Author: Kajoyan Gevork

HEAD OF THE EUROPEAN JEWISH PARLIAMENT IS OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF RECOGNITION OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE BY KNESSET

by Tatevik Shahunyan

Tuesday, December 9, 14:39

Co-chair of the European Jewish Parliament, Vladimir Rabinovich, told
Arminfo correspondent that he is optimistic about the possibility of
adoption of a resolution on recognition of the Armenian genocide by
the Israeli Knesset.

He said that at present the Jewish and Armenian organizations have
been actively cooperating in this direction. “Simply, there are issues
that should be implemented with care and without noise. I think that
everything will be OK”, – Rabinovich assured.

To note, on 5 December President of Israel Reuven Rivlin formerly an
outspoken advocate of Israel’s recognition of the Armenian Genocide,
has refused to renew his signature on an annual petition calling for
Israel to officially recognize the mass killings as genocide, the Times
of Israel reports. Those responsible for the petition were surprised
by Rivlin’s change of stance, Israel’s Channel 10 News reported on
Thursday night, which was ascribed to the heightened sensitivity of
his position since Rivlin was elected president earlier this year. The
TV report said Rivlin was apparently concerned not to further harm
Israel’s strained relations with Turkey, the source reports.

POLITICAL SEASON OVER?: ARMENIAN OPPOSITION REGROUPING AFTER “HOT” POLITICAL AUTUMN

POLITICS | 09.12.14 | 12:12

GOHAR ABRAHAMYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter

The opposition had promised a heated political autumn, but what
happened during the season, including two big joint rallies of the
three opposition parties, according to observers, did not result in
any significant changes, at least such that would be visible to the
public at large.

The parties – the Armenian National Congress (ANC), Prosperous Armenia
(PAP) and Heritage, known as Troika – appeared to have a common agenda
initially, but recently some differences emerged among the parties.

Still, Troika representatives insist that “the popular movement”
is in its normal course.

Leader of the Heritage party Raffi Hovannisian held a so-called civic
assembly in Yerevan’s Liberty Square on Friday after which he traveled
to Vanadzor and Gyumri the next day for similar gatherings. Talking
to reporters he again called for a common agenda.

Unlike the other three members of the Troika format, Heritage initially
stated that it is against Armenia’s membership in the Eurasian Economic
Union (EEU) and during the civic assemblies this issue was high on
the agenda as speakers condemned those who voted in the Armenian
parliament for joining the Russian-led economic grouping.

At a press conference on Monday Heritage’s deputy head Armen
Martirosyan said that despite this the party is not going to leave
the Troika format.

“We have no such problem, we are in favor of cooperation and our only
goal is to have a common agenda and act together,” he said, stressing
that the latest gatherings of Heritage were aimed at consolidating
the movement rather than splitting it.

“I hope that soon we will have a common stance and a roadmap,”
Martirosyan added.

Meanwhile, PAP leader Gagik Tsarukyan on Monday visited Armenia’s
second largest city of Gyumri where he granted 45 million drams
(about $100,000) to citizens who live in difficult social conditions.

Tsarukyan also visited the headquarters of the popular movement in
Gyumri. There he listened to people and promised to help.

Tsarukyan, who is in-laws with Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan, said
he did not hear how on December 4 the latter said to reporters that
“in my opinion Tsarukyan is not after a change of power.”

“He did not say such a thing, don’t mislead me. What Hovik Abrahamyan
said is that, yes, he is my friend, but I cannot reply instead of
him,” said the PAP leader, adding that the popular movement is in
its normal course and nothing has changed. “If there is a problem,
I will give a short and concrete answer. I have said time and again
that Gagik Tsarukyan always keeps his word,” he emphasized.

According to head of the Armenian Center for National and International
Studies Manvel Sargsyan, the autumn activity in the opposition
camp appears to have faded away, while the questions raised by the
opposition have not yet got answers.

“The fact is that this union has no coherence, though it is said
that some work is being done, but it is not seen either, even in
the National Assembly they do not show a common position,” the
analyst said.

NUMBER OF DEPARTING PASSENGERS IN 2014 HIGHER THAN THAT OF ARRIVING PASSENGERS

12.09.2014 12:24 epress.am

In January-November of 2014, “Zvartnots” and “Shirak” airports
catered to 1,931,554 passengers, which is around 332,376 passengers
(20.8%) over compared to the same period of 2013, reported the General
Department of Civil Aviation of Armenia.

During the reporting period, the number of departing passengers was
976,708 (803,523 in the same period of 2013), while 954,846 people
arrived in Armenia (795,652 in 2013). Thus, Armenia had a negative
migration balance of 21,862 (39 910 in the comparative months of 2013).

The Civil Aviation Department also reported that the volume of
shipments has increased by 3% and formed 9,478 tons, while the volume
of flight/landings has increased by 17.3%, forming 9,739.

ABOUT $150 MILLION TO BE INVESTED IN “OLD YEREVAN” PROJECT

YEREVAN, December 9. /ARKA/. Investments in “Old Yerevan” project by
Armenian Swiss businessman Vardan Sermakesh will total about $150
million, said architect Levon Vardanyan who authored the design of
the project.

Sermakesh signed an agreement with the Armenian government represented
by the minister of urban planning Narek Sargsyan.

The project will be implemented by “Old City” company.

The final model will be submitted for public discussions at the end of
March, and the process of coordination with respective public agencies
will start afterwards, Vardanyan told a press conference on Monday.

Vardanyan said the project covers Abovyan, Pavstos Biuzand,
Yeznik Koghbatsi and Arami streets where a total of 14 buildings of
architectural value, including the Small Philharmonic Hall and SIL
Plaza, are located.

In general, the project will help recreate 30 buildings, including
14 mentioned and is to be implemented in a maximum of five years,
Vardanyan said.

The “Old Yerevan” area will not have dwelling buildings and will serve
as a public and cultural center with museums, galleries and fairs of
Armenian carpets.

The Old Yerevan project is to recreate Yerevan’s architectural look
of the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century.

-0–

DAYS OF ARMENIAN CULTURE OPEN IN DAMASCUS UNIVERSITY

Tuesday 9 December 2014 09:41
Photo: Press service of Armenian Foreign Ministry

Yerevan /Mediamax/. Days of Armenian Culture opened in Damascus
University.

The exhibition features publications of the Armenian language and
literature, the Institute of Oriental Studies of National Academy of
Sciences and YSU Department of Oriental Studies, Armenian national
costumes, samples of manuscripts in Arabian language and illuminated
manuscripts of Matenadaran, the Armenian Foreign Ministry reports.

Armenian Ambassador to Syria Arshak Poladyan delivered lectures on
“Oriental Studies in Armenia” and “Armenia in the Medieval Arabic
Geographic and Historical Monuments” for students and lecturers of
Damascus University.

Within the Days of Armenian Culture, there will also be lectures
on the Armenian language and literature, screenings of films about
Armenian spiritual and material culture.

The Days of Armenian Culture in Damascus University will last till
December 14.

BILZERIAN RENTS FERRARI 458 SPIDER, GETS BANNED FROM MIAMI CLUB FOR VIOLENCE

AutoEvolution
Dec 8 2014

By now some of the people that envy millionaire Dan Bilzerian’s
lifestyle have found out that most of this guy’s fortune is inherited.

However, that doesn’t change the fact he’s living the dream that most
of the single men out there have. Last weekend was the poker player’s
birthday party so he rented a Ferrari 458 Spider from a luxury auto
shop and partied the whole night. Until things got violent, anyway.

Paul Alec Bilzerian, Dan’s father, is an Armenian American corporate
takeover specialist. Even though reports are he was not really that
successful, it would seem that the Renegade of Instagram, how we like
to call him, owes most of his rich lifestyle to him.

However, Dan Bilzerian’s father was convicted of securities and tax
laws violations relating to unsuccessful takeover attempts of various
companies in the 1980s and he even served a prison sentence, later
being ordered to disgorge his profits. This even lead him to bankruptcy
and ongoing disputes with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Why do we care? Because it finally brings some light over this whole
deal with the famous poker player enjoying his outrageous luxury
lifestyle, involving gorgeous women, expensive cars and crazy stunts.

Now, getting back to Dan Bilzerian. It turns out his 34th anniversary
was all about clubbing and expensive cars. And like he always does,
the millionaire posted an image on Instagram of a ride, a Ferrari
458 Spider, he rented quoting: “I told Enterprise I needed a car that
casually state, I am not poor and I like to party, they suggested a
Ford Mustang… I think Red Line Luxury nailed it”.

So there you go people, according to this guy owning a Ford Mustang
will not make you a rich person, but a Ferrari will. Whatever the
case, Bilzerian’s birthday party did take quite an unwanted detour,
the moment the opulent poker player allegedly kicked one of the
dancers in a famous Miami club, thus getting banned from it.

Problem is he was also filmed while doing it and now reports are
that the girl, who also took a little trip to the ER, is going to
press charges.

“People started getting shoved and I tried to separate them. Then Dan
pushed me both off the banquette and once I fell he kicked me in the
face. I wanted to file a police report and EMT checked my face I was
bleeding form my eye but I felt fine until I watched the video for
myself. I’m lucky that the injuries weren’t worse. I did nothing to
deserve that kick to head, I am gonna go ahead pursue legal action
against him,” was the exclusive statement form the woman reported to
The Dirty.

TATEV REVIVAL SUPPORTS OVERHAULING OF HALIDZOR SCHOOL

Monday 8 December 2014 09:46
Photo: IDeA

Armen Gevorgyan and Ruben Vardanyan

Yerevan/Mediamax/. The overhauling of Halidzor school premises in
Syunik marz carried out with financial support of Tatev Revival and
Armenian Social Investment Foundations has ended.

Founders of Initiatives for Development of Armenia (IDeA) Foundation
Ruben Vardanyan and Veronika Zonabend and Director of the Foundation
Armen Gevorgyan visited Halidzor on December 6. They visited the
school and attended the event organized by the pupils.

The overall cost of the program for overhauling the school made
AMD107mln 350 thousand, AMD51.4mln being allocated by Tatev Revival
Foundation. AMD55.9mln more has been allocated by Armenian Social
Investment Fund. Some financial assistance has been rendered by the
community and Syunik marzpetaran.

Tatev Revival is one of Initiatives for Development of Armenia (IDeA)
Foundation’s major projects which is mainly aimed at supporting
improvement of infrastructures of communities adjacent to Tatev
Monastery and sustainable development of the communities.

ARMENIAN ARMED FORCES CARRIED OUT PREEMPTIVE OPERATION

Lragir.am
Country – 08 December 2014, 20:01

Lragir.am has learned that on December 8 the Armenian armed forces
carried out a preemptive operation against the Azerbaijani armed
forces. The source of Lragir.am informed that the Armenian armed
forces had obtained information that Azerbaijan was preparing for a
reconnaissance-in-force. According to our source, a decision was made
to neutralize the offensive through a preemptive operation against
the Azerbaijani initiative.

We have learned that in the result of the preemptive operation of
the Armenian side several were killed on the Azerbaijani side.

By the way, the Azerbaijani side has announced that the truck
transporting Azerbaijani conscripts exploded on a mine and two were
killed. It is not ruled out that the Azerbaijani side may inform on
the upcoming days about other causes of deaths as usual.

We have learned that there are no victims on the Armenian side.

CD FEATURING CONSTANTINE ORBELIAN NOMINATED FOR GRAMMY

18:52, 08 Dec 2014

The Virtuoso Rossini Arias CD released by Delos Studio has been
nominated for Grammt Award in the “Best Classical Solo Vocal Album”
nomination.

American tenor Lawrence Brawnlee has recorded the virtuoso arias
accompanied by the Kaunas City Symphony Orchestra headed by Armenian
conductor Constantine Orbelian.

The 57th Grammy Award Ceremony will take place in Los Angeles on
February 8, 2015 and will be aired live on CBS. Awards will be given
in 83 nominations.

ARMENIA’S IT SECTOR: MEETING THE DEMAND FOR SPECIALISTS

17:06 * 08.12.14

The sectors that are interested in skilled labor are implementing
higher-quality education programs, Armenia’s Minister of Education
and Science Armen Ashotyan told Tert.am as he commented on a statement
by Hovik Musalyan, Synopsys Armenia’s executive director.

“And the IT sector is one of the examples,” he said.

The ministry offered the private sector to forecast their workforce,
according to the education level.

“The 2,000 vacancies may be intended for specialists with both higher
education and specialized secondary education. We have also offered
to place additional government orders for IT experts with specialized
secondary education,” Mr Ashotyan said.

Year by year, the government is placing orders for more IT experts
with higher education.

“We should find the ways of stimulating young people’s interest in IT,”
he said.

Karen Vardanyan, Executive Director of the Union of Information
Technology Enterprises (UITE) accounts for the lack of specialists
by the IT sector’s growth.

“We have shortage against the backdrop of progress. The sector has seen
a 25% annual growth in the past 25 years,” he said, citing the labor
force and its higher level of productivity as contributory factors.

But the expert admitted that the Armenian universities fall short
of training a sufficiently killed human resources who could get an
employment opportunity upon graduation.

“There is a demand for two types of labor force: tactical, which is
the every-day demand to enable people to get hired, and strategic,
when trusting our companies and managers, big companies apply to
us saying that they want a subdivision of 500 in Armenia. But our
managers have to reject them, as they are not able to secure even
five jobs on the market,” he explained.

Vardanyan said he currently sees a shortage of 2,000 specialists in
the sector. “If there are 2,000 specialists, it will be possible to
hire them in just one year,” he said, noting that the shortage on
the international market amounts to 1.8 million.

Vardanyan shared the education minister’s concern that they need also
professionals with specialized secondary education. “We have elaborated
a project for training human resources in schools in an attempt to
raise the demand in that way. The universities are not able to secure
such a big demand, so we believe that it is necessary to start with
the school system,” he said, adding that they are planning to launch
a school laboratory program starting from next year.