Author: Kalantarian Kevo

NEW REPUBLICAN PM NOT TO RESULT IN POSITIVE CHANGES IN ARMENIA – GARNIK ISAGULYAN

14:40 / 08.04.2014

If Armenia’s PM is from the same team as the former PM nothing will
change in the country, leader of National Security party Garnik
Isagulyan told the reporters on Tuesday.

“The situation will temporarily calm down but later the same processes
will resume as no positive and serious changes will be registered in
the life of the people,” Isagulyan said, adding that if the president
really thinks of the state and the people he would call the four
non-coalition forces and offer them to propose candidate for PM’s post.

Isagulyan said the main issue the president must solve today is to
remain in the history as he occupied all the posts during 25 years.

“But if he initiates Constitutional amendments to increase the
authorities of the PM and to take this post in future, he will appear
in a terrible situation,” he said.

Isagulyan believes that after the appointment of the PM and forming
the cabinet after consultations with the four non-coalition forces,
the president must initiate conduction of free, fair parliamentary
elections in 2017 and guarantee the conduction of transparent
presidential elections after it he will have his place and role in
the history with no one to remember him badly unlike now.

Nyut.am

OMBUDSMAN: LARGEST REPORT REVEALS FAMILIAR PROBLEMS, CHALLENGES

SOCIETY | 08.04.14 | 15:14

Photolure

GOHAR ABRAHAMYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter

The Armenian Ombudsman says the most challenging and controversial
spheres in Armenia’s development of human rights continue to be the
prosecution, courts and protection of economic interests.

Last week the Ombudsman’s office released its annual report in which
was covered the issues present in the ministries and inspectorates,
and received criticism of some of the report.

According to Ombudsman Karen Andreasyan, this year’s report is
the biggest so far: the 500-page report covers 25 ministries and
inspectorates, as well as separately vulnerable groups such as
children, the disabled, etc. An entire chapter is devoted to the
protection of rights of people in closed institutions. The highest
number of violations have been revealed at the prosecutor’s offices, in
the judicial system, the State Revenue Committee and State Commission
for the Protection of Economic Competitiveness.

“We are not making up the aches and pains, they exist, and we are
only trying to present them in a professional manner. We have tried
to report not only the work done, but also the overall situation
with human rights. We have reflected not only the work of 25 state
bodies, but also separate spheres where there are issues related
to human rights,” Andreasyan told the press Tuesday, adding that
“nervous response from some state bodies by far does not mean that
the Ombudsman’s recommendations are not heeded to”.

He also stressed that for two years attorneys have been unhappy with
the work of the Cassation Court, saying it either does not accept cases
or accepts others without sufficient ground, but after the report a
task force group has been created, made of members of the Judicial
Department and the Chamber of Advocates, to look into that issue. He
added that their cooperation is successful with the RA Police, the
defense, healthcare and labor and social affairs ministries.

Andreasyan says among the post-Soviet countries Armenia is in the
best shape in terms of human rights protection.

80% OF FISHERIES TO CLOSE IN CASE OF LICENSING

Monday,
April
07

Fish producers are facing the problem of licensing, Chairman of the
Association of Armenian Fish Producers and Exporters Arthur Atoyan said
at a meeting with reporters today. According to him, the government is
developing a licensing draft, under which fish producers shall take
several measures worth 15 million drams and over, such as creating
the necessary production conditions, ensuring food safety and a water
saving regime so as to be allowed to engage in fish production.

They expressed concerns that producers are not participating in the
draft’s discussions.

Atoyan said that one day fish producers may wake up and learn that
the licensing project was already introduced and they will have no
time to solve their problems and many fisheries will face shocks.

‘They should first familiarize us with the standards and only then
impose them. Perhaps we will find solutions through discussions,”
Atoyan said.

The association chairman believes that 80% of fisheries will close
after the licensing process.

TODAY, 17:35

Aysor.am

Columbia Records Executive’s Archive Headed to New York Public Library

The New York Times
ArtsBeat Blog: The Culture at Large
March 31, 2014

By Allan Kozinn

The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, at Lincoln
Center, has acquired the personal archives of George Avakian, a record
executive and producer who, during his years at Columbia Records,
oversaw some of the 20th century’s most important jazz recordings, and
his wife, the violinist Anahid Ajemian, a founding member of the
Composers String Quartet. The acquisition, which the library announced
on Monday, includes more than 160 linear feet of papers, including
correspondence with musicians and composers, and recordings of concert
performances and studio sessions, including many that have never been
released commercially.

Mr. Avakian began working for Columbia Records while he was still a
student at Yale in 1940, putting together the `Hot Jazz Classics’
reissue series, which included some previously unknown recordings of
Louis Armstrong from the late 1920s, and when Columbia introduced the
LP, he produced the first 100 pop and jazz releases for the new
format. He also oversaw the 1950 LP release of Benny Goodman’s 1938
Carnegie Hall concert, and produced live recordings at the Newport
Jazz Festival.

In the 1950s, Mr. Avakian signed Miles Davis and Dave Brubeck to
Columbia before moving on to RCA, where he signed Sonny Rollins, and
Warner Brothers, where his signings included the Everly Brothers, Bill
Haley and His Comets and the comedian Bob Newhart. In the early 1970s
he managed the career of the jazz pianist and composer Keith Jarrett.

A spokeswoman for the library said that the collections were not yet
fully cataloged. But among the highlights of Mr. Avakian’s materials
are unreleased recordings of the Count Basie Orchestra with the tenor
saxophonist Lester Young (including an alternate take of `Lady Be
Good’ from Young’s first session, in 1936); complete recording
sessions by Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Sonny Rollins, Bing
Crosby, Johnny Mathis, Peggy Lee, Keith Jarrett, Chet Baker, Dave
Brubeck and Ravi Shankar, and interviews with many of the musicians.

Mr. Avakian’s files include correspondence with Mr. Newhart, James
Earl Jones, Woody Allen and many of the jazz musicians he produced, as
well as photographs, lecture notes and oral histories, including
interviews in which Mr. Avakian discusses his career.

Ms. Ajemian’s collection includes unreleased recordings of composers
performing their works, among them Béla Bartók, John Cage, Henry
Cowell, Lou Harrison, Alan Hovhaness, Charles Ives, Aram Khachaturian,
Yehudi Menuhin, Kurt Weill and Carlos Surinach, as well as
performances by Ms. Ajemian and her sister, the pianist Maro
Ajemian. Included as well is correspondence with Cage, Hovhaness,
Cowell, Ernst Krenek and Edgard Varèse, among others, and scripts,
notes, programs and contracts from Ms. Ajemian’s career.

`The wealth of information and rare materials contained in the Avakian
and Ajemian Archives is truly remarkable,’ Jacqueline Z. Davis, the
library’s executive director, said in a statement. `George and
Anahid’s collections not only tell the stories of their incredible
careers, but also shed light on the important relationship between
producer and artist, and performer and composer.’

A version of this article appears in print on 04/03/2014, on page C3
of the New York edition with the headline: Public Library Receives
Recordings in Archives.

WHY INTERNATIONAL MINING COMPANIES FLOCK TO ARMENIA

Monday, April 7th, 2014
A gold mine in Armenia

BY MARINE MARTIROSYAN
>From Hetq.am

YEREVAN–A report recently released by two environmental activists
in Armenia suggests that international mining companies are flocking
to Armenia because the government is incredibly lax when it comes to
levying environmental usage fees.

The report, “Environmental and Environment Usage Payments in the Mining
Sector” was prepared by Marineh Baghdasaryan, a graduate of the State
Institute of Economics, and Bedya BGO President Erik Grigoryan.

Comparing Armenia’s mining sector with that of the USA, Great Britain
and Germany, the authors found that another probable attraction for
international companies is that the royalties for extracting metal
ores in Armenia is much less.

In the United States, for example, royalties paid by mining companies
to the government stand at 30%, followed by Canada (25%), Great Britain
(20%), Great Britain (15.8%) and China (10%).

In Armenia, the royalty rate is 4+%.

Baghdasaryan says that other countries also tax pollution discharges
while Armenia does not.

“Our comparative data shows that strict tax mechanisms operate in
other countries and that responsible mining is the norm, something that
isn’t the case in Armenia. Here, it’s an open wide sector and creates
a favorable business climate for foreign investors,” Baghdasaryan said.

Their report was made public at an international conference
“Responsible Mining in Armenia: Opportunities and Challenges” held
in the Armenia Marriott Hotel in Yerevan this past March 25.

At the conference opening, opponents of unbridled and unsupervised
mining in Armenia staged a counter-conference outside the hotel.

Baghdasaryan noted that while the largest taxpayer in Armenia is
the Zangezour Copper-Molybdenum Combine (paying 37.8 billion AMD in
taxes in 2013), only a tiny portion is in the form environmental and
natural resource usage fees.

PENSION ROW: PRESSURE GROUP CALLS FOR SCRAPPING ‘UNCONSTITUTIONAL’ LAW

PENSIONS | 07.04.14 | 10:41

Members of a civil initiative campaigning against the controversial
pension reform have called on the government to immediately withdraw
the law on funded pensions after some of its provisions were recognized
as unconstitutional last week.

Enlarge Photo

Dem.am deems such a step will help avoid the legal chaos that has
been created in view of various interpretations of the ruling passed
by the Constitutional Court on April 2.

The Court, while finding unconstitutional a number of key provisions of
the law, gave the government and the National Assembly until September
30 to bring them in correspondence with the country’s basic law.

Based on that, government officials have stated that the law will have
to be complied with until a specially set up working group develops
a new package to amend the law. Some even hinted that the essence of
the reform may not change, while the law eventually will be brought
into conformity with the Constitution.

In explanations of the Court ruling made in an interview with the
Public Television on April 3, Constitutional Court Chairman Gagik
Harutyunyan said that by delaying the invalidation of some of the
law provisions they seek to avoid jeopardizing ‘legal’ security as
the pension reform comprises more than 50 laws relating to various
spheres. He, at the same time, confirmed that nothing constrained the
government and the National Assembly to make the necessary changes
earlier than the deadline.

Dem.am activist Hakob Arshakyan told reporters on Saturday that the
government must give up the current system immediately. “The previous
system was functioning and one can quickly return to it,” he said. The
activist also called on the government to ensure the return of all
money so far collected from workers in favor of pension funds.

Under Armenia’s law on funded pensions, all working citizens born
after 1973 must pay five to ten percent of their salaries to privately
owned pension funds in addition to other social security payments
made by their employers. They will be able to use their accumulated
funds when they reach the retirement age, which is set at 63 for both
men and women in Armenia.

OMBUDSMAN TO YEREVAN MUNICIPALITY: POINTING OUT SHORTCOMINGS IS OUR JOB

HUMAN RIGHTS | 07.04.14 | 11:51

Armenian Ombudsman Karen Andreasyan has responded to explanations
made by the Yerevan Mayor’s Office following the publication of a
report revealing shortcomings in the work of the municipality.

Andreasyan stood by the criticism expressed in the report dwelling
on a number of particular areas that the Yerevan municipality had
presented counterarguments to.

To the observation of the Armenian capital’s authorities that the
faulty law on unauthorized construction does not allow them to work
more efficiently in eradicating corruption in the sphere, the ombudsman
replies that the Mayor’s Office has the right of legislative initiative
to amend the law, something that it did in the case with paid parking
in the city.

“In other words, if the Mayor’s Office were interested in the removal
of double standards regarding unauthorized construction, this problem
could have been solved,” Andreasyan wrote.

The ombudsman also appears to be little convinced by the municipality’s
explanation that the shortage of kindergarten places for children is
not a problem common only to Armenia, nor does he accept the argument
that the city authorities are taking measures within the framework of
the law on all illegal constructions in the city without exceptions. He
brings the sole example of Closed Market, a listed building that was
subjected to architectural modifications last year, as sufficient
proof to the opposite.

Other criticism of the ombudsman concerns the absence of public
discussions prior to last year’s controversial decision to raise bus
fares in Yerevan, the perception of disproportionate asphalting of the
central parts of the city and its suburbs, limited access for disabled
people in public transportation and elsewhere in city infrastructure,
as well as open prostitution and drug use in a central Yerevan park.

“Indeed, Yerevan has had many positive developments and good things
in our city have increased. But pointing out the existing shortcomings
is our work and redressing them is the work of the Mayor’s Office. We
do our work regardless of evaluations and ‘resonance’. We expect
the same from the Yerevan Mayor’s Office and other departments,”
Ombudsman Andreasyan concluded.

MP MARIA MOURANI CALLS ON THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT TO ACT ON KESSAB

April 7, 2014

Montreal, April 2, 2014 – Following the attack on Kessab, Syria, the
MP for Ahuntsic, Maria Mourani, called on the Canadian government to
take action:

“The primarily Armenian-inhabited village of Kessab in Syria was
recently attacked by armed men, including possible jihadists from the
al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Nusra Front, who allegedly passed through the
Turkish border. This is similar to what happened in the Christian
village of Maaloula. Another minority group has become a victim of
this dirty war.

“Will the Minister of Foreign Affairs confirm this information and
call on Turkey to take the action necessary to prevent the incursion
of armed gangs that are terrorizing civilians?”

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs
responded:

“I thank the member for raising this question. It is very important
that Canada work with its allies to ensure there is stability in the
Middle East and in that region. We will continue to work with the
government of Turkey and with other allies in that area to ensure
that safety is of prime concern, considering what is happening in the
region, and I would be more than happy to give her more information
later on in the day.”

“Kessab is not just another Syrian village. It is a historic Armenian
town where some found refuge during the 1915 genocide. When towns
such as Kessab or the Christian town of Maaloula are attacked, not
only is it a heinous crime against civilians, but it is also a direct
attack on minorities and historic sites in the Middle East. Kessab
and Maaloula are treasures for all of humanity,” said Maria Mourani.

Source : Bureau de Maria Mourani

LEGISLATURE OF JUST PROCLAIMED DONETSK PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC ASKS PUTIN MOVE IN PEACEKEEPERS

World
April 07, 14:21 UTC+4

Earlier, the deputies of the Donetsk regional council proclaimed the
state sovereignty of the Donetsk People’s Republic EPA/PHOTOMIG

KIEV, April 7. /ITAR-TASS/. The council of recently proclaimed
Donetsk People’s Republic turned to the Russian president, asking
him to introduce a temporary peacekeeping contingent.

The lawmakers unanimously supported the address of the Republican
Council of the Donetsk People’s Republic.

Earlier, the deputies of the Donetsk regional council proclaimed the
state sovereignty of the Donetsk People’s Republic. The corresponding
bill was read at the council’s session.

“The territory of the republic within the recognized borders is
indivisible and inviolable,” the council said. The legislators also
passed a decision on holding a referendum on whether or not the
region should join the Russian Federation. It will be held no later
than May 11.

Regional legislators proclaim industrial center Donetsk People’s
Republic On this background, residents of the city of Donetsk were
holding an action of protest in front of the building of the Regional
State Administration. The gathering was chanting ‘Russia, Russia!’ and
waving the Russian flags.

In the meantime, a Russian tricolor that was hoisted on a mast in
front of the building Sunday has been replaced with a larger one.

Mass meetings in support of Ukraine’s transformation into a federation
were held under Russian flags in Kharkiv, Luhansk and Donetsk Sunday.

00:00 / 00:40 SD HD The Russian tricolor standard was installed on
the building of the Kharkiv Oblast administrationMonday. Prior to
the action, the demonstrators removed the Ukrainian national flag
from the roof.

In Donetsk, the protesters seized the building of the regional
administration and the regional branch of Ukraine’s Security Service.

On Monday, supporters of turning the country into a federation
put up barricades in front of the entrance to the Kharkiv Oblast
administration. They used automobile tires among other ‘construction
materials’.

In Luhansk, unidentified people who had entrenched themselves in the
building of the Security Service’s regional branch seized the room
where service guns were kept.

On using Russian Armed Forces on the territory of Ukraine

March 1, 2014, Russia’s Federation Council gave its consent to the
president for using the armed forces on the territory of Ukraine. The
relevant decision was unanimously adopted by the upper house of
Russian parliament at an extraordinary session. Earlier, Vladimir
Putin submitted to the Federation Council an address on using the armed
forces of Russia on the territory of Ukraine until the normalization
of the socio-political situation in that country. This initiative
was proposed with regard to a plea by Ukraine’s legitimate president
Viktor Yanukovych.

Later the Ukrainian leader said that the address to Vladimir Putin
regarding the use of armed forces was triggered by the bout of armed
delinquency in Ukraine. “I’ve done it for a reason, because I became
target of the criminals. Armed gangs started to cruise around the
country. In particular, they pursued me on the territory of Ukraine,”
he said.

ARMENIA GRANTS ASYLUM TO AZERBAIJAN FAMILY THAT NORWAY DENIED

04.07.2014 15:40 epress.am

An Azerbaijan family’s request for political asylum in the Republic
of Armenia (RA) has been granted, said head of the State Migration
Service of the RA Ministry of Territorial Administration Gagik Yeganyan
on April 6, as reported by News.am [AM]

As conveyed earlier by Armenia’s National Security Service (NSS),
on January 29, citizen of Azerbaijan, Baku resident Javid Orujev
(born 1976) with his wife and three young children arrived at the
Bagratashen checkpoint on the Armenian-Georgian border and appealed to
the Armenian authorities with a request for political asylum. The NSS
said that Orujev was forced to cooperate with Azerbaijan’s special
services after marrying a woman of Armenian descent, Baku resident
Roya Mirzoeva (born 1983).

According to the decision of the Armenian authorities, the family was
given refugee status. “Their claim was satisfied; we’ve recognized
them as refugees and provided asylum in the Republic of Armenia,”
said Yeganyan.

The Azerbaijan side has not yet commented on Armenia’s granting Javid
Orujev and his family political asylum.

Earlier, Azerbaijani news agency APA reported some details about this
Azerbaijan family who had crossed the border. Javid’s mother, Mirvari
Orujeva, told the news agency that her son had a strained relationship
with his brother, who works as a technician with Azerbaijan’s public
television broadcaster. Orujev’s father was born in Shushi in 1945,
worked as a high school teacher, and died in 2008.

According to her, Javid wanted to renounce his Azerbaijani citizenship
and go through Armenia to seek political asylum in a third country.

Javid got married for the first time in 2008, but the couple divorced
after one year when it became known that his wife was already married.

“In 2009, Javid met Roya Mirzoeva on the internet and started a family
with her. They had three children. Mirzoeva was likewise married once
before and took her husband’s last name,” said Javid’s mother.

According to her, Mirzoeva’s father is composer Rauf Aliyev from
Shushi, and her mother, Aliyeva Alia Davudovnan. The late father of
Javid’s mother-in-law (Mirzoeva’s grandfather) is Davud Mirzoyan,
a native of Karabakh, an ethnic Armenian, while his wife (Mirzoeva’s
grandmother) was a Polish Jew.

Orujeva says that Javid worked for three years in a private security
service, after which he was unemployed and always dreamt of living
abroad. From 2001-2003, he lived in Russia, but then he returned. “In
2010, with his wife and child he again left for Russia, and from there,
Norway. But in September 2013, he again returned to Azerbaijan.

The government of Norway did not give them permanent residency. He
said that he received unemployment benefits. In Norway, they had two
other children, whom he named after his lawyer — Norman Bruijn and
Samuel Bruijn.”

“After returning from Norway, to obtain a permanent residence permit he
repeatedly appealed to the German and Israel embassies in Azerbaijan,
but they didn’t grant it,” said Javid’s mother.

Mirvari Orujeva believes that the idea for getting a residence permit
in a third country by going through Armenia was given to her son by
either the embassies or friends in Norway, who knew about his wife’s
Armenian roots.