, refused to provide us the text
of the positive opinion this year. That is, the Nature Protection
Minister had to issue a positive opinion under the press, as its
concerns are reflected in its four requirements. That is, if there
are any requirements to change something negative in the project, the
Ministry must have rejected the project at once. The Amulsar project
says nothing about these requirements. The law doesn’t contain any
provision, which says requirements can be posed to a company, in case
its project doesn’t comply with the law, a negative opinion must have
been issued at once.

Another serious hazard for water resources is SHPPs. Under the report,
there are currently over 150 SHPPs, out of which 100 are located on
the rivers, and currently 16 rivers are in disastrous and 3 are in
critical situation. In this regard Inga Zarafyan said that the public
sector together with the Nature Protection Ministry will conduct a
monitoring of the SHPPs constructed on the rivers and will create a
database in the form of “green passports” to regulate this problem.