Author: Emil Lazarian

“I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS

Armenia’s economic activity index grows 9.4% in four months

Emil Lazarian

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 14:04, 25 May 2022

YEREVAN, MAY 25, ARMENPRESS. The economic activity index of Armenia increased 9.4% in January-April 2022 compared to the same period of the previous year, the Statistical Committee said.

Industrial production volume increased 2.6% in January-April 2022 compared to January-April 2021. Construction volume increased 9%, and the increase in the trade turnover comprised 7.8% for the period of January-April 2022.

The services sector also registered growth – 23.5%, in the first four months of 2022.

In January-April 2022, the consumer price index increased 7.4%, the index of industrial production prices – 10.8%. Electricity production volume increased 14.1%.

The increase in external trade turnover volumes is 33.8%. Moreover, the export increased 25.2%, and the import – 39.1%, compared to January-April 2021.

The dram exchange rate against the US dollar comprised 484,55 drams as of January-April.

Minister of Economy of Armenia Vahan Kerobyan said that the 6.7% economic activity index registered in March has turned into 8.8% in April. In other words, the economic growth has been accelerated.

“This growth would have been significantly higher if there were no queues in the Upper Lars, over which the Armenian government is conducting different works in order to solve the situation as quickly as possible. Today, I also had a quite substantive online discussion with my Russian counterpart Maxim Reshetnikov and other colleagues”, the minister said.

Armenia, Azerbaijan "negotiating about negotiations", says Yerevan

Emil Lazarian
PanARMENIAN
May 26 2022
May 26, 2022 – 13:03 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan has said that Armenia and Azerbaijan are still holding “negotiations about negotiations”.

Mirzoyan spoke about a possible peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan and said the sides are still working out the parameters, structure and format of negotiations.

“We have our clear positions, Azerbaijan has those of its own. Some mediators express their positions from time to time, which sometimes coincide, more often don’t, but negotiations are also for resolving such issues,” Mirzoyan said in a Q&A session in parliament..

Mirzoyan said some progress has been reached in several directions on the supposed negotiation table, such as the fist meeting on border demarcation and border security. According to him, there are “certain coincidences” in the reopening of transport and economic infrastructure in the region.

The Minister noted that Armenia should not allow the creation of “a negotiation vacuum”. He added that the Armenian side also welcomes the EU efforts, which “are already yielding tangible results.”

Russia’s foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said earlier that a team of Russian experts has been brought together to work with Armenia and Azerbaijan on the delimitation and demarcation of the border.

Shogher Margossian Appointed as Assistant Director at the Armenian Communities Department of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation

Emil Lazarian 
PRESS RELEASE:
Armenian Communities Department of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation Avenida de: 
Berna 45-A, 1067-001 Lisboa, Portugal
Contact: Vera Cunha
Telephone: (351) 21 782 3658
Web: gulbenkian.pt:
Shoger Markosian is appointed Assistant Director of Galust Kulpenkean Foundation 
Department of Armenian Communities
Welcome to the Armenian Communities Department of the Kulpenkean Foundation with joy 
announces the appointment of Shogher Markosian as Assistant Director of the Department. An 
Cooperates with the foundation as a consultant since 2018. 
Shogher Markosia studied in Lebanon and then in England and Belgium, specializing 
in English literature and cultural studies. Worked Armenian 
and with international organizations of culture, education, art and others 
in interdisciplinary fields. Developed new strategies and plans, 
focusing on contemporary materials and approaches.
"We are very happy that Shogher will join our staff. His skill 
expertise and enthusiasm will enrich the Armenian culture and language 
our development plans and complement our comprehensive approach to them 
approach," said Razmik Panosian, director of the Department of Armenian Communities. 
Shogher Markosian will assume his new position on June 1, 2022. 
--
Shogher Margossian Appointed as Assistant Director at the Armenian Communities 
Department of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation
The Armenian Communities Department of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation is: 
very pleased to announce the appointment of Shogher Margossian as Assistant 
Director. Shogher has been working with the Foundation since 2018 as an external 
consultant. With a Master’s Degree in Music and Culture from London, additional graduate 
work in Brussels, and undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in English Language 
and Literature from Beirut, Shogher brings interdisciplinary approaches to her 
work. Multilingual and multicultural, she has worked with international and 
Armenian organisations in art, culture, history and education, including online 
publishing and design. She has developed strategies and managed projects that 
bring new approaches to issues pertaining to contemporary experiences, and 
specifically, Armenian experiences. “We are keen to have Shogher Margossian as an inherent part of our team,” said 
Razmik Panossian, the Director of the Department, adding, “her skills, knowledge 
and enthusiasm will strengthen our programming and reinforce our wholistic 
approach to Armenian culture and language.” 
Shogher Margossian will assume her duties on 1 June 2022. --END--

Armenian authorities propose to unite 13 large communities into 5

Emil Lazarian
NEWS.am
Armenia – May 26 2022
14:21, 26.05.2022

The Armenian authorities propose to unite 13 large communities with 141 settlements into 5 communities. The corresponding bill was approved on May 26 at a meeting of the Government of Armenia.

In particular, it is proposed to include 34 settlements in Talin community of Aragatsotn province, 19 settlements in Chambarak of Gegharkunik province, 28 settlements in Alaverdi of Lori province, 24 settlements in Tashir of Lori province, 36 settlements in Sisian of Syunik province.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan explained that this is a return to district models, recalling that elections will be held in September.

Pashinyan said that since 2018, subventions in the amount of $350 million have been provided to communities, assuring that this figure will grow.

The first Armenian space satellite launched into near-Earth orbit

Emil Lazarian
May 26 2022
Natasha Kumar
May 26, 2022


Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced that the first space satellite had been launched into low Earth orbit.

cooperation of the Armenian state CJSC “Geokosmos” and the Spanish company Santlantis”, — he said.

Pashinyan said that the satellite was launched from Cape Canaveral on May 25.

not only to Armenian, but also to foreign operators. Satellite images will allow, among other things, to control borders”, — noted the prime minister.

The Family Behind Mini Kabob Offers Big Armenian Flavors from a Tiny Restaurant

Emil Lazarian
may 26 2022
The Martirosyans welcome diners with expansive hospitality and epic grilled meats
By Khushbu ShahMay 26, 2022

He is standing in the prep corner of the tiny kitchen at Mini Kabob, the beloved restaurant his family owns in Glendale, California. The night before, the 32-year-old and his father finished catering a local wedding for 100 people, so supplies are low, including the seasoned ground beef that forms the base of what is arguably their restaurant’s most iconic dish—the tender lule kebab. When it emerges from the flames, it glistens with fat and ripples with flavor. Swaddle the meat in a blanket of chewy lavash and a shower of paper-thin onions, and it’s one of the best bites in the entire city.

Although it might feel like Mini Kabob is a reference to the restaurant’s shockingly small size—it clocks in at barely 299 square feet—or its shockingly small staff (there are exactly three employees: Armen; his father, Ovakim; and his mother, Alvard), it is in fact a style of kebab, known as loghme in Farsi. The Martirosyans inherited the name of the place from the original owner, who started the restaurant 36 years ago directly in front of his mechanic shop, selling meat skewers when he wasn’t fixing cars. Ovakim, who spent several years working as a cook in the Russian army, bought the restaurant 25 years ago after it had passed through a series of different owners, transforming the kitchen into a celebration of simple but flavor-packed Armenian cooking (with a gently Egyptian influence, thanks to Armen’s grandparents).

The space might be small, but it is difficult to ignore the energy and heart that ebbs and flows through the space. It’s a mom-and-pop shop in the truest sense: Ovakim is a master of meat and takes on a majority of the labor-intensive prep work. He butchers the various proteins before grinding them down and seasoning them according to recipes he likes to keep close to the vest. Ovakim then lovingly and patiently pats and sculpts the meat onto the flat, swordlike metal skewers with wet hands. It’s easy to see the years of experience in his steady rhythm.

Alvard, who Armen says is definitely the “best cook” in the family, has knife skills that might worry even the most veteran assassin. She whips up batches of the restaurant’s cold appetizers, like ikra, a tangy eggplant salad, and mounds thinly shaved onions tossed with sumac, which help round out nearly every dish. Alvard and Ovakim do all the shopping for the restaurant themselves, regularly visiting the local supermarket and carrying back plastic shopping bags of eggplants and peppers.

Armen, who joined the business full time after completing culinary school, staging in prestigious kitchens around Los Angeles, and managing other restaurants, pulls triple duty managing the grill, answering the endlessly ringing phone, and welcoming the customers who pop in and out of the shop at a rapid clip. (Due to the space constraints, there are just two small tables in the front of the restaurant for dine-in customers, so it’s mostly a to-go operation.) It’s a job he makes look easy, never breaking a sweat as he jumps from grill to customer.

Like many successful family businesses split across generations, there exists an underlying tension, felt most palpably between son and father. Armen is nearly bursting at the seams with ideas on how to modernize and expand the restaurant, while Ovakim prefers to keep things the way they have been for the past quarter century. “I’ve been trying to get him to let us accept credit cards for years,” says Armen with a sigh. The compromise? The “cash only” sign in bright blue ink still sits in front of the register, but Mini Kabob is now on all the third-party delivery apps.

The biggest shift has been the restaurant’s robust presence on social media. Armen mans the Instagram account with nearly 37,000 followers, posting everything from behind-the-scenes videos of kebabs charring on the grill and close-up shots of him marinating the meat for their tender beef shish kebabs to charming videos of his parents dancing around the shop. He recently put the restaurant on TikTok, where Armen amasses thousands of views on videos of him and his parents re-creating popular dance trends while in the restaurant. Mini Kabob’s internet presence has won it a legion of fans, elevating it from an under-the-radar neighborhood joint to one of Los Angeles’ most famous kebab spots, counting celebrities like Diplo and Eric Wareheim among its fans.

Armen is hopeful that he can one day make Mini Kabob not so mini by expanding into the space next door so there is at least a proper dining room to lay out platters piled high with rice, charred peppers, crispy beveled potatoes, and supremely tender tubes of meat licked by the flames of the grill. And though he has a deep emotional attachment to the restaurant he grew up in, he also has ambitious culinary aspirations of his own. When he isn’t slinging kebabs, Armen runs a pop-up concept called MidEast Tacos, fusing his California upbringing with Armenian roots. He is in the process of opening a brick-and-mortar location of MidEast Tacos while daydreaming about other concepts he would like to bring into the world. But for now, he must get back to the kitchen: The kebabs will not grill themselves—and the orders are piling up.

[Armenian News note: See some of the menu items with photos and recipes at the link below]

CivilNet: Are Armenia’s anti-government protests failing to gain traction – and why?

Emil Lazarian
CIVILNET.AM

26 May, 2022 09:05

Nerses Kopalyan, Professor of Political Science at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, talks to CivilNet about his recent article entitled, The False Promise of Security: Why the Opposition Protests in Armenia Are Struggling to Gain Traction.Professor Kopaylan discusses police brutality in Armenia, the “democracy versus security” narrative, and where the protests may be heading towards.

UN Security Council to hold meeting on North Korea on May 26

Emil Lazarian

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 09:28, 26 May 2022

YEREVAN, MAY 26, ARMENPRESS. The United Nations Security Council will hold a meeting on North Korea on Thursday, according to its program released on Wednesday, reports TASS.

On Tuesday, North Korea conducted three missile test launchers.

Voting on a US draft resolution calling for tougher sanctions against Pyongyang is expected to be held, Reuters said citing an administration official.

According to Seoul, North Korea test launched three ballistic missiles on Wednesday. One of them, according to the South Korean military, was an intercontinental missile, the two others were short-range missiles. The launch od one short-range missile was probably abortive. In response to Pyongyang’s tests, two missiles, one South Korean and one American, were launched toward the Sea of Japan.

Acquisition of 65,03% of Armenian Securities Exchange by Warsaw Stock Exchange to greatly develop capital market

Emil Lazarian

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 15:05, 26 May 2022

YEREVAN, MAY 26, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Economy Vahan Kerobyan reacted positively to the acquisition of the 65,03% of the Armenian Securities Exchange (AMX) by the Warsaw Stock Exchange.

Kerobyan said that the Warsaw Stock Exchange is the most active and largest stock exchange in Eastern Europe.

“The contribution of their experience in the Armenian capital market can’t be overestimated. We believe that their arrival will bring great benefit the development of our capital market. We already see significant interest from private companies for instruments of the capital market,” Kerobyan said.

He said that prior to 2018 there were very few companies in the non-financial sector who were working transparently with profit. The accepted business model, before 2018, was to generate revenue by saving taxes, he said. But starting from 2018, companies have broad opportunities to work with profit and transparently.

“I can’t say that it has become transparent entirely, but we see that the number of companies who are properly undergoing audit is significantly growing. This is the base of the companies who should be active participants of the capital market,” Kerobyan said.

On May 24, the Board of the Central Bank of Armenia approved the acquisition of the Armenian Securities Exchange (AMX) by the Warsaw Stock Exchange.

According to the agreement, the Warsaw Stock Exchange (GPW) will acquire 65.03% of AMX.

The Armenian Central Bank issued the following press release on the acquisition:

“On its May 24 sitting, the Board of the Central Bank of Armenia gave its consent to the acquisition of the Armenian Stock Exchange by the Warsaw Stock Exchange. According to the agreement, the Warsaw Stock Exchange (GPW) will acquire 65.03% of shares of the Armenian Stock Exchange (AMX) (967 shares in total). The Central Bank of Armenia will maintain 25.02% of shares, and the remaining 9.95% are the AMX’s own shares. The value of the transaction will be about AMD 873 million, a part of which (about AMD 499 million) will be paid after signing the Share Purchase Agreement, and the rest, after completion of processes established by the Share Purchase Agreement.

The GPW announced about its plans to acquire the AMX in September 2020, after which necessary studies were carried out, a development plan for the next five years was developed, and necessary corporate approvals were obtained.

The Board of the Central Bank stresses the importance of the entry of the WFB as an institutional investor into the Armenian financial market, which will give an impetus to the development of Armenian capital market, and will foster integration of Armenian and Polish capital markets, opening new opportunities for both the Armenian companies and the investors.

Development program prepared by the GPW provides for a number of measures aimed at the improvement of capital market infrastructure, including development of the trading system, expansion of the stock exchange and the Central Depository services, as well as introduction of state-of-the-art technological solutions.”

The GPW is the largest and the developed market in Central and Eastern Europe. The GPW organizes trading in stocks, bonds, derivatives, fund shares and other instruments. The GPW is a public company, the shares of which have been listed since 2010 with a capitalization of about 320 million euros.

The AMX is the only operator in the regulated securities market in Armenia, which organizes trading of both securities and other financial instruments. The AMX is the 100% shareholder of the Central Depository of Armenia. 90.05% of the AMX shares belong to the Central Bank of Armenia, and the remaining 9.95% are the AMX’s own shares.