Author: Hovik Karapetian

Asbarez: Arayik Harutyunyan Sworn in as Artsakh President

Hovik Karapetian

Arayik Harutyunyan was inaugurated as President of Artsakh

“Artsakh is Armenia and That’s It,” Says Harutyunyan in Inaugural Address

Artsakh’s National Assembly on Thursday convened a special session in Shushi, during which Arayik Harutyunyan took the Oath of Office of the President of the Republic of Artsakh.

The Artsakh flag, the Constitution and a 17th century Bible were brought to the hall of Shushi’s culture and youth center for the inauguration ceremony, which was attended by Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who was joined by the Speaker of Armenia’s National Assembly Ararat Mirzoyan. Also in attendance were outgoing President Bako Sahakian, Artsakh’s second president Arkady Ghukasyan, the Primate of the Artsakh Diocese Archbishop Parkev Matirosyan, as well Artsakh lawmakers, Artsakh Army commanders and other government officials.

Archbishop Martirosyan delivered his blessings during the special session, telling the newly-inaugurated president to “serve with courageously and advance justice.”

Primate of the Artsakh Diocese Archbishop Parkev Martirosyan blesses Arayik Harutyunyan on his inauguration

In an inaugural address to the packed auditorium, Harutyunyan touched on all facets of the Armenian national reality, saying “Artsakh is Armenia and that’s it.”

He considered symbolic the fact that the ceremony was taking place in historic Shushi, in the month of May, which is when Shushi was liberated in 1992. Touching upon the liberation operations of Shushi, he said “relying on own potential, with the support of all Armenians they managed to achieve the dream of having a united and free homeland, and develop, maintain it for 28 years.”

“Now is the time to dream and at on building a powerful ’s now the time to dream and act on building a powerful homeland in military, economic and civilian terms, Now is the time to dream and act for creating favorable and dignified living conditions for the people. It’s now the time to dream and act on implementing a great repatriation,” said Harutyunyan.

Artsakh’s new president also touched on the Armenian Genocide in his remarks, stating that after this tragedy the Armenian people found the strength to move forward and again build a national state “in this victorious month of May,” referring to the establishment of Armenian Independence on May 28, 1918.

Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan addresses the inauguration cermony

“Even during that time the road for Armenians was not so easy, including in Artsakh where especially the Armenians of Shushi faced genocidal acts,” said Harutyunyan, “Artsakh was also divided during the next 70 years under the violent pressures of Soviet Azerbaijan.”

“The Artsakh-Armenians stood up for preventing the new genocide, having the unconditional support of all Armenians. The Artsakh movement was a national awakening. The people of Artsakh rejected victimhood and created their own destiny with their own hands,” added Harutyuntan who then thanked his predecessor Bako Sahakian for his service and diligent work for the homeland.

Harutyunyan also thanked Pashinyan for what he said were the Armenian prime minister’s efforts to advance the socio-economic development of Artsakh, which elevated the republic’s security.

In remarks at the inauguration ceremony, Pashinyan said cooperation between Armenia and Artsakh will become even more efficient during Harutyunyan’s presidency Nikol Pashinyan noted that he is convinced that during Arayik Harutyunyan’s presidency, the cooperation

“The results of the elections demonstrate that the people Artsakh have expressed their will to implement reforms and adopt a political guideline. In this regard, the newly elected government of the Republic of Artsakh  and the authorities of Armenia and Artsakh have a common responsibility to the Armenian people to carry out reforms both in Armenia and Artsakh,” added Pashinyan,

“I want to emphasize that I believe in the political will and determination of the people of Artsakh to follow the path of reforms and creative changes,” said Pashinyan. “I believe  that Arayik Harutyunyan’s experience of  being Prime Minister of Artsakh  will help to not repeat the mistakes of the past. In fact, it will help to draw on the lessons of the past.”

Coronavirus patient’s home vandalized in Armenian town

Hovik Karapetian

Save

Share

 13:18, 14 May, 2020

GAVAR, MAY 14, ARMENPRESS. An unknown person or persons have vandalized the home of a resident in Martuni, Armenia who has been tested positive for the coronavirus.

The perpetrators have damaged the outside front gate and sprayed the walls of the house with the words “carriers”, “coronavirus”, and insults.

Martuni Police Department Deputy Commissioner Edik Hakobyan told ARMENPRESS that a father and son who reside at the address are infected with coronavirus and are being treated at a hospital. The perpetrators committed the act of vandalism during the night, after the two residents were taken to a hospital.

Police have launched proceedings over the incident.

Reporting by Khosrov Khlghatyan; Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

Armenian PM calls to strongly abide by anti-epidemic rules, as Covid-19 cases grow

Hovik Karapetian
Public Radio of Armenia

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has strongly urged citizens to abide by anti-epidemic rules to help contain the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Speaking live through Facebook today, the Prime Minister said “any of should take up personal responsibility by strongly following the recommendations.”

“Unfortunately, I see people shaking hands and chatting to each other without keeping the social distance and wearing masks,” he said, adding that “this can lead us to a serious problem.”

The Prime Minister stressed that any of us has a chance not to get infected and not to infect other by following three main rules: keep social distancing, avoid touching the face without disinfecting the hands and use only disinfected and clean tableware.

The call comes in the wake of growth in the number of coronavirus cases in the past week.  

“Since coronavirus is going to be with us for at least a year, we have to learn to live side by side with the virus,” PM Pashinyan said. Therefore, he said the restrictions have been eased to allow the economy to recover, which will, in turn, leaded to improved social conditions.

He warned, however, that there could be a return to stricter measures should the growth rate be maintained.

The Prime Minister noted that a total of 73 billion AMD has been distributed as part of the government’s rescue package, benefiting  1.1 million people.

Armenia has so far confirmed 3,718 cases of Covid-19, 1,500 people have recovered, 48 deaths have been reported.

Sports: Edin Dzeko hopes Mkhitaryan stays at Roma

Hovik Karapetian
Public Radio of Armenia

Roma striker Edin Dzeko has stated his wish for Henrikh Mkhitaryan to make his move to Roma permanent, Express reports.

Mkhitaryan has spent the majority of the campaign at Roma on loan from Arsenal.

Dzeko told Roma Forever: “I have always liked [Mkhitaryan] as a footballer and now that I have known him I can say that he is a very good person and a fantastic player, we want to keep him and we hope that he stays.

“We need people like him to make important results.”

Roma manager Paulo Fonseca has also said both he and Mkhitaryan want the deal to be made permanent.

“I’ve already said it and I’ll say it again: I want Mkhitaryan to stay. Henrikh also wants to stay,” Fonseca said.

“However, it must be said that everything is on pause right now. We still need to talk to Arsenal.

“I want to keep working with him. He’s a great player and a great man.”

CIVILNET.Is There a Culture of Violence in Armenian Politics?

Hovik Karapetian
CIVILNET.AM

11:06

Interview by Ani Paitjan

In the space of two weeks, twice, Armenia’s parliamentarians resorted to fisticuffs as part of a personal and political argument. 

According to Gevorg Ter-Gabrielyan, an international development leader and writer working in the public and private spheres in transitional countries, this culture of violence is rooted in an Armenian society that is trying to juggle between its will of tolerance, democracy and the old tradition of a belligerent nation.

Ani Paitjan: Two years after the Velvet Revolution, which was free of violence which was a key factor for its success, we notice that some politicians use not only violent rhetoric but also acts of violence. Could you comment on this paradox?

Gevorg Ter-Gabrielyan: Very often, violence is a reaction to aggression. It can be an attempt of revenge but it can also be seen as a message. In the case of the street fight between Alen Simoyna, the National Assembly’s Deputy Speaker, it was obvious that this was a case of reactive violence. One of the most senior in  the current government, Alen Simonyan, is walking in the street (something unimaginable in the previous governments). Artur Danielyan, the co-founder of the far-right Adekvat party, curses his mother, to which Simonyan reacts by fighting in the street. Through this act of self-reparation, Simonyan sends a strong message: it is impossible to rely on the legal means in this situation. It is impossible to achieve justice while going to the police, it is impossible to reach justice relying on the court system. 

Now let’s see the situation in another angle, the angle of duel – the ancient, aristocratic way to deal with each other. Why did it exist? Because the state system was  not sufficient to deal with this situation. Now, we have no aristocracy, instead we have street fights. The duel disappeared to make a place for  criminal norms, the traditions of street fight.

A.P.:How does this kind of behaviour influence the public that is a witness of these acts of violence?

G. T-G.: When it is clear that the State doesn’t have tough means to deal with this situation, you have the choice to either react as an individual because your dignity is affected, or you are a loser. This may be interpreted as an individual reaction, but this may also be interpreted as a recognition that the state system doesn’t work, as a recognition that, we as a society, have to  deal with these situations ourselves. We have to be able not to rely on the state to find the best way out of every situation.

It is a well known fact, and it has been said several times by Nikol Pashinyan, that the state is dysfunctional. And it is not their fault, it’s the fault of the ancient governments represented by this Adekvat troll guy. We should understand the big picture. The old regime, when they left power, they started a troll war in Armenia against the new regime. They are funded by three sources: the second President Robert Kocharyan supporters, the third President Robert Kocharyan supporters and Russia’s supporters. These three fronts are fighting against the new government.

So, in the action of Alen Simonyan, there is not only a recognition that the heritage they received as a state is just dysfunctional, but it is also the fault of the old regime and of the entire population for 20 years, which accepted the rules of criminals, gangs in their everyday life, in corruption, in kleptocratic, oligarchic system.

A.P.:Armenia also witnessed tensions and fights between deputies. It was the first time that an event as such took place in Armenia. What does it say about the current government? 

G. T-G.: Knowing many other parliaments in many other countries, I’ve seen much stronger fights that have taken place in parliaments of Japan, Turkey, even sometimes in European parliament, in Russian parliament. Here it is  power politics. Power politics is very emotional, it’s very related to feelings and things like that can happen. It’s not something to applaud, but it’s something to understand. 

We should understand these things in Armenia nowadays. Strategically,  this country declared a system of values, which is non-violence, non corruption, “do not steal, do not kill, be honest”. But tactically, it is not always applied, as it was shown in the parliament. However, these are isolated cases and it cannot be used as an argument to discredit the current government.

The difference is, in the previous regime, we had only the system of criminal values as mainstream values. We only had homo omini lupus est, you die first, I die second, these values were represented at the highest level of the parliament heads, of the prime ministers, of the parliament members, of the ministers and we know now that because some of the ministers are in jail because of their criminal acts. So now, after the Velvet Revolution, we have a more healthy situation.

A.P.:Does this culture of violence influence geo-political decisions?  

Most of the time, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is a great player, in a tactical situation, when there is a need for  fast reaction. In a situation of unexpected attack, he is managing pretty well. I have no worry, no concern that they may behave aggressively towards the external world. But the issue is much deeper. If we want to become more tolerant, our entire societ raised by the idea of having an external enemy and being  hated by the external enemy, makes it really difficult. If the society hates two neighbouring nations, it is raised with being scared of two neighbouring nations, in this situation, to preach tolerance, non violence, democratic society, that makes the society schizophrenic. How can you build a democratic society, a society based on human rights, when the society is being raised on hatred towards its neighbours. Every individual has to somehow make up their minds, to connect the dots to resolve this contradiction at  a personal level, but instead they are getting via the media, via the school, via the environment, the other message.

Mainly, we know that democracy works best and is usually associated with wealth. So become a wealthy, democratic society internally, as much as possible, to be able to deal with the external threat. But for that, you need a very deep form of a national story, a national imagination, because your first question was, why is it not discussed? It is not being discussed because we have this false consciousness of nationalism inserted in ourselves. So, we believe in the antediluvian nation of Armenia which has been either fighting or victorious. The very slogans that Nikol Pashinyan used are very unfortunate because he said that the nation is the family. It should be the other way around. You do not explain the big thing via a small thing. The nation is much bigger than the family. You can explain the small thing via a big thing. Many of us are inserted in this false consciousness approach. And therefore, we are unable to look through the layers of consciousness to see the reality and to address it. Apart from that,  small groups or individuals who are trying to address this via scientific means, via education reform, etc. But in general, we haven’t come yet to the level of courage to address this seriously. 

Azerbaijani Press: Azerbaijan’s FM Says Armenia Takes Steps to Disrupt Negotiations for Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict

Hovik Karapetian
Caspian News, Azerbaijan
May 4 2020

By Mushvig Mehdiyev May 3, 2020

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov / Courtesy


Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov says Armenia is taking steps to disrupt negotiations for the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, while adding there is still a chance for the two countries to resolve the long-standing conflict.

In an interview with Minval.az this week, Minister Mammadyarov shared his views on different aspects of the conflict, saying the Armenian side may try to hamper the negotiation process, but diplomacy could still lead to a settlement.

“As a person who has been directly involved in negotiations for many years, I personally believe that there is an opportunity to resolve the conflict through negotiations, it is only necessary for the parties to show political will,” he said. “If we want peace, security, normal good neighborly relations and, finally, progress, then the grave consequences of the conflict must be eliminated, and states must respect each other’s territorial integrity within their internationally recognized borders. There is no other formula for the world.”

The conflict in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan began in the late 1980s following Armenia’s ungrounded claims to the region which is an internationally recognized as part of the sovereign territory of Azerbaijan. In 1991, a war broke out between the two countries as Armenia launched a full-fledged military campaign against Azerbaijan after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The so-called pretext for the military intervention was illegal claims to the Azerbaijani region where partial Armenian population was living next to indigenous Azerbaijanis.

The bloody war stopped with a ceasefire in 1994. By that time, Armenia occupied the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts of Azerbaijan, which comprise 20 percent of the country’s internationally recognized territory. More than 30,000 ethnic Azerbaijanis were killed during the war, while one million people were displaced.

The government of Azerbaijan has been actively seeking a political solution to the conflict since the negotiation process kicked off in 1994, involving international mediators from the U.S., France, and Russia under the OSCE Minsk Group. Minister Mammadyarov said Azerbaijan’s position remains unchanged as it calls for liberating the internationally recognized territories of Azerbaijan and restoring the rights of the internally displaced Azerbaijanis. Armenia, however, refuses to agree to these terms.

“The occupying country has so far voiced many statements, completely groundless, misleading, and aimed at deceiving the international community. Feeling driven into a dead-end in the framework of the negotiation process, Armenia is taking steps to disrupt it, carrying out provocations. This is what they want to achieve – to damage the negotiation process while shifting responsibility to Azerbaijan,” Mammadyarov said during the interview.

By keeping the Azerbaijani lands under occupation for nearly three decades, Armenia violates the demands of international law addressed in four resolutions adopted by the UN Security Council in 1993. The legally binding documents call for immediate and unconditional withdrawal of the Armenian military from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. Armenia has failed to fulfill the resolutions, while it has also rejected the phased settlement proposal that was recently supported by Sergei Lavrov, Foreign Minister of Russia, which is one of the co-chairing countries of the OSCE Minsk Group.

Mammadyarov said the elements of a phased settlement include the liberation of the occupied territories around Nagorno-Karabakh, the return of Azerbaijanis expelled from these territories and the opening of communications between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

“It is supposed to provide conditions for the joint residence of both [Azerbaijani and Armenian] communities of the Nagorno-Karabakh region for some time, with consideration at subsequent stages of the status of the region in the framework of observing the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan,” the minister said.

“For the Armenian side, which claims that these elements were allegedly not discussed and that no document is lying on the negotiating table, instead of deceiving their compatriots, it would be better, without wasting time in vain, to prepare their own people for peace, as it agreed in the face of the international community,” he added.

Armenpress: PM Pashinyan issues congratulatory message on triple holiday

Hovik Karapetian

PM Pashinyan issues congratulatory message on triple holiday

Save

Share

 10:10, 9 May, 2020

YEREVAN, MAY 9, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan issued a message on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the victory in the WWII, Shushi liberation and Artsakh Defense Army establishment day.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Prime Minister, the message runs as follows,

“Dear compatriots,

Congratulations to all of us on Victory Day. This very day 75 years ago, our people joined other peoples of the former Soviet Union to celebrate the victory over fascism, one of the greatest evils in human history. The victory was achieved through enormous human suffering, sacrifice, unprecedented courage and perseverance.

The Armenian nation played a significant role in bringing about that victory and, as a result, in liberating Europe from the scourge of fascism. More than half a million Armenians were involved in the war as part of the Soviet army. Thousands of Armenians fought in the squads of resistance movements in European countries.

The Armenian people sacrificed about 300,000 lives on the altar of victory. For a nation that had survived the Genocide just a quarter of a century ago, it was an incredibly large number comparable to the human losses suffered by the great powers. While no hostilities had taken place on our soil, the population of Soviet Armenia fell by more than 13 percent at the end of the war.

Today, as we bow to the memory of our martyrs, we are proud of our ancestors’ heroism.

During the war, 107 Armenians were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, the highest award given for exceptional heroism. The significant contribution made to mankind’s victory by the Armenians living in Armenia and the Diaspora and especially the valuable material contribution of the Armenian Apostolic Church deserve special praise.

We have fully paid off our debt for all the wars in the 20th century. And now we are well aware of the cost of peace more than anyone else. Our identity is best expressed through creative work we do in peacetime. At the same time, knowing the price of peace, we are ready to defend it at all costs and to stand up again for our freedom and dignity, where necessary.

Whether a coincidence, or perhaps a deed of Providence, on this very day we are celebrating the liberation of Shushi and the establishment of the Artsakh Defense Army, exceptional events that crowned Armenia’s modern history.

The liberation of Shushi ushered in the liberation of Artsakh. Followed up with a brilliant victory, it became the pledge for our people’s security and peace. We are firmly determined to ensure the security of the people of the Artsakh Republic: their right to self-determination is not subject to bargaining. Both are absolute values for us.

Let us commemorate and pay tribute to our heroes who died for the liberation of Shushi and Artsakh. They stood just as strong as their ancestors did about half a century ago in World War II.

Let us commemorate those brave guys who fell in the Four-Day April War – our modern-day heroes who sacrificed their lives to prove our people’s unbreakable will for freedom.

Glory to all our heroes who fought for the freedom of the Armenian people!

Long live Armenia and Artsakh!”

Armenpress: Budget revenues increased 43.6%: Armenian PM presents performance of government’s action plan

Hovik Karapetian

Budget revenues increased 43.6%: Armenian PM presents performance of government’s action plan

Save

Share

 11:22, 6 May, 2020

YEREVAN, MAY 6, ARMENPRESS. After the 2018 Revolution the Armenian government managed to increase the state budget revenues by 43.6% within 1 year 8 months. Within the frames of these funds nearly 199 billion drams in debt has been returned to the business, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said in the Parliament while presenting the report on the implementation process and results of the government’s 2019 action plan.

“2019 was the first complete year of the activity of the post-revolutionary government, and this full year was to give us a complete vision on the potential of the post-revolutionary government and the political majority. Therefore, I find it very important to note that in 2019 we managed to record the highest economic activity rate since 2008 – 7,6%, which is the highest for the EAEU states, all neighboring countries and the countries of the European region”, the PM added.

In 2018-2019 the government managed to increase the state budget tax revenue’s declaration figure by 505 billion drams. This is more than a 1 billion USD. And in this respect the budget figure grew by 43.6%. “I want to remind my statement during the revolution period that the state budget revenues should increase by 30-35% within 1-2 years. In fact, we managed to increase the state budget revenues by 43.6% within 1 year 8 months”, the Armenian PM said.

Pashinyan said the 2019 economic growth was accompanied by the improvement of economy’s sectoral structure, low inflation and stable financial indicators. He highlighted that the growth in the processing industry comprised 12% in 2019. The export of goods and services from Armenia in 2019 increased by 10.3%, major export growth has been registered in the commodity groups of brandy, fruit wines, etc. Nearly 30% growth in turnover has been registered in the field of high technology industry. In January-September 2019 the inflow of foreign investments comprised 2.2 billion USD which is more by 465 million USD or 27.2% compared to the same period of the previous year.

Reporting by Anna Grigoryan; Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

5 ways USAID helps Armenia to develop

Hovik Karapetian

Save

Share

 12:12, 6 May, 2020

YEREVAN, MAY 6, ARMENPRESS. Armenia has become a beacon of hope for democracy in Europe and Eurasia. Two years ago, the Armenian people took to the streets to demand a change of leadership — hungry to usher in democratic reforms and replace the kleptocratic practices that had held their country back for a generation. For 40 days, hundreds of thousands of Armenians conducted peaceful, organized protests throughout the country. In May 2018, this”Velvet Revolution” brought to power a new reform-minded government. 

USAID has seized this window of opportunity to support the vision of those demanding change by aiding the government and Armenian society in developing and implementing an ambitious reform agenda. 

Here are five ways USAID has fostered Armenia’s progress on its Journey to Self-Reliance

Photo Credit: Reuters / Gleb Garanich

Caption: Armenian youth gather in Republic Square in Yerevan during Armenia’s Velvet Revolution in April/May 2018. The peaceful campaign brought to power a new, reform-minded government.

Free and Fair Elections 

Just weeks after Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan took office, USAID brought international experts to Armenia to support the government’s top priority: conducting parliamentary elections.  

A heavy lift for a newly-formed government, USAID experts worked closely with Armenia’s Central Elections Commission to train 20,000 poll workers, educate voters, combat disinformation, and facilitate the first national election debate. As a result, just seven months after the new government was installed, they successfully conducted parliamentary elections that were widely deemed by international and domestic observer groups to be free and fair — a first in Armenia’s 28-year post-Soviet history. The elections strengthened the trust between the government and its people, a fundamental principle of democracy, upon which further reforms will be based.    

To ensure that future elections will be free and fair, USAID is supporting Armenia’s efforts to reform its electoral system — helping to amend its electoral code and strengthen its electoral institutions. Since 76 percent of the newly elected parliamentarians are serving for the first time, USAID is helping them build the skills they need to represent their constituents through hands-on training, including activities tailored to support female parliamentarians and a new internship program.  

Photo Credit: USAID/IFES 

Caption: CEC poll workers are trained by International Foundation for Electoral Systems through USAID’s Strengthening Electoral Processes and Political Accountability project in advance of snap parliamentary elections in 2018.

Transformational Reforms to Spark an Economic Revolution

The Armenian government has taken a deliberative, strategic approach to implementing reforms, and has made significant progress. It has developed a 30-year Transformation Strategy, which focuses on anti-corruption measures and judicial reform, while seeking to set the foundations for an “economic revolution.” USAID support will help ensure that these reforms improve the quality of life for ordinary Armenians.  Over the past year, USAID has worked hand in hand with the government in developing strategies to expand sectors of Armenia’s economy with high-growth potential, including tourism, high-tech and agriculture. These efforts will be bolstered by investments to develop renewable energy sources, fostering energy independence and fueling Armenia’s economy.

Photo Credit: From TIAC CPI Report 2019

Photo caption: Transparency International’s Anti-Corruption Center’s annual Corruption Perception Index shows Armenia’s improvement in combating corruption. 

Rooting Out Corruption

For the Armenian government to make good on its commitment to a new chapter in Armenia’s democracy, however, policy reforms alone are not enough. Eradicating corruption is also among the government’s highest priorities. This year, Armenia received its highest score ever in Transparency International’s Annual Corruption Perception Index, the fourth-highest score of 19 countries in Europe and Eurasia. Armenia registered the second highest gains globally in V-Dem’s liberal democracy index, a metric used by USAID to measure a country’s Commitment to its development in the Journey to Self-Reliance. 

USAID has been quick to support this progress, and to leverage Armenia’s expanding political will into an opportunity to achieve real impact in rooting out corruption. The new Corruption Prevention Commission (CPC), for example, is charged with combating corrupt practices and building integrity throughout the public sector. USAID will provide expertise to inform the CPC’s organizational and management structure; support the design and adoption of a new methodology to prevent corruption in government ministries; establish integrity checks of nominees for public office; and foster the development of an electronic open data system to publish, analyze, and enforce public officials’ declaration of assets. The intended overall impact of the CPC is to help rebuild trust between Armenian citizens and their government. 

Inspiring Citizens to Remain Engaged 

Across Armenia, USAID has also doubled down on efforts to empower citizens to remain engaged in the civic and political future of their communities. In November, 2019, USAID launched the “Let’s Do Something” campaign to sustain the momentum of citizen activism sparked by the Velvet Revolution by engaging citizens across Armenia’s 10 regions in community service projects. USAID also supports efforts to enhance the Armenian government’s ability to communicate progress on reforms to citizens — reinforcing new norms of more citizen-responsive and accountable governance. And since March 2020, USAID has provided support to the Government of Armenia to develop campaigns to share timely, critical information regarding COVID-19, which has further strengthened trust between the government and its citizens. 

 

Photo Credit: ASI/OTI 

Photo Caption: USAID/OTI’s Armenia Support Initiative’s “Let’s Do Something” campaign supported the Armenian city of Gyumri to host a holiday market in December 2019. Residents and city leadership supported the campaign, which is working to sustain the momentum of citizen engagement in Armenia.

Empowering Young People

Looking toward the future, engaging Armenia’s youth is also a top USAID priority. Armenia’s young people played a pivotal role in the Velvet Revolution, and their continued engagement in political and community life at the local and national level will help sustain political will for further reform. USAID’s Schools of Local Democracy provide an online learning platform to foster youth engagement. USAID also engages youth in citizen journalist activities to encourage their participation in responsible management of water in their communities. USAID Anti-Corruption Schools build young people’s awareness of corruption and involve them in anti-corruption efforts, with the goal of building a new generation of Armenians who will not tolerate corruption. 

What’s Next? 

While Armenians have demonstrated a strong commitment to democratic reforms, they recognize that significant challenges remain for building sustainable democratic institutions.  USAID will continue to support Armenia as it works to build and foster the democratic future its people want and deserve. 

Op-ed by Deborah Grieser

USAID Armenia Mission Director

Materials in the OPINIONS section express exclusively the author’s opinion and may not coincide with the viewpoint of the editorial.




Armenians are truly victorious in WWII and the liberation struggle – President

Hovik Karapetian
Public Radio of Armenia
May 8 2020

President Armen Sarkissian visited the Yerablur Pantheon today on the occasion of the 28th anniversary of the liberation of Shushi.

President Sarkissian laid flowers at the graves of National Hero of the Republic of Armenia, Hero of Artsakh, Armenia’s First Defense Minister Vazgen Sargsyan, National Heroes of the Republic of Armenia Monte Melkonyan, Jivan Abrahamyan, as well as General Andranik and the memorial wall dedicated to Armenians who sacrificed their lives for the freedom and independence of the Motherland.

The President of the Republic honored the memory of the immortals who sacrificed their lives for the Motherland with a moment of silence.

Speaking to reporters, President Sarkissian sent his congratulations on the occasion of the day to everyone in Armenia, Artsakh and the Diaspora.

“Today I have come to visit the heroes of our liberation struggle. The symbolism is very deep. How did it happen that 28 years ago on the same day our people won a great victory, one of the most important victories of the liberation struggle, liberating Shushi. The liberation of Shushi, if we compare it with the Second World War, was the same as the battles of Stalingrad or Kursk. They just broke the logic of the war and opened the way to victory,” he stated.

Speaking about the 75th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, the President recalled that 300 thousand Armenians sacrificed their lives for that victory.

“Unfortunately, those 300,000 people do not have a grave in Armenia today, but their memory is with us. Of the 600,000 Armenians who fought in the battle, half sacrificed their lives. Our people gave more than a hundred heroes of the Soviet Union, five marshals … and it was not proportionate. A small nation had five marshals, more than sixty generals,” Armen Sarkissian said.

“It is natural that it was impossible to defeat that nation which had been one of the forerunners of the anti-fascist struggle,” he said.

“The name of one of the 300,000 Armenians who lost their lives 75 years ago will not be forgotten. Throughout the liberation struggle, especially today, the organizers of the liberation of Shushi, the fallen heroes, and those who are alive, regardless of where they are, what position they are in, what they are doing, they are all heroes. Such fatherhood does not grow old, it is endless. We are a truly victorious people in World War II and the liberation struggle,” the President stated.

“Such heroism does not grow old, it is eternal. We are a truly victorious people in the Second World War and in the liberation struggle,” he stated.