Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

SEYRAN OHANYAN COMMENTED ON LIBERATION OF SHOUSHI

19:41, 8 May, 2013

YEREVAN, MAY 8, ARMENPRESS: The Minister of Defense of the Republic of
Armenia Seyran Ohanyan had an interview with several representatives
of mass media on the occasion of the triple holiday, during which he
touched upon the liberation of Shoushi among other issues.

“The fortress of Shoushi was a powerful base. It was an ancient
fortress, located in the highlands and quite difficult to be
liberated”, – stated the Minister of Defense, as reported by
Armenpress.

Seyran Ohanyan told that the liberation process of Shoushi began
back in March of 1992. He informed that the operation readiness
preparation was scheduled to May 2, but due to the weather conditions
it was postponed and the final date was decided May 7. The Minister
of Defense of the Republic of Armenia emphasized that the liberation
of Shoushi was not expected to be held on May 8. (THE FULL VERSION
OF THE ARTICLE IS AVAILABLE IN ARMENIAN).

From: Baghdasarian

FINANCIAL RECEIPTS OF ARMENIAN MUSEUMS SLASH IN 2012 BY 15 PERCENT TO 3.5 BILLION DRAMS

YEREVAN, May 7. / ARKA /. The financial receipts of Armenian museums
in 2012 slashed by 15.1 percent from the previous year to 3.5 billion
drams, according to the National Statistical Service of Armenia.

Some 61.5% or 2.1 billion drams were released by the government
and local communities, another 302.6 million drams were earned from
services, 133.2 million drams came as donations, 59.4 million drams
were earned as rental fee and 855.7 million drams came from other
sources.

The lion’s share- about 3 billion drams- went to museums in Yerevan.

The smallest amount of 9.8 million drams went to museums in Vayots
Dzor province.

The financial costs of museums in 2012 amounted to about 3.4 billion
drams, of which about 50% were paid as salaries and similar payments.

In 2012 there were 99 state museums, including 61 – in Yerevan. ($
415.17 drams).-0-

From: Baghdasarian

INTESTINAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES IN KOTAYK MARZ CAUSED BY DRINKING WATER

19:26, 7 May, 2013

YEREVAN, MAY 7, ARMENPRESS: Cases of intestinal infectious diseases
have been registered in Argel District of Kotayk Marz of Armenia. As
Armenpress was reported by the Department for Public Relations of
the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Armenia, in the result of
the epidemiological researches it was defined that the intestinal
infectious diseases have been caused by the drinking water.

To prevent the further spread of the disease, preventive and
anti-epidemic events are being carried out: the irrigation water
system was closed, disinfection works of the drinking water are
implemented and the control over the drinking water system was made
stricter. The patients get corresponding treatment. The works continue
to be carried out.

From: Baghdasarian

FIRST HALVAJIAN POETRY COMPETITION WINNERS ANNOUNCED

Published: Tuesday May 07, 2013

The prize is named after the late New Jersey developer Arthur Halvajian
(1934-2010).

WARWICK, R.I. – The Armenian Students’ Association, Inc. (ASA Inc.)
congratulated Shahe Mankerian of Pasadena, CA, Sarah Abigail Stites
of Grove City College in Reston, VA, and Rachel Megan Maclean of
Northside High School in Roanoke, VA who were the winners of the
2012 “Arthur Halvajian Memorial” Armenian Poetry Competition. The
competition was sponsored by the ASA Inc. in partnership with the
Armenian Poetry Project.

The Armenian Poetry Project, led by Lola Koundakjian, is a research
and documentation site of 19th to 21st Century Armenian poets and
poetry. Ms. Koundakjian led a selection team comprised of Christopher
Janigian, a student at Brown University in Providence, RI and Garen
Kazanc, a student at California State University, Los Angeles. Alice
Movsesian, a member of the ASA Inc. Board of Trustees served as the
liaison to the selection committee.

“We want to extend our heartfelt best wishes to the winners as well as
thank Ms. Koundakjian, Mr. Janigian, and Mr. Kazanc,” said Movsesian.

“Connecting students and established professionals to preserve and
promote Armenian culture across campuses nationwide is part of our
mission and Arthur Halvajian’s enduring spirit. We are happy to see
it reflected in our continued partnership with the Armenian Poetry
Project,” she added.

Mr. Mankerian won the $250 adult category prize for his entry,
“Turkish Coffee with Mrs. Hovsepian”. He is the Principal of the Saint
Gregory’s Hovsepian School in Pasadena, CA. Ms. Stites won $100 in the
college age category for her entry, “My Baby Sister”, and was joined
by fellow Virginian, Ms. Maclean who won $50 in the youth (ages 12-17)
category for her poem entitled “On the Mount”. The winners received
a letter of congratulations from the ASA Inc Board of Trustees.

Receiving honorable mentions were three additional poets from the
youth category; Shant Dikran (“Summer”), Julien Ghouliance (“Words”),
and Hovig Manoyan (“Sickly”). All three are students at Saint Gregory’s
Hovsepian School in Pasadena, CA. All winners and honorable mentions
received certificates from the ASA Inc Board of Trustees.

You can learn more about the Armenian Poetry Project by visiting
Winning entries from the 2012
competition as well as those from previous years can be viewed online
by visiting the “ASA-APP Poetry” section of the ASA Inc.’s website,

The Armenian Students’ Association, Inc. encourages educational
pursuits by Armenians in America and the raising of their intellectual
standards, provides financial assistance in the form of scholarships
to deserving Armenian students, develops fellowship among them,
cultivates in them the spirit of service in the public interest, and
acquaints them and the entire American community with Armenian culture.

From: Baghdasarian

OSKANIAN, ARSENYAN AND MANUKYAN TO RENOUNCE COUNCIL OF ELDERS SEATS

8:42 08/05/2013 ” COMMENTS

Member of Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) Vartan Oskanian, the party’s
top candidate for Yerevan municipal elections, gave an interview to
Azatutyun Radio in which he expressed a doubt that the May 5 elections
were fair.

“How shall I explain that ARFD, Orinats Yerkir and Armenian National
Congress have not entered the Council of Elders? Maybe they have
entered it, we don’t know. How shall I know if this result is good
or bad?” Oskanian said.

According to the source, although Prosperous Armenia has not yet
decided whether or not to accept the mandates for the Council of
Elders, it is clear that the top three candidates in the party’s list,
Vartan Oskanian, Gurgen Arsenyan and Abraham Manukyan, will renounce
their seats in Yerevan Council of Elders.

Oskanian thinks it would be wrong to renounce all 17 mandates.

“Certainly, from political point of view we might think that we should
not accept them but taking into consideration the interests of the
people, we might think that being here, we can keep these problems in
the focus of attention, put pressure on the majority and communicate
with the people,” Oskanian said.

Source: Panorama.am

From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIAN FILMS TO BE SCREENED IN RUSSIA’S KRASNODAR

May 8, 2013 – 17:17 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Krasnodar will host screening of Armenian films in
the framework of KUBAN-KINO film festival, to be held on May 16-23.

“The festival program reflects on the key development areas of Armenian
classic and modern cinema. The opening ceremony is due on May 16, with
duduk player Gevorg Karapetyan and dancer Anna Movsisyan to attend. The
event will further feature an exhibition of Lusine Janyan’s photos,
Russian media reported.

From: Baghdasarian

SALARY RISE AT THE EXPENSE OF TAX RACKETEERING

Vahram Atanesyan has been appointed minister of economy. He is
described by many people as a knowledgeable person with world-wide
fame. Time will show what changes he will make in the Armenian
economy. However, if the current tax legislation enacted since January
remains in effect, not improvement but aggravation should be expected.

In particular, the turnover tax which the government has presented as
assistance to SMEs has resulted in the closure of lots of enterprises.

A lot of people are dissatisfied with this tax, noting that they are
facing bankruptcy. Lots of people say the turnover tax is equal to
racketeering at a state level.

The government of Armenia leaves two options for the citizens:
get a “roof” which will allow hiding the real turnover or close the
enterprise and leave. It is meaningless to fight this tax. Of course,
if an appeal is made to refuse paying it.

During the meeting of government it was announced that the salaries of
public servants will increase from July, presenting this as a great
favor. Obviously, the rise will be “thanks” to this new tax because
there is no progress in any branch of economy. If the new ministers
want to raise the salary by way of state racketeering, they will
not succeed solving social issues. Soon no enterprises will be left
to scribe off the turnover tax or the enterprises will start hiding
their taxes. Statistics and demonstrative consultations will not help.

15:55 08/05/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIAN CITIZENS APPLY TO BELGIUM MAINLY FOR TREATMENT AND SHELTER

14:23, 8 May, 2013

YEREVAN, MAY 8, ARMENPRESS: The citizens of the Republic of Armenia
apply to Belgian authorities mainly to get treatment and shelter. This
was stated by the Deputy Head of the State Migration Service of the
Ministry of Territorial Administration of the Republic of Armenia
Irina Davtyan on May 8. “The number of the applications submitted by
the Armenians for getting treatment in Belgium exceeded 3000 in 2012,
only 100 of which were approved”, – said Irina Davtyan. As reported
by Armenpress, 99% of the applications, submitted by the Armenian
citizens to the Belgian authorities to provide shelter, are rejected.

The Deputy Head of the State Migration Service of the Ministry of
Territorial Administration of the Republic of Armenia informed that
the bad economic situation, lack of work and socially vulnerable
situation are not enough to get shelter. Shelter is provided to the
people, who are made to leave their country because of persecutions
and serious threats to their lives and freedoms.

Irina Davtyan stated as well that Belgium satisfies the applications
only of those people, whose diseases cannot be cured in their
countries. The Deputy Head of the State Migration Service said that
very often people, hearing some information about “a paradise”, leave
for Belgium, but the illegal migration ends with return, which might
be voluntary or compulsory. The advantage of the voluntary return
is that no restriction is established to apply to that particular
country in the future. Irina Davtyan stated that during the last
years the number of the voluntarily returning people has increased.

In 2012 4450 citizens of the Republic of Armenia applied to European
countries for shelter. Most applications were registered to leave
for Germany, France and Sweden.

From: Baghdasarian

COURT OF CASSATION ORDERS RETRIAL OF JAILED OPPOSITION YOUTHS’ APPEALS

HUMAN RIGHTS | 08.05.13 | 14:22

Photolure

By GOHAR ABRAHAMYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter

The Court of Cassation has partially satisfied the appeals made in
the case of four opposition youths against the decision by the Court
of Appeal by which their jail sentences – between 2 and 6 years –
were left unchanged.

At the hearing on Wednesday the counsel for the defense demanded that
the young members of the Armenian National Congress (ANC) – Tigran
Arakelyan, Artak Karapetyan, Sargis Gevorgyan and Davit Kiramjyan
charged in connection with an August 2011 altercation with police –
be acquitted, given that the Court of Appeal failed to consider a
number of key circumstances in passing its verdict.

The Court of Cassation eventually decided to send the case back to
the Appeals Court for retrial.

Such a development proved unexpected for the opposition. Yet, ANC
parliamentary leader Levon Zurabyan called it a “purely political”
decision.

“The case was accepted to the Court of Cassation only because there
is serious international pressure around it. It was clear to us that
they will not be acquitted, but they will keep them in suspense. They
[authorities] cannot understand that it won’t in any way frighten
our youths and prevent them from defending their rights,” Zurabyan
told ArmeniaNow.

In November last year the Criminal Court of Appeals upheld the first
instance court verdicts and sentences passed on the four opposition
activists five months before.

The case concerned alleged assault against police officers in August
2011. Tigran Arakelyan received the longest term (6 years) for
“hooliganism and assault against police officers applying life- or
health-threatening and non-threatening violence”. Another defendant
in the same case Artak Karapetyan was charged with hooliganism and
non life-threatening assault against an authority representative and
sentenced to three years. The other two – Sargis Gevorgyan and Davit
Kiramjyan – charged with hooliganism, were sentenced to two years each.

The ANC has repeatedly claimed that its youth activists are victims
of political persecution. Government officials, meanwhile, have
dismissed such claims, insisting that the matter concerns a legal
case that should not be politicized.

Remarkably, the ANC used the occasion of the arrests of its members in
August 2011 to discontinue a newly started process of dialogue with
coalition members regarding political issues. Later, the opposition
alliance repeatedly called for its activists to be released.

The U.S. Department of State addressed the case of Arakelyan and the
three other activists in April, citing assessments of human rights
organizations that the severe rulings passed on the activists had
political motives. Earlier, in January, Human Rights Watched also
reflected on the case, calling for an effective investigation of the
activists’ complaints.

Members and supporters of the ANC staged a demonstration in front of
the Court of Cassation building in Yerevan today, demanding that the
four young oppositionists be released.

From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIANS FOR WENDY GREUEL RAISE OVER $50,000

Tuesday, May 7th, 2013

Greuel with owners of NASA Disposal Sarkisian Brothers

STUDIO CITY-Armenians from all around the San Fernando Valley and
beyond raised over $50,000 for Wendy Greuel in her campaign for
Mayor of Los Angeles. The event was hosted by Michael Israyelyan at
his restaurant Romonov’s in Studio City. It was the most successful
event to date within the Armenian community for a candidate running
in the 2013 race for Mayor of Los Angeles.

Wendy Greuel with community leader Michael Mahdessian

More than 30 Co-hosts from several organizations came together to put
on the event, including members of the ANCA, AGBU, Armenian Chamber
of Commerce, and Community Members throughout the City of Los Angeles.

Wendy Greuel, currently the Los Angeles City Controller, has a long
history of friendship with the Armenian community in Los Angeles.

Wendy, and her husband Dean Schramm have been strong advocates for
Genocide recognition not only in Los Angeles, but throughout the
country. At the event, Greuel stated her desire to have Armenian
Americans play key roles in her Administration, and said she will
consult with the Armenian community on a regular basis in providing
city services, and in shaping the future of Los Angeles.

Many supporters at the event cited Wendy’s experience in the private
sector as an executive for Dreamworks and her running a small family
construction supply business as factors in their support for her
campaign. That experience and her pro business policies are in sync
with many small and independent Armenian business owners in the Valley
and Los Angeles.

Wendy has been endorsed by all the major business organizations
in Los Angeles. During her remarks at the event, Wendy noted the
endorsement of former President Bill Clinton who she worked for and
who praised her efforts in helping provide emergency aid during the
Northridge earthquake.

She has also been endorsed by former Mayor Richard Riordan, Senator
Barbara Boxer, and Congressman Brad Sherman.

From: Baghdasarian