Author: Kalantarian Kevo

ARMENIAN YOUNG CHESS PLAYERS TO STRUGGLE FOR WORLD CHAMPION TITLE

[ Part 2.2: “Attached Text” ]

21:02, 24 July, 2013

YEREVAN, JULY 24, ARMENPRESS: Chess youth world championship will
take place in United Arab Emirates on December 18-29.

“Armenpress” was informed about this from Armenian chess federation.

Armenian chess players traditionally have successful performance in
this competition, particularly at the previous tournament grandmaster
Hovhannes Gabuzyan gained silver medal in the group of under 18
year sold.

In this authoritative competition best performance shave young chess
players from India, Russia and USA.

SEYRAN OHANYAN VISITED ARMENIAN SOUTH-EASTERN BORDER

[ Part 2.2: “Attached Text” ]

20:41, 24 July, 2013

YEREVAN, JULY 24, ARMENPRESS: Defense Minister of the Republic of
Armenia Seyran Ohanyan on July 23-24 visited south-eastern border
of the country. “Armenpress” was informed from press service
of the ministry that Seyran Ohanyan visited military bases on
Armenian-Azerbaijani border, got acquainted with readiness and moral
state of soldiers, and checked the reliability of defensive and
engineering buildings.

The minister visited newly built defensive buildings, got acquainted
with construction works. Seyran Ohanyan held a working consultation
with command of army and subordinate units, gave orders and adjusted
the timing of their implementation. He also had private conversations
with solders and officers. The defense minister mentioned with
satisfaction that positive trends have been recorded in army relating
to physical and moral protection of soldiers, the social-household
conditions of soldiers have been improved. In result of implemented
construction works the sanitary conditions of military barracks also
have been improved.

RALLY IN SUPPORT OF ARMENIAN DRIVER NEAR RUSSIAN EMBASSY IN BRUSSELS (VIDEO)

July 24, 2013 – 16:46 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – A rally in support of Armenian driver Hrachya
Harutyunyan accused of causing a deadly road crash in Podolsk was
held outside the Russian embassy in Brussels on Tuesday, July 23.

The protesters demanded to condemn disrespectful treatment of
Harutyunyan as well as the behavior of Russian journalist Olga
Skobeeva who constantly stressed the driver’s nationality in her
humiliating reportage.

18 people died after a truck carrying macadam ran into a passenger bus
in an outlying area of Moscow. The accident occurred when the truck
plowed into the side of the bus near Oznobishino, a settlement in
the Moscow municipality about 40 kilometres south of the city center.

The trick driver faces up to 7 year behind bars.

ARMENIAN PM SAYS HE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE RISE IN THE PUBLIC TRANSPORT FARE IN YEREVAN AND PASSES THE BUCK TO THE MAYOR
by Tatevik Shahunyan

Thursday, July 25, 12:52

Some political forces are trying to politicize the civil protests
against the rise in the public transport fare in Yerevan, but this
is just a civil campaign against poverty, Armenia’s Prime Minister
Tigran Sargsyan said during the Government’s meeting on Thursday.

He said that the protesters are seeking solidarity and justice. “I
understand them. A strong civil society is taking shape in Armenia, and
we must consider this fact when deciding something,” the Premier said.

He said that the Government also gives high priority to the
independence of local governments – for this is one more step towards
democracy.

Sargsyan expressed displeasure with the work of the Municipality of
Yerevan and, particularly, the mayor of the city Taron Margaryan. He
said that the rise in the public transport fare was within the
Municipality’s competence. So, he advised them to henceforth consult
people before passing crucial decisions. The Premier said that he
and the Cabinet are attentively following the Municipality’s actions.

To note, the decision to raise the public transport in Yerevan was
not a surprise for the Government as the Premier claims. Before
being passed it was discussed at two government meetings. In one of
his interviews before the rise Armenia’s Transport and Communication
Minister Gagik Beglaryan said that the Government would consider the
people’s interests when raising the fare. But now that the people
have begun to protest, the Government is denying its complicity and
is trying to pass the buck to the Municipality.

To remind, people in Yerevan are actively protesting against the
decision to raise the public transport fare in the city from 100 AMD
to 150 AMD. Groups of activists are urging people to continue paying
100 AMD. Some car owners are carrying people free of charge. A group
of protesters are now picketing the Government building.

12.5 THOUSAND PEOPLE DEMAND FOR AN APOLOGIZE OF THE RUSSIAN JOURNALIST OF “ROSSIYA 1″ TV TO THE ARMENIAN DRIVER

Wed, 07/24/2013 – 17:14

On July 21, under the petition for the apologize by the Russian
journalists from ” Rossiya 1” TV to the driver of Armenian decent
Hrachya Harutyunyan, 12,5 thousand signatures are put, ”gazeta.ru”
writes refereeing to ”change.org” website.

According to the author of the initiative Narek Stepanyan, during the
program of ”Vesti” covering the accident in New Moscow, disrespectful
expressions were made. Reporter Olga Skabeeva said that the refusal
of Hrachya Harutyunyan to testify was a hoax rather than an issue
connected with his health condition.

The journalist showed openly aggressive behavior which is unacceptable
in the media; she specifically singled out Harutyunyan’s ethnicity,
pronouncing his name with special focus – Hrachya instead of Hrachya.

Now the electronic folder of the collected signatures will be forwarded
to ”РоÑ~AÑ~AиÑ~O 1” TV channel.

Note that on July 13, in New Moscow loaded “KAMAZ” of Hrachya
Harutyunyan collided with the passenger bus resulting in 18 deaths
and 30 wounded people. H. Harutyunyan is arrested.

Author: Factinfo – See more at:

“TRANSPORT” DISOBEDIENCE GATHERS PACE IN YEREVAN
by Nana Martirosyan

ARMINFO
Thursday, July 25, 00:56

The actions of protest against the 50% rise in the public transport
fare are gathering pace in Yerevan.

ArmInfo’s correspondent reports from the scene that thousands of
protesters have made their way from Mashtots Park to Republic Square.

They are holding posters and drums. Car drivers are also taking an
informal part in the action. They are beeping and crying out various
slogans. Bike riders are holding posters saying “Let’s Pay 100 AMD”.

The Free Car campaign participants keep on giving a free lift to the
citizens. However, the activists report that the police stop the cars
of some participants of the campaign and try to fine them.

To note, the protests have been held since July 20. Some drivers have
already joined them. Today morning the drivers of microbus line N20
began a strike in front of Taron Margaryan’s house. The drivers of
microbus line N82 (owned by MP Samvel Alexanyan) continue charging
just 100 AMD form their passengers. The activists protesting against
the rise in the public transport fare in Yerevan to 150 AMD have
launched a freecar.am website. Officially more than 10 drivers have
joined the Freecar action but unofficially there are more than 100
drivers who are giving people free lifts all over Yerevan.

SYRIE : 17 MORTS DANS DE VIOLENTS COMBATS ENTRE KURDES ET JIHADISTES

SYRIE

(AFP) – Au moins 17 combattants kurdes syriens et jihadistes ont
peri mercredi dans de violents combats dans la province de Hassaka
(nord-est), soit le huitième jour d’affrontements entre les deux bords,
rapporte une ONG syrienne.

Les combattants kurdes effectuent des avancees cette region, où ils
cherchent a etablir une region autonome.

Au moins 13 combattants de l’Etat islamique en Irak et au Levant
(EIIL) et du Front Al-Nosra, deux groupes affilies a Al-Qaïda,
ont ete tues dans ces violents combats dans le village de Mechrafe
contre les Kurdes, qui ont perdu quatre hommes de leur côte, selon
l’Observatoire syrien des droits de l’Homme (OSDH).

Mechrafe se situe au sud de Ras al-Aïn, la ville kurde frontalière
de la Turquie d’où l’EIIL et Al-Nosra ont ete chasses le 23 juillet,
provoquant l’embrasement de la region de Hassaka avec des combats
dans plusieurs localites.

Les affrontements se sont egalement repandus dans la province voisine
de Raqa, plus a l’ouest. Dans cette region, les localites sont mixtes
entre kurdes et arabes, ce qui provoque de plus en plus de tensions
entre les deux communautes.

Toujours a Hassaka, dans la localite de Jal Agha, un kamikaze a fait
exploser une voiture devant un barrage kurde, faisant deux morts
parmi les combattants.

Avant le debut du soulèvement contre le president Bachar al-Assad en
mars 2011, les Kurdes etaient très marginalises – l’une des premières
mesures consenties par M. Assad au debut de la contestation avait
ete d’octroyer la nationalite syrienne a une partie d’entre eux. A
partir de mi-2012, les forces de M. Assad se sont retirees des zones
kurdes, laissant des conseils kurdes locaux les prendre en main. Ces
changements ont fait remonter a la surface une mefiance profondement
ancree entre les deux communautes, exacerbee par l’incapacite
de l’opposition syrienne a faire une place a des representants
de mouvements kurdes au sein de leurs instances, ont indique des
militants.

jeudi 25 juillet 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

LA RUSSIE SOUS LE FEU DES CRITIQUES

ARMENIE

La presse armenienne continue a commenter le traitement ” inhumain
” inflige au ressortissant armenien Hratchia Haroutiounian en Russie.

Rappelons que celui-ci, a l’origine d’un accident de la route en
Russie, le 13 juillet, ayant coûte la vie a 18 personnes, a ete conduit
devant un tribunal de Moscou en habits de femme et manifestement
sous l’influence de medicaments (cf. revue du 17.07). Ce traitement,
ainsi que les reportages des televisions russes, qui ont a raille
ses ” mugissements ” et ont mis l’accent sur son origine ethnique,
ont suscite une très vive indignation auprès de la societe armenienne
comme sur les reseaux sociaux. Le 17 juillet, pour la deuxième journee
consecutive, une manifestation a eu lieu devant l’Ambassade de Russie
a Erevan, mais egalement devant le Consulat general russe a Gumri. Le
President du Parlement, Hovik Abrahamian, a diffuse une declaration
estimant ” inadmissible et inhumain ” le traitement inflige a ce
citoyen armenien. M. Abrahamian a egalement exhorte les autorites
russes a mener une enquete objective, afin que soient identifies et
punis les vrais responsables de cette tragedie.

Le Ministère armenien des AE a indique a son tour que des diplomates
de l’Ambassade d’Armenie a Moscou ont rencontre M. Haroutiounian dans
sa cellule. Celui-ci a assure que ses conditions de detention etaient
” normales ” et qu’il recevait des soins medicaux adequats.

L’Ambassade de Russie a Erevan a egalement diffuse une declaration,
regrettant les tentatives de politiser cette ” tragedie ” et accuse
” certains individus ” de l’exploiter afin d’attiser un sentiment
anti-russe en Armenie. L’Ambassade a egalement assure que l’enquete
sur l’accident serait ” impartiale, exhaustive et meticuleuse “. ”
La tragedie qui a eu lieu près de Podolsk n’a aucune dimension
ethnique “, selon la declaration. Le quotidien pro-gouvernemental
Hayots Achkhar qualifie la declaration de l’Ambassade de Russie d'”
hypocrite “, cherchant a deformer les faits. Le commentateur estime
que l’expression de ” sentiments anti-russes ” en Armenie, pour
autant qu’elle se soit manifestee, constitue une reaction adequate
a l’expression de ” sentiments anti-armeniens ” en Russie, attises
par les reportages ” nationalistes ” des televisions russes.

Commentaires de presse

L’editorialiste d’Aravot rappelle aux journalistes russes, auteurs
des reportages ” nationalistes ” qu’ils ne sont ni procureurs, ni
juges et que le racisme et la xenophobie sont interdits par les lois
russes. Ce quotidien publie aussi un article intitule ” Bataille
de nerfs : la Russie detruit avec ses propres mains la conviction
encree en Armenie selon laquelle la Russie est l’unique garant de la
securite de ce pays “. L’auteur de l’article estime de surcroît, que
” dans les relations armeno-russes, la Russie semble avoir opte pour
une recrudescence des tensions “. Il cite la recente augmentation
du prix du gaz par la Russie, la vente par celle-ci d’armements pour
un milliard de dollars a l’Azerbaïdjan. Il ajoute que la Russie a ”
perdu ” la Georgie et la Moldavie, est en train de perdre l’Ukraine
et une partie de l’Asie centrale. ” La Russie devrait donc songer au
respect dont elle devrait faire preuve a l’egard de l’Armenie et de
ses citoyens… “.

Le quotidien Azg appelle au calme : ” Plus les rassemblements devant
l’Ambassade de Russie se poursuivent, plus on met en danger les
milliers de citoyens armeniens residant en Russie “.

168 Jam accuse les autorites armeniennes de ne pas avoir ete capables
de bâtir un pays dont les citoyens n’emigreraient pas par milliers ”
en quete non pas d’une vie aisee, mais d’une vie simplement normale “.

Le commentateur rappelle que la Russie a de surcroît la mainmise sur
tous les secteurs et entreprises strategiques en Armenie et se permet
a ce titre de ” faire la pluie et le beau temps ici “.

Extrait de la revue de presse de l’Ambassade de France en Armenie en
date du 19 juillet 2013

jeudi 25 juillet 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

CONSPIRACY?: RULING PARTY REP SEES OUTSIDE INFLUENCE BEHIND BUS FARE HIKE PROTESTS IN YEREVAN

ANALYSIS | 24.07.13 | 09:49

Photolure

Razmik Zohrabyan
By NAIRA HAYRUMYAN
ArmeniaNow correspondent

Vice-chairman of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia Razmik
Zohrabyan has urged the youth not to succumb to provocations of
superpowers and not to fuel social tensions in the country.

The senior member of the governing party made the appeal in response to
continuing protests in Yerevan against the 50-percent rise in public
transport fares. The protests that first started on Friday, on the
eve of the day when the new fare rates became effective, have been
growing stronger in the following days, with analysts describing the
phenomenon as a classic social rebellion. These protests, however, can
be more precisely described as first civil disobedience actions when
people do not obey government decisions they consider to be unlawful.

Protesters speak about the absence of grounds for such an increase in
bus fares which is disproportionate even to the rise in natural gas
prices, while diesel fuel prices have not risen recently at all. Also,
protesters challenge the legal procedure on making the decision, saying
that the decision made by Yerevan Mayor Taron Margaryan has not been
published yet, which means that it has not entered legal force yet.

The opposition Barev Yerevan faction in the Council of Elders of
Yerevan has called for an extraordinary meeting of the body to discuss
the situation. The Armenian Revolutionary Federation, which is not
represented in Yerevan’s municipal assembly, has backed the call.

Meanwhile, Mayor Margaryan has not commented on the situation, while
President Serzh Sargsyan and Parliament Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan are
on vacation in Austria.

With conspiracy theories being very popular in Armenia, authorities
have used, on a number of occasions, references to ‘world conspiracies’
in settling problems with their own society. But this time there
might be quite real grounds behind what Zohrabyan says. A social
revolt and destabilization in the country would play into the hands
of those who do not want Armenia to initial an Association Agreement
with the European Union in autumn.

At first glance, Russia would be the first party interested in that.

On the level of pundits and political analysts the Kremlin has
tried to derail Armenia from its European course. On the other
hand, there is an opinion that the Armenian government itself would
be interested in delaying the initialing of the document to avoid
immediate complications. Some circles have hinted that as the process
has provoked a strong reaction from Russia and its consequences may
be unpredictable, it is better not to hurry in the negotiations with
the EU.

It would hardly be serious to contend, however, that the Armenian
authorities would themselves provoke a social uprising in order
to postpone the initialing of the Association Agreement with the
EU. Most likely, after the recent increase in natural gas prices,
which was accepted in society relatively easily, the authorities have
decided that they can carry out yet another act of ‘racketeering’
and get away with it. But this time it apparently didn’t work.

No doubt, some forces can use the social rebellion and anti-government
sentiments to, indeed, provoke unrest, but there seems to be a broader
understanding now that in that case blame would lie not with the
rebellious youth whom the senior Republican is accusing of playing
into outside forces’ hands, but with the authority who have been
accused by critics of pursuing a policy of ‘racketeering’ the public.

ZHOGHOVURD: TRAFFIC FARE RISE NOT LEGALLY JUSTIFIED

09:46 24.07.13

The paper says it has managed to learn that the decision to raise
the passenger fees is not justified by any legal act.

Citing the legislation, it says the fares for the public transport
can be revised only based on justified calculations submitted by
the company responsible for operating the route. That is requires a
decision by the municipality, which according to the paper, is missing
in the present circumstances. TÕ°e paper says the city authorities
have apparently reached an oral agreement with the route owners to
impose higher prices.

“The municipality has afforded such a luxury for the simple reason
that the route owners are its own people – [Mayor] Taron Margaryan,
his brother-in-law Robert Sargsyan, who is a lawmaker of the Republican
Party of Armenia, Head of the Yerevan City Hall’s Transport Departmenrt
Henrik Navasardyan etc,” says the paper.

Armenian News – Tert.am