Author: Kalantarian Kevo

JAVAKHK’S PROSPECTS FOR A NEW BEGINNING
by Michael Mensoian

February 6, 2013

The recent visit to Armenia by Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili
of Georgia may indicate a new beginning for the Armenians of Javakhk
(Georgia’s Samtskhe-Javakheti region). However, the Byzantine world
of international politics is part reality and part illusion. Gauging
intent from what political leaders say is not overly reliable.

A local Armenian stands amid ruins of an Armenian church in Javakhk
(Photo by Aaron Spagnolo, ) In an interview
a few days following Ivanishvili’s victory in the October 2012
parliamentary election, he expressed surprise that “the Motherland of
Armenia is just next door. For me it is incomprehensible. I have lived
in France, in the United States, but I’ve always seen my village,
my soil in my dreams.” While this comment may burnish his public
image as a nationalist and his emotional attachment to Georgia,
he failed to realize that the Javakhayer also see their village and
their soil in their dreams-Javakhk, and not Armenia-simply because
Javakhk has been the only home they and their ancestors have known
for centuries. Then, during his visit to Armenia, the prime minister
offered an opposing view that “…Armenians must feel in Georgia like
in their home country.” Hopefully it will be this sentiment that will
guide his actions.

While in Armenia, Ivanishvili graciously acknowledged the overwhelming
support the Javakhk-Armenians gave to his Georgian Dream Party (GDP).

In thanking them, he said he had made “…many promises. I won’t list
these promises now. But I guarantee that the ball is now in my court.”

During the parliamentary election, he continued, “I visited settlements
inhabited by Armenians and I got a hearty welcome. We understand each
other well. The government I head will do its best…to provide for
their integration and will keep all the promises.” For the time being
we must accept at face value the prime minister’s stated intention
to keep his campaign promises to the Javakhayer.

However, given the present situation in Georgia where power is vested
in two opposing leaders-Prime Minister Ivanishvili of the GDP and
President Mikhail Saakashvili of the National Movement Party (NMP)-the
prospect for change at this early stage is problematic. President
Saakashvili is a formidable opponent. He still retains considerable
support among the Georgian electorate, and is favored by the United
States and Western Europe for his pro-western stance. If the prime
minister moves too quickly in renewing ties with Russia or enacting the
promised changes for Javakhk, he can expect to be met head-on by the
opposition. The presidential election in 2013 should be an important
test for the present administration. A victory by Saakashvili would
stiffen his party’s opposition to any significant proposed initiatives
that may run counter to policies and programs established during
the his eight years in office. A resounding victory could place the
prime minister’s foreign and domestic agenda (especially with respect
to Javakhk) in jeopardy. A Saakashvili victory could also limit the
degree of cooperation the Georgian Orthodox Church might be willing
to extend the prime minister in resolving the issue of ownership and
rehabilitation of Armenian Church property. Until now, Georgian Church
leaders have been intransigent in their dealings with representatives
of the Armenian Church in Georgia.

Having said that, the 2012 parliamentary election represented a seismic
shift in Georgian politics. Seismic because Ivanishvili has indicated
a willingness to consider issues and implement initiatives that: 1)
are beneficial to the Javakhk Armenians; 2) will expand and intensify
economic ties with Yerevan; 3) will encourage dialogue concerning
ownership of Armenian religious property contested by the Georgian
Orthodox Church; and 4) will seek to improve Georgian-Russian relations
(which should benefit Armenia).

In a polarizing and extremely contentious campaign, Ivanishvili’s
GDP received about 54 percent of the vote, with Saakashvili’s UNM
(United National Movement) garnering the balance of the vote. No other
party reached the five percent threshold. As a result, the 150-member
parliament is represented either by the GDP or the UNM. The relation
between the two parties is acrimonious at best, and on many significant
issues they hold opposing views. It can be expected that President
Saakashvili’s NMP will vote en bloc in opposing or curtailing the
intent of legislation important to the Javakhk Armenians. Xenophobia
still remains a potent force within the Georgian government.

During his visit to Armenia, the prime minister said that he expected
the railway from Russia to Armenia via Abkhazia and Georgia to reopen.

This is a 180-degree turn from Saakashvili’s policy, which held
the opening of the railway hostage to a Russian-Georgian dialogue
concerning the status of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. This policy
placed an added burden on the already fragile Armenian economy.

Coincidentally, a representative of the Armenian community in Abkhazia,
Galust Trapizonian, lent his voice to the need to reopen the railway
to Armenia. Although its opening is important to Armenia’s economy,
it is of greater importance to Russia’s geostrategic interest in
strengthening its presence in the south Caucasus. Mentioning the
likelihood of its reopening is a major initiative by Prime Minister
Ivanishvili that heralds the intent to reinstate a pro-Russian
orientation while continuing Georgia’s policy of developing closer
ties with Europe.

During his visit, the prime minister touched upon two principal areas
of concern that are vital to the Javakhk Armenians: their ability
to educate their children as Armenians, and the opportunity to be
effectively integrated in the socioeconomic and political life of
Georgia. He agreed that the history of the Armenian people should be
taught in the Armenian schools and that a project would be set up
to achieve that objective. What is meant by “setting up a project”
and agreeing on material that serves the needs of Armenian school
children, while not denigrating Georgian history, is to be determined.

Related issues include the teaching and use of the Armenian language
in public documents, the ability of teachers to participate in
professional meetings in Armenia, allowing in-service courses for
teachers in Javakhk, and the right to have supplies and equipment
for Armenian schools enter Georgia unimpeded.

The need for socio-economic and political integration is another vital
objective that will not be easy to achieve, even with Ivanishvili’s
support. Integrating an ethnic minority could be a hard sell,
especially in view of the many ethnic Georgians who have not
benefitted from the economic development that has taken place during
the eight years of President Saakashvili’s administration Also,
for many Georgians, sandwiched as their country is between Russia
and Armenia, the Russian-Armenian relationship is viewed with some
concern. Georgians are fully aware as to what happened with respect
to their Abkhazian and South Ossetian regions and the de facto
independence of the Artsakh-Armenians in neighboring Azerbaijan. How
much demagoguery is required to tap into the latent concerns of
ethnic Georgians that their Samtskhe-Javakheti region, which shares
a common border with Armenia, could face a similar fate? President
Saakashvili and the NMP can be expected to allude to this possibility
or even suggest that legislation beneficial to Armenians comes at a
cost to economically overlooked ethnic Georgians. While these fears
are unfounded, it would not prevent Saakashvili’s NMP from using
such tactics. Both Russia and the Armenians in Georgia are obvious
targets to attack and weaken Prime Minister Ivanishvili’s domestic
and foreign agenda, and his popularity.

Vahagn Chakhalyan’s from prison followed, by several weeks, the
release of Armenian activists Armen Gevorgyan and Ruben Shekoyan. His
delay was the result of pressure by Saakashvili supporters to exclude
Chakhalyan’s name from the list of eligible political prisoners.

Chakhalyan’s release generated a fusillade of condemnation by members
of the opposition NMP that can best be described as vehement and
demagogic. At the time of his arrest on July 21, 2008, Chakhalyan was
the leader of the United Javakhk Democratic Alliance. The reason for
his arrest, the constraints placed on his right to defend himself,
and the rampant judicial misconduct during the months of his trial
guaranteed his conviction. Saakashvili’s policy was to view any
activism as a prelude to more serious challenges to the country’s
spatial integrity, especially with respect to the Javakhk Armenians
(see “Javakheti Activist Vahagn Chakhalyan: Justice Denied by Georgia,”
the Armenian Weekly, September 19, 2009).

The xenophobic mind-set that influences the Georgian politician
(and possibly a segment of the electorate) is deep-rooted, and an
unfortunate obstacle to developing a democratic society. Ivanishvili’s
promises to our brothers and sisters in Javakhk speak to an improved
quality of life that has been long delayed. However, at this point in
time little can be guaranteed. Both the prime minister and the Javakhk
Armenians have a determined adversary in Saakashvili and the NMP.

In what could be a significant breakthrough for the Armenian Church in
Georgia, in his meeting with the Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin
II, the prime minister assured His Holiness that he would personally
monitor resolving the ownership of contested Armenian Church property.

A resolution to this long-running controversy would go a long way
toward improving the situation of Armenians in Georgia.

With respect to Armenia itself, the victory of the GDP and Ivanishvili
marks an opportunity to improve and expand economic ties between
the two countries. Armenian President Serge Sarkisian suggested the
creation of a common market that would be beneficial to both countries,
and the prime minister accepted in principle. However, any benefits
to be gained by greater cooperation between Armenia and Georgia or
the reopening of the railway should not end up lining the pockets of
the oligarchic dons who have hijacked the Armenian economy for their
personal gain.

For the Javakhk-Armenians, this is the first opportunity within the
past 100 years to achieve a better quality of life within their own
lands. The diaspora can do its part through its philanthropic and
humanitarian organizations by complementing Tbilisi’s initiatives. The
prime minister has a background as a very successful entrepreneur
and could be amenable to an entity cooperatively established by these
diasporan organizations, which would undertake various projects within
parameters acceptable to his administration. An improvement in the
quality of life for our people in Javakhk is absolutely necessary
to halt their continued out-migration. We can help by accelerating
the change promised by the prime minister. If the present situation
continues or change occurs at too slow a pace, Javakhk could be
irretrievably lost within the next 20-30 years. That is something we
cannot allow to happen.

NY HAMAZKAYIN SCREENS TJEKNAVORIAN’S ‘ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE’

February 6, 2013

By Arto Khrimian

On Sun., Jan. 27, the New York chapter of the Hamazkayin Educational
and Cultural Society held a screening in the Pashalian Hall of St.

Illuminator’s Cathedral of the documentary film “Enemy of the People:
Armenians Look Back at the Stalin Terror,” directed and produced by
Zareh Tjeknavorian.

“Enemy of the People: Armenians Look Back at the Stalin Terror”
Dr. Ara Caprielian, the chairman of Hamazkayin of New York, during
his welcoming remarks expressed his gratitude to Rev. Fr. Mesrob
Lakissian for making the Pashalian Hall available for such cultural
events. He then introduced Zareh Tjeknavorian to the audience.

Tjeknavorian was born in Fargo, N.D., but grew up in a cosmopolitan
and international environment, as his father, composer and conductor
Loris Tjeknavorian, toured in various countries. Zareh Tjeknavorian
thus lived in San Francisco, New York, Iran, London, Germany, Paris,
and Armenia. He graduated from the Tisch School of the Arts, New York
University, in 1992, with a bachelor’s degree in film and television
production.

“Enemy of the People,” narrated by Eric Bogosian, is Tjeknavorian’s
most widely known documentary film, and depicts Stalinist oppression in
Armenia. National Geographic Magazine recommended it as one of three
must-see films about Armenia, along with “The Color of Pomegranates”
by Sergei Parajanov and “Ararat” by Atom Egoyan.

In the documentary, Tjeknavorian interlaces black and white archival
film with his original color footage of interviews and scenes. It
opens with a scene of Joseph Stalin’s funeral procession. Thousands
of mourners wait in line to pay their last respects. Then, a direct
quote from Stalin eerily encapsulates the historic perspective of his
terror: “The death of one man is a tragedy. The death of millions,
only statistics.”

During Stalin’s reign, from the early 1930’s until his death in 1953, a
terror campaign swept the USSR; nearly 25 million people were executed
or exiled to “gulags,” or forced-labor camps, in remote areas of the
Soviet Union. Armenia suffered dearly from Stalin’s terror, as nearly
each citizen was turned into either an informant or a victim.

The latter were accused of being “enemies of the people.” Stalin
demanded conformity for the good of the state, rationalizing that
since he represented the state, to be against him meant to be against
the revolution. Thus, Stalin coerced the entire society into becoming
accomplices to his crime.

The heart-wrenching interviews with survivors of the gulags and the
children of the prisoners who perished reveal that common working
people, along with innocent intellectuals, were persecuted and exiled,
and many disappeared without a trace. Against the archival footage
depicting the torturous labor in the gulags, the film juxtaposes
new footage that shows the unearthing of human bones from an obscure
mass grave in a newly developed residential area in Armenia. Later,
the documentary shows one of Stalin’s “glorious” speeches, in which
he promises-to a fervently applauding crowd-to protect the Soviet
people: “[I will protect] the working class, the peasants, and the
intelligentsia.” Those people, particularly the intelligentsia,
were the very same people whose lives were destroyed by his paranoid
oppression.

Although “Enemy of the People” is a documentary, Tjeknavorian, with
his artful filming and skillful editing, succeeds in adding subtle
drama and suspense to his work. At the finale, the audience wishes
it were much longer than 58 minutes.

“Frankly, I was green when I made this film,” he said during the
question-and-answer segment of the program. This was his first
full-length film, commissioned by Louise Simone of the Armenian
General Benevolent Union (AGBU). “I would do it a little differently
today.” Tjeknavorian also explained that he had no choice but to
edit out some of his favorite parts, so that it could be shown on
public television.

Yet, he is quite happy with the entirety of the work, which includes
more than 200 interviews and about 100 hours of documentary footage.

He went to the most remote corners of the Soviet Union to film the
places Armenians were exiled. Tjeknavorian also interviewed former
members of the Peoples Commissariat for Internal Affairs (NKVD) and
the Soviet secret police, as well as officials. His contacts helped
him find surviving Armenian victims. Those interviews are of historic
value now that most of the interviewees/witnesses have passed away.

Among very many valuable interviews, he mentioned an interview with
Elena Bonner (Lusik Alikhanyan), who was a human rights activist in
the Soviet Union and the wife of the renowned physicist and dissident,
Andrei Sakharov. “That interview was very interesting, but I could not
include her in this film because it would not fit into the storyline,”
he said.

Tjeknavorian also mentioned the attempts made by certain apologists
to whitewash the truth about Stalin’s terror, also known as the Great
Purge, and to absolve him of his despicable crimes. Such efforts,
however, eventually turn out to be futile in light of the truth and
the verdict of historians.

Tyrants such as Talaat Pasha, Hitler, and Stalin were avid students
of history, and they cautiously promoted a positive, admirable image
of themselves during their reign. Now that history has identified
them as the greatest villains of human kind, can we hope that future
tyrants will think twice before committing another purge or genocide?

At the conclusion of the program, Caprielian invited Fr. Mesrob
Lakissian to the podium to give closing remarks. Fr. Mesrob expressed
his pleasure at seeing such a poignant film, congratulated Zareh
Tjeknavorian on his accomplishment, and presented him with a
beautifully crafted miniature replica of the Armenian Genocide
Commemoration Monument erected in Antelias, Lebanon. He also praised
Caprielian and the Hamazkayin Board members for organizing the
function. In response to Caprielian’s expression of gratitude for
making the Pashalian Hall available without charge for such events,
Fr. Mesrob said, “We renovated the Pashalian Hall for that very same
purpose. Anytime you organize a cultural event, the hall is yours.

This is also your cultural home.”

SAMBO ISN’T PROMOTED IN ARMENIA – FEDERATION HEAD

February 6, 2013 – 19:32 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Armenian sambo federation president slammed the
measures taken to promote the sport discipline in the country.

As Levon Hayrapetyan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter, Armenian sambo
wrestlers won 38 medals in 2012, with 32 of them secured in European
and world championships and 6 in world cup.

“The athletes are not even congratulated on their victories. Though
sambo is not an Olympic sport, Olympic sports don’t meet public
expectations,” he said, adding that sambo helps raise healthy
generation.

“Last year we received AMD18 mln funding. Despite this, our wrestlers
continue successful participation in championships,” the federation
head said.

INTERVIEW: ARMENIAN ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVIST MARIAM SUKHUDYAN

Posted by Liana Aghajanian on February 4, 2013 at 12:49 p

Armenian environmental activist Mariam Sukhudyan/Photo courtesy
Mariam Sukhudyan

Mariam Sukhudyan is the quintessential face of Armenia’s active
environmental community. Through her activism both on the ground and
with the help of social media, she has carried the message of pertinent
environmental issues beyond the borders of the South Caucasus country
and gathered much admiration in the process.

In 2010, Sukhudyan was awarded the U.S. Embassy of Armenia’s first
ever Woman of Courage Award, honoring her “responsibility, courage
and leadership in the pursuit of justice.” The award came after her
and a group of volunteers at the Nubarashen Special School Number
11 alleged child abuse from staff, statements that she once faced
up to 5 years imprisonment for, before the charges were dropped and
redirected towards school staff.

Since then, she’s been at the forefront of the struggle between
activists and government officials in Armenia over the future of
Armenia’s lucrative mining industry and the unrepairable damage that
she says Armenia can’t afford.

Learn more about Sukhudyan, the environmental movement in Armenia
and why the battle over Teghut Forest is so important to activists
in our short interview below:

Q. When did you first become interested in the environment, and why?

A.I first became interested in environmentalism when I noticed things
taking place around, wilfulness towards nature and environment, The
civil struggle began with Symphony of Stone in Garni in 2007 , when a
group of people were destroying the monument of nature with crowbars
for the workshop of Paravon Mirzoyan, the director of national art
gallery and for the church floor of Hovik Abrahamyan. Yet later it
was known, the natural monument became means for serious business,
and it was being mercilessly destroyed.

Q. What is the current environmental situation in Armenia like?

A. It ‘s much like a sick , wounded woman who will be saved only by
means of her endless love and immense faith…If we don’t turn this
love into efficient activity, we wont have Armenia any more …

Q. Why is it so important for you to be an environmental activist
in Armenia?

A. It’s absolutely of no importance which way I will be called ,
environmentalist or activist , simple citizen of RA (Republic of
Armenia), a woman fighting together with her maternal instincts,
or a blind romantic person… reality is that we lose Armenia, and
the opportunity of living atmosphere, producing healthy generation
and having continuation, the type of an Armenian person is being
degenerated and it is the problem of all of us , irrespective of our
geographical position.

Q. Can you describe what victories you have had in your fight to
protect the environment in Armenia and also what failures?

A. Struggle is a victory itself , the man who fights never loses,
if there is still someone who believes and does his best to change
the country he lives in, then nothing is lost. Sometimes victories
are visible and tangible as, let us say the struggle in Trchkan,
where the building of water power plant was suspended and the biggest
waterfall in Armenia was saved.

Khosrov forest reserve was saved from becoming restaurant and and a
place of fun … As we know, by government’s decision one great part
of the forest reserve was given to be built on, this illegal activity
was again banned on behalf of community and NGOs .

The biggest achievement is civic revival , because Armenia is just
like its citizens , it’s our internal mirror. So if we seek for a
good and worthy life, respected rights, harmony with nature so first
and foremost we should be the one to take the initiative and pass on.

We won’t allow our rights to be violated every time … while you
stoop, do not complain, but if they ride you, this mean it’s high
time to draw our spine up.

Armenian activists protesting illegal logging/ Photo courtesy Mariam
Sukhudyan

Q. What is the most important environmental problem facing Armenia now?

A. The mining industry gnaws from inside our organism like a worm.

Armenia is like a tasty, juicy fruit, which is being attacked from
different sides, squeezing out the juice of our homeland , Armenia
becomes deprived of juice, air , water and life. If we do not stop
the wilfulness performed in the sphere of mining industry, we will
destroy the country that we inherited centuries ago. It’s quite enough
to take a map and look at the sectors where metal mining industries are
marked and the scene of the environment we live in will be clear , if
we do not stop this policy then in fact all is a lie, our patriotism,
love towards our children and family worship.

Q. Through Facebook and the internet, you get a lot of support from
people around the world, including the Armenian Diaspora. How does
that make you feel?

A. It’s very good that diaspora is gradually interested in the
environmental issues of Armenia, today Armenia contains not only
victims of genocide. There is also the living breathing nowadays
Armenia , which is again in need of huge attention, love and concrete
actions. We expect that Armenians living abroad will feel themselves
inside Armenia and from now on will take part in today’s life of
Armenia, irrespective of the fact which corner of the world they live
in. Armenia needs you.

Mariam Sukhudyan/by Yeghia Trchkani Nersesian

Q. Can you tell me about some of the most recent event you were
involved in, saving the Trchkan Waterfall as well as Mashtots Park?

Why are these issues important to you?

A. The park belongs to the community and no one has the right to
sell it, divide it, spoil it and make a trading center. It’s time
for a simple citizen to understand that this country belongs to him
and he is the owner and the servant , that he has to take part in
events round him. We lose our type, we lose the human inside us ,
the environment which nourished us for centuries.We MUST kill the
slave and awake the owner.

Our next battle is Teghut, we call on the whole diaspora to focus
its thoughts and activity towards Teghut, in case of need to travel
with tents to the North of Armenia and with their presence suspend
the disastrous performance of the mining industry , the collecting
of one hundred million tonnes of industrial wastes and its flow into
surrounding environment, I have to remind that here are the traces
of Qur Araqs cultural civilization…. And while losing Teghut,
we will turn over the last page of Armenia.

To learn more about the environmental movement in Armenia, visit the
Pan-Armenian Environmental Front

ARMENIAN PM READY TO ASSIST IN ADVANCING EU REFORMS

YEREVAN, February 6. / ARKA /. Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan
received today an EU Advisory Group delegation, led by Head of EU
Delegation to Armenia, Ambassador Traian Hristea. The government
press service reported.

The Group members briefed the premier on the developments relevant
to the EU-Armenia deep and comprehensive free trade zone arrangement.

Pointing to the progress made in this area, Traian Hristea advised
that the 4th round of talks is currently being held at Brussels. He
stressed that after the signing of the Association Agreement,
Armenia will enjoy a status of associate member that will open up
new opportunities before our country to be followed by an updated
cooperation agenda. The parties went on to discuss joint action in
the field of justice, human rights, food security etc.

“I would like to thank you for the work done so far, which is very
important to us. Should you see any bottlenecks on the way to reforms,
please do not hesitate to contact me so that we would not miss the
opportunity to benefit from your advice,” the Prime Minister said.

Traian Hristea once again pointed out that the EU is ready to continue
assisting Armenia in different areas of the reform process.

Negotiations on the Association Agreement Armenia-EU started on
June 19, 2010 in Yerevan. The upcoming agreement will substitute
the agreement on partnership and cooperation and is aimed at
strengthening the relations between Armenia and the European Union
in different spheres, particularly in the sphere of foreign policy,
democracy, economic integration, movement of people and energy. -0-
20:52 06.02.2013

ARMENIAN CHURCH HOSTED THE BODY OF AMERICAN JOURNALIST KILLED IN TURKEY

12:56, 5 February, 2013

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 5, ARMENPRESS: The relatives of American woman
Sarai Sierra in her thirties stabbed to death laid the victim’s ashes
into Istanbul Armenian Church of Three Alters before heading to the
United States. As Armenpress reports citing HaberTurk TV website,
Sierra was killed in Istanbul when on her two week vacation to Turkey,
while taking photos in one of the historical places.

Strangers hit her on her head with stone, raped unconsciousness
woman 12 days long and eventually killed her. The TV channel reports,
Sierra’s husband and brother who came to take her body to Homeland,
expressed willingness to lay her body into Armenian church. CNN,
ABC, Fox News and CBS televisions made reports from the site of the
murder of American woman. Security forces detained at least 21 people
as part of an investigation into the murder of Sarai Sierra.

“HELP YOUR BROTHER” INITIATES ANOTHER STAGE OF AID DISTRIBUTION TO SYRIAN ARMENIAN

NEWS | 05.02.13 | 13:14

On February 6 “Help your brother” initiative will start distribution
of some 12 tons of provision to 500 Armenian families who fled
from Syria and settled in Armenia and to 50 families of refugees
in Karabakh. The parcels with foodstuff, donated by the Armenian
Association of Christian Doctors, include lentils, oil, sausages,
butter, sugar, jam and rice.

Within the initiative it is also planned to provide financial
assistance to Armenians, who still live in Syria. The “Help your
brother” initiative also reached an agreement with Syrian Airlines
to send medical supplies to Syria at the first opportunity. (There
are not regular flights to Aleppo).

“UNEXPECTED STIMULUS”

Country – Tuesday, 05 February 2013, 14:22

It has no importance for ARF whether the election will or will not
be postponed, said the secretary of the ARF parliamentary group
Aghvan Vardanyan. According to him, the election is conducted by a
predetermined scenario so they will not participate in it. He said
in a joke that it seems that the “insurmountable obstacle” is not
enough and, perhaps, it is necessary to amend the Constitution and
include the notion of the “unexpected stimulus” because during the
campaign not only obstacles but also stimuli may occur.

SOCCER: MOVSISYAN SCORES ON HIS DEBUT FOR SPARTAK

Soccer | 05.02.13 | 12:42

Photo:

Armenian forward Yura Movsisyan scored his first goal for the new
Russian side, FC Spartak Moscow, on a debut appearance for the team
on Monday.

Spartak, which is in training ahead of the resumption of the season
in the Russian Premier League, played a friendly against UAE~Rs Al
Dhafra SCC, registering a 2-0 win over the opponent.

Movsisyan scored the second goal for Spartak in the 81st minute.

The 25-year-old US-raised player joined Spartak last fall after
an impressive period at another Russian side, FC Krasnodar, where
he scored nine goals on 13 appearances during the first part of
the season.

PROCREDIT BANK ARMENIA POSTS $82MLN LOAN PORTFOLIO IN 2012

February 5, 2013 – 14:10 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – 5 years ago ProCredit Bank launched its activity in
Armenia as part of the German based ProCredit group, which operates
in 21 countries across the world.

For its 5 years presence in Armenia the Bank has opened 15 branches
in Yerevan and in 4 provincial cities and attracted more than 17,000
clients, the bank’s press service reported.

Since its opening the Bank has been implementing its mission to service
small and medium-sized enterprises as well as to promote a culture
of savings which can help bring greater stability and security to
families. As at the end of 2012 the Bank’s loan outstanding portfolio
totaled over USD 82 million, with total deposits volume grossing
about USD 38 million.

Starting from 2009 ProCredit Bank also focused on agricultural sector
development. During these years the Bank managed to finance about 1800
agricultural economies and organized number of financial education
activities for its agro clients.

The Bank is widely recognized as one of the most attractive employers.

It attaches special importance to the trainings and development of its
staff by making significant investments for the purpose. Workshops,
seminars, trainings and experience exchange programs are regularly
held in Germany, Macedonia, as well as in other countries where
ProCredit Banks operate. Currently, the Bank employs more than
350 highly motivated and talented people which are one of the most
important assets of the Bank.

“We hope that we could build long-term partnerships with our clients
based on mutual trust. It is proved by the fact that we have a leading
position in small business sector financing. I would like to thank all
our clients, partners and friends for banking and cooperating with us.

In the future we will continue our path of dynamic growth and
contribute to the improvement of the economic climate in Armenia,”
the Bank’s Executive Director Asmus Rotne said.