Author: Badalian Vardan

THE AUTHORS OF BEST ESSAYS ON PENSION REFORMS WERE AWARDED

ARMENPRESS
29 June, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, JUNE 29, ARMENPRESS: The USAID Pension and Labor Market
Reform (PALM) project and the Pension System Awareness Centre (PSAC)
Foundation of Armenia jointly hosted the launch of the “Reform and
Knowledge” initiative as well as an awards ceremony for a student
essay contest on June 29, 11 a.m. at Golden Tulip Yerevan Hotel.

The goal of the essay competition “My Model of Development of Economy
within the Context of Armenian Pension Reform,” held in spring 2012
through USAID/PALM support, was to raise the awareness of youth and
stimulate student discussion on the current pension reforms implemented
by the Government of Armenia. During the awards ceremony, participant
students were presented with diplomas and certificates.

Armenpress reports that Armenian Minister of Labor and Social Issues
Artem Asatryan handed out the award to the first place winner.

Within the framework of the event, partners also announced the launch
of two initiatives -the “Reform and Knowledge” pension reform awareness
project, and the financial knowledge dissemination initiative in
local high schools. The activities are supported by several state and
non-governmental organizations that pursue knowledge dissemination
goals and implement public awareness raising events related to the
pension system reforms. A bilateral memorandum was signed by the PSAC
foundation and the Financial System Mediator Office, as well as a
tripartite memorandum between the PSAC Foundation, the Central Bank
and the Ministry of Education of Armenia was concluded.

Invitees to the event include members of the Pension Reforms Governing
Board, the Minister of Education and the Minister of Labor and
Social Issues, deputies of the National Assembly, other officials
and journalists.

The organization of the event was made possible through the support
of USAID/PALM, the Ministry of Labor and Social Issues, the Central
Bank, the Ministry of Finance, and NASDAQ OMX.

AZERI MP PROPOSES LAW ON PEOPLE VISITING KARABAKH

tert.am
29.06.12

Azerbaijani MP Ganira Pashaeva has proposed adoption of a law on
people visiting Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijani mass media reports.

According to her, MPs, political figures, businessmen from different
countries are visiting Nagorno Karabakh “illegally”, “violating the
norms of international right” and that is why they are being declared
“persona non grata” in Azerbaijan.

She said the Azerbaijanis had a hot debate at the PACE summer session
with a French MP over the latter’s visit to Nagorno Karabakh “without
Azerbaijan’s permission.”

On the threshold of presidential elections in Nagorno Karabakh on
July 19, the Azerbaijani MP threatened to declare each person visiting
Nagorno Karabakh as “persona non grata.”

CHARTER FOLLOWS ZOLYAN’S CASE

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 14:10:42 – 29/06/2012

Today, the former rector of Yerevan State Linguistic University
Suren Zolyan stated that international organizations focus on his
application against the ministry of education and science.

According to him, the experts of the Committee of European
Charter, being an independent organization, held a meeting and made
conclusions. Zolyan did not participate in the session because of
the rules.

Suren Zolyan’s application against the ministry is heard by the
administrative court of Yerevan Kentron and Nork Marash communities.

Zolyan demands to repeal Ashotyan’s decision on penalty made on April
6, 2012 and his dismissal.

AZERBAIJAN EXERTS INFLUENCE ON THE INTERNATIONAL ESTABLISHMENTS, ARMENIAN DM SAYS

tert.am
29.06.12

The recent subversive acts by Azerbaijan was an attempt to exert
influence on the international establishments, Armenian Defense
Minister Seyran Ohanyan told the reporters today in Yerablur.

“They are trying to exert influence on the international establishments
by straining the situation to accelerate the developments over the
issue,” he said.

“Besides, an attempt is being made to create a compulsory atmosphere.

We are against it. We have once appeared in such atmosphere when we
were obliged a war but we managed to handle it,” the minister stressed.

The Defense Minister stressed that our armed forces are giving worthy
response to subversions, but the minister said the response is given
to targeted attacks only. “We do not respond to irregular shoots.

These are insignificant issues for our armed forces, instead they
are ready to rush forward for heroic acts,” he said.

Seyran Ohanyan said they have assessed the situation, concluding that
the possibility of resuming military actions is small.

BRUXELLES : LES JOURNALISTES BELGES DEVANT L’AMBASSADE TURQUE

Publie le : 29-06-2012

Info Collectif VAN – – Le Collectif VAN vous
propose ce Communique de presse de l’AGJPB (Association Generale des
Journalistes Professionnels de Belgique), FEJ (Federation europeenne
des Journalistes) et FIJ (Federation Internationale des Journalistes)
publie sur le site Info-Turk.

Info-Turk

Rassemblement des journalistes belges devant l’ambassade de Turquie

Communique de l’AGJPB, FEJ et FIJ:

L’exercice normal du metier d’informer est bafoue par les autorites
turques au nom des lois anti-terroristes. Les associations de
journalistes ont manifeste jeudi devant l’ambassade a Bruxelles en
solidarite avec Baris Terkoglu.

Le jeudi 28 juin a marque les 500 jours de detention preventive du
journaliste turc Baris Terkoglu (31 ans) dans une prison d’Istanbul.

Arrete le 14 fevrier 2011 a son domicile, ce redacteur du site web
Odatv est accuse, comme de très nombreux collègues, “d’appartenance a
une organisation terroriste”. En realite, il avait simplement exerce
son metier et informe ses lecteurs sur les mouvements de revolte
dans les pays arabes et sur l’affaire “Ergenekon”, du nom d’une
organisation militaire qui, d’après les autorites turques, aurait
planifie un coup d’Etat. Il est aussi reproche au journaliste d’avoir
diffuse une photo, prise dans un restaurant, montrant a une meme table
les policiers qui avaient mene l’enquete, le procureur et le president
du tribunal devant lequel allait s’ouvrir le procès Ergenekon…

Baris Terkoglu a ete adopte par l’Association Generale des Journalistes
Professionnels de Belgique (AGJPB) dans le cadre d’une campagne de
la Federation europeenne des Journalistes (FEJ). A travers cette
adoption, c’est la derive autoritaire du gouvernement turc et la
detention d’une centaine de journalistes que denonce l’AGJPB. Il
est inconcevable, estime-t-elle, qu’un pays si proche de l’Europe
emprisonne des journalistes qui exercent leur metier d’informer et
les maintienne aussi longtemps en detention preventive en attente
d’un procès equitable.

Le 18 juin dernier, a l’audience, Baris Terkoglu a enfin pu repondre
aux accusations lancees contre lui, mais il n’en restera pas moins
trois mois de plus derrière les barreaux : contrairement aux attentes,
le procès a ete reporte au 14 septembre prochain. On craint, a ce
rythme, que sa detention preventive et celle des autres journalistes
impliques se poursuivent encore longtemps. Une raison de plus pour la
FEJ, pour l’AGJPB et tous les syndicats et associations de journalistes
europeens d’exiger la liberation immediate de leurs confrères et
cons~urs turcs incarceres.

– Ce jeudi 28 juin, un rassemblement de journalistes et responsables
de l’AGJPB, FEJ et FIJ a eu lieu devant l’ambassade de Turquie a
Bruxelles (rue Montoyer, 4) de 11h a midi. Un courrier a ete depose
a l’ambassade.

– De plus amples informations se trouvent sur

– Un compte Twitter au nom de Baris Terkoglu permet de suivre
(principalement en langue turque) l’evolution de son dossier
(@baristerkoglu). Sur YouTube, une video de soutien a ete diffusee
dans une version turque sous-titree en anglais :

Retour a la rubrique

Source/Lien : Info-Turk

TURKEY ‘UNHAPPY’ WITH GENOCIDE FORUM IN PRAGUE

Asbarez
Wednesday, June 27th, 2012

PRAGUE (Combined Sources)-The Turkish Embassy in the Czech Republic
said it was “unhappy” that a prominent seminar was taking place its
capital city focusing on the Armenian Genocide.

In his opening remarks, Armenia’s Ambassador to Prague, Tigran
Seyranian, welcomed the seminar organized by the Research Center for
Archeology of Evil and cited Franz Werfel’s “Forty Days of Musa Dagh”
and commended the Czech Republic for commemorating April 24 every year,
reported News.am

The seminar, which was held from June 18 to 20, was designed to
highlight issues of racism, xenophobia and crimes against humanity and
focused on the self-defense efforts in Musa Dagh, as well as Turkey’s
continued policy of denial. Andrew Goldberg’s documentary entitled
“The Armenian Genocide” was also screened.

But the center’s director Simon Krbec told RFE/RL that the Turkish
Embassy in Prague was “unhappy” with the center for hosting the
seminar and invited him and his colleagues to a meeting the day after
the conference ended.

“We were asked why we chose, as they put it, a controversial issue
such as the Armenian genocide for the conference,” he told RFE/RL’s
Armenian service. “They tried to explain that they are not happy with
this content of the conference, especially considering the fact that
from their point of view we did not invite some Turkish researchers
to that conference.”

“We replied that we are not dividing historical research into
some national or opposite sides, that we follow the mainstream of
research on genocide studies in the world,” Krbec told RFE/RL. “We
said that, for example, the International Association of Genocide
Scholars recognized the Armenian genocide as genocide. So we don’t
see a reason to invite some Turkish researchers.”

“They provided us with books about their version of what happened
in the Ottoman Empire and they invited us to Istanbul to study their
archives,” he added.

NEXT ROUND OF ARMENIA-EU NEGOTIATIONS OVER DCFTA IS IN OCTOBER

ARMENPRESS
28 June, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, JUNE 28, ARMENPRESS: The discussion of the talks over the
Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA) with the European
Union will continue in the first week of October, Deputy Minister
of Economy and DCFTA Chief Negotiator Garegin Melkonyan told a news
conference held in the press hall of “Armenpress” June 28.

“The goal of the first stage of the negotiations held in Brussels June
19-20 was to make it clear for the Armenian side the expectations of
the European Union from different spheres, and to show to EU Armenia’s
readiness to continue the process, said the Chief Negotiator, assuring
that the negotiations will take no longer than 2 years.

According to him, the actual substantial agreements will be reached
in October. In foreseeable future EU will make up the 15 chapters of
the texts in accordance with the agreement, which will be presented to
Armenia in late July. They, too, will be discussed during the October
meeting. Before that, the texts presented by the European Union will
be discussed with Armenia’s government, businessmen, NGOs.

Among the preconditions for Armenia to start the DCFTA negotiations
is performance of the main priorities in the spheres of technical
obstacles of trade, sanitarian and phytosanitary measures, intellectual
property rights and general coordination.

UNE SERVEUSE D’UN HOTEL DE GYUMRI CONDAMNEE A 3 ANS DE PRISON POUR PROXENETISME
Stephane

armenews.com
vendredi 29 juin 2012

Tous les clients reguliers de l’Hôtel Andranik de Gyumri et de son
restaurant connaissent Toma âgee de 55 ans.

La femme travaille dans l’hôtel depuis 2001 quand elle a commence a
travailler comme prepose au nettoyage. Toma a eu de la promotion en
2006, devenant une serveuse.

Les clients reguliers savent aussi que Toma, qui s’est separe de son
mari il y a 30 ans, s’occupe de sa fille handicapee.

Elle a ete accusee d’inciter a la prostitution en 2010 et a ete
condamne a payer 300000 drams. Son patron ne l’a pas renvoyee. Donc
elle est retournee a son poste de travail et a continue son business
de mettre en contact des femmes pour des clients. Toma avait besoin
d’argent.

Mais les honoraires qu’elle a mis dans sa poche pour chaque entente
etaient un maigre revenu – juste 1000 drams. Elle a ete mise en
accusation une deuxième fois et Toma a dit aux policiers que le
proprietaire du restaurant M.Grigoryan n’etait pas conscient de son ”
travail ” en marge et qu’elle allouait de temps en temps des chambres
de l’hôtel a plusieurs prostituees.

Il est difficile de dire si le gestionnaire de l’hôtel n’avait en
effet aucun indice quant a ce qui se passait sous son nez.

Toma a ete accuse de ce deuxième crime le 2 fevrier 2012. Les
prostituees ont aussi ete poursuivies.

Les filles ont temoigne qu’elles avaient donne a Toma leurs numeros de
telephone et qu’elle pouvait les appeler a l’hôtel quand les clients
etaient la.

Une des femmes s’occupe de sa mère a la retraite et d’une soeur
handicapee. Elle a dit qu’elle etait ” dans le jeu ” depuis trois ans
pour faire de l’argent pour sa famille. Cette femme et Toma ont fait
la connaissance a l’hôtel et ont echange leurs numeros de telephone.

Toma est accusee de l’avoir appele 40 fois a l’hôtel pour des actes
sexuels de janvier 2010 jusqu’a novembre 2011.

La prostituee a dit qu’elle est paye 5000 drams pour chaque rencontre
et qu’elle a donne a Toma 1000 drams pour ses services.

Une autre femme a temoigne qu’elle a travaille comme prostituee juste
un an afin ausis de joindre les deux bouts. Elle est une maman isolee
avec deux gosses. Elle a aussi rencontre Toma a l’hôtel.

Le 12 juin lors du procès le procureur a au commencement demande que la
cour condamne Toma a trois ans de prison puisque c’etait sa deuxième
condamnation. Il a plus tard change de position demandant trois ans
avec sursis pour clemence, tenant compte que Toma avait avoue ses
actions et que personne ne pouvait a la maison s’occuper de sa s~ur
de 33 ans handicapee si elle avait ete emprisonnee pendant trois ans.

L’avocat de Toma, Mamikon Mouradyan, avait aussi appele l’attention
de la cour sur le fait que sa cliente s’occupe aussi de sa fille
handicapee qui est tombee du troisième etage a l’âge de 17 ans en
accrochant du linge.

Toma a plaide pour la clemence et promis de quitter son ancien travail.

La cour a condamne Toma a trois ans de prison avec sursis.

Hetq.am

EXCEEDING AMOUNT OF METALS FOUND IN HONEY SAMPLES NEAR MINES IN ARMENIA

news.am
June 29, 2012 | 01:33

YEREVAN. – In honey samples from mining regions in Armenia an excess
of maximum allowable concentration of metals is discovered, expert
Olga Belayeva told Armenian News-NEWS.am presenting the annual report
for honey samples for 2011.

Answering to the question whether any excess of metals should be
tied with mines the expert explained that in this case the reason
is pollution caused by production emissions by plants in Yerevan. In
tow honey samples DDT was found with an excess of MAC 20 and 18 times.

The samples were from Armenia’s Aragatsotn and Gegharkunk regions
were the substance is used.

ARMENIA PARTICIPATES IN WORLD EXPO IN SOUTH KOREA

news.am
June 28, 2012 | 14:51

YEREVAN. – Armenia is among the countries participating in the Expo
2012 Yeosu Korea world expo, which is being held between May 12 and
August 12 in Yeosu, South Korea.

And during its session on Thursday, the Armenian Government approved
the petition for a AMD 74 million (approx. US$ 176,550)-funding for
participation at the event.

To note, 105 countries and nine international organizations are
partaking in the Expo 2012 Yeosu Korea. And Armenia’s participation
in the event is under the theme “Technologies of New Resources.”