Author: Kanayan Tamar

ADOPTION PROCEDURE TO SIMPLIFY

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 15:27:31 – 31/01/2012

In the result of a research carried out in the biological families of
children living in orphanages and boarding facilities, it was found
out that many of them have the resources to maintain their children.

So, Zatik orphanage has been discharged and rendered a day care center
for children.

Minister of Labor and Social Issues Arthur Grigoryan says this is a
pilot program, other orphanages are possible to have the same fate.

According to him, the procedure of adoption of children will be
simplified this year. The admission to the orphanage will be difficult
while the adoption – easy.

A National committee for the protection of children will be set up in
Armenia this year to deal with the protection of rights of children
to present the current issues to the ministry.

PARTIES AGREE TO BOYCOTT TRIAL IN KILLED SOLDIER ARTAK NAZARYAN CASE

epress.am
01.31.2012

The family of rifle platoon commander Artak Nazaryan, who died suddenly
while serving in Tavush marz (province) during peacetime on Jul. 27,
2010, and its representatives, as well as the attorneys of the youth
accused in the case issued a joint statement Monday, stating that
they are against the trial being held in Tavush marz.

As previously reported, at the Jan. 18 court hearing, Judge Samvel
Mardanyan ruled to move the trial from Yerevan to Idjevan in Tavush
marz. According to the judge, most of the accused and witnesses are
from Tavush and thus, the hearings will be moved to Idjevan, the
provincial capital. Ironically, in Oct. 2011, the same judge ruled
to move the trial from Tavush to Yerevan.

Mushegh Shushanyan, the attorney representing Artak’s family, offered
his opinion of why the case has been moved to Ijevan: “They want to
wrap up this trial quickly and quietly. I’m convinced that a large
part of the witnesses won’t be present in court. They will submit
applications to the court, asking that their pre-trial testimonies
be the basis [of their testimonies instead]. The court will approve,
simply by making public the pre-trial testimonies and using them as
the basis of the court order to be issued in the future. We can prove
that Judge Mardanyan is not carrying out justice and has no intention
of carrying out justice.”

According to the attorney, one of the reasons the trial was moved is
that in Yerevan’s Shengavit courtroom, open court sessions were being
held, in which several news outlets and civil society representatives
were present, and the process of examining witnesses was very difficult
and unpredictable for the prosecution.

“That which they were expecting, to wrap up the given witness’
examination in one, two sessions… it seems, they were unable to
achieve this goal. I’m referring to witness Arman Mnatsakanyan,
who back in early December was supposed to have been discharged [as
he completed his mandatory 2-year military service], but unlawfully
was being kept in military service. They weren’t discharging him,
since he hadn’t yet finished giving his testimonies in court. Finally,
they were forced to move Arman Mnatsakanyan’s examination to January
of this year, to discharge him, though a new defense measure was
applied to him,” said Shushanyan.

Alvard Mnatsakanyan, the attorney representing accused Adibek
Hovhannisyan, Harutik Kirakosyan and Mkhitar Mkhitaryan, is likewise
opposed to the trial being moved to Ijevan, since it will cause
difficulties for his clients.

Representative of the victim’s family Ruben Martirosyan noted that
the most secretive character (i.e. working in the shadows) in all
this is RA Military Prosecutor Gevorg Kostanyan, who said that it
was a surprise for the judge and the accused that the victim’s family
and the accused would unite. In addition, they weren’t expecting such
active involvement on the part of the victim’s party, which is why,
according to Martirosyan, that the trial was moved to Idjevan.

The next court date is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 31.

LES ECOLOGISTES PROTESTENT CONTRE L’EXPLOITATION D’UNE MINE
Stephane

armenews.com
mardi 31 janvier 2012

Plus 200 militants ecologistes et leurs sympathisants ont marche
au pas dans une foret en Armenie du nord en protestation contre sa
transformation en cours en une vaste fosse ouverte qui va sevèrement
endommager l’ecosystème local.

Les principaux groupes ecologistes du pays ont pendant des annees
fait campagne contre les plans de la societe Armenian Copper Program
(ACP) qui souhaite extraire du cuivre dans la foret du Teghut. Il
est estime qu’elle contiendrait 1,6 million de tonnes de cuivre et
environ 100,000 tonnes de Molybdène.

Le projet, s’il est execute, mènera a la destruction de 128 000 arbres.

La societe ACP a promis de compenser les degâts en plantant de nouveaux
arbres dans le secteur et en creant plus de 1000 nouveaux emplois.

Malgre le tumulte, le gouvernement armenien a donne son feu vert au
projet en 2008. Les ecologistes disent qu’un-cinquième de la foret
de 357 hectares attribuee a la societe enregistree au Liechtenstein
a deja ete elimine dans le cadre de la preparation du debut des
operations d’extraction.

Criant ” Honte ! ” les manifestants dont la plupart d’entre eux des
jeunes gens d’Erevan, ont marche plusieurs kilomètres pour atteindre
la foret placee dans la province du Lori. Un grand nombre de policiers
aussi bien que de gardes charges de la securite au sein de la societe
ACP avait ete deploye pour eviter tout debordement.

Les manifestants ont aussi ete recu par un grand groupe de residants
locaux travaillant pour la societe. Ces derniers en colère ont ecarte
les avertissements des ecologistes que l’extraction sous la forme
d’une fosse ouverte polluerait l’air, l’eau et les terres agricoles.

” Vous les gars ne connaissaient pas la situation critique des gens
ici ” a dit un homme aux protestataires. ” Il y avait un grand besoin
d’une vie et de vivre maintenant comme des gens. Que voulez-vous a
ces gens [de l’ACP ?] ”

” Quand vous avez aime la vie a Erevan, nous etions affames ici ”
a dit un autre mineur.

Cependant, quelques residants de deux villages adjacents ont rejoint
la protestation ecologiste. ” Ils se sont approprie la richesse
populaire et font maintenant ce qu’ils veulent ” a dit un homme a
propos des proprietaires d’ACP. ” Ils donnent du travail aux gens
pour seulement 60000 drams (160 $) par mois. Les gens travaillent
parce qu’ils n’ont aucun autre choix “.

La holding d’ACP, le Groupe Vallex, en attendant, a accuse les
manifestants d’etre entres illegalement dans sa propriete et d’avoir
perturbe les operations d’ACP. ” La societe a subi des degâts
substantiels ” a affirme Vallex dans une declaration, menacant de
procès les organisateurs de la manifestation.

MEMBER OF ARMENIAN PAN-NATIONAL MOVEMENT BOARD: “RAT RACE” OF 400 MEMBERS OF PROSPEROUS ARMENIA PARTY IS A RESULT OF PRESSURE BY RULING RPA

arminfo
Friday, January 27, 18:03

The leaving of 400 members of the Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) is
a result of the pressure imposed on them by the ruling Republican
Party of Armenia, a member of the Armenian Pan-National Movement,
Hovanes Igityan, said at today’s press-conference.

“The fact that these people left the PAP to join the RPA is evidence
of their being guided by the RPA members. I cannot say if pressure
was imposed upon them to leave the PAP or they were bribed. However,
one may guess, taking into consideration the fact that we are well
aware of the RPA handwriting”, – he said.

For his part, representative of the PAP, Vardan Bostanjan, said that
there is nothing catastrophic that 400 members of the PAP left it and
joined the RPA, as this is not the problem of the party which they
left. “We do not see any significant difference in such replacements,
especially taking into account the fact that a part of these people
did not leave our party and their applications were counterfeited.

Another part, which has really left the PAP, did not do that stemming
from the ideological soil. Moreover, I can point at least at one
bribed person which was given the position of the head of department
of the Ararat Police”, – Bostanjan said.

The head of the PAP district body in Ararat and Vedi, Karen
Khachatryan, has recently left the PAP and appointed the head of the
Ararat Police department.

EXPERT: TALKS ON TURKEY’S MEDIATING ROLE IN NK ISSUE IN VAIN

Panorama.am
31/01/2012

“Turkish and Russian Foreign Ministers’ statement to assume a firm role
in Karabakh conflict is aimed at balancing French Senate decision,”
expert of Turkish studies Levon Hovsepyan said in a news conference
adding that by those steps Ankara targets some active processes in
Karabakh conflict.

“Turkey, offended from Europe, hopes to find some edges to get closer
to Russia, but Turkey’s efforts are condemned to fail,” expert said.

“Thus, talks about Turkey’s mediating role in Karabakh issue are in
vain,” L. Hovsepyan said adding that Turkey is not the country to
pose ultimatums before France.

Turkey’s desperation may impact on Armenian migrants. “But again
Ankara will again appear in an awkward situation,” said the expert.

THE RATING OF THE ARMY OF ARMENIA THE HIGHEST IN THE WORLD, COMMANDOS SAYS

ARMENPRESS
JANUARY 31, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, JANUARY 31, ARMENPRESS: The army of the Republic of Armenia
is not big in number but it is more battle-worthy, hero of the Artsakh
war Arkady Ter-Tadevosyan (Commandos) told a news conference today,
convincing that in spite of the wide-scale Azerbaijani propaganda,
it is obvious that the Armenian army is more battle worthy and all
the attempts to show the strength of the Azerbaijani army are just
part of Aliyev’s “bluff”. The rating of the Armenian army is the
highest in the world.

The incidents with lethal outcome in the army cast darkness on the
rating of the structure as a person who lost son will never see
anything positive. “The young people become more courageous, more
clever and healthy in the army,” Commandos said.

Referring to the Artsakh battle, he said Armenia has not won, it
just reached success over Azerbaijan. “We are enjoying the heroic
stories, but the people really suffered. The people were the head of
the battle. Turks were crossing the border, taking animals and people
and partisan squads were defending themselves with what they could,”
Commandos said.

L. Aronyan is the champion of Wijk aan Zee super championship

On the 13thround of Tata Steel super championship held in Wijk aan
Zee,Netherlands, Armenian GM Levon Aronyan ended the match against
Azerbaijani chess-player Temur Rajabov and became the champion of the
super championship with 9 points.

Armsport.am informs about this. Levon Aronyan is awarded with 10.000
euros for the victory at this championship. Aronyan held great matches
at this championship. From 13 matches Aronyan had two defeats, 4
matches ended in drawn and 7 of them were ended with victory. Besides
this Aronyan’s matches were announced to be the best for three times.

29.01.12, 16:43

One Armenian MP – businessman to be replaced with another

NEWS.AM
January 29, 2012 | 12:21

GAVAR. – In the 22nd electoral district in Gavar, Armenia, MP from
ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), owner of Eurostan Uyut
company Manvel Badeyan will also put his candidacy by the majoritarian
system, the MP himself told the reporter of Armenian News-NEWS.am.

The MP confessed that the nomination by the majoritarian system was
also his proposal.

Badeyan informed that he has been proposed to put his candidacy.

To note another well-known businessman, MP from RPA had been elected
from that district, but we were not able to contact him as he is
outside Armenia currently.

LOI DE PENALISATION
Après la France, l’Allemagne ? La crainte de la Turquie

Après la France, l’Allemagne ? Erhan Mertürk, l’un des chroniqueurs de
la CNN Türk pense qu’après le vote de la loi de pénalisation des
génocides, en Allemagne, la Bundestag pourrait suivre le pas et voter
à son tour une loi similaire. « Puis d’autres pays emboîteraient le
pas » dit E. Mertürk. Ce dernier est convaincu que les Allemands qui
furent les alliés de l’Empire Ottoman peuvent voter une loi
sanctionnant la négation du génocide des Arméniens. « Talaat Pacha fut
assassiné à Berlin et celui qui l’a abattu, Tehlirian est resté deux
jours en prison avant d’être reconnu innocent et libéré » dit le
journaliste turc qui pense que l’opinion publique turque n’influe pas
assez au sein du monde politique européen. Il appelle les Turcs à
mettre davantage la pression auprès des élus européens.

Krikor Amirzayan

dimanche 29 janvier 2012,
Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

CRIMINAL RULES IN ARMY
Naira Hayrumyan

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 16:13:35 – 27/01/2012

The army has not been ruled by the law but ministerial orders,
government decrees, as well as the unacceptable Soviet legacy,
criminal rules so far,” stated the head of the NA Defense Committee
Hrair Karapetyan.

Tomorrow the army will celebrate its 20th anniversary. This birthday
will be under social focus as it has become clear that the army is
not the family house of the generals but public property.

This process is complicated, as the legitimization of any closed
system. The representatives of army structures are trying to cover the
gaps with curtains, announcing that reporters must reveal the sources
of incidents reported in the army though they are still trying to
prove that the investigation of incidents is the business of the army.

The references to the enemy’s mill are still alive.

However, the wall is melting like ice, and high-ranking officials
already start understanding that all these arguments are funny. For
instance, in the past 2 years the army crimes covered by the media
outlets did not bring any achievement to the enemy’s mill.

Our rivals in war are not happy with these publications. Moreover,
they fear that the Armenian army is healing. And it is not accidental
that they do not accuse the watchdogs of treason. Another hindrance,
namely the military secret, has also been overcome. This year the
soldiers began speaking up about army incidents. It was general
information but the number of incidents has dropped. Nobody argues
that information, and this was a credit to the army.

This credit should indicate to the army command that the society
is not the enemy of the army, as some people try to present it, and
is not going to degrade the army. People simply try to know in what
conditions their sons work, what dangers they undergo and how they
punish those guilty. And if the army leadership announces that their
sons serve in normal conditions, they must not have anything to hide.

On the contrary, the army leadership must reveal these conditions. The
lack of information makes the society suppose that the conditions
are not model ones. And the society starts to fight.

The army has become more open. There is more discipline there. More
incidents happen, often resulting in death but only because a lot of
people are still unpunished because the army lives by criminal rules
which supposes framework guarantees.

The army leadership will have to eliminate it one day. For this reason,
it is necessary to reveal and punish those guilty, otherwise there
will be more claims.