Author: Kalantarian Kevo

RAFFI HOVANNISIAN DENOUNCES COMMENTS BY CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS GAREGIN II

Raffi K. Hovannisian’s hunger strike continued at Liberty Square.

During one of his speeches at a rally, Hovannisian denounced a
statement released by the office of Catholicos Garegin II, the supreme
leader of the Armenian Apostolic Church who was quick to congratulate
Serzh Sargsyan a day after his “victory.” The statement criticized
Hovannisian’s hunger strike and democratic movement. “Church and
state should not be appendages of one another,” Hovannisian said. “Do
not politicize our church and insert the Virgin Mary into a civic
struggle.”

Raffi Hovannisian also strongly condemned recent comments by European
People’s Party (EPP) President Wilfried Martens for disgracing
European values in his praise of Serzh Sargsyan’s election theft and
his tone-deaf comments regarding the falsified election results. “How
does he know that I expected 20 percent and must be happy with 37
percent? Whose script is he reading? You can guess,” Hovannisian said.

“If this is Europe, then it looks like Armenia will have to teach
Europe about the highest European values and not the other way around.”

EX-PREMIER OF ARMENIA ADVOCATES BANNING OFFSHORE COMPANIES’ ACTIVITIES IN ARMENIA’S ORE MINING INDUSTRY

ARMINFO
Tuesday, March 19, 18:39

The bill that suggests banning the offshore companies’ activities in
the ore mining industry of Armenia is already ready, ex-Prime Minister
of Armenia, MP Hrant Bagratyan says on his Facebook page. He calls on
the Armenian authorities to ban the offshore companies’ activities
in the ore mining industry, financial sphere and other vital fields
of Armenia.

Bagratyan thinks that the non-resident companies registered in the
offshore area but working outside that area receive an opportunity to
conceal their taxes and bring the capital out of the countries. “Such
a situation is being observed in the ore mining industry sphere of
Armenia. The companies registered in the offshore area own the major
part of the shares; the necessary equipment and materials are imported
from the offshore areas (naturally, at the highest prices), and export
products to the offshore areas (naturally, at the lowest prices,
and in the offshore areas they sell them at real, high prices). This
should be stopped. There should be no offshore”, he says.

To note, most of the large (including Russian) investors working
in various spheres of ore mining industry, metallurgy and financial
sphere registered their presence in the Armenian market by means of
affiliated offshore companies, among them the Rusal-Armenal foil
rolling plant. The offshore schemes on ownership of the Armenian
enterprises and number of banks make the real structure of property
and the ultimate beneficiary owners transparent. To note, in response
to ArmInfo’s request about the offshore use practice in the Armenian
banks’ capitals, the Central Bank of Armenia said earlier that
the investors’ participation is regulated at the level of laws
and legislative instruments. The CBA completely studies the future
participant to find out the beneficiary owner of the bank. In case
of crediting of offshore companies, the banks should observe some
additional requirements connected with high risk factors.

Some peculiarities related to offshore companies are also stipulated by
the country’s legislation, first of all, regarding profit taxes. As
the country experiences numerous cases of transferring funds to
the offshore areas without pursuing the goal to receive services or
commodities, the law says that if the organization fails to receive
services or commodities within a year, then a profit tax will be
levied from the whole amount transferred to the offshore area at an
interest rate of 20%.

In the meantime, Armenia has agreements with a number of offshore
states. In 2011 the country signed an agreement on avoidance of double
taxation of property and income with Seychelles. It should be noted
that according to the statistics, Armenia carries out no trade or
investment activity with Seychelles, which is an offshore area.

GEORGIAN FM RULES OUT AUTONOMY STATUS FOR JAVAKHK

NEWS.AM
March 19, 2013 | 16:37

Georgian Foreign Minister Maya Panjikidze said giving a status of
autonomy to Javakhk is out of the question.

“Armenians living in Georgia are citizens of the country and have
equal rights with Georgians. Therefore, giving them any other status
is out of the question,” she said during her visit to Baku.

Earlier Georgian Internal Minister Irakly Garibashvili assured Javakhk
is not threatening national interests of Georgia.

Javakheti or Javakhk (in Armenian) is a region in south of Georgia
mainly populated by Armenians.

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.