Author: Badalian Vardan

WHERE IS PROSPEROUS ARMENIA PARTY LEADER? – NEWSPAPER

news.am
October 04, 2012 | 06:45

YEREVAN. – The Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) is concealing like
state secret the whereabouts of PAP Chairman Gagik Tsarukyan, Hraparak
daily reports.

“Everything is being done so that no one would know where he has
gone when the [National Assembly] NA was discussing the matter of
a potential presidential candidate [that is, former FM and PAP MP
Vartan Oskanian] to be nominated by PAP.

The circles close to Oskanian claim he [Tsarukyan] has gone nowhere,
[that] he is sitting at his home. [But] Those closer to Tsarukyan
say he is not here [in Armenia].

As is known, the PAP leader must make a final decision within this one
week as to the format whereby he will participate in the [forthcoming]
presidential elections, and inform [President] Serzh Sargsyan about
his decision, as they had agreed before leaving.

‘Tsarukyan faces the decision of changing the ‘boss,’ [and] he went to
Ukraine to peacefully contemplate,’ some PAP members quietly informed,”
Hraparak writes.

“GEORGIAN DREAM” SHOULD NOT BECOME “NIGHTMARE” FOR LOCAL ARMENIANS – ANALYST

news.am
October 04, 2012 | 11:54

YEREVAN. – The “Georgian Dream” should not turn into a “Georgian
nightmare” for the Armenians living in Georgia, Regional Studies
Center Director, political analyst Richard Giragosian stated during
a press conference on Thursday.

In his words, 6.5 percent of Georgia’s population is Azerbaijani,
6 percent is Armenian, and, in actual fact, there is always a threat
by people such as billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, who heads the
“Georgian Dream” bloc, and former PM Silvio Berlusconi of Italy.

“These types of men have but one God: money. There is a threat, and
everything will depend on one eccentric person. This also shows that,
unlike Armenia, Georgia is unpredictable,” Giragosian said.

In the analyst’s view, the level of Armenian-Georgian
relations depends on Javakhk’s (Georgian name: Javakheti-is a
predominantly-Armenian-populated part of Georgia’s southeastern
Samtskhe-JavakhetiProvince) status and the situation there. But this
is a test for Georgian democracy, not for Armenia.

“Business in politics brings lot more losses than gains in any
country. This also refers to Armenian politicians who have turned
the parliament into a business club,” he added.

In any case, as per Richard Giragosian, there will be changes in
Georgia.

RUSSIAN PAPER ADDRESSES ARMENIAN PM’S CRITICISM OF MIGRATION PROGRAM

tert.am
04.10.12

The Russian newspaper Vzglyad has addressed Armenian Prime Minister
Tigran Sargsyan’s Wednesday statement expressing criticism of
the Russian government’s migration program offering jobs to the
Russian-speaking citizens of the former Soviet republics.

Citing the premier, the publication says that the Armenian authorities
were against the proposal from the very outset.

Since its launch in 2006, the program, entitled Compatriots, has
enabled around 1,500 Armenians to move to the Russian Federation.

The Russian publication says it is not the first time the initiative
has come under criticism. A Russian consul in the second largest city
of Gyumri, Vasily Korchmar, had earlier announced plans for suspending
the program permanently.

Russian Ambassador to Armenia Vyacheslav Kovalenko was quoted as
saying last September that no one stands the Armenians in Russia as
some of them seek to cash in on the fact of being immigrants in an
effort to gain political assets.

According to the paper, the Armenians prefer the Kuban province
which has been increasingly populated by Armenian immigrants over
the past years.

Citing bloggers’ reports, it says many of the Armenians settle in the
provinces of Krasnoyarsk, Krasnodar and Stavropol, with the Armenian
restaurants in Sochi being the only ones still operating in the
resort city.

Referring to the Krasnodar governor’s call for halting the Caucasians’
migration, the paper says further that it was particularly intended
for the Armenian and Azerbaijani migrants.

KICKBACKS AT THE EXPENSE OF DISABLED PEOPLE

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 10:22:34 – 04/10/2012

Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Artem Asatryan signed a decision
on dismissing the director of the Medical-Social Inspection Agency
Michael Vanyan. The PM’s Service of Control has identified that
65,000-70,000 people in Armenia undergo a medical-social examination
every year and are asked asked to pay for issuance of disability
status.

“I demand immediate dismissal of the head of the agency and personnel
changes,” the PM stressed.

EGOYAN, TANKIAN, U.S. EMBASSY ON THE CASE AGAINST OSKANIAN

Published: Thursday October 04, 2012

Related Articles
Armenia’s ruling party threatens election rival, independent media outlet

Atom Egoyan
Filmmaker
Member of the Civilitas Foundation Honorary Board
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
October 1, 2012

I have known Vartan Oskanian for many years, and believe that he is a
brilliant statesman, committed to Armenia’s prosperity and well-being.

He is a truly international presence, capable of creating important
bonds and bringing cherished ideas of democratic reform and free
media to a country that is still recovering from over seventy years
of Soviet-era control.

With this in mind, I immediately accepted Mr. Oskanian’s invitation
to lend my name to the formation of Civilitas. I have watched as this
vital organization has helped shape the course of open discussion
and debate within a country I cherish and so proud of. This is why
I am so shocked and upset by the current charges that have been
brought against Mr. Oskanian. The persecution of Vartan Oskanian
is a deplorable and politically motivated action which is extremely
dangerous to the health of the country.

I urge the Prosecutor General of Armenia to seriously consider the
consequences of removing Vartan Oskanian’s immunity and to charge
him with this trumped-up charge. This action is being watched with
great concern by anyone who is concerned with freedom of expression
in a truly democratic and modern country.

Serj Tankian Singer, Musician, Political Activist Member of the
Civilitas Foundation Honorary Board Los Angeles, California, US
October 1, 2012

The persecution of Vartan Oskanian, former foreign minister of Armenia,
is clearly politically motivated.

The funds from Jon Huntsman Sr were donated to Civilitas via Oskanian
in early 2011.

Yet the proceedings against Mr. Oskanian were brought on only after
he re-entered politics in Armenia this year.

Civilitas, the non-profit organization started by Mr. Oskanian,
has done amazing work in Armenia, as well as diplomatically abroad,
for Armenia.

It is extremely important for a developing democracy to shun the
monopolization of media, industries, and political offices.

It is also very important for Armenian citizens to be able to express
their choices and grievances by voting in free and fair elections,
monitored by reputable international polling organizations.

For centuries we have been controlled by one foreign entity or
another. Although we have allegiances, allies, and the need for aid
as a nation, our democracy and economy should not be victimized by
influences from the West (U.S. mainly), nor Russia.

We must collectively rise out of this short sighted Soviet-era need
to control industries and politics to allow our countrymen the freedom
of expression earned over centuries of struggle.

>>From the U.S. Embassy in Armenia:

October 2, 2012

“We have been following the legal case against former Foreign Minister
Oskanian carefully and are very concerned by recent developments. We
hope that this case does not represent a politically motivated and
selective enforcement of Armenian law, as this would detract from
efforts to promote greater transparency and reform in the legal,
justice and legislative sectors in Armenia.”

ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT ADOPTS A DECISION TO COMPENSATE A PART OF EXPENDITURE OF “ARMAVIA” LTD.

arminfo
Thursday, October 4, 17:38

At its today’s session, the government of Armenia adopted a decision
to compensate a part of expenditure of “Armavia” Ltd by means of
cross cancellation of debts.

The draft decision was submitted by the head of Civil Aviation General
Department, Artem Movsisyan.

He said that on 14 March 2003 the government of Armenia, “Siberian
airlines” and “Armavia” signed a trilateral investment contract,
according to which “Armavia” got a right to implement flights in
several directions for 10 years. For that, Armavia obliged to pay $15
mln to the state budget of Armenia over 10 years, including $5 mln
were paid in 2003, and the rest $10 mln the company had to pay over 10
years, $1 mln every year. As of 31 December 2011, the debt of Armavia
to the state budget was $1 mln (385,7 mln drams). At the same time,
according to the contract, Armavia had to transport veterans of the
Great Patriotic War free of charge or at easy terms, and the state had
to compensate these expenses. In this context, the government had 355,6
mln drams debt to Armavia. The state offered the company to repay debts
by means of cross cancellation of debts on the income tax, but Armavia
was working with loss. For this reason, the government has adopted a
decision to hold cross cancellation of debts and Armavia is obliged
to pay only the difference – 30,1 mln drams to the state budget.

DIRT FOR GAIN: SMEAR CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED AHEAD OF 2013 VOTE
By Gayane Abrahamyan

ArmeniaNow
Politics | 04.10.12 | 15:36

The recent domestic political developments lead many to believe that
the upcoming presidential election will feature “digging up dirt”
as a main campaign technology.

If in the case with Georgia the opposition possessed such compromising
evidence and became a mighty force winning due to the “prison scandal”,
in Armenia it is the authorities most frequently using such information
for political purposes.

The “war of compromising materials” began Wednesday, when 1tv.am
– the website of the State Television and essentially a campaign
arm for the incumbent, apparently sought to smear President Serzh
Sargsyan’s most serious opponent Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP)
leader Gagik Tsarurkyan.

The website says they “have come into possession of a document,
proving that in the 1980s PAP leader Gagik Tsarukyan was found guilty
of rape and served his sentence at a penitentiary for police officers
(then called militiamen) in Russia’s Nizhni Tagil town”.

The website reports that Tsarukyan used to work at Patrol Service so
was sent to a prison for law-enforcement officers, and was paroled
for good behavior. Then “during Robert Kocharyan’s tenure, Tsarukyan,
who had pled guilty, was acquitted by Armenia’s Supreme Court…”,
wrote 1tv.am. (Although this information has long been an issue of
public speculations, it is the first time there is documented evidence
confirming it.)

The same day Tsarukyan’s press office released a refuting statement
qualifying it as “dirty campaign politically ordered by those to whom
decency is an incomprehensible category”. Tsarukyan reminded of “the
boomerang effect”, stressing that “in this time-period the boomerang
is going to become a rather serious category, also a political one”.

The same apparent technique was used against former foreign minister
Vartan Oskanian who is now accused of money laundering. Although the
prosecutor general confirmed that he had known about Oskanian’s “money
embezzlement” for almost a year, the time for using that information
against him happens to coincide with Oskanian’s re-entry into big
politics, which he did with sharp criticism against the authorities
and unconcealed ambitions for the presidential chair.

Some two weeks ago the President’s former adviser Garnik
Isagulyan predicted a large-scale war with the main weapon being
personally-damaging information. He said there is an order of knights
called “Mehr’s Door” (Mher is a epical hero from “David of Sasun”)
operating in Armenia that has been collecting detailed information
on everybody in the domestic political elite, Armenia’s top brass
(some 3-4,000 people), starting from the 1990s.

Isagulyan claimed he was shown these lists with the kind of details
that even the National Security Service does not possess: “I am
astonished by how informed they are.”

Why Isagulyan disclosed this and who he was trying to warn or threaten
is not clear, but it appears that the “dirty campaign” will be the
marking trait of the presidential run of 2013.

FRUITFULL ARMENIA’S EIGHTH AGRO-FORUM ON VITICULTURE AND WINEMAKING OPENS IN YEREVAN

/ARKA/
4 October, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, October 4. /ARKA/. Fruitfull Armenia’s Eighth Annual
Agricultural Forum “Prospects for development of viticulture and
winemaking in Armenia” is kicked off in Yerevan.

“This event was long-anticipated, and it is special as it gives
an exclusive opportunity to discuss agricultural issues with the
professionals,” Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan said at the
forum opening.

According to him, the forum participants will try to find new solutions
for agricultural development in Armenia.

“The important thing is also the sphere’s specialists who will present
their work during one year, and introduce new innovative solutions,”
he added.

Sargsyan also highlighted that President Serzh Sargsyan had underscored
the development of agricultural sphere as the country’s economic
priority two years ago. That is why, the government is implementing
activities for this agriculture’s gradual modernization.

” I believe, the forum will reveal the new tendencies and methods
for development of viticulture, one of the most important sectors of
agriculture,” he added.

Famous winemakers, viticulturists and marketers from France, Argentina,
Austria and other countries participate in the forum.

Michel Rolland, one of the most famous enologists in the world, world
wine guru, will also attend the forum. Together with the other experts
he will degustate the whole wine assortment presented by Armenian
winemakers at the forum.

Fruitfull Armenia is an independent non-for-profit organization
established to foster the development of the farming and food
processing market sectors in Armenia. It has been organizing agro-
forums in Yerevan since 2005.

SYRIAN ARMENIANS GET THEIR PASSPORTS WITHIN THE TERMS DEFINED BY THE LAW

ARMENPRESS
4 October, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 4, ARMENPRESS: The provision of Syrian Armenian
passports is organized in accordance to the law. First they receive
citizenship by the decree of Armenian President after get their
passports from Armenian Police Passport and Visa Department, the
whole procedure lasts two months. In the briefing with Armenpress
Armenian Police Passport and Visa Department head, Police Colonel
Hovhannes Kocharyan stated that passport provision may not precede
granting of citizenship.While some Syrian Armenians expressed their
dissatisfaction concerning delay of the process.

Military conscription issue is Syrian Armenians next most important
task: all the citizens must register for for military conscription.

Before the launch of passport procedure, they must register for
military conscription, only after it they will be enabled the right
to start passport procedure. Syrian Armenian issue is in the center
of attention of all State relevant institutions and Armenian Police. ”
This group is vulnerable and we are caring no efforts to assist them,
clarify the tasks for them”. In the briefing with Armenpress Camishly
Armenian Catholic community head Andranik Extreme Archimandrite also
expressed his concerns over the delay of passport procedure.

PROSPEROUS ARMENIA WILL TAKE UP THE CHALLENGE OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY AND WILL STAND UP FOR VARTAN OSKANIAN: OPPOSITIONIST

arminfo
Wednesday, October 3, 18:36

The “attack” on Vartan Oskanian was the regime’s warning that if
Prosperous Armenia continues behaving badly, it will face more
sanctions, member of the Armenian National Congress Aram Manukyan said
in an interview with ArmInfo.

“Now it is for Prosperous Armenia to decide what to do. I think it
will take the challenge and will stand up for Oskanian. Their first
step to this end was their boycott in the parliament today,” Manukyan
said.

He said that the ANC joined all the other opposition forces and
ignored the voting on Oskanian.