Author: Kalantarian Kevo

CYPRUS: A SUCCESSFUL EU PRESIDENCY BY A SMALL COUNTRY

The Cyprus Mail – 15 December 2013 –

CYPRUS managed to have a successful EU presidency despite its size
and economic problems, President Demetris Christofias said yesterday,
following the last European Council under his term.

“Cyprus has shown that despite its small geographical size and
despite its economic problems it held a quite successful presidency,”
Christofias said during a press conference that wrapped up the last
European Council of the Cypriot presidency that ends this month. “It
was indeed a very difficult task for us, a task however which I think
we have carried out with dignity.”

Christofias said the European Council meeting was another step towards
the completion of the economic and monetary union, adding that there
was still a long way to go and the momentum had to be kept up.

“The decisions that have been made and the directions that have been
given will to a large extent define the course of the European Union in
the next years,” he said. “The reform that is taking place with the aim
of more effective economic and financial governance also contributes
to facing faster the financial crisis that torments the Union.”

The President stressed however that approaches must be balanced and
targeted to safeguard social cohesion.

“The economic and financial policies that is, must be formed in such
a way that unemployment and poverty are substantially addressed and
social exclusion is prevented,” he said. “It is imperative that the
measures for fiscal consolidation are combined with measures that
promote social cohesion and the prosperity of European citizens.”

European Commission President Josι Manuel Barroso said there had
been some real achievements in the past six months.

“I will not quote all of them, but I think the Single Supervisory
Mechanism, Schengen governance, common asylum system are especially
important,” Barroso said.

European Council President Herman Van Rompuy praised Cyprus’
contribution in successfully closing the matter of the European Patent
after decades.

“It is the happy end to a 40 year-long Odyssey. And if you allow
me to continue that image: even if we do not know for sure on which
Mediterranean island the historic Odysseus lived, for Europe, in the
patent case, our beloved “Ithaca” clearly is Cyprus.”

BAKO SAHAKYAN VISITED NKR SUPREME COURT

19:24, 18 January, 2013

YEREVAN, JANUARY 18, ARMENPRESS: On 18 January President of the
Artsakh Republic Bako Sahakyan visited NKR Supreme Court, where he
partook at the festive event dedicated to the day of the workers of
judicial system and congratulated the representatives of the sphere
on the professional holiday.

As reports Armenpress referring to NKR presidential press office,
in his speech the President underlined that judicial power is one
of the most significant institutions of the democratic system and
civil society, without which it is impossible to consider contemporary
civilized state. According to Bako Sahakyan confidence of the society
towards the state, securing equality of citizens against justice and
law to a great extent depends on the effective functioning of the
judicial system too.

Bako Sahakyan emphasized that all the necessary institutional
conditions for the implementation of justice had been created in NKR,
at the same time adding that there still much to be carried out for
its proper accomplishment.

In this context Bako Sahakyan gave special importance to the raising
the professionalism of cadres, personnel training and retraining,
necessity of forming a solid cadre reserve, as well as continuous
improvement of the moral-psychological atmosphere within the system.

In the presence of NKR President there was also held an oath ceremony
of the newly-appointed judges of the NKR Court of first instance of
general jurisdiction.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT INSTRUCTS STATE REVENUE COMMITTEE TO ENSURE AMD 15 BILLION MORE TAX REVENUE THAN BUDGET PROJECTION

YEREVAN, January 18. /ARKA/. Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan
instructed Head of the State Revenue Committee Gagik Khachatryan
to ensure the tax revenue exceeding the amount planned in the 2013
government budget by AMD 15 billion.

In the 2013 budget, tax and state duty revenue is projected at AMD
993.08 billion (by AMD 118.7 billion more than in the 2012 budget).

“I hope the committee will cope with this task,” he said. “I am
completely satisfied with the job done, and this should inspire
others.”

Nevertheless, Sargsyan said, there are many problems in the system
and there is still plenty to do here.

The president said many were skeptical about the previous year’s tax
revenue and was opposed to the idea of raising the benchmark projected
in the 2012 budget by AMD 101 billion. However, the committee has
successfully fulfilled the task.

He said that the implemented tax reforms had upgraded Armenia’s ranks
in international ratings.

“I am convince that time will come when the committee officers will
no longer be considered as enemies,” he said. “This hostile atmosphere
starts melting away, and this is very important.”

In 2012, the government intended to intensify tax inflow by improving
tax administration and lessening shadow dealing, while now it plans to
enlarge tax revenue by using other instruments. About AMD 31 billion
of AMD 118.7 billion of extra tax revenue will come as a result of
legislative changes, and AMD 27.7 billion through administrative
mechanisms.

Besides, the enforcement of the effect from the new income tax law
enforced on January 1, 2013 and from the raised floor wage has been
taken into account in tax revenue calculations.

AMD 934.3 billion is projected given the previous year’s result and
macroeconomic processes.

In the 2013 government budget, tax revenue is projected at 21.88%
of GDP against the 20.73% projected in the 2012 budget. ($1 – AMD
406.30). -0-

SERJ TANKIAN TO SUPPORT RAFFI HOVHANNISYAN DURING THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN
Anna Nazaryan

“Radiolur”
18:41 18.01.2013

Raffi Hovhannisyan says incumbent President Serzh Sargsyan will be
his main competitor at the forthcoming presidential elections. He
invited President Sargsyan to a debate.

Hovhannisyan did not rule out the probability of boycott, if it’s
necessary. However, he urged another candidate Andrias Ghukasyan to
refuse from the idea of hunger strike.

According to the leader of the Heritage Party, the issue of unification
of political forces may emerge is there is a run-off.

Is Raffi Hovhannisyan ready to congratulate the winner? “I will
congratulate, but mire likely, I’ll accept congratulations,” he said,
adding, however, that he won’t do that if the elections are held in
the same manner as over the past 20 years.

Raffi Hovhannisyan will start the campaign from the Liberty Square
on Monday. During this election campaign he will be supported by Serj
Tankian, soloist of the “System Of A Down.”

Hovhannisyan urged all citizens to participate in the elections.

CHIEF OF MILITARY MEDICAL DIRECTORATE OF THE ARMENIAN ARMED FORCES SACKED

YEREVAN, January 18. / ARKA /. Armenian defense minister Seyran
Ohanian has fired the chief of the Military Medical Directorate of the
Armenian Armed Forces, Colonel Artashes Parsadanyan, following reports
of several non-combat deaths of conscripts at military hospitals from
various diseases.

The latest was Armenak Lazarian who died on Thursday morning from
acute cardio-respiratory failure at the Central Military Hospital. He
was preceded by Norayr Sahakyan who died last December in a military
hospital.

Speaking at a news conference today the minister said prosecutors
opened criminal investigations into both cases. Ohanian said also
the people who are responsible for a traffic incident on January 16
that killed one serviceman, Arthur Gevorkian and wounded an officer,
will also be punished. At the same time, the minister said progress
in the work of the military medical service is evident.

“A set of studies conducted in 2012 show that that the sickness rate
in the army has dropped, mainly because of preventive measures,”
he said. -0-

Most of Armenian president’s election pledges failed – activist

TERT.AM
17:33 ~U 18.01.13

The action group of the newly created Mission party is calling on
voters to take an active part in the voting in the upcoming
presidential election by voting “against all.”

The group also calls on the parliamentary groups to add this point to
ballot papers for voters to have a choice.

“If the changes fail to be made within reasonable timeframe, we will
apply to the Constitutional Court,” Manuk Sukiasyan, an action group
member, told journalists on Friday.

Referring to a party-made analysis, the socio-economic situation has
been getting worse in Armenia in recent five years. The economic
policy does not allow citizens to start up businesses.

“Our mission is to make the Armenian passport the weightiest document
regardless of which political force rules,” Mr Sukiasyan said.

The economist Mesrob Arakelyan, Armenia’s President Serzh Sargsyan
failed to keep most of his election pledges.

“We propose serious tax reforms – exempting small and medium
businesses from taxes,” Mr Arakelyan said.

TATUL HAKOBYAN’S GREEN AND BLACK, KARABAKH DIARY IN TURKISH

18:14, January 18, 2013

Several hundred copies of the book “Karabakh Diary, Green and Black”
written by Journalist and Civilitas expert Tatul Hakobyan is published
in Turkish in Yerevan.

Since August 2008 this book has had seven editions. “Karabakh Diary,
Green and Black” was published in Eastern and Western Armenian (with
classical orthography), Russian, English, and Arabic.

Tiran Lokmagyozian translated “Karabakh Diary, Green and Black”
into Turkish.

Tatul Hakobyan’s second book, “Looking from Ararat: Armenians and
Turks” is published in Beirut in Western Armenian (with classical
orthography) and in Yerevan in Eastern Armenian. The book is now
being translated into English and would be published soon.

ARMENIAN AMERICAN WELLNESS CENTER OPENED NEW HALL FOR CHARITY PURPOSES

14:24, 18 January, 2013

YEREVAN, JANUARY 18, ARMENRPESS. A conference hall has been opened in
the Armenian American Wellness Center to provide assistance to needy
families. As reports “Armenpress” during the opening ceremony of the
new hall held on January 18 the Director of the Armenian American
Wellness Center Khachanush Hakobyan stated that the whole amount of
money acquired from the rent of the new hall will be directed to the
treatment of needy people. Khachanush Hakobyan noted: “Hence, all those
organization and individuals, who will rent the hall will provide
assistance to the needy people.” The hall is supplied with all the
necessary facilities for holding various conferences and other events.

Among other things the Director of the Armenian American Wellness
Center Khachanush Hakobyan stated that over 20 thousand women are
being examined in the Center each year. The Armenian American Wellness
Center provides medical services to 80-100 visitors.

IVANISHVILI SPEAKS ON TIES WITH NATO, RUSSIA

Civil Georgia, Tbilisi / 18 Jan.’13 / 15:01

PM Bidzina Ivanishvili said there would be no change in Georgia’s
foreign policy priorities in “near future” and added having good
relations simultaneously both with NATO and Russia was possible and
named Armenia as an example of it.

When asked during an interview with the RFE/RL Armenian service on
January 17, when PM Ivanishvili visited Yerevan, if Georgia’s foreign
policy priorities would change, he responded: “In the near future it’s
hardly [possible], but in general countries develop, people develop,
society develops and they change priorities, but I do not think that
in the near future we will be changing our priorities.”

“We have stated about our priorities for multiple times – that’s Europe
and Euro-Atlantic alliance; we will unwaveringly follow this path,”
he said.

“But in parallel to it a question arises: is it possible to combine
restoration of friendly relations with Russia and at the same time to
have good relations with NATO and to aspire towards NATO and to have
good relations with the United States and NATO-member states? I think
that here Armenia is a good example; Armenia gives a good example
for Georgia and it can be a source of envy in positive sense,”

“Armenia is on excellent terms with Russia and has friendly relations
with [Russia] while also being on excellent terms with the United
States and with other NATO-member states. So I think it’s possible
and I think that we have to and I believe that we will combine it,”
Ivanishvili said.

ANALYST: “I WOULD LIKE TO BELIEVE IN THE SINCERITY OF IVANISHVILI”
Narek Aleksanyan

12:58, January 18, 2013

Vahe Sargsyan, a historian at the “Mitk Analytical Center”, believes
the visit of Georgian PM Ivanishvili to Armenia symbolizes the start
of a new series of relations between the two countries.

“I would like to believe in Ivanishvili’s sincerity and in the
statements that he made in Armenia. However, we must take into account
a number of negative and positive factors that exists independent of
the prime minister’s will,” Sargsyan told reports in Yerevan today.

The leading negative factor, noted Sargsyan, was the huge influence
that the Georgian Orthodox Church has on Georgian culture, the economy,
and especially politics. This influence is primarily felt by minorities
living in Georgia, in particular, non-orthodox Armenian Christians.

Sargsyan argued that in contrast to the period of Saakashvili, in this
respect, freedom has increased for Armenians in Javakhk, Tbilisi and
other areas, and that cultural repression has significantly lessened.

On the positive side, Sargsyan noted willingness of the new Georgian
government to improve relations with Russia. The analyst said that this
was also in the interest of Armenians since it created a counterweight
to the Turkish-Azerbaijani expansionism that had increased recently
in Georgia.

The analyst pointed to another important factor; that Mikhail
Saakashvili was still the president of Georgia. Only after he leaves
office will the situation in Georgia, noted Sargsyan, will the
situation there be more fully clarified.

Vahe Sargsyan, a historian at the Mitk Analytical Center, believes
the visit of Georgian PM Ivanishvili to Armenia symbolizes the start
of a new series of relations between the two countries.

“I would like to believe in Ivanishvili’s sincerity and in the
statements that he made in Armenia. However, we must take into account
a number of negative and positive factors that exists independent of
the prime minister’s will,” Sargsyan told reports in Yerevan today.

The leading negative factor, noted Sargsyan, was the huge influence
that the Georgian Orthodox Church has on Georgian culture, the economy,
and especially politics. This influence is primarily felt by minorities
living in Georgia, in particular, non-orthodox Armenian Christians.

Sarhsyan argued that in contrast to the period of Saakashvili, in this
respect, freedom has increased for Armenians in Javakhk, Tbilisi and
other areas, and that cultural repression has significantly lessened.

On the positive side, Sargsyan noted willingness of the new Georgian
government to improve relations with Russia. The analyst said that this
was also in the interest of Armenians since it created a counterweight
to the Turkish-Azerbaijani expansionism that had increased recently
in Georgia.

The analyst pointed to another important factor; that Mikhail
Saakashvili was still the president of Georgia. Only after he leaves
office will the situation in Georgia, noted Sargsyan, will the
situation there be more fully clarified.