Reconciliation March In Tbilisi

RECONCILIATION MARCH IN TBILISI
Azg
4 March 05
A procession aimed at removing discords aroused in connection with
Armenian Surb Astvatsatsin church in Norashen was held in Tbilisi
yesterday.
Mari Mikoyan, head of Nor Serund NGO in Tbilisi, told daily Azg in a
telephoned interview that the NGO she spearheads and the National
Union of Georgia’s Youth Organizations organized a reconciliation
march to help Armenian and Georgian churches overcome problems they
face.
Few dozens of Armenians and Georgians started the march from St Zion
Georgian church, halted at Norashen Armenian church and then moved to
Surb Gevorg church where they were welcomed by the head of Georgia’s
Armenian diocese, bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanian and father Abgar.
“The slogan we, the Armenian and Georgian young people, have chosen is
this: รข=80=98 We live in Georgia and have no discords'”, Mari Mikoyan
said addingthat both churches blessed the procession participants.
“We want to prove that Armenians and Georgians have no
disagreements. This action was meant to explain that the issue around
Norashen should be solvedby the two churches and we, the NGOs, are
only mediators and are wishing to see a peaceful settlement”, Mikoyan
said.
The church of Norashen first appeared in the limelight in 1989 when
Georgia’s chauvinistic leader, Zviad Gamsakhurdia, and Ilya II
Catholicos set a goal to take hold of the church together with other
Armenian, Russian and Greek churches. The church served as a library
during the soviet rule. The books were taken out in 1995 and Georgian
priest, Tariel, started “repair” and “georgization” of the church. The
Armenians of Georgia and the late head ofthe Armenian diocese, Gevorg
Seraydarian, expressed their resentment to ex-president Eduard
Shevardnadze, Tbilisi mayor Niko Kelishvili and Georgian Catholicos
Ilya II.
The official Yerevan also intervened. Armenian embassy to Georgia sent
a note to the Foreign Affairs Ministry. The ruckus over Norashen
church stopped for over 10 years as a result of various negotiations.
By Tatoul Hakobian

ARKA News Agency – 03/03/2005

ARKA News Agency
March 3 2005
Armenian President, CIS Executive Committee’s Chair discussing CIS
structures reformation issues
RA Government changes the workday of March 7 for March 5
Representatives of some Armenian political parties discussing
preparation for marking 90th anniversary of Armenian genocide
RA NA Speaker receives the experts of the Council of Europe’s Venice
Commission and ODIHR/OSCE
A campaign of protest of salesmen at trade fairs held today at the
governmental building of Armenia
Representatives of the council of europe’s venice commission and the
organisation for security and cooperation in Europe’s Office for
Democratic Institutions and Human Rights arrived in Yerevan for a
two-day visit
RA Prime Minister and the Chairman of the Executive Committee of the
CIS discuss the issue of improving the efficiency of work of the CIS
*********************************************************************
ARMENIAN PRESIDENT, CIS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE’S CHAIR DISCUSSING CIS
STRUCTURES REFORMATION ISSUES
YEREVAN, March 3. /ARKA/. Armenian President Robert Kocharyan
received Thursday the CIS Executive Committee’s Chair Vladimir
Rushaylo. The main topic of the negotiations was the process of
implementation of reforms in the CIS structures, as Presidential
Press Service told ARKA. Rushaylo also informed Armenian President
about preparations for CIS member countries’ summits planned for 2005
and discussed related issues with him. M.V. -0–
*********************************************************************
RA GOVERNMENT CHANGES THE WORKDAY OF MARCH 7 FOR MARCH 5
YEREVAN, March 3. /ARKA/. In regard with the International Women’s
Day celebrated on March 8, RA Government changed the workday of March
7 for March 5, according to RA Government’s Press Service. A.H. – 0–
*********************************************************************
REPRESENTATIVES OF SOME ARMENIAN POLITICAL PARTIES DISCUSSING
PREPARATION FOR MARKING 90TH ANNIVERSARY OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
YEREVAN, March 3. /ARKA/. Ramkavar-Azatakan, Social Democratic and
Dashaktsutyun parties’ representatives discussed work on preparation
events to mark 90th anniversary of Armenian genocide. After approving
the program of events, the meeting participants discussed political
situation in Lebanon, as Dashnaktsutyun party told ARKA. Summarizing
the meeting, the representatives of the three political parties came
up with a statement condemning recent assassination of former
Lebanese Prime Minister Raphik Al Hariri. M.V. -0–
*********************************************************************
RA NA SPEAKER RECEIVES THE EXPERTS OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE’S VENICE
COMMISSION AND ODIHR/OSCE
YEREVAN, March 3. /ARKA/. RA NA Speaker Arthur Baghdasaryan received
the experts of the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission and the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s Office for
Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR/OSCE), who are in
Yerevan to discuss the expert conclusion on the Election Code (EC).
According to RA NA Press Service, Baghdasaryan agreed with the
necessity of reforms and adoption of the reviewed EC, which may
ensure holding elections in line with democratic standards. It was
also noted that out of 61 provisions of expert conclusions only 30
were adopted and 11 of them are approved, and the rest 20 provisions
will be made agree as a result of discussions with the
representatives of political powers, RA Ministry of Justice, Central
Election Committee (CEC), and NGOs.
Under the chairmanship of Baghdasaryan discussion of the project of
changes and amendments to EC were held. Deputies, OSCE Yerevan Office
Coordinator Vladimir Pryakhin, his Deputy Elane Konkevich, Head of
CEC Garegin Azaryan, Deputy Minister of Justice Tigran Mukuchyan and
representatives of NGOs participated in the discussions. A.H. -0–
*********************************************************************
A CAMPAIGN OF PROTEST OF SALESMEN AT TRADE FAIRS HELD TODAY AT THE
GOVERNMENTAL BUILDING OF ARMENIA
YEREVAN, March 3. /ARKA/. A campaign of protest of salesmen at trade
fairs was held today at the governmental building of Armenia. The
participants expressed their discontent about the law on `cash
machines, obliging salesmen to have them by April 1, 2005. The
delegation met the Deputy Head of the State Tax Service adjunct to AR
Government Armen Alaverdyan. During the campaign the building was
protected by police.
To note, on Nov 22, 2004 RA Parliament adopted a low on Cash Machines
that should be gradually introduced in the country. In particular,
from April 1, 2005 cash machines are to be obligatorily used in the
area of providing medical and ambulatory services, in beauty centers,
resort houses, exhibition complexes, on fairs and markets .
Currently, cash machines are used by over 15 thsd households in the
country. A.H. -0–
*********************************************************************
REPRESENTATIVES OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE’S VENICE COMMISSION AND THE
ORGANISATION FOR SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE’S OFFICE FOR
DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS AND HUMAN RIGHTS ARRIVED IN YEREVAN FOR A
TWO-DAY VISIT
YEREVAN, March 3. /ARKA/. Representatives of the Council of Europe’s
Venice Commission and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation
in Europe’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
(ODIHR/OSCE) arrived in Yerevan for a two-day visit. According to the
information office of the CE in RA, the goal of the visit is to
discuss progress in reviewing election legislation of Armenia on the
base of joint commissions made by two organizations regarding
electoral reforms in the country. According to press-release, the
visit will be in the frames of the cooperation between CE and
Armenian authorities within the context of monitoring compliance with
the commissions of ODIHR/OSCE after the elections of 2003 in Armenia,
as well as the process of monitoring of the country by the CE
Ministers Committee. The aim of the visit is to raise with the
Armenian authorities and experts on electoral matters the main points
on which Armenia’s electoral legislation and practice have yet to
meet Council of Europe standards and OSCE Commitments on democratic
elections A.H.–0–
*********************************************************************
RA PRIME MINISTER AND THE CHAIRMAN OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE
CIS DISCUSS THE ISSUE OF IMPROVING THE EFFICIENCY OF WORK OF THE CIS
YEREVAN, March 3. /ARKA/. RA Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan and
the Chairman of the Executive Committee of the CIS Vladimir Rushailo
discussed the issue of improving the efficiency of work of the CIS.
According to AR Government’s Press Service Department, Margaryan
noted that from the first day of the CIS Armenia was represented in
all bodies of the organization, participated actively in its work. He
expressed hope that as a result of constructive discussions of all
suggestions of participant countries of the CIS the optimal variant
of reforms will be found, enabling to make the CIS more efficient
structure. Rushailo was for introducing reforms in the bodies of the
CIS to make their work more efficient and dynamic and to bring in
line with modern standards. He also expressed anxiety about
inefficient use of the whole potential of the CIS. According to him,
establishment of executive centers in the CIS will fill in the gap,
and such examples exist already in Russia, Moldova and the Ukraine.
Rushailo noted that the Armenian Pavilion in the Russian Exhibition
Centre is the best and said that it’s a kind of a visiting card of
the country.
Rushailo also introduced the process of getting prepared to the
regular session of the CIS states’ prime ministers, which is planned
to take place on April 29 in Tbilisi. According to him, over 30
projects related to areas of interaction will be discussed.
In the course of the meeting the parties also spoke about celebrating
the 60th anniversary of the victory in World War II. Margaryan
informed that a special commission headed by RA Minister of Defense
was established on that occasion in Armenia, and the program of
arrangements had been approved. He also stated that the Armenian
delegation of veterans of the War will participate in the celebration
of the 60th anniversary on May 8-9 in Moscow. A.H. –0–

French parliamentarian called Turkey to recognize Armenian Genocide

PanArmenian News
March 3 2005
FRENCH PARLIAMENTARIAN CALLED TURKEY TO RECOGNIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
03.03.2005 17:39
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ French deputy Jacques Toubon raised the
“unquestionable reality” of the Armenian Genocide during the 53rd
reunion of the EU-Turkey inter-parliamentary delegation, of which he
is the vice-president. During his talk, Mr Toubon indicated to his
Turkish counterparts that the recognition of this genocide
constituted an “important element for Europe” and of its “common
values”. In particular he highlighted that the European Parliament,
since 1987, had on numerous occasions recognised the reality of the
Genocide and since then, continually asked Turkey to do the same. He
explained that “by refusing to ratify the Treaty of Sevres of 1920,
Turkey did not want to recognize this genocide” which could be
explained in the political context of that time, but “90 years later,
Turkey must change” and adopt European values while recognizing this
historic reality, Jacques Toubon noted. His statements provoked the
rage of the Turkish officials participating in the meeting.

Bittersweet Cocktail

Moscow Times, Russia
March 4 2005
Bittersweet Cocktail
Desolate Armenian landscapes provide the backdrop for a touching love
story in “Vodka Lemon,” the latest film by Kurdish director Hiner
Saleem.
By Tom Birchenough
Published: March 4, 2005
Viewers expecting to enjoy the luscious landscapes of the Caucasus in
Hiner Saleem’s “Vodka Lemon” will be disappointed. However, the new
film (shot partly in Russian) from the Kurdish director, long based
in Paris, creates some unforgettable visual moments, centered on the
bleak winter landscape of a remote Armenian village. And there’s much
to relish in the film’s sense of place, as well as in its main
characters.
The film’s central location, which captures the sheer remoteness, and
the timelessness, of a certain kind of post-Soviet desolation, is the
village cemetery. Saleem’s opening scene is impressive, mixing
elements of surreal comedy with a sense of reality that has led
critics to compare “Vodka Lemon” to the films of Georgian director
Otar Iosseliani (who is also based in Paris, where he has been for
more than two decades).

In the opening scene, a funeral is underway, and a bedridden old man
wishes to attend it. This poses no problem, however, as the other
mourners haul him to the cemetery on his bed, which is hitched behind
a truck. Once he gets there, he removes his false teeth and
accompanies the musicians on his duduk, a traditional Armenian
instrument, as they play their parting tribute. The periodic
appearance throughout the film of a lone horseman galloping through
the village — for no explained reason — is another surreal visual
touch of which Iosseliani would surely be proud.
In the film’s main development, however, the cemetery becomes the
scene for a more subtle, less extravagant interaction between the two
main characters. Hamo (Romik Avinian), who comes there regularly to
visit the grave of his late wife, meets Nina (Lala Sarkissian), who
pays similar respect to her deceased husband. Moving between the
tombstones, whose engraved faces carry their own eloquent messages,
they gradually interact, bonding further as they travel home on a
run-down bus.
This marks the start of an affecting relationship, which recalls
Saleem’s first film “Vive la mariee … et la liberation du
Kurdistan.” In that 1997 film, a Parisian Kurd bows to pressure from
his family to choose a mail-order bride from home, only to discover
that his order has been mixed up. He receives the wrong bride, but
they cope with the consequences in a very human way.
In “Vodka Lemon” there is a similar balance between comedy and
compassion. Hamo expects his three sons to support him in his old
age, but to no avail. One has stayed in the village, but he is an
unemployed drunk, and the support, if anything, goes in the opposite
direction; the second is far away in Central Asia; and the third is
in France, which motivates the film’s rare excursions to an urban
environment. In these scenes, Hamo goes to Yerevan hoping to receive
a cash remittance from his son. Ultimately, however, his missions end
in vain.
Meanwhile, Nina is working at the roadside bar that gives the film
its title. Although it is the place where locals congregate (for lack
of anywhere else to go), business is bad and closure is very much on
the horizon. The villagers only survive by selling whatever
possessions they have left — including, in a memorable final scene
with the two leads, a piano that they struggle to move to the
roadside, only to change their minds in the episode’s poignant
conclusion.
In the hands of another director, “Vodka Lemon” could have emphasized
social commentary. Saleem, however, avoids that direction, though
there are moments that reflect the difficult circumstances of
everyday life. “Before the Russians left we didn’t have our freedom,
but we had everything else,” says one character succinctly, referring
to the post-Soviet shortages of water and electricity, as well as
their spiraling cost.
The Armenian element in the film is dominant — certainly in terms of
casting — although its financing came mainly from France,
Switzerland and Italy. This international support has led to
international recognition: “Vodka Lemon” was Armenia’s nomination
last year for the Best Foreign Film Oscar, and it was screened in a
supporting program at the 2003 Venice Film Festival.
The European contribution is most evident on the technical front,
especially in Christophe Pollock’s cinematography, which beautifully
captures both the environment and the individuals who eke out their
existence within it. The score by Michel Korb and Roustam Sadoyan is
no less evocative.
Saleem’s major achievement in “Vodka Lemon” is that he creates and
controls an extremely sensitive emotional narrative out of the
bleakest subject matter. It makes his newest project, titled
“Kilometer Zero,” seem all the more intriguing — the director was
set to return to his native Kurdistan to film a similarly human
story, in what his producers touted as the first feature film to be
shot in Iraq after the U.S.-led
invasion. However, circumstances appear to have delayed the project.
“Vodka Lemon” (Vodka-Limon) is playing in Russian at Fitil.

Armenian political parties discuss situation in Lebanon

Armenian political parties discuss situation in Lebanon
03.03.2005 12:30
YEREVAN (YERKIR) – Representatives of the three Armenian political
parties operating in Lebanon met on March 2 in Beirut to discuss the
current situation in Lebanon.
The representatives of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF),
Socialist Democratic Hnchak Party (SDHP), and Democratic Liberal
(Ramkavar) Party (DLP) first of all focused on the preparation efforts
of commemorating the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide,
underscoring the importance of sticking to the schedule of
events. Then the latest political developments in Lebanon were
discussed.
Assessing the developments in the wake of the assassination of former
Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, the participants of the meeting
stated:
1. The three Armenian political parties firmly condemn the
assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and consider the
terrorist act a move against Lebanon and the Lebanese people;
2. The parties demand that the details of this appalling crime be
completely revealed and those behind it brought to justice;
3. Discussing the causes of Prime Minister Karame’s resignation and
the reactions that followed, the representatives of the parties hope
that the government’s resignation would lead the Lebanese political
parties to a consensus and formation of a national unity government;
4. Realizing that the situation constitutes a turning point, the
Armenian political parties, adhering to the principles of
inter-community peaceful coexistence and settling the issues through
dialogues, see it necessary to do their best to unite all the Lebanese
forces;
5. The Armenian political parties realize that the Armenian community
of Lebanon will not engage in any way in the polarized environment and
would emerge united from the Lebanese crisis.
SDHP Lebanon District Board
ARF Central Committee of Lebanon
DLP Lebanon District Board
March 2, 2005
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

OSCE reps in Armenia to discuss election law

OSCE reps in Armenia to discuss election law
Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
3 Mar 05
Representatives of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and
Human Rights have arrived in Armenia on a two-day visit. They met
National Assembly Chairman Artur Bagdasaryan today.
The goal of the visit is to discuss the progress of reforms in
Armenia’s Electoral Code conducted on the basis of mutual
recommendations and presented by this structure and to draw the
attention of the Armenian authorities and experts to Armenia’s
Electoral Code and practical work carried out to meet Council of
Europe standards and Armenia’s commitment to the OSCE to ensure the
conduct of democratic elections.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Approach to Med Errors Just Doesn’t Fly: Astronaut-Physician Bagian

STS: Approach to medical errors just doesn’t fly, says
astronaut-physician Dr. Jim Bagian
THORACIC SURGERY UPDATE
Thoracic surgery is a specialty on the edge. Though physicians gathered
in Tampa for the 41st annual meeting of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons
(STS)
to discuss scientific breakthroughs in their rapidly changing field,
many who attended couldn’t help but focus on issues outside of the
operating room.
Skyrocketing malpractice settlements and dwindling reimbursements have
taken a chunk out of the bottom line for many, while new technology means
surgeons are increasingly being elbowed out of the domain they once
ruled. Staff writer Heather Ennis was there and files the reports here.
The Medical Post
March 01, 2005
Volume 41, Issue 09
By Heather Ennis
TAMPA, FLA. – To make improvements in patient safety, health-care
organizations should strive to operate like a finely tuned . . . airplane?
That was the message Dr. Jim Bagian, an astronaut and physician, brought
to the Society of Thoracic Surgeons meeting here.
Fifty years ago, pilots had just about the most dangerous job you could
find, he said. They were paid well, but they frequently died. Though
there were 55 crashes for every 100,000 hours of flying time, it wasn’t
the loss of life that prompted the industry to move toward better safety
practices, said Dr. Bagian. It was money.
“They said, ‘We can’t afford to keep building that many aircraft.’ ”
Similarly, financial pressures are finding their way into health care’s
safety debate through huge malpractice settlements and government
funding programs that rise or fall based on hospital performance.
In aviation today, there are 1.97 mishaps per 100,000 flight hours, a
considerable improvement since the 1950s .
Despite significant public and government pressure, health care has not
seen similarly dramatic improvements in patient safety, said Dr. Bagian.
“We’re talking about whole-number percentage loss rates, and they’re
talking about one in a million. We don’t have nearly the fervour or
dedication to address these issues.”
The key to air travel safety is redundancy, said Dr. Bagian. When proper
procedures are followed, catastrophic events have a tough time getting
around the system.
“Even though aircraft engines are extremely reliable, they have this
redundancy so the system can fail and you still get to where you’re
going,” he said. “In medicine, we don’t have that redundancy.”
A single mistake in medicine is often followed through to its most
unfortunate conclusion, despite the fact there are usually warning signs
along the way, said Dr. Bagian. The problem is, the culture of health
care is not friendly to those who speak up about safety issues.
“People keep their mouths shut if they see something going on until
they’re absolutely sure they’re right,” he said. “We don’t respond in a
positive way. It’s intimidating.”
The culture of silence is the first thing that needs to change, said Dr.
Bagian, and it has to happen from the ground up. There should be no
limitations on who can report possible safety issues.
It’s wrong to think things only need to be reported once they have
already happened, added Dr. Bagian. The most important incidents are the
close calls, which can fuel change without people getting hurt.
“Close calls happen all the time; they change your behaviour,” he said.
“We already have plenty of accountability systems – we need learning.”
Organizations also need to set aside the antiquated notion that the
human element is what facilitates errors.
“People don’t come to work to hurt someone or make a mistake. They don’t
say, ‘How do I screw up today in a new and creative way?’ ”
To get safer, systems need to evolve in ways that make it harder for
mistakes to happen, he said. Responding to errors by paying lip service
to safety and writing new rules that are ignored isn’t good enough.
“Very often, those superficial solutions are what people try to
implement,” said Dr. Bagian. “Trying harder doesn’t get it done. You’re
talking about a cultural change.”

`Baku Will Get Angry if Turkey Opens Border’

`BAKU WILL GET ANGRY IF TURKEY OPENS BORDER’
Azg/arm
3 March 05
Turkish Hurriet newspaper informs on March 2 that the Engineering
University of Y?ld?z organized a workshop these days titled “Hopes for
Stability and Cooperation in the Caucasus”. Elkhan Mehdiyev, director
of the Center of Azerbaijan ‘s Peace and Conflict Resolution, reported
that Azeri-Turkish relations will spoil if Turkey opens its border
with Armenia giving way to pressures coming from the US and EU. Then
he continued: “In that case Armenians will not withdraw from
Azerbaijan’s territory. Russia keeps on arming Armenia meanwhile
Turkey does not support Azerbaijan. Azeri people’s trust towards
Turkey has considerably shrunk because of that”.
Mehdiyev, apparently, condemned US for its Nagorno Karabakh policy
telling that it pursues its own oil plans (in that case, we must note,
that Azerbaijan’s position is more favorable). Brenda Shaffer,
research director of the Caspian Studies Program at Harvard
University, responded: “The reason the US is interested in Nagorno
Karabakh issue between Armenia and Azerbaijan is not the oil but the
peace”.
By Hakob Chakrian

Some Turk Businessmen Advocate Open Border w/Armenia to Destroy it

SOME TURKISH BUSINESSMEN ADVOCATE OPENING BORDER WITH ARMENIA TO
DESTROY IT ECONOMICALLY: AZERI MP
YEREVAN, MARCH 2. ARMINFO. The Turkish Parliament is not yet ready to
make a decision on the Hocali events because of some difficulties,
says Azeri MP Nizami Jafarov who was present at the Turkish
Parliament’s recent hearing of the issue.
He says that the Turkish MPs did not plan to adopt such a
decision. They simply paid tribute to this tragedy by showing to the
world that this was a well planned act of genocide by Armenians
against Azeris and Turks.
Jafarov says that Turkey has certain commitments to the EU and is
facing many international problems. That’s probably why they have
decided not to pass a decision on the Hocali issue for the time being.
The Turkish MPs say that they can recognize Hocali in several
stages. So the past hearing was just a preparation. Turkey wants first
to see the reaction of its own and international public.
There is one more problem – demands for opening border with
Armenia. Some businessmen in Kars say that they want to sell Armenia
their goods.
Armenians too are frequent guests in Kars and keep meeting there with
those who support border opening. Jafarov says that he has spoken on
Turkish air and said that Armenia has no buying capacities and no
favorable climate for industry development.
Jafarov says that there are some Turkish MPs and businessmen who
support border opening but some of them have “good intentions” – they
consider that Armenia is too small a country and Turkey will be able
to smash it by its economic strength. But there are also people who
seek profit and Armenia is a market that can give them one.
Jafarov says that one should constantly remind Turkish MPs that the
decisions to recognize the Armenian Genocide passed by different
foreign parliaments are aimed first of all against Turkey and not
against Azerbaijan.

Spring Opened So Many Cafes in Abovian Street

AZG Armenian Daily #038, 03/03/2005
Home
SPRING OPENED SO MANY CAFES IN ABOVIAN STREET
The house N32 in Abovian Street will also be reconstructed soon. The last
two families are living there, at present. Certainly, this house is no
historical monument and has no architectural value.
The house N32 that squeezed between “Star” and “Astafian” trendy complexes
makes a poor impression, emphasizing the tasteless and ugly surrounding. We,
the Yerevan citizens, are very concerned about the issue what they are going
to build there and whether the future building will suit the place.
They can’t preserve Abovian Street that is believed to be the heart of the
capital, what can we expect from the city administration in the issues of
the center of the city of the capital. Three cafes are envisaged to open
just on the pavement, in Abovian Street in front of “Zephyr,” the former
barber’s shop. At present, their iron skeleton already makes an awful
impression and one can guess how the street will look after the construction
of the cafes. The dwellers of the building N26 told that one of the cafes
was deconstructed after their numerous complaints.
They informed at Urban Construction and Architecture Department at Yerevan
Municipality that these three cafes, as well as the ones that are on
construction near Avetik Isahakian’s monument are not illegal and are being
built with the permission of the Municipality. As for the owners of the
first floor of building N26 in Abovian Street, they didn’t satisfy and
entered the yard of the building, enlarging their territory and annihilating
the trees and flowers that grew there. “There used to be trees and flowers
there, people used to sit there and rest. After the first floor was
privatized, nothing was left from the yard. The noise from the cafes in the
street drives us crazy,” dwellers said. At the same time, they complained of
their neighbors that signed for enlarging the first floor of building. The
second floor is going to be built on the enlarged first floor, then the
third one will be built… The group of Yerevan dwellers that deprived
themselves of the trees and flowers will have another enlarged balcony.
“We can do nothing with them? They have bought the whole city and do
whatever they want with it. They wrote about this building few months ago in
one of the newspapers. Who listens to them? Money makes the world go round,”
a young man said. He also added that the building used to have a wonderful
yard full of trees and flowers. At present, two trees are left by the
entrance of the arch In Sayat Nova Street. The owners haven’t begun their
work yet.
Who does this city belong to? If it goes on like this, very soon some boards
will appear on the walls with the following inscription: “Caution. Do Not
Enter Abovian 26. You May Spoil the Appetite of Those Having Feast There.”
By Ruzan Poghosian
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress