Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

THOSE WHO ESCAPED FROM MILITARY SERVICE UNTIL NOVEMBER 1 WILL BE EXEMPTED FROM CRIMINAL LIABILITY

Factinfo
Wed, 12/05/2012 – 14:50

On December 5 the NA fully adopted the draft law about making changes
in the law on citizens who did not start the compulsory military
service in accordance with the prescribed procedure in the second
reading.

The law will come in force from the next day of official publication.

It is expected to spread the effect of the law on citizens who did
not start the compulsory military service in accordance with the
prescribed procedure between the autumn military recruitment of 1992
and November 2012 on the RA citizens above 27, who escaped military
service in violation of the law on military duty.

This law in force since March 1, 2004 gives a chance to those citizens
who had escaped military service to be exempted from criminal liability
in exchange for certain payment defined by the law and be registered
in the reserve. Due to this law until now the criminal prosecution
towards 14 350 RA citizens was terminated.

Let us note that the maximum amount of the payment in order to
escape all the cases of drafting to military service between 18 and
27 reached 1 million 800 thousand AMD. There are also discounts for
separate categories, particularly if the citizen who did not start the
compulsory military service in violation of the prescribed procedure
studies at a higher education institution or had two children or one
of his parents has a disability degree etc.

From: Baghdasarian

BOXING: MCGUIGAN HAILS ‘SUPERB’ WALKER

Wednesday December 05 2012

FORMER WBA World featherweight champion Barry McGuigan has hailed
the performances of Kurt Walker at the 71-nation AIBA World Youth
Championships in Armenia.

Walker, who boxes out of the Canal BC in Lisburn, Co Antrim, beat Ian
Clarke Bautista of the Philippines 19-12 in the flyweight quarter-final
to guarantee Ireland at least bronze.

The Ulster teenager, the last Irish boxer left in the tournament, will
now meet England’s Oliver Reece Simpson in tomorrow’s 52kg semi-final.

McGuigan, who is president of the Canal BC, said: “Kurt is a superb
young boxer. We have high hopes for him. I wouldn’t be surprised if
he went all the way in Armenia.”

Dubliner John Joe McDonagh bowed at the last-eight stage. The Crumlin
BC light-heavyweight lost 15-7 to Russian No 1 Idris Shakhamanov.

From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIAN MARKET FLOODED WITH FAKE PRODUCTS

Factinfo
Tue, 12/04/2012 – 16:39

Are some products of ‘TV-market’ among them?

As it was informed by the ‘Rosbalt’ the US and European consumers are
exposed to the risk of buying fake goods on-line more than if buying
goods from ordinary shops. According to the new Consumer’s report the
websites selling this kind of goods offer them 25-30 % lower prices
than retail prices. It was revealed that 37 websites of on-line shops
sell fake bags of the brands ‘Louis Vuitton’, ‘Coach and Herms’.

These days the sellers deceive buyers more often, as a result of which
the real brands lose their good name and suffer a loss. According to
certain data, on-line shops sell fake products to each 5th customer.

Of course a question arises, if it is the current situation in the
US and Europe, where consumers’ legal interests and rights are more
protected than in Armenia, then what is sold to the consumers of our
country via internet or phone or in case of buying goods from ordinary
shops. No one can bring any statistical data as an answer to this
question, since the social organizations involved in the protections of
consumers’ rights and legal interests are very weak and almost formal.

The State organizations do not perform their functions either.

Nevertheless, having examined application-complaints of the consumers
the State Market Surveillance Inspectorate of the RA Ministry
of Economy reported many cases bad quality products sold by the
‘TV-market’ company. It is hard to say whether the products were fake
or of bad quality, since, as we know, corresponding examination was
not done. Only the following was revealed.

According to the application-complaint received in the Inspectorate in
January 2011, the inflatable mattresses with the cost of AMD 80 000
bought from the ‘TV-market’ company in Yerevan are of poor quality,
they became useless after two months of use. By the interference of
the Inspectorate the cost of the product was returned to the applicant
by the company, by which, apparently, the ‘TV-Market’ accepted the
fact that the sold inflatable mattresses were of poor quality.

The Inspectorate received another complaint regarding the poor quality
of the sold product by the ‘TV-Market’ in March last year. Once again
the cost of the product was returned to the applicant by the company.

During this year, until October 1, the Inspectorate had already
received 7 application-complaints regarding poor quality of the
sold items.

Between June-September of the current year the Inspectorate received
5 application-complaints regarding the quality of the Derma-Seta
epilators of the ‘TV-Market’ company sold with the cost AMD 20-21
thousand, since the features of that item did not correspond to the
features presented in the commercial.

In all the cases with epilators the cost of the item was paid back to
the applicants. After another complaint with similar content that the
Inspectorate received on September 25, 2012 the device was repaired
by the company technicians. It’s hard to say, though, for how long
it will properly serve to the owner. However, such a big number of
complaints regarding poor quality of epilators raise doubts as to
the originality of the products.

Artur Hovhannisyan

From: Baghdasarian

THE BROTHER AND SISTER HAVE NO OPPORTUNITY TO GET AN EDUCATION

Tuesday, 04 December 2012 01:10

14-year-old Oxanna and her brother 13-year-old Alex who have hearing
problems have not used hearing aids for two years. The reason is that
they have already grown out of their sizes. According to their mother
Inna they understood that the children were indifferent to all the
voices around them. “We took the children to Yerevan for examination
and they turned out to be deaf and dumb. The doctors claimed it was
possible to improve the situation through an operation but it cost
USD 25 thousand which we did not have,” Inna says.

>From 2005 till 2007 they attended the basic school after Ara Avanesyan
in their native village Jartar, in 2007 the family moved to Stepanakert
where the children attended School N11 till 2010, to be more precise,
they studied in a special class, but because of their financial
problems the family again had to return to the village.

Since then they have not attended school as there is no specialist to
work with them. There was only one specialist in Martouni who demanded
100 thousand drams for teaching the children but the parents were not
able to pay the money and the children have not received an education
so far.

Mrs.Inna’s greatest wish is to provide her children with the hearing
aids /she heard about new German devices/ and to settle the problem
of their education.

Oxanna does not speak of her wishes. She even does not believe in
Santa Claus whereas Alex does and has even decided what to ask him
for in his letter. “I will ask him for a computer but don’t tell
anyone about it,” little Alex told us his secret.

Hakob Avanesyan

From: Baghdasarian

A.HAJILI: INTEREST TO THE KARABAKH CONFLICT IN THE USA DECREASED

arminfo
Tuesday, December 4, 16:28

ArmInfo-Turan. “In America, the interest to Azerbaijan has grown
significantly, as compared to a few years ago. At the same time,
Washington’s main priorities remain the same: democracy, energy and
security. Although, unfortunately interest to the Karabakh conflict
decreased slightly,” said the chief of staff of “Musavat” party,
Arif Hajili, who is currently in the USA, in his interview with the
Washington correspondent.

“Ten years ago, when I was in the USA, all were interested in the
Karabakh conflict. Then there was a special Department for the Karabakh
conflict. Now the attention is focused on Iran,” said Hajili.

He does not agree with the statements of the Azerbaijani authorities
that time works for Azerbaijan and considers it propaganda cliches.

Hajili is in the USA at the invitation of organizations dealing with
democracy and human rights issues.

The purpose of the visit is to exchange views on the situation in
the country before the presidential elections in 2013.

“During the meetings I had discussions on the problem of South
Azerbaijan. I met with many scientists, representatives of various
institutions and officials. Meetings continue,” said Hajili.

Commenting on the activation of lobbyists of Azerbaijani power in
the USA and the activities of the SOCAR, Hajili said that he had met
“not with lobbyists, who make efforts to provide reign of democracy
in Azerbaijan.”

From: Baghdasarian

HELSNKI ASSEMBLY OFFICE TO CHALLENGE ARMENIA’S MINISTRY OF JUSTICE AT ECTHR

tert.am
04.12.12

The Helsinki Assembly’s Office based in Armenia’s third largest city,
Vanadzor, has lodged a lawsuit against the Ministry of Justice with
the European Court of Human Rights.

Speaking to Tert.am, the head of the Office, Arthur Sakunts, said
they find the foundation Martik (which responsible for servicemen’s
social security issues) in breach of their legal obligation to make
their reports public. The organization is turning to the European
Court after exhausting all the domestic resources.

“The founders of the Martik foundations were the then defense
minister [and current president], Serzh Sargsyan, Deputy Minister
Arthur Aghabekyan and the Catholicos of All Armenians. There are
no available data on the foundation, and the money collected for
meeting the servicemen’s social security needs. Under the Republic of
Armenia Law on Foundations, the foundations are obliged to publish
their reports in the media and submit their copies to the Ministry
of Justice,” he rights activist said.

From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIA’S THREE POLITICAL FORCES UNITE IN PETITIONING TO CONSTITUTIONAL COURT

news.am
December 04, 2012 | 14:28

YEREVAN. – Thirty-four MPs have joined the signature campaign to
petition to Armenia’s Constitutional Court. Opposition bloc Armenian
National Congress (ANC) National Assembly (NA) Faction leader Levon
Zurabyan told this to news reporters Tuesday at the parliament.

In his words, solely 24 signatures were needed to be able to petition
to the Court, and with a request to declare unconstitutional the NA
Regulations’ provision, pursuant to which the NA political majority
can call off the opposition’s initiative to convene a special session.

The ANC, Prosperous Armenia Party, and opposition Heritage Party MPs
have joined this signature campaign. The opposition ARF Dashnaktsutyun
Party MPs, however, did not join this initiative. As per Zurabyan,
ARF proposes to first petition to the NA Ethics Committee.

From: Baghdasarian

TEHRAN DOES NOT BELIEVE BAKU’S ASSERTIONS: MILITARY EQUIPMENT PURCHASED FROM ISRAEL MAY BE USED AGAINST IRAN

Panorama.am
13:11 04/12/2012

The military equipment purchased from Israel may be used against Iran,
says an article by Iran’s news agency IRAS.

The author of the article, Amin Partu, post-graduate student at Tehran
University Political Science Chair, writes, “Azerbaijan bought military
equipment worth about $3.6 billion during the past two years.

Most of the equipment was purchased from Israel. In 2012 alone, Israel
and Azerbaijan signed a deal on purchase of military equipment worth
about $1.9 billion. Besides, Azerbaijan announced its intention to
produce warships in 2013. Surely, Israel will have a big role in
this project.”

The Iranian analyst names the types of ammunition, which Azerbaijan
purchased from Israel over the past years and asks, “What threat is
Azerbaijan going to fight using this military equipment?”

“Baku states that this military equipment is directed against Armenia.

But studies by military experts show that it is directed against Iran
or Turkmenistan because Armenia has no outlet to sea. So, Azerbaijan’s
anti-ship rockets are only directed against Iran and Turkmenistan,”
the author concludes.

From: Baghdasarian

EDMOND KHUDIAN’S CASE TO BE CONSIDERED BY ICSID

Wednesday, December 5, 15:38

The case of cheated US businessman of Armenian origin Edmond Khudian
will be considered by the International Center for Settlement of
Investment Disputes this month.

Khudian’s lawyers have no doubts that the complaint will be accepted.

In 2010 Khudian sued his two Armenian partners from Arin Capital
construction company Edward Yesayan and Vladislav Mangasaryan. He
accused them of embezzling the company’s money and forging his
signatures in the contracts for the sale of flats in a 13-storied
apartment house in the center of Yerevan to Diaspora Armenians. When
the company went bankrupt, the buyers failed to get back the $4mln
they had paid for the flats. The court ignored Khudian’s suit.

From: Baghdasarian

“MEETING WITH ART” SERIES WILL INTRODUCE “SAYAT-NOVA 300”

12:00, 5 December, 2012

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 5, ARMENPRES. “Meeting with Art” series of
“Cafesjian” Center for the Arts will introduce “Sayat-Nova 300”. The
event will be held on December 6. The Department of Public Relations
and Marketing of “Cafesjian” Center for the Arts informed “Armenpress”
that in frames of the event conductor and soloist Shahe Keshishyan
will render a lecture entitled “Sayat-Nova: True Stories and Fictional
Tales”.

During the concert canon musical instruments duet will be introduced
the audience. The entrance will be free, according to the preliminary
records and invitations. “Meeting with Art” series launched in
“Cafesjian” Center for the Arts in December, 2010. These events,
which are being organized each month, are dedicated to the Armenian
and foreign artists.

From: Baghdasarian