Author: Bedik Zaminian

The Finance Minister is surprised at how stubbornly many media continue to be interested in the size of the premiums he received.

Bedik Zaminian
Arminfo, Armenia
Feb 7 2019
Naira Badalian

ArmInfo.Armenian Finance Minister Atom Janjughazyan is surprised at how stubbornly many media continue to be interested in the size of the bonuses he received. He  stated this on February 7 in the National Assembly of Armenia, where  to a closed meeting the “My Step’ parliamentary faction invited him.

Immediately upon arrival, the journalists asked Atom Janjughazyan  about the purpose of the invitation.  “The meeting is closed,” he  said. Earlier, the parliamentary majority invited the head of the  State Revenue Committee Davit Ananyan, as it turned out, for  clarification about the sensational awards. According to the media,  the head of the Ministry of Finance will also discuss the proposed  changes in the Tax Code.

“It surprises me that the media continue to be interested in the size  of the premiums I received,” Janjughazyan told journalists. According  to him, his position over the past 20 years, the imperative procedure  establishes a certain degree of publicity, including in terms of  disclosure of income. Again, without going into details, the head of  the Ministry of Finance said that, compared to 2017, his salary  increased by 10%. “I think that his responsibility in 2018 also  increased by at least 10%,” he said.

When asked by a journalist that the amount of premiums, according to  official information, amounted to more than half a million dollars  and “is this not much for the Ministry of Finance?”, Atom  Janjughazyan first called for dramas in the Republic of Armenia, and  further noted that it was not enough for him to judge this, or many.  “I urge you to be guided by the law. The premiums paid were within  the law, and their amount is not half a million dollars, but much  more – 10% of the entire salary fund (for civil servants) plus 30%  within the framework of the stipulated bonus fund,” the minister  explained. 

Azerbaijani press: Prosecutor general says Azerbaijan prevented sabotage by Armenian special services

Bedik Zaminian
7 February 2019 20:50 (UTC+04:00)

Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 7

By Samir Ali – Trend:

In 2018, Azerbaijan prevented sabotage and terrorist activities of the Armenian intelligence agencies and special services as a result of the taken operational and investigative measures, Prosecutor General Zakir Garalov said, Trend reports with reference to the General Prosecutor’s Office of Azerbaijan.

He was speaking at an expanded board meeting dedicated to the work implemented by the prosecution authorities in 2018 and the future objectives.

The meeting was attended by senior officials of the Central Office of the Prosecutor General’s Office, the Republican Military Prosecutor’s Office, the Prosecutor’s Office of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, the Military Prosecutor’s Office of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, the Baku City Prosecutor’s Office, city and district military prosecutors.

At the meeting, it was noted that last year a criminal case was launched for high treason and under other articles of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan against a group of military personnel and civilians involved in secret cooperation with intelligence agencies and special services of the Armenian Armed Forces.

At the meeting, it was said that as a result of operational and investigative measures, sabotage and terrorist activities of the Armenian intelligence agencies and special services were prevented.

The successful investigation into a number of big criminal cases was noted.

Preventive measures were taken in the form of arrest against 29 people for committing a terror attack against the head of the Ganja City Executive Power, for attempting to change the constitutional order of Azerbaijan by using force, for terrorism and other particularly serious crimes. Eleven of these people were put on the international wanted list. Presently, operational and investigation activities continue.

The prosecutor general said more effective work was done to strengthen the law and order.


I officially announce that Robert Kocharyan is a political prisoner. Hayk Alumyan

Bedik Zaminian
  • 07.02.2019

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  • Armenia:

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  • arm

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  • rus

2
 62

I officially announce that Robert Kocharyan is a political prisoner. Hayk Alumyan, a member of the legal team of the second president of RA, Robert Kocharyan, announced this in a conversation with journalists at the Criminal Court of Appeal on February 7.


According to him, Kocharyan’s lawyers will appeal to the RA Court of Cassation against the decision of the Appellate Criminal Court to reject the appeal submitted by the defense regarding the release of Robert Kocharyan from detention.


Alumyan mentioned that the legal group will also include today’s decision of the Appellate Criminal Court in the third complaint to be submitted to the ECtHR in Kocharyan’s case, emphasizing the fact that Kocharyan was subjected to political persecution. “I officially declare that Robert Kocharyan is a political prisoner, and we will address this provision in the complaint to be submitted to the European Court,” he said.


The appeal criminal court of RA, chaired by judge Mnatsakan Harutyunyan, decided to reject the second president of RA Robert Kocharyan the complaint of the defenders and to leave unchanged the decision of the court of first instance to extend Kocharyan’s detention period.


Kocharyan’s defense attorneys filed an appeal after the decision of the court of first instance on January 18.


The Court of First Instance, by its decision of January 18, granted the request of the investigator of the Special Investigation Service to extend the period of detention of Robert Kocharyan and rejected the defense’s request to replace the detention chosen as a preventive measure against Robert Kocharyan with bail as an alternative preventive measure.

Volume of mortgage loans provided by Armenian banks increases – Pashinyan presents details

Bedik Zaminian

Volume of mortgage loans provided by Armenian banks increases – Pashinyan presents details

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09:58, 8 February, 2019

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 8, ARMENPRESS. During 2018 the volume of mortgage loans provided by the Armenian banks surpassed the figure of 2017 by 20%, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Facebook, reports Armenpress.

The PM said after the revolution the banks, in fact, have provided as much mortgage loans as in the whole 2017, and the bank interest rates are constantly decreasing.

“Moreover, the mortgage lending growth rate increases especially under the influence of the government’s decisions. The growth within the frames of Apartment for Youth program comprised 41% in November 2018 against November 2017, 85% in December 2018 against December 2017, 131% in January 2019 against January 2018. 131% – this means that free, young citizen of Armenia is linking his/her future with the homeland, exclusively with the own homeland”, Nikol Pashinyan said.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan




Robert Kocharyan: There was nothing in order 0038 that could be held criminally liable

Bedik Zaminian
Arminfo, Armenia
Feb 2 2019
Ani Mshetsyan

ArmInfo. In his speech in the courtroom, Robert Kocharian described in detail the situation that developed in Armenia on February 23, 2008. The lawyer of the second  president of Armenia Robert Kocharian Hayk Halumyan said this in a  conversation with journalists.

“The second president, in particular, noted that on these days  information was received that work was being conducted in the army so  that the military would join the demonstrators. Moreover, there were  also rumors that the deputy defense minister should join the  demonstrators Manvel Grigoryan, who was also the head of the  Yerkrapah union. After that, discussions began in the administration  of this union so that members of the union join the protesters.  Robert Kocharyan, in the current situation, invited the army  commander , and instructed the Minister of Defense Mikayel  Harutyunyan to ensure the neutrality of the army, “said Halumyan.

He said that Kocharyan, in his speech, stated that he had instructed  the minister that the army should not interfere in these processes.  Moreover, high-ranking officers, who were going to continue their  military service, had to remain aloof from the processes taking place  in the Yerkrapah union. As Halumian noted, otherwise, they could drop  out of the army.

“I would like to note that in his speech, Robert Kocharian also spoke  about the well-known order” 0038.  “The second president of Armenia  reiterated that, like any order of the Minister of Defense, this  order was neither during his presidency nor Levon’s presidency  Ter-Petrosyan or Serzh Sargsyan have never been sent for coordination  with the head of state, “said Halumyan. He added that during the rule  of three Armenian presidents there was simply no need for such a law.  The second president of Armenia also noted in his speech: “There was  nothing bad in the order 0038, which could be held criminally  liable,” Kocharian concluded.

It should be noted that in February 2008 it was expected that Deputy  Defense Ministers Manvel Grigoryan and Gagik Melkonyan would join the  opposition.

168: “Kocharyan is a political prisoner: purely political reasons without connection to any offence”

Bedik Zaminian
| 13:53 | January 28 2019
Category
Politics

It goes without saying that the European Court of Human Rights will rule in the near future that Armenia’s repeated arrests of the former President of Armenia, Robert Kocharyan, are politically-motivated and breached his human rights.

The specific circumstances of the President’s case undoubtedly affirm that Mr Kocharyan falls under the internationally-recognized definition of political prisoner. The Resolution 1900 (2012) of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe says that a person is a “political prisoner” if the detention has been imposed in violation of the fundamental guarantees set out in the European Convention on Human Rights and if the detention has been imposed for purely political reasons without connection to any offence.

Since July, last year, the authorities undertook unprecedented “discriminatory exercises” to deprive Mr Kocharyan of his liberty. The detention is the result of proceedings which are clearly unfair and it appears to be connected with political motives of the authorities.

There are two applications pending at the European Court of Human Rights alleging that Robert Kocharyan has been arbitrarily and unlawfully detained and the criminal charge is based on unjustified grounds.

The court, based in Strasbourg, will say that the President’s arrests have been designed to suppress political pluralism. The Court will find that there is converging contextual evidence that the local authorities are becoming increasingly severe towards Mr Kocharyan and that his allegation of being a particular target appeared coherent.

Kocharyan’s legal team alleges that the circumstances surrounding the arrest and prosecution of President Kocharyan strongly suggest that they are a clear case of non-conformity with the Rule of Law in Armenia. The most severe corroborated shortcomings:

  • the individual judges have not been free from undue influences by the executive power and the main investigative and prosecution agencies;
  • statements by public officials about the pending criminal investigation which have encouraged the public to believe President Kocharyan guilty and prejudge the assessment of the facts by the competent judicial authority (violating the presumption of innocence);
  • virulent press campaigns by the Armenian authorities which have adversely affected the fairness of the trial by influencing public opinion and affected the President’s presumption of innocence.

The legal team says that despite pressure from Armenia, it has become clear that European justice does not intend to ignore obvious facts. The Kocharyan’s detention has been imposed for purely political reasons in a discriminatory manner…

Sargis Grigoryan
GPartners law firm




Tehran, Yerevan eye increased bilateral coop. in different fields

Bedik Zaminian
Mehr News Agency (MNA)
Sunday
Tehran, Yerevan eye increased bilateral coop. in different fields
 
 
TEHRAN, Jan. 27 (MNA) – In a meeting between Iranian Ambassador to Yerevan Kazem Sajjadi and Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, the two sides discussed ways to increase bilateral cooperation.
 
The two sides conferred on the latest status of bilateral ties and avenues to further expand friendly relations between the two countries.
 
Sajjadi said that Iran is ready to boost cooperation with Armenia in different fields including energy, transportation, and trade.
 
For his part Mnatsakanyan welcomed the growing trend of ties between the two neighboring countries, adding that Armenia will put an all-out effort to implement previously reached agreements.
 
Iran and Armenia can safeguard each other’s interests and not let any factor severe their bilateral relations, the minister noted.

Sports: Armenian athlete named winner at Kazakhstan int’l tournament

Bedik Zaminian
Panorama, Armenia
Jan 21 2019
Sport 18:39 21/01/2019 Armenia

Armenian athlete Levon Aghasyan has win the first prize at the international athletics competition held in Ust-Kamenogorsk, Kazakhstan. The Armenia took the first prize in the Men Triple Jump with 16.63m result.

As the Head Coach of the Armenian national Athletics team Misha Hayrapetyan has noted around ten representatives from Armenia are set to participate in the Athletics competition of Balkan states scheduled for February 16 in Istanbul. 

Manvel Ter-Arakelyan’s representative demands the judge’s resignation

Bedik Zaminian
  • 09.01.2019

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  • Armenia:

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  • arm

16
 102

Today, the court of first instance postponed the examination of the claim of Hasmik Poghosyan regarding the cancellation of the building (the “Old Erivan” restaurant complex) at 2 North Avenue, mortgaged to “Unibank” within the framework of the loan agreement. The contract was signed between “Unibank” and Manvel Ter-Arakelyan.

Judge Liza Grigoryan made that decision after Ani Antonyan, representing the interests of Manvel Ter-Arakelyan, demanded that the judge recuse himself. This is in response to the fact that Judge Grigoryan rejected Antonyan’s petition to suspend the given case, because it is pending the judgment of another case being examined at the first instance. And more specifically, the case presided over by Judge Sukoyan at the first instance should determine whether Hasmik Poghosyan is the owner of 50 percent of the property belonging to Manvel Ter-Arakelyan (VERELQ wrote earlier that Hasmik Poghosyan is Ter-Arakelyan’s ex-wife. The property is acquired during a joint marriage – ed.).


According to Ani Antonyan, until there is a decision of the court, the lawsuit currently under consideration cannot be processed, because in the said lawsuit Ms. Poghosyan presents herself as a co-owner and, based on those grounds, demands to cancel the pledge agreement. Meanwhile, there is no relevant court ruling that Poghosyan is really the co-owner of Manvel Ter-Arakelyan’s property.

Tigran Muradyan, the representative of Hasmik Poghosyan’s interests, agreed that these two cases are interconnected. Only “Unibank” representative Nurijan Kirakosyan objected to their arguments. However, the arguments of Antonyan and Muradyan did not seem convincing to Judge Grigoryan, according to whom the two mentioned cases have nothing to do with each other. Accordingly, he rejected Antonyan’s motion to stay the lawsuit. This was the basis for Antonyan to demand the judge’s resignation. 

He also asked Judge Grigoryan whether he has a loan at “Unibank”. The answer was negative.

Ultimately, the judge agreed to allow until January 18 to consider the motion to dismiss. 

During the session, another motion was also examined to involve the “Old Erivan” holding as a third party in the mentioned case, but the lawyer of Hasmik Poghosyan, Tigran Muradyan, asked to postpone the consideration of that motion, because he could not find any documents, whether the said holding exists or is liquidated. Manvel Ter-Arakelyan’s defense attorney Antonyan also agreed with this claim, Nurijan Kirakosyan was the one who submitted the objection. However, Judge Grigoryan confronted Tigran Muradyan in this matter, considering that, indeed, without relevant documents, the “Old Erivan” holding cannot be involved as a third party: giving the parties time to obtain said documents.


After the session, Nurijan Kirakosyan responded to the journalists’ question whether “Unibank” recognizes Hasmik Poghosyan as a co-owner of the “Old Erivan” holding. “No”. And he refused to answer other questions, according to tradition.

Iran’s real face to be introduced in Armenia

Bedik Zaminian
IRNA – Iran
Jan 7 2019
Iran’s real face to be introduced in Armenia

            Head of Iranologist Studies Department at Yerevan State University in the Republic of Armenia said that his country has always tried its best to represent the true face of Iran due to the efforts by the Western countries to tarnish the image of Iran before the international community. Vartan Voskanian in a meeting with the Director General of Culture and Islamic Guidance of East Azarbaijan in Tabriz on Tuesday, pointing out the activities of this department not only as a scientific discipline, but as a social task, and said, ‘In the present time of the world, Iranology in Armenia, is very important politically and culturally.” Voskanian assessed the formation of joint research groups between the two countries in order to consolidate and strengthen the relationship between Armenia and Iran and called for a joint seminar between Iran and Armenia on the history of Iran and Armenia. Director General of Culture and Islamic Guidance of East Azarbaijan Mohammad Mohammadpoor, said, ‘The peoples of Armenia and Iran are one of the oldest tribes of the region, and the historical and cultural ties of the two nations have very deep roots.’