Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

CARREFOUR REACHES ARMENIA: FRENCH HYPERMARKET OPENS AMID SPECULATION ABOUT IMPORTS

SOCIETY | 12.03.15 | 14:49

By SARA KHOJOYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter

After two years of speculation and rumors, the French Carrefour
supermarket has opened in Armenia, although its arrival has been
met with skepticism about its promise that only five percent of its
products will be imported.

Enlarge Photo

Social networks commenters express doubt about 95 percent of the
products being produced in Armenia; some people even say that it is
a deception.

According to Aram Sargsyan, chairman of the Republic Party, no matter
how much Carrefour announces about its sales, it will not be able to
create the competition which will bring quality changes in the retail
market of Armenia.

The politician said that the hypermarket might not import itself,
but it might buy products from other importers, which will mean that
nothing will change.

“It would be very important for us if the company was allowed to
import 40-50 percent, but only this 5 percent threshold was set,
which means that they held long negotiations but in vain,” Sargsyan
told reporters on Thursday.

According to sociologist Aharon Adibekyan, Carrefour in Armenia opened
more to advertise itself rather than to make profit, because one
supermarket cannot provide profit for the second largest wholesale
trade chain with more than 15,000 hypermarkets, supermarkets and
small markets in 32 countries of the world.

Carrefour in Armenia, according to the sociologist, will have a
positive reflection as well, because it will bring a new culture,
which will serve an example for other supermarkets as well.

“They will introduce a new international quality, how our supermarkets
select their staff, who trains them, how much they are paid,” Adibekyan
told reporters.

From: Baghdasarian

LA LIVRE TURQUE CHUTE ENCORE, VICTIME DES TENSIONS POLITIQUES

TURQUIE

La livre turque a continue a plonger jeudi pour depasser le seuil
symbolique des 2,60 LT pour dollar, precipitee vers le bas par les
pressions du gouvernement sur la banque centrale qui inquiètent
les marches.

En chute libre depuis le debut de la semaine, la devise turque a
franchi a la mi-journee la barre des 2,60 LT pour un billet vert,
nouveau plus bas historique, avant de s’echanger tout au long de
l’après-midi autour de 2,59. Elle est repartie a la baisse en toute
fin de journee, a nouveau sous les 2,60 LT pour un dollar.

La livre a aussi fortement cede face a la devise europeenne, autour
de 2,87 LT pour un euro.

La monnaie turque a recule de plus de 3% depuis le debut de la semaine
et perdu près de 10% de sa valeur face au dollar depuis la fin janvier.

La livre est affaiblie, comme les autres monnaies des pays emergents,
par la perspective d’une hausse des taux d’interet americains, qui
beneficie au dollar. Mais elle souffre surtout du bras de fer que
se livrent depuis des mois le pouvoir politique turc et la Banque
centrale autour du niveau des taux d’interet.

L’intensification des pressions politiques sur la Banque centrale
constitue manifestement la principale raison du recul de la livre,
a explique jeudi la Finansbank dans une note.

Le president Recep Tayyip Erdogan exige a longueur de discours que
l’institution monetaire procède a des baisses consequentes de ses
taux pour proteger la fragile croissance du pays, en vue des elections
legislatives du 7 juin.

Mais la Banque s’y refuse tant que l’inflation (8,17% en 2014) ne
diminue pas, et s’est jusque-la contentee de reductions très limitees
qui suscitent l’ire de M. Erdogan.

La semaine dernière, il a encore durci son discours en accusant le
gouverneur de la Banque, Emre Basci, de trahir le pays. Sa sortie a
nourri des rumeurs de demission de M. Basci et du vice-Premier ministre
en charge de l’economie, Ali Babacan, qui a la confiance des marches,
fragilisant encore un peu plus la livre.

Le principal indice de la bourse d’Istanbul a lui aussi subi une
forte baisse jeudi, clôturant en recul de 1,57% a 80.779 points,
son plus bas niveau depuis onze semaines.

Le Premier ministre Ahmet Davutoglu se trouve depuis mercredi avec
plusieurs membres du gouvernement a New York, où il a rencontre
investisseurs et milieux d’affaires.

Après des annees a plus de 8%, la croissance de la Turquie a ralenti
depuis 2012, victime de la crise de la zone euro et des conflits
avec ses voisins irakien et syrien. Elle a atteint 4% en 2013 et le
gouvernement table sur un chiffre definitif de 3,3% pour 2014.

L’economie turque est très dependante des investissements etrangers.

jeudi 12 mars 2015, Stephane (c)armenews.com

From: Baghdasarian

EP REPORT: CALL ON THE EU MEMBER STATES TO RECOGNIZE THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

16:28 | March 12,2015 | Politics

Today, on 12 March, the European Parliament has adopted the Annual
Report on Human Rights and Democracy in the world 2013. Several clauses
of this document are relevant to Armenia, especially the paragraph that
“calls, ahead of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide, on all
the Member States to acknowledge it, and encourages the Member States
and the EU institutions to contribute further to its recognition.

European Friends of Armenia (EuFoA) warmly welcomes this European
Parliament report. EuFoA Director, Mr Eduardo Lorenzo Ochoa, comments:
“After a long break, the European Parliament reasserts its position
on the Armenian Genocide, and again reaffirms that genocides and
their denials are a human rights matter. During this special year,
we are thankful for this strong signal of European solidarity with
the Armenian people.”

In addition, the text adopted by the EP puts a particular focus on the
question of human rights in the relations with EU partners. Indeed,
the very first paragraph of the report states that “the preamble to
the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union affirms that
the EU ‘places the individual and human dignity at the heart of its
activities'”. The reports then adds that “the performance-driven
‘more for more’ approach should guide the EU’s relations with all
third countries, that the EU should grant partner countries advanced
status only if clear human rights and democracy requirements are
met, and that it should not hesitate to freeze this status if those
requirements are no longer fulfilled.”

“In practical terms it means that the European Parliament does not
want the EU to compromise its stance on human rights, democracy and
rule of law when dealing with third countries.” comments Mr Lorenzo
Ochoa. “With these two paragraphs in mind, it becomes clear why the
report insists on human rights clauses in EU international agreements,
including trade agreements. This is also why the report, with its 215
paragraphs, is much longer than the previous yearly reports on that
matter. We are very pleased that the EU reasserts its moral authority
with this lengthy but clear report.”

The adopted text also recalls the situation of religious minorities,
particularly in the Middle East, mentioning among others the Apostolic
Armenians. In that particular paragraphs, the Parliament “calls for
the EU and its Member States to ensure that religious minorities are
respected worldwide, particularly in the Middle East, where Christians,
including Catholics, Apostolic Armenians, Copts and Yezidis, and Muslim
minorities are being persecuted by ISIS and other terrorist groups.”

The report was drafted by MEP Pier Antonio Panzeri (S&D, Italy) and
adopted at the committee level on 9 February and will be published
by the European Parliament in the coming days.

From: Baghdasarian

POWERFUL EXPLOSION SHOOK ARMENIAN-POPULATED DISTRICTS OF ALEPPO

16:56, 12 March, 2015

YEREVAN, 12 MARCH, ARMENPRESS. Aleppo was shook by a powerful explosion
on March 12. The bombing by armed groups of the Abdul Hamid Al-Zahrau
School near the historic fortress of Aleppo caused severe physical and
material damages, as reported on Perio News Facebook page, according
to “Armenpress”. The explosion with the magnitude of an earthquake
shook the entire city, including the Armenian-populated districts.

The bombings by the armed groups were followed by long clashes between
the Syrian army and soldiers. The Syrian army suspended the armed
groups’ attempt to penetrate into the pro-government areas.

From: Baghdasarian

LE PRESIDENT ISRAELIEN VA ASSISTER A LA PRIÈRE DEDIEE A LA MEMOIRE DES VICTIMES DU GENOCIDE DES ARMENIENS

ISRAEL

Le principal evenement a Jerusalem, consacre au centenaire du genocide
armenien, aura lieu le 24 Avril a l’eglise du Saint-Sepulcre de
Jerusalem, où une liturgie aura lieu. La presidente du Comite National
Armenien d’Israël Georgette Avagian a declare a Armenpress qu’un
accord a ete atteint et que le President Israëlien Reuven Rivlin
a promis d’assister a la ceremonie dans l’eglise ce jour-la et de
commemorer les victimes innocentes du genocide armenien.

“Il est l’ami du peuple armenien. Il a beaucoup parle du genocide
armenien et l’a condamne. Recemment, il a prononce un discours sur le
genocide a l’ONU. Il a promis de visiter l’eglise du Saint-Sepulcre
de Jerusalem le 24 Avril pour rendre hommage aux victimes innocentes
du genocide “, – a declare Georgette Avagian, ajoutant que la
participation d’autres autorites d’Israël dans les evenements est
en cours

jeudi 12 mars 2015, Stephane (c)armenews.com

From: Baghdasarian

HOVHANNES MARGARYAN: YOUNG PEOPLE EITHER GET INVOLVED WITH DRUG ABUSE OR VISIT CASINOS (VIDEO)

10:07 | March 11,2015 | Interview

A1+ Company has interviewed Hovhannes Margaryan, a lawmaker of the
National Assembly from Gyumri city.

He accounts the new wave of violence in Gyumri for the grave social
conditions. “Intolerance prevails throughout the country; young people
across the country are unemployed; it makes them more vulnerable to
addiction; they get involved with drug abuse or visit casinos and
Vivaros,” he said.

In addition to the socio-economic conditions and moral and
psychological atmosphere, Mr Margaryan also points to the youth
unemployment rate as another reason for violence. “Suicides are mostly
committed by young people,” he stressed.

Details are available in the video.

From: Baghdasarian

L’HOLOCAUSTE ARMENIEN : UN GENOCIDE QUI SE PERPETUE DANS L’INDIFFERENCE

Publie le : 11-03-2015

Info Collectif VAN – – Des articles signes par
des intellectuels hispanophones a propos du genocide armenien,
sont reunis sur le site genocidoarmenio par Artur Ghukasyan, un
journaliste espagnol d’origine armenienne. Le Collectif VAN vous
invite a lire la traduction d’un de ces articles, faite a partir
d’une première transcription en anglais publiee sur le site Armenian
Genocide Centennial le 4 mars 2015.

Legende photo: Jorge Rubiani, ecrivain, historien et architecte
paraguayen

Armenian Genocide Centennial

Extraits traduits d’après l’article publie sur le site Genocido Armenio

100 ans après le genocide armenien

Un genocide qui se perpetue dans l’indifference

L’holocauste armenien

Par Jorge Rubiani

Le 3 mars 2015

Artur Ghukasyan, journaliste espagnol d’origine armenienne, continue
a presenter des articles d’intellectuels hispanophones, concernant le
genocide armenien. Le site Genocidoarmenio a publie [le 25 fevrier
2015] l’article de Jorge Rubiani, ecrivain, historien et architecte
paraguayen.

qui est encourage a se repandre. Il n’y a pas de sympathie ou de
reconnaissance, et encore moins de condamnation et de punition des
Etats ou des groupes auteurs de ces crimes…

Cent ans après son martyre, le peuple armenien attend toujours avec
le meme espoir et la meme douleur… >>.

(c)Traduction de l’anglais Collectif VAN – 10 mars 2015 –

Lire l’article en entier en espagnol :

UN GENOCIDIO QUE SE PERPETÚA CON LA INDIFERENCIA

Source/Lien : Armenian Genocide Centennial

From: Baghdasarian

HAYKAKAN ZHAMANAK: PROSPEROUS ARMENIA MEMBERS LEAVE PARTY UPON TSARUKYAN’S INSTRUCTION

08:29 * 11.03.15

Those Prosperous Armenia members, who were recently reported to have
suspended their membership in the party, are said to have done so
upon the instruction of their former leader, Gagik Tsarukyan.

Citing sources close to the political circles, the paper says that
the businessman-politician recently vowed to close down the political
force at a meeting with President Serzh Sargsyan.

In comments to the paper, the party’s current leader said that Arayik
Aghababyan, a PAP member who on Tuesday handed in a resignation notice,
had earlier given assurances that he would not quit the party.

“He gave his man’s word to remain in the party,” Naira Zohrabyan is
quoted as saying.

The paper says that more PAP members submitted resignation on Tuesday,
adding that even more are expected to quit in the near future. The
paper claims that Tsarukyan himself has given such an instruction,
demanding the office property from the PAP headquarters.

From: Baghdasarian

NEW TAX CODE TO BE UNVEILED BY SUMMER IN ARMENIA

YEREVAN, March 11. /ARKA/. Armenia’s new tax code will be unveiled
before the beginning of this year’s summer, Naren Chanmugam, head of
USAID Economic Office in Armenia, told journalists on Wednesday.

There are separate tax laws in Armenia now, which makes tax evasion
possible, he said. Pointing out that some large companies pay less
taxes than they ought to do, the expert stressed the necessity of
formation of a tax system that will live no room for maneuvering.

In his opinion, if tax law is clearer in Armenia, it will be free
from faults and income and taxable amounts will be clear and things
will be put right.

Chanmugam said USAID is carried out a joint work with Armenia’s finance
ministry for that and a new tax code is planned to be released to
public before the beginning of the summer.

He said even property taxes alone can increase tax revenue a great
deal, but an effective mechanism is needed to force tax dodgers to pay.

Unlike income or profits, immovable property can be easily controlled,
since it is visible.

Therefore it is necessary to improve application of immovable property
taxation mechanisms.

In 2013, USAID surveyed 1,448 households in Armenia’s capital and
provinces over tax environment and the results of the survey prompted
experts to propose elaboration of a new tax code.

A national program is also being worked out now to combat tax evasion
in the country. —0—–

From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE CENTENNIAL COMMEMORATION EVENTS KICK OFF IN LYON

21:40, 11 March, 2015

YEREVAN, 11 MARCH, ARMENPRESS. The series of events dedicated to
the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide in Lyon kicked off under
the patronage of Lyon Municipality and with the support of the
Consulate General of the Republic of Armenia in Lyon on March 10. As
the Department of Press, Information and Public Relations of the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia reports to
“Armenpress”, the events kicked off with Khazhag Ohanian’s exhibition
called “Aleppo 1915…”

In his photos, the Lyon-Armenian photographer, who was inspired by
the story that his father (survivor of the Armenian Genocide) had
told him, portrays Aleppo with the thoughts of different historians
and philosophers. The exhibition will run at the hall of Bulukian
Foundation until May 16th.

From: Baghdasarian