Author: Kanayan Tamar

SWISS COMPANY TO INVEST $0.5 MILLION IN PHARMACEUTICAL MANUFACTURING IN ARMENIA

February 14, 2014 | 14:12

YEREVAN. – A Swiss pharmaceutical company is going to invest $0.5
million to experimental manufacturing of drugs in Armenia.

Azad Pharmaceutical Ingredients, Armenian Ministry of Economy and the
Armenian Development Agency signed a cooperation memorandum in Yerevan.

“We are going to open a raw materials lab and then pilot production.

In few years, we will probably open a full-fledged pharmaceutical
plant,” said Mike Baronian, chairman of Swiss company’s board of
directors.

The company is going to focus on trainings of pharmaceutical chemists
first.

“Armenia has a considerable potential of human resources,” he said.

The company’s investments will make $10-15 million, while the pilot
production may open in 3-4 years.

The Swiss company chose Armenia mainly due to an opportunity of
facilitated exports to the markets of Customs Union states.

“The procedures inside the Customs Union will be more simplified,”
Baronian added.

Since 1960s Mike Baronian has been working for Johnson&Johnson
corporation, then was appointed a vice president of oilag AG. In 2003
he set up his own company focusing on ophthalmology and oncology drugs.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

DOUBLE-FACED MYTH IN ARMENIA

The new EU package for the Eastern Partnership based on Vilnius summit
focuses on the public visibility of the EU in the EaP.

This issue is especially urgent for Armenia. Armenia needs to know
more about Europe, or rather Armenia does to know Europe. Europe is a
domain of myths for Armenians, a big part of the society. In addition,
the myth has two faces. On the one hand, Europe is believed to be wily,
cunning, pervert. The other side of the myth says that Europe is a
universal civilization, people there are not like us but decided to
change their lives and achieved big achievements but some supernatural
persons and dealing with them is beyond us.

Armenia needs to bust these mythical perceptions with their double
faces and explain to the greater part of the Armenian society,
explain that Europeans are neither cunning and wily creatures nor
supernatural creatures but people just like us, societies that have
a lot of shortcomings and problems who admit and think on overcoming
and resolving their shortcomings and problems.

Armenia needs to simplify Europe and serve it as it is. Nobody has
done this so far. For example, television, the most popular media in
Armenia, never tells about Europe aside from some translated news or
travel shows.

The Armenian television does not televise an average European with
his quality of life, achievements and problems, perceptions of human
relations, culture of social coexistence. As soon as the public
consciousness is cleared of myths, and Europe and the Europeans are
perceived as part of mankind, the mind and heart of Armenians will
start working calmly and will defy the Soviet Russian propaganda.

When Europe transforms from a supernatural example to a practical
image, it will help the Armenian citizens to review their self-esteem
and the limit of their assumptions of possibilities of human societies.

Otherwise, Europe in Armenia is limited to trainings and seminars in
the conference halls of Armenia’s resorts. They are also necessary of
course, but when it is limited to this scope, a generally inefficient
and vulnerable environment is shaped which harms the real link between
Armenia and Europe, as well as the conference hall initiatives.

The consequence is that there is no conscious public demand for the
European integration (except among a small active civil circle),
the public opinion is manipulated, the real political necessity for
European integration is misrepresented.

The general narrative of the new EU package shows awareness of the
existing problems, and it stems from the public and national interests
of Armenia. The development and application of an effective mechanism
for the solution of this issue will change essentially the depth and
content of the EU-Armenia relations, as well as the balance of forces
in Armenia, lowering the scale of the society of Armenia in domestic
and foreign issues.

17:55 14/02/2014 Story from Lragir.am News:

FITCH AFFIRMS ARMENIA AT ‘BB-‘; OUTLOOK STABLE – REPORT

YEREVAN, February 14. /ARKA/. Fitch Ratings has affirmed Armenia’s
long-term foreign and local currency Issuer Default Ratings (IDRs)
national currency ratings at ‘BB-‘, the press service of the agency
told ARKA.

“The issue ratings on Armenia’s senior unsecured foreign and local
currency bonds are also affirmed at ‘BB-‘. The Outlooks on the
Long-term IDRs are Stable. The Country Ceiling is affirmed at ‘BB’
and the Short-term foreign currency IDR at ‘B’, the outlook stable”,
says the report.

Key rating drivers

The affirmation of Armenia’s sovereign ratings reflects several
factors, according to the report. In particular, it shows fiscal
outturns came in below budget for the second consecutive year in 2013.

“Due to higher-than-expected tax revenue and under-spending on large
foreign-financed projects, Fitch estimates that the fiscal deficit
remained virtually unchanged from 2012 at about 1.6% of GDP in 2013,
compared with a projected 2.6% in the budget law”, Fitch says.

Another factor is the debt dynamics that are likely to remain fairly
favourable. Fitch expects the debt/GDP to fall slightly in 2014 and
remain broadly stable thereafter. However, because 84% of public debt
is foreign-currency denominated, Armenia’s debt profile is vulnerable
to exchange rate shocks. The pension reform currently being passed
should help to develop the domestic financial market, although this
will take time.

According to Fitch, GDP growth has fallen to about 3% in 2013, down
from 7.2% in 2012, mainly because of a slowdown in public investment,
a poor agricultural season and a temporary rise in gas prices. Fitch
expects growth to recover gradually, to about 4% in 2014 and 5%
over the longer term.

The budget law projected a 6.2% GDP growth for 2013 and 5.2% for 2014.

Fitch estimates the current account deficit (CAD) to have narrowed to
a still-high 8.2% of GDP in 2013, from 11.2% in 2012, and is expected
to shrink gradually over the forecast period. The improvement was
primarily due to a significant rise in the income and transfers
surpluses. A narrowing of the CAD, together with Armenia’s first
sovereign eurobond issue, helped to generate a modest increase in
foreign currency reserves.

Fitch says the Central Bank of Armenia is allowing exchange rate
flexibility, despite high dollarisation. “Armenia’s ratings are
supported by a fairly strong macroeconomic framework and an inflation
track record in line with ‘BB’-rated sovereigns. Macroeconomic policy
management has benefitted from a series of IMF programmes dating back
to 2005 and Armenia recently agreed a further USD125m extended fund
facility for 2014-17”, according to the report.

Fitch experts believe bank risks to sovereign creditworthiness are
mitigated by a strong loss absorption capacity and by predominantly
foreign ownership of banks. Despite having slowed in 1H13, lending
growth remains high, notwithstanding CBA’s attempts to dampen growth
in foreign currency lending.

The report says Armenia’s recent agreement to join the Russian-led
customs union instead of the EU Eastern Partnership Programme
underlined its strong ties with Russia.

“Entering the customs union will allow for a reduction in gas prices,
thereby reducing the import bill and improving Armenia’s terms of
trade. However, given the already predominant share of Russia in
Armenian external trade, joining the customs union is unlikely to
affect trade flows significantly”, according to the document.

Rating sensitivities

The Stable Outlook reflects Fitch’s assessment that upside and downside
risks to the ratings are currently well balanced.

Consequently, Fitch’s sensitivity analysis does not currently
anticipate developments with a high likelihood of leading to a
rating change.

The main factors that, individually or collectively, could lead to
positive rating action are ongoing improvement in the current account
deficit and a stronger reserve position, reducing public debt/GDP at
a faster rate than Fitch’s baseline. Apart from this, a track record
of sustainably low fiscal deficits without affecting GDP growth would
improve creditworthiness, especially given a forecast rise in sovereign
external funding costs.

Among the main factors that, individually or collectively, could lead
to negative rating action is material slippage in the performance of
public finances leading to a rise in the debt/GDP ratio.

A sharp depreciation in the exchange rate worsening solvency risks,
given the government’s largely foreign currency-denominated debt,
would pose risks to the financial system in view of the high level
of dollarization, says the report.

An escalation of tensions with Armenia’s neighbours is another factor
that may lead to negative rating action.

Key assumptions

The ratings and Outlooks are sensitive to a number of assumptions.

Fitch assumes that: – real GDP growth and fiscal outturns do not
deviate greatly from its forecast, and that any spillover from
slowing growth in Russia is contained; – there is no material shift
in Russia’s policy towards Armenia; – a sharp downswing in metals
prices is avoided. Mining exports, especially copper, account for
nearly half of Armenia’s goods exports; – Armenia continues to enjoy
broad social and political stability, and that there is no significant
worsening in tensions with Azerbaijan surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh –
the gradual progress in deepening fiscal and financial integration at
the eurozone level will continue; key macroeconomic imbalances within
the currency union will be slowly unwound; and eurozone governments
will tighten fiscal policy over the medium term. Fitch also assumes
that the risk of fragmentation of the eurozone remains low.

Previously, Fitch Ratings affirmed Armenia’s long-term foreign and
local currency Issuer Default Ratings (IDRs) national currency ratings
at ‘BB-‘, outlook stable, in August 2013. -0–

– See more at:

SOME 130,000 ARMENIAN CITIZENS WORK IN RUSSIA LEGALLY -EMBASSY OFFICIAL

YEREVAN, February 14, /ARKA/. Svetlana Stepanova from the Russian
embassy in Armenia, said today that some 130,000 citizens of Armenia
have legal permits to work in the Russian Federation Speaking at a
news conference, Ms. Styepanova said Armenian citizens had been granted
37,200 labor permits and 92,500 labor patents in Russia last year.

The main difference between a work permit and a patent for the CIS
citizens is that the permit allows labor migrants to be employed by
companies , firms, enterprise and individual entrepreneurs, while a
patent allows a foreigner to work only for individuals like gardeners ,
personal drivers, cooks , helpers , etc..

Asked to comment on a set of recent changes made to the Russian law
on immigration she said Armenian citizens seeking jobs in Russia may
buy labor patents at $30 per month within ten days. The patents are
extended automatically.

Under the revised Russian law, citizens of some former Soviet
republics, including from Armenia, have the right to remain in the
territory of the Russian Federation without registration for only
90 days within every 180 days. This means that citizens of Armenia
cannot continually live in Russia for at least six months.

With regard to work permits, she said the law now demands also that
labor migrants provide a medical certificate that they are free from
‘socially dangerous diseases’ like AIDS. -0-

– See more at:

L’ADHESION A L’UNION DOUANIERE CONDUIRA A UNE INFLATION SUPPLEMENTAIRE DE 1,5% EN ARMENIE

ARMENIE

Après que plusieurs journaux ont tire la sonnette d’alarme face a
l’eventuelle augmentation du prix de nombre de produits de première
necessite suite a l’adhesion a l’Union douanière, le Ministre de
l’Economie, Vahram Avanessian, a confirme, lors d’une conference
de presse, que le prix de certains produits subirait un changement,
mais que d’après les calculs du Gouvernement, l’inflation provoquee
par cette adhesion ne devrait pas depasser 1,5%. Il a rappele que
le Gouvernement menait actuellement des negociations avec l’Union
douanière afin de laisser inchangees les taxes actuellement appliquees
en Armenie sur 850 produits. A la question de savoir ce que fera
l’Armenie si les negociations ne donnent pas de resultats, le Ministre
a repondu que >./
RFE/RL, Aravot, Hayastani Hanrapetoutioun

Extrait de la revue de presse de l’Ambassade de France en Armenie en
date du7 fevrier 2014

vendredi 14 fevrier 2014, Stephane (c)armenews.com

AURELIE FILIPPETTI VEUT PROTEGER L’ARMENIEN OCCIDENTAL

FRANCE

Dans une interview au magazine > la ministre
a repondu . mais nous avons defini en 1999 la notion de >. Celle -ci n’inclut pas l’italien ou le portugais qui
ne courent aucun risque. Mais elle prend en compte des langues qui
ne beneficient pas du statut de langue officielle dans leur pays
d’origine : elles sont aussi fragiles et il importe de les preserver.

Cela dit, les 39 mesures retenues n’auront pas a s’appliquer
indifferemment a toutes les langues >>. Mme FilIPPETTI a defini par la
suite ces langues

ENCORE DES MILITANTS DE L’OPPOSITION ARRETES A EREVAN

ARMENIE

Plusieurs jeunes militants du parti d’opposition Congrès national
armenien (HAK) encourent des poursuites judiciaires pour > et troubles de l’ordre public après avoir ete
arretes mercredi 12 fevrier par la police a Erevan a la suite d’une
altercation avec des partisans du pouvoir. Les militants s’etaient
heurtes violemment avec des membres du Parti republicain d’Armenie
(HHK) au pouvoir dans le centre de Erevan, alors qu’ils s’etaient
rassembles pour annoncer la tenue du grand meeting du HAK prevu dans la
capitale le 1er mars, en distribuant des tracts designant le president
Serge Sarkissian comme un “traitre a la nation”.

Les images de l’incident postees sur les sites d’informations
armeniens montrent les jeunes militants du HHK indignes par les tracts
qu’ils tentent d’arracher des mains de l’un des militants du parti
d’opposition. Ce dernier leur ayant resiste, une bagarre generale s’en
est suivie qui n’a pris fin qu’avec l’arrivee des forces de l’ordre.

Douze personnes, pour la plupart des membres du HAK, ont ete arretes
et conduits au poste de police où is ont ete places en detention. Les
militants ont ete liberes trois heures après. Un porte parole de
la police armenienne a annonce jeudi 13 fevrier que les jeunes
militants avaient ete places en detention sous la suspicion de >, en precisant que la police s’employait a reunir des
“preuves materielles” en vue de l’ouverture d’une enquete.

Au nombre des militants arretes durant cet incident figurant deux
journalistes proches du HAK. Ani Gevorgian, l’une de ces journalists,
affirme avoir ete frappee au visage par un officier de police en tenue
durant sa garde a vue dans un commissariat du centre de Erevan. La
police s’est engagee a enqueter aussi sur cette accusation. Le HAK
a condamne vigoureusement l’incident, denoncant une provocation du
gouvernement visant a intimider la population et a la dissuader de
se rendre massivement au grand rassemblement du 1er mars, qui sera
le premier grand rendez-vous du parti de Levon Ter Petrossian depuis
les elections presidentielles de fevrier 2013. “Non seulement cela ne
decouragera la population, mais cela ne fera au contraire qu’accroître
sa colère”, a declare Levon Zurabian, le vice-president du parti
d’opposition en ajoutant que “le gouvernement espère que de tels
incidents dissuadent la population de se rendre aux manifestations de
l’opposition. Mais de tels calculs ne sont pas de nature a perturber
un rassemblement qui s’annonce massif”.

Le HHK, de son côte, a defend l’attitide de ses militants, parmi
lesquels un etudiant et le president du conseil des etudiants de
l’Academie agricole armenienne d’ Etat . “Nos jeunes ont ete plutôt
mesures dans leurs gestes et se sont contentes de demander aux autres
qu’ils ne tiennent pas des propos insultants a l’encontre du leader
de notre parti et de notre pays. La reponse [ des activistes du HAK’]
etait pour le moins disproportionnee”, a commente Karen Avagian, le
dirigeant du mouvement de jeunesse du parti au pouvoir. “Si nos jeunes
ont enfreint la loi durant cet incident, j’en appellerai a leur sens
des responsabilites”, a ajoute K. Avagian. La tension monte a Erevan
a l’approche de la manifestation du HAK. Le 10 fevrier, une dizaine
de militants du HAK avaient ete arretes par les forces de l’ordre
qui les avaient surpris en train de > des murs du centre
de Erevan avec le portrait du president Sarkissian, accompagne de
la meme mention >. Ils encourent des amendes
pouvant aller jusqu’a 150$.

vendredi 14 fevrier 2014, Gari (c)armenews.com

ARMENIA TO JOIN RUSSIAN-BELARUSIAN DEFENSE SYSTEMS HOLDING

February 13, 2014 | 11:42

YEREVAN. – Armenia will become a member in the Russian-Belarusian
Defense Systems holding.

The draft of the respective agreement was sanctioned at the Armenian
Cabinet meeting on Thursday.

The decision on Armenia’s joining the aforementioned state-run
military industry company was discussed at the sessions of the
Armenian-Belarusian and the Armenian-Russian Interparliamentary
Committees on Military-Technical Cooperation, which were convened in
October 2011.

Accordingly, the Armenian companies will be able to partake in the
implementation of trilateral military industry projects.

RUSSIAN AIR FORCES TO GET NEW MULTIROLE JETS IN 2014

09:34 * 13.02.14

Russia’s air force will receive 21 Sukhoi Su-30SM multirole fighter
jets in 2014, RIA Novostireported, citing the Irkut aircraft maker.

“We have delivered 16 Su-30SM planes so far. An additional 21 aircraft
will be supplied this year,” Irkut Corporation president Oleg Demchenko
said at the Singapore Air Show.

Irkut and the Defense Ministry have signed three separate contracts
on the delivery of 65 Su-30SM fighters by 2016.

Deputy Air Force commander Col. Sergei Kobylash said last year that
the aircraft would be delivered as fully equipped squadrons.

The Su-30SM is the latest development of the twin-seat Su-30 jet
fighter family, a derivative of the long-serving single-seat Sukhoi
Su-27, one of the air force’s most important warplanes.

The new aircraft has better radar and communications capabilities,
an improved friend-or-foe system, a new ejection seat and new
weapons. It also has thrust-vectoring engine nozzles, providing
super-maneuverability at low airspeeds.

Armenian News – Tert.a

ARMENIAN OPPOSITION ACTIVISTS’ CASE CAN GO STRAIGHT TO EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS: ATTORNEY

02.13.2014 18:27 epress.am

The Armenian National Congress (HAK) activists’ case can be brought
before the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) without first going
through all the domestic courts, claimed attorney Ara Ghazaryan,
in conversation with Epress.am, referring to an incident on Wednesday
whereby the young activists were taken to the police station while they
were distributing and pasting flyers aboutan upcoming rally on March 1.

According to the attorney, it’s not just the obvious violations, such
as violating the right of assembly and the explicit use of force,
but that often such violations are committed against HAK activists.

“What’s important here is providing context. This was not the first
time this has happened to HAK activists, and experience shows that
the mechanism of legal protection doesn’t work in Armenia,” he said.

The ECtHR may accept the case without it going through the domestic
courts, Ghazaryan said, also because not only international agencies,
but also the various bodies of the Council of Europe in the last
six months have regularly stated that Armenia regularly violates the
right to freedom of assembly and the right to inform.

“This means that the problem is known also outside the country.The most
striking manifestations of these violations are first, the so-called
administrative detention; second, the [police] openly shooting video,
which though is presented as being done for administrative and legal
purposes, actually is done with the goal of criminal and even political
persecution (but disguised as administrative procedures),” he said.

The attorney said there is precedence of the ECtHR accepting
applications by Armenian nationals of cases that have not gone through
all the domestic courts. For example, in the cases of Tadevosyan v.

the Republic of Armenia (“The Court reiterates that the only remedies
to be exhausted are those which are effective”) and Mkhitaryan v. the
Republic of Armenia, the parties were disputing the conditions of
arrest they were subject to. The ECtHR not only began the proceedings,
but also ruled in the plaintiffs’ favor, considering that Armenia
violated Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights.