Author: Badalian Vardan

                                        Thursday, June 1, 2017
Armenian Government Stands By Faster Growth Forecast
 . Nane Sahakian
Armenia - Finance Minister Vartan Aramian attends a parliamentary
hearing in Yerevan on the Armenian state budget for 2017, 31Oct2016.
The Armenian government remains confident that economic growth in the
country will accelerate to at least 3.2 percent this year, Finance
Minister Vartan Aramian said on Thursday.
"We will make every effort to ensure that growth actually exceeds the
3.2 percent target a little," he told reporters.
The Armenian economy grew by up to 0.5 percent last year amid a
continuing recession in Russia, Armenia's main trading partner and
source of large-scale cash remittances. Prime Minister Karen
Karapetian's cabinet set the 3.2 percent growth target for 2017 in its
budget approved by parliament late last year.
The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank have forecast
similar growth rates in recent weeks. The bank cautioned in a May 11
report, however, that the country's growth outlook is susceptible to
"negative impact external shocks."
Armenia - Workers at a new textile factory in Yerevan, 20Mar2017.
Hossein Samiei, a senior IMF official, said in Yerevan in April that
"decisive" reforms promised by Karapetian's government are essential
for achieving faster and sustainable growth in Armenia. He said the
government is committed to improving the business environment,
tackling tax evasion and attracting foreign investment.
In Aramian's words, the government expects domestic economic activity
to be stimulated by at least $830 million in mostly foreign
investments which it has repeatedly pledged to attract this year. The
minister said that foreign direct investment already rose by 30
percent in the first quarter of this year.
Minister for Economic Development and Investments Suren Karayan stood
by the ambitious pledges in separate comments to the press. "The
[investment] programs that we announced are on track," he said.
Karapetian has repeatedly stated that that his government has all but
secured $3.2 billion in funding for around 350 investment projects to
be implemented in Armenia in the coming years. Critics of his
government are highly skeptical about that.
Ex-Prosecutor Warns Of European Court Rulings Against Armenia
 . Ruzanna Stepanian
Armenia - A newly constructed prison in Armavir region, 29Nov2014.
Armenian law-enforcement authorities' long-running practice of
routinely keeping criminal suspects in custody may put them at odds
with the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), former
Prosecutor-General Gevorg Kostanian warned on Thursday.
Kostanian, who now represents Armenia in the ECHR, argued that the
Strasbourg-based court has adopted stricter requirements for the
pre-trial arrest of people in the Council of Europe member states. He
said law-enforcement authorities there must now prove that arrested
individuals, who have appealed to the ECHR, would go into hiding or
obstruct justice if set free.
"Whereas [until now] we could justify the need for arrest only with
the fact of a crime # now an even individual who committed the most
serious crime can be arrested only if it is substantiated that they
could flee or evade [prosecution,]" Kostanian told RFE/RL's Armenian
service (Azatutyun.am).
"Therefore, our law-enforcement bodies must pay special attention to
the matter. Or else, we will get recognitions [by the ECHR] of
widespread violations [of the due process,]" said the ex-prosecutor
who was recently elected to the Armenian parliament on the ruling
Republican Party's ticket.
Human rights groups have long criticized Armenian law-enforcement
agencies for usually keeping suspects, including those charged with
minor crimes, in pre-trial detention. They believe that the practice
makes it easier for investigators to extract confessions.
Armenian courts rarely agree to order the release of suspects on bail
or otherwise pending investigation.
Ara Gharagyozian, a lawyer who has represented many opposition
activists, was skeptical about the new ECHR requirements. He said the
increased likelihood of ECRH rulings against Armenia carrying heavy
fines will hardly deter Armenian judges or prosecutors.
"Mr. Kostanian may say the right things but our law-enforcement bodies
and courts usually do the opposite," he said.
One of Gharagyozian's clients, Ara Khandoyan, was arrested last summer
in connection with violent clashes between opposition supporters and
riot police in Yerevan. Armenian courts refused to grant Khandoyan
bail. His lawyer challenged those decisions in the Strasbourg court
earlier this year.
Anti-Smoking Measures Planned In Armenia
 . Naira Bulghadarian
Armenia - An anti-smoking campaigner talks to passersby in Yerevan,
31May2011.
The Armenian Ministry of Health has called for a legal ban on smoking
in public places and a sharp rise in the prices of cigarettes, citing
the need to reduce the large number of smokers in Armenia.
Health Minister Levon Altunian unveiled on Wednesday a new
"anti-tobacco strategy" drafted by his staff and submitted to the
government for approval.He said a corresponding government bill will
likely be sent to the Armenian parliament in November.
"Armenians are a law-abiding nation," Altunian told a news
conference. "Armenians like novelties. Armenians like being healthy
and successful."
"I am convinced that we will succeed in defeating this evil," he
said. "The best way to do that is to target [smokers'] pockets, rather
than minds."
Under the ministry proposals, excise duties levied from cigarettes
would be raised by 15 percent annually from 2017 through 2021. The
government would also prohibit smoking in government and private
offices, as well as all restaurants, cafes and bars. The owners of
such businesses failing to comply with the ban would be fined an
equivalent of as much as $10,000.
"It all boils down to this: if you want to smoke, go out, smoke and
come back," said Aleksandr Bazarchian, the director of the
government-funded National Institute of Healthcare. "Nobody is telling
people not to smoke."
The ministry is also seeking a complete ban on all forms of tobacco
advertising. Armenian TV and radio stations were banned from airing
such commercials years ago.
According to ministry estimates, 55 percent of Armenian men are
regular smokers. The smoking rate among women in the socially
conservative society is much lower: 3 percent. It is considerably
higher in Yerevan where around 10 percent of women aged between 30 and
40 are tobacco addicts.
The Armenian authorities already took a set of anti-smoking measures
over a decade ago. A special law that came into force in 2005 banned
smoking in hospitals, cultural and educational institutions and public
buses. Additional restrictions introduced a year later required other
entities, including bars and restaurants to allow smoking only in
special secluded areas. But with no legal sanctions put in place
against their violation, those measures proved largely ineffectual.
Skeptics are now questioning the authorities' ability and willingness
to enforce the new and tougher measures advocated by the Ministry of
Health. Babken Pipoyan, who heads a non-governmental consumer right
group, is worried that some restaurants may be allowed to flout the
smoking ban and thus gain an unfair competitive edge.
Press Review
"Zhamanak" dismisses suggestions that Russia will handpick a new prime
minister of Armenia next year. "The notion that Armenia's top official
is appointed in a foreign center -- and Moscow in particular -- must
be driven out of the Armenian public consciousness," writes the
paper. "Even if this is the case, this sense of gloom and forgone
conclusion not only must not take root among Armenia's citizens but
there must also be a great deal of intolerance towards it."
"Zhoghovurd" reports that President Serzh Sarkisian on Wednesday
completed the formation of Prime Minister Karen Karapetian's new
cabinet by reappointing it last four members. The paper points out
that the government's composition has not changed as a result of the
April 2 parliamentary elections. "Generally speaking, this government
is not motivated to do a good job," it claims. "What is the point of
improving the situation in the country and making things easier for
the man who can can sack them and be the next prime minister? But if
it is decided after all that Karen Karapetian will remain prime
minister [in 2018,] they will have even less reason to provide
anything to anyone."
"Hraparak" says it is now even more evident that Armenia's
constitution was radically amended in 2015 for the sake of President
Serzh Sarkisian's political future. The paper also says that Sarkisian
will keep everyone guessing his political plans "until the last
moment." "Nobody is fully aware of his scenario," it says.
"Aravot" says that the failure of some major Armenian parties and
alliances to win seats in the new parliament must not mean "the end of
the world" for them. "If they have good ideas, they can use them while
being outside the parliament," editorializes the paper. "Especially
given the fact that there are now many platforms for promoting
ideas. If they are more original than formulas like `the country is
collapsing' or `this regime must go as soon as possible' they could be
of interest to the society or at least a certain section of it."
Konrad Zasztowt, a Polish political analyst, tells "168 Zham" that
Armenia cannot secure a visa-free regime for its citizens travelling
to the European Union in the near future. "Yerevan has to prove that
it is capable of modernizing the country and laying strong foundations
for democracy, human rights and the rule of law," he says.
(Anush Mkrtchian)
Reprinted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
Copyright (c) 2017 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.
www.rferl.org

Armenpress News Agency , Armenia
 Tuesday
PM attaches importance to engagement of all Armenians' potential in reforms
YEREVAN, MAY 30, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Karen
Karapetyan on May 30 hosted the delegation led by Chairman of the
Central Board ofRamgavarAzatakan/ DemocraticLiberal Party Sergio
Nahapetian, press service of the Government told Armenpress.
The PM attached importance to the party’s activity in strengthening
Armenia-Diaspora ties and maintaining Armenian identity in Diaspora.
Karen Karapetyan said the Government is interested in engagement of
potential of all Armenians in the reforms aimed at boosting
investments, improving business environment, and his message addressed
to Diaspora-Armenians was directed for that purpose.
On behalf of the party Sergio Nahapetian expressed readiness to
support implementing the Armenian Government’s programs and reforms,
as well as solving vital issues.
The sides exchanged views on issues related to Armenia-Diaspora
cooperation, preservation of Armenian identity, strengthening ties
with Fatherland, development of Armenia and Artsakh.

                                        Tuesday, 
Tsarukian Allies Quit Parliament
 . Tatevik Lazarian
Armenia - The newly elected National Assembly holds its first sitting
in Yerevan, 18May2017.
Three members of Armenia's new parliament, who effectively revolted
against businessman Gagik Tsarukian shortly after recent elections,
have ceded their parliament seats to other members of his alliance.
The Tsarukian Bloc won 31 of the 105 seats in the new National
Assembly elected on April 2. Shortly after the vote, it submitted to
the Central Election Commission (CEC) letters of resignation
supposedly signed by 23 of its mostly successful election candidates.
Twelve of those candidates told the CEC, however, that they did not
sign the letters and would still like to become parliament
deputies. The commission handed parliamentary mandates to eight of
them.
Tsarukian said through a spokeswoman last month that that all of those
men had formally pledged ahead of the elections not to take up
parliament seats if they fail to get a particular number of votes in
various constituencies across Armenia.
In the event, three of the deputies representing the Tsarukian Bloc --
Harutyun Gharagyozian, Khachik Manukian and Artyom Tsarukian (no
relation) -- agreed to resign from the parliament. They formally
ceased to be members of the National Assembly on Tuesday.
The five other lawmakers refused to follow suit, while remaining
affiliated with the second largest parliamentary force.
Tsarukian's press secretary, Iveta Tonoyan, downplayed the three
resignations, denying that there are disagreements within the
bloc. "There were political agreements," she told reporters. "This is
a political process."
Tonoyan also did not confirm reports that Tsarukian has fallen out
with Ishkhan Zakarian, the man who managed the bloc's election
campaign and was also elected to the National Assembly. Asked to
comment on rumors that Zakarian too will resign from the parliament,
she said: "I have never heard about such an intention from Ishkhan
Zakarian."
OSCE Vows Continued Engagement In Armenia After Office Closure
 . Sargis Harutyunyan
Armenia - OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier speaks at a news
conference in Yerevan, 30May2017.
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe will continue
to promote wide-ranging reforms in Armenia despite the closure of its
Yerevan office forced by Azerbaijan, OSCE Secretary General Lamberto
Zannier said on Tuesday.
"The closure of the office does not mean that we will conclude our
cooperation with Armenia," Zannier said during a visit to
Yerevan. "There are many important issues on our agenda."
"We will therefore try to find various ways of working together and
ensuring that the closure of the office only means that one chapter of
our cooperation has been closed but other avenues of joint work have
opened up," he told a joint news conference with Foreign Minister
Edward Nalbandian.
The OSCE office has implemented projects relating, among other things,
to human rights, tax and police reforms, gender equality and press
freedom ever since it was opened in 2000. Azerbaijan vetoed late last
year a further extension of its mandate, objecting to a humanitarian
demining program sponsored by it in Armenia. It claimed that the
program could "strengthen" the Armenian military in the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Armenia has repeatedly shrugged off those allegations. It says that
Baku is simply keen to force the closure of the Yerevan office after
having a similar OSCE office in Baku shut down in 2015 in line with
its poor human rights record.
OSCE decisions on opening such missions and extending their activities
have to be unanimously approved by all 57 member states of the
organization.
Baku did not drop its objections even after the Armenian government
agreed in January to exclude demining from the wide range of OSCE
activities in Armenia. Its uncompromising stance prompted a stern
warning from the United States, with a senior U.S. diplomat saying in
February that the office closure would "reflect poorly on Azerbaijan."
A representative of Austria, the current holder of the OSCE
presidency, told the OSCE's Permanent Council in Vienna on May 4 that
the Azerbaijani government remains adamant in demanding the shutdown.
The issue seems to have dominated Zannier's separate meetings with
Nalbandian and President Serzh Sarkisian. The OSCE secretary general
described the talks as "useful" in a written statement issued later in
the day. "I would like to see the achievements of the Office preserved
and built upon as far as possible," he added.
Armenian-Azeri Summit `Unlikely For Now'
 . Sargis Harutyunyan
Armenia - Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian at a news conference in
Yerevan, 30May2017.
A fresh meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents is still
not on the cards despite international mediators' efforts to
reinvigorate the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process, Foreign Minister
Edward Nalbandian indicated on Tuesday.
"Armenia has never objected to meetings at the level of [foreign]
ministers or presidents," he said. "If conditions are ripe, such
meetings are possible. But this kind of meetings, especially at the
high, presidential level, have to be properly prepared
for. Ministerial meetings are aimed at ensuring that as well."
"For the time being, we can only talk about a meeting at the
ministerial level," Nalbandian told a joint news conference with
Lamberto Zannier, the visiting secretary general of the Organization
for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
Presidents Serzh Sarkisian and Ilham Aliyev most recently met in Saint
Petersburg last July for talks hosted by their Russian counterpart
Vladimir Putin. The Karabakh peace process has remained essentially
deadlocked since then.
Richard Hoagland, the U.S. co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, expressed
hope in March that Nalbandian and Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar
Mammadyarov will "prepare the ground" for a fresh Aliyev-Sarkisian
encounter. The two ministers met in Moscow in late April. A Russian
Foreign Ministry statement on their talks said nothing about the
possibility of an Armenian-Azerbaijani summit.
Nalbandian also announced on Tuesday that Hoagland and his fellow
Minsk Group co-chairs from Russia and France will visit Yerevan and
Stepanakert next week.
Press Review
"Zhoghovurd" says the opposition Yerkir Tsirani party's decision to
take up its five seats in Yerevan's newly elected municipal council
means that its sessions are promising to be dramatic and heated. The
paper says that Yerkir Tsirani leader Zaruhi Postanjian's presence in
the council may have a "somewhat positive impact" on the work of the
legislature and make life harder for Mayor Taron Markarian and his
aides. But, it says, the party's decision not to boycott the council
is not consistent with its tough anti-government stance.
"Zhamanak" is highly skeptical about a new anti-corruption body that
will be set up soon by the Armenian government. The paper predicts
that the authorities will use the body to get rid of "undesirable"
officials that will fall from their grace. "In other words, what is
being created in Armenia is not a truly independent anti-corruption
body # but an institution of, so to speak, intra-governmental
inquisition," it claims. "The authorities will thus solve two
issues. On one hand, the new structure will enable them to elevate
their anti-corruption dialogue with international bodies to a new
level # On the other hand, the intra-governmental inquisition will
allow them to make the [government] system more manageable in the
current period of transition."
Interviewed by "168 Zham," Vadim Dubnov, a Russian political analyst,
plays down the significance of a recent statement by the OSCE Minsk
Group co-chairs that essentially held Azerbaijan responsible for the
latest escalation of tensions in the Karabakh conflict zone. Dubnov
argues that just a few months ago the Russian, U.S. and French
co-chairs issued another statement that was more favorable to
Azerbaijan. "I think that in or two or two weeks it will be forgotten
in both Baku and Yerevan," he says. Dubnov also believes that the
Azerbaijani leadership is presently "not quite interested in a
de-escalation of the conflict." "And I am not fully convinced that
Yerevan is interested in that," he adds.
"Chorrord Ishkhanutyun" comments on the Karabakh Armenian military's
decision to issue statements on truce violations on a weekly, rather
than daily, basis from now on. General Movses Hakobian, the chief of
the Armenian army's General Staff, is quoted as defending the decision
on security grounds. The paper dismisses this speculation, saying that
daily reports on the situation along the Karabakh "line of contact"
would not reveal any military secrets to Baku.
(Tigran Avetisian)
Reprinted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
Copyright (c) 2017 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.
www.rferl.org