Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

SERZH SARGSYAN’S BLACKLIST IS READY

Hakob Badalyan, Political Commentator
Comments – Friday, 28 February 2014, 17:49

The press has reported that the RPA leadership has considered
postponing enforcement of the law on mandatory funded pension by
one year. There are serious and well-grounded complaints, and Serzh
Sargsyan confessed that 80% of the society does not support the reform.

Of course, the decision on postponing the mandatory funded pension,
if it is made at all, will not be determined by the public opinion. If
public opinion mattered at all, the RPA would not be a ruling party,
Serzh Sargsyan would not be a president, and the government and
National Assembly would not have such members.

A reason for postponing could be money, strange though it may sound.

First, despite hopes to invest the finance from mandatory funded
pension contributions in the economy, a more or less realistic view
shows that the enforcement of the law will send the government into
bigger financial complications.

In particular, it has become known that lots of companies remove
their high-paid young employees from the payroll, and the companies
that have branches or subsidiaries outside Armenia transfer their
employees. Besides, a lot of companies refuse to higher young
employees.

This may deprive the budget of much more income than the money from
the mandatory funded pension. Besides, “solidarity of generations”
lying at the heart of the new law will be seriously violated.

Earlier after the famous decision of the Constitutional Court, several
government agencies, including the SRC, the Ministry of Finance, the
Central Bank issued statements that instructed employers to deduce
the amounts from the salaries. After deductions they threatened that
criminal liability will follow refusal to transfer those amounts to
the pension funds.

The tactics is evident. The government intends to include the maximum
amount of companies and organizations before the next decision of the
Constitutional Court and the political decision of the RPA. Even if
the mandatory funded component is cancelled or postponed, those who
have already joined will not be able to return.

And many have joined, particularly government agencies and big
companies. There are rumors that a list of companies which have joined
has been submitted to Serzh Sargsyan. A lot of companies have been
notified about the list.

Hence, another process is underway – the list of friends has been
updated.

At the same time, ahead of the 2017-2018 electoral period, the
government made an “inventory” to follow up on redistribution of
property and quotas.

It would be interesting to know whether Gagik Tsarukyan and other
PAP businessmen have joined the mandatory funded pension.

– See more at:

From: Baghdasarian

ZHOGHOVURD: WHY IS MIKHAIL BAGHDASAROV FORGIVEN?

12:35 28/02/2014 >> DAILY PRESS

Businessman Mikhail Baghdasarov’s Armavia airline, which stopped
operating flights last year, has accumulated large debts to its
employees and the state, Zhoghovurd writes.

Asked by Zhoghovurd’s correspondent why Baghdasarov is forgiven,
head of Armenia’s Civil Aviation Department Artyom Movsesyan said
that they are not planning to make any concessions to Armavia,
and will achieve the payment of the debt to the state. As regards
the airline’s debt to its former employees, according to Movsesyan,
the government is trying to find a solution to this problem.

Source: Panorama.am

From: Baghdasarian

GEORGIA PRIME MINISTER PLEDGES TO EXPAND DEVELOPMENT OF SAMTSKHE-JAVAKHETI AND ALL REGIONS

12:16 28.02.2014

ANCA, Georgia, Javakhk

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili pledged to develop all
the regions of the Republic equally, including Samtskhe-Javakheti,
during an address at the Atlantic Council held as part of his first
official visit to the United States this week, reported the Armenian
National Committee of America (ANCA).

“We have a plan to develop all regions and without making any
separations or any discrimination,” explained Prime Minister
Garibashvili. “Please be sure that I treat Samtskhe-Javakheti as any
other region. Samtskhe-Javakheti is my region. I mean all country is
my regions. I don’t separate it from other regions.”

The comment came in response to a question by ANCA Fellow Lilit
Gasparyan, who noted the poor economic situation in Samtskhe-Javakheti
prompted by past discriminatory practices. “To correct this, would
you agree to have a portion of the international assistance, in this
case U.S. aid, be earmarked clearly for the socio-economic development
of the Samtskhe-Javakheti region,” asked Gasparyan.

“We welcome Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili’s public affirmation,
here in Washington, of his government’s prioritization of economic
development in Javakhk and all the regions of Georgia, and hope that
this constructive commitment will translate into concrete action,
including the acceptance of development assistance being offered by
Armenian communities around the world,” noted ANCA Executive Director
Aram Hamparian.

During his visit to Washington, DC Prime Minister Garibashvili met with
President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden, prior to offering
remarks on February 25th at Atlantic Council. The Prime Minister also
spoke about Georgia’s European Integration Process. and confirmed
that the EU’s Association Agreement with a Deep and Comprehensive
Free Trade Area Component will likely be signed in July.

From: Baghdasarian

PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Chris Zakian
Tel: (212) 686-0710
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

February 26, 2014

___________________

Charlotte Parish Observes Name Day

Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church
of America (Eastern), visited St. Sarkis Church of Charlotte, N.C., earlier
this month as the parish observed its name day and the anniversary of the
church’s consecration.

On Saturday evening, February 15, the community welcomed Archbishop
Barsamian in the church’s Acopian Hall. Members of various parish
organizations-including the Parish Council, ACYOA, Women’s Guild, and
choir-had an opportunity to meet with the Primate, share recent
accomplishments and concerns, and to ask questions about parish life and
recent developments in the worldwide Armenian Church.

Later that evening, Dr. Sylvie Bastajian Yessayan, the parish’s Diocesan
delegate, hosted a dinner for Archbishop Barsamian, the parish’s
deacon-in-charge Benjamin Rith-Najarian, and members of the Acopian family
who generously supported the construction of St. Sarkis Church.

On Sunday, February 16, Archbishop Barsamian celebrated the Divine Liturgy.
He was assisted by Dn. Rith-Najarian and young altar servers. As has become
tradition on the Feast of St. Sarkis the Warrior (which fell on February 15
this year), the Charlotte church’s patron saint, the Primate blessed madagh
and led a requiem service in memory of the deceased benefactor and
parishioners of St. Sarkis Church.

Later that afternoon, at a luncheon and program, the “St. Vartan” award was
presented to longtime parishioner and current parish council chair Hagop
Sarkissian. The parish also presented an award to the Acopian family in
recognition of the architectural significance of the sanctuary. A second
award was presented to the Touloukian family for the two beautiful stained
glass windows they donated to the church.

The parish’s children’s dance group, donning traditional Armenian costumes,
gave a colorful performance. Other parishioners performed on the piano and
duduk.

“It was a unique opportunity for the Armenian community in Charlotte to get
together to witness an episcopal Divine Liturgy,” Mr. Sarkissian said, “and
our program after services allowed parishioners to enjoy the talent we have
here and to celebrate our faith and culture.”

In his remarks, Dn. Rith-Najarian reflected on the historical St. Sarkis’s
status in the Armenian Church as a “saint of love,” noting that the
establishment of St. Sarkis Church “required hard work, time, money, but
most of all, it required a love of God, each other, and the Armenian
Church.” Dn. Benjamin encouraged community members to continue supporting
one another and working toward a more vibrant parish.

Dn. Benjamin began his ministry in Charlotte six months ago, and already the
parish has noted exciting changes. Young people have benefitted from an
acolyte training program and bimonthly ACYOA Bible study sessions, which are
hosted in the homes of ACYOA members. The Sunday School was re-launched
earlier this academic year, and plans are underway to re-open the parish’s
Armenian School. In addition, the new deacon-in-charge hosts regular Bible
studies for adults, which are followed by an evening service.

“It is always a joy for me to visit this community,” Archbishop Barsamian
said. “I am so happy to see that under the guidance of Dn. Benjamin-a young
and energetic leader-this parish continues to grow and to carry forward the
mission of the Armenian Church of America.”

The Armenian community of Charlotte began to form in the late 1980s and
early 1990s. In March 2000, the parish purchased a property in Charlotte and
began planning the construction of a new house of worship. The late Sarkis
Acopian of Easton, Pa., and his wife, Bobbye Acopian, generously pledged
more than $2 million to the building project in memory of Mr. Acopian’s
mother, Dr. Arax Acopian.

Four years later, a cornerstone-blessing was held, and in July 2005
Archbishop Barsamian traveled to Charlotte to consecrate the newly-built St.
Sarkis Church.

Helen Acopian, who attended the weekend’s events with members of her family,
said the weekend was uplifting. “I found it heartwarming to see the big
strides the community has taken since the construction of St. Sarkis
Church,” she said. “It was nice to see that the church has become a
gathering place for the Armenians in Charlotte, and our family is glad and
proud for playing a role in making this happen.”

###

Photos attached.
Photo 1: Archbishop Barsamian leads a procession during the Divine Liturgy
in Charlotte. Assisting him is the parish’s deacon-in-charge Benjamin
Rith-Najarian, and other altar servers.
Photo 2: The parish’s children’s dance group performs at the luncheon
following services.
Photo 3: The parish presented an award to the Acopian family in recognition
of the architectural significance of the sanctuary.
Photo 4: The “St. Vartan” award was presented to longtime parishioner and
current parish council chair Hagop Sarkissian.

From: Baghdasarian

PRESS RELEASE
National Association for Armenian
Studies and Research (NAASR)
395 Concord Avenue
Belmont, MA 02478
Tel.: 617-489-1610
Email: [email protected]

ARMEN MARSOOBIAN TO PRESENT `THE STORY OF AN `ISLAMIZED’ ARMENIAN
FAMILY’ IN LAS VEGAS LECTURE

Prof. Armen Marsoobian will give an illustrated lecture
entitled `Survival and Resistance in the Heart of Darkness: The Story
of an `Islamized’ Armenian Family in Marsovan, 1915-1919,’ on Sunday,
March 9, 2014, at 2:00 p.m. at St. Garabed Armenian Church, 2054
E. Desert Inn Rd., Las Vegas, NV. The lecture is co-sponsored by
St. Garabed Church, the Armenian American Cultural Society of Las
Vegas, and the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research
(NAASR).

Prof. Armen Marsoobian will present the story of an `Islamized’
Armenian family, the Dildilian-Der Haroutiounian family, from the time
shortly before their conversion in August 1915 to the restoration of
their Christian Armenian identity in the spring of 1919. Based upon
extensive family memoirs, letters, photographs, and oral testimony, he
describes what daily life was like for members of the family during
this period.

Of the approximately 12,000 Armenians living in Marsovan (Merzifon)
and its associated villages, a small number remained behind at the
conclusion of the deportations in August 1915. The heads of these
households held occupations that were deemed essential to the economy
of the city and were allowed to remain on the condition that they
convert to Islam and adopt Turkish identity. Tsolag Dildilian was a
military photographer and was given such an opportunity. He was thus
able to save members of his immediate family in Marsovan.

The family maintained a dual identity, living their Christian faith
and Armenian identity at home but living as Muslim Turks in the
community. Upon the conclusion of the war, the family played an
important role in rescuing orphans and restoring the Armenian
identities of the converts. With the rise of the nationalist
movement, the family’s activities in support of Armenian survival
became suspect, forcing them to flee Turkey in 1922. The presentation
will be richly illustrated with photographs.

Armen Tsolag Marsoobian is Professor and Chairperson of Philosophy at
Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven. He has twice been
the Nikit and Eleanora Ordjanian Visiting Professor in Armenian
Studies, Department of Middle East, South Asian, and African Studies,
at Columbia University where he has taught a graduate seminar,
`Memories of the Armenian Genocide: An Exploration through Memoir,
Literature, and the Arts.’ He has co-edited five books, including
Genocide’s Aftermath: Responsibility and Repair (with Claudia Card)
(2007), The Philosophical Challenge of September 11 (2004), and The
Blackwell Guide to American Philosophy (2004). He has published
articles and book chapters in aesthetics, moral philosophy, genocide
studies, and American philosophy. His essay, `Rescue in Marsovan: The
Untold Story Behind a Photograph,’ won the Hrant Dink Prize for
Historical Research in 2011.

From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIAN BUSINESSMEN’S GOODS WILL NOT FLOW LIKE RIVER INTO CU – ECONOMIST

February 27, 2014 | 12:31

YEREVAN. – The Customs Union (CU) opens good prospects before Armenian
businessman only temporarily.

Economist Gagik Makaryan, who is Chairman of the Republican Union of
Employers of Armenia, told the above-said to Armenian News-NEWS.am.

“If we develop our economy, the CU will be good for us temporarily.

Our businessmen are managers of the Soviet culture. Naturally, the
Russian business is familiar to them,” he said.

Nonetheless, Makaryan expressed a conviction that these businessmen
are being replaced by new businessmen, who are not pro-Russian.

As per the economist, the Armenian products will be in demand in the
CU countries solely if the Armenian party signs proper agreements.

“If we want to survive, we need to negotiate correctly, sign proper
agreements. If the [Armenian] businessmen think that it will be as it
was before, it will not be like that. Our goods will not flow like a
river into Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan,” Gagik Makaryan concluded.

Following the talks that were held on September 3, 2013 in Moscow
between Armenian and Russian Presidents Serzh Sargsyan and Vladimir
Putin, Sargsyan had announced that Armenia plans to join the Customs
Union and subsequently engage in the formation of the Eurasian Economic
Union. In December 2013, the “road map” for Armenia’s accession to the
Customs Union was adopted. And in January of this year, the Government
of Armenia approved the action plan for the implementation of this
“road map.” Aside from Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan likewise are
members in the Customs Union.

Photo by Arsen Sargsyan/NEWS.am

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

From: Baghdasarian

IT REMAINS ONLY FOR ROBERT KOCHARIAN TO DEMAND MARCH 1 KILLINGS BE SOLVED: MP

02.27.2014 17:27 epress.am

As long as the Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) remains in power,
it won’t allow the “slaughter” of March 1 to be uncovered, said
MP Alexander Arzoumanian today in parliament during discussion on
establishing a commission to study the events of March 1, 2008.

Recall, on Mar. 1-2, 2008, the forceful dispersal of peaceful protests
of supporters of unsuccessful opposition presidential candidate Levon
Ter-Petrossian resulted in the death of 10 people and the arrest of
hundreds of opposition members.

Arzoumanian remarked that Republicans in parliament speak about the
different sides of March 1; meanwhile, there is one side — the people,
and those who shot them.

“You ask so many questions to [Armenian National Congress MP Gagik]
Jhangiryan. You should’ve asked questions to [former president of
Armenia] Robert Kocharian, who said on television that opposition
members fired at police. There was a foreign minister who spread
the same [message] in English to the entire world. A person who is
suspected in the case of October 27 proposes creating a commission.

Well create it — who’s stopping you?” said the opposition MP.

At that moment, shouting something from his seat was HHK MP Hayk
Babukhanyan, to whom Arzoumanian’s last remark was directed: “Ara, I’m
not afraid of going to jail. I’ve sat behind bars three times, boy.”

The opposition MP also said that, examining Parliamentary Assembly
of the Council of Europe documents, he discovered that apart from
the Heritage Party and the Armenian National Congress, all factions
currently in parliament are party to concealing the events of March 1.

He said, it’s surprising that those who participated in covering up
the events of March 1 now declare that they want to uncover them.

“It remains [only] for Robert Kocharian to organize a demonstration and
demand March 1 be uncovered. Cynicism has a limit. You’ve changed the
law four times, so you could judge us [in court]. March 1 is in your
subconscious. A person proposes to respect the memory of the victims
with one minute of silence. Margarit Yesayan has nothing to do with
this or that side, but she subconsciously pictures herself as a Berkut
[special police forces] because the majority is the Berkut,” he said.

From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIAN MP: PACE TO STUDY LEGITIMACY THE ATTACKS ON DEMONSTRATORS IN YEREVAN AND KYIV

February 27, 2014 | 16:03

YEREVAN. – PACE will study legitimacy of the attacks on demonstrators
in Yerevan and Kyiv, head of opposition ANC group Levon Zurabyan said
in parliament.

Zurabyan said Armenian authorities have a chance to clean themselves
and find those guilty of March 1 events, but they are not brave enough
to do it and accept ANC initiative on creating a new ad hoc committee
to investigate tragic events.

“Armenian authorities have drawn lessons neither from the past, nor
from fresh events at Maidan. The lesson is that Armenian authorities
by shooting at their people once again lost legitimacy. I repeat once
again as the first time was on October 27,” he said.

Zurabyan explained he had addressed PACE with an initiative to study
competence of using force by authorities against demonstrators in
Yerevan on March 1 and at Maidan in Kyiv, other cities and countries.

The opposition representative added that the previous ad hoc committee
on March 1 events headed by Samvel Nikoyan was simply covering
the crime.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

From: Baghdasarian

PRAGUE RESIDENTS ANGERED BY AZERBAIJANI ACTION, DEMAND TO STOP RACIST PROPAGANDA

February 27, 2014 | 12:56

Installation of two tents with an inscription “Past and Present of
Azerbaijan” in Prague angered the local residents.

A group of local residents demanded that racist propaganda must be
stopped in Prague. As a result of scuffle , Azerbaijanis were forced
to collect anti-Armenian materials and started handing over tea and
sweets to the passers-by.

The Azerbaijani Embassy in the Czech Republic with financial support of
Heydar Aliyev Fund, installed two tents that, according to application,
had to present the history and culture of Azerbaijan.

However, the day chosen for the event coincided so as to make
an attempt to present Khojalu events with the help of racist and
anti-Armenian materials.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

From: Baghdasarian

NKR NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ADOPTS STATEMENT ON SUMGAYIT ANNIVERSARY

13:56 27.02.2014

Lusine Avanesyan
Public Radio of Armenia
Stepanakert

The factions and groups of the National Assembly of the Nagorno
Karabakh Republic adopted a joint statement on the 26th anniversary of
Armenian massacres in the Azerbaijani city of Sumgayit. The statement
notes that the decision of the Regional Council of People’s Deputies
of February 20, 1988, was a “justified legal step targeted at restoring
justice, which derived from the spirit of the policy of reconstruction
that started in the USSR from 1985.”

On February 20, 1988, the People’s Deputies made a decision at
extraordinary session of the Nagorno Karabakh Autonomous Republic
Council to appeal to the Supreme Soviet of Azerbaijani SSR for
secession, to the Supreme Soviet of Armenian SSR for unification, and
to the Supreme Soviet of the USSR to approve this act based upon the
existing legal norms and the precedence of resolving similar disputes
in the USSR.

“In response to the righteous aspirations of the Artsakh Armenians,
the Azerbaijani authorities organized and perpetrated the severe
massacre and deportation of the Armenian population of Sumgayit from
February 27 to 29,” the statement reads.

Condemning the Sumgayit crimes, the political forces represented in the
NKR National Assembly draw the attention of the international community
to the ongoing anti-Armenian policy of Azerbaijan, which hinders the
efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmanship to establish lasting
peace in the region.

From: Baghdasarian