Author: Kanayan Tamar

ARMENIAN PM: FREE TRADE ZONE CREATES EXCEPTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

Vestnik Kavkaza
Oct 26 2011

Armenia’s accession to the CIS Free Trade Zone will not impede
Armenia’s efforts in the field of European integration, Prime Minister
Tigran Sargsyan told the National Assembly of Armenia. The agreement
on the FTA was signed on October 18 in St. Petersburg by 8 out of
11 CIS countries (except Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan),
News.am reports.

Negotiations on the agreement began in 1992. The agreement was
concluded in 1993 – 94 but, in the absence of ratification by Russia,
it did not enter into force. Two years ago the talks were resumed at
the initiative of the Russian side.

Sargsyan added the agreement will in no way impede the development
of deep and comprehensive free trade between Armenia and the EU.

STUDENTS OF THE “EURASIA” COLLEGE TAKE PART IN THE “OPEN LESSON”

National Assembly of RA, Armenia

Oct 26 2011

On October 25 the Vice Speaker of the National Assembly met the
students of the “Eurasia” college, who visited the parliament within
the framework of the “Open Lesson” programme.

At the meeting Samvel Nikoyan touched upon the activity of the National
Assembly, presented its working procedure, noted, particularly,
the supervising functions of the parliament.

The NA Deputy Speaker also answered the college students’ questions,
which included different spheres.

IRAN TO BOOST POWER SWAP WITH MORE REGIONAL STATES

FNA
16:26 | 2011-10-26

TEHRAN (FNA)- A senior Iranian energy official described increase
in export of power supplies as a key goal of Iran’s power industry,
and announced that the country has worked out energy swap plans with
not just Persian Gulf but African nations.

Addressing the inauguration ceremony of the 11th International Power
Industry Exhibition here in Tehran on Wednesday, Deputy Energy Minister
Mohammad Behzad pointed to Iran’s special geographical position and
the country’s plan to link its national grid to the regional nations,
and stated that Iran is currently swapping electricity with all its
surrounding countries.

“Once the country’s power grid is linked with Lebanon and North Africa
and with the Persian Gulf littoral states through an underwater line
in future, energy swaps will start with these countries,” he stated.

In August, Iran’s energy minister announced that the country has hiked
exports of power supplies to the neighboring countries by over 21.67%
since the beginning of the new Iranian year (started March 21).

According to the report, Iran exported over 2,701 gw/h of electricity
to the neighboring countries since the start of the current Iranian
year.

With the implementation of subsidy reforms law, not only domestic
electricity consumption has reduced but also annual growth in
electricity demand has been checked, thus paving the way for further
export of electricity to the neighboring countries.

Iran has power swap deals with Armenia, Pakistan, Turkmenistan,
Turkey, Azerbaijan, Iraq, Afghanistan and the autonomous region of
Nakhichevan. The rate of exchanges hit 1,332 megawatts on August 2.

RAFFI HOVANNISIAN VISITS WESTERN ARMENIA

Lragir.am News

18:41:44 – 26/10/2011

October 26, Karin (Erzurum)–The leader of the Heritage Party, Raffi
Hovannisian, is on a one-week visit in Western Armenia. On October 22,
he joined thousands of Armenians who flocked Tigranakert (Diyarbakir)
from around the world to participate in the reopening and consecration
of the Surp Giragos Church.

A group of Western Armenians, raised as Sunni Mulsims, were baptized
that day at this historic Armenian Apostolic church.

“It is exceedingly important for the two peoples to engage in dialogue,
but without forgetting that great, dark disaster of history, like
genocide,” Raffi Hovannisian told the Hurriyet Daily News.

().

Mustafa, a Kharberd resident, and Hovannisian exchanged cards.

Pilgrims from Armenia, Istanbul and Armenian communities from around
the globe were joined by Kurdicized Armenians from Turkish provinces
trying to regain their identity.

Hovannisian then paid visits to Bitlis and Mush, Sulukh and Khnus
where he stopped by the Sanasarian Academy. He also traveled to Van
for a couple of hours (before the quake) and then arrived in Karin
where he visited the building that used to house the Haraj newspaper.

Following visits to several more Western Armenian towns, Hovannisian
is to return to Armenia

PARLIAMENT OF ARMENIA RATIFIED CREDIT AGREEMENT WITH IBRD IN THE AMOUNT OF $39 MILLION IN ENERGY SECTOR

ARKA
Oct 26, 2011

YEREVAN, October 26. /ARKA/. The National Assembly of Armenia ratified
on Wednesday credit agreement between Armenia and International Bank
of Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) regarding the “Program of
reliability of energy delivery in the amount of $39 million signed
on June 1, 2011.

“With the purpose of funding of the mentioned program, IBRD will
allocate credit in the amount of $39 million at 3.33%” interest rate,’
said Armenian Energy and Natural Resource Minister Armen Movsisyan.

Repayment of the loan is planned to start in November 2021 and finish
in May 2036.

“Getting a loan has nothing to do with winter preparation works or the
problems of energy sector”, said Movsisyan adding that today energy
sector of Armenia has already been established and is developing
successfully.

FRANCOPHONE MAYORS MEET IN YEREVAN

PanARMENIAN.Net
October 25, 2011 – 20:32 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The International Association of Francophone Mayors
(AIMF) met October 25 in Yerevan for the 31st General Assembly.

As the representative of Yerevan Municipality, the capital’s chief
architect Narek Sargsyan stated during the assembly, Yerevan greatly
values its AIMF membership allowing for discussion of challenges and
exchange of experience.

The Yerevan-hosted assembly aims at summarizing the results of previous
events, also focusing on increase of productivity and cooperation
between governmental and local authorities.

ARMENIAN APOSTOLIC CHURCH TO GET CERTAIN TAX PRIVILEGES

arminfo
Tuesday, October 25, 17:42

Parliament of Armenia passed the first reading of alterations and
amendments to a package of laws to regulate the property problems of
the Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC), Tuesday.

Vache Terteryan, Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration of
Armenia, says the Government suggests exempting the churches of the
AAC that are not considered cultural monuments from the property tax.

For that purpose, the Government offers amendments to the Laws On
property Tax, On Land Tax and the Land Code. The list of the facilities
subject to tax privileges is determined by the government.

A total of 256 buildings, lands, churches, dining halls, libraries,
tractor station and others are transferred to the balance of the Mother
See of Holy Etchmiadzin. The given facilities are in the permanent
process of property inventory. AT the same time, the government
will regulate the process of fulfillment of tax privileges by the
AAC. “Production of candles for church service and production of
luxurious wedding churches for sale are quite different things,”
Terteryan said.

The bill aroused hot debates in the parliament. Thus, parliamentarian
Stepan Safaryan recalled that all the churches are equal before the
law and tax privileges must apply to all them. Artsvik Minasyan,
a parliamentarian from ARFD agreed with Safaryan and said that if
passed the bill will reduce the budgets of the local self-government
authorities that are formed at the expense of the land and property
taxes.

For his part, Hovik Abrahamyan suggested verifying the list of the
facilities transferred to AAC. “We have communities with some 2 mln
drams budget and reduction of such small budgets is inadmissible,” the
speaker said. For his part, Vardan Bostanjyan, parliamentarian from
Prosperous Armenia party alarmed that there is no specific list of
facilities and lands, which may make the entire territory of Armenia
the property of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

MOSCOW DESIGNS NEW PLAN FOR COOPERATION WITH YEREVAN

Tert.am
25.10.11

Moscow Municipality is designing a new cooperation plan with Armenia~Rs
capital Yerevan, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin has said at a meeting
with Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan on Monday.

Sobyanin also expressed hope that the new plan will incorporate all
the sectors that are of mutual interest.

Serzh Sargsyan, in turn, said he was very glad that to see how
relations between Yerevan and Moscow are developing year by year and
how cooperation in all spheres is deepening.

Further, Sargsyan and Sobyanin highlighted the importance of the
role the Moscow-based Armenian community plays in strengthening both
relations between the two capitals and the two countries in general.

Sobyanin noted that there are many Armenians in Moscow and that some of
them have had significant achievements in business and other spheres.

They also discussed issues related to cooperation in education,
culture, tourism, trade, economy and other spheres.

“ROAD”: NAZIK ARMENAKYAN’S PHOTO STORY GETS TOP PRIZE AT INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL
Nazik Armenakyan

25.10.11 | 16:10

A photo story by ArmeniaNow’s staff photo journalist Nazik Armenakyan
about the life of transgender people in Armenia has been recognized
as the winner at an international photography festival, Photovisa.

Armenakyan won in the category entitled “Road. Relationship between
Man and the Environment” at the festival that opened in Krasnodar,
Russia, last Thursday.

Representatives of the southern Russian area’s Department of Culture
awarded Armenakyan as well as three other winners of the photo contest
in other categories.

More than 2,500 works from 600 photographers representing 20 countries
had been submitted to the contest as part of the festival.

Three other photographers from Armenia won prizes in other categories.

10 STEPS TO COME OUT OF THIS SITUATION

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 14:03:49 – 25/10/2011

Former Prime Minister Hrant Bagratyan said at today’s press conference
that he can offer 10 steps to rebuild the economy of Armenia.

First – sterilization of incoming aid to Armenia, that is, the
transfers, which are about USD 2 billion. The Central bank of Armenia
should buy all the currency and increase the reserves of the country.

A stabilization fund should be established of these funds, lending
rates should be reduced from 15% to 3-4%, and the dram should not be
artificially restrained. Bagratyan says that everything must be done
to provide 40% of people be engaged in the business.

The second step is the prevention of deflation in a quiet drama. The
third is to introduce a progressive tax rate, the fourth is to
impose taxes on banks as the real economy and deprive them of their
privileges. “If banks are well, so the industry is bad”. The fifth
is to sell the mines, and the prices should be determined by the
Parliament. Sixth is to consolidate the budget, “it is impossible to
give all state guarantees”. Seventh – to forbid the government to
provide tax relief. Eighth – to exclude write-offs of bad loans in
the banks. Ninth – monopoly control, the income tax should be raised
income to 70%, and to abolish monopolies altogether. And the tenth-
“we must understand where our reserves are by what percentage they
are delivered, who defines them and why it does not pass through
parliament”, said Bagratyan.

He believes that the Central Bank cannot be run by a person who is
an agronomist-mechanic by profession.

As to the question whether new shocks can be expected, Hrant Bagratyan
said that nothing good is expected, and there is nothing more to be
“shaken”. He added that 65% of Armenia’s population is chronically
malnourished. Over the past three years prices have risen by 35%,
and salaries – by 6%. The remaining 29% was used by the banks,
said Bagratyan.

As for the Free Trade Area of â~@~Kâ~@~Kthe CIS, which Armenia joined,
Hrant Bagratyan believes that he cannot comment on this because he
could find nothing similar anywhere. He wonders where the text is,
and why it is not published”.

The former prime minister also commented on the words of the current
prime minister, who refers to the increase Armenia’s rating in world
agencies, in particular, Businees Doing. Hrant Bagratyan noted that
Armenia has risen from 61st to 55th, but three years ago was on
the 34th. Moreover, in 7 out of 10 parameters in Armenia this year
recorded a recession.