Author: Kalantarian Kevo

SERZH SARGSYAN A LIAR – ARMENIAN EX-PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE

16:42 ~U 19.03.13

Armenian ex-presidential candidate Raffi Hovannisian has responded to
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan’s statements at his Monday meeting
with journalists.

“I am neither hungry nor angry with the world. I am authorized by the
Armenian people,” Mr Hovannisian said. He feels sorry that President
Serzh Sargsyan scorns the people’s votes by elaborating on how many
people are present in the square.

According to him, both five years ago and now many more people did
and do attend rallies than Armenia’s president claims.

“We must not necessary prove our victory in the square. We are
everywhere. Our victory is everywhere,” Mr Hovannisian said.

The very fact that the incumbent president’s slogan Toward Secure
Armenia was seen on thousands of buildings is sufficient for revising
the presidential election results. According to him, such a fact alone
would be sufficient to declare the elections illegal in “Mr Martens’
country” [means the President of the European People’s Party] or in
any other developed country.

With respect to his meeting with President Serzh Sargsyan, Mr
Hovannisian said: “A lie is the claim that I allegedly said that I
had not won. I said ‘Elections have been rigged, Mr Sargsyan, and
you know it best of all. Your calculations are not true and I offer
you to order the opening of all the ballot boxes that we can see the
real results, given the ballot box stuffing.'”

“You accepted untimely congratulations. And I said I exaggerated
by saying I had won with 80 percent. I said each of us represented
large sections of the population and presented my proposals,” Mr
Hovannisian said.

Mr Hovannisian also disproved President Serzh Sargsyan’s statement
that he had allegedly accepted and even discussed the “third version”
proposed by Armenia’s president.

“Neither he nor I ever discussed my involvement in government, and
he agreed that would be wrong,” he said.

The Heritage party leader believes he must present his proposals to
the people though they do not have any force after “Serzh Sargsyan
rejected” him and “there is nothing on the agenda.”

The Armenian president’s press service “edited” the video record of
Mr Hovannisian’s meeting with Serzh Sargsyan to show Mr Hovannisian’s
alleged demand for a closed meeting. Also, the two did not reach any
agreement on sending any documents to each other.

KARABAKH’S GOVERNMENT PRIORITIZES CONSTRUCTION OF SCHOOLS IN REPUBLIC: EDUCATION MINISTER

STEPANAKERT, March 19. /ARKA/. Construction of schools in the
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) is one of the government’s priorities,
NKR Minister of Education Slava Asryan told reporters yesterday in
the republic’s capital Stepanakert.

In 2013 the constructional works, launched two years ago in 22
educational facilities of the republic, will continue. Eight of these
facilities are new pre-school establishments, he added.

Minister clarified 2,996 children are registered in pre-school
establishments of the NKR; of them 2, 615 -in public establishments,
and 744-in private ones.

“The demand for kindergartens is big, especially in the capital, and
this issue is of the utmost importance of the government,” Asryan said.

He also said in 2012 the republic saw the first graduates of a 12-year
educational system. Also, last year chess was introduced to schools
as a mandatory course.

“The analyses demonstrated we had chosen the right policy,
particularly, high schools managed to solve the issue related to
raising quality of education,” Asryan noted and added that 63% of
freshmen students at Artsakh State University and universities of
Armenia are graduates of high and related schools.

He also noted in 2012 the government focused on organizing
qualification trainings for specialists.

“In accordance to the current legislature, the teachers should pass
a mandatory attestation, and each teacher should take an attestation
every five years. Last year we conducted pre-attestation training
involving 848 teachers,” he said and added these days teachers are
being trained in the republic.

Minister noted different sport and military-sport contests,
intellectual games, subject Olympiads are organized to reveal abilities
and skills of pupils.

“In 2012, 315 pupils of 9-12 grades participated in the Republican
Olympiad on 11 subjects. Of them 104 gained prizes. Also 38 teachers
were awarded who showed the best results. Moreover, 41 pupils won
an opportunity to participate in the Republican Olympiad in Armenia,
and 21 pupils got certificates of different degrees,” he resumed. -0-

NEWSPAPER: GAGIK TSARUKYAN HAVE DECIDED NOT TO ECONOMIZE FUNDS FOR BRIBING OF VOTERS AT YEREVAN COUNCIL OF ELDERS ELECTION

ARMINFO
Tuesday, March 19, 11:46

The leader of the Prosperous Armenia Party Gagik Tsarukyan have decided
not to economize funds for bribing of voters at Yerevan Council of
Elders election to be held on 5 May.

According to Zhamanak daily, Tsarukyan said in a narrow circle that
his party is tuned resolutely and should win or increase its faction
in the Council of Elders. He also added that if the ruling RPA gives 10
thsd drams ($25) to every voter, the PAP is going to give 20thsd drams
($50). Moreover, Tsarukyan said that they can give even $100 if needed.

JULIO IGLESIAS GIVES CONCERT IN YEREVAN (PHOTO)

MARCH 18, 23:58

World famous singer Julio Iglesias gave a concert in Yerevan on Monday
which was attended by around 7,000 people.

Opening the concert with El Amor, Iglesias confessed it is a long
expected visit. In early 70s singer met Charles Aznavour who invited
him to visit Armenia.

“It is never late to visit my country,” Julio quotes Aznavour. During
the last 40 years Iglesias was thinking about a concert in Armenia
where he could gather all his fans.

“Tonight I promise to give you my heart,” he told the audience.

During nearly two-hour concert, Iglesias performed around 18 songs
un Spanish, Italian, French and English.

Photo by Arsen Sargsyan/NEWS.am

NEWS.am STYLE

PAPER VANGUARD SHOW AT THE “HAYARTUN” CULTURAL CENTER OF THE ARMENIAN DIOCESE IN GEORGIA

23:51, March 18, 2013

On 16 March, 2013 by the initiative of the art group at the “Hayartun”
Cultural Center of the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox
Church in Georgia (teacher Tamara Sulkhanihvili) and with the support
of the “Hayartun” Cultural Center, in the Calouste Gulbenkian Hall
“TAMAR and KIDS PAPER FASHION SHOW” took place. The event was
initiated within the framework of the program “Let’s protect the
environment”. Paper that is made from wood is the result of cutting
down trees. Frugally consuming paper, we protect our environment
and save trees from destruction. Any type of paper, whether it is:
cardboard, newspaper, white and colored paper, parchment, foil – can
be turned into a beautiful dress or accessory. This was the purpose
of display of clothes created by each participant.

Children (4 to 16 years) from different schools in Tbilisi participated
in the event. More than 40 children of different nationalities
presented on the catwalk the results of their imagination and handwork
(clothing and accessories) made from different types of paper, while
the teacher Tamara Sulkhanishvili commented on each of the work. The
students of the kindergarten and Sunday School of the “Hayartun”
Cultural Center also participated in the show.

Students of Shushi department of the Narekatsi Art Union in RA
had also represented pictures of their work on the paper show. And
14-year-old Zhenia Muradyan, who came from Yerevan, presented clothes
of her own production.

Host of the evening, the teacher of aesthetics Tamara Sulkhanishvili
in turn also presented different types of paper clothes.

At the end of cheerful and entertaining show the Head of the Diocese of
the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church in Georgia, His Grace Bishop
Vazgen Mirzakhanyan blessed the audience and praised tastefully
organized by Tamara Sulkhanishvili activities, which are dedicated
to environment protection. Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan welcomed the
unification of children from different countries in the project and
the organization of such educational activities, and described the
show as a wonderful festivity.

Press service of the Diocese of Armenian Apostolic Church in Georgia

STUDENTS DEMAND REMOVAL OF YSU RECTOR’S ASSISTANT

11:08, March 19, 2013

Today at 2:30, student activists will present their demands to
Yerevan State University Rector Aram Simonyan that his assistant,
Gevorg Melkonyan, be removed from office for his unprofessional and
provocative behavior during a student boycott last month.

Students are continuing their sit-down protest outside the YSU and
are collecting signatures to have Melkonyan removed.

WE WILL RECOGNIZE KARABAKH’S INDEPENDENCE – ARMENIAN PRESIDENT

NEWS.AM
March 19, 2013 | 13:12

YEREVAN. – What will Armenia’s recognition of the Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic (NKR) give to Karabakh’s population? Armenian President Serzh
Sargsyan asked this, during his talk with a group of journalists on
Monday, responding to the remark that he had considered as adventurism
ex-presidential candidate, opposition Heritage Party leader, former
FM Raffi Hovannisian’s demand that Armenia recognize NKR.

“Before reaching a decision, a sensible politician should comprehend
what results he will achieve, what price he will pay to carry out
this decision,” Sargsyan noted, and asked: “What will the recognition
of NKR give to the citizens of Karabakh and Armenia today? Will
recognition make the lives of these citizens more secure? Will this
decision improve the lives of Karabakh’s residents?”

As per the President, this matter is real.

“What will this decision give to the citizens of Armenia? Will Armenia
become more secure? Will Armenia’s international standing elevate? I
see nothing that it would give to Armenia’s citizenry, or to Armenia,”
he stated.

Reflecting on this matter from the opposite end, Sargsyan specifically
noted as follows:

“If we make such decision, the [OSCE Minsk Group brokered peace]
talks will be ceased; this will be a slap not solely to the other
negotiating side, but also to the [Minsk Group] Co-Chairs. If a war
breaks out, will we fight against the whole world on our own? A person
needs to understand what war is.”

As per Sargsyan, this was the reason why he harshly reacted to
Hovannisian’s aforesaid demand because, according to the President,
one cannot think up of a more unwise move.

“But I repeat again. We will recognize NKR’s independence if military
operations are launched. We have nothing to lose at that time, and
we will state that we are either a united state, or Karabakh is an
independent state, and that we are the guarantor of the safety of
the population of Karabakh. We will recognize NKR’s independence
if Azerbaijan launches military operations, or creates such an
inextricable situation that we would have no alternative. In all other
cases, it is a betrayal to our soldiers, to our citizenry. We are
speaking about emigration [yet] inciting war? We are speaking about
democracy yet putting everything at risk with such unwise decision?”

Armenia’s President noted.

ETHNIC ARMENIAN FILMMAKER’S “DEMI POINTE” SHORT FILM TO BE FEATURED IN BOSTON INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

TERT.AM
13:38 ~U 19.03.13

“Demi Pointe,” a short film written and directed by ethnic Armenian
young filmmaker Talin Avakian, will be featured in this year’s Boston
International Film Festival (BIFF), The Armenian Weekly reports.

The film festival will take place at the Boston Loews Cineplex/AMC
on Tremont Street from April 12-21.

The Boston International Film Festival is the largest International
Film Festival in Massachusetts, and one of the largest in the United
States. This year, “Demi Pointe” was chosen out of 2,600 entries,
and will be one of 100 films (both feature length and short) in
the program.

“Demi Pointe” (featuring Sydney Penny, Rachel Scott, Robin Ann
Rapoport, and Amy Freedman) is a short fictional narrative about
a young girl who struggles to speak. As a selectively mute child,
Sydney retreats to her vivid imagination during class and other
situations where she may be expected to verbally communicate, as a
way to escape her anxiety. Sydney begins to see a speech therapist,
who decides to take an empathetic approach in therapy. As therapy
progresses, Sydney discovers her love for ballet, and uses that as
an outlet for communication.

ANDRIAS GHUKASYAN: PEOPLE SHOULD PRESENT AN ULTIMATUM TO ALL POLITICAL FORCES

19:27 18/03/2013 ” Politics

To invite all political forces here is not only the task of Raffi
Hovannisian and Heritage party, former presidential candidate Andrias
Ghukasyan announced on the sidelines of the open civil council at
Liberty Square.

“It is the task of the people to invite them here,” Ghukasyan said,
adding that the people should present an ultimatum to all political
forces which constantly declare that they stand by the people’s side.

“For us, the meaning and essence of April 9 will be determined at
this square. All others, wherever they are, will be against the people.

Even if they stay at home, it will mean that nevertheless they
acknowledge the control of the authorities over them,” Ghukasyan
concluded.

The Central Electoral Commission of Armenia on February 25 announced
the final results of the presidential elections in Armenia. According
to them, Serzh Sargsyan won the elections with 58.64% of the votes,
while his closest rival, Raffi Hovannisian, received 36.75% of
the votes. Hovannisian disagrees with the election results and is
holding mass protest actions. On March 4, representatives of Raffi
Hovannisian and former candidate Andrias Ghukasyan handed an appeal
to the Constitutional Court disputing the results of the February 18
presidential elections in Armenia.

The Constitutional Court rejected the appeals of Raffi Hovannisian
and Andrias Ghukasyan on March 14.

DYNAMO MAY SIGN ARAS OZBILIS

Many good clubs are setting sights on Armenian national’s midfielder
Aras Ozbilis thanks to his great game, his agent Dmitry Selyuk said.

“Aras has everything to become a top player. Many clubs are setting
sights on Aras Ozbilis thanks to his great game. Dan Petrescu wants
to see Aras in Dynamo Moscow,” Selyuk said.

Selyuk noted that he has two offers made by European clubs from the
leading championships, izvestia.ru reported.