Author: Badalian Vardan

PROSPEROUS ARMENIA PARTY MEMBERS AGAINST POSSIBLE COALITION WITH REPUBLICAN PARTY OF ARMENIA

news.am
May 10, 2012 | 18:31

YEREVAN. – Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) member Stepan Margaryan
released a statement on considering it not useful to establish
coalition with Republican Party of Armenia (RPA).

“The situation established due to the parliamentary elections, is
not so supportive to use potential of various political powers for
domestic political cooperation and solidarity. Another important
point is that there is no effective lever to influence on decisions
in a coalition where the other force has majority of votes. Hence,
I do not consider it right for the PAP to establish coalition with
the RPA,” Margaryan’s release reads.

To note, earlier some PAP members stated the uselessness of PAP to
make a coalition with the RPA, while head of the party Gagik Tsarukyan
has not make any decision on the issue.

ARMENIAN OPPOSITION PARTY DEMANDS TO CANCEL PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION RESULTS

news.am
May 10, 2012 | 19:00

YEREVAN. – The Democratic Way party partaking in the Armenian National
Congress bloc released a statement demanding to cancel the May 6
parliamentary elections.

“The Democratic Way party administration discussed final results
of the May 6 Parliamentary Elections in Armenia and based on the
facts provided by the media outlets on massive elections frauds,
bribe distribution reports and threatening cases, as well as the
unprecedented exaggeration of the voting lists, demands to cancel
the election results,” the statement reads.

NO MORE OLIGARCHS IN PARLIAMENT
Naira Hayrumyan

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 15:01:41 – 10/05/2012

There are no more oligarchs and businessmen in the National Assembly.

There are only poor husbands of rich ladies and poor sons-in-law of
rich mothers-in-law.

A few months before the elections, Serzh Sargsyan stated that there
must be no oligarchs in parliament, and the number of businessmen
should be reduced to minimum. However, his following steps showed
that those were mere words. Serzh Sargsyan did not do anything to
prevent oligarchs from appearing in parliament. He only asked his
own brother Sashik Sargsyan not to be nominated.

Serzh Sargsyan refused to cut the number of constituencies where as a
rule oligarchs win. It was clear then that he wanted to see oligarchs
in parliament. He did not take any steps when Samvel Alexanyan
subverted Pashinyan’s campaign in his “estate”. He did nothing when
the opposition candidate was assaulted in the constituency where
Ruben Hairapetyan was nominated.

As a result, nobody was left dissatisfied. Samvel Alexanyan won, so
did Ruben Hairapetyan whom he had instructed to deal with football,
Karen Karapetyan won in Tashir. All the Republican and Prosperous
Armenia oligarchs are in their places.

Serzh Sargsyan’s political strategy was effective. They created a
reformist image for the president who said the number of oligarchs
must be reduced, and politics must be based on civil demands, and a
few days before the election he visited Mashtots Park and instructed
to dismantle the boutiques.

In fact, the money Serzh Sargsyan paid his group of political
strategists was a good investment. Now they are dealing with the
preparation of the presidential election. What will they invent this
time? Although the mechanism has been worked out in detail, and there
is nothing to invent. Now they only need to grease it a bit to make
sure it does not squeak.

EXPERT RULES OUT PROSPEROUS ARMENIA’S JOINING OPPOSITION

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 10, 2012 – 14:07 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Prosperous Armenia will join the newly formed
coalition with the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) and
Orinats Yerkir party, a political analyst said.

“I don’t think Prosperous Armenia leader Gagik Tsarukyan will join
the opposition. The party is simply stalling for time, trying to name
a “higher price”,” Karen Kocharyan said, commenting on Prosperous
Armenia’s opposition statements during the election campaign.

As the expert told a press conference, RPA, which enjoys parliamentary
majority, is in need of a coalition considering the future presidential
campaign.

Asked whether Prosperous Armenia’s joining the coalition will affect
RPA’s rating, the expert noted that the party never considered itself
radical opposition.

Dwelling on the possible commonality between the top numbers of
Prosperous Armenia’s candidates list Gagik Tsarukyan and former foreign
minister Vartan Oskanian, who constantly make contradictory statements,
Mr. Kocharyan said, “Robert Kocharian unites them.”

ARMENIAN SOLDIER IS IN HOSPITAL AND HIS CONDITION IS STABLE

10.05.12, 11:38

Soldier of Armenian Army Samvel Avetisyan tried to commit suicide in
military unit in Gegharqunik region of RA. Fortunately he is alive
now and he is in the Central hospital. Head of the press service of
Armenian Ministry of Defense Inspection service Mary Sargsyan informed
about this to panorama.am.

Remind that Samvel Avetisyan (born on 1993) tried to commit suicide
on May 8 by shooting himself.

The case is under investigation.

ARMENIAN KENTRON TV MAY FACE AMD1MLN FINE

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 10, 2012 – 13:28 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The Armenian National TV and Radio Committee will
consider the administrative case against MultiMedia – Kentron TV CJSC
(Kentron TV company) during its May 11 meeting.

The TV company may be fined for violating the propaganda legislation,
in compliance with the article 60.7 of the RA Law on TV and Radio
(broadcasting of propaganda program during the period prohibited for
propaganda by Armenian legislation on Rallies and Meetings).

The company may be sanctioned at amount of 1000 minimum salaries,
namely AMD 1mln.

ARMENIAN ENVOY, UAE OFFICIALS DISCUSS COOPERATION

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 11, 2012 – 14:42 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – In step with Armenia’s commitment to boost its
trade relations with Ras Al Khaimah, the Armenian ambassador to the
UAE Gegham Gharibjanyan, visited Ras Al Khaimah Free Trade Zone (RAK
FTZ) – one of the fastest-growing and most cost-effective free trade
zones in the UAE, Zawya reports.

Sheikh Faisal Bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Chairman of RAK FTZ, and Sheikh
Ahmed Bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Chairman of RAK Ports and Customs Department,
received amb. Gharibjanyan at the RAK FTZ headquarters.

The one-day visit of the ambassador was aimed to boost Armenia’s
investments into Ras Al Khaimah as well as to strengthen the business
relationship between the UAE and Armenia, and the talks focused on
developing business collaboration across various sectors in Ras Al
Khaimah, such as healthcare, tourism, education, services, etc.

In his comments on the visit, Sheikh Faisal said: “We are extremely
privileged to welcome HE Gegham Gharibjanyan to RAK FTZ and to showcase
the world-class facilities and services on offer at the free zone. The
UAE shares a cordial relationship with Armenia and we are happy to
further strengthen and expand this collaboration. During the talks,
we discussed on a variety of subjects that would achieve this goal,
which is commonly shared by the two countries.”

He further added: “Armenia is a very important and strategic market
for us. And, after sharing the salient advantages of operating at the
free zone, which include the cost effectiveness of setting up business
at RAK FTZ , its value-added services, the ease to do business here,
and the strategic geographical advantage to serve as a hub for the
entire Middle East, we definitely see a vast potential of future
cooperation arising out of this visit.”

YOUTH4MEDIA PROJECT: YOUNG FOREIGNERS DISCOVER ARMENIA

11.05.12, 14:31

A group of German, Spanish, Georgian and Armenian students are
having seminars in Yerevan on May 6-15 in frame of the Youth4media
organization. The seminars are on video journalisms and cross media
journalism. Participants of the workshops are getting practical skills
and attend the lectures. The trainers are from Poland. According
to the special program they are informed about the video shooting,
video editing, HTML programming, dealing with the text and other
tools of journalism.

The course also aims to present the Armenian culture and traditions
of Armenia.

The group is separated in smaller ones and every small group has some
tasks to do. One of the tasks was to prepare media coverage about
the trip to Garni.

Now times.am presents two articles, which were prepared by two groups.

The other articles and videos will be presented as well.

You can enjoy an article about the Spanish student’s impression about
Garni temple here, and the article about the historical aspect of
the Garni complex and Geghard Monastery here.

SAMVEL ALEKSANYAN TO REWARD BEST CAMPAIGN STAFFERS WITH $20,000 & DUBAI HOLIDAY
Grisha Balasanyan

hetq
13:22, May 11, 2012

Samvel Aleksanyan, the businessman/MP who was re-elected to the
Armenian parliament on May 6, told Hetq that he will be rewarding
the best staffers in his campaign headquarters with awards of $20,000
and holidays in Dubai.

“Once we get the visa paperwork processed, the best 4 workers will be
on a plane to Dubai. But I haven’t forgotten everyone else. We’ll
be having a big party at the Paravon restaurant to celebrate,”
Aleksanyan said.

The ruling Republican Party candidate beat Nikol Pashinyan from the
Armenian National Congress in Yerevan’s Election District 7.

JAPAN OFFERS SCHOLARSHIP TO ARMENIAN STUDENTS

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 11, 2012 – 12:25 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The government of Japan provides scholarship for
Armenian students for study and research in its educational and
research centers.

The press office of the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science
reports that the Japanese ministry for education, culture, sport,
science and technology oversees the implementation process of this
education project.

Applications will first be considered in the embassy of Japan in
Armenia; then the second selection stage will follow by Japanese
embassy’s information department in Yerevan.