Author: Dabaghian Diana

 16:17, 9 June 2022

YEREVAN, JUNE 9, ARMENPRESS. Today, on 9th of June, the Chief Compulsory Enforcement Officer of Armenia, Sergey Meghryan held a thematic-discussion on the occasion of the 15th World Day of the Judicial Officer with the participation of the management team and enforcement officers, his office said.

Each year, on this day, member-states of the UIHJ participate in this event in various formats. The theme of this year’s discussion was: “Judicial Officer, element of stability in a changing world.”

In his opening remarks, the Chief Compulsory Enforcement Officer referred to the effective and active cooperation of the Compulsory Enforcement Service with the International Union of Judicial Officers on strengthening the international partnership, reforming the enforcement sector, and advising on best practices and solutions to the problems occurred while overcoming the coronavirus-induced crisis. According to him, the theme of this year’s discussion is vital in the changing reality of post-COVID and post-war Armenia, where the compulsory enforcement officer overcomes new challenges in their day-to-day work to defend the rights of Service beneficiaries.

The thematic discussion hosted the Deputy Chief Compulsory Enforcement Officer Levon Balyan, the Assistants to the Chief Compulsory Enforcement Officer Varduhi Petrosyan and Elina Geghamyan, the Head of the Legal Department of the Chief Compulsory Enforcement Service Gohar Mkrtchyan, and the Head of the Special Department of Non-Property Enforcement Proceedings Vardan Melikbekyan as speakers.

The speakers highlighted in their speeches the importance of the cooperation between the Service and the UIHJ in the post-crisis situation, the reforms  implemented in the enforcement sector and their continuity, the importance of having a stable and consistent enforcement system for guaranteeing the realization of the fundamental right to fair trial, the execution of non-property enforcement proceedings in post-crisis situations, and referred to the necessity of developing a clear post-crisis communication strategy in the public administration system.

A panel discussion was held at the end of the event where the issues raised were actively discussed.

The Compulsory Enforcement Service of Armenia has been a full member of the International Union of Judicial Officers since 2015. Formed in 1952, the Union currently has more than 96 member states.

Nicolas Tavitian calls on Armenian communities in European countries to work together on Artsakh

 09:41, 30 May 2022

YEREVAN, MAY 30, ARMENPRESS. There is big untapped potential in the Armenia-Belgium relations, according to Committee of Armenians of Belgium President Nicolas Tavitian.

“There is big untapped potential in the Armenia-Belgium relations. Belgians are fine businessmen, here we can contribute to developing cooperation, there is lots to be done in the cultural and educational areas, but of course in coordination with relevant structures of Armenia,” Tavitian said, emphasizing that if Armenia were to have a resident embassy in Belgium it would have facilitated the process.

Meanwhile, the Committee of Armenians of Belgium is preparing for the June 5 community elections to form a representative committee. The previous election was held 4 years ago and the turnout was 1500 people.

“Around thirty thousand Armenians live in Belgium now. There was a large inflow to Belgium after the nineties. Corresponding work was done for our compatriots to be actively involved in community structures, programs. Now, around five thousand Armenians are represented in municipal structures. We expect many of them to be active and participate in the community elections, which forms a representative committee, which in turn forms an executive body – the Committee of Armenians of Belgium,” Tavitian explained, noting that the body will define priorities and develop a strategy.

The action plan related to foreign policy, the development of Armenia-Belgium relations, as well as internal community matters.

In terms of foreign policy, the priority is the issue of Artsakh. Tavitian said they must actively work with the legislative and executive bodies of Belgium to present and raise awareness on Artsakh. Tavitian says it is highly important for all Armenian community structures in Europe to join forces and work together over Artsakh. By doing so, there will be stronger efficiency, Tavitian said.

Concerning cultural ties, Tavitian says there is a need for stronger partnership with Armenian cultural groups: organize visits of dance, theater and concert groups and exchange experience.

Regarding education, Nicolas Tavitian said they must first of all solve the funding issue and implement training programs for teachers.

Interview by Anna Gziryan

 14:49, 3 June 2022

YEREVAN, JUNE 3, ARMENPRESS. Foreign Minister of Russia Sergei Lavrov will participate in the session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the member states of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) in Yerevan on June 10, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said at a briefing today, reminding that this year Armenia chairs at the CSTO.

The CSTO foreign ministers are expected to sign a consultation plan on foreign policy, defense and security for 2022-2024 based on the results of the session.

Maria Zakharova said that FM Lavrov will have a number of meetings in Yerevan on the sidelines of the session.

 14:20, 2 June 2022

YEREVAN, JUNE 2, ARMENPRESS. The government of Armenia has prepared a very serious package of reforms both in content and physical infrastructure terms for the Vazgen Sargsyan Military University, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said at the Cabinet meeting today.

“You know that we are entering a very important stage of Armed Forces reforms, and this decision [on providing state apartment to an officer who graduated from the military university], I think, should have a vital significance because I have talked about this when I was serving as an MP that it’s a big problem for us when an officer is serving in Armenia with a rank of a colonel, but has spent most of his life in mountains, so how he could take care of the needs of his apartment? In other words, if there are no proper state mechanisms, it’s a problem, and with this we want to completely solve this problem”, the PM said.  

He reminded the mortgage program for servicemen which is quite demanded. He said the funding for this program should also be raised.

“We should move on this path in order to create an opportunity for the serviceman to focus on his professional work by having many social guarantees”, the PM said.

 13:42, 25 May 2022

YEREVAN, MAY 25, ARMENPRESS. The opposition will introduce an initiative on convening an emergency session of parliament next week, the Vice Speaker of Parliament Ishkhan Saghatelyan from the opposition Hayastan faction, who is one of the leaders of the anti-government protests, said in a press briefing.

“We’ve clearly said that we will return to parliament with our agenda, and here today I say again that we will develop this agenda. Next week we will demand an emergency session. I will present details of the agenda in the evening,” Saghatelyan said.

 16:25, 26 May 2022

YEREVAN, MAY 26, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan received on May 26 Executive Director of the International alliance for the protection of heritage in conflict areas (ALIPH) Mr. Valéry Freland, the foreign ministry said in a news release.

FM Mirzoyan said that the preservation of the Armenian cultural and religious heritage in the territories under the Azerbaijani control is one of the priority issues of Armenia.

It was stated that more than 2000 Armenian cultural monuments and 21000 museum exhibits face a very serious threat of complete elimination.

The Armenian side said that the immediate intervention and uninterrupted engagement of the international community, particularly UNESCO, becomes more urgent in such situation, in order to preserve the Armenian monuments of Nagorno Karabakh that are part of the world cultural heritage and prevent the continuous cases of vandalism.

The works of ALIPH on shooting Armenian historical-cultural monuments in Tavush and Syunik provinces and digitizing them in 3D, as well as the future actions on this direction were also discussed during the meeting.

 16:17,

YEREVAN, MAY 25, ARMENPRESS. President of Montenegro Milo Đukanović will arrive in Armenia on a two-day official visit on May 26.

The Office of the President of Armenia released the agenda of the visit of the President of Montenegro.

The official welcoming ceremony for Milo Đukanović will be followed by his meeting with Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan. Thereafter, an extended-format meeting will take place attended by the delegations of the two countries. The two Presidents will then hold a joint press conference.

The delegation led by the President of Montenegro will also visit the Armenian Genocide Memorial.

Milo Đukanović will meet with Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Speaker of Parliament Alen Simonyan.

The President of Montenegro will also visit the TUMO Center for Creative Technologies in Yerevan.

 19:10,

YEREVAN, MAY 25, ARMENPRES. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan attaches great importance to Artsakh’s position on the issue of whether the agenda of normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan should be separated from the agenda of settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, or whether the normalization of relations should also resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Discussions are underway in Armenia to form a position on this issue, and at the moment negotiations are underway only on the format and parameters of starting negotiations, ARMENPRESS reports Pashinyan said at the parliament-Cabinet Q&A session.

Sargis Khandanyan, a member of the Civil Contract faction, reminded that the statement issued by the President of the European Council after the trilateral meeting in Brussels did not mention Azerbaijan’s proposals for peace talks and Armenia’s proposals in response. And the President of Azerbaijan stated that the 5 principles proposed by Azerbaijan will play a key role in the preparation of the peace treaty.

“Some formulations that have given rise to speculation are, in fact, that the principles proposed by Armenia and Azerbaijan should become the common pillars of the peace treaty. It may be formulated not correctly, not successfully, but in reality it is about that,” Pashinyan assured.

There is a very important conceptual debate in the international community, Pashinyan noted that that debate has reached the Republic of Armenia. “There is a question whether the issue of normalization of relations should also resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, or whether the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict should be separated from the issue of normalization of relations and viewed as a separate issue. This question arose from our response. Azerbaijan says “no territorial claims to each other”, we say that it is acceptable, because for us the Karabakh issue has never been a matter of territory, it is a matter of right. And the statement of the President of the European Council refers to the right probably for emphasizing that context,” Pashinyan said.

Pashinyan noted that the representatives of the opposition are also developing that agenda, saying that the agenda of normalization of relations should be separated from the agenda of the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The Prime Minister considered this a legitimate point of view. He highlighted the discussions during this period, emphasizing that a number of opposition partners refuse from those discussions. “But we have those discussions with other political circles, moreover, we also discuss with the Artsakh authorities which tactical approach is better,” Pashinyan said, adding that he has his own position, but that position will be specified after discussions with a wider audience.

He stressed that Artsakh’s position on this issue will be very important.

“In fact, now the negotiations are about the format and parameters of starting negotiations. What we are discussing is about that,” said the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister cannot say when the talks will start. The foreign ministries of the two countries work together.