Author: Kajoyan Gevork

ARMENIA’S FOREIGN DEBT ROSE TO NEARLY $4 BILLION IN 2012

news.am
2013-01-28 19:27:41

The external debt of the Government of Armenia in 2012 increased
by nearly $300 million compared to 2011, reaching $3.869 billion,
chairman of the NA Standing Committee on Financial, Credit and
Budgetary Affairs of the National Assembly of Armenia, Gagik Minasyan
said, ARKA reported.

“It is projected that up to 2012, the external debt of the Government
of Armenia will reach $3.859 billion, compared to $3. 568 billion in
2011,” Minasyan said.

Chairman of the committee said that the foreign debt of the Central
Bank of Armenia is about $800 million and its funding is not due to
the state budget of the country.

He stressed that the external debt of the Government of Armenia is
37 per cent of the GDP which is the average or low debt burden.

According to the NSS, as of September 30, 2012, Armenia’s foreign debt
totalled $3.7 billion, which is 4.8 per cent more than the amount of
debt as of December 30, 2011.

CSTO ACADEMY TO BE ESTABLISHED IN ARMENIA

15:11 28.01.2013

The delegation headed by CSTO Secretary General Nikolay Bordyuzha is
arriving in Yerevan today at the invitation of the Secretary of the
National Security Council of Armenia Arthur Baghdasaryan.

Within the framework of the visit Bordyuzha and Baghdasaryan will
sign the agreement on the establishment of CSTO Academy in Armenia.

The 40-member delegation comprises high-ranking officials of the CSTO
Secretariat, representatives of the Inter-departmental commission on
military-technical cooperation and members of the Executive Board.

ARE THE EXPENSES MADE BY SERZH SARGSYAN DURING THE CAMPAIGN JUSTIFIED?

January 25 2013

According to a Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) MP, Serzh Sargsyan’s
posters and ad testify to his sense of responsibility

Taking into account the fact that Serzh Sargsyan is a candidate
who “will win, has won,” as members of the RPA always like to say,
what was the point in spending so much money on preparing an ad,
posters and spreading them? Hovhannes Sahakyan, an RPA MP, said in
response to this question of today: “It is caused by the
political team’s and the given candidate’s sense of responsibility,
whether one feels responsible for communicating with one’s people
during the election campaign, i.e. presenting his programs in detail,
not following the principle ‘We have won.’ Shall we do nothing? Shall
we do a couple of things resembling a campaign and move on? No. We
have a different opinion. Since we, as the ruling political team,
and President Sargsyan, as a candidate for president and the incumbent
president, as a man who was actively involved in the struggle for our
state’s independence and in the Artsakh conflict, has always stood
out for his consistency, his adherence to principles. That step is one
of the elements; it is a proof that nothing is neglected. Certainly,
there are people among our rivals who are worth respect, but the
expert opinion is that our chances to win are high.”

Hovhannes Sahakyan didn’t know how much money was spent on Serzh
Sargsyan’s ad in which there were scenes shot from a helicopter and
representatives of Armenian show business. According to the RPA MP,
that campaign ad aimed at cheering up.

As for saying, “The candidate who has won,” Hovhannes Sahakyan said:
“I would avoid saying that he is the candidate who has won, because the
people make the final choice. Certainly, our chances are rather high,
but saying that he is the candidate who has won, period, is not right.”

Artak Davtyan, another RPA MP, described the president’s campaign ad
as “good” when we inquired of him whether he liked it or not. “The ad
is within the limits provided for by the law. I don’t agree that some
big sum of money has been spent by Serzh Sargsyan,” Mr. Davtyan said.

Hripsime JEBEJYAN

NAIRIT’S $70 MILLION LOAN: 3 MAJOR PLAYERS REMAIN TIGHTLIPPED
Kristine Aghalaryan

$70-million-loan-3-major-players-remain-tightlipped.html
14:59, January 28, 2013

Eric Narsisyan, Director of Rhinoville Property Limited, a shareholder
of Nairit Plant CJSC, appears unwilling to grant Hetq an interview
in response to our series of articles following the mysterious money
trail of a $70 million loan.

Hetq’s correspondent in France has been trying to get in touch with
Narsisyan to no avail. The company director has failed to answer our
voice mails as well.

In June 2006, when Rhinoville had already acquired shares in Nairit,
Andre Narsisyan, a French-Armenian was appointed director and served
until his death in April 2007. Maria Piotrovskaya, a Russian citizen
served as director from February to April 28, 2007. Damien James
Calderbank, a citizen of the UAE served as a director from March
2007 until December 2012. The company’s other director, Eric Leon
Jacques Narsisyan (Andre’s son) became a director after the death of
his father. He works at the Ararat Television Company in Marseille.

In our previous article, we noted that Nairit Plant CJSC had become
a shareholder of Rhinoville. Armenia’s Minister of Energy and Natural
Resources Armen Movsisyan hasn’t wished to provide any clarification
on the matter. Former Nairit Plant Director Vahan Melkonyan hasn’t
offered any response either.

In essence, the three major players involved are refusing to go on
the record regarding how they managed a $70 loan designed to get the
Nairit plant up and running.

In the meanwhile, plant employees continue to their demands that the
plant operate and that they get paid their wages.

Photo (l to r): Armen Movsisyan, Vahan Melkonyan, Eric Narsisyan

THREE MORE SUBREGIONAL PROGRAMMES

Monday, 28 January 2013 12:27

>From this year on several subregional programmes more will commence.

Besides the subregional programmes of Banadzor and Ukhtadzor,
Hadrout region, this year similar programmes will be implemented in
the subregion of Togh, Hadrout region, in the subregion of Nor Shen
with 10 communities, Martouni region, and in Khramort subregion with
8 communities, Askeran region as well, in answer to the question of
Karabakh-open.info NKR Minister of Agriculture Andranik Khachatryan
said during the recently held press conference.

In continuation of the subject the minister noted that as opposed
to the other programmes the new ones will pursue only agricultural
objectives. The government allocated 330 million drams to this, which,
according to the minister, is not a large sum but they will try to
make economical and targeted use of the money.

PROTEST IN ISTANBUL AGAINST ATTACKS ON ARMENIANS

12:50 28/01/2013 » SOCIETY

Residents, civil society groups and political party representatives
gathered in the central square of Istanbul’s Samatya neighborhood
on Sunday to protest a number of attacks committed against elderly
Armenian women in their homes over the past few months, one of which
resulted in a death, with police failing to capture the assailants,
Today’s Zaman reported.

“Don’t touch my neighbor” and “I will not let you hurt my brothers
and sisters” read some of the signs held by the protesters.

The first attack in the past few months was on Nov. 1, 2012. A woman
named Gonul A. was beaten by an intruder, and her valuables were
stolen. On Nov. 28, Tuivat A. (87) was attacked inside her house. She
lost one eye in the attack and her valuables were also taken. On Dec.

28, Maritsa Kucuk (85) was brutally murdered in her house, where she
lived alone. In the fifth attack, Sultan Aykar (80) was stabbed as
she entered her house.

Source: Panorama.am

AGHASI ZAVARYAN “GENERAL” HOTEL IN PRAGUE RECOGNIZED ONE OF THE BEST IN THE WORLD

12:20, 28 January, 2013

YEREVAN, JANUARY 28, ARMENPRESS: Hotel “General” operating in Czech
capital has recorded a sensational success. It was recognized one
of the best hotels in Czech, Europe and the world regarding various
categories. Armenian businessman, Aghasi Zavaryan’s “General” was
the winner in “small hotels” days nomination, “Days” pan-European
magazine informed Armenpress. Our compatriot has been habiting in
Prague started in 2007. International authoritative Tripadvisor.co.uk
website recognized ” General” hotel the best in Czech Republic,
the 3 best in Europe, and the 7 best in the world, Armenpress reports.

Each year Travellers’ Choice 2013 award is given taking into account
the tourists remarks.”General” hotel was recognized best taking into
account not only the quality of services provided by the hotel staff,
but also the variety of touristic sights and restaurants. Five star
hotel also stands out by its peculiar direction: each room bears
the name of a famous general, Armenian General Marshall Baghramyan
inclusive. The room walls are covered by world famous 20 generals
portraits authored by Prague based father and son Muradyans.

Armenian Ambassador to Czech Republic Tigran Sedrakyan stated in the
briefing with Days “this is a great achievement and a source of pride
for us”.

PAPER: ARFD MEMBERS PROMOTE SERZH SARGSYAN CAMPAIGN

January 28, 2013 – 15:33 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – According to Hraparak daily, not only Prosperous
Armenia members, but also representatives of ARF Dashnaktsutyun
are promoting the ruling party candidate Serzh Sargsyan’s election
campaign.

ARFD members, Avshar Wine Factory owner Aramayis Grigoryan and his
brother, MP Arayik Grigoryan earlier visited Ararat province, held
meetings with the village administration employees, school teaching
staff, calling them to vote for Serzh Sargsyan, the paper says.

YOUTH PALACE DESTROYED 9 YEARS AGO BECOMES MACADAM MINE, ARCHITECT SAYS

tert.am
28.01.13

No building has been built till now in the place of the Youth Palace
destroyed in 2004, architect, the author of the Youth Palace building
Hrachik Poghosyan told the reporters on Monday, claiming that the
place has become a basalt macadam mine.

“The illegal destruction of the building launched and continues till
today. If someone decides to destroy its partially ruined building,
it needs not only to ask permission from the municipality but present
the project of what is going to be built instead. While nothing
of that kind has been done in case of the palace’s building,” the
architect said.

He also stressed that the building authored by him was destroyed
during Robert Kocharyan’s presidency.

“The palace was privatized that is why it was destroyed. Robert
Kocharyan said ‘if you are going to build a better one, destroy it’. A
document was signed as if it was in so bad condition that was to be
ruined instead of being restored. And why are you buying a thing your
are going to destroy?” the architect said.

Referring to the building that appeared in the Internet, the architect
said that it is just a proposal. “A Japanese architect won the tender
and the photo that appeared in the Internet is just a work of a guy
who just showed what he can do. Now both the Japanese winner and the
project are gone. The fate of the building continues being uncertain
though the municipality has written a letter about it and other
partial buildings to clear out the fate of these buildings,” he said.

The architect said that now instead of the palace built 10 years ago a
basalt exploitation mine has started operating. “This person [owner]
has placed about ten vehicles there which turn basalt into macadam
and sells it. A mine has been created in the center of the capital,
in case of Trchkan a great noise would have been raised but they have
opened a mine in the capital’s downtown and no one speaks about it,”
he stressed.

The architect said he understands the indifference toward anything
but not toward own country and soil.

DELEGATION HEADED BY NIKOLAY BORDYUZHA ARRIVES IN YEREVAN

14:32, 28 January, 2013

YEREVAN, JANUARY 28, ARMENPRESS: By the invitation of Armenian National
Security Council (NSC)Secretary Arthur Baghdasaryan Nikolay Bordyuzha ,
Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization is
scheduled to arrive in Armenia on January 28. 40 member delegation
consists of CSTO Secretariat high-ranking officials, military economic
cooperation interdepartmental committee and its adjacent Business
council members.

As Armenian National Security Council informed Armenpress, a joint
session is set to be held by the joint efforts of military economic
cooperation interdepartmental committee and its adjacent Business
council Armenian-Russian national units. A protocol regarding
the results of the session will be signed during the meeting. The
implementation of measures scheduled by Armenia-CSTO cooperation
program, as well as a wide range of issues refer to military and
military-technical cooperation are also set to be touched upon. In
the frame of the visit the heads of Russian military industry sphere
enterprises will visit their Armenian partner enterprises, get
acquainted with industry capacities,indicate new cooperation projects.

NSC Secretary Arthur Baghdasaryan and Nikolay Bordyuzha , Secretary
General will sign a memorandum on the establishment of CSTO Academy.