Author: Kajoyan Gevork

BUS REVOLUTION AND HEROES OF OUR TIME

Exceptional processes are happening on Yerevan buses. This is a real
revolution of mind which Armenians have longed for. People quarrel
with each other on the bus whether they should obey the illegal
decisions of the authorities, and fewer people agree to pay 150 AMD,
paying demonstratively 100 instead.

Revolution is when part of the population of the country stops obeying
illegal decisions, overcoming the fear of being punished. For many
years the authorities have intimidated the population, not obedience to
law but fear. This fear does not allow many people to protest against
violations of their rights, and overcoming of fear is revolution.

Now, a fight between fear and obedience is underway on Yerevan buses.

The fear sitting deep inside Armenians since the genocide and deepened
after the Karabakh war (strange though it may be) has been the main
lever of the government used to handle people for many years. People
were intimidated through Turkey, conspiracies, Aliyev, Putin, Vova
Gasparyan, wise guys.

Now this fear is being overcome on the bus and perhaps this will be
the ground for bigger transformations in Armenia, which have been
longed for.

The main transformation would be redistribution of national wealth
and rights to its ownership. Now, many people wonder why we demand a
receipt when we buy a chewing gum while we do not get any receipt when
we pay for transport? How is profit in public transport handled? How
much taxes are paid?

The same questions are asked to those who own the subsoil, the main
production asset of the country. Where do loans and grants from
international organizations and donors go? Why does Yerevan City Hall
spend hundreds of thousands of drams on benches failing to resolve
plenty of other problems?

The fear from those who have surrounded themselves with stiff and
aggressive police officers is disappearing. And this is the real
revolution. It even has its own “icons” who demonstrate that there
is nothing to fear. The guys from show business who protest side
by side with young people are the epitome of overcoming fear. They
are not afraid of losing their seats, they are not afraid of their
“patrons” and they are a good example for others.

Heroes of our time are people who have overcome fear and artificial
hierarchy.

Naira Hayrumyan 11:30 25/07/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

LE MEDIATEUR REVIENT A EREVAN APRES SA RENCONTRE AVEC LE CHAUFFEUR ARMENIEN A MOSCOU

ARMENIE

Le Mediateur armenien Karen Andreasyan a termine sa visite a Moscou
où il devait rencontrer un chauffeur armenien arrete pour un accident
de la route mortel.

Le bureau de l’ombudsman a declare qu’il avait rempli toutes ses
reunions officielles et etait attendu a Erevan pour presenter tous
les details concernant sa visite.

Le ministère russe de l’Interieur, de son côte, a indique qu’Andreasyan
a rencontre Hrachya Harutyunyan a la prison Matroskaya Tishina.

Harutyunyan, un citoyen armenien de 46 ans, etait au volant d’un
camion qui a percute un bus de banlieue près de Moscou le 13 Juillet
tuant 18 personnes et blessant des dizaines de ses passagers.

Plus tôt, l’ombudsman armenien a demande a son homologue de la Russie
de se pencher sur le cas du traitement d’Harutyunyan qui a ete emmene
devant les tribunaux dans la robe de chambre et les pantoufles d’une
femme deux jours après l’accident de la route.

la video diffusee a la television ainsi que les commentaires d’un
correspondant de la television russe ont declenche quelques reponses
de colère en Armenie où les actions de protestations ont ete organisees
près de missions diplomatiques russes a Erevan et Gyumri.

jeudi 25 juillet 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

S. NASRALLAH: EU DECISION IS INVOLVEMENT IN ANY ISRAELI AGGRESSION
Eslam al-Rihani

Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah said on Wednesday
that the latest EU decision regarding Hezbollah will only doom to
failure, advising the European states to soak their paper in water
and drink it, for the Resistance will remain vital and victorious by
the will of Allah Almighty.

Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan NasrallahDuring his speech
at the annual Iftar ceremony held by the Women’s Committee of Islamic
Resistance Support Association of Hezbollah, Sayyed Nasrallah noted
that the resistance has its own presence and influence in the regional
equations, and has been always a concern at the Lebanese, Arab,
regional and international levels, whether positively or negatively.

“A positive interest from those who believe in the resistance,
pin their hopes on it and consider it to be a source of pride, and
negative interest from those who consider it a source of threat for
their occupation and hegemony,” he said.

His eminence indicated that the Resistance is not on the margin
and there is always attempts to eliminate and crush it, whether
militarily, politically, morally or culturally, expressing beliefs
that such decisions have no more than psychological effects.

“The most important for the Lebanese Resistance is to get the support
of its people and to express their will, pride and view in defending
their land and their sovereignty.”

Sayyed Nasrallah stressed that “Resistance has gained credibility
among people in Lebanon and the Arab and Islamic world and in many
places of the world due to its sacrifices and steadfastness because
it did not back down, retreat or get defeated and also due to its
achievements and field victories.”

“Resistance has changed the game rules and dropped projects and
liberated captives, dignity and sovereignty of Lebanon. It also imposed
a leading position for Lebanon in the region and will remain a solid
fork in the eye of the Zionists and those who want Lebanon to get
worse,” his eminence added.

Touching on the EU member-states’ decision that blacklisted what they
dubbed ‘the military wing’ of Hezbollah, Sayyed Nasrallah said that
the decision has been announced in the media without issuing a formal
statement to unfold its motives, evidence and logic.

His eminence noted that the EU official statement will be issued within
days, and the party will see then whether it will hold any argument
or logic to be discussed, pointing out that the historical course of
the European states confirms that their stance is not subjected to
any values.

Thanking all presidents, leaders, personalities and institutions that
rejected the EU decision and condemned it, his eminence stated that
the party wasn’t surprised by the decision but the leadership has
expected it since the previous period.

Iftar 2013Hezbollah Secretary General went on to say that the Zionists
have expressed that the decision was the result of diplomatic efforts
they exerted, recommending some of those who rejoiced in Lebanon to
hide their joy a little bit so they wouldn’t express the same state
of happiness as the Israelis.

Sayyed Nasrallah reiterated that the EU countries have insulted
themselves and their principles, interests and sovereignty when they
submitted to the Israelis and Americans, stating that “EU countries
should know they are giving legal cover for Israel to launch any war on
Lebanon because Israel can claim it is waging war on the terrorists.”

“These countries make themselves a full partner in the Israeli
aggression on Lebanon, on the Resistance and on any target for the
resistance in Lebanon.”

The Lebanese Resistance leader asked why the military wing of
Israeli army wouldn’t be put on the list of terror? While the EU
“repeatedly admits that Israel occupies Arab land and does not
implement international resolutions since tens of years, and the
whole world witnessed the Israeli massacres.”

He also voiced that the EU stance is subjected to the interests and
pressures, not to the values and principles, where its effects are
nothing more than psychological.

“In this country, resistance fighters fought the Israeli occupation
and have endured a lot of pressure and sacrificed martyrs. Then
you come to those who are the sons of this people and say they are
terrorists. This is a very bad abuse for the fighters, for their
people, and for their successive governments that were supporting
the Resistance by their ministerial statements,” he said.

“This is bad for Lebanon and the Lebanese government and people and
not only for Resistance fighters,” he added, stressing that “this
will not undermine our morale.”

Addressing the European states, Sayyed Nasrallah said: “We are
nationalists even in holidays. You can retake the visas you were
granting for us. We do not have money in Europe. We do not have
commercial or trade projects in Lebanon or abroad. therefore, this
decision has no effects in this regard.”

“Yesterday, European delegates in Lebanon tried to say that the
decision will not affect relations with Lebanon,” recalling that some
in the March 14 bloc are working to frustrate the people and descend
walls on their hopes.

“This decision aims at making us bow, to force us to step back and
to be afraid. But I tell you that all you will get is failure and
frustration,” his eminence told the European Union.

Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan NasrallahIn the same context,
Hezbollah Secretary General said that those who think that the
resistance, which confronted in such days the strongest army in the
region over 33 days, will be undermined by a silly decision is either
will be subjugated by this decision are either delusional or ignorant.

“This decision will not be able to achieve any of its goals and we
invite them (EU states) to correct this mistake because it will not
lead to result,” he stressed.

“Dip it (the decision) in water and drink it,” he added to the EU.

Touching on the local situation, Sayyed Nasrallah said that the other
camp in Lebanon will not be able to exploit the decision in their
domestic political calculations, or to isolate the party and form a
cabinet without it.

“A government without Hezbollah will not be formed, not because we
are eager for it but for other things.”

His eminence jokingly suggested that Hezbollah’s ministers in the
next government will be of the military wing of the party. “So do
not bet on exploiting the decision internally,” he told the Lebanese
political rivals.

“We call for the formation of a political government that preserve
Lebanon and play in the heart of the storms moving around us.”

“Resistance will remain and will be victorious by God’s Will,”
Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah concluded.

Source: Al-Manar Website

24-07-2013 – 23:49 Last updated 24-07-2013 – 23:49 | 207 View

US PLANS FOR SYRIA STRIKES AT ODDS WITH PEACE CONFERENCE IDEA – MOSCOW

Topic: Protests in Syria

The United States is devising plans to attack the positions of Syrian
government forces

© REUTERS/ Rami Bleible
18:34 24/07/2013

Tags: chemical weapons, Foreign Ministry, White House, United Nations,
Martin Dempsey, Sergei Lavrov,Aleppo, United States, Syria, Russia

Related News

Syrian Rebels Hope for US Arms in August – Reports Pentagon: Military
Options for Syria Costly, Risky Syrian Deputy PM to Meet With Lavrov
in Moscow Syria Opposition Hails US Military Aid Pledge US Senate
Recommends Studying Syria No-Fly Zone

Multimedia

Dire Consequences of Confrontation in Syria

MOSCOW, July 24 (RIA Novosti) – The United States’ plans to conduct
strikes on Syrian territory conflict with agreements between Moscow
and Washington on the convocation of aninternational peace conference,
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday.

“From all indications,” the United States is devising plans to
attack the positions of Syrian government forces, which contravenes
the idea of holding an international peace conference “without any
preconditions,” he said.

On Monday, US lawmakers released an assessment by Martin Dempsey,
chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, stating that Washington
could carry out a range of missions to back Syrian rebels in their
fight against President Assad’s forces.

Moscow hopes to discuss the issue of chemical weapons at an
international peace conference for Syria, Lavrov said, adding that
Moscow was for a comprehensive investigation of all such instances.

He recalled that Russia had made its contribution to such
an investigation, recently submitting to the United Nations a
comprehensive study of soil samples taken from the site of a reported
chemical attack by Syrian opposition forces outside the northern city
of Aleppo in March. The study determined that the nerve agent sarin
was used and that it was not “industrially manufactured.”

Earlier reports by foreign experts claimed that the Syrian government
used chemical weapons on several occasions during the two-year
conflict, which prompted the US and the EU to lift sanctions on
weapons sales to the Syrian rebels. The White House said last month
that it would provide direct military aid to the rebels.

According to UN data, nearly 100,000 people have been killed in the
Syria conflict.

ELEVEN BEACHES IN ARMENIA AT HOLIDAYMAKERS’ DISPOSAL THIS YEAR

YEREVAN, July 24. /ARKA/

Eleven public beaches in Armenia are at holidaymakers’ disposal this
year, Ashot Avalyan, deputy head of the nature protection ministry’s
division in charge of public beaches, said today at a news conference.

“Nine of these 11 beaches are intended for short-term rest,” he said.

“Free is only usage of their territories. Three beaches provide
completely free services.”

Avalyan said that 120,000 to 130,000 people visited public beaches
in 2012 – 20% more than in 2011.

“This year we expect far more holidaymakers. Some 8,000 or 9,000 ad
a good time here on Transfiguration Holiday alone.”

Avalyan also didn’t rule out that the growing demand for public beaches
and strengthening competition will force owners of private beaches to
down their prices. Swimming season on the Lake Sevan opened on July 1.

The first public beaches were opened here in 2011.

Sevan is one of the largest mountainous lakes in Europe and Asia. It
sits in the middle of Armenian Highland at an altitude of 1914 meters.

The lake’s water surface is 1,500 square kilometers.

Sevan is the main resource of drinking water in the region. —0—

– See more at:

ARMENIAN MINISTER DISCUSSED EDUCATIONAL ISSUES WITH SYRIAN CHARGE D’AFFAIRES

19:57, 24 July, 2013

YEREVAN, JULY 24, ARMENPRESS: Minister of education and science of the
Republic of Armenia Armen Ashotyan hosted Syrian Charge d’Affaires
Mohammed Essam Nayyal. “Armenpress” was informed from the ministry
that the minister highlighted that Armenian and Syrian nations are
connected by civilization similarities. According to Armen Ashotyan
Syria is one of the most important partners of our country in sense of
educational cooperation particularly in studying Arabic language and
culture. In that context the minister informed that before the known
crisis 40 Armenian young people were studying in Syrian universities
simultaneously highlighting that Armenian universities are also
attractive for Syrian Armenians and Arab students. At present many
Syrian citizens continue their studying in Armenia.

Ashotyan informed that Armenian government has set privileges for
Syrian Armenian students. The minister expressed hope that after
the crises will be possible to continue educational cooperation,
particularly sign agreement of mutually recognizing diplomas. “The
level of education in Armenian universities has changed a lot andthe
past problems have been almost excluded, including issues relating
to level of education of foreign students,” mentioned Ashotyan.

Essam Nayyal mentioned that he is glad to be in friendly country
thanking Armenian government for privileges given to Syrian citizens.

“Those pupils and students are Syrian citizens and we are proud of
them. Future generations create the future of nation and country.

Syrian Armenians proved their loyalty to Syrian state in this crises
conditions and I hope that they are looking forward to their return to
Syria. Armenian position is worth to respect and high estimation. We
are proud with the friendship with Armenians who have rich culture
and traditions. I hope that our country will overcome the crises due
to its nation, army and friendly countries,” he said.

Armen Ashotyan mentioned that only Syrian nation is the creator of
its future. He wished peace, patience and strength to Syrian people
for overcoming existing difficulties. The minister also expressed
hope that peace will be re-established in Syria and educational and
scientific relatiosn will be restored.

ARMENIA: PROTESTS OVER HIGHER BUS FARES CONTINUE (PHOTOS)

13:56 24.07.13

The civil society activists, who protest the 50 percent hike in the
public transport fares, keep calling upon the population to pay the
former passenger fees of 100 Drams.

They gathered in Yerevan’s Mashtots Park on Wednesday morning to
announce their civil disobedience against what they call an anti-social
and unlawful decision.

“Guiding ourselves by the rule of law principle laid out in the
Constitution, we, the citizens of Armenia and the residents of Yerevan,
declare that we do not admit the mayor’s anti-social decision to
raise the transport fares to 150 Drams. The decision is in violation
of Article 1 of the Constitution, which says Armenia is a social
state. It contributes to the deepening of the social injustice,”
said Ruzanna Grigoryan, a member of the group We Pay 100 Drams.

She described the decision a restriction on the society’s right to
participate in decision-making processes.

“No public debates were held. The information was spread two days
after the decision became effective. Besides, they did not involve
all the interested parties – drivers, passengers, vulnerable social
groups, civil society representatives etc. Because the decision was
made without the interested sides’ participation, we do not trust
the estimates [justifying] the hike and find that the municipality
preferred private interest to the public one.

“Thousands of people who have paid 150 Drams are cheated. Their
disobedience is from now on directed against the anti-social but also
the unlawful decision,” Grigoryan added.

SNOWDEN PLANS TO SETTLE AND WORK IN RUSSIA

Wednesday,
July 24

NSA leaker Edward Snowden plans to settle in Russia and is ready to
begin a court battle if the country’s migration service denies his
asylum plea, Anatoly Kucherena, a Russian lawyer who assists the
whistleblower, told RT.

“It’s hard for me to say what his actions would be in terms of a
positive decision [on the asylum plea],” Kucherena said. “We must
understand that security is the number one issue in his case. I think
the process of adaptation will take some time. It’s an understandable
process as he doesn’t know the Russian language, our customs, and
our laws.”

“He’s planning to arrange his life here. He plans to get a job. And,
I think, that all his further decisions will be made considering the
situation he found himself in,” he added.

Kucherena expressed hope that the whistleblower’s plea will be granted,
because the reasons which prompted Snowden ask for political asylum
in Russia “deserve attention.”

“He fears for his health and his life. He’s afraid that if he’ll
be handed to the US, torture can be used against him down to death
penalty,” he said.

In case of a negative ruling on the plea, Kucherena said that Snowden
has “an opportunity to go to court and appeal against the decision
of the Federal Migration Service.”

“He intends to do so,” the attorney stressed. “During our meeting,
our dialogues, and our consultations, he made detailed inquiries on
those procedures. And I informed him of what possibilities he has
according to Russian law.”

Snowden still remains holed up in the international transit zone of
the Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport. His asylum plea, which was filed
on July 16, has not been yet formalized by migration officials.

“According to the existing practice, it may take five, seven, or
eight days. I’m calling them on a daily basis. They tell me that
they’re about to finish the formalization,” Kucherena said.

According to the lawyer, consideration of the plea will then take up
to three months. If his request is approved, Snowden will receive a
certificate which will “guarantee him the same rights and freedoms
possessed by the citizens of the Russian Federation.”

“The temporary asylum is given on a one-year term. After it expires,
the term can be prolonged for another year and this can be repeated
an indefinite number of times afterwards,” he said.

TODAY, 11:03

Aysor.am

ARMENIA’S OMBUDSMAN ASKS YEREVAN MAYOR’S OFFICE TO PROVIDE JUSTIFICATION FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORT FARE RISE

YEREVAN, July 24. /ARKA/

Armenian human rights’ defender Karen Andreasyan applied to the
municipality of Yerevan requesting legal justification for the recent
increase in public transport fare.

“The only thing I can tell right now, before having a response fr om
the municipality, I was bewildered because some 3-4 months ago the
head of the city promised to keep the public transport fare unchanged.

As an ombudsman, an official and a man, I would be interested to hear
from the municipality what has changed over these months”, Andreasyan
told reporters.

The defender also said he admires people who initiated free
transportation of Yerevan residents by their own cars to different
part of the city.

“I haven’t my own car, otherwise it would be my pleasure to take
citizens to work on my way to the work place”, Andreasyan said.

The ombudsman stressed the importance of participation of the
intellectuals and show business in the protests. This proves civil
society is being formed in Armenia, he said.

Starting from 20 July, Yerevan residents will have to pay 150 drams for
bus and minibus tickets instead of current 100 drams. The trolleybus
fair will be 100 drams instead of current 50 drams, and metro fares
are not subject to change (100 drams).

The increase in public transport fare raised a wave of discontent
among the residents of the capital, who have been protesting against
the hikes. The main motto of the protesters is “Won’t pay 150 drams.”

Another campaign is called Free Car wh ere famous showmen, politicians
and journalists give a lift to Yerevan residents for free. -0–

– See more at:

GEORGIAN HEPATITIS C OUTBREAK NOT THREATENING ARMENIA – HEALTH MINISTRY

12:19 24.07.13

Because hepatitis C is the type of disease which is transmitted
from human to human the same way as does HIV/AIDS, its outbreak in
Georgia poses no serious threats to Armenia’s population, according
to a health official.

“That’s a disease which is transmitted only through blood, as well
as sexually. Therefore that’s not the kind of threat that we would
face in case we had an outbreak of measles,” Lilit Avetisyan, the
head of the Health Ministry’s State Hygiene and Anti-Epidemiological
Surveillance Inspection, told Tert.am.

Citing official reports, Georgia Online earlier said the disease had
beaten an unprecedented record in the country, with 2,000 new cases
being registered every day.

Given, however, that thousands of Armenians visit Georgian resorts
in the summer period, there are no guarantees that they will be
safeguarded against unsafe sex. But the healthcare specialist does not
consider that a big hazard. “The same could be the case with Russia,
Ukraine and the United States,” she said, adding that the Georgian
website is not an official source to be considered reliable.

Asked about the hepatitis C rate in Armenia, Avetisyan noted that it
is considerably lower compared to other countries. But she did not
remember exact figures.

The Positive People Armenian Network’s findings have found that
hepatitis C is quite widespread in the country. A representative of
the NGO told Tert.am that the Ministry had not properly responded to
their earlier request, saying that they have no statistics about the
disease rate in Armenia.

According to the Armenian HIV/AIDS Prevention Center, the disease was
detected in 12.5% of people who passed immune ferment test and 20%
of those who underwent a Polymerase Chain reaction checkup in the
first quarter of 2013.

According to the Georgian website, the country does not have any state
program for the diagnosis and treatment of the disease. But Harutyunyan
said the hepatitis C treatment is far more expensive in Armenia.

“The annual expenses for a radical treatment course is above 16,000
[US] Dollars, so no wonder that only three or four of our patients
have managed to cover their own expenses on their own,” she added.

The only organization importing medicines against the disease is
Hoffmann-La Roche Armenian branch. Payments are also required for
diagnostic tests, including those for detecting antibodies (which
cost 12,500 Drams or 30 US Dollars).

“Besides, the Georgian state provides funding for certain groups of its
population, offering free services. And despite the free assistance,
the country receives the required medicine at lower prices than
Armenia. Let me also note that the treatment which costs 160,000
Dollars in Armenia is 2,000 Dollars in Egypt. ”

Several Armenian activists will be heading to the Hoffmann-La Roche
Armenian office later today to urge for measures to revise the price
policies for treating hepatitis C.

Armenian News – Tert.am