Author: Kanayan Tamar

ABOUT 18 BILLION DRAMS ENVISAGED BY THE DRAFT STATE BUDGET 2012 FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF SOCIAL PACKAGE FOR CIVIL SERVANTS OF ARMENIA

ARKA
Nov 2, 2011

YEREVAN, November 2. /ARKA/. About 18 billion drams is envisaged for
the introduction of social package for civil servants by the draft
state budget of Armenia in 2012, said first Deputy Minister of Finance
of Armenia Pavel Safaryan.

“If we went to traditional even increase of salaries, civil servants
with high salaries would have received much higher. Social package is
primarily aimed at improving social status of civil servants with low
salaries”, said Safaryan during the budget hearings in the National
Assembly of Armenia.

Each civil servant will be enabled to send money to repay mortgage
loans, payment for healthcare services and training. “Exact cost of
each social package will be determined when we specify the number of
beneficiaries”, said Safaryan.

Government of Armenia on September 29 approved the draft state budget
for 2012, according to which the income part is 910 billion drams,
expenses – 1042.5 billion drams and deficit – 132.5 billion drams.

Income volume is planned to increase by 6.8% compared to the approved
indicator for 2011 (852.4 billion drams). ($1 – 378.96 drams).

FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF THREE BRANCHES OF POWER IN ARMENIA IN 2012 IS PLANNED TO ALLOCATE ABOUT 58 BILLION DRAMS

ARKA
Nov 2, 2011

YEREVAN, November 2. /ARKA/. Maintenance costs of legislative,
executive and judicial bodies are envisaged in the amount of 57. 913
billion drams by the draft state budget 2010, said first Deputy
Minister of Finance of Armenia Pavel Safaryan.

“It is 3 billion drams – 5% more than the last year. However, in 2012
the share maintenance costs of legislative, executive and judicial
bodies in GDP will reduce, i.e. their increase rates will be below
GDP rates. It is conditioned by the fact that the State in 2012
gives priority to social indicators, particularly to the increase of
pensions and benefits”, said Safaryan during the budget hearings in
the National Assembly of Armenia.

“If we deduct from this sum maintenance costs of embassies, about
50.5 billion drams will be left for the maintenance of legislative,
executive and judicial bodies”, he said.

“Over 75% of this sum will make salary fund. In 2012 it is envisaged
implement staff increase which is conditioned by structural changes,
particularly establishment of State Security Service of food
products, licensing agencies in a number of ministries, as well
as establishment of Ethics Committee of high officials within the
President’s administration”, said Safaryan.

In regard to these changes, the staff will increase by about 166
employees.

The second factor which will impact the salary fund will become the
level of average salary. “In this sphere the government does not
offer increase of salaries but only natural growth in average by 3%
defined by the law on salaries of civil servants”, he said.

The budget also envisages introduction of social packages for civil
servants, for which the budget allocated 18 billion drams.

Government of Armenia on September 29 approved the draft state budget
for 2012, according to which the income part is 910 billion drams,
expenses – 1042.5 billion drams and deficit – 132.5 billion drams.

Income volume is planned to increase by 6.8% compared to the approved
indicator for 2011 (852.4 billion drams). ($1 – 378.96 drams).

HOVIK ABRAHAMYAN SAYS HE LEARNT ABOUT HIS RESIGNATION 15 DAYS BEFORE

ARMENPRESS
17:16, 2 November, 2011

Chairman of the National Assembly Hovik Abrahamyan had a briefing
today with reporters.

Q: Have you reached your goal of increase of parliament~Rs role?

Hovik Abrahamyan: I think I am not the one to assess it. I think yes.

At least we managed to make it an arena of multiple opinions. The
doors were open for all – the public, political, student circles,
schools. People managed to form an idea about parliament in practice
and as to me, it was a very important step. We tried to make the
National Assembly available for all the clusters.

Q: Do you know who will replace you?

Hovik Abrahamyan: It is not correct to discuss such issue as I have
not submitted my resignation application yet. I must present it at
the sitting of the National Assembly, November 14. In five days the
resignation will enter into force and from November 21 we will be
able to discuss the issue of the new candidate.

Q: Whom do you see in this office?

Hovik Abrahamyan: Worthy people always exist, we will find.

Q: In what office do you see yourself after elections.

Hovik Abrahamyan: I am sure it will be a good office.

Q: Are there more in-depth reasons of your resignation?

Hovik Abrahamyan: There is no in-depth reason, I assure you and again
reiterate my resignation will not change anything.

Q: Is it possible that you will assume the office of prime minister
after elections?

Hovik Abrahamyan: I do not want to exclude anything, but there was
no such discussion. I would advice the reporters not exclude anything.

For instance who would think that I will resign? You have probably
discussed all the resignations but not mine.

Q: Did you know about it? Wasn~Rt it a surprise for you?

Hovik Abrahamyan: I have learnt about it 15 days before. Only me and
the president knew about it.

Q: How do you explain the current staff changes?

Hovik Abrahamyan: You know that the two Karen Karapetyans resigned
on their own. I do not know the reasons.

Q: Will you put down your mandate?

Hovik Abrahamyan: I will be a parliamentarian. I headed the headquarter
in 2007-2008, I have not even preserved my office. I have headed
the headquarter and we won at the parliamentary and presidential
elections. After it I became head of staff and I have never thought
I would become chairman of the National Assembly.

Nothing must be excluded. I promise I will intensively work with you
in the headquarter.

RUSSIAN EXPERT COMPARES ARMENIAN DIASPORA WITH JEWISH COMMUNITIES ABROAD

Tert.am
17:15 02.11.11

Sergey Markov, a Russian lawmaker and political analyst, finds
the Armenian Diaspora a very powerful tool promoting the country’s
development.

In an interview with Azerbaijani newspaper Zerkalo, he said Armenia’s
big international Diaspora is influential enough to be compared with
the Jewish communities abroad.

The expert particularly spoke of the country’s economic situation,
considering it very serious.

“The small country’s location in a landlocked area adds to that. Very
often it depends on the Georgian authorities’ whims,” he said, adding
that the strong diaspora appears to be a countermeasure to that.

“Armenia has a big international diaspora which, in terms of its
influence, can be compared only with the Jewish Diaspora. The Diaspora
assists [Armenia], protecting its economy from a collapse. This
is not the first year Armenia’ economy has appeared in such tight
circumstances. But it has a strong reserve for a ‘rainy day’ thanks to
the Diaspora which will offer its helping hand at a decisive moment,”
he added.

ARMENIAN CHURCHES TO STAND STILL IN CASE OF 8 MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE

ARMENPRESS
15:15, 2 November, 2011

The majority of the monuments of Armenia are in a breakaway state,
head of the monument restoration department of the Ministry of Culture
Lorvard Arushanyan said at the meeting today.

“If a structure lacks its part, its seismic stability sharply reduces.

In case making a structure complete the seismic stability will too be
restored. But the priority must be given to the correct restoration
of monument,” she said.

Monument scientist Samvel Karapetyan informed that according to the
2009 studies 26 monuments were selected as the most endangered ones.

Head of the northern department of the National Seismic Protection
Service Sergey Nazaretyan noted that the churches built in 7-11th
centuries are seismically more stable than the ones built after it.

CONCERN FOR CHURCHES: SEISMOLOGISTS WORRY OVER EARTHQUAKE ZONE HOUSES OF WORSHIP
By Gayane Lazarian

ArmeniaNow
02.11.11 | 16:00

Specialists in monuments and seismic protection worry that because of
the October 23 earthquake in Van, Turkey, Armenian historical-cultural
monuments were also damaged and suggest sending a group of specialists
to Van.

Sergey Nazaretyan, Head of Northern Department of Seismic Protection
National Service, says that churches can stand only in case of a
5-6-magnitude earthquake. The one in Van was 7.2.

Monuments expert in Armenia Samvel Karapetyan named six churches in
the area which he said are likely to have sustained damage.

Karapetyan also took the opportunity to criticize Turkish authorities,
saying that their police of neglect or of destroying Armenian
churches to be replaced by state buildings has done more damage than
any earthquakes.

ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT TO INTRODUCE TAXES ON LUXURY CARS, INCREASE INCOME TAX

ARKA
Nov 2, 2011

YEREVAN, November 2. / ARKA /. The Armenian government has prepared
a legislative package to introduce a tax on luxury cars, increase
by 50% taxes on expensive alcoholic beverages and increase also the
income tax.

“We have prepared a package of legislative proposals to improve
the business environment, and have already discussed them with
our coalition partners. The main idea is to create more favorable
conditions for small and medium-sized businesses and increase the
tax burden for businesses making big profits,” Prime Minister Tigran
Sargsyan said on Tuesday during parliament hearings on next year~Rs
budget.

According to him, the government will also introduce progressive
tax scale.

“We offer a 5% increase in income tax for companies with revenues of
more than 2 million drams, setting it at 25%,” he said, adding that
administrative procedures will be simplified for small businesses
earning up to around $25,000, while rules for large businesses and
the banking sector would be toughened.

He also said it is proposed to increase by 50% taxes on expensive
alcohol, which make 15% of the overall consumption.

The Prime Minister also mentioned the introduction of “luxury tax”,
noting that it will apply to cars costing more than $90,000 and is
expected to generate one billion drams in additional revenue.

“We also are discussing a 50% increase in fixed payments for casinos
that would increase revenues by 2 bullion drams,” he added.

“At the same time we will establish tax advantages for large investment
projects that are submitted to the government consideration,” said
the prime minister.

“We have also developed a program to introduce an electronic inventory
across the country, electronic notary, as well as the introduction
of e-shopping,” – he added.

The 2012 draft budget calls for 910 billion drams in revenues and
1.042.5 trillion drams in spending.

The amount of revenue is projected to increase by 6.8% from this
year’s budget (852.4 billion drams). The spending is expected to grow
by 41.5 billion drams. Some 86.1% of the spending (897.8 billion
drams) is projected as current expenditure; 13.9% or 144.7 billion
drams are projected as net non-financial expenditure. Some 46.2% are
projected as social spending (education, health, social security),
19.8% as defense, public order and national security spending, 13.2%
are planned for economic boost, 4.5% are projected to pay off Armenia’s
state debt. Besides, 3.1% of the blueprint budget is projected as
official grants to communities and 2% as government reserve fund.

A CHAIN RIPPED OFF THROUGH MARGAR

Lragir.am News

10:13:17 – 02/11/2011

While the public was discussing the possible resignation of the deputy
prime minister Armen Gevorgyan, the speaker of the National Assembly
announced to resign. In addition, the problem is not the office but
the caliber which that person had in the government.

Hovik Abrahamyan had a key role in the government of Armenia since
the years of office of Robert Kocharyan when he took on the post of
minister territorial administration. By the way, Kocharyan had a key
role in his startup. But he also had an essential role in the fall
of Hovik Abrahamyan.

Lragir.am learned that Hovik Abrahamyan featured in the case of
dismissal of the chief of the traffic police Margar Ohanyan.

Abrahamyan was said to have talked to Margar Ohanyan and offered him
to work for the Bargavach Hayastan Party and Robert Kocharyan together
with the traffic police staff, and instead Hovik Abrahamyan outlined
the position of the chief of police in Margar Ohanyan’s prospects as
a fee for working for the Bargavach Hayastan Party and Kocharyan.

Lragir.am learned from his source that the conversation between
Hovik Abrahamyan and Margar Ohanyan had been recorded and handed in
to Serzh Sargsyan, and as a result Sargsyan instructed the chief of
police Alik Sargsyan to solve Margar Ohanyan’s problems.

By the way, there are rumors that the recording of the conversation
was facilitated by Vova Gasparyan who was rewarded with Alik Sargsyan’s
position.

So, a very interesting domestic chain began and was ripped off with
Margar Ohanyan. Alik Sargsyan was the weak link in this chain, who was
unaware of the deals of the high-ranking officials of the system he
headed. Hovik Abrahamyan was the bridge for Robert Kocharyan to return.

Apparently, Serzh Sargsyan has decided to postpone Armen Gevorgyan’s
issue, who is the main representative of Kocharyan’s interests and he
set to handle Hovik Abrahamyan’s issue. Perhaps Serzh Sargsyan thinks
that now he is stronger than ever but later he may not have the same
resource of strength and advantage to take essential steps to form
his own government. Therefore, he has decided to handle the issue of
the bridge, postponing the issue of the last link, Armen Gevorgyan.

FBI ARRESTS 4 GEORGIA MILITIA MEMBERS IN PLOT TO KILL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS

epress.am
11.02.2011 14:27

Four suspected members of a fringe north Georgia militia group were
arrested Tuesday by federal authorities and charged with plotting to
buy explosives and trying to make a deadly toxin in a bizarre plot
to attack unnamed government officials, CBS News reports.

The four men in their 60s and 70s were part of a group that also tried
to obtain an unregistered explosive device and sought out the complex
formula to produce ricin, a biological toxin that can be lethal in
small doses, according to a federal complaint.

The four listed in the indictment are Frederick Thomas, 73; Dan
Roberts, 67; Ray Adams, 65; and Samuel Crump, 68. The men live in
the north Georgia towns of Cleveland and Toccoa.

They have been talking about “covert” operations since at least March
2011, according to court records, discussing murder, theft and using
toxic agents and assassinations to undermine the state and federal
government.

The four men were scheduled to make an initial court appearance on
Wednesday. Attorneys for the men were not identified, and the federal
defender’s office had no immediate comment.

US Attorney Sally Quillian Yates said the case is a reminder that
“we must also remain vigilant in protecting our country from citizens
within our own borders who threaten our safety and security.”

KIRK KERKORIAN DONATES $18M TO ANDRE AGASSI’S CHARTER SCHOOL
By Bryan Toporek

Tuesday, November 1st, 2011

LAS VEGAS – Billionaire Kirk Kerkorian, the former owner of MGM
studios, is donating $18 million to the Andre Agassi College
Preparatory Academy in Las Vegas, Agassi announced over the weekend.

Kerkorian’s gift marks the largest donation in the 16-year history
of the Andre Agassi Foundation for Education, which has raised over
$150 million in total.

The Foundation for Education sends funding to Agassi Prep, which has
sent every one of its graduates for the past three years to college.

The school is located in an “at-risk neighborhood in the urban core
of Las Vegas,” according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Agassi made the announcement at his foundation’s 16th Grand Slam
for Children Benefit Concert in Las Vegas. Including Kerkorian’s $18
million donation, another $1.5 million donation from the Engelstad
Family Foundation and $1 million from Windsong Trust (plus ticket
sales and auction proceeds), the foundation raised an estimated $26.1
million that night.

“I am both astounded and humbled by the generosity and compassion
of our community, the artists, sponsors, partners, and donors,”
Agassi said in a statement. “This record- breaking evening will make
a positive difference in students’ lives as we continue to work to
transform education.”

Agassi said that Kerkorian’s donation helped the foundation reach its
goal of guaranteeing that Agassi Prep has enough funding to continue
in perpetuity.

Earlier this year, Agassi teamed up with a group of Los Angeles bankers
to create a for-profit investment fund aimed at raising $750 million
for the construction of 75 charter schools over the next few years.