Author: Kanayan Tamar

OPPOSITIONIST: THE BILL “ON THE LEGAL REGIME OF A STATE OF EMERGENCY” IS A WAY TO CIVIL WAR

arminfo
Friday, March 23, 20:38

The bill “On the legal regime of a state of emergency” is a serious
threat to the public and political situation in Armenia, if we take
into account the fact that despite requirements of the Constitution,
it lets using of the army units for suppression of public unrest,
ex-military prosecutor of Armenia, Gagik Jangiryan, said at today’s
press-conference.

He also added that experience of other countries shows that using of
the armed forces by the authorities against their own citizens very
often leads to the situation when a part of servicemen do not want
to fire at their compatriots and join the opposition, as a result
of which a civil war starts. He said that such a scenario in Armenia
will have catastrophic consequences.

“The Constitution of Armenia directly bans participation of army
in the political processes. In this context the desire of the
Armenian authorities should be put aside. No law can level the
anti-Constitutional using of the army, and take the responsibility
off the authorities’ hands. No democratic country has such laws. This
may be an ordinary phenomenon somewhere in Kongo or Birma, but no
European country has a practice of using army against the citizens
of the country”, – he said.

The National Assembly of Armenia approved on Wednesday the second and
final reading of a bill determining the legal regime of the state of
emergency by 68 votes “for”, 0 votes “against”, and 0 “abstentions”.

The president in cooperation with the prime minister and the parliament
speaker can announce the state of emergency in response to a real
threat to the country’s constitutional system, like a coup, an armed
rebellion, mass disturbances, an occupation, an ethnic, racial or
religious conflict, and can be ensured by the police and the national
security service. The army should be used only if the police and the
national security service fail the task.

KARABAKH MP VAHRAM ATANESYAN REMINDS THE EU DOES NOT HAVE MANDATE TO CHANGE MINSK GROUP FORMAT

ARMENPRESS
MARCH 23, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MARCH 23, ARMENPRESS. The European Union does not have a
mandate to make changes in the mediatory mission of the OSCE Minsk
Group, chairman of the Karabakh”s parliament”s foreign relations
standing committee Vahram Atanesyan said commenting on the conclusion
of the Foreign Relations Committee of the European parliament that
suggests replacing France with the EU in the Minsk group.

“There is no clear procedure of making changes in the Minsk group,
nevertheless I think that it must be decided by the OSCE,” Atanesyan
said.

Regarding to content, the NKR MP said the EU is not even able to make
mediatory mission as the union consisting of 27 countries cannot have
a joint approach in the NK issue.

POLICE OFFICIAL SENTENCED TO 4 YEARS FOR MURDER COVER-UP

hetq
19:03, March 23, 2012

Hovhannes Tamamyan, a high ranking RA Police official, was sentenced
to 4 years imprisonment yesterday for covering up a murder in 2010.

General Tamamyan, who headed the Department of General Criminal
Investigations, was charged with abuse of power because he failed to
prosecute the actual murderer at the request of MP and businessman
Levon Sargsyan.

Suspended sentences of 2.5 years were handed down by the court to
two other high ranking police officials implicated in the same case.

Tamamyan’s lawyer Vaghinak Gevorgyan says he’ll consult with his
client regarding a possible appeal.

EX-MILITARY PROSECUTOR OF ARMENIA TO HEAD ANC CAMPAIGN HEADQUARTERS DURING UPCOMING PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION

arminfo
Saturday, March 24, 12:45

Ex-military prosecutor of Armenia, Head of the Commission for the
State and Legal Affairs at the oppositional Armenian National Congress
(ANC), Gagik Jhangiryan will head ANC campaign headquarters during
the upcoming parliamentary election, the Yerevan-based 168 Zham
newspaper writes.

Ex-military prosecutor of Armenia G. Jhangiryan was dismissed in Feb
2008 after he supported the candidature of the first president Levon
Ter-Petrosyan at the presidential election of 2008. After the post-
election clashes in March, he was charged with organization of mass
disorders and jailed. In June 2009 was amnestied.

Armenian National Congress headed by first president of Armenia Levon
Ter-Petrostyan was founded on Aug 1 2008. Initially the ANC comprised
nearly 20 political parties and organizations. Four parties left the
Congress after Levon Ter-Petrosyan introduced the list proportional
representation for the upcoming parliamentary elections. Ter-Petrosyan
heads the list. The top ten positions are Leader of People’s Party
of Armenia Stepan Demirchyan, Chairman of Republic Party Political
Board Aram Sargsyan, Head of Armenian National Movement Board
Aram Manukyan, the ANC Office Coordinator Levon Zurabyan, Head of
Social-Democrat Hnchakyan Party Lyudmila Sargsyan, Editor-in-Chief
of Haykakan Zhamanak daily Nikol Pashinyan, ex-premier of Armenia
Hrant Bagratyan, ex-military prosecutor of Armenia Gagik Jhangiryan,
and businessman Khachatur Sukiasyan.

SYNOPSYS ARMENIA TO PARTICIPATE IN MOSCOW-BAVARIAN JOINT ADVANCED STUDENT SCHOOL

news.am
March 24, 2012 | 12:05

Synopsys Armenia will participate in the Sixth Moscow-Bavarian Joint
Advanced Student School to take place in Herrsching (Bavaria) March
27 – April 2.

Headed by Rich Goldman, Vice President of Corporate Marketing and
Strategic Alliances for Synopsys, Inc. and CEO of Synopsys Armenia,
the delegation includes Sc.D. Professor Vazgen Melikyan, Honorable
Scientist of the Republic of Armenia and Director of Synopsys Armenia
Educational Department (SAED), Head of the SEUA “Microelectronic
Circuits & Systems” interfaculty Chair, Gayane Markosyan, Synopsys
Armenia Public Relations Manager, and two students from the joint
educational program with State Engineering University of Armenia and
Yerevan State University.

The annual event gathers prominent professors and students from leading
universities specializing in Nanotechnology, Biomedical Engineering,
Computer Simulation, and Telecommunications.

To support the program and to give students an opportunity to share
the results of their scientific work with their peers, Synopsys
Armenia participates in MB-JASS every year since 2008. As always,
Rich Goldman is a keynote speaker. This year he will present on the
topic of “Tech and Space: A Symbiotic Relationship.”

YERKIR: 4 NEW FAMILIES SETTLE IN KASHATAGH REGION IN FEBRUARY

Tert.am
22.03.12

Four new families settled in Nagorno-Karabakh’s (Artsakh) region of
Kashatagh last month, the paper has learned.

Citing a report by the head of Kashatagh’s regional administration,
it says the families, with a total number of 11 members, were settled
in three different villages – Samark, Ditsmayr and Yeznagomer.

The documents of five resettling families have been sent to the
country’s Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, and twenty-six more
families have been granted the status of resettlers, the paper claims.

It says further the documents of 14 families having many children were
also sent to the Ministry to ensure that they get milk cows from the
Artsakh Fund.

But the regional administration of Shahumyan has reportedly told the
paper that no new families were resettled in Kashatagh last month.

The paper comments further that in 2011, 219 families resettled in
Kashatagh and only 27 families – in Shahumyan.

RUSSIA’S DEFENSE MINISTRY ORDERS30 SU-30SM MULTIROLE FIGHTERS

PanARMENIAN.Net
March 22, 2012 – 11:01 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Russia’s Defense Ministry has signed an order with
aircraft-maker Irkut for 30 Su-30SM multirole fighters, a military
spokesman said on Thursday, March 22.

“According to the contract, the company will deliver 30 of these
aircraft to the Russian Defense Ministry by 2015,” he said.

The value of the deal was not disclosed.

The Su-30SM is a two-seat derivative of the earlier Su-27UB and
the MKI variant supplied to India, and is capable of air-to-air
and air-to-ground missions with a wide variety of precision-guided
munitions. The aircraft features thrust-vectoring engines to enhance
maneuverability.

In August 2011, Irkut said it would deliver 40 Su-30SM aircraft to the
Defense Ministry including 28 for the Air Force and 12 for the Russian
Navy, replacing Su-24s in the strike-attack role, RIA Novosti reported.

GREEK DELEGATION VISITS MEMORIAL TO ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VICTIMS

news.am
March 22, 2012 | 19:54

YEREVAN. – Members of the Greek delegation on economic and social
issues visited on Thursday the memorial to the Armenian Genocide
victims-Tsitsernakaberd, accompanied by the Armenia’s Public Council
head Vazgen Manukyan and the acting Greek Ambassador to Armenia
Vassiliki Dicopoulou.

Head of the Economic and Social Council of Greece (OKE) Christos
Polyzogopoulos was very impressed by the Genocide museum. Later he
told the journalists that Armenians should be optimistic, overcome all
the difficulties, in order such crimes against humanity not to repeat.

According to him, both nations [Armenians and Greeks] should support
each other for the humanity to accept their fair demand.

The Greek delegation invited is in Armenia by the Public Council to
conclude bilateral cooperation agreement between the two councils.

THE APOSTOLIC NUNCIO IN THE SOUTH CAUCASUS ARCHBISHOP MAREK SOLCZYNSKI PRESENTED HIS CREDENTIALS TO PRESIDENT SERZH SARGSYAN

21.03.2012

Today, the Apostolic Nuncio in the South Caucasus Archbishop Marek
Solczynski presented his credentials to President Serzh Sargsyan.

The President of Armenia congratulated the Apostolic Nuncio on his
appointment and expressed confidence that Archbishop will bring his
contribution to a noble mission of further deepening and strengthening
relations between Armenia and Vatican which was until now devotedly
performed by his predecessor, Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti.

Serzh Sargsyan stressed the importance of Vatican’s role not only
in uniting the Christian world but also in the protection of human
rights, tolerance and in defending peace all over the world.

The President of Armenia expressed gratitude to Vatican for the
recognition of the Armenian Genocide in 2000, underscoring that this
way the Holy See has brought its contribution to the prevention of
similar crimes against humanity in the future.

Serzh Sargsyan hailed also Holy See’s position regarding the
preservation of the Armenian monuments and cross-stones outside
Armenia and expressed gratitude for the assistance on that matter too.

The parties noted with satisfaction that Holy See of Etchmiadzin and
Vatican maintain a high level dialogue.

President Sargsyan recalled with pleasure his warm, engaging and
efficient meeting with His Holiness Benedict XVI which took place
last December in Vatican.

The President of Armenia and Apostolic Nuncio also concurred that
bilateral historical ties, rich cultural and spiritual heritage
constitute a strong base and present excellent preconditions for the
further development of cooperation.

SELF-DEMOLITION HAS NO BRAKES
Siranuysh Papyan

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 17:07:17 – 22/03/2012

We talked to Stepan Danielyan, chairman of Collaboration for Democracy
Centre NGO, on the election process in Armenia

The party lists have been published. In your opinion, what are the
parties’ expectations from the elections?

I thought we should have expectations from the elections, while the
parties should try to live up to them but the reality is the opposite.

Certainly, there were expectations from the upcoming elections,
everyone thought an ardent competition would be there but judging by
the developments, the elections can be considered over.

People who are aware of these processes can guess the composition
of the next parliament 95% right, they can even guess the next
government. In brief, all the deals have already been made. We can
stay at home on the day of the election and watch football. As to the
expectations of parties, they haven’t changed – they want to be fat and
happy – and we have no role in the fulfillment of these expectations.

What are the society’s expectations from the elections? 5,000 or
10,000 drams or a different parliament, as Serzh Sargsyan has been
vowing since January?

As to election bribes, I think they will not have a big role. The
discussions on election bribes explain the vague results of elections.

This practice does exist but the talks about it are expedient first
of all for the ruling group. They just need to blame the society.

If the society has no expectations for improvements in the result of
the elections, on what or who should the society rely?

First, it is necessary to understand what we mean by “society” or
to formulate the expectations. It is pointless to dwell on their
implementation at least unless they are formulated. One of the old
Republicans said on these days that all the layers of the society
are represented on the Republican Party list. It sounds very funny at
first sight but in reality I understand what he means because for the
Republicans the society consists of businessmen, the criminal world,
the leadership of the law enforcement system, etc. In other words,
all those who participate in the formation of government by way of the
notorious methods. The rest are those who are out of the game and they
need to pass a long way in order to be called society. First of all,
they need to be able to influence the formation of the government after
which they can set forth their claims. Serzh Sargsyan has always had
the skill of know this “society” very well and he has always reached
relevant agreements resorting to unexpected solutions. In this sense,
he is unequaled in Armenia. Only the ANC seems to be out of deals
and agreement. Let’s wait for developments.

What may result from free and fair elections? Is there a force
representing the interests of the society?

I don’t see such a force right now. If the elections were free and
fair, we would have a parliament similar to the current one. I think
so because it is necessary that a force, which is to form a government
and build the country we want to have, have relevant internal party
rules. If there is a force in Armenia which forms its party list
through secret ballot rather than having a couple of people make the
list, then we may expect essential change.

The civil society is fighting for Mashtots Park and other issues. Can
this fight give birth to new Armenia?

We have two ways of development. In one case, we will certainly lose
Armenia, in the second case – we can have a new Armenia. The second
way has few chances and here the civil society, the young people will
be the basis on which everything will be built but I’m a pessimist. We
don’t have so much time and resource, while this is a self-demolition
machine which has no brakes.

Future Armenia, I don’t mean the one we dream of but the one which
is to come against our will, so I see it as a Gaddafi and Assad
rule where the political forces fighting against each other will
unite around the relatives, friends, drivers and bodyguards of the
president and their private life will determine out future.