Author: Kalantarian Kevo

Armenian President, Ministers, and MPs to Get a Raise

10.04.2013 20:54 epress.am

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan is going to get a raise: he will be
paid 900,000 AMD (about $2,220 USD) per month instead of the current
400,000 AMD (about $987), Chair of the parliamentary Standing
Committee on Social Affairs Hakob Hakobyan informed a correspondent
with the local daily Haykakan Zhamanak.

Ministers and MPs’ salaries will also go up, reaching 600,000 AMD
(about $1,480).

According to a state budget bill presented in parliament, the
systematic increase in salaries is expected to begin from Jul. 1,
2014. Meanwhile, RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan earlier had said
salary increases in all sectors is expected on Jan. 1, 2014, and Serzh
Sargsysan at a meeting with the RA Ministry of Education and Science
in August likewise promised that salaries would go up from Jan. 1.

Asked by the Haykakan Zhamanak correspondent why the authorities were
deceiving the public, Hakobyan said: “This is not deceiving. This is
accurately assessing the available options. If we wanted to deceive,
we would have deceived; we know the way to deceive. But to tell the
bitter truth, that we don’t have the money, is a fact; that is our
bitter truth.”

Sad news on Teachers’ Day: Armenian education official speaks of layoffs

13:48 – 05.10.13

A deputy director of Armenia’s National Education Institute said
Saturday that an earlier promise to raise the salaries of secondary
school teachers has now caused the government to think of layoffs.

At a news conference devoted to the Teachers’ Day, Anahit Bakhshyan
said that school principals are periodically invited to the financial
departments of regional community administrations and the Yerevan City
Hall for considering plans of personnel optimization.

Bakhshyan, a former opposition MP of the Heritage party and a
pedagogue by profession, said many principals have applied to the
Institute with complaints that they do not wish any layoffs and have
the necessary financial resources. She said there is absolutely no
legal document necessitating such a measure.

The amount of funding in state-run secondary schools, which are
registered as non-commercial organizations in Armenia, depends on the
number of pupils. Those schools have the right to independently manage
their fund, without the state’s intervention.

`The methodical board chair is the person responsible for coordinating
teachers’ work on a bunch of subjects or a single subject. If you do
not pay that person, he will not do what he is supposed to,’ she said.

Teachers of the Armenian language and mathematics have been paid more
since the Soviet times for checking written papers, but the new
reforms propose that the extra payments be removed.

That point in the reforms package appeared to be the only thing to
which the opposition MP demonstrated an understanding approach.
Bakshyan said it would be fair to either pay the pedagogues an equal
sum for checking written papers or exclude the extra payments for all.

Armenian News – Tert.am

Closer EU ties with post-Soviet states not aimed against Russia: Estonia FM

October 5, 2013 – 15:37 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Some post-Soviet republics’ attempts for closer ties
with the EU are not aimed against Russia, Estonian Foreign Minister
said.

As Urmas Paet said in an interview with Interfax, there’s no reason
for conflict even if Ukraine signs a free trade agreement with the EU.
The whole issue, he said, is “blown out of proportion.”

“The Eastern Partnership program is not an anti-Russian one,
cooperation with post-Soviet republics being beneficial to the
latters,” he said.

Easter Partnership projects will not end with the Ukraine-EU
association and free trade agreements inking and initialing of similar
deals with Moldova and Georgia, the official said.

“Much depends on the expectations of the republics in question. While
Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova seek closer ties with the EU, other
states show more restraint,” he said.

The official found it hard to say which of the 6 states involved in
the program will be ready to sign the free trade and association
agreements. “Much here depends on the EU’s stance,” he said, according
to Rosbalt.

Armenia completed technical talks on a `deep and comprehensive
free-trade agreement’ (DCFTA) with the EU in July and it was set to be
signed at a summit with the EU in late November. In addition to a
free-trade deal, Armenia has been working towards the signing of an
association agreement with the EU, a framework agreement on
co-operation that is seen as a first step towards political
integration with the EU.

However, during a Sept 3 meeting with Russian President Vladimir
Putin, Armenian leader Sargsyan said Armenia is ready to join Customs
Union, with further plans to be involved in formation of the Eurasian
Economic Union. Mr. Putin supported the initiative, vowing procedural
assistance to Armenia.

Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt described Armenia’s intention as a
U-turn in relations with the European Union. `Seems as if Armenia will
break talks on free trade agreement with EU and integrate with Russia
instead,’ he said.

Linas Linkevicius, the Foreign Minister of Lithuania, which holds the
rotating EU presidency, said Armenia `has blocked its chances of
signing a free trade deal with the European Union by choosing to join
the Russia-led union.’ `We respect any choice of countries but they
cannot enter both organizations at the same time because of different
tariff requirements,’ he said.

In a separate statement, Linkevicius and seven other ministers from
Nordic and Baltic countries warned against Russian pressure on
post-Soviet states. `Any economic threat or political pressure
directed against Eastern partners because of their European
aspirations and engagement with the EU is unacceptable,’ they said.

The European Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy,
Stefan Fule said the Customs Union membership is not compatible with
the DCFTAs which have been negotiated with Ukraine, the Republic of
Moldova, Georgia and Armenia.

`This is not because of ideological differences; this is not about a
clash of economic blocs, or a zero-sum game. This is due to legal
impossibilities: for instance, you cannot at the same time lower your
customs tariffs as per the DCFTA and increase them as a result of the
Customs Union membership,’ he said during the European Parliament
plenary meeting in Strasbourg in a statement on `the pressure
exercised by Russia on countries of the Eastern Partnership.’

`It may certainly be possible for members of the Eastern Partnership
to increase their cooperation with the Customs Union, perhaps as
observers; and participation in a DCFTA is of course fully compatible
with our partners’ existing free trade agreements with other
Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) states,’ Fule said.

The Customs Union was formed in 2010 to include of Belarus,
Kazakhstan, and Russia; Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan later expressed
willingness to join the Union.

RUSSIA JILTED ARMENIA

It’s been a few days Armenia cannot figure out on the basis of
what “paper” the gas price went up in Armenia and whose pocket the
“additional income” flows to. It turns out to be no agreement between
Armenia and Russia. There may be some agreement between ARG and
Gazprom but even Galust Sahakyan is unaware of its existence.

What is happening? Aram Manukyan of the ANC thinks that something
exists on paper that the authorities are reluctant to make known to
the public. It may be the agreement of the Armenian government to
give 20% of ARG to Gazprom. This was Russia’s stipulation for not
raising the prices too high. And Armenia offered the shares of ARG
in return for subsidy.

When Serzh Sargsyan agreed voluntarily in early September to join
the Customs Union, the minister of energy Armen Movsisyan announced
that Russia has agreed to subsidize the gas price. However, either
he hurried or lied because Russia never pays to Armenia, it only
deceives and grabs.

Although Serzh Sargsyan says that everything is OK with documents,
it is not exactly true. Apparently, Russia has claimed a “voluntary”
clause in the agreement on giving 20% of ARG shares to Russia and
disclaimed the clause on subsidy. All Armenia will do is believe
Moscow but Moscow has jilted Armenia, as always.

On September 3 the Kremlin made promises of multi-billion rubles for
the railway, nuclear power plant and gas subsidy. However, recently
Armenia and Russia have signed an agreement on economic cooperation for
20 years which states nothing about billions, including the gas price.

Armenian high-ranking officials prefer silence on how many times
Moscow has deceived Armenia, perhaps because they only sustain the
moral damage while the Armenian people experience the material damage.

People will pay more for gas, people will suffer because Russia does
not invest anything in Armenia and hinders other investors.

Instead of looking for the guilty the Armenian opposition and civil
society must initiate boycott of the new price of gas. There is already
such experience. The City Hall could not present the documents that
prove the rise in fare so it had to repeal the decision. There are
no documents proving that the gas price has gone up, so the Armenian
consumers have no reason to pay more for gas.

Naira Hayrumyan 12:16 05/10/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

40 000 JEUNES ADOLESCENTS D’ARMENIE NE TROUVERONT PAS LEUR AME SUR DU FAIT DU DESEQUILIBRE DEMOGRAPHIQUE

ARMENIE-DEMOGRAPHIE

Dans les prochaines annees, environ 40 000 adolescents d’Armenie ne
parviendront pas a trouver leur âme s~ur ! Ce sont les sociologues et
demographes Armeniens qui l’affirment. Ainsi selon Gaguik Haïrabedian
le directeur du bureau armenien de la Fondation sociologique de
l’Onu, en Armenie pour la generation qui va arriver sous peu en âge
adulte, on constate un deficit de filles estime a environ 40 000 par
rapport aux garcons. ” Si nous entrons actuellement dans les ecoles,
nous voyons qu’en moyenne les garcons sont de 15 a 25% plus nombreux
que les filles, alors que cela doit etre generalement le contraire
” affirme G. Haïrabedian. Selon lui ce problème est general a tout
le Caucase où les parents desirent avant tout avoir des garcons. ”
A l’epoque sovietique, les parents ne pouvaient pas distinguer
auprès d’une femme enceinte le sexe de l’enfant. Mais aujourd’hui les
technologies nous le permettent ” dit-il. Ainsi les avortements sont
selectifs et privilegient les garcons au detriment des filles selon G.

Haïrabedian. Selon le Centre national d’etudes statistiques d’Armenie,
en 2011 lors des naissances on comptait 23,1% plus de garcons que
des filles, et 20,2% en 2012.

Krikor Amirzayan

samedi 5 octobre 2013, Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

AIR FORCES COMMANDER: “ARMENIA’S S-300 COMPLEXES ARE OUTDATED AND FOR THEIR PERFORMANCE LAG BEHIND THOSE IN AZERBAIJAN”

APA, Azerbaijan
Oct 4 2013

[ 04 October 2013 17:46 ]
Altay Mehdiyev: “The missiles owned by Armenia have been removed from
Russia’s inventory”

Baku. Rashad Suleymanov – APA. “The modernized S-300 air-craft missile
complexes, which are used by Azerbaijani Army, are included in the
arsenal of very few countries,” said commander of Azerbaijan’s Air
Defense Forces Altay Mehdiyev addressing the event at the military
unit of the Air Defense Forces with the participation of MPs and
journalists, APA reports.

Mehdiyev said that this system has high precision: “Precision in
relation to each target is 99%. S300 complexes have also included in
Armenia’s arsenal. But those missiles have been removed from Russia’s
inventory. They are outdated and for their performance lag behind
those in Azerbaijan. Today, Azerbaijan has the strongest air defense
system in the region.”

ARMENIAN OPPOSITION MEMBER TO LOSE PACE DELEGATION SEAT OVER CASINO QUESTION – PARLIAMENT SPEAKER

Interfax, Russia
Oct 3 2013

YEREVAN. Oct 3

Heritage opposition party member Zaruhi Postanjyan will be excluded
from Armenia’s delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council
of Europe (PACE) for insulting Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan.

“Given Armenian parliamentarian Postanjyan’s conduct at yesterday’s
PACE session, and bearing in mind the regulations of the National
Assembly, I announce that after consultations with the parliamentary
factions I will introduce certain changes to the composition of
the Armenian delegation to PACE,” Armenian Parliament Speaker Hovik
Abrahamyan said on Thursday.

During the PACE session on Wednesday, Postanjyan asked the Armenian
president where he had found the money to pay off the 70 million euro
debt he allegedly lost in a European casinos.

Sargsyan, for his part, denied the claim, saying that he had never
been to any casinos.

tm cm

GERARD CAFESJIAN HELPED SAVE CAROUSEL

Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN)
October 3, 2013 Thursday
METRO EDITION

by RICHARD MERYHEW; STAFF WRITER, STAR TRIBUNE (Mpls.-St. Paul)

He had a love for merry-go-rounds

Growing up near Coney Island in the 1930s, Gerard L. Cafesjian
developed an affection for merry-go-rounds.

So much so that when the Minnesota State Fair carousel was put up for
sale more than a half-century later, the West Publishing Co. executive
donated more than a half-million dollars to help keep it from being
dismantled and sold.

“I believe something special happens on a merry-go-round,” Cafesjian
told the Star Tribune in 1990 after being identified as the secret
benefactor behind a 16-month campaign to save the carousel. “The music,
the magic and the movement combine to create a one-of-a-kind personal
experience. When we preserve the carousel we also preserve that joy and
hope – that happiness – for the entire community for years to come.”

Cafesjian, formerly of Roseville, was living in Naples, Fla., at the
time of his death Sept. 15. He was 88.

The son of Armenian immigrants, Cafesjian was born in Brooklyn, N.Y.,
and grew up hopping the subway to Coney Island, where he’d pay a
nickel to ride on the merry-go-round.

After graduating from high school, he joined the U.S. Navy, served in
the South Pacific during World War II, then took advantage of the G.I.

Bill to earn an economics degree from Hunter College and a law degree
from St. John’s University.

He practiced law in New York for several years, then joined the
editorial staff of West Publishing Co. in New York City before moving
to the company’s headquarters in St. Paul in 1960.

Over three-and-a-half decades, he rose through the company ranks,
eventually becoming executive vice president in charge of marketing
and advertising.

Although he served in a high-profile position at West, Cafesjian
shunned publicity and lived a largely quiet life until 1990, when
he was identified as a major benefactor behind efforts to save the
76-year-old State Fair Carousel. Cafesjian wasn’t the only person
to pledge money to the cause. But he provided the largest portion of
the funds needed to save the merry-go-round, with its 68 hand-carved
horses, from being taken apart and auctioned in pieces.

“I saw the preservation of this wonderful carousel as a special way
that I could offer a measure of happiness to children of all ages and
our community as a whole,” he said in the 1990 interview. At the time,
Cafesjian was a member of two national carousel associations.

The carousel was refurbished and relocated to St. Paul’s Town Square,
where it was renamed after Cafesjian. It was later placed in storage,
then moved in 2000 to Como Park, where it remains today.

In addition to his love of carousels, Cafesjian collected art and was
a passionate advocate and contributor to various Armenian projects,
including the Armenian Assembly of America and the Armenia Fund USA.

In 2009, he opened the Cafesjian Center for the Arts in Yerevan,
Armenia, which contains more than 5,000 sculptures, paintings and
other works of art, including many collected by Cafesjian himself.

Cafesjian was preceded in death by his wife, Cleo. He is survived
by a sister, Mary Dobbs, daughter Kathleen Baradaran, son Thomas,
one granddaughter and three great-grandchildren.

No service has been scheduled.

Richard Meryhew

DISQUIET ON THE EASTERN FRONT

European Voice
October 3, 2013

The European Union’s plans for closer ties with its eastern neighbours
are coming under strain because of strong-arm tactics by Russia,
writes Andrew Gardner

The European Union is stepping up diplomatic activity in its eastern
neighbourhood in a bid to reassure Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia of
its support in the face of anti-EU pressure from Russia.

This week, member states’ ambassadors for security and political
affairs have been in Georgia and Moldova. Karel De Gucht, the European
commissioner for trade, spent yesterday in Ukraine (2 October). Last
week, the members of the Council of Ministers working group for the
Eastern Partnership visited Ukraine.

All three countries hope to initial or sign significant trade and
political agreements with the EU at a summit of the EU’s Eastern
Partnership in Vilnius on 28-29 November.

Diplomats and officials say that although the increased diplomatic
activity is partially explained by the need to prepare for the Vilnius
summit, the visits come in response to a request from Catherine
Ashton, the EU’s foreign policy chief, for member states and the EU
institutions to increase their visibility in the region. The purpose
is to reassure each of the countries of the EU’s support in the face
of pressure from Russia.

Ashton’s request follows Russia’s success in persuading Armenia to
announce that it would join the Eurasian Customs Union, rather than
complete an already negotiated free-trade agreement with the EU. While
the EU is seeking new ways to revive relations with Armenia, Russia’s
diplomatic coup effectively reduced the activity of the EU’s Eastern
Partnership programme to just three countries. The EU’s relations
with Belarus have barely developed in many years, while relations
with Azerbaijan have languished, aside from trade in energy (see box).

Russia has restricted imports both from Ukraine and Moldova – in
Ukraine’s case, explicitly making a link with the country’s bid
for a trade deal with the EU. Russia explained its ban on Moldovan
wine exports on alleged impurities, but the European Commission
indicated last week that it believed the move was political. The
Commission suggested that the EU should open its market to Moldovan
wines immediately “to ease some of the difficulties the Republic
of Moldova is experiencing with its wine exports to some of its
traditional markets”.

Viorel Ursu of the Open Society European Policy Institute in Brussels
says that “Russian pressure has united theMoldovan political elite
around the European agenda”. In Ukraine too, political parties have
shown similar unity to date.

But EU officials are less confident about Georgia, where they perceive
a change of tone by candidates of various stripes in the presidential
election campaign, towards advocacy of closer ties with Russia. There
has not been a corresponding mood shift among the electorate. The
EU’s fear is that Russia has been lobbying or pressuring politicians
(see page 11).

An EU official admitted that the EU had not expected Russia to exert
so much pressure ahead of the Vilnius summit. The EU is now preparing
a range of scenarios should Russia squeeze its neighbours again,
but it also intends to reach out to Russia more in the coming weeks.

The main message that officials and national politicians will
be asked to convey is that the EU is not engaged in a geopolitical
battle with Russia. They will argue that the EU’s planned trade deals
with Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia would benefit Russian businesses,
by improving the business environment.

Beyond that, the EU is holding out the very long-term prospect of a
free-trade bloc emerging between the EU and Russia. Russia’s President
Vladimir Putin has himself in the past proposed the “creation of a
harmonious economic community stretching from Lisbon to Vladivostok”.

While disavowing the notion that the EU is engaged in a geopolitical
struggle, EU officials also stress the significance of the Vilnius
summit. One well-placed source told European Voice that “if Vilnius
comes off, history will judge Vilnius as one of the most important
milestones in the history of this continent”.

ARMENIA TO PAY OFF RUSSIAN DEBT WITH EUROBOND PROCEEDS

Agence France Presse
October 3, 2013 Thursday 2:51 PM GMT

YEREVAN, Oct 03 2013

Armenia said on Thursday it will use proceeds from its first eurobond
issue to pay off a debt owed Russia ahead of schedule.

The small ex-Soviet Caucasus nation earned $700 million from its
eurobond issue last month, marking an important step in efforts to
win foreign investor confidence.

A eurobond is a bond issued in a currency other than the one of the
country in which it is issued. It is often used to provide traders
an added incentive to invest in countries perceived as too risky.

Finance Minister David Sargsyan told a government meeting that most
of the funds generated would go toward paying back some $440 million
(325 million euros) leant by Russia in June 2009, at the height of
the financial crisis.

The Russian loan had been scheduled over 15 years but the government
would pay it off now, Sargsyan said.

Armenia recently caused consternation in Brussels after it announced
that it would join a Russian-led customs union, thereby ending years
of negotiations on a free trade agreement with the European Union.

mkh-del/zak/arp