Author: Badalian Vardan

TAXI JAUNE OU BLANC ?

ARMENIE

Depuis le 25 Decembre 2014 les plaques jaune des licence de taxi ont
de nouveau ete remplaces par des plaques blanches, un processus pas
bien accueilli par les professionnels du secteur.

“La cause de ce changement est l’objectif de simplifier le processus
d’obtention des permis pour le secteur prive au moins. Les citoyens
respectueux de la loi ont recu des permis conformement a l’ancienne
loi, mais il y avait quelques-uns qui ont organise des manifestations,
certainement la loi n’etait pas parfait avant, elle ne l’est pas
aujourd’hui, non plus, ” a declare Vahagn Sahakian, chef du syndicat
de la branche des services de taxi d’Armenie.

Selon Sahakian, la situation d’avoir deux plaques d’immatriculation
jaunes et blanches cree des problèmes pendant la traversee de la
frontière armenienne car l’accord atteint avec la Georgie font que
les plaques d’immatriculation jaunes en Armenie ont egalement ete
considerees comme legales dans l’Etat voisin.

Quant aux demandes de l’Etat, le chef du syndicat a ajoute “que les
exigences de l’Etat comprennent la plupart des questions concernant le
taxi, ainsi que l’indicateur de vitesse, les documents confirmant leur
exactitude et les articles de decoration exterieurs et interieurs. ”

Lyova Avetisyan, proprietaire du service de taxi Bravo +, pense que
la nouvelle loi est bonne pour les personnes a tous les points de vue,
mais pas pour les organisations.

“Si le coût de la licence pour les particuliers est de 12 000 drams
(environ 25 $), pour nous, il reste le meme, 30 000 drams parce que
chaque voiture est enregistree et que chaque voiture doit avoir une
licence”, a declare Avetisyan.

lundi 9 fevrier 2015, Stephane (c)armenews.com

ARMENIA MAKES CENTENARY CALL FOR TURKEY TO RECOGNISE 1915 KILLINGS AS GENOCIDE

Centenary News, UK
Feb 9 2015

Posted on centenarynews.com on 09 February 2015

Armenia issued a Centenary declaration on January 29th 2015, repeating
demands for Turkey to recognise the killing of Armenians during the
First World War as genocide.

President Serzh Sargsyan read the ‘Pan-Armenian Declaration on
the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide’ during a ceremony at the
Tsitsernakaberd Memorial in the capital, Yerevan.

The 12-point document calls on the Republic of Turkey to “recognise
and condemn the Armenian Genocide committed by the Ottoman Empire.”

It declares the 100th anniversary to be an “important milestone in
the ongoing struggle for historical justice under the motto I remember
and demand.”

Turkey, successor state to the Ottoman Empire, strongly denies that
genocide took place.

The dispute remains one of the most bitter legacies of the First
World War.

Estimates of the numbers of Armenians who were killed or died
following the deportations ordered in May 1915 vary widely, from
500,000 to 1,500,000.

Turkish Government

But the Turkish Government says “no authentic evidence exists to
support the claim that there was a premeditated plan by the Ottoman
Government to kill off Armenians.”

It insists that the aim was to move the Armenian population away from
the war zone, and the advancing Russian Army, to southern provinces
of the empire.

The Pan-Armenian Declaration was adopted unanimously at a meeting
of the ‘State Commission on Coordination of the events for the
commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.’

It expresses the ‘united will of Armenia and the Armenian people to
achieve worldwide recognition of the Armenian Genocide.’

A copy has been sent to the Secretary-General of the United Nations,
Ban-Ki Moon. Genocide was formally declared to be a crime under
international law in a UN convention adopted in 1948. It’s defined
as ‘acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part,
a national, ethnic, racial or religious group.’

Turkey says a joint commission of historians should be established
to study what it calls ‘the events of 1915,’ but the call has been
rejected in Yerevan.

Click on the link for the full text of the Pan-Armenian Declaration.

A statement of Turkey’s position can be found on the Turkish Ministry
of Foreign Affairs website.

Further reading is also available here in a Centenary News article
from May 2014

Sources: Armenian Government; Turkish Government

Images courtesy of President of Armenia’s Office

Posted by: Peter Alhadeff, Centenary News

ARMENIAN AMBASSADOR ADDRESSES ASSYRIANS IN SWEDEN

AINA – Assyrian International News Agency
Feb 9 2015

Posted 2015-02-09 01:59 GMT

Artak Apitonian, Armenia’s ambassador to Sweden, speaking at
an Assyrian commemoration event in Sodertalje, Sweden.Sodertalje
(AINA) — The Armenian ambassador to Sweden, Mr Artak Apitonian,
was the keynote speaker at an Assyrian commemoration event on Sunday,
February. The day marks the commemoration of Naum Faik, an Assyrian
national hero and one of the fathers of Assyrian nationalism.

“Armenians and Assyrians share a special relationship as two nations
who have been subject to atrocities throughout history and genocide at
the hands of the Ottomans in 1915,” said the ambassador, emphasizing
the cultural bonds between Assyrians and Armenians. “Several ancient
texts by Assyrians exist today only in Armenian and before Armenians
created their own alphabet they used the Assyrian alphabet for
several centuries.”

Both communities have continued to nurture their relationship in the
diaspora and especially in Sweden where the Assyrian and Armenian
national federations have cooperated to further the recognition of
the genocides perpetuated against them in Ottoman Turkey at the turn
of the last century. Leaders of the two communities have pledged
to deepen their cooperation in this centennial year commemoration
of the Turkish genocide of Assyrians, Armenians and Pontic Greeks,
a genocide Turkey which turkey continues to deny.

The Turkish genocide occurred between 1915 and 1918 and claimed the
lives of 750,000 Assyrians (75%), 1.5 million Armenians and 500,000
Greeks.

There are 100,000 Assyrians in Sweden, with 35,000 living in Sodertale,
a city 34 kilometers south of Stockholm.

EU ACCEPTS OSCE MINSK GROUP’S LEADING ROLE IN KARABAKH PEACE PROCESS – HERBERT SALBER

17:54 09/02/2015 >> POLITICS

Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan on Monday received a
delegation led by Herbert Salber, the EU Special Representative for
the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia, the press service of
the Armenian Defense Ministry reported.

Ohanyan briefed Salber on the situation on the Line of Contact
between Karabakh and Azerbaijani troops, drawing his attention to
the sharp increase of tensions since the beginning of the year. He
also stressed the need for the international community to curb the
aggressive actions of the Azerbaijani forces.

The Armenian Minister reaffirmed the importance of implementing
measures to build confidence between the conflicting parties.

Ambassador Salber expressed concern over the border incidents,
noting that the EU accepts the OSCE Minsk Group’s leading role in
the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process, and is willing to contribute to
the negotiation process.

ARMENIAN EXPERTS CRITICIZE GOVERNMENT BILL ON FORTIFICATION OF WHEAT FLOUR; HEALTH MINISTRY SUPPORTS IT

YEREVAN, February 9. / ARKA /. Several Armenian experts have criticized
today a government-drafted bill on the fortification of wheat flour,
approved in 2014. According to the health ministry, the bill, if
passed by the parliament, will help overcome a string of diseases
such as anemia, neural tube defects (Spina bifida – hydrocephalus),
which cause permanent disability in children and also cardiovascular
diseases due to lack of folic acid and iron.

“Plans to enrich wheat flour would make sense if the percentage
of anemia in the population was at least 25%. We know that this
disease is found only in certain groups of population: in women of
childbearing age and children,” a biochemist Ashot Karapetyan told
a news conference today.

According to him, in 2010, anemia was diagnosed in only 12.8% of
women who gave birth to babies; in 2013 the figure was 12.7%. In his
opinion, the fortification of flour with synthetic substances, such
as folic acid, is completely inappropriate and can lead to additional
health risks.

Babken Pipoyan, head of a consumer watchdog, argued that fortification
of about 80-85% of the flour would violate consumers’ right to
free choice.

“There is also the danger that the fortified flour would be presented
as not-fortified. The mandatory fortification of flour must be
preceded by a serious study and considered as an option for solving
health related problems,” said Pipoyan.

But Karine Saribekyan, head of a health ministry department overseeing
mother and child issues, countered that the deficit of zinc, iron
and folic acid is the cause of a number of diseases, whose number
has been on the rise over the last years.

“A new study of the Armenian population’s health will be conducted in
2015 autumn. About 90 countries are fortifying their flour, including
the UK, Canada and Australia,” she said.

According to her, fortification restores the balance of microelements
in the final product which are lost in the processing. She cited
the international experience that shows that flour fortification has
helped to improve health indicators.

“To ensure that the program has an overall effect, it must embrace
the entire population and not separate categories,” she said.

According to the health ministry, in 2013 some 7,026 cases of anemia
among adults were reported and 8,148 cases among children under 14,
of whom 2,633 were children under one year; 897 cases were reported
among adolescents aged 15-17. 0-

INDOOR SWIMMING POOL BUILT AT CHILDREN’S HOME IN GYUMRI

17:03, 09 Feb 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan

The Hayastan All-Armenian Fund has built an indoor therapy pool and
related amenities at the Children’s Home of Gyumri, which shelters and
provides care to children with physical and mental disabilities. The
project was sponsored by the fund’s Swiss affiliate.

The 30-square-meter, 70-centimeter-deep pool is complemented by a
dressing room, a shower room with a separate section for massage
therapy, and restrooms. Featuring a heating and ventilation system
for year-round operation, the pool is designed to provide access
to children with physical disabilities through a ramp as well as a
mechanical crane for wheelchairs.

“The pool is a great help in developing motor skills and strengthening
muscles through aquatic exercises. The medical staff will receive
thorough training in hydrotherapy,” said Children’s Home director
Ruzanna Avagyan in a phone interview. “The pool is also open, free
of charge, to children with limited abilities who live with local
families.”

Close to 130 children under six years of age live and receive
professional care at the Children’s Home. When they reach age six,
they’re placed in similar specialized facilities.

In 2011-2012, the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund implemented a complete
renovation of the two buildings of the Children’s Home. The project was
sponsored by the fund’s German affiliate. Following the development,
the Fund reconstructed and furnished the playground, as well as
provided the orphanage with additional furniture and equipment.

WHAT DOES U.S. PLAN IN ARMENIA FOR 2015?

Hakob Badalyan, Political Commentator
Comments – 09 February 2015, 16:03

USAID Program Reveals Key Findings of Its Study on Access to Finance
for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in Armenia

The United States will begin issuing 10-year tourist and business
visas to qualified Armenians sooner than expected

“This year, 1915, has great and special significance for the entire
world. The U.S. embassy in Yerevan will work to demonstrate that the
United States and American people stand in solidarity with the Armenian
people at this solemn time and will never, never forget this tragedy,
in which more than a million Armenians were killed,” the U.S.

Ambassador Richard Mills stated, the U.S. Embassy’s Facebook page
informs.

The new ambassador implies that in 2015 the United States will do
something new about the Armenian cause. Maybe it is going to be
something that will have an international, not just pure Armenian,
U.S.-Armenian or Armenian-Turkish importance.

At the same time, the activity seems to be going to be confined to
the U.S. embassy. At least, Ambassador Mills says “the U.S. embassy
in Yerevan will work to demonstrate”.

What is the U.S. embassy in Yerevan going to demonstrate in 2015,
the centenary of the Armenian genocide to stand in solidarity with
the Armenian people at this solemn time?

Will those steps be symbolic, will there by events or are political
steps by the U.S. embassy in Yerevan being planned? At least,
Ambassador Mills took on his new position with an intriguing statement.

In fact, the actions of the United States ahead of the centenary
seem to be the core of the stance of the international community, as
it has been for years. Armenia, the Armenians have particularly had
expectations from the American “part” of the process of international
recognition of the genocide. In fact, this is determined by the role
and importance of the United States in global politics.

In this sense, it is natural that among expectations of global reaction
to the centenary expectations from the United States are particularly
great and special.

However, the problem must be viewed more broadly than, for example,
during the years of focusing on whether the U.S. president would
utter the word “genocide” in the April 24 message.

The problem is broader and more comprehensive, it involves multiple
layers of international politics, and one has to go deep into these
layers, understand the interests, tendencies, interrelations determined
by them.

In this regard, the potential of strategic, far-reaching political
influence of any step is far more important than superficial comfort
for the wounded soul of the Armenian people. Moreover, the political
aspect, plans and objectives relating to Turkey, Caucasus and the
Near East will be crucial. Currently, highly dynamic processes are
underway in the world and in the region.

New Ambassador Mills’ statement is interesting in the context of these
processes and seems to demonstrate essential increase of the role of
the U.S. embassy in Armenia. Is this increase temporary and confined to
the centenary or is the centenary just an occasion or a starting point?

A broader circle is concerned, and it is not accidental that the new
building of the U.S. embassy to Armenia which opened 10 years ago
is the biggest in the region, Moreover, after the U.S. embassy in
Germany it is the biggest embassy in the world.

This is evidence that the broad regional role of the U.S. Embassy in
Armenia in the American politics has been planned much earlier. Now,
to put it figuratively, the embassy’s geopolitical scale will be
harmonized with the scale of the embassy premises. And the fact that
currently there are signs of increasing role and scope and coverage
are outlined in the ambassador’s statement is most probably part of
the strategy, not just the tactical matters relating to April 2015.

This is a new setting for Armenia, and Armenia should demonstrate its
adequacy to the new situation. As in the case of appearing at the
core of such a large-scale matter, this time too Armenia will face
both risks and opportunities. As to how the risks will be handled and
opportunities used for improving the role and importance of Armenia, as
well as its development and security will depend on Armenia’s adequacy.

GARNIK ISAGULYAN: GOVERNORS AND GUESTS STAND UP TO DRINK A TOAST TO SERZH SARGSYAN (VIDEO)

13:00 | February 9,2015 | Politics

Chairman of the National Security Party Garnik Isagulyan finds it
unacceptable that regional governors and guests in Armenia usually
stand up to drink a toast to Serzh Sargsyan.

Without giving any names, Mr Isagulyan said he had witnessed such
a welcome personally and was surprised to see everyone stand up to
give a toast to Serzh Sargsyan.

Speaking about the weekend attack on Artak Khachatryan, a member of
the Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK), Mr Isagulyan said the violence
showed that the authorities are in agony, and nothing can prevent
them from realizing their plans.

The chairman of the National Security calls on all political
forces to unite. He says the acting authorities in Armenia bear full
responsibility for all ceasefire violations on the Armenian-Azerbaijani
border, as well as foreign and domestic incidents.

“”The government does not care about the fate of the Armenian people,
they only want to retain the power. Serzh Sargsyan’s main concern is
to perpetuate his power,” he said.

GREEN PASSPORT TO REGULATE SHPPS – VIDEO

15:27 February 06, 2015

EcoLur

100 SHPPs constructed on the rivers of Armenia will be issued green
passports, as “EcoLur” Informational NGO President Inga Zarafyan,
Ashot Avalyan – Deputy Staff Head of Nature Protection Ministry,
and Davit Grigoryan – Head of Water Permit Department of Nature
Protection Ministry stated at the press conference held EcoLur Press
Club on 5 February.

It’s the first time that public sector together with Nature Protection
Ministry will conduct a joint monitoring in the SHPPs constructed
on the rivers. This initiative will be carried out in the frames of
“Support to SHPP-relating reforms through the dialogue of public and
RA Nature Protection Ministry for Sustainable Use of River Ecosystems”
with the financial support of the UNDP GEF.

“When a SHPP is constructed, the project and reality don’t comply
with each other. We don’t have proper monitoring procedure over SHPPs,
as the Inspection and public are working separately. We have rivers,
which are so loaded with SHPPs that the river ecosystem starts dying.

And eventually, we have a problem with biodiversity conservation,”
Inga Zarafyan said.

Ashot Avalyan, Deputy Staff Head of Nature Protection Ministry, noted
that there are 162 SHPPs which already operate or are about to be
operated. “It’s a large number and this field needs regulation. It’s
one of the main tasks of the Nature Protection Ministry, so we have
expressed our willingness for such a jlint project,” Ashot Avalyan
said.

Under Ashot Avalyan, a database in the form of “green” passports
in needed for the solution to the problems to regulate the field of
SHPPs. “So far we haven’t possessed such data and materials,” A.

Avalyan said.

Davit Grigoryan, Head of Water Permit Department of Nature Protection
Ministry, said, “We have many complaints and alarm signals both
from the local population and the business. It’s caused serious
alarms signals and concerns. During our examinations we recorded
serious drawbacks, SHPP project deviations both in the construction
and operation, and to a certain extent poor management of water
resources and environmentally incorrect approaches, which all led to
serious environmental problems. As a result, there is need for our
intervention and urgent solution to the problems.”

Under Davit Grigoryan, climate changes also affected on this situation,
“The water in our rivers has significantly refused in recent years,
and we shall take into account the targets and challenges we currently
have. Taking into consideration that SHPPs are also business projects,
jobs, investments, which are constructed not just for 1-2 years,
but 25-30 years, we should find the gold mean, which will bring to
the balanced existence of both the Nature Protection Ministry and
the public,” David Grigoryan noted.

It’s known that the largest investment in SHPPs has been made
by German KfW bank. Inga Zarafyan noted that in May 2015 the bank
experts carried out monitoring in the area of SHPPs, and, as a result,
the Bank has changed its position in regard with SHPPs and wants to
improve its standards.

“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”.

SEVAN COMMITTEE’ REFUSAL TO ANSWER ENQUIRY ON AMULSAR PROJECT IS VIOLATION OF ARMENIAN LEGISLATION

13:44 February 06, 2015

EcoLur

The Scientific-Expert Committee on Lake Sevan Preservation refused
to provide EcoLur the text of the positive opinion on Amulsar project
issued in 2014. The substantiation of this refusal doesn’t comply with
the essence of the enquiry and violates the Armenian legislation. On
16 October 2014 EcoLur made an enquiry to the Committee asking provide
the text of the opinion on Amulsar project issued in 2014.

In reply, Committee member Yuri Javadyan says in his letter dated
on 19 January 2015, “The Scientific-Expert Committee on Lake Sevan
Preservation by NAS RA informs that the committee examined “Amulsar
gold-bearing quartzite mine in Vayots Dzor Region, Armenia” project
on 24.09.2014 and laid down proposals consisting of two clauses in
its minutes no. d7/14.

The Nature Protection Ministry organized public hearings of the project
EIA in Gorayq Rural Municipality, Syunik Region, on 27.09.2014, where
“Geoteam” CJSC recorded that tis had made relevant amendments and
supplements to the project based on the proposal made by the Committee.

Your absence in the hearings of the project as assessed as a confirming
approach to the project solutions, so your letter dated on 16.10.2014
was not replied to.

In its minutes, you can receive information about the project from
the Environmental Expertise SNCO of Nature Protection Ministry,
where all the project documents are available.”

Yuri Javadyan replied to EcoLur’s enquiry after several months, thus
violating Article 9 (7(1)) of RA Law “On Freedom of Information”,
which says, “The answer to written inquiry is given in the following
deadlines: a) If the information required by the written inquiry is not
publicized, than the copy of that information is given to the applicant
within 5 days after the application is filed.” Article 8(2(1)) of the
same law is also violated, ” Information request cannot be declined, if
it presents the overall economic situation of the Republic of Armenia,
as well as the real situation in the spheres of nature and environment
protection, health, education, agriculture, trade and culture.”

Javadyan’s refusal also violated Article 4 of the Aarhus Convention
ratified by Armenia.

The letter substantiation of the refusal “Your absence in the hearings
of the project as assessed as a confirming approach to the project
solutions, so your letter dated on 16.10.2014 was not replied to.”

doesn’t comply with reality and provisions prescribed by “On Public
Noticing and Discussion”, Article 29 hereof says, “Public opinion
is considered to be positive, if none of them attends the public
discussions or submits its observations or proposals.”

It should be mentioned that EcoLur’s team took part in the public
discussions on Amulsar project held in Gndevaz Village, Vayots
Dzor Region, on 25.08.2014 and submitted its negative opinion to
“Environmental Expertise” SNCO of Nature Protection Ministry, which
“Environmental Expertise” SNCO Deputy Director Henrik Grigoryan read
at the public hearings held in Gorayq on 27.09.2014.

This procedure completely complies with the requirements of Article
29 of “On Public Noticing and Discussion”.

As it’s known, in 2012 the Scientific-Expert Committee on Lake Sevan
Preservation issued a negative opinion to Amulsar project and provided
the text of its opinion to EcoLur without any obstacles. At that
time the Chairman of the Committee was the late Vladimir Movsisyan,
who said in his interview with EcoLur, “Amulsar won’t be implemented
unless I’m alive.”