Author: Kalantarian Kevo

CEC REJECTS PAP AND ANC REPRESENTATIVES’ CLAIMS

news.am
May 02, 2012 | 19:41

YEREVAN. – The Central Electoral Commission (CEC) rejected the
opposition Armenian National Congress (ANC) parliament candidate at
No. 12 precinct Tigran Ter-Petrosyan’s appeal at the snap session
convened on Wednesday. Ter-Petrosyan has appealed against the actions
by his opponents Gohar Veziryan and Lyova Khachatryan, who posted
advocacy literature in places where it is banned.

The CEC also rejected the appeal by the Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP)
representative in Sisian city, who claimed that local educational
institutions have rejected to provide an area within the institutions.

CEC rejected the appeal as it referred to holding meeting with the
staffs of those institutions, which is banned by law.

Eight political parties and one block have presented their nominations
– Republican Party of Armenian, Prosperous Armenia Party, Orinats
Yerkir, opposition Armenian National Congress, opposition Heritage
Party, ARF Dashnaktsutyun, the Communist Party of Armenia, Democratic
Party of Armenia and United Armenians Party.

For entering the National Assembly, parties must poll over 5% of votes,
while blocs – over 7%.

The election campaign will be held till May 5 – the day prior to
elections when campaigning is banned. The parliamentary elections
will be held from 8 am to 8 pm on May 6, 2012.

20TH ANNIVERSARY OF SHUSHI LIBERATION IS CELEBRATED IN CANADA

On April 28 Armenian Embassy in Canada and Armenian diocese organized
a festival devoted to the 20th anniversary of Shushi liberation. The
event took place in Montreal well-known Clod Champaign hall, press
and information department of RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs informs
about this.

Armenian singers Inga and Anush Arshakyans arrived in Canada to
participate in the concert program. Nagorno Karabak representative
to the USA and Canada Robert Avetisyan was the honored guest of the
event. In his speech he underlined the great importance of Shushi
liberation in Artsakh war. Armenian Ambassador to Canada Armen Yeganyan
reminded the great battle for the castle’s liberation and called on
everyone to act jointly for the Motherland and Armenian nation. Head
of the Armenian diocese in Canada called on everyone to be the masters
of own achievements and victories.

Both concerts in Montreal on April 28 and 29 passed joyfully and
with full halls. The events devoted to the 20th anniversary of Shushi
liberation are continued also in Toronto and Vancouver.

CAMPAIGN ABOUT CAMPAIGN
Lusine Vasilyan

“Radiolur”
02.05.2012 19:02

The Civilitas Foundation held a debate today, featuring representatives
of political forces running in the elections to sum up the election
campaign. Representatives of Prosperous Armenia Party, the Armenian
Revolutionary Federation, the Heritage Party and the United Armenians
Party participated in the debate.

With just two days left before the end of the election campaign, there
is an impression that the campaign was about how the elections would
pass rather the challenges Armenia faces, the social and political
issues. It was a campaign about campaign. Do the participants of the
debates agree with the opinion?

Artashes Shahbazyan from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation said,
“Dashnaktsutyun remains one of the romantic forces, which is trying
to win the trust of the public by presenting its programs.”

The United Armenian Party entered the competition because of the
assertions that everything would be done to ensure the conduct of
free and fair elections. According to the representative of the
Party Hovhannes Hovhannisyan, the United Armenians do not have the
expectations that the public will follow a new force, although they
believed in it at the beginning of the campaign. It does not mean,
however, that the party will stop working.

“United Armenians will continue uniting people irrespective of the
fact whether they will enter the National Assembly or not,” he said.

For the Heritage Party it’s logical that the discussions on the
process of elections became the primary issue on pre-election agenda.

According to head of the Heritage faction Stepan Safaryan, the
development of the institute of elections is number one issue for
Armenia.

The Communists tried to lead the pre-election competition to an
ideological competition. However, they have not achieved any results
so far, member of the Communist Party Andranik Ghukasyan said.

Representative of the Prosperous Armenia Party Elinar Vardanyan said
it’s natural that the discussions mostly focus on the quality of
elections rather than platforms and debates.

RAFFI HOVANNISIAN SOUTIENT L’APPEL DE L’OPPOSTION A LA COUR CONSTITUTIONNELLE
Laetitia

armenews.com
vendredi 4 mai 2012

Raffi Hovannisian, le chef du parti Zharangutyun (Heritage) a
exprime son soutien mercredi 2 mai 2012 a l’appel lance a la Cour
constitutionnelle et qui a ete depose par deux autres principaux
partis d’opposition et le Parti Armenie prospère (BHK).

Hovannisian a declare que le BHK, le Congrès national armenien (HAK)
et la Federation revolutionnaire armenienne (Dachnaktsoutioun) sont
en droit d’exiger que les autorites electorales publient les listes
des electeurs qui ont vote lors des elections legislatives.

Les trois partis politiques affirment que cela est essentiel pour
empecher le vote frauduleux en faveur de la decision du parti
republicain (HHK). Ils souhaitent que la Cour constitutionnelle
juge ” inconstitutionnelle ” une disposition legale qui interdit la
publication des noms des electeurs.

Le tribunal devrait examiner et statuer samedi. Le HHK a rejete la
demande du parti de l’opposition soutenue par le parti Zharangutyun,
affirmant que la diffusion de ces listes constituerait une violation
du secret du vote.

” À notre avis, ce n’est pas une violation du secret de vote “, a
declare Hovannisian aux journalistes dans la ville septentrionale de
Vanadzor. ” Par consequent, nous sommes d’accord avec les demandes
presentees par nos partenaires a la Cour constitutionnelle. Nous
esperons que le tribunal prendra la bonne decision. ”

Un chef de file du BHK, Vartan Oskanian, a affirme la semaine dernière
que ” des dizaines de milliers d’inexactitudes ” ont ete trouvees
dans les listes electorales nationales. Levon Zurabian, un chef de
file du HAK, a souligne” un nombre anormal de menages ” comptant au
moins dix electeurs inscrits. Il a affirme que des militants du HAK
ont egalement detecte des electeurs enumeres en tant que residents
d’immeubles inexistants ou abandonnes a Erevan. Harutiun Hambardzumian
a signale la meme chose. ” Il y a des rues dont je n’ai jamais entendu
parler “, a-t-il dit.

AZERBAIJANI COMMUNITY OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH: SHUSHA PEOPLE TO RETURN LAND PEACEFULLY OR MILITARILY

Trend
May 3 2012
Azerbaijan

Armenians must know that the Shusha people will return their lands
either peacefully or by force, chairman of the public association
‘Azerbaijani community of Nagorno-Karabakh’, head of Shusha regional
executive power Bayram Safarov told Trend today.

“We will definitely return our lands,” he said. “TheAzerbaijani
people wait for the order of the Supreme Commander. At present,
Azerbaijan has an army, modern weapons. Its men are able to liberate
the Azerbaijani occupied territories.”

He stressed that an action plan has been prepared in connection with
the 20th anniversary of Shusha having been occupied by Armenia.

“The events and activities will be organised throughout our country
to commemorate the memory of those Shusha people who were killed,” he
said. “We will visit the Alley of Honour on May 8. Other activities
will be held. Thus, a lesson devoted to Shusha will be held in
all educational institutions of the country on May 4. Appeals to
international organisations are also being prepared.”

Armenian troops carried out a military operation on May 8, 1992
to occupy Shusha. Artillery shots were fired over the city which
continued up to 6 pm. Over 1000 Armenian soldiers attacked Shusha
from three sides.

Some 248 historical facilities, eight museums, one photo gallery,
eight music schools and tens of cultural facilities lie under Armenian
occupation in Shusha.

During Shusha’s occupation, hundreds of innocent people died, nearly
60 citizens, including women and children were taken prisoners and
became missing. Most have not been released yet. Nearly 22,000 people
became homeless.

FIRST LISTEN: SERJ TANKIAN

FasterLouder

May 2 2012

System of a Down leader Serj Tankian has confirmed that “at this
present time, [System of a Down is] not working on new music.”

Tankian has explained to KROQ that “We’ve mentioned it, but we haven’t
made plans to do so. Everyone’s doing their own thing… I don’t think
there is a reason for it; I don’t think anything is forever…We are
enjoying each other’s company touring and one day we’ll make another
record. I just don’t know when or how.”

However to satisfy the market’s insatiable demand for new music
from outspoken operatic Lebanese-born Armenian-American political
activists, Tankian will be releasing four records of his own this
year. The first of these is his new rock record, Harakiri.

“Rock is easy,” Tankian told KROQ. “It comes to me naturally and
pretty quickly. This [Harakiri] is probably the fastest record that
I’ve ever written in my life. The others, some of them, especially
the orchestral and classical stuff, take a lot more kind of breadth
and a lot more work.”

ARMENIA PUNISHED FOR BOYCOTTING EUROVISION

Pravda

May 3 2012
Russia

Armenia, which announced its boycott of Eurovision Song Contest 2012,
will have to pay the fine and the fee for the participation in the
contest.

The European Broadcasting Union did not specify which amount Armenia
would have to pay. However, it was said that Armenia’s public TV
would have to broadcast the final of the contest live and without
any interruptions.

If the country refuses to meet these requirements, Armenia may lose
the right to take part in the contest in 2013, Armenia Today said.

Officials with the European Broadcasting Union said that the decision
about the fine had been made in accordance with the regulations of
the contest.

In March of this year, Armenia officially refused to participate
in Eurovision 2012. The contest is to take place in the capital
of Azerbaijan, Baku. Armenia made such a decision after the death
of its conscript, who had been lethally wounded by Azeri sniper on
the border between the two countries, Vesti.Ru said. A group of more
than 20 Armenian artists released a joint statement on February 23rd,
in which they said that Armenia would boycott the contest.

Eurovision 2012 will take place on May 22-26.

GROWTH OF ARMENIAN PUBLIC DEBT ROUGHLY WITHIN TARGETS IN 2011
Venla Sipila

Global Insight
May 2, 2012

According to figures from the Armenian Finance Ministry, the country’s
state debt ended last year USD4.129 billion, Interfax reports. At
this level, debt equalled 41.7% of GDP, coming just marginally
above the ratio of 41.3% targeted by the Finance Ministry. Further,
the Deputy Finance Minister and treasury head Atom Dzhandzhugazian
stated that, in particular, external state debt at the end of last
year stood at USD3.568 billion, or 36.1% of GDP, while domestic state
debt was USD560 million, or 5.7% of GDP. He further noted that state
debt stood at USD4.196 billion at the end of March this year, with
foreign obligations accounting for USD3.634 billion of this total,
leaving USD562 million for domestic public debt. He further estimated
that debt service will increase until 2015, before starting to ease.

Armenia has specified a limit of 50-60% of GDP for state debt, while
the upper limit of budget deficit is targeted at 3% of GDP.

Significance:Armenian external debt has increased rapidly in
recent years, as financing needs rose sharply during the extremely
severe recession in 2009. However, Armenia’s good relationship with
international creditors has secured it good access to concessionary
lending, and thus, a large share of external borrowing is owed to
multilateral creditors. The soft loan terms should keep debt servicing
costs in relation to foreign currency earnings manageable. On the other
hand, the current unstable external environment poses an important
set of risks to Armenian external finances; any marked weakening in
important workers’ remittance inflows would put increasing pressure
on external finances, necessitating rising borrowing (seeArmenia:
19 December 2011:). Then again, as long as reforms and responsible
policies continue, access to concessionary financing should be clear as
well, and thus, no immediate threat to solvency is likely in any case.

INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW

Streetwise Professor

May 1, 2012 Tuesday 4:02 PM EST

Nearly a century after the event, the Armenian genocide is the subject
of intense controversy. Like in Faulkner’s South, in the Caucasus
“the past is never dead. It’s not even past.”

The latest example of this comes from The Republic of Georgia,
where a near brawl broke out in parliament after an opposition
lawmaker brought up the issue. Last year the parliament recognized
the Circassian expulsion in the late-19th century, and Armenians in
Georgia are asking for similar recognition. It is not clear from the
RFE/RL piece whether the opposition deputy favors this; it appears
that he is using it to tweak Saakashvili, who supported the Circassian
recognition over the deputy’s objection.

Regardless, the mere raising of the issue inflamed another deputy,
a man of Azeri descent:

Baghaturia’s comments drew the ire of fellow deputy Azer Suleimanov.

His family’s country of origin, Azerbaijan, is a staunch ally of
Turkey, which rejects the term “genocide” for the Armenian mass
killings.

When Baghaturia dismissed his objections with a wave of his hand,
Suleimanov angrily reached into his pocket, drew out a tube of Vaseline
and flung it at Baghaturia.

What I want to know is: What is a parliamentarian doing with with a
tube of Vaseline in his pocket?

IRAN STRESSES IMPLEMENTATION OF JOINT PROJECTS WITH ARMENIA

FARS News Agency
May 1, 2012 Tuesday
Iran

TEHRAN (FNA)- Iran’s President Ahmadinejad reiterated the need for
the implementation of Tehran-Yerevan joint economic projects.

Speaking in a meeting with Armenian Foreign Affairs Minister Edward
Nalbandian, the Iranian president underlined that “Iran attaches
much importance to the implementation of joint economic projects
with Armenia”.

Also during the meeting, Nalbandian submitted a message from Armenian
President Serzh Sargsian to Ahmadinejad.

Nalbandian arrived in Tehran on Sunday on an official visit at the
invitation of his Iranian counterpart Ali Akbar Salehi.

Upon arrival, Nalbandian held talks with his Iranian counterpart,
where they examined avenues for further improving the friendly ties
between the two countries and the activities of the Armenian-Iranian
Intergovernmental Commission.

They reflected on bilateral cooperation, and exchanged views on
expanding the legal framework.

Salehi gave details on the latest developments with respect to Iran’s
nuclear program, and Nalbandian expressed a satisfaction that a
positive trend was recorded during the last meeting in this regard.

Nalbandian also briefed his Iranian colleague on the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict’s settlement talks.

They agreed to hold their next meeting in Armenia’s capital, Yerevan.

Also, during his Tehran visit, Nalbandian met with Parliament Speaker
Ali Larijani as well as Iran’s Supreme National Security Council
(SNSC) Secretary and chief negotiator Saeed Jalili.