Author: Hagop Kamalian

St. Vartan Armenian Church Appointed New Pastor

Hagop Kamalian

From:
St. Vartan Armenian Church
650 Spruce Street
Oakland, CA 94610

Fr. Krikor Zakaryan Appointed New Pastor at 

St. Vartan Armenian Church

(Oakland, CA)– Rev. Fr. Krikor Zakaryan has been named parish priest for St. Vartan Armenian Apostolic Church in Oakland, CA. He arrives in Northern CA from St. Garabed Armenian Apostolic Church of the Desert in Rancho Mirage, CA where he served as parish priest for ten years. 

Fr. Zakaryan is no stranger to St. Vartan Church having served in Oakland for eight months as a Deacon alongside the late, Rev. Fr. Mesrob Sarafian in 2009.

Members of the St. Vartan Armenian Church and community are encouraged to join Fr. Zakaryan on Sunday, March 8, 2020 as he celebrates his first Divine Liturgy as the new pastor. After the service, there will be a welcome reception in the church hall to meet Fr. Krikor and his family.

Background

Fr. Krikor was born in 1977 in Plovdiv, Bulgaria and received his primary education at the “Dimitar Blagoev” school in Plovdiv. He continued his education at the “Victoria and Krikor Tutundjyan” Armenian school, graduating in 1992. Between 1997 to 1999, he served in the Bulgarian army. 

In 2003, Fr. Krikor was admitted to the Alex and Marie Manoogian Seminary of the Armenian Patriarchate in Jerusalem. His dedication to the seminary and his high marks earned Fr. Zakaryan numerous awards. He graduated in 2007. Fr. Krikor Zakaryan received the rank of Fourth-Degree Acolyte of the Armenian Holy Apostolic Church from His Beatitude Archbishop Torkom Manoogian, the Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem and was ordained to the Diaconate by His Eminence Archbishop Nourhan Manougian. 

On October 13, 2009, Rev. Fr. Krikor Zakaryan was ordained into the priesthood by His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America.

Rev. Fr. Krikor Zakaryan completed his Masters Degree in Theology (Major – “Ministry, Leadership and Service”) in 2014 at the Claremont School of Theology, Claremont, CA and also completed a Youth Ministry Certificate program at Fuller Seminary in Pasadena in 2017.

Fr. Zakaryan has been actively involved as a Religious Advisor for the Diocesan Christian Education Council (CEC), Camp Committee and Camp Board, serving the youth on a Diocesan level.

Fr. Krikor Zakaryan is married to Yeretzgin Anoush Yazadzhiyan from Bulgaria and they are blessed with two daughters, Emma and Grace.


The St. Vartan Armenian Church is excited to welcome back Fr. Krikor and his family to Oakland.

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Armenian citizens will get the opportunity to receive medicines from abroad by postal order

Hagop Kamalian
Arminfo, Armenia
March 3 2020

ArmInfo. Citizens of Armenia in need of scarce medicines will be able to receive them from abroad by postal order. Amendments to the Law "On Medicines" were discussed  at the plenary session of the RA National Assembly on March 3 in the  first reading.

According to the author of the presented document, the deputy of the  National Assembly Sisak Gabrielyan, according to the current  regulations, individuals have the right to import drugs for personal  use into the republic. It is allowed, in particular, to import drugs  in 10 names in three boxes. However, this right does not apply to  postal orders. And often the drugs received by mail that are  necessary for an individual are destroyed by employees of the State  Revenue Committee. Now it is proposed to allow monthly mail transfers  of drugs for three items in three boxes. Thus, the total number of  drugs should not exceed three boxes. But if there is a doctor's  conclusion about the need for large volumes of drugs for the patient,  this maximum can be increased. In turn, the State Revenue Committee  will keep statistics of incoming funds in order to exclude corruption  and maintain the volumes approved by law. The order of receipt of  drugs by mail will be determined by the RA government.

The vote on the bill is expected to take place on March 4.

Air pollution exceeds safety limits in two Armenian cities

Hagop Kamalian
Panorama, Armenia
Feb 22 2020

The concentration of pollutants in the air of two Armenian cities – Vanadzor and Hrazdan – exceeds the limits of air-quality standards, according to the data, released by Armenia’s National Statistical Committee.

The data received from monitoring of the quality of the air basin held in December in the cities of Armenia, reveal that Sulphur dioxide exceeds the acceptable norm by 1.2 times in Vanadzor and 1.4 times in Hrazdan.

In all remaining settlements, all the air pollutants – dust, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide as well as ground-level ozone have been within the accepted norms.


Culture: L.A. City College to host Armenian Cultural Day

Hagop Kamalian
Aravot, Armenia
Feb 21 2020
L.A. City College to host Armenian Cultural Day

                                                       
February 21,2020 17:25 19

ԵՌԱԳՈՅՆ. Los Angeles City College has announced that it will be hosting an Armenian Cultural Day. The event will be held on Thursday, February 20 from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. on the 3rd floor of the Student Union Building at L.A. City College, located at 855 N Vermont Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90029, reports Asbarez.com

Outstanding guest speakers of the cultural day include Professor Siobhan Nash-Marshall and L.A. County Chief Deputy Anna Mouradian. Featured guests include Hratch Demiurge from Rose & Alex Pilibos Armenian School and Rev. Serop Megerditchian of the Armenian Cilicia Evangelical Church.

Anna Mouradian is Chief Deputy to L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger. With the Supervisor’s involvement, she recently visited Armenia with an official California state delegation, helped raise $1 million in support of Glendale’s Armenian American Museum, and helped host the official visit of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to Los Angeles.

Hratch Demiurge will present his published translation of “Pagan Songs” by Daniel Varoujan. Varoujan was brutally murdered following his arrest on April 24, 1915.

Rev. Serop Megerditchian, who pastored an Armenian church in Aleppo, Syria from 1997 to 2015, will give a presentation on Vartanantz Day and its modern meaning.

Newspaper: “NO” campaign headquarters to be formed for Armenia referendum

Hagop Kamalian
News.am, Armenia
Feb 15 2020

11:02, 15.02.2020
                  

YEREVAN. – Hraparak daily of Armenia writes: The extra-parliamentary opposition has planned its actions in connection with the referendum [on constitutional amendments]. "We are negotiating with prominent political forces, we already have arrangements to jointly explain to the common people what is happening in Armenia today," ARF Supreme Body representative Ishkhan Saghatelyan said.

“The political forces did not want to be in the headquarters of the 'no,' but that does not mean that we will not actively fight against the 'yes' to prevent this illegal situation and relax the public nerves. There was no need for the political forces to become anti-heroes and for the power to turn them into a target; we preferred this tactic,” said Artur Ghazinyan, leader of the One Armenia party.

The 'no' platform will occupy the legal coexistence as a fighter of professional struggle. If they did not, then the opportunities provided by the referendum—free airtime, appointing commission members, overseeing the referendum—would be diminished.

"The authorities should not be left without such oversight. The scope of our initiative includes people who filed a petition with the president of the republic a week ago not to sign the referendum document," said representative of the "no" campaign office, former Ombudsman of Artsakh Ruben Melikyan. And aren’t you legitimizing the illegal referendum? "No. By this step, we are keeping the whole absurd process of referendum under the spotlight of ourselves and the public, so as not to make it even more illegal; we are creating a platform for opinions that exclude ‘yes.’"

ACNIS reView from Yerevan #4, 2020_Weekly Update_1-8 February

Hagop Kamalian
Weekly Update  

09 FEBRUARY 2020  

 

President Armen Sarkissian’s Office has received the parliament’s decision on calling a referendum for the bill on ending the terms of Constitutional Court Chairman Hrayr Tovmasyan and several justices of the high court, Sarkissian’s aide Hasmik Petrosyan told ARMENPRESS. She said the Speaker of Parliament sent the draft legislation to the President. By law, now Sarkissian has 3 days to sign or not sign the bill.

 

After following, with deep concern, the events that unfolded in the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia on February 6, we state that the legislature’s decision to designate a referendum is an overt violation of the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia and constitutional legislation. This is stated in the statement issued by first Human Rights Defender of Armenia Larisa Alaverdyan, President of the Helsinki Committee of Armenia Avetik Ishkhanyan and lawyer Ruben Melikyan, said NEWS.am.

 

ARMINFO reported, Armenian President Armen Sarkissian considers the legal justification of the amendments adopted by the National Assembly regarding the disclosure of banking secrets controversial and appealed to the Constitutional Court with a request to consider their compliance with the country's Constitution.  This was reported by the press service of the President of Armenia. According to the information, the matter concerns additions and amendments to two laws: the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Bank Secrecy Law. These amendments were adopted by the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia on January 22, 2020.

 

RFE/RL’s Armenian Service (Azatutyun.am) reported, in a move denounced by the Armenian opposition, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s My Step bloc has drafted constitutional changes that would dismiss seven of the nine members of Armenia’s Constitutional Court locked in a bitter dispute with the government. The amendments were unveiled on Wednesday one day before an emergency session of the Armenian parliament which will discuss a separate My Step bill limiting the court’s powers. They call for the replacement of the court’s embattled chairman, Hrayr Tovmasian, and six other judges who were installed by the former Armenian governments.

 

The Presidential Office informed, President Armen Sarkissian today at the Presidential Palace had a working meeting with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian. Stressing the importance of the regular working meetings, which have become a tradition, Armen Sarkissian and Nikol Pashinian discussed issues pertinent to the country’s current agenda.

President Armen Sarkissian: Mr. Prime Minister, I am glad to host you today. This, it looks, has become a tradition – to meet regularly, to discuss all events which are going on in the country and beyond, on the international arena, and share information about visits, meetings, achievements, and difficulties of our own – government and presidential institutes. Thus, I once again welcome you at the office of the President of Armenia.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian: Thank you, Mr. President, I am glad to see you. This is actually our first working meeting in 2020, and I am glad also to note that year 2019 was successful for the Republic of Armenia. Data on the economic activity in 2019 has been published and I can state that in 2019 we had the highest index of economic activity since the application of that method of the economic analysis which was introduced in 2011. In 2019, we registered the period of transitional governance after the revolution and the topic of institutional changes in our country has been becoming more and more important in our discussions as well as the conceptualization and introduction of the strategic governance logic.

I believe, in 2020 we will enter such a phase and maturing of institutions in our country, introduction of the system of checks and balances has always been in the center of our attention and stay there. We have also responded to the situation around the Constitutional Court, the crisis, if I may say so, and I hope that today we will discuss problems related to it and will exchange views.

I certainly share your viewpoint that we should approach the problem based on the logic of the country’s institutional sustainability, our country’s national and state interests’ logic, the logic of having a clear-cut and working system of checks and balances because only then we will have the irreversible democracy, irreversible rule of law with all the ensuing consequences and, certainly, irreversible constitutional reality which has always been in the center of our attention and the focus of our working discussions. So, I am very glad to have this opportunity.

 

President of the Venice Commission Gianni Buquicchio has issued a statement over the situation surrounding the Constitutional Court of Armenia, emphasizing the principle of voluntary early retirement of the judges. He urged to de-escalate the situation and resolve the situation in an atmosphere of restraint and mutual respect. ARMENPRESS reports the statement of Gianni Buquicchio runs as follows, "Following my statement of 29 October 2019, I remain preoccupied about the open conflict involving the Constitutional Court of Armenia. I share the concerns of the rapporteurs of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in this respect.

 

Chaired by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, the draft strategy for public administration reform was discussed in Government, the Prime Minister Office Opening the meeting, Nikol Pashinyan noted that the public administration reform is very important. “Our goal is to ensure that the citizens of the Republic of Armenia experience as little discomfort as possible in relations with the public administration system. To solve this problem, we must make the public administration system more attractive for highly skilled professionals who can live up to the task in all aspects. On the other hand, we have set ourselves the task of ensuring higher efficiency in public spending. The ultimate goal is to create a business-friendly environment and make people’s life better through a citizen-centric public administration system,” Nikol Pashinyan said. The meeting discussed issues related to the development of policies in the areas of public administration, human resource management, the provision of public services, accountability and institutional development. The Premier emphasized the importance of establishing clear-cut assessment criteria and instructed those responsible to continue developing the strategy.

 

Sources: https://www.president.am, https://www.azatutyun.am/en, https://armenpress.am, https://news.am/eng/, https://arminfo.info/, https://www.panorama.am/en/, https://www.primeminister.am/en/press-release/.

  

President Sarkissian never invested in Turkey or Azerbaijan – Presidential administration

Hagop Kamalian

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 18:40, 6 February, 2020

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 6, ARMENPRESS.  President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian or his family members never made any direct or non-direct investments in Turkey or Azerbaijan, nor will make in the future, ARMENPRESS reports the press service of the President’s Office said, commenting on some announcements related to the President of the Republic.

“Taking into account the inquiries of different news outlets related to some announcements addressed to the President of the Republic, we inform that President Armen Sarkissian provides annual declaration of possession. It’s an open document, where the incomes and financial resources of the President are clearly mentioned.

President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian or his family members never made any direct or non-direct investments in Turkey or Azerbaijan, nor will make in the future.

Besides, Armen Sarkissian has never held any shares of the British Petrolium company. As it was mentioned in the official biography of the President, he worked as a senior consultant for the company, and, according to the agreement, Caucasus was excluded from the zone of his activities. In addition, the British Petrolium is an Open Joint Stock Company, the shareholders of which are known. Anyone with some computer skills can easily find their names.

There are hundreds of companies that have “Knightsbridge” word in their names which operate in strictly different spheres in different parts of the world and have different owners and shareholders. The small group of companies the names of which included “Knightsbridge” word with which Armen Sarkissian had some links, does not exist for a long time and none of those companies ever invested in the projects of the British Petrolium or in Azerbaijan.

The announcements are groundless and fictional”, reads the statement of the President’s Office.

Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan

Asbarez: Birthright Armenia’s AYOlingo among ‘Top Apps to Download’

Hagop Kamalian
February 5, 2020


Birthright Armenia’s AYOlingo language app has been voted as the number one app to learn Armenian

Birthright Armenia launched a language app to teach Eastern Armenian last year with its first 30 modules, and already it is getting recognized as the go-to app to learn Armenian. AYOlingo found a place on the top apps to download before traveling to Armenia by Absolute Armenia. If you have not yet downloaded the app, you can do so here.

AYOlingo now has 10 new modules focusing on topics like art, travel, shopping, tourism, nature, health, communications, entertainment, and more. The app brings you the easiest way to learn the Eastern Armenian language. With this free app, you can learn how to read, write, listen and speak Eastern Armenian with as little as 10 minutes a day. Working through the lessons and modules, your Armenian will improve by using this language learning app. AYOlingo covers the basics all the way to conversations.

Asbarez: Rep. Brad Sherman Visits Ferrahian High School

Hagop Kamalian
January 24, 2020

BY ALEC MINASSIAN

The students of Holy Martyrs Ferrahian High School had the unique opportunity to deliberate in a Student Town Hall with Congressman Brad Sherman, who represents California’s San Fernando Valley. Rep. Sherman paid a visit to the school on Wednesday, January 22, three months after the historic passage of House Resolution 296, affirming the United States acceptance of the Armenian Genocide in Congress.

Through a series of questions proposed by students from 9th through 12th grades, Congressman Sherman addressed unresolved issues regarding the impacts of the homelessness crisis, federal and military spending, American foreign policy, and the recent impeachment of an American president. As such, the students were eager to make a conscious effort of staying involved in local, state, and national politics, while pressing the congressman on the relevant topics of Genocide denial, Azeri indifference to border control, and his personal desires to amend this country’s broken stance on Genocide recognition.

Rep. Sherman informed the students on the work he’s accomplished in Washington, D.C. and commented on a wide array of the political and social hardships he faced in attempts to advocate for the well-being of his district’s minorities. Additionally, he commented on the partisan, biased Senate impeachment hearings to come in the following weeks, amplifying the already dire conditions associated with impeaching a president. Congressman Sherman appeals to the minority population of his district and the entirety of the state, and he advocates for more efficient public transportation, well-balanced foreign policy, an emphasis on ensuring women’s reproductive rights, and an open, bipartisan approach to legislative matters from local, state, or federal lawmakers.

The Congressman assured the students of Ferrahian High School that the work they do at school does not go unnoticed by influential lawmakers on Capitol Hill and proved how effective unity, consolidation, and strength can be when yearning for a goal that will better us collectively as Armenians in the diaspora.

Alec Minassian is a junior at Holy Martyrs Ferrahian High School.




Asbarez: Yerevan, Stepanakert Welcome Passage of Genocide Resolution

Hagop Kamalian
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Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan welcome passage of H.Res 296

Moments after the passage on Tuesday of the Armenian Genocide resolution by the U.S. House of Representatives, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan welcomed the effort calling it a “bold move toward advancing truth and historical justice.”

Pashinyan’s message, which was posted on his Twitter page, was the first official remark from official Yerevan, which was joined by similar announcement from Stepanakert.

“I salute the U.S. Congress’ historic vote recognizing the Armenian Genocide. Resolution 296 is a bold step toward advancing truth and historical justice that also offers comfort to millions of descendants of the Armenian Genocide survivors,” said Pashinyan in his Twitter post.

“My heartfelt congratulations to my Armenian compatriots all over the world and admiration to generations of Armenian-Americans, whose selfless activism and perseverance were the driving force and the inspiration behind today’s historic vote. Never again!” added Pashinyan.

Armenia’s Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan was also quick to commend the passage of the H.R. 296, tweeting that “justice and truth [were] consolidated.”

“Thank you US, US Congress. Justice and truth consolidated with historic H. Res. 296. Tribute to memory of victims of Armenian Genocide. Massive message against denialism. Deep gratitude to each of 405 votes. Empowered to work anew for prevention of mass atrocities anywhere in the world,” said Mnatsakanyan in his Twitter post.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Armenia’s Foreign Ministry expressed “profound” gratitude to U.S. House for its “determined and impressive” vote of H.Res.296, saying the measure was “of profound significance.”

“This Resolution is of profound significance in that it resolves to commemorate the Armenian Genocide through official recognition and remembrance, to reject its denial and encourage the education and understanding of the killing of 1.5 million Armenians by the Ottoman Empire from 1915 to 1923 as a definitive example of genocide of the 20th century,” said Armenia’s foreign ministry.

“Armenia profoundly thanks members of the US House of Representatives for their determined and impressive vote on House Resolution 296, which is an evidence of their overwhelming commitment to truth, justice, humanity and solidarity and to universal values of human rights,” added the foreign ministry, while it reiterated that garnering international recognition for the Armenian Genocide was a high foreign policy priority for Armenia.

“This Resolution is an important contribution to international efforts aimed at preventing new genocides and mass atrocity crimes anywhere in the world, which continue to shatter the conscience of humanity in the present. It is a powerful message against the scourge, the denial and the justification of genocides as it underlines the relevance of the Armenian Genocide to modern day crimes against humanity,” explained Armenia’s foreign ministry.

Armenia’s High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs Zareh Sinanyan welcomed the passage of H.Res. 296 and thanked the “dedicated advocates of the Armenian Cause.”

“The Armenian Genocide is one of the most undeniable pages of world history, the most painful point of our national memory. Because of the Genocide, the majority of Armenian people were deprived of their homeland and spread around the world, creating the Armenian Diaspora. As a result, not only has the genocide of generations not been forgotten, it has also been transformed into a driving force to prove that we are not victims; that we are and are ready to fight for justice,” said Sinanyan.

“The lack of proper condemnation of the Armenian Genocide by the international community set a precedent for subsequent atrocities. Through passing this resolution in the House of Representatives, mankind took another step on the path to respecting international law and the rule of universal values. Let’s hope the resolution gets the same support in the US Senate,” added Sinanyan.

“The process of recognition, condemnation and reparation of the Armenian Genocide is indispensable, and the Republic of Armenia will always maintain the need to condemn the Armenian Genocide on the agenda of its work with the Diaspora and foreign relations,” explained Sinanyan.

Similarly, the Artsakh Foreign Ministry issued a statement welcoming the adoption of the Armenian Genocide resolution. Meanwhile, Artsakh Foreign Minister Masis Mayilyan, who is on a working visit to Washington, attended the House deliberation and vote on H.Res. 296.

Artsakh Foreign Minister Masis Mayilyan with Rep. Frank Pallone after the passage of H,Res. 296

Following the vote, Mayilyan met with members of Congress Frank Pallone and Anna Eshoo and expressed his gratitude to them for their continuned efforts aimed at the recognition of the Armenian Genocide and their crucial contribution to the adoption of the historical Resolution.

“We express our deepest gratitude to members of the U.S. House of Representatives Adam Schiff and Gus Bilirakis for authoring and submitting the resolution, to the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues for its support of the resolution and consistent efforts towards its passing, as well as to all the Congressmen and Congresswomen who voted for the adoption of the resolution,” said the Artsakh foreign ministry.

“We convey our congratulations and highest gratitude to the Armenian National Committee of America and the Armenian Assembly of America for their coordinated work with Congressmen, as well as to all those whose consistent efforts led to the adoption of this historic Resolution by the overwhelming majority,” added the Artsakh foreign ministry.

“The adoption of the resolution is an important step aimed at thwarting Turkey’s attempts to deny the first Genocide of the 20th century and a significant contribution to the universal struggle for preventing such crimes,” the statement said. “We are convinced that the adoption of the Resolution by the House of Representatives of the U.S. Congress on recognizing the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923 in the Ottoman Empire is not only of moral, but also of practical significance – it will contribute to ensuring peace and stability in our region.”