Author: Kajoyan Gevork

ARMNET 2011 PROJECT STARTED

Lragir.am News

13:14:02 – 16/11/2011

Today an official start to the ArmNet Awards 2011 panarmenian
web-contest and ArmNet 2011 series of events was given.

The organizers of the ArmNet 2011 project are SP Marketing Solutions,
Orange Armenia and ISOC (The Internet Society) companies.

ArmNet 2011 presents a total of three events aimed at the development
of information technologies in the RA, 2 of which were held in the
frames of ArmNet 2010, and one event will be held for the first time
in 2011.

“ArmNet 2011” is designed to evaluate the achievements of the Armenian
sector of the Internet and contribute to its further development.

The first event of the project is “Armnet Awards 2011” Armenian website
contest that aims to identify and award the best web-resources of
the Armenian sector of the Internet.

As a result of the contest best Armenian websites will be awarded with
“ArmNet Awards 2011” prize in following 8 categories:

~U Design and Usability

~U Innovation

~U Technological Development

~U Content

~U Breakthrough of the Year

~U Grand Prix

~U People’s Choice

~U Special Orange Armenia Award, for the best mobile website

Jurors of ‘ArmNet Awards 2011’ will look through and assess all
websites nominated for the contest and choose the winners by
categories.

In parallel with jury’s work, an SMS-voting, provided and supervised
by Nikita Mobile Company will be carried. Everyone will be able
to vote for favorite websites, by sending an SMS to 10-41 short
number (cost per SMS: 50 AMD, VAT included), with a special code of
participant website. It is allowed to vote only once for any website,
but the number of sites for which visitors can vote from one number is
unlimited. This will define the winner in ‘People’s Choice’ category.

The competition results will be announced on 3rd December, at an
official award ceremony.

‘We are confident that we can recreate that exciting and dynamic
atmosphere that was unique for ArmNet 2010. This year’s competition
will uncover and publicize new, high-quality online resources created
by Armenian specialists that otherwise might stay unknown. Resources
such as, for example, the website of Parajanov museum, winner of
the “ArmNet Awards 2010’ in several categories, ‘- said Haykuhi
Taksildaryan, the Director of SP Marketing Solutions, during the
press conference.

“We are pleased to join this project, which will become a unique
experience for our NGO. We’ve been supporting and managing Armenian
domain market and all sorts of IT projects since 1997. Today it is very
important for us to participate and contribute to the identification
of best local web-resources. Such projects play an important role in
the development and promotion of the Armenian IT market.” said Igor
Mkrtumyan, President of “The Internet Society of Armenia” NGO.

ArmNet 2011 also includes the annual IT conference on web technologies
and their implementation in various businesses. The conference will
be held on December 3 and will be presented by well known local and
international IT experts. This year’s main topic of the conference is
‘Internet goes mobile, computing goes cloud’.

This year the conference’s speakers and guests are Raffi
Krikorian,Twitter Engineering Manager of the Application Services
team, Vladimir Isayev, Opera Software CIS Communications Manager,
Dmitri Danilenko, Begun Commercial Director, Stanislav Vidaev, Google
Russia Senior analytic, specialist in Google analytics, Thomas Kohler,
France Telecom Portal and NExT Product Line Vice President, Yaroslav
Greshilov, Artviko Research Bureau Managing Partner among others.

Bruno Duthoit, General Director of Orange Armenia, said: “ArmNet 2011
has a very authoritative jury and conference guests. The one-time
presence of all these people in Yerevan will help create a very special
atmosphere, where Armenian specialists will have the opportunity to
exchange ideas and business cards with their famous colleagues. As
a company that provides Internet services and is the leader of the
mobile internet market, we feel a great responsibility to support
the development of the Internet environment in Armenia. We are glad
to present this large and wonderful IT-holiday for the second time
in Yerevan”

In the frames of “ArmNet 2011”, for the first time in Armenia a
“Start-up weekend Yerevan” competition will be held, that will gather
all the enthusiasts of this field and provide them with an opportunity
to develop, test and implement their innovative projects.

The purpose of this project is to encourage entrepreneurship in IT
market. The organizers hope, that as a result of the competition
a number of innovative Armenian companies will be created. The
project will make a substantial contribution to the establishment
and development of innovative government in RA.

CONSTITUTION DOESN’T FORBID
Siranuysh Papyan

Lragir.am News

14:32:24 – 16/11/2011

Mr. Paskevichyan, the government has started using the word
revolution. Michael Minasyan, for instance, stated that these elections
will be a revolution for our country and us. You have always voiced
the demand for fair elections in our interviews. In your opinion,
will these elections be a revolution?

Quality? Yes, we seem to have made it. Since 2007, the conflict was
among individuals, after March 1 it became a conflict among species.

In the first stage, people won. People had a powerful individuality
against the name guaranteed by the bandit state. In the second stage,
people won. No act of violence then coerced people to give away
their ideas. In the war of qualities, which has already started, the
opposition must be highly careful because the abovementioned young man
will try to mislead, as he already did once in the situation referred
to by WikiLeaks. This much about the dialectics of our struggle. As
to your question, the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia does
not forbid anyone to use the word “revolution”.

Alik Sargsyan also spoke about fair and transparent elections. Do
they also feel the need for fair elections?

You see I grew up in the street but I never knew the local strongmen.

When I was a student, it was the years of the collapse of the Soviet
Union, we were under the surveillance of KGB. I never knew them by
their names and faces. Now from the distance of years I cannot say
whether the first ones protected social order while the second ones
protected state security. I only know that the Constitution of the
Republic of Armenia does not forbid anyone to pronounce the phrase
“fair elections”.

You support the Armenian National Congress. In your opinion, why did
the ANC support the Bargavach Hayastan Party in the mayoral election
of Ijevan? What is the purpose of this step?

I am sorry this is a political question, so I will not answer it. I
can only say that the position of the ANC on the election of the
mayor of one of the cities does not influence my preferences. As an
individual, as a citizen, I am for sheer resistance but I repeat that
one statement or slight deviation of position is not a tragedy for me.

Politics is the occupation of politicians. Levon Zurabyan, for
instance, does this job well.

Mr. Paskevichyan, the chain of resignations extends but misconduct
is not punished adequately, such as the assault by the governor of
Syunik or the drunken prime minister’s speech. Why?

Do you believe that one or two cases may change something? If our
state had that ability, Tigran Sargsyan would be outside, I mean the
borders of the society. And if Tigran Sargsyan were outside, Suren
Khachatryan would not appear in the same place with the business lady
Silva Hambardzumyan, and today we would be discussing something else.

Something beyond politics? Maybe poetry?

There is nothing beyond politics because politics does not have a
constant mark. It is the technology of formulations. And one can even
make up a love story about a case under this technology. Although,
it would be pertinent to mention “Chieftain Shavarsh” by Yeghisheh
Charents.

GEORGIA TO SET RULES OF THE GAME FOR ENTIRE REGION: SAAKASHVILI

epress.am
11.16.2011 14:05

Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili believes that the impact of
Russia’s economic embargo on Georgia has actually become an stimulus
to strengthen the country. The Georgian leader said this himself
at the opening of the new Bank of Georgia head office on Nov. 15,
reports Gruzya (“Georgia”) Online.

According to Saakashvili, the country was able to overcome on its
own the artificial constraints Russia created.

“Now Georgia has to become an economic center, be an independent actor,
which will itself determine its fate, and set standards and rules of
the game for the entire region,” he stressed.

At the same time, the state leader noted that Georgia needs to “catch
the capital running from Russia.”

“Capital flees from Russia and it couldn’t be otherwise,” he
said. In his opinion, this capital has to flow to Georgia because
the country has an attractive investment environment and efficient
state administration.

“We have to stand at the border with a great net and catch the capital
running from Russia.”

ARMENIAN CULTURE FEATURED DURING DIVERSITY DAY IN LA

Wednesday November 16, 2011

Volunteers in front of the Armenia booth.

Los Angeles – Employees of the California Department of Transportation
(Caltrans) and City of Los Angeles (LADOT) celebrated Diversity Day,
where Armenian culture was proudly displayed among other ethnic
cultural exhibits.

The annual celebrations took place on October 5 across the street from
City Hall and the Los Angeles-Yerevan sister city sign in downtown
Los Angeles.

The Armenian exhibit at the Diversity Day Event was made possible by
a volunteer group of Armenian employees from Caltrans and the City of
Los Angeles. The group set up a booth that displayed Armenian books,
maps, artwork, and the Armenian alphabet.

Visitors to the booth were able to learn about Armenia’s rich cultural
history, listen to Armenian music and also sample freshly made Armenian
pastry with Armenian coffee. Pastries and coffee were compliments
of Sarkis Pastry of Glendale and Begin’s Café located at the plaza
level of the Caltrans Building.

This year’s event organizer was Barkef Karapetian who works at Caltrans
as a Transportation Engineer in their Design Department and led the
group of volunteers in setting up the Armenian booth.

Karine Partamian also from Caltrans provided most of the artwork
and designed informative displays highlighting Armenian achievements
throughout the world.

Raffi Mardirossian, a UC Berkley student of architecture and son of
Alec Mardirossian from Caltrans, designed the Armenia booth banner
while Alec helped arrange the Armenian musical performance.

Ruzanna Adamyan of Caltrans also helped by lending many Armenian
literary books for display to the exhibit.

This is the third time in four years that Armenian culture has been
displayed at the Caltrans Annual Diversity Day Event.

In its first year in 2008 the Armenian exhibit was led by Shahe
Terjimanian who wanted to give co-workers and passers-by alike an
opportunity to learn about our rich culture and heritage.

Visitors to the booth were able to learn many things about Armenia and
the Armenian People. Among them were that Mount Ararat, the resting
place of Noah’s Ark, is the most revered symbol of the Armenian people;
that Yerevan, the Capital city of Armenia is 2,793 years old (as old
as Babylon and 50 years older than Rome) and that Armenia was the
first nation in the world to adopt Christianity as its state religion
(301 AD).

Visitors were also able to learn that many famous people in American
society are of Armenian descent such as former California governor
George Deukmejian, Pulitzer Prize winning author William Saroyan,
and tennis star Andre Agassi among others.

Armenian music was performed by the Element Band, composed Ara
Dabanjian, Karni Hadidian and Shant Mahserejian, in a courtyard setting
in front of an estimated one thousand state and city employees. After
a colorful introduction by Garen Yegparian, a City of L.A. employee,
Element band began to play and members of the Armenian group and
their co-workers joined in a shurch bar (Circle Dance) to the delight
of onlookers.

ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT ADOPTS BULK OF CHANGES DESIGNED TO INCREASE BUDGET REVENUE BY 101 BILLION DRAMS IN 2012

ARKA
Nov 15, 2011

YEREVAN, 15 November. / ARKA /. The Armenian National Assembly
on Tuesday adopted in the first reading the bulk of a package of
legislative changes designed by the government to increase revenues
by 101 billion drams in 2012.

In particular, amendments to the Law “On income tax” call for making
changes to income tax. If passed in the final reading and signed into
law, persons whose annual income is 2 million and more drams will pay
25% as income tax, according to deputy finance minister Suren Karayan.

Karayan also introduced amendments to the Law “On obligatory social
insurance payments,” according to which if a person’s annual income
is below 2 million drams he/she will pay 3% of it as social payment,
if it is higher the social payment rate is set at 8%.

He said the proposed changes also increase the amount of penalty for
hiring a person without written registration from 60,000 to 300,000
drams, if the number of unreported workers is more than five people.

The parliament also passed in the first reading amendments to the Law
“On banks and banking.” The changes remove an article according to
which “the banks themselves own, use and manage their fixed assets,
including conduction of revaluation of assets.”

Karayan said this will create a level playing field for banks and
other businesses. According to changes to the Law “On State Duty,”
stamp duty on the export of ore will be charged at the rate of 3%
of the estimated cost of the average world market price of metals
contained in a given volume of ore.

ARMENIAN GOVERNOR TO FACE LAWSUIT FOR ASSAULTING BUSINESSWOMAN

Tert.am
11:42 16.11.11

The Special Investigative Service is going to institute a criminal
proceeding against Surik Khachatryan. the governor of the southeeatern
Syunik province, after the latter was claimed to have assaulted
a businesswoman.

In an appeal filed with the Service, Silva Hambardzumyan said the
governor had punched her in the head at Yerevan’s Marrott Armenia
hotel on Monday.

Hambardzumyan was offered a forensic examination but she reportedly
declined to see a doctor, saying that the assault had only inflicted
pain on her, without causing a bodily damage.

The criminal case was filed under Artilce118 of Armenia’s Criminal Code
(Battery). An inquest is under way.

LES TOUS PREMIERS BENEFICES PROMIS AUX FONCTIONNAIRES ARMENIENS
Stephane ©armenews.com

armenews.com
mercredi 16 novembre 2011
Armenie

Le gouvernement armenien a devoile un tout premier paquet de benefices
socio-economiques pour des dizaines de milliers de fonctionnaires et
les membres de leurs familles.

Le gouvernement a dit qu’au debut de l’annee prochaine il payera pour
leur assurance medicale, education et leurs loisirs aussi bien que
subventionnera des prets d’hypothèque empruntes aux banques privees.

Selon le Ministre des Finances Vache Gabrielian, le projet de budget
du gouvernement pour 2012 a mis de côte 18 milliards de drams (47.6
millions $) pour ce but.

” Personne dans un ministère particulier ou departement du gouvernement
ne sera dans une position pour decider si vraiment cela vaut la peine
de faire de tels paiements. Tout sera standardise ” a dit Vache
Gabrielian pendant une reunion hebdomadaire du cabinet du Premier
ministre Tigran Sarkissian.

Particulièrement il a dit, que le Ministère de l’economie approuvera
une liste de stations estivales en Armenie et au Nagorno-Karabakh où
100 000 fonctionnaires de l’etat et leurs familles seront capables
de passer leurs vacances payees par le gouvernement.

” Cela stimulera le developpement du tourisme dans la Republique
de l’Armenie et au Nagorno-Karabakh ” a dit Tigran Sarkissian aux
ministres.

A l’inverse la prise en charge des depenses de sante n’a pas ete
precisee, de meme que la prise en charge des prets pour les logements.

Quelques employes du gouvernement interviewes par le service armenien
de RFE/RL (Azatutyun.am) restaient sceptiques sur le paquet d’avantages
sociaux sans precedent. ” C’est une si petite somme qu’elle ne sera
pas suffisante pour couvrir meme 1 pour cent des frais de ceux pour
qui le paquet est destine ” a dit l’un d’entre eux.

” Je ne pense pas qu’ils y arriveront. Meme s’ils mettent en place
le paquet cela ne sera pas une affaire grande ” a revendique un homme
d’un certain âge.

Un autre fonctionnaire a dit que le gouvernement doit au lieu de
cela depenser les 18 milliards de drams a relever les salaires du
secteur public.

Selon le Service National de la Statistique, le salaire moyen mensuel
dans la fonction publique armenienne est de presque 141 000 drams
(376 $) en juillet dernier.

SOLIDARITE AVEC LES PRISONNIERS D’OPINION EN TURQUIE
Stephane ©armenews.com

armenews.com
mercredi 16 novembre 2011
TURQUIE

[email protected]

c/o The Temple of Peace, King Edward VIII Ave.,

Cathays, Cardiff,Wales

+33 44 7588 256 783

Emprisonnes pour leur Opinion : les Intellectuels oublies de Turquie

Nous avons le plaisir d’annoncer la reponse d’un groupe de dix membres
travaillistes du Parlement a notre demande pour qu’une motion energique
soit deposee a la Chambre des Communes. Cette motion appelle l’etat
Turc a liberer Ragip Zarakolu, editeur et defenseur des droits de
l’homme, ainsi que beaucoup d’autres intellectuels emprisonnes. M.

Zarakolu a publie plusieurs livres sur le Genocide des Armeniens et
celui d’autres minorites nationales. Il est temps a present de demander
a votre elu membre du Parlement de signer l’ Early Day Motion 2414
(Motion a mettre d’Urgence en Discussion n° 2414), tout comme l’EDM
2400 similaire, bien que plus moderee.

Early Day Motion 2414

RAGIP ZARAKOLU ET DROITS DE L’HOMME EN TURQUIE

“Que cette Assemblee appelle le gouvernement turc a liberer
immediatement Ragip Zarakolu ainsi que beaucoup d’autres erudits,
chercheurs, universitaires, ecrivains, journalistes et militants des
droits de l’homme, emprisonnes en Turquie pour avoir exprime leurs
idees ; est d’avis que ces detentions sapent les progrès democratiques
et le respect des droits de l’homme dont se prevaut l’etat turc.”

Les nom et prenom, le parti, la circonscription et la date de signature
des dix signataires :

Banks, Gordon Parti Travailliste Ochil and South Perthshire 09.11.2011

Connarty, Michael Parti Travailliste Linlithgow and East Falkirk
09.11.2011

Davidson, Ian Parti Travailliste Glasgow South West 09.11.2011

Gilmore, Sheila Parti Travailliste Edinburgh East 09.11.2011

Harris, Tom Parti Travailliste Glasgow South 09.11.2011

Lloyd, Tony Parti Travailliste Manchester Central 09.11.2011

McGovern, Jim Parti Travailliste Dundee West 09.11.2011

McKenzie, Iain Parti Travailliste Inverclyde 09.11.2011

Roy, Frank Parti Travailliste Motherwell and Wishaw 09.11.2011

Sheridan, Jim Parti Travailliste Paisley and Renfrewshire North
09.11.2011

LA COUR CONSTITUTIONNELLE SOUHAITE ENRAYER LES PROCES EN DIFFAMATION CONTRE LES MEDIAS
Laetitia ©armenews.com

armenews.com
mercredi 16 novembre 2011

ARMENIE

La cour constitutionnelle de l’Armenie a instruit mardi 15 novembre
les tribunaux d’etre plus prudent sur les poursuites en diffamation
deposees contre les medias et plus generalement d’eviter de leur
imposer de lourdes amendes.

La decision pourrait freiner une forte augmentation des cas de
diffamation qui ont suivi l’adoption par le Parlement armenien en avril
2010 des amendements controverses a la legislation sur les medias.

Environ 30 procès en diffamation ont ete deposes par des representants
du gouvernement, qui sont lies a des hommes d’affaires.

Les medias independants ainsi que des locaux considerent cela comme
une grave menace pour la liberte de la presse dans le pays.

Karen Andreasian, le mediateur de l’Etat pour les droits de
l’Homme, s’est dit preoccupe le mois dernier. Il a demande a la Cour
constitutionnelle de se pencher sur l’article correspondant du Code
civil de l’Armenie et de le considerer comme inconstitutionnel.

Le tribunal a confirme la legalite de la clause, mais a emis plusieurs
directives importantes sur la facon dont elle devrait etre appliquee
par le pouvoir judiciaire armenien.

” Le rôle des medias ne signifie pas seulement rapporter des faits,
a declare le president du tribunal, Gagik Harutiunian, en annoncant
le verdict. Les medias sont obliges d’interpreter les evenements et
les faits afin d’en informer la societe et de favoriser le debat sur
des questions importantes. ”

Le jugement souligne que les radios et les journaux en ligne reconnus
coupables de diffamation doivent generalement presenter des excuses.

Il a egalement declare que le montant des dommages pour diffamation
fixes par les tribunaux armeniens devraient dependre de la solidite
financière des medias face aux poursuites judiciaires.

” Ils doivent prendre en compte la taille du revenu du media concerne
et ne pas lui imposer une charge financière disproportionnee qui
aurait une influence negative et decisive sur les activites de ce
dernier “, a conclu le panel de neuf juges.

Tous les journaux armeniens auraient du mal a payer des milliers
de dollars de dommages et interets generalement exiges par les
demandeurs. ” Haykakan Zhamanak “, a dû recourir a la collecte de
fonds publics après avoir ete condamne a une amende de 6000000 drams
(15800 de dollars ) en fevrier dernier.

Andreasian a ete satisfait de l’interpretation de la Cour
constitutionnelle de la legislation en diffamation, la qualifiant
d’encourageante.

” Elle aura une influence positive “, a declare Andreasian a RFE /
RL service(Azatutyun.am).

SKIPPER RICHARDS IS SPELLING OUT THE NEED FOR A WELSH WIN IN ARMENIA

WalesOnline
Nov 15 2011

Armenia v Wales: Uefa u21 Championship qualifying: Yerevan Republican
Stadium

Captain Ashley Jazz Richards believes tonight’s European Championship
qualifier in Armenia is just the first of a series of must-win matches
for Wales’ Under-21s.

Brian Flynn’s side find themselves lying fourth of the five teams
in Group Three having lost at home to leaders Czech Republic last
time out, but are only four points off top spot, and a victory at the
Hanrapetakan Stadium would put Wales right back in contention before
qualification takes a break during the winter.

But Swansea defender Richards (pictured), 20, who recently signed a
new contract at the Liberty Stadium, believes his side will need to
win all four of their remaining games if they are to have a realistic
chance of securing a place at the finals in Israel in 2013.

He said: “This is a vital game for us and we know that every game
from here on in is a must win if we are to qualify.

“But morale in the squad is brilliant and the boys are really looking
forward to the challenge.

“We know that if we can get the win that will give us plenty of
confidence to take into the rest of the campaign.”

But winning in Yerevan will be no mean feat, with Armenia also well
in the qualification mix as they stand a point and one place above
Wales in the table.

The Eastern Europeans have also claimed some notable results to date,
securing a draw away from home against the Czechs and hammering
Montenegro 4-1.

And Richards is under no illusions as to how difficult the task ahead
will be for the visitors.

“We are expecting them to be a good side,” he said.

“They have done well, they got a draw against the Czech Republic on
the road and they were very unlucky to lose their home game against
them as well.

“We know this is going to be a tough match and there is no way that
we will be underestimating them.

“Having said that, we have been working hard in training and we are
only focusing on ourselves, we know that if we produce the type of
performance we are capable of then we should win.”