Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

YIRIKIAN: I WANT EVERY EMPLOYEE TO BE RESPONSIBLE

13:18 20/03/2013 ” SOCIETY

VivaCell-MTS General Manager was hosted by Harvard Club of Armenia,
as a guest-speaker, to lecture on the contemporary issues of business
management and innovation, company’s press service reported.

The lecture covered important topics, with a particular focus on
questions related to different aspects of Business Management and
Leadership in Armenia, as well as covered questions connected to the
development of human capital in Armenia. During the second half of the
lecture, Ralph Yirikian presented the current state and tendencies of
the development of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)
infrastructure in Armenia as compared to other countries of the region,
and the role of telecommunications sector as a catalyst/driver of
growth in other sectors of the economy, and IT sector, in particular.

Harvard Club of Armenia, which gathers all Harvard alumni under one
umbrella, is organizing meetings with renowned business people and
scientists, encouraging them to share their knowledge and experience
through interactive discussions.

At the beginning of the lecture, Ralph Yirikian presented some
observations on the current state and perspectives of the human
capital development in Armenia based on the experience of VivaCell-MTS.

“Among important assets such as technology, products and services,
facilities, equipment, and others necessary for the operation, the most
vital and important resource are the people, the Company’s employees
whom one cannot acquire from vendors and who are not easily available
in the market. And the major challenge we faced at VivaCell-MTS from
the very first day of operation was the scarcity of human resources. So
at VivaCell-MTS, we chose to recruit newly-graduate students on the
grounds that it would be much easier to start specialization from the
scratch and also to instill the core corporate values from younger
age,” Yirikian said.

Presenting the management culture of VivaCell-MTS, Ralph Yirikian
said that his job as the General Manager is not to take all decisions
about the business but to set strategies and objectives, and help
the respective management work out how to reach them. “I want every
employee to be responsible,” he added.

“Keeping up with R&D has been a priority for VivaCell-MTS, as a
customer-centered telecommunications operator. And the stress is on
constant innovation. Operator creates a value for the customer by
being innovative. So one has to be forward looking, if he wants his
company to differentiate from the competition and be on the edge of
technological progress,” Yirikian said.

VivaCell-MTS’ focus right now is on the expansion of its 4G network
based on LTE technology, which was launched in December 28, 2011, for
the first time in Armenia, for creating a better modern infrastructure
for business, and this is by positioning Armenia as one of the top
technologically-advanced countries not only on the regional level,
but also globally. The actual speed provided by the 4G/LTE network
is approximately 10 times higher than that of any currently operating
3G networks.

Telecommunications sector is the number one driver of the growth
in the ICT sector. However, here Armenian companies should be
proactive by taking the risk and supporting Armenian companies. For
example, VivaCell-MTS prefers ordering software solutions for its
infrastructure, developed by Armenian companies, in order to help
the IT sector become Armenia’s competitive advantage.

Source: Panorama.am

From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIA’S PRESIDENT’S INAUGURATION TO TAKE PLACE IN KAREN DEMIRTCHYAN SPORTS AND CONCERT COMPLEX

TERT.AM
13:17 ~U 20.03.13

Armenia’s National Assembly is going to convene extraordinary sitting
in Yerevan Karen Demirtchyan sports and concert complex on April 9.

The decision was approved at the parliament sitting today with 66 for,
6 against and 25 abstained votes.

The decision was adopted to organize the inauguration ceremony
of winner candidate Serzh Sargsyan, as according to the rules,
president’s inauguration ceremony takes place during parliament’s
extraordinary sitting.

From: Baghdasarian

BUSINESSMAN: ONLY STATE COMMITTEE FOR PROTECTION OF ECONOMIC COMPETITION CAN SHED LIGHT ON CARREFOUR’S PROBLEM IN ARMENIA

ARMINFO
Wednesday, March 20, 10:07

The State Committee for Protection of Economic Competition is the
only structure that can give exact comments on Carrefour’s problem in
Armenia, Gagik Arzumanyan, Director of the Armenian Copper Programme
(part of Vallex Group), said at the meeting of the Committee leadership
and representatives of the Armenian American Chamber of Commerce on
March 19.

Arzumanyan recalled that the world known chain of hypermarkets
Carrefour faced problems with entering the Armenian market.

“It would be good if the Committee conducted an impartial survey of the
problem and informed the public of the results of its survey, because,
Carrefour is an important foreign investor. One can get impression
from Mass Media reports that there are competition problems,” the
businessman explained.

Head of the State Committee for Protection of Economic Competition
Artak Shaboyan said, in turn, that Carrefour representatives have
not applied to the Committee yet. “The Committee is ready to study
the problem thoroughly and announce its position on it in case of a
relevant application,” he said.

Arzumanyan argued that the Committee often initiates surveys and this
time can also do it, especially that the problem is in the focus
of attention of the public and foreign investors. The businessman
advised the Committee to learn practice of the Prosecutor’s Office
that initiates criminal cases on the basis of media reports. Shaboyan
demanded facts and data on Carrefour’s problem from those present at
the meeting. Talking to media, he said that the Committee is ready to
study Carreofur’s problem if there are ‘sufficient facts, information
and proofs.’ He invited the Carrefour representatives to apply to
the Committee for discussion of the obstacles it has faced when
trying to enter the local market. In response to ArmInfo’s question,
Shaboyan said that the Committee will initiate only if the Carrefour
representative submit additional information.

The first supermarket of the French retailer was to open at Dalma
Garden Mall yet in the autumn of 2012. Minister of Economy Tigran
Davtyan informed media that there was a relevant contract with
Carrefour. The minister, as well as prime minister and many other
officials of the economic sector have repeatedly come out for the
necessity of the French investor’s entry in the Armenian market.

To note, by ArmInfo’s data, Majid Al Futtaim Holding (U.A.E.), the
Carrefour franchise holder, started to consider its possible entry
into Armenian market a couple of years ago. Observers think that the
opening of Carrefour in Armenia could have had a strong impact on
the competitive environment in the sphere of organized retail trade,
which is actually divided into 2 large networks owned by oligarch
parliamentarians.

From: Baghdasarian

PASHINIAN: SARGSYAN FINDS IT DIFFICULT TO IMAGINE THAT ONE CAN FAST

Tuesday,
March 19

“Serzh Sargsyan finds it difficult to imagine that one can fast for
seven days, that someone can go without food,” the parliamentary
deputy of Armenian National Congress (HAK) faction Nikol Pashinian
told reporters, when commenting on yesterday’s statement of the
Armenian president.

In particular, Serzh Sargsyan said he is not going to visit Raffi
Hovannisian who went on hunger strike in Liberty Square. “I ask
myself what to discuss with Raffi Hovannsian – a man who is embittered
against the whole world and has been hungry for eight days?”

“Naturally, a man who spent most of his sociopolitical life eating
will be surprised at the fact that someone can go without food for
seven days. If Serzh Sargsyan was hungry for seven days, he would
become so embittered against the whole world that a campaign on the
world’s destruction would start,” the opposition MP said.

TODAY, 15:54

Aysor.am

From: Baghdasarian

IT’S GOVERNMENT’S ATTITUDE THAT SHOULD BE CHANGED, NOT THE EXPERIENCED GOVERNMENT ITSELF: SERZH SARGSYAN

12:57, 19 March, 2013

YEREVAN, MARCH 19, ARMENPRESS. On March 18 the President of the
Republic of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan had a meeting with several
representatives of mass media and answered their questions.

“Armenpress” introduces the second part of the interview presented
by the Press Service of the President of the Republic of Armenia?

Shavarsh Gevorgyan, H2, – Mr. President, perhaps everybody is
interested in the issue of the future government. It’s very interesting
if the staff of the Government will be changed or altered.

Will the Prime Minister be appointed or re-appointed?

Serzh Sargsyan – You know if I was going to tell everything, than
it would have already been publicized. And not just because it’s a
secret, but because it is a serious procedure and a serious approach
should be adopted. Unfortunately when people speak about changes,
they mean substituting the people, but it has been one year since we
face with a strange phenomenon. It’s the former officials, who talk
about changing the people most of all. And it’s the acting officials,
who speak of changing present officials. First do it because they want
to return to their office, the later do it because they want to go
to higher positions. I do not mean that there have been no changes or
that they should not take place. We should break the stereotype. I am
going to tell you a number, which will surprise you all. I have made
changes 20 times in 5 years since the formation of the Government,
which consists of 18 ministers and the Prime Minister. The average
term of our government members – ministers, is three years. Do you
think it’s too much?

Nobody can become a good specialist in three years; a man cannot
become a good driver in three years to be able to drive a small car.

In three years man can hardly understand where he works and what it
means to be a minister in general. Notwithstanding, I am not saying
that there will be no changes. Furthermore, no state official can
have a guarantee that nobody will ever fire him. I mean that changing
personnel is a permanent procedure. Probably it’s our mistake, our
fault that we did not elucidate this issue properly, but this is the
reality. Now I cannot tell You that the whole staff of the Government
will be changed. But my answer is following – presently I do not see
a reason to implement cardinal changes, but this does not mean that
the members of the Government are safe from such changes or that I
give them certain privileges. Generally we have an experienced and
capable Government, and it’s not the members of the Government that
should be changed, but their attitude towards their job. I mean that
the changes should first of all take place in the conscience of the
people. (THE FULL VERSION IS AVAILABLE IN ARMENIAN)

From: Baghdasarian

SHARP DROP EXPECTED IN NUMBER OF IRANIAN TOURISTS TO ARMENIA – NEWSPAPER

NEWS.AM
March 19, 2013 | 07:34

YEREVAN. – In an interview with Haykakan Zhamanak daily, Armenian
Economy Ministry’s Tourism and Economic Development Department Chief
Mekhak Apresyan expressed a hope that the number of Iranian tourists
that will visit Armenia this year during their Nowruz (New Year;
on Thursday, March 21) holiday will be as much as last year.

“The tourism agencies, however, forecast a sharp drop-up to ten
times-in the number of [Iranian] tourists. A tourism agency informed
that these days two buses are crossing the Iran-Armenia border on a
daily basis, whereas last year they were ten [buses] on these days.

Each Iranian that spent the Nowruz holidays in Armenia was spending
an average of close to $1,000, and this was having a great impact in
terms of preventing the seasonal depreciation of the [Armenian] dram.

[But] this beneficial impact will be much smaller this year,” Haykakan
Zhamanak writes.

From: Baghdasarian

HOVANNISIAN BLAMES SARGSYAN’S COWARD CIRCLES

NEWS.AM
March 19, 2013 | 12:54

YEREVAN.- Former presidential candidate Raffi Hovannisian denied the
truth of statements made by Serzh Sargsyan.

“However, it is possible that his coward circles are to blame. Thus,
I am not giving additional assessments,” he told reporters on Tuesday,
commenting on remarks of incumbent president.

At the same time, he noted that unless Sargsyan declares his
resignation by April 9, then “they will think what new Armenia will
look like.”

Hovannisian said this Friday he will announce the steps that will
lead to a solution of pan-Armenian problem: “I suppose that one
of the ways out will be a nationwide alternative, and the second –
Sargsyan’s resignation.”

From: Baghdasarian

RAFFI HOVANNISIAN. “IT’S A LIE!”

02:18 PM | TODAY | POLITICS

“Mr. Sargsyan has already entered into arithmetical analysis saying
that there are 3000 people in Freedom Square there. “Both of us, both
me and Serzh Sargsyan have visual problems, but there is no need to
go deep into the numbers”,- presidential candidate Raffi Hovannisian
responded this way to Serzh Sargsyan’s yesterday’s statements

“5 years ago, the opposition candidate gathered 30 000 people, we
are also more than 3000 people. What is he suggesting? To gather more
than 100 000 people to thank him”, – Mr. Hovhannisyan said.

He says that Serzh Sargsyan has considered his “barev/ hello”
“unmoral”.Mr. Hovhannisyan defines immorality in other way: “Immorality
is to celebrate your own victory through lie and fraud”.

Since Serzh Sargsyan yesterday told reporters some things about their
private meeting Raffi Hovannisian also decided to go into details.

“The sentence that I said I had not won is a lie. I said that the
elections were rigged and your numbers did not correspond to reality,
Mr. Sargsyan. I said, you hurried to accept congratulations and maybe
drink champagne. He said that he had not drink champagne. In response
to that answer I said, perhaps I had also exaggerated saying that I
had 80 percent”,- the party leader said.

Raffi Hovannisian said in Serzh Sargsyan’s speech was a lie the
part that that during the meeting they had discussed Serzh Sargsyan
mentioned third-that is ways Mr. Hovhannisyan’s participation to the
governance system.

“That’s a lie. Neither he, nor I have never discussed my participation
in the government. He also mentioned that there was no need to discuss
that option”, – Mr. Hovhannisyan said.

From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIA’S STATE COMMISSION READY TO STUDY CARREFOUR PROBLEM

NEWS.AM
March 19, 2013 | 13:11

YEREVAN.- State Commission for the protection of economic competition
(SCPEC) will study the obstacles preventing Carrefour supermarket
chain from entering Armenian market if the application is received.

During the Tuesday meeting with businessmen, head of the commission
Artak Shaboyan said they had not received any application, while the
information is limited only by media reports.

The meeting with businessmen was organized by the American Chamber of
Commerce in Armenia. The issue on Carrefour supermarket chain was
raised by Armenian Copper Programme CEO Gagik Arzumanyan who is also
the member of board of American Chamber of Commerce.

From: Baghdasarian

CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE IS A CRIME, RULING PARTY MP SAYS

TERT.AM
11:48 ~U 19.03.13

Republican party MP Manvel Badeyan referring to the possible civil
disobedience being discussed at the Open Civil Council in the Yerevan
Liberty Square, said the laws should be implemented as their violation
is crime.

“The laws are being written for being implemented and by the way they
are being written by the representatives of people in the legislative
body and not subjecting to them is a crime while the state must treat
all the criminals in the same way,” he added.

The reason for civil disobedience, as a rule, is connected with the
failure of the authorities to implement people’s demand, and in this
way people respond, implementing their wish directly and not in a
mediatory way.

Badeyan said it is just their wish that today’s president is not
elected by people and they want to impose their wish on people. But
they may also be in real confusion. For instance I have witnessed
a case when a person who voted for Andrias Ghukasyan cannot believe
that the latter was not elected, saying that ‘elections were rigged
that is why he was not elected.’ This person is in true confusion,
but it does not mean that she/he must demonstrate disobedience toward
other members of the society,” he said.

As to how this way of fight may affect the economy and whether it may
give a real blow to it, Manvel Badeyan offered to ask about it the
‘blowers.’

“The state, authorities are always objectively inclined for the country
to develop without blows. Neither of the authorities will want blows in
the country and will do everything for it not to happen, explaining to
the people that very often different political and non-political forces
use them as a tool in raunchy games,” the Republican party MP said.

From: Baghdasarian