Author: Kalantarian Kevo

SERZH SARGSYAN ATTENDS CLOSING CEREMONY OF ARMENIAN-POLISH BUSINESS FORUM

17:05 26/06/2013 ” POLITICS

As part of his official visit to the Republic of Poland, President
Serzh Sargsyan together with Polish President BronisÅ~Baw Komorowski
in Warsaw attended the closing ceremony of the Armenian-Polish Business
Forum on Tuesday, June 25.

Serzh Sargsyan greeted the organizers and participants of the
Business Forum, spoke about the centuries-long Armenian-Polish
friendship, cooperation of the two countries in different areas, the
Armenian-Polish trade and economic relations and briefly presented
the business environment in modern Armenia, tendencies of economic
development and investment opportunities.

In his welcoming remarks, the President spoke with esteem about
the Polish authorities, in the person of President Komorowski and
the Polish businessmen who, according to President Serzh Sargsyan,
in the difficult conditions of the global economic and financial
crisis have registered great success and through their daily work
have further empowered their country.

“The Armenian-Polish friendship is centuries old and soon we will be
celebrating the thousand year anniversary of the establishment of the
first Armenian settlements in Poland. Becoming stronger with centuries,
the Armenian-Polish relations are encompassing every area.

The Armenians not only fought for independence of Poland but also
made an important contribution to the country’s development. It is no
accident that in order to advance the trade and crafts, the kings and
princes of Poland were inviting Armenians to settle in different parts
of the country, endowing them with numerous privileges and rights.

The high level of our current political relations and achievements
registered in different areas, has its origin in the spiritual and
cultural community, friendship and mutual sympathy formed during
the ages.

Regrettably, today the Armenian-Polish trade and economic ties are
substantially lagging behind the relations established in other areas.

To fill that void, we, the two Presidents have decided on the
necessity to organize a business forum – two years ago in Yerevan,
and now here, in Warsaw. It should be noted that there are already
some results, especially with regard to the presence of the Polish
companies in Armenia and their participation in different Armenian
projects. However, it is still not enough, and I urge you to be much
more active.

Distinguished Entrepreneurs,

I would like to present briefly the business environment in modern
Armenia, tendencies of economic development, as well as the investment
opportunities.

Continuous improvement of the business and investment climate is
a chief prerequisite of our economic development. Toward that end,
in recent years, we have undertaken large-scale economic reforms,
particularly related to the opening a business venture in Armenia,
construction permits, registration of property, acquisition of loans,
protection of investments, filing taxes and some other areas. The
achieved results have been reflected in the international ratings,
particularly, in the Doing Business-2012 annual report published
by the World Bank’s International Financial Corporation. According
to the mentioned report, Armenia compared to the previous year,
improved her position by 18 points, occupying the 32nd position
among 185 countries. Please note that it makes the business climate
in Armenia the best in the CIS region.

Nevertheless, we don’t believe that our efforts aimed at the
liberalization of the investment field and business climate and
improvement of the state governance structure in general stop there.

There is still a long road to go and we are passing that road with
the assistance of our European friends.

In this context, it is warranted to speak about the Association
Agreement to be signed with the European Union and the Deep and
Comprehensive Tree Trade Agreement which constitutes its part. It
will put our cooperation with the EU member states, including Poland,
on a qualitatively new and more comprehensive basis.

Last December, we signed the agreement on visa facilitation with the
European Union which was immediately followed by the cancelation of
visa requirements for the EU citizens visiting Armenia. Considering
also the Polish LOT airlines five times a week flights to Yerevan,
I trust that all obstacles for visiting our country and observing
the created conditions first hand have been removed.

Along with all this, I believe that Polish entrepreneurs would like
to know that Armenia, being a member of the CIS Free Trade Zone
agreement and closely cooperating with the Customs Union, has a
competitive advantage in the CIS region. It definitely creates extra
opportunities to enter the CIS market with more favorable conditions
through the capital invested in Armenia.

Steps are also taken toward the improvment of infrastructure and
full utilization of the existing opportunities which will allow to
decrease the transportation fees.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I would like to highlight a number of areas which, in my opinion, could
possess potential for the further development of the Armenian-Polish
cooperation.

The area of information technologies in Armenia is growing
rapidly. It ensures high profitability and is really attractive for
major foreign investments. It is proved by the presence in Armenia
of 360 companies working in the IT area, 151 of which are branches
of foreign companies. Many of the major international companies are
represented in Armenia, among them Synopsys, National Instruments,
Microsoft, D-Link, Mentor Graphics, and others.

Everything is being done to staff the field with professional cadre
and, of course, to retrain them. The Armenian National Engineering
Laboratories program is being implemented, and retraining programs
have been launched at the Microsoft innovation center and laboratories
of the Mobile Solutions.

The Tumo supermodern center of creative technologies for 12-18 years
old children has been functioning in Yerevan since 2011, and now we
are planning to extend the programs of the center to the regions of
the Republic as well.

Traditional areas which brought the international recognition to
the Armenians are jewelry making and diamond cutting. The Armenian
jewelry is sold in many countries of the world, including Poland. We
have serious programs on making Armenia a regional and why not, also
an international hub for jewelry production through the creation in
Armenia of the free zone for the jewelry production.

Armenia attaches importance to the establishment of free trade zones as
a strong incentive for the attraction of direct foreign investments,
introduction of advanced technologies, implementation of innovative
methods, and creation of new jobs.

In coming years, we are planning to make large investments in
the area of agriculture, through the technical re-equipment and
enhancement of productivity, as well as through the modernization of
processing capabilities. I would like to see the growth of the Polish
investments also in the area of tourism, mining, and health care which
are continually modernized areas with great potential for development
and which the state has declared the priority areas for development.

Distinguished Entrepreneurs,

I am hopeful that today’s Forum will enhance the establishment and
expansion of the long-term and mutually beneficial economic programs
for the prosperity of the Armenian and Polish peoples. I wish you
all success and I hope that soon I will hear of success of the Polish
businessmen in Armenia,” President Serzh Sargsyan told the participants
of the Armenian-Polish Business Forum in his welcoming remarks.

Source: Panorama.am

MKHITARYAN WOULD SUIT LIVERPOOL – ENGLAND FOOTBALL LEGEND

June 26, 2013

Mkhitaryan is a great player, England national football team and
Liverpool FC former striker Robbie Fowler stated.

The Liverpool legend expressed a view on the game of Armenian national
squad and Ukraine’s FC Shakhtar Donetsk attacking midfielder Henrikh
Mkhitaryan.

“Yes, he’s a great player. I’ve seen him a few times in the Champions
League. He’s a very attacking, very young forward. We’re linked to
him. I don’t know if he’s going to sign. Mkhitaryan would suit the Reds
[i.e., Liverpool],” Goal.com quotes Fowler as saying.

NEWS.am Sport

TOP RUSSIAN MP SLAMS US THREATS ON MOSCOW, BEIJING AS ‘ILL-CONSIDERED’

Former US National Security Agency (NSA) contractor Edward Snowden

Wed Jun 26, 2013 7:58AM GMT

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, meanwhile, emphasized on Tuesday
that his country has no extradition agreement with the US, calling
Washington’s rhetoric against Moscow as “ravings and rubbish.”

A senior Russian lawmaker has dismissed threatening US demands on
China and Russia to expel NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, saying
it would only bring Beijing and Moscow closer together.

“The threats from the United States towards Russia and China over the
Snowden case will not give results, but will just strengthen closer
ties between Moscow and Beijing,” said Foreign Affairs Committee
Chairman of the lower parliamentary house Alexei Pushkov, in a tweet
message on Wednesday cited in an AFP report.

Pushkov further described recent American harsh rhetoric against
its rival powers regarding the former spy agency employee as
“ill-considered pressure,” warning that such efforts would only
damage Washington’s relations with Moscow and Beijing at a time the
formerly hostile rivals are seeking common ground on a range of issues,
including the Syrian crisis.

The lawmaker’s statement came following angry reactions by other top
Russian officials to what has widely been regarded as US threats for
arrest and turnover of Snowden.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov earlier complained about
what he described as “threats” by US officials over the case of NSA
whistleblower.

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, meanwhile, emphasized on Tuesday
that his country has no extradition agreement with the US, calling
Washington’s rhetoric against Moscow as “ravings and rubbish.”

He also ended speculation over Snowden’s whereabouts by confirming
that he was still in the transit zone of Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport
and free to depart towards any destination he so chooses.

This is while Washington claims that there was a “clear legal basis”
to expel Snowden.

Moreover, White House spokesman Jay Carney has lashed out at Beijing,
stressing that China’s failure to “honor extradition obligations”
had dealt a “serious setback” to what he described as US efforts to
build trust with China’s new President Xi Jinping.

China’s official news agency, meanwhile, has slammed the US government
as the world’s “biggest villain” following the latest revelations
on Washington’s cyber espionage against Chinese companies and
institutions.

“These, along with previous allegations, are clearly troubling signs.

They demonstrate that the United States, which has long been trying
to play innocent as a victim of cyber attacks, has turned out to be
the biggest villain in our age,” said a commentary published in the
Xinhua news agency on Sunday.

Snowden arrived in Moscow from Hong Kong, where authorities said the
US government request to arrest him did not fully comply with the
territory’s legal requirements.

MFB/MFB

OPPOSITION: REPORT OF SUPERVISORY CHAMBER OF ARMENIA ANOTHER SHOW AHEAD OF INEVITABLE PRICE HIKE

ARMINFO
Wednesday, June 26, 16:58

Report of the Supervisory Chamber of Armenia is another show ahead
of the inevitable price hike in the country after July 7, Armen
Martirosyan, Vice Chairman of Heritage Party Board told media,
Wednesday.

He thinks that the authorities would take steps to avoid price hike
if they really cared for the people and wanted changes. If head of
the Supervisory Chamber were an oppositionist, he would expose more
embezzlements.

Martirosyan admits that there maybe internal redistribution of
influence on the resources that have seriously decreased in the
country. Armenia as a country is at a low level and unable to
fight corruption, he said. He is sure that the latest exposures of
embezzlements of the government funds are just the beginning of what
is happening in the domestic policy now. For instance, he recalled
Prosperous Armenia’s ousting from the coalition. He said that in the
government system everyone has compromising information against others
and is ready to use it if necessary.

Commenting on mass media reports regarding possible dismissal of Prime
Minister Tigran Sargsyan, Martirosyan said: “In the power structure I
don’t know any other one able to introduce western course of Armenia’s
development competently on the threshold of the Association Agreement
to be signed with the EU in autumn. In addition, Serzh Sargsyan is
satisfied with activity of the prime minister. Therefore, I think,
no changes are expected,” he said.

JORDAN, ARMENIA SIGN EDUCATIONAL AGREEMENT

Petra News Agency, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
June 24 2013

Amman, June 24 (Petra)–Jordan and Armenia signed on Monday an
educational and scientific cooperation agreement, under which both
sides will provide the other with scholarships to attend higher
education and scientific institutions in either country.

Both countries will also work to support educational and scientific
issues through joint work with international organizations and will
encourage the exchange of visits among scholars, professors, teachers,
and students, with the aim of exchanging expertise in the educational
and scientific domains.

The agreement also aims to boost cooperation and relations among
institutes from both countries, implement programs and projects,
and exchange data in educational and scientific fields.

Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Amin Mahmoud, who
signed the agreement on behalf of Jordan, highlighted the contribution
of Jordan’s 25,000-member Armenian community in assisting the country’s
development process over the past few decades.

Armenian Minister of Education and Science Armen Ashotyan, who signed
the agreement on behalf of the Armenian side, said the bilateral
cultural and scientific relations would be strengthened further with
the signing of the agreement .

? ? //Petra// ON

THE POTENTIAL OF 102ND RUSSIAN MILITARY BASE IN GYUMRI WILL BE IMPROVED

20:31, 24 June, 2013

GYUMRI, JUNE 24, ARMENPRESS: Secretary of the Security council of the
Russian Federation Nikolai Patrushev was in Gyumri on an official visit
on June 24. “Armenpress” was informed from Information and public
relations department of regional administration of Shirak that the
delegation headed by Nikolai Patrushev, Secretary of National Security
Council of the Republic of Armenia Arthur Baghdasaryan and head of
Shirak regional administration Feliks Tsolakyan visited Russian 102nd
military base. During the day the guests put a wreath in the memorial
“Honor hill” which symbolizes Armenian-Russian friendship.

Secretary of Security Council of Russia awarded with medals several
soldiers of Russian military unit.

Nikolai Patrushev estimated the works of 102nd Russian military base
as good adding that it is a modern military base and will continue its
work. Hi highlighted that the potential of the base will be improved
in future.

GOVERNMENT IS IN PANIC

Those beneficiaries of benefits for civil servants who want to spend
the benefit on travel will have to borrow money. Civil servants and
employees and teachers complained to Lragir.am that they were informed
that in order to use their benefit on travel, they will have to borrow
the money from banks.

Note that the benefit of civil servants is an annual lump-sum payment
of 132,000 AMD. Half of the sum is for mandatory medical insurance.

The rest can be spent for three purposes. The money is not disbursed
to the beneficiary. The three purposes are a mortgage loan installment,
tuition fee and a trip to Armenia or Artsakh.

The minister of finance Vache Gabrielyan said at the beginning of this
year that the policy has been improved, and the amount of beneficiaries
has increased by 30,000. The beneficiaries receive 11,000 AMD to their
bank accounts every month. If the beneficiary does not spend the money,
it is rolled over to the next year, as the government promised. Vache
Gabrielyan says this year 21.1 billion AMD will be directed to the
program instead of last year’s 15 billion.

The beneficiaries who receive approximately 50 to 120 thousand AMD
per month are dissatisfied with the policy. They note that they are
forced to borrow money from banks for their holidays.

We learned from a government official that those people who want to
spend the money for their holidays will have to borrow money from the
bank because tour operators do not accept the government’s condition
to disburse money in monthly installments.

Usually, people go on holiday in July-August when only part of the
benefit has been transferred to people’s bank accounts. So people
will have to borrow money to go on holiday which will later be repaid
by the government but interest will have to be paid either by the
government or by the beneficiary.

Our source said that according to the agreement with the banks,
the interests should be the lowest – 12-14%. Negotiations with tour
operators are still going on. The government hopes they will agree
over monthly payments.

By the way, our sources say that this issue has sent the government
into a panic. The authors of the benefit are trying to return the
previous arrangement of lump-sum disbursement.

Roza Hovhannisyan 16:41 24/06/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

ROBERT KOCHARYAN’S ENTREE

Serzh Sargsyan left for Poland, Hovik Abrahamyan for Strasburg, Edward
Nalbandyan as well, Catholicos Garegin II for France andSwitzerland.

Only Tigran Sargsyan and those who are openly trying to make him
resign are in Yerevan.

What new revelations will be made on these days? Will new players
appear who have been in the shadow for months and years? What will
Gagik Tsarukyan and Levon Ter-Petrosyan say? May Robert Kocharyan
appear?

Over the past five years Robert Kocharyan has been keeping a mysterious
silence, making statements from time to time. The most symptomatic
statement was issued on the eve of the presidential campaign. Kocharyan
said that it does not befit a Karabakhi to hinder another Karabakhi
to be re-elected as president.

Serzh Sargsyan has been re-elected, and now nothing constrains Robert
Kocharyan’s political ambitions. It’s time, as they say, for entree,
especially that all the prerequisites are there. The prime minister
is involved in an offshore scandal, Russia is pulling Armenia to
the Customs Union, the social situation is worse than ever, and the
opposition is more monolithic than ever.

Political fight between Serzh Sargsyan and Robert Kocharyan over the
past five years has been reduced to the issue whether Serzh Sargsyan
will stay for one or two terms. The issue has been resolved in Serzh
Sargsyan’s favor, and a new electoral campaign is starting.

Robert Kocharyan who is the author of the current system does not need
to change anything. He will only need to place everyone on the old
tracks. Apparently, everyone understands this, and this is the reason
why the authorities literally took up guns against Tigran Sargsyan
who is a “stranger” in this system. He was a stranger even as head
of the Central Bank during Kocharyan’s presidency because he used to
work with money and did not take part in the division of feeder.

Most probably, Robert Kocharyan will continue following the
processes from shadow, “helping” from time to time to choose the right
direction. When necessary, compromising materials can be released, the
government can be scolded through Hovik Abrahamyan’s lips, it could
be said privately that Tigran is leading Armenia to a disaster. And
when the moment comes, it will be possible to come out of the shadow
as a winner, “upon the people’s request”.

Although in Armenia they are speaking about the monolith power headed
by Serzh Sargsyan, in reality Robert Kocharyan has been participating
in everything over the past five years – in the capital, management,
elections and international affairs. Now that everyone is abroad,
only Tigran Sargsyan and Robert Kocharyan are in Armenia.

Naira Hayrumyan 15:31 24/06/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

SERZH SARGSYAN DECIDED TO KEEP SILENCE

The feeling is that Serzh Sargsyan is looking for an excuse to be
away from the country until autumn. He was on holiday over the past
ten days. Having been back from Vienna, he is leaving today for Poland.

Serzh Sargsyan’s silence starts being suspicious. It was expected that,
once back from Vienna, he would call a Republican Executive Committee
meeting after which Eduard Sharmazanov would either announce about
Tigran Sargsyan’s resignation or he would say that Serzh Sargsyan
had personally registered his offshore assets.

However, judging from his television appearances, Sharmazanov’s task
is to deal with the “alternative”, and now he is actively convincing
that they built the power together, so they are guilty together.

Serzh Sargsyan has left for Poland and we do not know yet where he
will go from there. Perhaps, he will take a leave and fly to the
United States to mark time. The number one task for the Armenian
leadership is to mark time until autumn.

Only the secretary of Russian Security Council has been able to have
a meeting with Serzh Sargsyan in Yerevan during the weekend. Perhaps,
it is impossible to hide from him. Moreover, the issue of enhancing
security at the Armenian borders was discussed.

It is not known why this issue required such an urgent discussion but
we can presume that the European partners of Armenia demand revising
the agreement between Armenia and Russia on border control. If Armenia
intends to sign the Association Agreement with the EU and to set up
a free trade area, its borders cannot be defended by the troops of
a third country which has tense relations with the EU.

These two months will probably be the most challenging months of Serzh
Sargsyan’s tenure. He may choose silence without uttering a word about
Tigran Sargsyan or the Control Chamber revelations but he cannot avoid
two main tasks – reduction of dependence on Russia and prevention of
change of government in Armenia because of the Kremlin. Moreover,
internal vicissitudes in Armenia are the derivatives of these two
tasks.

Naira Hayrumyan 12:42 24/06/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

SIGNATURES COLLECTED IN TURKEY TO PRESERVE ARMENIAN HOUSES IN MUSH PROVINCE

A signatures collection action has been launched in Turkey to prevent
the destruction of the historical Armenian houses in Mush Province. As
reported by Armenpress, the Turkish imzakampanyam.com website published
a statement, which says that currently the Turks demonstrate violation
towards all the ancient nations, “the issues of which have been left
unsettled since 1915”.

“The Armenians, Greeks and Assyrians are subjected to systematic
massacre. The process, launched by the Armenian Genocide of
1915, is now continued as a cultural and economic genocide”, –
says the statement. The organizers of the signatures collection
raised their voice of protest on the occasion that the “Justice and
Development” Party, governing in Mush Province, intends to destroy
the historical Armenian houses in Mush and give them to the TOKI
building company. “They aim at getting maximum profit and destroying
the collective memory”, – stated the organizers.

To preserve the historical Armenian heritage, the participants of
the launched signatures collection action intend to collect 10,000
electronic signatures.