Author: Badalian Vardan

When Criminal System Loses Legitimacy

The recent shooting incident in Gyumri was shocking. It had been a
long time Gyumri did not hear shootings though there is always such
risk there. I was in Gyumri on those days and I felt the atmosphere
and heard local conversations.

Such incidents, alas, are something usual in Gyumri. This time,
however, there was something unusual. The attitude of the people of
Gyumri to such a state of things has changed, so has the official
position, the mass media widely covered the incident as well.

First, the incident, as anything related to Gyumri, is interpreted in
certain coloring, comparing the town to Sicily, for instance. It is
possible that those involved in the incident used to be linked to
criminal culture but their presence in the government and business, as
well as the fact that the incident overlapped with the process of
fight for power means we should forget about `coloring’.

Everything is indeed exotic and it is very fashionable to use the
criminal term `vendetta’ but everything is happening exceptionally
within the process of the scramble of power, and if there is something
traditional and exotic, then it is the shots before and after the
elections. It is impossible to look for any logic, tradition and
ethics in such cases because first it is lawlessness and only then
politics.

This assumption could be questioned, of course, because in the latest
incident, for example, there are no political grounds. Perhaps, there
is none at first sight let alone the fact that the participants are
members of the PAP or Republicans. In fact, however, the clash was
reported when Vardan Ghukasyan and Martun Grigoryan started their
political competition.

The incident is worrying because even the Chief of Police of Armenia
spoke about the criminal world. True, in Gyumri, the influence of the
criminal world has been huge but the government represented by the
chief of Police didn’t hesitate to use the services and favors of the
criminal world, taking care of it and hence legitimizing it too.

Usually criminal systems succeed when the police are unable to ensure
people’s security. When the police are corrupt, the society creates
myths to feel safe which sometimes contradict the laws. Once the
police system is established, the criminal world automatically
retreats. There is no difference if Gyumri people have a criminal
thinking or not in case they continue firing at each other. By the
way, those having criminal thinking seem to be very close to
governmental resources and they are quite visible. The police are
supposed to prevent crimes and not find moral-psychological and
cultural reasons once a crime is committed and then blame the society.

It is already a tradition to blame the society for their own
shortcomings. It turns out that the government is very educated, moral
and law-abiding, while the society is ignorant, criminal and piggy
which likes breaking statues and firing at one another.

What is now happening in Gyumri is the expression of advantages and
disadvantages of the system. It would have been hard to predict such a
situation several years ago: the power preferred supporting the winner
in such situations before. But much has changed: the criminal is
losing its influence and legitimacy first of all because life has
changed. Then, in a period when peace, security and compromise become
priorities, violence and the criminal world can’t be legitimate. On
the other hand, the new technologies have shattered the grounds on
which the criminal is based – consanguinity, community etc.

The official position on the incident differs from the previous ones
too. Once police troops were taken to Gyumri from Yerevan to defend
Vardan Ghukasyan, while today Ghukasyan himself is taken to the
police.

The position during the presidential elections showed that the
criminal resource either didn’t participate or lost. Now the criminal
world has reached a point when the authorities and the society need to
set legally what happened on the public and political levels. One of
the important grounds of change of public consciousness and
marginalization of the criminal world is the results of the
presidential election in Gyumri, which Raffi Hovannisian unfortunately
failed to capitalize. Nonetheless, they have brought about some
changes.

Levon Margaryan
11:41 27/04/2013
Story from Lragir.am News:

GENOCIDE ARMENIEN
« Never again » mise en place par la chanteuse Flora Mardirossian va continuer

Selon Karen Fidanian le co-fondateur de la société FMS media, malgré
la disparition prématurée de la chanteuse Flora Mardirossian, son
action pour la reconnaissance du génocide arménien intitulée « Never
again » (Plus jamais) continuera. Flora Mardirossian a disparu le 20
novembre dernier à l’ge de 57 ans. « Jusqu’en 2015 qui sera le 100ème
anniversaire du génocide arménien nous organiserons de grandes
manifestations. Je ne peux pas vous donner de dates précises pour
l’instant, car le projet souffre de difficultés de financement, mais
nous ferons tout ce qui est possible pour relancer les actions » dit
Karen Fidanian. En 2007 la chanteuse a fondé l’association humanitaire
Artists For Peace (les Artistes pour la Paix) dont l’un des objectifs
était de faire connaître la culture et le génocide arménien à travers
le projet « Never again » qui devait se terminer en 2015 avec le
100ème anniversaire du génocide arménien. Lors du concert de 2007 de «
Never again » Stevie Wonder et de nombreuses célébrités de la chanson
avaient participé. Flora Mardirossian avait alors chanté la
merveilleuse chanson « Delé Yaman ».

Krikor Amirzayan

samedi 27 avril 2013,
Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

Level of military-technical collaboration between Armenia and Russia
is highly evaluated by both sides. Edward Nalbandian

20:16, 26 April, 2013

YEREVAN, APRIL 26, ARMENPRESS: Military-technical collaboration in
defence sphere between Armenia and Russia has always been and is one
of the main elements of our military cooperation. As reports
Armenpress, this has been declared by acting Foreign Minister of
Armenia Edward Nalbandian when responding to question of Russian news
agency ITAR-TASS whether it is planned to increase the number of
Russian military bases in Armenia and if yes than when and with what
intention.

`Russian military base situated in Armenia is implementing its
functions in accordance with the interstate agreement signed in 1995
and with other documents signed after that. The latest was signed in
Yerevan in 2010 in frames of the Russian President’s official visit to
Armenia. Due to that document the period of the deployment of Russian
bases in Armenia has been extended till 2044. Possibilities of using
those bases in case of threats against the security of Armenia have
been also extended. Sides are highly evaluating the level of
collaboration,’ noted acting Foreign Minister.

At the same time Edward Nalbandian underlined that at the moment there
was no discussion over the increase of the Russian military bases’
number in Armenia.

When speaking about the strategic cooperation with Russia and the
aspiration on European integration Nalbandian underlined that
comparing those relations was not justified.

Acting Minister reminded the statement of Armenian President Serzh
Sargsyan issued on March 14 in Brussels when he noted that European
integration was one of the main priorities of external policy of
Armenia. Nevertheless, Minister Nalbandian has underlined that Armenia
and Russia have mutual interest in issue of creation of united Europe.
`That is the reason which does not allow seeing contradictions in
terms of relations with Russia and EU,’ he noted.

Concert marking Genocide 98th anniversary held in London

April 26, 2013 – 19:29 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – On April 24, a concert marking the Armenian Genocide
98th anniversary was held in London’s St Yeghiche Church.

Head of the British Armenian community Ara Palamoudian delivered a
speech, with the concert featuring works by Komitas, Babajanyan,
Clarke, Beethoven and Chopin.
Prelate of Armenian Diocese of Great Britain and Ireland, Bishop Vahan
Hovhannisyan offered a prayer upon completion of the event.

Armenian Foreign Minister’s meetings at the Russian Parliament

17:37 26.04.2013

Within the framework of the official visit to Moscow Armenian Foreign
Minister Edward Nalbandian had a meeting with the First Deputy Speaker
of the State Duma Ivan Melnikov and members of the Armenian-Russian
Intergovernmental Commission and Russian delegations to international
organizations.

The interlocutors discussed issues related to the cooperation between
the legislative bodies of the two countries, underlining the
importance of that format and its contribution to the development of
inter-state relations.

Minister Nalbandian briefed the Russian MPs on the steps taken towards
further development of Armenian-Russian relations, presented the main
directions and priorities of Armenia’s foreign policy.

Minister Nalbandian met with Deputy Head of the Federal Council Ilya
Umakhanov and members of the upper chamber of the Russian Parliament.

During the meeting the parties exchanged views on the cooperation
between the delegations of the two countries within the framework of
parliamentary assemblies of international organizations.

Also, Minister Nalbandian had a meeting with representatives of the
Armenian community organization. The challenges facing Armenia’s
foreign policy and the ways for their solution were discussed.

Vardanyan Says ARF-D Will Do Better This Time, Accuses Regime Of
Abusing State Levers

April 17, 2013

The overwhelming majority of the voters is that segment of the
population which is more independent and less succumbing to pressure,
told ARF-D Supreme Council of Armenia Vice Chairman, Aghvan Vardanyan
to news.am in reply to a remark about the party’s voters being mostly
from outside the capital. In Vardanyan’s opinion vote rigging and
administrative levers are less efficient in the case of Yerevan’s
constituency. `I’m certain that ARF-D’s policy and activities will
have a larger response among the people of Yerevan. Party members are
going door-to-door talking to the citizens who after comparing the
political parties to each other state that they will vote for ARF-D’
Vardanyan pointed out and said that this is a proof that the party’s
share of votes will be larger in Yerevan this time.
News.am reminds that in the last Yerevan municipal election which took
place four years ago, ARF-D didn’t manage to pass the 6% threshold
necessary for having representatives in the city’s governing body.

***

Dashnaks Cry Foul Over Yerevan Polls
(azatutyun.am, April 17) – A leader of the opposition Armenian
Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) on Tuesday accused the
ruling Republican Party (HHK) of abusing its government levers to
prevail in next month’s municipal elections in Yerevan.

`The ruling party has learned bitter lessons from the [last]
presidential elections, and now all state and administrative resources
are being used to make these elections apolitical and forcibly ensure
votes [for the HHK,]’ charged Aghvan Vartanian.

Vartanian claimed that high-ranking officials at various state
institutions are forcing their subordinates to pledge to vote for the
HHK in the polls scheduled for May 5. `Also, time and again our
teachers are forced to promote [the HHK] among their students’ parents
to ensure votes,’ he told a news conference.

The HHK, which is headed by President Serzh Sarkisian, has faced such
allegations from the opposition as well as media ahead of just about
every major election held in Armenia in the past decade. It has always
denied them.

Western observers reported `misuse of administrative resources’ and
`pressure on voters’ by the Sarkisian campaign during the February 18
presidential election. They said government officials are using states
resources to campaign for Sarkisian’s reelection and forcing public
sector employees to attend his campaign rallies. Still, the observers’
assessment of the Armenian authorities’ handling of the ballot was
otherwise largely positive.

Vartanian, who is second on Dashnaktsutyun’s list of candidates for
Yerevan’s municipal council, predicted that there will be few
irregularities inside polling stations on May 5 not least because
nearly half of the members of precinct election commissions will be
appointed by opposition groups. `They will try to do [illicit] things
outside polling stations,’ he said, referring to the HHK.

Dashnaktsutyun, which holds five seats in the Armenian parliament, is
not represented in Yerevan’s outgoing Council of Elders. The party won
less than 5 percent of the vote in the last municipal elections held
in May 2009. Those polls took place one month after it withdrew from
Armenia’s governing coalition.

There is brawl in President’s political royal court – Marxist Party of Armenia

April 26, 2013 | 13:25

YEREVAN. – The society disregards the forthcoming capital city Yerevan
Council election, Marxist Party of Armenia leader Davit Hakobyan
stated during a press conference on Friday.

In addition, Hakobyan pointed to three key issues which the country’s
authorities face.

`First, is the process of starting a new economic policy, but I do not
see the chief strategist, or teacher. Second, is the developing of a
new diplomatic doctrine to withstand external challenges. And the
third key issue is a new political party reformation. The registration
of political parties should be on ideological grounds,’ the Marxist
Party leader noted.

Davit Hakobyan stressed that, in this way, the battle would not be
waged for a private crown. He also called upon Armenia’s President to
change his entourage because, as per Hakobyan, the President is strong
with his entourage but, now, there is a brawl in the President’s
political royal court.

Photo by Arsen Sargsyan/NEWS.am
News from Armenia – NEWS.am

Victor Soghomonyan about rumors sue RF Prosecutor’s Office against
Robert Kocharyan

2013-04-26 15:01:02

For several days, there have been rumors in press that some kind of
Russian anti-corruption non-governmental organization in the Office of
the Prosecutor submitted a claim against RA second President Robert
Kocharyan, 2rd.am writes.

In this regard, we turned to the head of the office of RA ex-President
Viktor Soghomonyan. for clarification. In response to our question,
Victor Soghomonyan said the following:

“I only learned the day before with this “stunning” news. To be
honest, I do not know whether to comment on the rumors as one can
hardly find such nonsense. As soon as you start to think about it and
analyze the nature of these rumors, you will automatically start
laughing. Can you imagine that a citizen of the Republic of Armenia
with the so-called “acknowledgment of receipt” would write a letter to
the RA Prosecutor’s Office, demanding action against the former
President of another country, say, George W. Bush? Then, when he
delivered mail confirmation of receipt, to declare, saying Bush’s case
is being investigated by the Prosecutor’s Office of Armenia. I am not
a psychotherapist, and I can only imagine what’s going on in the mind
of that citizen. Unfortunately, the same is true for those small
journalists and politicians who seriously comment on the news and come
to the “stunning” conclusion.

It is clear that the fruitless search for the so-called “blackmail”
against Robert Kocharyan forces some to resort to primitive methods
and to come up with such nonsense. It is a pity, however, that we have
a growing number of political clowns.”

Congressmen make call for expanding aid to Armenia and Karabakh

Friday,
April 26

Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairmen Frank Pallone and Michael
Grimm were joined by over twenty of their colleagues in calling on the
U.S. House of Representatives’ Appropriations Sub-Committee on
State-Foreign Operations to increase aid to Armenia, expand assistance
for Nagorno Karabakh, target allocations for Javakhk, and support
refugee resettlement funding for displaced Christian Armenian
populations in the Middle East, as they advance the Fiscal Year 2014
foreign aid bill, the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA)
said.

TODAY, 14:02

Aysor.am

National Gallery Festival held in memory of Edvard Mirzoyan to be
launched on April 28

13:31, 26 April, 2013

YEREVAN, APRIL 26, ARMENPRESS: This year the National Gallery 9th
International Music Festival will take place on April 28 in the Hall
of Frescoes of the Armenian National Picture Gallery. According to
Armenpress, at the press conference held on April 26 one of the
founders of the National Gallery International Music Festival Mariam
Shahinyan said that the festival is dedicated to the memory of
composer, People’s Artist of the USSR Edvard Mirzoyan and will be held
from the 28th of April to the 21st of May.

The organizers promise that the Festival will be interesting,
many-styled and full of premiers.

`I will work with good musicians and I am very calm about the
performance. I am always happy to participate in the Festival, as the
organizers know their job and do their work in accordance with
European standards’, – stated Juliette Galstian (mezzo-soprano), a
singer from Switzerland, who will open the Festival, accompanied by
the State Chamber Orchestra of Armenia.

The National Gallery International Music Festival aims at presenting
the Armenian and foreign classical music samples, performed by the
famous and unknown Armenian and foreign musicians, to the public.

The Festival will present the internationally recognized and
experienced musician Andrey Gorbachev with the Russian musical
instrument Balalayka, the 3rd place winner of the Eurovision Classical
Music Contest, famous musician Narek Kazazyan, String Quartet after
Edvard Mirzoyan, Spanish flute player Sara Ureña and other famous
musicians.

In 2008 the National Gallery International Music Festival was included
in the list of the State Assistance Programs of the Ministry of
Culture of the Republic of Armenia.