Author: Kalantarian Kevo

Tumo Center for Creative Technologies was launched in Nagorno Karabakh’s capital Stepanakert today thanks to partnership between the Simonian Educational Foundation has partnered with the Armenian General Benevolent Union.

The official opening ceremony was attended by the Presidents of Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh Serzh Sargsyan and Bako Sahakyan.

AGBU will cover all operational costs of the center as well as startup costs in the framework of the TUMOxAGBU partnership, while the government of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic has provided the space in a historic building in the city center.

The Stepanakert program is expected to cater to 500 to 1,000 students who will participate twice a week for two hours per session, gaining 21st century skills, and studying animation, filmmaking, web development and game development, as well as supporting skills such as 3D modeling, computer programming, music, photography and graphic design.

Registration will start on the 14th of September, and students will begin their Tumo life during the first week of October. The Tumo Center for Creative Technologies is a free of charge after school program that started in Yerevan and subsequently opened a location in Dilijan. The TUMOxAGBU partnership has already opened a branch in Gyumri and is expected to spread Tumo to other locations in Armenia and beyond.

Giuseppe Verdi’s Requiem premiered at the Revival Square in Stepanakert today. The performance was dedicated to the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide and those, who lost their lives in the struggle for the independence of Armenia and Artsakh.

The event was attended by President Serzh Sargsyan and Mrs. Rita Sargsyan,political and religious leaders of Artsakh.

On 1 September Artsakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan sent a condolence letter to the family of philanthropist Vahak Hovnanian, Central Information Department of the Office of the NKR President reported.

The letter runs as follows:

“I have learnt with deep sorrow about the death of philanthropist, deserved son of the Armenian nation Vahak Hovnanian.

VahakHovnanian was a remarkable person, a great patriot, who devoted his entire life to his native people, the development and reinforcement of the Armenian independent statehood, resolution of pan-Armenian issues. Various projects of strategic significance were implemented with his active participation.

In this hour of irretrievable loss on behalf of the Artsakh people, the authorities and on my own behalf, I express condolences and support to Vahak Hovnanian’s family, his relatives and friends. His memory will always stay bright in our hearts.”

Russian millionaire German Sterligov intends to sue Azerbaijan at the European Court of Human Rights, his lawyer Artur Ayrapetov has revealed to

He said the case will be taken to Strasbourg in the near future. “The matter is that German Sterligov was first named persona non grata and denied access to Baku. Then the Azeri authorities launched a criminal case against him,” Ayrapetov said.

The lawyer is confident Sterligov will win. “That’s nonsense from the point of view of international law. They first banned him from entering the country and then opened a criminal case, thus depriving him of the right to defend. Azerbaijan is a member of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and its behavior in the given situation is unacceptable,” the lawyer said. He added that the sum of the compensation would be revealed later.

According to earlier reports, Interpol removed German Sterligov’s name from its wanted list. The Russian businessman was accused by Azerbaijan of launching illegal activity in Nagorno Karabakh.

On July 8, in accordance with an agreement reached with the authorities of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, the OSCE Mission conducted a planned monitoring of the Line of Contact between the armed forces of Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan in the Martuni direction.

From the positions of the NKR Defense Army, the monitoring was conducted by Field Assistants of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Khristo Khristov (Bulgaria) and Jiri Aberle (Czech Republic).

From the opposite side of the Line of Contact, the monitoring was conducted by Field Assistant of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Yevgeny Sharov (Ukraine) and staff member of the Office Peter Svedberg (Sweden).

The monitoring passed in accordance with the agreed schedule. No violation of the cease-fire regime was registered.

From the Karabakh side, the monitoring mission was accompanied by representatives of the NKR Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Defense.

Losses of Electric Networks of Armenia, controlled by Inter RAO, are caused by the existing management system in that country, Boris Kovalchuk, chairman of the managing board of Inter RAO says.

Difficult situation in electric power complex of Armenia, where the government’s decision to raise electricity tariffs triggered mass protests, has purely economic not political reasons, Boris Kovalchuk, chairman of the managing board of Inter RAO told TASS on Tuesday.

Russia’s Inter RAO controls the Electric Networks of Armenia, which has the monopoly for electricity distribution in the country.

The Electric Networks of Armenia, which is now in a dire financial condition asked the national regulator to raise electricity tariffs by 49%. The regulator partially upheld the request and raised tariffs by 16%.

The tariff hike sparked mass protests which are still ongoing. Armenia’s President Serzh Sargsyan said the government was ready to cover costs related to higher electricity tariffs until the audit of the Electric Networks of Armenia is completed. The audit of the Electric Networks of Armenia by international audit firms is expected to take 3-6 months.

Kovalchuk said that Inter RAO welcomes the idea of the audit. He added that such an inspection would reveal the need to make serious changes in the whole industry.

The head of Inter RAO said that the losses of Electric Networks of Armenia are caused by the existing management system in that country.

“Longstanding losses of the Electric Networks of Armenia are caused by the existing system of tariff regulation and the rules of electricity market in the Republic of Armenia,” Kovalchuk said.

According to him, the existing management system provides for financing of generating companies at the expense of the Electric Networks of Armenia and also forces the company to buy more expensive electricity than it is foreseen by the country’s energy balance.

He said that insufficient tariff raising in the last 11 years, overhaul of the Metsamor power plant, as well as the decline of production by hydro power plants of Armenia led to the situation when the electricity distribution system of the country lost 37 bln AMD ($77.5 mln).

“Since the beginning of 2014 the company has been incapable of making timely payments to generating companies for supplied electricity due to insufficient funds and has been functioning on the verge of financial stability,” Kovalchuk said.

The Catholicosate of the Holy See of Cilicia has issued a statement to clarify the nature and purpose of its claim for the return of its historical Seat in Sis (present-day Kozan in Turkey), currently pending before the Turkish Constitutional Court:

The lawsuit claims the right of ownership and religious worship with regard to the Monastery and Cathedral of St. Sophia, the Seat of the Catholicosate from 1293 until at least 1921. To comply with the procedures for filing of property claims before the Turkish Constitutional Court, the application indicated a provisional estimated value for the property. The demand however is clearly and emphatically for return of the property and its restoration and use for religious worship, and this demand cannot be satisfied by the payment of monetary compensation.

The claim therefore is for restitution of the property and not for compensation.

The decision of the Catholicosate to initiate this lawsuit was motivated by the historical and religious significance of this property for the Armenian Church and Nation. There are two separate legal grounds for the claim; namely (1) the property rights of the Catholicosate; and (2) the religious rights of the Catholicosate. While the ownership rights of the Catholicosate may raise issues of compensation under Turkish laws and procedures, the rights of religious worship are a separate matter and can only be remedied by return of the property, its restoration and use for worship. This is a non-negotiable demand that will not be withdrawn under any circumstances.

The lawsuit has been submitted to the Turkish Constitutional Court to satisfy the requirement of the exhaustion of domestic remedies as a precondition for any appeal to the European Court of Human Rights. If the Turkish court ruling is not favourable, or if the Turkish Government does not otherwise return the property, the Catholicosate will appeal the decision to the European Court of Human Rights, and seek to enforce its rights under international law.

The lawsuit is a matter of great complexity and sensitivity and the legal process will unfold over the coming months and years. It is unfortunately not possible to reveal all details and aspects of the case while it is still pending before the courts, as this will prejudice the claim of the Catholicosate. During this period, uninformed comments and speculation in the media will not contribute to the success of this historical initiative against the many obstacles it will invariably encounter.

The Catholicosate will pursue every possible means within the law to assert its property and religious rights, to reclaim its historical Seat, and to reclaim the historical heritage of Armenian Church and Nation.

 

 

 

An international conference on “NATO-Armenia relations in the context of new challenges” initiated by the Analytical Center for Globalization and Regional Cooperation (ACGRC) was held in Yerevan today.

According to ACGRC Head Stepan Grigoryan, Armenia’s cooperation with NATO is rather constructive, but it cannot go too deep because we are part of a different security system.

“There is no doubt that the cooperation with NATO comes to supplement our security. I think NATO has chosen the right way of cooperation with Armenia to the extent the latter wants, without any noise and ambitions,” Grigoryan said.

The cooperation with NATO has risen to a certain level in the field of peacekeeping operations, which has led to the improvement of Armenia’s international standing, Stepan Grigoryan said. He added that the “humanitarian and scientific programs are also on a high level.”

Gerlinde Niehus, Head of Communications at NATO’s Public Diplomacy Division, said Armenia is a very important country for NATO. She hailed the cooperation in international peacekeeping and voiced hope that the collaboration would further succeed.

German Ambassador to Armenia Rayner Morel voiced his appreciation for the level of Armenia’s relations with NATO.

Amb. Morel noted that Armenia is a good member of the CSTO and added that there are other opportunities the country should use.

As for statements from Azerbaijan suggesting that the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmanship should be extended to include Germany, the Ambassador said “Germany supports the OSCE Minsk Group, but has no wish to join it.”

Speaking about the Armenian Genocide Resolution pending at the Bundestag, Rayner Morel said he can make no predictions, but voiced confidence that discussions will take place. He reminded that the German President made it clear that the what happened in 1915 was genocide.

Participants of the 9th Bologna Process Ministerial Conference and the Fourth Bologna Policy Forum in Yerevan unanimously adopted the Yerevan Communiqué and the Statement of the Statement of the Fourth Bologna Policy Forum. The final sitting was chaired by Armenian Minister of Education and Science Armen Ashotyanand was attended by Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan.

The Ministers responsible for Higher Education and Heads of Delegation to the Fourth Bologna Policy Forum reaffirmed their cooperation in developing higher education.

“Political instability in many of the countries, a high level of unemployment and migration arising from economic and social crisis and lack of access to higher education are among the challenges that we are facing. At the same time national awakening in the countries is arising hopes of the people for more democratic and tolerant societies, providing opportunities for personal development, as well as development of quality higher education. Reforms of higher education should further the development of democratic culture and equip our societies with the knowledge, understanding and skills to help address the challenges we face. Protect staff and students in answering the academic freedom, integrity and autonomy of higher education institutions is a key to achieving this,” the Ministers said.

“Mobility of students and staff facilitates exchange and creation of new knowledge and helps to build mutual trust and understanding. The rapid technological developments will impact on higher education and the way in which it will be reformed,” the document reads.

The next Bologna Policy Forum will be organized in 2018 in France in conjunction with the Ministerial conference.

Dear compatriots,

I cordially congratulate you on the occasion of Victory and Peace Day.

Today is a special jubilee day. It marks the 70th anniversary of the historic victory in the Great Patriotic War. It was the crushing blow of the multinational Soviet army that decided the outcome of the war in Europe in May 1945.

From fighting on the frontline and in guerilla detachments to getting involved in underground and resistance activities, Armenians brought their contributions towards the total defeat of Nazi forces. We struggled in the trench of justice, freedom and humanism against an anti-humanistic ideology, violence and vandalism. By fighting heroically on various fronts and working in the rear day and night, we thus defended our homeland, Armenia, as well.

This victory afforded the Armenian people who had survived the genocide real and broad opportunities for peaceful work and reconstruction and for their total revival.

It was a symbolic coincidence that on the same day in May 1992 the ancient Armenian fortress town of Sushi was liberated. Following the example of their fathers and grandfathers, our modern-day heroes repeated their ancestors’ feat, fighting in the same trench of justice, freedom and humanism against Armenophobia, violence and vandalism.

I once again congratulate all of us on this great holiday. Peace to the world and peace to our country!