Author: Kanayan Tamar

ARMENIA PM WEARS BULLET-PROOF VEST? – NEWSPAPER

July 12, 2014 | 08:25

YEREVAN. – According to rumors, Armenian Prime Minister Hovik
Abrahamyan was on a working visit to Shirak Region two days ago
wearing a bullet-proof vest, Zhamanak daily reported.

“In response to Zhamanak’s query as to what was the purpose for
[Abrahamyan’s] meeting with the villagers while wearing a bullet-proof
vest, [and] whether the PM was cautious about something, Abrahamyan’s
assistant Tigran Abgaryan said:

‘”I formally say that the rumors on [Abrahamyan’s] wearing a
bullet-proof vest are not true. Hovik Abrahamyan was not wearing a
bullet-proof vest,'” Zhamanak wrote.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

WORKS TO IMPROVE AL. SPENDIARYAN NATIONAL OPERA AND BALLET THEATRE UNDERWAY – DIRECTOR

13:00 / 12.07.2014

The artistic staff of the Al. Spendiaryan National Opera and Ballet
Theatre once in three years must pass qualification exams. Newly
appointed director of the theatre Andranik Arzumanyan spoke with
Nyut.am about the plans and issues of the theatre.

– Mr Arzumanyan, how the qualification process passed? What results
have been achieved?

– The qualification exams of the orchestra, singing band, vocalists
and ballet ensemble passed according to the established order and
I can say for sure that they passed in a simple, transparent and
professional way. The qualifying commission consisted of invitees
to ensure the transparency. The goal of the exams is not to dismiss
people but evaluate their knowledge and professionalism.

– Have all the participants passed the necessary threshold?

– Unfortunately no. Few of our artists failed the qualification exam
and were dismissed.

– As a newly appointed director, what works are you carrying out to
improve the work of the theatre?

– In parallel with the qualification we are carrying out structural
changes as I think the theatre must get a new breath and adopt a new
working style. The theatre needs professional management and a more
dynamic working style. In near future the formation of the main team
of the theatre will be accomplished and we will start working with a
new spirit enriching our stage with new performances. We have planned
4-5 new projects we will carry out in the new season.

– Mr Arzumanyan you are going to present “Gayane” ballet in St.

Petersburg July 21-22. What other tours do you have?

– Yes, on July 20 we are departing for St. Petersburg to perform Aram
Khachaturyan’s Gayane. The performance is staged on so high level that
we are proud to present it on a big stage. The artists understand well
the responsibility and treat their work seriously. After September
20 we have tour performances in Qatar where we will present Romeo
and Juliet by Rudolph Kharatyan.

Last year our ballet ensemble was in Qatar with Spartak ballet. As
a result an agreement was signed between our and Qatar’s theatres
according to which our ballet ensemble is to perform there this years.

Overall, we will present four performances there.

– It is interesting that our ballet ensemble has raised such interest
in Arab country.

– Yes, but it is not strange. This Arab territory longs for arts. Not
having their own professional theatres, they are ready, they want to
invite professional theatres from different countries of the world.

So, we have planned to have tours in other Arab countries as well
like in Kuwait, Oman where people like opera art. Oman has the most
gorgeous stage of the region where the best theatrical groups perform.

The arrangements are already underway. Armenia’s embassy in Kuwait
supports us in it.

Of course, we have programs to come up in European countries as well
but I do not want to speak about them as they are in projecting phase.

As of the moment our prior issue is to gather a team and pass to
active creative activity.

LE SERVICE DE LA SECURITE ALIMENTAIRE D’ARMENIE SUSPEND LA PRODUCTION DE CERTAINS PRODUITS DE BOULANGERIE ET DES PRODUITS A BASE DE VIANDE

ARMENIE

Le service de la securite alimentaire d’Armenie a suspendu la
production d’un certain nombre de produits des societes Pghik Ltd
(Petit elephant) et Khamadam.

En particulier, la production de la pâtisserie “Gata” de la compagnie
Pghik a ete arrete en vertu d’un decret du chef du service Abram
Bakhchagulyan en raison de la non-conformite avec les normes d’hygiène.

Le decret suspend la fabrication de pelmeni en raison de la presence
de bacteries ainsi que des escalopes de poulet trouvees a l’usine
de Khamadam.

Les deux societes ont ete chargees d’etudier les causes et de
normaliser le processus de production.

samedi 12 juillet 2014, Stephane (c)armenews.com

CONCIERTO DEL GRUPO DE VOCES SAYAT NOVÁ

La Razon (Bolivia)
11 Julio 2014

Las butacas abarrotadas y los intensos aplausos marcaron
la presentacion en la cual Stepanian no solamente hizo gala de
su destreza artística, sino de su conocimiento al hablar sobre la
historia de este tipo de música.

La Razon (Edicion Impresa) / Erika Ibarguen / La Paz

El Círculo de la Union fue el escenario para que los asistentes se
deleitaran con el concierto del grupo de voces femeninas Sayat Nova,
bajo la direccion de la maestra Karina Stepanian, soprano oriunda de
la República de Armenia.

Las butacas abarrotadas y los intensos aplausos marcaron
la presentacion en la cual Stepanian no solamente hizo gala de
su destreza artística, sino de su conocimiento al hablar sobre la
historia de este tipo de música.

En la primera parte, el público disfruto de canciones armenias
traducidas al español, como Primavera, Sona Yar, Mi querida Shoger,
El sauce lloron, entre otras; mientras que en la segunda tanda,
Stepanian y su conjunto interpretaron temas en italiano, quechua,
hebreo y catalan.

ARMENIA’S MEMBERSHIP IN EURASIAN ECONOMIC UNION WITHOUT SPECIAL CONDITIONS ECONOMICALLY UNREASONABLE – EXPERT

YEREVAN, July 11. /ARKA/. Economic reasonability of Armenia’s
membership in the Eurasian Economic Union without providing special
conditions to it contradicts formal logic, Sergey Minasyan, chief
of Caucasus Institute’s political analysis division, said Friday in
Novosti International Press Center during a Yerevan-Moscow televised
bridge called Eurasian Choice – Armenia – 2014.

On one hand, the process of accession to the Eurasian Economic Union
is being dragged out, he said, but on the other hand, many economic,
financial and customs problems are not solved and it is not clear
whether they will be solved.

“Otherwise, economic reasonability of Armenia’s membership is called
into question, since it will not necessarily have favorable impacts
on economic and social things in the country, if Armenia joins the
union on common conditions,” the expert said.

More than that, he said, Armenia may become an economic and financial
burden on other member countries.

“Armenia has neither geographical nor communicative borders with
the Customs Union’s core, and the link is Georgia, but Georgia has
already joined the European economic zone,” Minasyan said.

On May 29, at a session of Eurasian Economic Council in Astana,
Kazakhstan, the Armenian president expressed Yerevan’s intention to
join the Eurasian Economic Union agreement until June 15. However,
appropriate papers have not been signed so far.

On July 1, Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaking at a meeting
of Russian diplomats, said Armenian will become a full member of the
union very soon.

In resent days, media outlets quoted Kazakh Foreign Minister Yerlan
Idrisov as saying that the agreement between Armenia and Eurasian
Economic Union is likely to be signed in October 2014 at a regular
meeting of Eurasian Economic Union countries’ presidents in Minsk.

–0—-

– See more at:

POLICE OFFICER NAMED AS VICTIM IN CASE AGAINST SHANT HARUTYUNYAN SAYS HE WASN’T INJURED IN CLASHES

07.11.2014 20:56 epress.am

Police Lieutenant Colonel Andranik Arakelyan said in court today
that he received no bodily injuries and his clothes were not torn
during the November 5, 2013 march organized by Shant Harutyunyan and
his friends. Arakelyan said only that his eyes stung from the petrol
bombs. The lieutenant colonel is named as a victim in the case and
it was in this capacity that he testified at the Court of General
Jurisdiction of Kentron and Nork Marash Administrative Districts of
Yerevan today.

Arakelyan also said he didn’t intend to disrupt Harutyunyan’s planned
march; he simply wanted participants to walk on the sidewalk.

Harutyunyan asked Arakelyan whether he knew that he simply wanted to
cross Mashtots Avenue and walk on the sidewalk across the street. The
lieutenant colonel answered in the negative.

Harutyunyan explained that he didn’t want to walk up and cross the
street at the crossing, as he was afraid there would be provocations
there, and he simply wanted to cross Mashtots Avenue and walk on the
sidewalk on the other side of the street.

Arakelyan continued his testimony in court at time of publication.

LEVON BARSEGHYAN. “GAGIK HARUTYUNYAN WAS PROBABLY CONFUSED THAT HE WAS INVITED BY KVN” (VIDEO)

July 11 2014

“The applause addressed to Gagik Harutyunyan were a sign of protest”,
so responded the President of Gyumri Journalists’ Club “Asparez”,
Levon Barseghyan, to the question of Aravot.am of whether his loud
applauses to Gagik Harutyunyan’s speech meant that he agrees with his
observations, or they pursued other objective. Recall that, today,
the CC President Gagik Harutyunyan’s speech at the international
conference entitled “Constitutional Reform in the Context of Democratic
Development” organized in support of Open Society Foundations –
Armenia office was followed by Levon Barseghyan’s loud applause. In
this regard, Mr. Barseghyan, in the conversation with us, detailed,
“The man was talking about the matters that the oligarchy is not
something new, Aristotle has still talked about it, and reached
up to Councils of Ashtishat, Khorenatsi, “Vorogayt Pararts”, and
Shahamiryans. The man had come here to lecture and babble. Then,
he decided that the U.S. Constitution was amended in ten amendments.

Twenty years ago, students and professors were doing such errors.

Talking about the first 10 amendments to the Constitution, they were
using the words “correction or change”, and Gagik Harutyunyan, working
as a judge at Serzh Sargsyan’s staff, in 2014, is using the word
“amendment”. And this man dares to talk about constitutional reform.

The crown and wreath of his speech was that the mechanism of
constitutional reform has reached a deadlock in our own hands.

Perhaps, he meant himself that the Constitution is not functioning.”

According to Levon Barseghyan, this kind of people that have repeatedly
proven that they cannot protect the Constitution, have no right to
be included in the reform commission, nor to call their amendments
reforms. Again, referring to Gagik Harutyunyan’s speech, Mr. Barseghyan
mentioned, “Probably, he was confused that he was invited by KVN
(“Club of the smart and the merry”), he has come to entertain, and
I could not stand and deservedly applauded him.” Levon Barseghyan
urged upon that there is no public demand for constitutional reforms
in Armenia and mentioned the 2005 constitutional amendments, which
they were also saying that the Constitution is to defend the citizen,
the sovereignty. Levon Barseghyan is sure that “Serge Sargsyan and
Gagik Harutyunyan are the guys, from whom we cannot expect that the
Constitution may be reformed in favor of the public.” Mr. Barseghyan
said he would do everything to make constitutional reforms
fail. According to him, Gagik Harutyunyan’s “tours to marzes” are
not associated with constitutional reforms. Instead, Levon Barseghyan
mentioned, if they are really inclined for reforms, “let them enshrine
by the Constitution that the list of all persons participating in
the elections would be publicized after each elections.”

Tatev HARUTYUNYAN

Read more at:

PUTIN’S BLACKLIST IS READY

Haikazn Ghahriyan, Editor-in-Chief
Comments – Friday, 11 July 2014, 17:44

The ex-secretary of the National Security Council has held a press
conference and announced that Armenia will join the Customs Union in
January 2015. He also spoke about the future plans of his party, noting
that they will posture as radical opposition. The Rule of Law Party is
already opposition, more radical than the four parties, he reiterated.

However, the main purpose of Arthur Baghdasaryan’s press conference
was for sure his commitment to the Customs Union. The chairman of
the Rule of Law Party once again reiterated his loyalty to Moscow
and placed a bid for the next presidential elections.

In fact, however, Arthur Baghdasaryan rolled up for the Kremlin’s
waiting list. The essence is that the political forces may participate
in the “domestic scramble” but only within the framework of Moscow’s
plans.

Domestic scramble and opposition are things that are typical of a
sovereign country. After September 3 only the fight for sovereignty
is domestic fight and opposition.

Those who do not pursue fight for sovereignty cannot be opposition.

The four non-governmental parties and the Rule of Law Party are not
opposition but different segments of one system which act agreed with
the occupation regime (it is known how those collaborating with the
occupant regime are called). The “opposition matters” that they bring
up fit this logic and have nothing to do with the problems facing the
country. No significant problem, including social, can be resolved
unless the country is sovereign. The tiny space left for “internal
matters” concerns the private interests of different groups. It is
clearly seen from the activities of the government.

Now Armenia is in a situation which it can get out of. In addition,
the opportunities of getting out of this situation are related to
foreign developments in which Armenia and its political parties are
not participating, which means that everything will be done without
Armenia.

The relations between Russia and Armenia have reached a point when
the solution is close. The time of Russia in Armenia is expiring,
and either Moscow needs to liquidate the Armenian state officially
or let it free. In addition, a mysterious situation may arise when
Moscow and Armenian governmental, political and their close circles
may be eager to liquidate Armenia but not be able to. In both cases
Moscow will have to dispose of its failure and assign it to the
“pro-customs” forces of Armenia.

The Armenian political system has never been distinguished for being
adequate, principles and having political thinking. In this system
wisdom and good sense is to give up on the homeland with lip service
on compromise on Karabakh and irreversibility of the Eurasian process.

These forces are not needed by anyone, including the occupation
regime. There is no need to doubt.

– See more at:

GOLDEN APRICOT: YEREVAN PREPARES FOR 11TH EDITION OF INT’L FILM FESTIVAL

ARTS AND CULTURE | 11.07.14 | 14:40

Photolure

GOHAR ABRAHAMYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter

The Golden Apricot international film festival to be launched on
Sunday for the 11th time will turn Yerevan into a week-long huge
cinema making it one of the centers of international cultural events.

On July 13 at St. Grigor the Illuminator church in Yerevan the
festival will officially be launched with the ceremony of ‘apricot
blessing’. According to Yerevan Mayor Taron Margaryan, this is not only
a big event but a holiday for Yerevan. Deputy Mayor of Yerevan Aram
Sukiasyan on Friday told reporters that Golden Apricot contributes
to the officially developed project of making Yerevan a regional
cultural center.

“The Yerevan City Hall organized several initiatives to welcome
world-famous artists whose presence makes us feel responsible and
proud. They take a piece of Yerevan, and its soul with them, contribute
to the Armenian film’s development and dissemination,” Sukiasyan said,
adding that Yerevan Mayor Margaryan also organized a special meeting.

The deputy mayor informed that at Swan Lake (a man-made pond in
Yerevan) during every festival day at 9:00 pm films participating
in the festival will be shown for the citizens unable to access
the cinemas.

“There are two very good films about Yerevan; people will be able to
purchase those from hotels. They will be able to enter the Yerevan
History Museum at any hour accompanied by multilingual guides,”
Sukiasyan said.

Director of the festival, film director Harutyun Khachatryan said
that the impression the guests will get of Yerevan depends on the
City Hall and these guests, according to Khachatryan, will become the
ambassadors of Armenia in the world telling about Armenian hospitality
and attention.

Khachatryan also said that new programs are beginning in cooperation
with the City Hall and next year in various parts of the city screens
will be placed so that not a single citizen is left out.

“It seems we all have concentrated on the Moscow cinema and, for
instance, those living in Shengavit cannot attend the festival,
we must solve that problem in the nearest future,” said the film
director, adding that together with the Yerevan City Hall they have
decided to establish a festival of ethnographic films, which will be
a separate festival, or a branch of Golden Apricot.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT MEETS COUNTERPART OF URUGUAY

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
July 10 2014

10 July 2014 – 11:09am

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan met his counterpart in Uruguay
Jose Mujica during his visit to the country on July 8-10, News
Armenia reports.

The sides discussed political, trade-economic, cultural and other
sectors of cooperation. The president noted the importance of bilateral
visits and contacts of their foreign ministries, the role of the
Armenian community in bilateral relations.

Sargsyan visited Argentina on July 6-8. He will visit Chili on
July 10-12.