Author: Kanayan Tamar

WILL COURT OF CASSATION GIVE UP ON HEAD OF SRC?

September 24 is a significant date. The SRC lost a case to the student
of law Sergey Grigoryan at the Court of Appeals. The student of law
imported a car, submitted the invoices to the SRC but the SRC did not
apply the transaction value method, valuating the car more expensive.

The Customs Service did not recognize the invoices, and the lawyer
was charged a higher customs fee. The lawyer did not give up and sued
the SRC. The Administrative Court ruled the case in favor of the SRC
on March 15.

Afterwards the Court of Appeals changed the verdict of the First
Instance Court. The Court of Appeals decided that the SRC must apply
the transaction value method and charge a 2000 dollars lower fee
than the fee charged by the customs officers last May. The Court of
Appeals has also voided the note of Arthur Afrikyan, the first deputy
head of the SRC.

The decision of the Court of Appeals gave a surprise to many, at least
because any act of justice is always a surprise in Armenia. In this
case, however, the court ruling is something significant because not
only Sergey Grigoryan encountered the arbitrary approach to customs
clearance of cars but also the majority of importers of cars to
Armenia who are not backed by someone influential in the government
or in the very SRC.

In Armenia the customs fee for cars is already too high. Plus the SRC
raises the fee up to the ceiling, ruling out every cheaper option. The
SRC does not believe in any import document and applies the market
value method. In other words, the SRC is arbitrary. And even if it
is possible by law, it actually turns out that the law enables the
SRC to be arbitrary.

And this is happening in a country where the government commits
to improvement of the business climate and fight on corruption and
patronage.

The staunch student of law did not just take a model step for the
protection of his rights but also a step that may have a systemic
importance for the future of the state.

If certainly the ruling system does not restore the immunity of the
SRC at the Court of Cassation. The decision of the Court of Appeals
will enter into force in a month, which the SRC can apply to the Court
of Cassation. Considering the coverage and deepness of this case, the
SRC will do that. And since the SRC and its head Gagik Khachatryan are
untouchable and they are allowed everything, the Court of Cassation
will not reassert state justice but will restore “systemic justice”.

Gagik Khachatryan was not surrendered by the newly established but
idle Ethics Commission, dismissing Transparency International’s
application. So now it is a surprise that the Court of Appeals gave
up on Gagik Khachatryan. However, there was confidence that the Court
of Cassation will rapidly liberate him from law.

Nevertheless, the Court of Cassation may have a burst of professional
jealousy and dignity. Moreover, currently the president of the Court
of Cassation Arman Mkrtumyan is rumored to leave his position soon,
and the government is dissatisfied. Mkrtumyan has a chance to leave
the society at least a little satisfied after he leaves his office.

And if he leaves before the SRC applies to the Court of Cassation,
the next president of the Court of Cassation will get a good start.

Hakob Badalyan 16:44 25/09/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

EVEN RUSSIAN DIASPORA DID NOT WELCOME MEMBERSHIP TO CUSTOMS UNION

The Armenian Diaspora has not reacted to Serzh Sargsyan’s decision to
join the Customs Union. The only statement relating to the Diaspora
was made by MP Heghineh Bisharyan, noting that the decision stems
from the security need of 2.5 million Armenians living in Russia.

The Armenian communities of Europe and the United States have not
reacted to the decision of the Armenian government. Ken Hachikian of
ANCA told Radio Liberty that the Armenian government’s decision was
not transparent and unfair to the Armenian people.

He also noted that the government had better get down to solving
vital issues such as concentration of wealth, corruption, unemployment.

The Diaspora hardly ever criticizes the Armenian government. In private
conversations the Diaspora representatives display a good knowledge of
Armenian reality and problems but they never reach public statements.

There have been several bright episodes of criticism from the Diaspora
on the government’s policy causing people to emigrate. Charles
Aznavour, Catholicos of Cilicia Aram I, the ARF in the United States
have criticized the government which has silenced them all.

Five years ago Serzh Sargsyan’s football diplomacy and normalization
with Turkey got the toughest criticism ever. Serzh Sargsyan travelled
to the Diaspora communities and did not get a warm welcome, sometimes
he was met with demonstrations of protest. Afterwards Serzh Sargsyan
decided to “quit” the Diaspora and did everything he could to reduce
the influence of Armenia on politics and economy of Armenia.

Except the Armenian community of Russia which is the conductor of the
Armenia-Russia relations, or rather the Russian economic and political
guidance. Nevertheless, even the Armenian Russians have not welcomed
warmly Serzh Sargsyan’s decision.

15:20 25/09/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

THERE WILL BE REVOLUTION IN ARMENIA – OPPOSITION MEMBER

September 25, 2013 | 13:46

YEREVAN. – A reform is no longer possible within the authorities, and
therefore there will be a revolution, no matter what we do in Armenia.

Armen Martirosyan, opposition Heritage Party Vice-Chairman and member
of the “Barev [Hello], Yerevan” faction at capital city Yerevan Council
of Elders, stated the aforesaid during a press conference on Wednesday.

“If something suddenly happens, it will be like a flood; the
disappointment exists. The public wants the unity of the opposition,”
he noted.

As per Martirosyan, the Armenian authorities attempt to ensure their
legitimacy by way of receiving help from abroad, and they give some
things in return.

“Today’s result is a result of illegitimate authorities. The
opposition forces, the body politic-which were prepared for a short
struggle, which did not try to create a single opposition front and
to struggle-have their fault here. The problems can be solved solely
in a united agenda,” he said.

Armen Martirosyan stressed that the opposition may have shortcomings
at most, whereas the authorities have guilt.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

VIEWS FROM YEREVAN: KARABAKH SHOULD BE OPENED NOT CLOSED
by David Stepanyan

arminfo
Wednesday, September 25, 13:05

Informal meetings of representatives of the Armenian and Azerbaijani
civic societies are quite rare. They meet only outside the region,
which makes such meetings expensive and not easy to organize. In
addition, Armenian analysts and civic society representatives cannot
travel to Azerbaijan, Director of the Caucasus Institute Alexander
Iskandaryan told ArmInfo.

“Meanwhile. foreign citizens visiting Nagorny Karabakh find themselves
in the ‘black lists of personas non-grata’ in Azerbaijan. I think,
it is necessary to do everything quite on the contrary in order to
avoid paranoidism characteristic to close societies. Karabakh should
be opened not closed. It is necessary to try to talk to the Karabakh
people. After all, Baku considers Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan, but
the citizens of Azerbaijan cannot travel to Karabakh,” he said. In
this light, the political scientist believes that Baku’s policy is
a failed PR.

Earlier on 23 September, Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry has removed
four foreigners from the list of the people, who have visited the
Nagorno Karabakh Republic. A member of Russia’s State Duma Alexei
Mitrofanov, head of the Moscow office ‘Voice of America’ James Brook ,
Johns Hopkins University students Ivan Benovich and Nicholas Vondra
are those ‘happy’ people that have been removed from the list of
“persona non grata” after expressing their sincere regret for visiting
Nagorno Karabakh.

They appealed to the government of Azerbaijan and expressed their
remorse, after which their names were removed from the list of
“persona non grata”. Azerbaijan has already blacklisted 300 prominent
and well-known people who ‘dared’ to visit Nagorno Karabakh ‘without
permission of Baku.’

“ONEARMENIA” AND “SAHMAN” NGO RAISED OVER $8,000 FOR BERKABER PROJECT

September 25, 2013 | 02:36

YEREVAN. – Through the project of “ONEArmenia” designed to raise
money for bordering houses in Berkaber, located in the Tavush Region
of Armenia, a total of $8,095 was raised with $595 above the goal,
director of the organization “ONEArmenia” David Bequette told Armenian
News – NEWS.am.

“We got more than the amount of money we expected, and the
representatives of “Sahman” NGO have already been in Berkaber to start
construction of the next stage of greenhouses”, he noted, adding that
they are actually going to start another sustainability project there.

David Bequette hopes to start construction on October 10 and finish
the greenhouses before the winter.

He noted that the representatives of “Sahman” NGO visited the two
previous greenhouses and they both have become success stories:
the first one is already selling its harvest in the local market,
while the second owner has started building his own greenhouse.

On August 7, “ONEArmenia” launched its fourth campaign to help build
sustainable greenhouses for over 500 residents in the border village
of Berkaber, located in the Tavush Region in northeastern Armenia. The
project includes the building of greenhouses, the trainings, the seeds,
as well as budget training on how to keep and maintain greenhouses.

For the past 20 years, the farmers in Berkaber have not been able to
farm because their land, located on the other side of the village’s
reservoir, is under the occupation of Azerbaijani forces.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

ARMENIA LOST ITS EUROPEAN PROSPECT – EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT MEMBER

September 25, 2013 | 12:26

It is not that Europe lost Armenia, but rather Armenia lost its
European prospect; this is the correct approach.

Elmar Brok, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European
Parliament and Vice-Chair of the European People’s Party, told the
aforesaid toRFE/RL Armenian service.

“And Armenia had this loss because of an incredibly great pressure
by Russia, which was pressuring with the security matter,” he added.

“This is why I have to say that such pressures by Russia, to prevent
the countries’ sovereign decisions to join the union of their choice,
is simply unacceptable,” Elmar Brok stated.

To note, following the talks that were held on September 3 in Moscow
between Armenian and Russian Presidents Serzh Sargsyan and Vladimir
Putin, Sargsyan had announced that Armenia plans to join the Customs
Union and subsequently engage in the formation of the Eurasian
Economic Union.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

ZHOGHOVURD: ARMENIAN ECONOMISTS TO NEGOTIATE CU MEMBERSHIP PROCEDURES IN RUSSA

11:08 ~U 25.09.13

Upon his return from Sochi, Russia, where he was taking part in the
Collective Security Treaty Organization’s summit, President Serzh
Sargsyan reportedly issued an instruction for sending a delegation
of knowledgeable Armenian economists to the country.

Citing its sources, the paper says that the president expects the
delegation to inform the Russian side of the possible economic risks
that the country may face in case of joining the Eurasian Customs
Union.

“The group, headed by President of the Armenian Union of Manufacturers
and Businessmen Arsen Ghazaryan will leave for the Russian capital
today to discuss with Russian experts and the chairman of the Eurasian
Economic Commission Board, Victor Christenko, the mechanisms of a
united Customs zone with Armenia in the absence of a common border.

Considering the haste with which the group was formed, it is easy to
guess that the Russians wish to maximum accelerate Armenia’s membership
in the Customs Union,” the paper comments.

Armenian News – Tert.am

SELON UN EXPERT L’ARMENIE PEUT PROFITER DES AVANTAGES DU COULOIR RUSSIE-EURASIE SI LE TRONCON FERROVIAIRE ABKHAZE OUVRE

ARMENIE

L’Armenie peut profiter des avantages du corridor eurasien que
la Russie a propose d’ouvrir si le chemin de fer qui s’etend sur
l’Abkhazie separatiste s’ouvre a declare Aram Safaryan, responsable
d’une ONG appelee ” integration et developpement “. Le couloir du
projet s’etend de la region de l’extreme-Orient a la frontière de
l’Union europeenne.

” Les specialistes ont calcule que si ce corridor fonctionne
correctement, en conformite avec ses règlements techniques et
economiques, le transport de fret de l’Extreme-Orient vers l’Europe
prendra moins de temps, jusqu’a 50 jours, a l’avenir, grâce a
d’immenses investissements publics, et cela peut devenir meilleur
marche ” a declare Aram Safaryan.

” Mais seule l’ouverture de la section abkhaze du chemin de fer
donnerait cet avantage a l’Armenie “.

Aram Safaryan a dit que si le chemin de fer abkhaze commence a
fonctionner cela serait benefique pour le commerce de l’Armenie avec
la Russie et ses partenaires.

” La Chine est notre deuxième partenaire commercial après la Russie,
et le premier partenaire, si la composante du gaz n’est pas prise en
compte. Notre chiffre d’affaires des echanges s’est eleve a près de
500 millions de dollars en 2012 “.

Aram Safaryan a egalement declare que les prix des marchandises
chinoises peuvent baisser si la section abkhaze s’ouvre.

mercredi 25 septembre 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

LA SECURITE NATIONALE DE L’ARMENIE EN PERIL PAR LA MIGRATION CROISSANTE SELON LE DASHNAKTSUTIUN

ARMENIE

La migration menace la securite nationale du pays a declare Armen
Rustamyan, le chef de la faction de la Federation revolutionnaire
armenienne a l’Assemblee nationale lors d’une rencontre avec des
journalistes pour presenter le programme social du parti appele ”
Nous allons vivre dans notre pays “.

Il a egalement souligne le manque de conscrits dans l’armee armenienne.

” Il y a des lacunes dans d’autres domaines “, a-t-il dit.

Le programme se compose de 11 sections ciblant divers domaines,
notamment l’economie, la politique et l’education.

Dans son programme, le parti Dashnaktsutiun propose de separer le
monde des affaires et la politique, de poursuivre une juste politique
de ressources humaine, de rendre les activites des fonctionnaires
plus transparents et responsables, de donner aux jeunes la place
pour traduire leurs ambitions en realite, de creer de nouveaux
emplois, de rendre la politique fiscale et douanière plus previsible
afin de stimuler les investissements, de realiser une transition
vers l’agriculture industrielle et d’accroître la qualite et la
disponibilite de l’education.

Armen Rustamyan a declare que la federation revolutionnaire armenienne
s’est lancee dans ce programme il y a quelques mois.

” Nous avons tenu une serie de discussions de fond sur diverses
plates-formes professionnelles, et nous avions besoin de commencer une
nouvelle etape aujourd’hui ” a-t-il dit, ajoutant que les discussions
se continuent sur d’autres plates-formes et soulignant que ce document
n’est pas un projet ordinaire du parti – il revendique le statut du
programme national.

Le chef de la faction a egalement declare que le parti est pret a
cooperer avec d’autres, non seulement les partis de l’opposition,
dans la mise en ~uvre de ce programme.

” Les autorites doivent comprendre que la poursuite de cette situation
signifie l’auto-destruction, et nous esperons qu’il y a des gens qui
comprendront egalement parmi les fonctionnaires ” a-t-il dit.

La population de l’Armenie s’est contracte de 15000 personnes depuis
le debut de cette annee.

Selon les rapports en juin 2013, il y avait 3 011 900 citoyens dans
le pays dont 1 904 400 vivaient dans les villes et 1 107 500 dans
les zones rurales.

mercredi 25 septembre 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

L’UD ET LE KARABAGH : L’INTEGRATION DE L’ARMENIE DANS LE BLOC DIRIGE PAR LA RUSSIE SIGNIFIE UNE NOUVELLE ETAPE DANS LE REGLEMENT DES CONFLITS

ARMENIE

Le sujet du Haut-Karabagh est devenue plus d’actualite a la lumière
de l’accord du president d’Armenie d’adherer a l’Union Douanière (UD)
dirigee par la Russie. La decision annoncee le 3 Septembre a donne
lieu a des affirmations selon lesquelles une nouvelle etape va voir
le jour dans le règlement et que la concurrence entre l’Occident et
la Russie autour de cette question deviendra plus rigide.

Le nouveau co-president americain du Groupe de Minsk de l’OSCE,
James Warlick, qui a visite la region la semaine dernière, a declare
qu’un nouveau ” chemin realiste ” devrait etre trouve pour resoudre
le conflit. Il suggère de faire avancer la creation de mesures de
confiance et de contacts afin d’aider a resoudre comme le conflit ”
gele ” et preserver le statu quo.

Ni l’Armenie, ni les responsables russes ont dit un mot sur la facon
dont le Karabagh serait lie a l’Union douanière. Le ministre armenien
des Affaires Etrangères Edouard Nalbandian a note seulement que le
Karabagh ne devrait pas souffrir de la nouvelle situation. De nombreux
responsables estiment toutefois qu’il n’y a pas d’accords clairs sur
ce point.

Mais au niveau des experts, il y a des opinions que, selon les souhaits
de l’Armenie et de l’Azerbaïdjan de s’integrer dans la communaute
eurasiatique, la Russie pourrait prendre des mesures actives sur le
Karabagh. C’est peut-etre meme la reconnaissance du Karabagh comme
une revanche sur l’Azerbaïdjan, ou une ” petite guerre ” avec la
division du Karabagh – si l’Armenie se comporte mal.

L’expert azerbaïdjanais Rauf Mirkadyrov croit generalement que
la Russie ne pourrait tout simplement pas reconnaître le Karabagh
comme partie integrante. Par ailleurs, dans quelques semaines, le
200e anniversaire du Traite de Gulistan sera marque et vertu de ce
traite la partie du Karabakh de l’Armenie est passe du contrôle perse
a celui de la Russie.

Mais il semble que l’Europe a decide d’etablir des liens plus etroits
et des relations directes avec le Karabagh. Au cours des derniers
jours Stepanakert a ete visite par des membres des parlements danois
et allemands, ainsi que des representants de marques europeennes
bien connues, qui ont annonce des plans pour etablir des usines de
confection au Haut-Karabagh.

En outre, a la lumière de l’adhesion de l’Armenie a l’Union Douanière
des fonctionnaires europeens ont declare qu’il est temps que l’Europe
renforce son rôle dans les negociations sur le règlement du Karabagh.

Le 2 octobre, lorsque le president armenien Serge Sarkissian va prendre
la aprole lors de la session de l’APCE a Strasbourg dans le cadre de
l’achèvement de la presidence de l’Armenie du Conseil de l’Europe,
les questions liees au règlement du Karabagh sont susceptibles d’etre
evoquees.

Au Karabagh lui-meme les responsables semblent etre un peu indifferent
a ces processus. Par exemple le secretaire de presse du president du
Karabagh David Babayan, a dit ” que diplomatiquement l’Armenie et le
Nagorno-Karabakh doivent avoir de bonnes relations avec tous les pays
où il y a une diaspora armenienne “.

Et le Premier ministre du Karabagh Ara Harutyunyan, parlant aux
medias, a declare que le Karabagh ne doit pas etre melange dans les
relations armeno-russes. Il a mis en garde : si nous parlons beaucoup
du Karabagh, nous pourrions abîmer ce que nous avons la par defaut.

Que va donner l’adhesion de l’Armenie a l’Union douanière pour le
Karabagh ? Dans une interview avec Deutsche Welle le politologue et
ancien conseiller du president americain sur la securite nationale
Zbigniew Brzezinski, repondant a la question de savoir qu’est-ce qui
se cache derrière la creation de l’Union douanière de la Russie, la
Bielorussie et le Kazakhstan, a declare qu’en fait, il y a meme rien
de cache. Selon lui, il est bien evident que l’essence de l’Union
est d’essayer de dompter les pays post-sovietiques independant les
uns après les autres.

Par Naira Hayrumyan

ArmeniaNow

mercredi 25 septembre 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com