Author: Elizabeth Jabejian

Modernization of Armenian nuclear power plant to result in 10 percent rise in electricity production

Elizabeth Jabejian
ARKA, Armenia
Nov 28 2018

YEREVAN, November 28. /ARKA. A set of modernization measures to be carried out in 2018 and 2019 will increase the capacity of the Armenian nuclear power plant by 10%, raising the average annual output to about 2.9 billion kWh of electricity, the acting Minister of Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources Garegin Baghramyan said on November 27.

Baghramyan said also that the increased capacity could prompt a revision of the price of electricity for the households, if no ‘external factor affects the pricing.’ According to Baghramyan, the capacity of the facility will grow after the replacement of the second turbine generator in 2019. 

He said the replacement will allow producing 400 or even 500 million kWh more electricity. ‘Accordingly, the resulting” surplus “will significantly affect the cost of all electricity, given that the production of every additional 100 million kWh saves 2 -2.5 billion drams worth electricity,” he said.

He also said that the Ministry of Finance has asked the Russian side to extend the repayment period for a $270 million loan granted to Armenia earlier for extension of the facility’s service life up to 2026. The acting minister noted that the extension of the loan repayment period will not affect the electricity tariff for the population.

The Armenian Nuclear Power Plant is located some 30 kilometers west of Yerevan. It was built in the 1970s but was closed following a devastating earthquake in 1988. One of its two VVER 440-V230 light-water reactors was reactivated in 1995. Armenian authorities said they would build a new nuclear power plant to replace the aging facility. The new plant was said to operate at twice the capacity of the Soviet-constructed facility.  The plant currently generates some 35 percent of Armenia’s electricity. 

In March 2014, Armenian government decided to extend the plant’s service life up to 2026 because of delay in building a new unit. The service life extension has become possible thanks to Russia’s financial resources. The country was to provide $270 million to Armenia as a loan and $30 million as a grant. -0- 

Citizen’s Decision party: Armenia elections again taking place without ideological fight

Elizabeth Jabejian
News.am, Armenia
Nov 29 2018
Citizen’s Decision party: Armenia elections again taking place without ideological fight Citizen’s Decision party: Armenia elections again taking place without ideological fight

16:08, 29.11.2018
                  

YEREVAN. – Elections in Armenia are again taking place without an ideological “fight.”

Artur Avagyan, an MP candidate nominated by the “Citizen’s Decision” Social Democratic Party, on Thursday told the above-said to Armenian News-NEWS.am, during his snap parliamentary election campaign march in capital city Yerevan.

In his words, the Citizen’s Decision party has tasked itself with introducing the element of an ideological and a program-based “fight” to the election campaign.

“All the political forces [in Armenia] practically seek to carry out their campaign by way of discrediting and ‘blackening’ the opponents,” Avagyan noted. “[But] our party differs by [the fact] that it refuses [to use] such a method of [political] ‘fight,’ and it calls on the other [political] forces to a more constructive debate.”

Presenting the platform of the Citizen’s Decision party, Artur Avagyan explained that the main items on this program were the social issues and the role of the state in resolving them.

He added that the state shall have a more active part in resolving the social issues.

Campaign season for the upcoming snap National Assembly (NA) election has gotten underway Monday in Armenia.

The campaign season will conclude on December 7, whereas December 8 is election silence day, and December 9—election day

Eleven political forces—two alliances and nine parties—are running for parliament.

As a result of this election, the NA seats will be distributed proportionally among the political forces that have passed the respective minimum thresholds: 5% for parties, and 7% for alliances.

Aznavour’s son recalls how his father mobilized whole world after 1988 Spitak quake

Elizabeth Jabejian
Panorama, Armenia
Nov 29 2018

Moscow’s Art Academic Theater after Maxim Gorky hosted on Wednesday a commemorative event dedicated to the 1988 devastating Armenian earthquake, also known as the Spitak earthquake.

Anna Hakobyan, the spouse of Armenia’s Acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, National Hero of Armenia Nikolai Ryzhkov, Primate of the Russian and New Nakhichevan Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church Archbishop Yezras Nersisyan and others attended the event organized by the Armenian Embassy in Russia in cooperation with the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative and Aznavour Foundation.

Addressing the meeting, Armenian Ambassador to Russia Vardan Toghanyan said the event commemorates the 30th anniversary of the catastrophic Spitak earthquake that claimed some 25,000 lives, the embassy said on Facebook.

“Armenia shall never forget the support of those people and nations that were not indifferent to Armenians in their darkest moments. Starting from the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire to the Spitak earthquake, our history is full of amazing examples of humanity,” the envoy said, expressing gratitude to the whole world.

The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative co-founder, Philanthropist Ruben Vardanyan and Charles Aznavour’s son Nicolas, who co-founded the Aznavour Foundation, also delivered remarks at the event.

“This event is entitled to become a global symbol of inspiration and support for social transformation. If we want to change our society, if we are resolute to create the best conditions for the future generations, we should show the world the real value of empathy and generosity that motivate the modern heroes. This is the mission of Aurora,” Vardanyan said.

Nicolas, for his part, shared the story of the legendary singer’s great assistance to Armenia after the Spitak earthquake. He recalled how his father mobilized the world after the tragedy.

“My father was among the first to react to the 1988 tragedy and take action immediately. That very night, he wrote the song Pour toi Armenie (For You Armenia) together with Georges Garvarentz, mobilizing artists from France, United States, Italy and later from the entire international community,” he said. 

“The existence of individuals able to consolidate people around them and empathize with them is a crucial factor to promote human development,” he added.

Sasna Tsrer party: Armenia, Karabakh political systems should not be separate

Elizabeth Jabejian
News.am, Armenia
Nov 30 2018
Sasna Tsrer party: Armenia, Karabakh political systems should not be separate Sasna Tsrer party: Armenia, Karabakh political systems should not be separate

16:34, 30.11.2018
               

YEREVAN. – The provincial visits within the framework of the election campaign show there are major foundations that the Sasna Tsrer party will to go to parliament. 

Political scientist Stepan Grigoryan, who is second on this political force’s electoral list for the upcoming snap National Assembly (NA) election in Armenia, stated the aforementioned at a press conference on Friday.

Reflecting on the Sasna Tsrer party platform’s provision on joining Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) to Armenia, Grigoryan said this process can be carried out in phases.

“Azerbaijan’s position [with respect to resolving the Karabakh conflict] is getting more rigid,” he added. “Armenians live in Artsakh, not ‘Artsakhtsis.’”

As per the MP candidate, the political systems of Armenia and Karabakh should not be separate from each other.

“The political parties functioning in Artsakh need to find for themselves partner parties in Armenia, and to collaborate with Armenia’s political forces,” Stepan Grigoryan concluded.

Sasna Tsrer party official Varuzhan Avetisyan, political scientist Stepan Grigoryan, and party official Garegin Chugaszyan are the top three on the respective 174-name electoral list of this recently formed political force.

Campaign season for the upcoming snap NA election has gotten underway Monday in Armenia.

The campaign season will conclude on December 7, whereas December 8 is election silence day, and December 9—election day

Eleven political forces—two alliances and nine parties—are running for parliament.

As a result of this election, the NA seats will be distributed proportionally among the political forces that have passed the respective minimum thresholds: 5% for parties, and 7% for alliances.

Crocodile of zoo dies this time

Elizabeth Jabejian
  • 16:35 | November 26,2018 | Social
  • Armenian:
  • Rus

The crocodile of the zoo died, Ruben Abrahamyan, spokeswoman for the park, told “A1 +.”

Ruben Abrahamyan denied the information that the animal caregiver was dismissed.

To remind, this is not the only case of animal death in the zoo. On November 13, the zebra of the park died, too. According to laboratory findings, a large amount of arsenic content was found in the animal’s blood and urine.

Snow on roads of Artik region

Elizabeth Jabejian
  • 18:36 | November 23,2018 | Official
  • Armenian:
  • Rus

The Ministry of Transport, Communication and Information Technologies informs that on November 23, at 17:00, there is snow on the roads of Artik region.

The Vardenyants Pass is foggy, with a visibility of 50-60 meters. Berd-Chambarak highway is also foggy, as well as Jermuk, Saravan and Meghri mountain passes. The visibility is 100-150 meters.

All the interstate and republican roads are open.

Citizens can receive complete and operative information on the interstate and republican roads both from the Ministry’s official website (www.mtcit.am, as well as
ard.am), and from the telephone numbers of the Ministry of Communications(010 – 56-25-33).

Junior Eurovision 2018: Armenia’s L.E.V.O.N rocks the stage in Minsk

Elizabeth Jabejian
Public Radio of Armenia
Nov 20 2018

Junior Eurovision 2018: Armenia’s L.E.V.O.N rocks the stage in Minsk



Armenia’s representative L.E.V.O.N was first to take to the stage, as the first day of rehearsals for Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2018 kicked off in Minsk. 

L.E.V.O.N rocked the stage in his green suit, singing his song L.E.V.O.N. The lyrics explain that once you hear the song, everybody wants to dance along.

With the upbeat song and L.E.V.O.N’s dance moves, this will definitely be the case, according to the contest’s official website.

The contest will take place this Sunday, November 25th at Minsk Arena.

L.E.V.O.N is the favorite to win the contest, accoring to a poll held on Wiwibloggs website. 

Video at link:

Turkish Press: ‘Armenian claims on 1915 meant to meet identity needs’

Elizabeth Jabejian
Anadolu Agency, Turkey
Nov 19 2018

While demonizing Turkey, Armenian ‘genocide’ claims also meant to meet demands of Armenian identity, says expert

By Cagri Kosak

ANKARA

The allegations of a so-called Armenian genocide were made not just to paint Turks and Turkey as villains but also to bolster the Armenians’ sense of identity, according to a political scientist who has studied the issue in-depth.

“Allegations of genocide are not simply thrown about to demonize Turks and Turkey, but rather as a means of meeting the demands of Armenian identity,” Brendon J. Cannon, an associate professor at Khalifa University in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), told Anadolu Agency on Monday.  

Cannon, who wrote a book on the subject, said that the Armenian diaspora has built an identity around their claims about the 1915 events, so much so that they see research into these events as a kind of “denial.”

“The Armenian diaspora’s ideological representations of what occurred in 1915 have attained an unquestioning status,” he explained.

“This is extremely problematic and allows for no compromise in their quest to have the events labeled as a ‘genocide’.”

Cannon said that the Armenian diaspora avoid any criticism or research on this topic, as they claim the Armenians were “victimized.”  

History for historians

History should be left for historians to research, but the Armenian diaspora doesn’t want this, he said.

“Armenians have alleged that the archives in Istanbul are off limits to certain scholars. But even assuming that full archival access is granted, not only Istanbul, but in Berlin, Moscow, Boston, and elsewhere, it is difficult to see how scholarship could sway the Armenian diaspora to abandon their cherished position,” he explained.

“The Armenian diaspora has insisted on nothing short of recognition by Turkey — with all the legal, material and moral ramifications that recognition entails. Because their identity demands this, compromise with Turkey will always be viewed as failure and a betrayal of identity,” he added.

Cannon’s book Legislating Reality and Politicizing History: Contextualizing Armenian Claims of Genocide has been published in English and German, and there are plans for Turkish, French, and Spanish editions.

Turkey’s position on the events of 1915 is that deaths of Armenians in eastern Anatolia in 1915 occurred after some sided with invading Russians and revolted against Ottoman forces. A subsequent relocation of Armenians resulted in casualties.

Ankara does not accept the alleged “genocide,” but acknowledges there were casualties on both sides during World War I.

Turkey objects to the presentation of the incidents as “genocide” but describes the 1915 events as a tragedy for both sides.

Ankara has repeatedly proposed the creation of a joint commission of historians from Turkey and Armenia plus international experts to tackle the issue.

Never have I thought

Elizabeth Jabejian
Medium.com
Nov 6 2018

8 out of 10 children living in Armenian villages missing the preschool education because of lack of these centres.

“I would never have imagined that I could do important things besides housekeeping. It is like a dream that I felt could never come true with two little children at home,” said Heghine, who has already been working for six months as a teacher with 16 children in the Marts village kindergarten. It was established by UNICEF using the alternative model for preschool education services, the purpose of which is to ensure that every child in the community has an equal opportunity for early childhood development.

Eight out of ten children living in Armenian villages do not go to kindergarten for various reasons, including the lack of an available facility. The shortcomings in the structure of ECD facilities in the country push women out of the labour market or force them to reduce their working hours. This is especially true for women who have small children in places where the labour market, legislative or cultural factors reinforce the role of women as family caregivers and housewives. On the other hand, early childhood development is the most crucial part of the education system, as it aims to improve the cognitive, physical and social skills of children aged 3–6 years.

This model has been developed for small rural communities with few children, where there is no budget to support a full-fledged kindergarten, while the kindergarten in the nearest town is too far away. The model is based on international studies that suggest the overall time period (in terms of years) spent frequenting a kindergarten is much more important for the future of a 3–6-year-old child than the number of hours the child spends in that facility.

We spoke to Heghine for a long time and she often repeated that the children coming to the kindergarten differed from the ones who did not. She shared a personal story. “We didn’t have a kindergarten before and I was very upset that my elder daughter Lilit, who is now six, could not attend and had to enrol directly in school. But now my 4-year-old Liana is already coming to this kindergarten. They are very different from each other from the point of view of self-sufficiency, behaviour and socialisation skills.”

International studies have shown that quality interventions during early childhood development are small investments that later lead to major benefits for the child, his or her family, society and the economy overall. Imagine the education system as a ladder. Removing preschool education means withdrawing the first couple of rungs in the ladder and expecting the child to climb up to the third rung at once.

With the support of UNICEF, around 140 children aged 3–6 in 12 communities of the Syunik and Lori regions will now start their journey of education from the very first rung. The model does not just ensure that children receive the opportunity for development and learning, it also provides jobs to the communities and has a positive impact on their social life.

We cannot end the story without sharing Heghine’s enthusiasm. During our conversation, she was half-embarrassed and half-proud when she mentioned that, although a teacher’s work is difficult and comes with a high level of responsibility, this is her opportunity to also focus on herself and her personal needs outside of her everyday role at home with her children.

Such services, especially in small communities, create new opportunities for women to enter the labour market, become active players in the economy and, considering the new pension system, help them ensure a better future for themselves.