LE PARLEMENT DU KARABAGH ADOPTE UNE LOI SUR L’AUGMENTATION DU SALAIRE MINIMUM
L’Assemblee nationale de la Republique du Haut-Karabakh a adopte
plusieurs projets de loi, dont le projet de loi sur les amendements a
la loi sur le salaires minimum mensuel.
Le ministre du travail et des affaires sociales Samvel Avanesyan a dit
que le salaire mensuel minimum sera augmente de 35000 drams a 45000
drams au Karabagh a partir du 1er Juillet.
jeudi 11 juillet 2013,
Stephane ©armenews.com
HENRIKH MKHITARYAN DEBUTE AU ” BORUSSIA ” DORTMUND PAR UNE BUT DES LE PREMIER MATCH
Il n’a fallu que 27 minutes a l’international armenien Henrikh
Mkhitaryan pour marquer son premier but au ” Borussia ” Dortmund. En
match amical contre les Suisses du FC Basel, Henrikh Mkhitaryan
offrait d’abord une balle de but a Marco Reus a la 11e minute. Puis a
16 minutes plus tard marquait un superbe but. ” Borussia ” Dortmund
s’imposant au final 3-1. Le journal ” Bild ” ecrivait aussitôt sur
les qualites de Henrikh Mkhitaryan en affirmant le rôle important
de l’international armenien dans la victoire de son club en ecrivant
que l’arrivee de Mkhitaryan au ” Borussia ” Dortmund etait un choix
” extraordinaire “. Des entraîneurs aux dirigeants, des supporters
aux joueurs, tous a Dortmund notent les qualites d’Henrikh Mkhitaryan
qui sera a n’en point douter l’une des revelations de la Bundesliga
cette saison. Après l’Ukraine, l’Allemagne decouvrira l’international
armenien.
Krikor Amirzayan
jeudi 11 juillet 2013, Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com
A CLOSER LOOK: THE SUPREME COURT’S DECISION ON GENOCIDE-ERA INSURANCE CLAIMS
By Lilly Torosyan
July 10, 2013
The upcoming centenary of the Armenian Genocide represents an important
milestone in the international movement for a truthful, just, and
comprehensive resolution of Turkey’s crime against the Armenian nation.
nahapetian torosyan A Closer Look: The Supreme Courts Decision on
Genocide Era Insurance Claims ANCA Governmental Affairs Director Kate
Nahapetian (L) and Lilly Torosyan.
A just resolution of the Armenian Genocide would include, first and
foremost, the realization of the national claims of Armenia and the
Armenian people to fair restitution and full reparations, as well as
the return of church and community assets, and, of course, unhindered
redress for the individual rights of genocide-era victims to their
properties and assets.
One particularly high-profile individual rights case involves the
efforts of genocide-era beneficiaries to secure unpaid insurance
payments for the death of their loved ones. This case has its roots
in a law passed by the California legislature and has reached all the
way to the U.S. Supreme Court. On June 10, the Supreme Court decided
it would not review the Ninth Circuit Court’s ruling that brought
down the California state law extending the statute of limitations
on insurance claims cases of the genocide era.
In an interview with the Armenian Weekly, Armenian National Committee
of America (ANCA) Governmental Affairs Director Kate Nahapetian
discusses the background of the case, and the implications of this
Supreme Court decision.
The Framework of the legislation
In 2000, the Legislature of the State of California passed a law that
extended the time period for filings against life insurance companies
for claims that were never paid out. Normally, one has two years to
file these claims, but because of the wartime dislocation and chaos
associated with this circumstance, the state prolonged the statute of
limitations for any Armenian Genocide-era victim. Nahapetian explains
that, despite common misunderstandings, descendants of non-Armenians
and non-genocide victims who are owed their insurance payments can
also file this claim, so long as they were citizens of the Ottoman
Empire in the years of 1915-1923.
The case began in the California Courts with pro-bono attorneys
Vartkes Yeghiayan, Brian Kabatak, and Mark Geragos, who brought claims
against several insurance companies, and were successful in several
rulings, leading to settlements between companies such as New York
Life and French carrier AXA. German insurer Munich Re (Munchener
Ruckversicherungs-Gesellschaft), however, litigated the claim. The
Ninth Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals filed three separate and
conflicting opinions, the most recent being in February 2012, which
invalidated the California statute of limitations for insurance claims
during the genocide period, based on an unprecedented expansion of
the rarely invoked doctrine of foreign affairs field preemption. This
principle states that the State of California improperly interfered
with foreign policy powers and the authority of the federal government.
After this ruling, plaintiffs appealed to the Supreme Court to reverse
the decision of the Ninth Circuit Courts. Plaintiffs’ lead attorney
Igor Timofeyev, Esq. of Paul Hastings, LLP, filed the petition and
a series of amicus briefs in support of the request, calling it a
“revolutionary proposition [by the U.S. government] that states lack
all authority to enact legislation concerning their citizens’ private
claims if they originate in events that occurred abroad.” Attorneys
Mary-Christine Sungaila and Seepan Parseghian of the Snell and Wilmer
firm, as well as the Armenian Bar Association also filed amicus briefs,
and were represented pro-bono by Bingham McCutchen, LLP, led by partner
David Balabanian, a world-renowned lawyer. Other advocates of the
plaintiffs include attorney David Salmons, chair of Appellate Practice
Group; and Marco Simons, legal director for EarthRights International.
The Supreme Court’s ruling two weeks ago upheld the decision by the
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Prior to this ruling, the Court asked
the Obama Administration for its views on the legal dispute. The
solicitor general-the Executive Branch’s representative before the
Supreme Court-presented a long statement that was widely seen as
making selective use of relevant law and the U.S. historical record.
He, along with the State Department, indicated that they were concerned
about the implications of the law on foreign policy. They argued that
the issue of compensation for Armenian Genocide victims had been
resolved in the period between 1923 and 1937 through the Treaty of
Lausanne, which was never approved by the Senate and therefore had
no legal effect as an international treaty. Even if it were deemed
valid, the treaty made no mention of how to go about settling disputes
between private individuals and business entities.
The real issue: federalism
Nahapetian notes that, at its core, this case does not address the
fact of the Armenian Genocide, or whether Armenians and other genocide
victims have claims against Turkey; rather, it was considered primarily
on the grounds of federalism, and the question of giving preeminence
to the federal executive on matters that involve foreign affairs,
at the expense of state sovereignty.
There currently is another case in California that deals with claims
against Turkey for properties that were stolen during the genocide.
The Foreign Sovereign Immunity Act provides certain immunity to
foreign governments from lawsuits in the United States. Notably,
the District Court-the first level in the state court system-found
that Turkey was not immune from these lawsuits because of the human
rights violations of its government during the genocide period.
Nahapetian argues that just because the Supreme Court will not hear
the insurance law case, it does not necessarily reflect whether they
believe the decision was correct. “In order for [the Supreme Court] to
hear the case, its primary concern is to manage conflicts between the
other circuit courts around the country. In this case, because there
are not many Armenian Genocide-related cases all over the country,
there wasn’t a clear conflict,” she explains.
Similar lawsuits
When the California legislation was introduced in 2000, similar laws
dealing with the Holocaust were also passed. Many of these different
statutes were struck down and eventually went up to the Supreme
Court, which also decided against these laws. However, the plaintiffs’
argument was not based on the broad doctrine of field prevention that
the Armenian case advocates. Instead, they addressed the policy of
conflict preemption, where the federal government devises a plan that
resolves the issue, thereby preventing states from interfering with
that process. In this instance, the mechanism the federal government
created resolved Holocaust insurance claims by negotiating with foreign
Swiss and German insurance carriers, which led to the Supreme Court’s
ruling that states could not create other avenues to resolve the same
claims for which the federal government has created a specific process.
“In the Armenian case, they could not practice the policy of conflict
preemption because the federal government has not created a mechanism
to resolve these claims, so they remain outstanding,” says Nahapetian.
Timofeyev echoes a similar view regarding the outcome of the Armenian
Genocide-era insurance law case, but notes, confidently, that “the
proper scope of the foreign affairs preemption doctrine is an important
issue that the Court will end up examining in the future.”
The Supreme Court reviews less than 1 percent of the cases that are
brought to its attention every year, so both Timofeyev and Nahapetian
maintain that there is hope to continue with this process until
justice is achieved for these Armenian Genocide-era victims.
EU URGES ARMENIA TO INTENSIFY EFFORTS INTO REACHING AGREEMENT WITH AZERBAIJAN ON THE BACKGROUND OF MADRID PRINCIPLES
APA, Azerbaijan
July 10 2013
Baku. Shamil Alibayli – APA. The European Union is ready to assist
in the settlement of the Karabakh conflict, European Commissioner
for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy said in Yerevan.
Noting that the topic is rather sensitive, Stefan File said the issue
cannot be silenced either here in Yerevan, or in Baku.
He urged Armenia to intensify efforts into reaching agreement with
Azerbaijan on the background of the Madrid Principles. The EU, for
its part, is ready to continue making contribution to the settlement
of the conflict and promotion of peace-building
CAUCASUS CORRUPTION LEVELS: IS AZERBAIJAN THE ONE TO WATCH?
EurasiaNet.org, NY
July 10 2013
July 10, 2013 – 12:58pm, by Giorgi Lomsadze
The results for Azerbaijan proved the big surprise from the South
Caucasus in this year’s Global Corruption Barometer by anti-corruption
watchdog Transparency International.*
Though Azerbaijan is repeatedly rated and berated as the region’s
most corrupt country, many of the 1,001 Azerbaijanis surveyed for the
poll by the Baku-based SIAR (Social and Marketing Research Company)
had a more positive assessment of their national corruption situation
than did respondents for neighboring Armenia and Georgia.
Azerbaijan long has had run-ins with allegations that senior officials
and members of President Ilham Aliyev’s family are cashing in on their
positions, but, apparently, most respondents believe the government
now is giving the corruption fight all it’s got. Sixty-eight percent of
respondents deemed the government’s actions “effective,” a rate which
topped Georgia, often described as the region’s main corruption-buster,
by 14-percentage points.
On perceptions of corruption in the public sector, Azerbaijan finished
a half point behind Georgia, roughly mid-range on a scale of one to
five, while Armenia settled firmly into the trouble zone at 4.4.
Similarly, both in Azerbaijan and Georgia, public perception of
corruption of political parties was 28 percent of respondents,
according to Transparency International (TI). The rate is noticeably
higher in Armenia, at 57 percent.
Azerbaijani respondents were also the least critical of their
essentially single-party parliament than Georgians and Armenians of
their multi-party legislatures. Based on the TI survey, Azerbaijani
respondents also have the least reason to complain about corruption in
the media, an unexpected result for a country repeatedly criticized by
both domestic and international press-freedom monitors for muzzling
media.
At the same time, though, results for some potentially telling
questions were omitted. No answers were provided for the query “To what
extent is this country’s government run by a few big entities acting
in their own best interests?” Nor was feedback given for respondent
identification of public services to which they had paid a bribe in
the past year and the usual reason for the bribe/s.
Reasons for these gaps in the survey, performed via computer-assisted
telephone interviews, were not provided.
Needless to say, Azerbaijani officials already are taking bows for
the results. And promise even more anti-corruption wonders after this
October’s presidential election.
ARMENIAN SPEAKER CALLS “RIDICULOUS” ATTEMPTS TO LINK HIM TO DIESEL FUEL SCANDAL
July 11, 2013 | 15:04
YEREVAN. – Armenian parliament speaker Hovik Abrahamyan called
“ridiculous” the attempts to link his name to former head of
agricultural department of Ararat region Tigran Virabyan.
Earlier Virabyan was arrested on suspicion of misappropriation of
state funds. Some press reports linked his name to Speaker of the
National Assembly Hovik Abrahamyan.
“I have commented on the issue several times. Nevertheless, I want
to say, hope it is for the last time, that I have no relation to the
government program on distributing of diesel fuel,” Abrahamyan told
Armenian News-NEWS.am.
Last month Armenia’s investigative service launched four criminal
cases against officials from Ararat, Gegharkunik, Kotayk and Shirak
regions. All the cases are referring to misappropriation of diesel
fuel and misuse of official power.
Hovik Abrahamyan once again noted that attempts to link his name to
Virabyan are nothing but “deliberately spread misinformation.”
“I think Mr. Virabyan will tell the truth,” he added.
News from Armenia – NEWS.am
FUNDUKIAN-THOROSSIAN APPOINTED MONROVIA SUPERINTENDENT
Wednesday, July 10th, 2013
Dr. Kathy Thorossian
MONROVIA, Calif.-On Wednesday, June 26th, the Monrovia Unified School
District Board of Education approved the appointment of Dr. Katherine
Fundukian-Thorossian as Superintendent of Schools. Dr.
Fundukian-Thorossian will begin her duties on Monday July 1st.
Dr. Fundukian-Thorossian is currently serving as Assistant
Superintendent of Educational Services in the Glendale Unified School
District. She has served in this position since July 2008. Prior to
that, she was the Principal of Glendale High School from 2005 to 2008.
>From 1995 to 2005, Dr. Fundukian-Thorossian served as an Assistant
Principal and Counselor at Diamond Bar High School in the Walnut
Valley Unified School District. She also taught English in grades
9-12 at Diamond Bar High School from 1986 to 1995.
Dr. Fundukian-Thorossian earned her Doctor of Education Degree from the
University of Southern California in 2009. She also earned a Master
of Science Degree in Counseling from California State University Los
Angeles in 1986 and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English from the
University of California at Los Angeles in 1984.
She also completed the Association of California School Administrators’
Superintendent’s Academy in 2009.
Some of her honors include the Davidian Mariamian Educational
Foundation Educator of the Year in January 2012 and the Glendale
Council of Parent-Teacher Association’s Honorary Service Award in
January 2011. In 2009 she was awarded the Armenian-American Chamber
of Commerce of Greater Los Angeles’ Women in Business Excellence award.
Dr. Fundukian-Thorossian is an active member of the Association of
California School Administrators. She has also served as a YMCA Board
Member, and is affiliated with the Sunrise Rotary International of
Glendale, the Glendale Healthy Kids Board, and the Glendale Adventist
Hospital Civic Advisory Board.
SCANDAL BETWEEN ARFD AND PRIME MINISTER OF ARMENIA: ARFD BLAMES TIGRAN SARGSYAN FOR BLACK-PR AGAINST PARTY
by Tatevik Shahunyan
Thursday, July 11, 16:22
Prime Minister of Armenia Tigran Sargsyan has openly declared war
against ARF Dashnaktsutyun Party, says Hrant Margaryan, ARFD Bureau
representative, in an interview with RFE/RL Armenia service.
He said that the ordered Mass Media articles slamming ARFD should be
considered in the context of the prime minister’s ‘war’. He is sure
that those items are financed by the prime minister. Markaryan means
a series of mass media reports on alleged split in the ARFD that
pursues a goal to depose Hrant Margaryan. He said that immediately
after the nation-wide elections wherein ARFD showed not good results,
to put it mildly, there was certain discontent inside the party.
However, he said, all the problems have been settled and there is no
longer any discontent inside the party.
“Mass Media rumors about alleged split of ARFD Party does not
correspond to reality and pursue a goal to collapse the party,”
Margaryan said. He thinks that Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan is behind
all that. He thinks that the prime minister began acting against the
party after it harshly criticized the absolutely inefficient economy
policy of the government and the prime minister.
“Only a weak-willed person can use such methods,” Margaryan said and
added that the prime minister told his surroundings that he announced
‘war’ against ARFD, and it is reliable information. Nevertheless,
Margaryan assured RFE/RL that with such actions the prime minister
damages himself rather than ARFD.
Commenting on Margaryan’s interview, Prime Minister’s Spokesperson
Haroutyun Berberyan expressed surprise at the ‘war’ announced
against ARFD.
“The prime minister has always respected the traditional Armenian
parties and considered them a national value. As regards the internal
problems of ARFD, it is their internal affairs. Tigran Sargsyan,
as Deputy Head of the Republican Party does not interfere with the
internal affairs of other political forces,” Berberyan said.
BY IGNORING THE SCIENTIFIC TRUTH, ARMENIA INCREASES THE THREAT OF BRAIN DRAIN, ARMENIAN ECONOMIST SAYS
by Elita Babayan
Thursday, July 11, 13:19
By ignoring the scientific truth, Armenia increases the threat of
the brain drain, Armenian economist, Head of the Alternative Research
Center Tatoul Manaseryan said during a scientific forum dedicated to
the post-crisis issues in Yerevan.
Manaseryan thinks that the research work of the scientists is not
in demand in Armenia, while China, for instance, has become one of
the leaders of world economy thanks to its skilful use of the human
capital. Following the successful example of China, Armenia would
be able to insure itself against serious losses in the future and to
build a national model of dynamically growing and competitive economy,
he said.
When commenting on the negative aftermath of the possible second
wave of the world crisis, the economist specified that its impact on
Armenia’s economy will not be big. “However, this should not comfort
us”, he said. Manaseryan believes that by neglecting the scientific
truth, Armenia is currently suffering “invisible” losses, which will
further be reflected in the tangible growth of the migration flow.
The first part of the forum was mostly dedicated to the success of
Chinese reformers, and in the conference hall the experts recalled the
economic authorities’ loud failures and several well-known Armenian
economists’ best ideas that would have solved the basic problems of the
Armenian economy. However, owing to the prospering official outrage
and impunity in Armenia, the smart ideas of the Armenian professors
are put in practice in foreign countries, which then become the best
examples for Armenia.
To note, the organizer of the two-day scientific forum is the
Alternative Research Center. Both local and foreign economists are
participating in the forum.
AURELIA GRIGORIU’S STATEMENT NOT IN LINE WITH MOLDOVA’S POSITION
July 11, 2013 | 13:29
YEREVAN. – Statements made by ombudsman Aurelia Grigoriu contradict
Moldova’s position, chairman of the Commission on Protection of Human
Rights Vadim Mishin said.
During the meeting, commission members stated the statement by
parliamentary advocate was politicized and is unacceptable.
“We understand how wrong was Grigoriu’s speech in which she gave
legal assessment of the Armenian and Azerbaijani side, instead of
talking about human rights in Moldova,” Publika.md quotes Mishin.
He said no one banned anyone from expressing his/her opinion but it
must be professional and depoliticized. Contrary to this, Grigoriu’s
speech was unprofessional, Mishin said.
“You can not pull the pieces of the whole document. If it is a UN
document, it should be studied as a whole, and not out of context,
which may play a negative role,” he added.
During last week’s international forum that was held in Armenia’s
capital city Yerevan, Grigoriu had said: “Armenia has occupied 20
percent of Azerbaijan’s territories committing genocide against
Azerbaijanis.”
This statement caused a negative reaction in Armenia and in Moldova,
alike. The statement was condemned and it was considered a provocation
aimed at exacerbating the situation.
In addition, the Armenian community of Moldova informed about its
intention to formally demand from the Moldovan parliament the remove
Aurelia Grigoriu from office.
News from Armenia – NEWS.am