Author: Jagharian Tania

Artur Vanetsyan elected President of FFA

Jagharian Tania
| 16:14 | September 22 2018
Category
Sport

Director of the National Security Service of Armenia Artur Vanetsyan was elected President of the Football Federation of Armenia during the 17th extraordinary conference of the Federation.

Ruben Hayrapetyan, who had chaired the Federation for 16 years, was not present at the conference.

“I will spare no efforts so as we together succeed. During the last 2 months I with my team developed a successful program. Our vision is that we should give everyone an opportunity to play football. At least one football stadium should be in any community of our country”, the only candidate for the FFA President said in his speech, adding that serious attention will also be paid to women’s football.


Sports: No visa for Armenian European Champion Ferdinand Karapetian for Baku

Jagharian Tania
Judo Inside
Sept 8 2018
 
 
No visa for Armenian European Champion Ferdinand Karapetian for Baku
 
7 Sep 2018 12:35
by Klaus Müller
 
Armenia’s national team will not participate in the 2018 Judo World Championships in Baku due to lack of proper security guarantees. Armenia and Azerbaijan haven’t been friendly states over the last decennia. European Champion Ferdinand Karapetian is not able to attend these World Championships.
 
The 2018 European Champion took a silver medal at the Grand Slam in Ekaterinburg this year as well. He also competed for Russia where he won national medals as senior and U23. Won silver at the Golden League in Samara in 2014. This year he won bronze at the Grand Slam in Düsseldorf in 2018, but the world number 13 cannot compete in Azerbaijan.
 
 “The host country has refused to provide proper security guarantees to the Armenian delegation,” the Armenian Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs said.
 
In the same weight category U73kg Armenia have Arsen Ghazaryan at WRL 67. In 2009 Armenia won its only World Championships medal, in Rotterdam (NED) by lightweight Hovhannes Davtyan.
 
Also Uruguayan Alain Aprahamian, who is an Armenian descent is worried about his participation as he still didn’t get a confirmation of his visa while the investment of travelling from Uruguay is significant.
 
The World Championships Seniors and Teams Baku 2018 will be held from September 20 to 27.

RFE/RL Armenian Report – 09/06/2018

Jagharian Tania 
                                        Thursday, 
Yerevan Residents Protest Against Waste-Disposal Crisis
        • Anush Muradian
A group of citizens on Thursday held a protest in front of the office of a 
private company engaged in garbage disposal in the Armenian capital of Yerevan.
According to the demonstrators, the Lebanese-run company has provided poor 
services for the city, leaving it littered with garbage throughout the summer 
months.
Along with other protesters Arusik Mkrtchian brought with her a plastic bag 
with garbage that she said she had collected in the yard of her residential 
building that had not been removed from there for days.
“They do not collect it anyway, that’s why I’ve decided to bring it myself,” 
said Mkrtchian. “I live in the city center. This situation can simply cause an 
epidemic outbreak. It is disgusting to see this garbage and smell it. People 
don’t know what to do. The same disgraceful situation is everywhere.”
The problem of Sanitek’s poor waste disposal has repeatedly been raised by 
Armenian authorities in recent weeks. Last month the Yerevan municipality 
imposed a fine of over $25,000 on the company and warned it about stricter 
sanctions ahead unless the situation improved. Yet, the situation does not 
appear to have improved since then.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian also addressed the issue in his weekend live 
Facebook broadcast. He said that the government was concerned about the 
situation that he described as unacceptable. He said it was the consequence of 
the “short-sighted policy” of the Yerevan mayor’s office.
“A [waste disposal] monopoly has, in fact, been created in the city, and poor 
management in this system in recent years has led to the problems we experience 
today,” said Pashinian. “We must draw serious conceptual conclusions. I think 
one of the options may be that we place several companies and not just one in 
charge of garbage collection in the capital.”
Pashinian also advocated the construction of a recycling plant in Armenia to 
solve the problems of waste dumps.
In explaining the deterioration of its work several weeks ago a Sanitek manager 
said the company experienced shortage of garbage trucks that he said frequently 
broke down because of bad roads leading to the landfill site. Sanitek also 
claimed excessive damage to its trash cans caused by residents that increases 
overall costs for the company.
Kristina Hovannisian, an assistant to the Sanitek executive director, met with 
participants of today’s protest. She said that the executive director was not 
in town and promised that the company will hold a press conference at the end 
of next week to answer all questions.
Armenia Sets Stricter Punishment For Incentives To Voters
The Armenian parliament in session (archive photo)
Armenian lawmakers on Thursday voted unanimously to set a stricter criminal 
punishment for giving people various incentives to vote for a particular 
candidate, party or programs with the offer of cash or somehow else during 
elections and referendums.
Sixty-six members of the 101-seat National Assembly, who attended the special 
session, backed, in the first reading, the government-drafted bill amending a 
number of laws, including the Criminal Code, to that effect.
Deputy Justice Minister Artur Hovannisian, who presented the bill in 
parliament, called for measures to be taken to exclude pressure, vote buying 
and other illegal influences on citizens’ expression of will during electoral 
processes.
“We really need to make sure that citizens make their choices freely,” he said.
The bill envisages criminalization of electoral bribes in any form - be it a 
promise of cash or provision of cash on preferential terms, provision of food, 
services or other incentives under the guise of charity – during campaigning 
periods.
“Today it is also considered illegal, but now only administrative 
responsibility is envisaged for that, with the highest penalty set at 2.5 
million drams (about $5,150). We find that such deeds amount to vote buying. 
And today vote buying is criminally punishable,” Hovannisian explained.
Under the amendments, the violation may land the offender in prison for up to 
six years.
The vote on the amendments in the second and final reading is due on September 
7.
Pashinian Government Mulls Flat Income Tax
        • Suren Musayelyan
Armenia - Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian chairs a cabinet meeting in Yerevan, 
19 July 2018.
Describing the current levels of taxes as “heavy” for citizens and the tax 
legislation as “bad and encouraging tax evasion”, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol 
Pashinian on Thursday suggested at least two options to tackle the issue.
In a live Facebook broadcast following today’s government session Pashinian 
advocated a flat income tax system that he said would be fair to all and would 
close loopholes for employers to evade taxes, while stimulating the growth of 
salaries.
Currently Armenia has a three-tier income tax system, implying that workers who 
get a monthly salary of up to 150,000 drams (about $310) pay an income tax at 
the level of 23 percent, those whose monthly salaries are in the range between 
150,000 and 2 million (about 4,100) drams pay a 25-percent tax and those whose 
salaries are higher than that are taxed 36 percent on anything that is above 2 
million drams.
According to Pashinian, the government initially considered about a dozen 
variants of reforming the tax legislation, but eventually arrived at just two 
options, with the first being the introduction of a two-tier income tax system. 
Under this system, citizens receiving a monthly salary of up to 250,000 drams 
(about $515) would be taxed 23 percent, while those receiving higher salaries 
would be taxed 25 percent of their income.
“This system has its logic, which is social justice. Those who will get more 
will pay more. On the other hand, in that case employers would still not be 
interested in raising salaries of their employees,” Pashinian said.
In contrast, according to the prime minister, the introduction of a flat income 
tax of 23 percent for all, given that it is equivalent to the sum of the profit 
tax and dividend tax, would help solve several problems, including 
simplification of tax laws for potential foreign investors.
Pashinian said that the government hopes the additional revenues of citizens 
enabled by this reform would return to the country’s economy and will, in 
particular, help develop small and medium-sized business.
At the same time, Pashinian said that he also backed the idea of the income tax 
being cut by at least 0.5 percentage points every year. “In five years or so 
our income tax rate would be at 20 percent,” said the prime minister, adding 
that in his opinion this would provide an additional impetus to economic growth.
The prime minister also announced plans to lower profit and dividend taxes for 
non-resident investors to make them equal to those paid by local investors. “We 
think that we should not discriminate between resident and non-resident 
investors for the simple reason that among non-resident entrepreneurs there are 
many Diaspora Armenians… Besides, we think that such discrimination between 
foreign and local investors is not a good message in terms of improving the 
investment environment,” he said.
Pashinian said his government is ready to hear proposals from all stakeholders 
and promised to continue to present to the public all ideas that his cabinet 
has in terms of tax reforms.
Press Review
“Zhamanak” writes: “Ex-president Robert Kocharian’s lawyer stated that his 
client has nothing to do with the March 1, 2008 predawn action of security 
forces against demonstrators in Yerevan’s Freedom Square in connection with 
which the Special Investigative Service has launched a new criminal probe. The 
lawyer said Kocharian did not give an order for a special operation. If it 
continues like this, the day is near when Kocharian himself or through his 
lawyers will declare that on March 1, 2008 he was not even the president of the 
Republic of Armenia and did not occupy any other high-ranking post. An 
interesting picture arises – the supreme commander-in-chief had nothing to do 
with the order on barracking the troops and had nothing to do with the police’s 
special operation. And what did he have to do with then as the supreme 
commander-in chief?”
“Hraparak” writes in its editorial: “Campaigning in Yerevan municipal elections 
will kick off on September 10 and will last 12 days, which is too short a 
period for candidates to duly present themselves to voters. Perhaps, this is 
the reason why the political parties and groups running in the elections have 
already begun to openly campaign despite the fact that this is a gross 
violation of the law. True, the head of the Central Electoral Commission (CEC), 
who is in a terrified condition awaiting his resignation, gives assurances that 
there are no violations, but it is patently clear that politicians are not 
allowed to campaign before the official start of the campaigning period. In a 
normal country such a violation would be enough to cancel the election results 
afterwards at one of the candidates’ request. When once the then ruling 
Republican Party placed election banners in the city with large images of top 
candidates several days before the official start of the campaigning period the 
media and the public kicked up a row. The CEC then also left the matter without 
attention, as the election body has never done anything against the will of the 
governing party.”
In an interview with “168 Zham” political analyst Vadim Dubnov comments on the 
latest developments in Armenian-Russian relations. “Many say that there are 
tensions, there is a crisis in Armenian-Russian relations. But I am not of this 
opinion. I see no reasons for that. I think that Moscow subjects [Prime 
Minister Nikol] Pashinian to a little trolling as recently it has worked in 
this genre. But no snags should be looked for in it,” he says.
“Aravot” writes: “The problem of waste disposal persists in Yerevan. The city 
continues to be buried in piles with garbage. It even reminds some of the once 
mafia-run Italian city of Naples that experienced a waste-disposal crisis 
several years ago. True, the local mafia stood behind that crisis as it was 
financially not interested in garbage to be removed, but protests took pace 
there to get a solution to the problem, people called for shooting all those 
responsible. And in Yerevan after the ‘revolution of love and solidarity’, and 
even before that there have not been any Italian passions. One can say that we 
have an atmosphere of ‘garbage and solidarity’.”
(Tigran Avetisian)
Reprinted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
Copyright (c) 2018 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.
www.rferl.org

Gülen-linked Turkish businessman detained in Armenia

Jagharian Tania
AHVAL News
Aug 30 2018
Gülen-linked Turkish businessman detained in Armenia

2018-08-30
           

Armenian police in cooperation with the Interpol, have detained a U.S. citizen of Turkish origin, who is accused of links to the Islamist Fethullah Gülen movement outlawed in Turkey, Posta newspaper reported on Thursday.

Kemal Öksüz, who changed his name to Kevin after acquiring U.S. citizenship, is claimed to be a member of the Gülen movement, which Turkey accuses of carrying out a coup attempt in 2016.

U.S. authorities declared on August 23 that Kemal (Kevin) Öksüz was internationally wanted on charges of fraud, including submitting false statements to the Ethics Committee of the U.S.  House of Representatives. Öksüz was arrested on August 29 in Armenia, where he has established a business.

According to U.S. authorities, Öksüz invited several members of the U.S. Congress to Turkey and Azerbaijan in 2013 and submitted falsified documents about the financial sources used for the trip. Öksüz is also accused of giving valuable gifts worth of thousands of dollars to the U.S. congressmen who participated in the visit.

Asbarez: Armenian American Museum Hosts Founders Circle Reception

Jagharian Tania
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GLENDALE—The Armenian American Museum and Cultural Center of California held a reception with Founders Circle donors on August 22 to celebrate the approval of the Ground Lease Agreement by the Glendale City Council. The reception was held at the Adult Recreation Center overlooking the future site of the museum.

Founders Circle members are an exclusive network of generous donors who provided early seed funding to propel the community project. Founders Circle members have pledged to contribute $10,000 or more by the start of construction in 2019. Members of the program will be prominently recognized on a permanent donor wall in the museum’s Grand Lobby.

The museum is nearing the milestone of 100 Founders Circle members.

“We thank each and every one of our Founders Circle members whose generosity helped us reach this historic moment for the project,” stated Museum Executive Chairman Berdj Karapetian. “We are excited to begin the next phase and together as one community, we are going to build a world class cultural and educational center that is going to serve generations to come.”

Glendale Mayor Zareh Sinanyan and Councilmembers Ara Najarian, Paula Devine, and Vartan Gharpetian expressed their support for the Armenian American Museum, highlighting the unity the project has created in the community.

Assemblymember Laura Friedman joined representatives from the offices of Senator Anthony Portantino, Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian, and Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger in sharing words of support and presenting certificates of recognition to Museum officials. Mary Hovagimian attended the reception on behalf of Congressman Adam Schiff as well.

Museum officials encourage individuals and families to join the Founders Circle program to take part in building the first world class museum and cultural center of its kind in America.

Learn about the Founders Circle program and how you can support the project by calling (844) 586-4626 or visiting www.ArmenianAmericanMuseum.org.

The Armenian American Museum is a developing project in Glendale, CA with a mission to promote understanding and appreciation of America’s ethnic and cultural diversity by sharing the Armenian American experience. The Museum will serve as a cultural campus that enriches the community, educates the public on the Armenian American story, and empowers individuals to embrace cultural diversity and speak out against prejudice.

The governing board of the Armenian American Museum consists of representatives from the following ten Armenian American institutions and organizations: Armenian Catholic Eparchy, Armenian Cultural Foundation, Armenian Evangelical Union of North America, Armenian General Benevolent Union – Western District, Armenian Missionary Association of America, Armenian Relief Society – Western USA, Nor Or Charitable Foundation, Nor Serount Cultural Association, Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America, and Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

EU and Armenia Seize Momentum to Enhance Partnership and Cooperation

Jagharian Tania
Modern Diplomacy
https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2018/08/27/eu-and-armenia-seize-momentum-to-enhance-partnership-and-cooperation/
Aug 27 2018

Published

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 Angela Amirjanyan 

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On the sidelines of recent NATO summit, the leader of Armenian “Velvet revolution”, current Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had separate talks with the European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker and the president of the European Council Donald Tusk during which the leaders exchanged views on different issues over the further deepening of the Armenia-EU ties. The EU top officials affirmed their commitment to support Armenia’s comprehensive reform agenda. EC president Donald Tusk reaffirmed the EU’s willingness to assist in the future reforms in Armenia, promising a continued support to democracy-building efforts in the country.

“What happened in Armenia was extraordinary and, I must say,very European.The example you set was very promising, and you can expect the European Union’s support in the process of implementing reforms,” Tusk said.

Apparently, branding the “Velvet revolution” in Armenia as European-style movement wasn’t an empty statement rather than a gentle hint about the contribution that EU had in civil society development in Armenia and the investment in the youth through mobility projects in the field of education and training to encourage democratic engagement and civic participation. Undeniably, youth activists and civil society were at the core of the recent revolutionary struggle in Armenia. In this regard, the “Velvet revolution”in Armenia was unique and historic as it involved mainly youth, including schoolchildren and students, who moved to streets to challenge adult society.

After holding the talks with EU leaders, Armenian PM Nikol Pahinyan in his turn voiced sharp criticism of EU for not increasing its financial assistance to Armenia following mass protests that led to change in government which is now committed to zero tolerance approach towards corruption.

“I am surprised that certain officials in the EU haven’t noticed the ongoing changes in Armenia,” he stressed at news conference.

The EU most probably incurred Pashinyan’s reproach for providing financial aid to previous leadership, which haven’t made much progress towards democracy and economic growth, and which often vowed zero tolerance for corruption, but  its anti-corruption rhetoric was more likely an aspiration for the future rather than a practical political agenda.

Indeed, it would be unwise to dispute the veracity of the statements expressed by the EU leaders and Armenian PM, given the EU’s profound impact on Armenia’s democratization, rule of law and good governance, and Armenia’s need to diversify its foreign policy having channels open with the West,and the need for financial support to modernize itself.

To deepen understanding of the vital role EU plays in the transformation of Armenian society, we should delve into the EU’s financial support schemes Armenia benefits from.

Article 8 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU) states that ‘‘the Union shall develop a special relationship with neighbouring countries, aiming to establish an area of prosperity and good neighbourliness, founded on the values of the Union and characterised by close and peaceful relations based on cooperation’’. The EU distributes its development assistance through its external financing instruments.These are the Instrument contributing to Stability and Peace (ISP), European Instrument for Democracy & Human Rights (EIDHR), the Partnership Instrument (PI) and the three relevant geographic instruments-the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance II (IPA), the European Neighborhood Instrument (ENI) and the Development Cooperation Instrument (DCI).

As known, EU cooperates with Armenia in the framework of the European Neighbourhood Policy and its eastern regional dimension, the Eastern Partnership. The European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI) is the key financial instrument established in 2014 to fund the European Neighborhood Policy for the period 2014-2020. It replaces the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) of 2007-2013. The ENI is designed to promote integration by partner countries into the EU market; economic development; good relations and bilateral and multilateral collaboration; institution and capacity building; democracy, the rule of law and human rights; and orderly and legal movement of people across the EU’s external borders.

Support through the ENI is programmed and given in three different ways:

  1. Bilateral programmes covering Union support to one partner country;
  2. Multi-country programmes which address challenges common to all or a number of partner countries, and regional and sub-regional cooperation between two or more partner countries;
  3. Cross-Border Cooperation programmes between Member States and partner countries taking place along their shared part of the external border of the EU (including Russia).

Armenia participates also in regional programmes funded under the ENI (mainly in environment, energy, transport, culture and youth), in the Eastern Partnership Flagship Initiatives, and in initiatives open to all Neighbour countries: Erasmus+, TAIEX, SIGMA, and the Neighbourhood Investment Facility (NIF). The NIF in Armenia targets primarily investment projects in energy and transport infrastructure projects. It does so by pooling EU and Member State funds to leverage loans from European financial institutions and contributors in the ENP partner countries.

In addition to the ENI, Armenia is eligible for financial support under the EU thematic programmes: the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights, Instrument contributing to Stability and Peace, Civil Society Organisations and Local Authorities, Human Development and Migration & Asylum.

The priorities and indicative allocations for financial assistance to Armenia are set out in the Single Support Framework (SSF). For the programming period 2017-2020 the indicative allocation is EUR 144,000,000 to EUR 176,000,000.

Under the Support Framework the priority sectors selected for support are:

  • Economic development and market opportunities (indicatively 35% of total budget);
  • Strengthening institutions and good governance (indicatively 15% of total budget);
  • Connectivity, energy efficiency, environment and climate change (indicatively 15% of total budget);
  • Mobility and people-to-people contacts (indicatively 15% of total budget);

A key complementary support also will be provided through regional and multi-country programmes for

  • capacity development/institution building and strategic communication
  • ( indicatively 15% of total budget)
  • civil society development (indicatively 5% of total budget).

While analyzing the Programming of the European Neighbourhood Instrument’s Single Support Framework for EU support to Armenia-2017-2020, we see that the main risks to achieving progress vis-à-vis the above-mentioned priority sector objectives are mainly the lack of the promotion and coordination of the relevant policy measures, especially concerning business environment and fair play; government commitment to the reforms in public administration, but especially in the judicial sector, fighting corruption and promoting human rights; governance, in particular   the strategy and prioritization of investments; and political will.

The latter is believed to be sine qua non of any successful anti-corruption policy. Apparently, the new Armenian government has taken a route of intense fight against corruption by making a number of scandalous disclosures, involving high-ranking officials. Other above-mentioned risks can be mitigated through investor-friendly and development-oriented policies to be carried out by the new government. Hence, the future progress towards reform objectives will justify more EU support and investments. New agreement with Armenia, known as the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) initiated by previous authorities, which promises financial assistance and trade opportunities, can become an impetus for further domestic reforms.

So, the new Armenian government should seize the momentum to strengthen the relations with EU to support the democratic aspirations of the Armenians. The EU, in its turn, should make correct use of conditionality and align its approach with Armenia’s strategic objectives.

Police troops assume important mission on providing support to Armenian Armed Forces – PM Pashinyan (photos)

Jagharian Tania
| 15:38 | August 23 2018
Category
Society

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan attended the ceremony of departure of the officers of the police internal troops to the border.

“Dear friends, dear officers of police troops, today is a very important day for the police troops of Armenia, between the relations of the police troops and citizens of Armenia. Today the police troops are assuming a very important mission, and that mission is to provide support to the Armenian Army, the Armed Forces while defending the state borders of the Republic of Armenia.

I think this is a historical period not only for the police troops, but also for the Police since I believe that the citizens of Armenia should treat the Police, any police officer like a relative. Let what I say doesn’t seem strange since a relative is the person whom the citizen applies to first of all at a difficult moment, in a difficult situation. And our task is to do so that the Armenian citizens will perceive the Police in this way, will perceive that the Armenian Police and police troops protect, preserve the Armenian citizens, the security of the Armenian statehood, Constitution and legality. And what is happening today will first of all contribute to such perception of the Police and the police troops.

I would like to thank the police troops, those police officers who assumed this duty with a responsibility, readiness and pride. I would like to thank the entire police system for this readiness, this patriotic step, this courage, and I am confident that the police troops will fulfill their responsible duty at a high level, will return to their families with pride after each duty”, the PM said in his remarks and also thanked the families of the police troops, their spouses and parents, children.

PM Pashinyan wished good luck and victorious service to the police troops, expressing confidence that they will conduct the service with an honor.

168: Bright Armenia and Republic parties to nominate justice minister’s candidacy in Yerevan mayoral elections

Jagharian Tania
| 13:04 | August 21 2018
Category
Politics

Justice minister of Armenia Artak Zeynalyan agreed to lead the list of the Bright Armenia and Republic parties alliance in the upcoming Yerevan City Council elections.

“As a minister of justice I will submit an application for vacation and will participate in the campaign. I will not combine the position of the minister with the candidate status”, the minister told reporters during today’s press conference.

He said the name of the new alliance is still being discussed.

Armenian Assembly Completes Exceptionally Vibrant Internship Program in Washington, D.C.

Jagharian Tania

———- Forwarded message ———
From: Armenian Assembly
Date: Mon, Aug 20, 2018 at 3:34 PM
Subject: Armenian Assembly Completes Exceptionally Vibrant Internship Program in Washington, D.C.
To:

ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY OF AMERICA
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date:

Contact: Danielle Saroyan

Telephone: (202) 393-3434

Web: www.aaainc.org

 

ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY COMPLETES EXCEPTIONALLY VIBRANT INTERNSHIP
PROGRAM IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Armenian Assembly of
America’s (Assembly) Washington, D.C. summer internship program ended on a high
note in a year that motivated interns experiencing an unusually rich calendar
of extraordinary events, such as the Centennial Celebration of Armenia’s First
Republic and the Smithsonian Folklife Festival Featuring “Armenia: Coming
Home.” This summer was especially valuable to our community’s next
generation of promising leaders. This year’s participants interacted with
government officials, policymakers, local leaders from various fields and
organizations, and internship program alumni.

 

Founded in 1977, the Terjenian-Thomas Assembly Internship Program
in Washington. D.C. was the first internship program offered by an Armenian
organization in our nation’s capital, and has over 1,000 intern alumni. For
eight weeks each summer, the program gives college students of Armenian descent
an opportunity to learn about the policy-making process.

 

The Terjenian-Thomas Assembly Internship Program class of 2018
included:

·        
Tamar Barsamian from Sherborn, Massachusetts attending Loyola
University of Maryland, interned at the Smithsonian Institute’s Center for
Folklife and Cultural Heritage.

·        
Franklin Chelebian from Palos Verdes Estates, California attending
Chapman University, interned with Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-CA).

·        
Catherine Conrow from Ross, California attending University of
California Berkeley, interned with Congresswoman Jackie Speier (D-CA).

·        
Ariana Cruickshank from Edgewater, New Jersey attending Ramapo
College, interned with Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ).

·        
Artin DerSimonian from Kittery, Maine attending Champlain College,
interned at the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia to the United States.

·        
Robert George from Bethesda, Maryland attending Fairfield
University, interned at the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

·        
David Karamardian from Newport Coast, California attending Duke
University, interned at Applied Predictive Technologies.

·        
Victoria Khederian from Bloomfield Township, Michigan attending
University of Michigan, interned with Congressman Paul Mitchell (R-MI).

·        
Alexander Keledjian from Los Angeles, California attending
Southwestern Law School, interned with Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI).

·        
Aidan Mussalli from Glendale, California attending Glendale
Community College, interned with the Armenian National Institute (ANI).

·        
Azniv Nalbandian from Andover, Massachusetts attending
Pennsylvania State University, interned at the Eurasia Foundation.

·        
Nick Norian from Corte Madera, CA attending California Polytechnic
University, interned at the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia to the United
States.

·        
Lena Richardson from Shaker Heights, Ohio attending University of
Dayton, interned at the Armenian Assembly of America’s Public Affairs
Department.

·        
Mireille Samra from Boca Raton, Florida attending Lynn University,
interned with Congressman Gus Bilirakis (R-FL).

·        
Gurgen Tadevosyan from Yerevan, Armenia attending New York
University in Abu Dhabi, interned with the Armenian National Institute (ANI).

·        
Lincoln Zaleski from Boston, Massachusetts attending the College
of William and Mary, interned with Senator Ed Markey (D-MA).

 

“As the summer comes to an end, so does my internship for
Armenian Caucus Co-Vice Chair Representative Gus Bilirakis. This internship was
invaluable and truly exceeded all of my expectations. I was able to learn so
much being in a fast-paced environment with an office of Floridians, who made
the office feel like home,” stated Mireille Samra.

 

Through the Terjenian-Thomas Assembly Internship Program,
participants are offered extensive educational opportunities via the Capital
Ideas program, which provides interns a forum to ask questions to elected
officials about current topics, national and international. This summer’s
participants met with Senator Ed Markey (D-MA), Senator Chris Van Hollen
(D-MD), House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Representative Ed Royce
(R-CA), Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Rep.
Jackie Speier (D-CA), House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Ranking
Member and Armenian Caucus Co-Vice Chair Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), Armenian
Caucus Vice Co-Chair Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Rep.
Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA), and the office of Rep. Brenda Lawrence
(D-MI).

 

With the backdrop of recent developments in Armenia, this summer’s
class had the unique opportunity to meet with Armenia’s President Armen
Sarkissian and First Lady Nouneh Sarkissian. In addition, Armenia’s First
Deputy Prime Minister Ararat Mirzoyan also met with the Armenian Assembly
summer internship participants and engaged in a conversation about democratic
developments in Armenia and the Velvet Revolution.

 

The group met and heard directly from Ambassador of Armenia to the
United States Grigor Hovhannissian and Artaskh (Nagorno Karabakh)
Representative to the United States Robert Avetisyan. These Representatives
offered their insights on the development and goals for the future, and held
in-depth conversations with the participants.

 

“The experience of working in Washington, D.C. this summer
with the Armenian Assembly of America was truly unmatched,” stated Lena
Richardson. “The opportunity to learn so much about U.S.-Armenia relations
in the nation’s capital through meeting with numerous prominent leaders and
professionals was a very unique experience, especially right after the Velvet
Revolution in Armenia. The Assembly provided us interns with unparalleled
experiences that taught us so much,” she added.

 

The students were in Washington, D.C. for an exceptional year,
including the chance to see Armenia featured on the National Mall as part of
the Smithsonian Institute’s 2018 Folklife Festival. They attended the Folklife
Festival’s narratives and talks about important topics, participated in traditional
dancing, and enjoyed the cooking demonstrations of food most familiar to them.

“Working at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival was really
touching and special to me. I had the opportunity to introduce Armenian culture
to everybody, both Armenian and non-Armenian, who came to visit Washington,
D.C. It was heartwarming to witness Americans learning about and appreciating
Armenian culture,” stated Tamar Barsamian.

 

As part of the Assembly’s Lecture Series, the intern class learned
about U.S. foreign policy toward Armenia and Artsakh. The Armenian Assembly
invites experts and leaders in their fields to review current political issues,
with a focus on the South Caucasus. This year’s group met with U.S. Department
of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection Program Manager Noris
Balabanian, Library of Congress Armenian and Georgian Specialist Dr. Levon
Avdoyan, Federal Communications Commission Attorney-Advisor and Armenian
Assembly intern alumna (class of 2002) Lauren Garry-Boggio, Eurasia Foundation
Program Manager Hrach Topalyan, American Jewish Committee (AJC) Political
Outreach Director Julie Fishman Ryman and Assistant Policy Director Benjamin
Rogers, and Armenian National Institute (ANI) Director Dr. Rouben Adalian.

The students explored Washington with special tours of the U.S.
Capitol, the Library of Congress, and the U.S. Department of State. They
attended hearings, briefings, and conferences, including the 22nd Vardanants
Day Lecture at the Library of Congress, the Congressional Briefing to
Commemorate the 44th Anniversary of the Illegal Turkish Invasion of Cyprus, The
Wilson Center’s Annual Haleh Esfandiari Forum: Protecting America’s Global
Leadership with Senator Chris Van Hollen, and more.

 

Following the success of last year’s week-long high school
internship pilot program, Colette Nishanian from Newport Beach, California and
Tiffany Martirossian from Ashburn, Virginia interned in the Armenian Assembly
of America’s office.

 

“Being interns at the Armenian Assembly of America, we are
provided with many opportunities to get a close look at what is happening in
our world today. We were also fortunate enough to visit the Library of Congress
and attend the 22nd Vardanants Day Armenian Lecture Series,” Nishanian and
Martirossian said. “Opportunities like this one, which we would not have
been given without the Armenian Assembly, occur once in a lifetime and are extremely
valuable in building our future careers,” they added.

 

The Armenian Assembly of America Summer Internship Programs – both
in Washington, D.C. and Yerevan, Armenia – have been celebrated and strongly
supported by the Armenian community with major gifts from the Richard Tufenkian
Memorial Fund, the John Hanessian Scholarship Fund, the Armen Astarjian
Scholarship Fund, the Ohanian Memorial Fund, Ann Hintlian, Ann Nahigian, James
and Connie Melikian, the Knights of Vartan, the Estate of Haig J. Boyadjian,
and the Estate of George Judge Karabedian (George Kay), as well as generous
contributions in memory of former Assembly Board Members Dr. Lionel Galstaun,
Peter Kezirian, and John O’Connor. In 2003, the Armenian Assembly’s Summer
Internship Program was renamed in honor of Aram and Florence Terjenian and
Annie Thomas after the announcement of their pace-setting $1 million donation to
the program.

 

“It has been an honor for me to coordinate the Armenian
Assembly of America’s Terjenian-Thomas Internship Program this summer. I am
very happy to have witnessed how rich the Armenian American community is with
the next generation of active and inquisitive students, and how passionate they
all are about strengthening U.S.-Armenia relations. These interns proved to be
wonderful young professionals, and all performed wonderfully at their
individual internship placements,” stated this summer’s internship program
coordinator, Milena Davtyan. She is a Terjenian-Thomas Assembly Internship
Program alumna (class of 2017) from Salt Lake City, Utah who attends the
University of Utah.

 

To find out more about the 2018 summer interns’ journey in
Washington, D.C., visit the Assembly’s Intern Blog, Facebook, Instagram, and
Twitter. Stay tuned for updates on the Armenian Assembly’s summer internship
program in Yerevan, Armenia!

 

Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the
largest Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public understanding
and awareness of Armenian issues. The Assembly is a non-partisan, 501(c)(3)
tax-exempt membership organization.

 

###

 

NR#: 2018-037

 

 

Photo Caption 1: Some of the Terjenian-Thomas Assembly Internship
Program 2018 participants on Capitol Hill

 

Photo Caption 2: (Clockwise) Lincoln Zalenski and Senator Ed
Markey (D-MA); Rep. Paul Mitchell (R-MI) and Victoria Khederian; Ariana
Cruickshank and Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ); Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA) and
Catherine Conrow; and Franklin Chelebian and Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA)

 

Photo Caption 3: (Clockwise) Terjenian-Thomas Assembly Internship
Program 2018 participants with Foreign Affairs Chairman Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA),
Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Rep. Jamie Raskin
(D-MD), Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA), and Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA)

 

Photo Caption 4: Terjenian-Thomas Assembly Internship Program 2018
participants with (top) Armenia’s President Armen Sarkissian and First Lady
Nouneh Sarkissian and (bottom) Armenia’s First Deputy Prime Minister Ararat
Mirzoyan

 

Photo Caption 5: Terjenian-Thomas Assembly Internship Program 2018
participants enjoying the Smithsonian Folklife Festival on the National Mall

 

Photo Caption 6: Terjenian-Thomas Assembly Internship Program 2018
participants with (top) Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and (bottom) Rep. Adam Schiff
(D-CA)

 

 

Photos available online 

at:

Press conference of Robert Kocharyan’s lawyer Hayk Alumyan (video)

Jagharian Tania
  • 14:20 | August 16,2018 | Politics
  • Armenian:

According to Robert Kocharyan’s lawyer Hayk Alumyan, the SIS speaks on behalf of Armenia, the judicial act on behalf of the Republic of Armenia is considered illegal, such statements are the illegal ones.

According to the Defender, when they attack their side, they also attack the judge.

“This is brutal pressure on the judge, I’m afraid we will not turn our youth into Gevorik from the Pan-Armenian National Movement.”

According to Hayk Alumyan, such actions of failure of the Kocharyan press conference make justice impossible.

Hayk Alumyan said except from Kocharyan’s immunity, there are two more grounds for the decision of the Court of Appeal.

“I cannot refer one of them from the legal point of view, the other is that there is a provision in the charge, which reads: Kocharyan’s decree was illegal. But there is no such thing.”

He said: “There is no point in using force in that order.”