Author: Kajoyan Gevork

INCREASE IN PRICES IS A BURDEN FOR ALL TYPES OF FAMILIES

hetq
17:37, October 9, 2012

A round-table discussion was initiated and held by Oxfam Armenia
and the Economic Development and Research Center (EDRC) with the
participation of representatives from RoA Government, international
organizations and local NGOs.

Oxfam Armenia and EDRC undertook the project entitled “Monitoring of
food prices in Armenia” within Oxfam’s global GROW campaign. Within
the project a series of analytical information periodicals on “Prices
and Vulnerability in Armenia” was elaborated and published. Each report
in the series covers issues deserving public attention including food
safety and mechanisms of generating food prices, tendencies of food
prices and their impact on the behavior and well-being of consumers.

According to the report, the overall level of prices and the tendency
of their increase in Armenia are of general concern. These trends may
lead to numerous consequences both in terms of development of domestic
production and economic growth, as well as managing social risks.

The price increase influences consumer behavior in various income
groups of population in different ways. Increase in prices is a
burden for all types of families. Some families are able to maintain
the previous level and structure of consumption with allocating more
funds for food purchase. Other families verify the content of the
consumer basket by replacing expensive products with cheaper and less
quality ones. The poor groups of population just reduce the level of
consumption since they have no alternatives to replace the products
they used to buy. By reducing the consumer basket which already does
not meet the minimum requirements of food consumption, many people
suffer from malnutrition.

The price increase in Armenia has quite profound causes and cannot be
addressed merely under the light of application of monetary policy
tools. It requires introducing more comprehensive and coordinated
policy programs directed at the development of domestic production on
the one hand and provision of social guarantees on the other. This
condition generates a larger necessity for local policies to be
effective; efforts made in this direction should be extremely
consistent, coordinated and honest.

The report brings evidences that price pressures in Armenia are
largely conditioned not by demand, but supply factors: the inflation
depends on the conditions of supply in individual commodity markets
that often has external impact and regulatory influence in certain
cases. Hence the restraining of inflation should not merely be on
the agenda of the Central Bank of Armenia.

The research suggests avoiding the tremendous impact on price increase
through imports regulations which is both a short-term and a long-term
issue. It can be mainly achieved through enhancing local production.

The latter can also contain price pressures however within a short
period of time it is justified in terms of both social and economic
outcomes.

PUBLISHER OF “CALIFORNIA COURIER”: THE RELATIONS BETWEEN THE PEOPLES OF ARMENIA AND HUNGARY SHOULD NOT WORSEN BECAUSE OF INCORRECT ACTIONS OF BUDAPEST

arminfo
Tuesday, October 9, 17:06

The relations between the peoples of Armenia and Hungary should
not worsen because of incorrect actions of Budapest, the publisher
of the “California Courier”, Harut Sassounian, said at today’s
press-conference in Yerevan when touching on Ramil Safarov’s
extradition, which resulted in suspension of diplomatic relations
with Hungary by Yerevan.

He also added that Safarov’s extradition created new realities around
the Karabakh conflict. Armenia should make use of that and put forward
the problem of international recognition of the Nagornyy Karabakh
independence, Sassounian said. “The current situation shows once again
that Nagornyy Karabakh cannot be within Azerbaijan, where killing of
Armenians is a heroical deed and killers are heroes”, – he said.

ARMENIAN CYCLISTS ARE AMONG THE TOP FIVE IN THE INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT

ARMENPRESS
9 October, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 9, ARMENPRESS: Roadway cycling traditional
international youth tournament was launched in Iranian Mazandaran
province. Six Armenian cyclists were included in 14 teams representing
11 countries . As National Olympic Committee of Armenia informed
Armenpress the participants have jointly overcome 480 kilometers ,
which was divided into five stages. After the initial two stages
Armenian team was going ahead.

In the words of Albert Soloyan the team chief coach they are satisfied
by the results. Yerevan habitant Hovhannes Hovhannisyan individually
occupied the eighth place. 16 year old sportsmen Saribek Avetisyan
and Arsen Derdzyan accordingly occupied the 17 th and the 21 st
places. Armenian cyclists concluded quintet in team competition.

OCTOBER IS ACTIVE MONTH FOR ARMENIA-RUSSIA COOPERATION

news.am
October 09, 2012 | 15:55

YEREVAN.- In October Armenia will host a number of events in the
context of Armenia-Russia cooperation, Ambassador Vyacheslav Kovalenko
told reporters on Tuesday.

On October 12 capital Yerevan will host a meeting of Armenian-Russian
inter-government committee.

“It is an important event. The participants will discus key issues of
bilateral relations in all fields – economy, culture, defense sector.

The Russian delegation will be headed by newly appointed Transport
Minister Sokolov,” Ambassador said.

The second forum of inter-regional cooperation is scheduled for October
13. Representatives of 16 Russia’s regions will attend the forum. The
delegates will visit Armenia’s region to get familiarized with the
opportunities to develop bilateral cooperation in the fields of trade,
tourism and culture.

In October, Armenia will also host the Days of Russian language.

RUSSIAN-ARMENIAN SCIENTIFIC EXPEDITION WILL ENCOURAGE TOURISM IN ARMENIA

ARMENPRESS
9 October, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 9, ARMENPRESS. Russian-Armenian scientific tourism
expedition will support cognitive growth of Armenia and deepen
relationship between Armenian and Russian peoples. This was said on
October 9 during the press conference in “Armenpress” conference hall
by extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador of Russian Federation
in Armenia Vyacheslav Kovalenko. Kovalenko said; “This expedition
became one of the means of communication that will make possible to
know each other better and open pages that remained undiscovered for
Russian society yet. I am hopeful that more and more tourists will
visit Armenia and study ancient history and monuments of this country
with extraordinary curiosity”. The Ambassador mentioned expedition as
a successful mainstream for the development of tourism in Armenia. He
underlined, that Armenian and Russian people are connected with rich
historical past, religious generalities and partnership.

Chancellor of International Academy of Tourism Igor Zorin said that
the world does not know much about rich culture of Armenia. He put a
heavy emphasis on great perspective of development of spiritual tourism
in Armenia. Zorin said, that at the beginning expedition takes place,
afterwards appear routes for tourism and the goal of the expedition is
to represent to the world what it does not know yet. He mentioned that
participants of expedition felt fraternal warm atmosphere of Armenia.

Director of Armenian Institute of Tourism Robert Minasyan underlined
the importance of deepening of all in all notions about tourism.

Minisyan said; “For us it is of a great importance to “return”
Russian tourists to Armenia. We have everything; hospitable people,
nature, weather conditions, food. We need highly qualified specialist
in tourism.”

COURT TO EXAMINE TELEPHONE RECORDING IN NEWS.AM SLANDER TRIAL TATEVIK SHALJYAN

hetq
14:59, October 9, 2012

The case of the slander suit brought by the “Arrhythmology Cardiology
Center of Armenia against the news.am website resumed today at
the Yerevan Ajapnyak and Davtashen District Court, Judge Margarita
Hartenyan presiding.

The news website has published an article about one of the Center’s
patients, Hovhannes Katrdjyan who had sued the hospital for medical
malfeasance.

At today’s trial, Katrdjyan took the stand and testified that news.am
had republished his exact words about his experience at the hospital
and with the doctors.

The patient believes that the hospital sought to make money from his
heart condition.

Mourat Asryan, attorney for the plaintiff, requested that the court
examine a telephone recording between the news.am reporter and former
hospital director Smbat Jamalyan.

The trial was recessed until October 26 since the court lacked the
necessary equipment to examine the recording.

DIASPORA ARMENIAN INVESTOR REQUESTS HELP FROM MPS

hetq
15:03, October 9, 2012

Edmond Khoutian, the diapora Armenian businessman who claims that his
Arin Capital investment company in Armenia was swindled out of $8.5
million and who now faces $1.5 million in back taxes, has written an
open letter to Armenian MPs asking for the assistance in the matter.

Khoutian writes that he no longer has any faith in any Armenian
government body and that he’s being held “hostage” by the courts.

The businessman accuses prosecutors of meekly carrying out the
instructions from on high and points to recent ECHR verdicts that have
gone against Armenia as proof that the judicial system in Armenia is
ineffectual and seriously corrupt.

CSTO IS CONSIDERING THE POSSIBILITY OF PARTICIPATION IN REGULATION OF SITUATION IN AFGHANISTAN

ARMENPRESS
9 October, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 9, ARMENPRESS. Collective Security Treaty Organization
is considering the possibility of participation in activities of
collective peacemaking powers after the coalitional forces leave
Afghanistan in 2014. Deputy Secretary General of CSTO Valeriy Semerikov
told this “Armenpress” in October 9.

During the press conference in Almaty Semerikov answered questions
of reporters and said the following: “CSTO Security Counsel is to
decide this question, furthermore, I would even say that this decision
depends upon the future situation in Afghanistan.” According to him
presently this is one of the cases the organization is giving a very
serious thought to.

Semerikov mentioned, that CSTO has already organized a special group
for the case of Afghanistan, where higher figures of member states
of the organization are involved.

CSTO member states are Armenia, Belorussia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Russia, Tajikistan. Uzbekistan stopped its membership in CSTO in
June 2012.

POLISH AMBASSADOR ADMIRES ARMENIAN RICH CULTURE AND STRONG CHARACTER OF THE PEOPLE

ARMENPRESS
9 October, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 9, ARMENPRESS: The cooperation between Armenia and
Poland has been activated in recent years. As Poland Ambassador
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Zdislav Rachinski told in the
briefing with Armenpress, intensification of cooperation between the
two countries is observed in all the spheres. ” In the course of the
last three years we witness activation not previously recorded in
almost all the spheres ;ranging from the politics up to the culture
” Ambassdaor stated. In the words of the Polish Ambassador all this
comes to prove that appreciation of each other’s role has grown
between the two countries.

“I am definitely gratified by the fact as the main goal of my mission
is the spurring of cooperation between the two nations ” Richinsky
noted. Relevant preconditions exist for active cooperation. Polish
official stated military cooperation has also become active and stable
among the states in the course of the recent years.

In the words of Polish diplomat Armenia and Poland have very common
historical similarities, reportedly the nations understand each other
well. Yet Polish people have overcome the syndrome of a “victim”
, whereas their Armenian brothers are in the way of overcoming it”
Ambassador underscored.

Zdislav Rachinski admires Armenia’s rich historical past, architectural
monuments, as well as people with strong character. “I like the
aspiring of people to overcome and strive to find their own place”
Ambassador noted.

Diplomatic relations between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic
of Poland were established on 26 February, 1992. “100 poems: Nobel
Prize laureates and other modern poets ” book presentation published
by Poland Embassy in Armenia was launched at Aram Khachaturian
Museum-House on October 8.

“GRANDMA’S TATTOOS” FILM MAKING A SENSATION IN TURKEY TO BE SHOWN IN SEVERAL COUNTRIES

ARMENPRESS
10 October, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 10, ARMENPRESS: “Grandma’ s Tattoos” film making
a great sensation in Turkey is expanding its geography. As Sweden
Armenian Filmmaker Suzanne Khardalian told in the briefing with
Armenpress the film had greater progress than in was expected. ” I
was much surprised when I learnt the film is going to be demonstrated
in those countries, which comes to prove the audience aware of the
film history is growing. “Grandma’ s Tattoos” film for eighth times
was shown by ” Al Jazeera ” channel which has millions of viewers”
the film’s director stated. Dwelling on Turkish response Khardalian
underscored Turkey twice made attempts to hinder the demonstration
of the film, yet they failed.

“Grandma’ s Tattoos” film was shown in Istanbul, Sweden regardless the
efforts taken by the Turkey. Within the frame of “Shushi Art Project”
the film was demonstrated in Shushi’s Narekatsi Art Institute and in
the words of the filmmaker recorded a great success.

Speaking about new projects and films Sweden Armenian filmmaker did
not wish to open the brackets only hinted the screening of one of
her films will take place in Arabic countries and is most probable
to be completed in 2014.