Author: Kanayan Tamar

TOURISTS SPEND ABOUT $100 PER DAY IN ARTSAKH

Wednesday,
July 10

Tourism in the Nagorno Karabakh Republic is developing year by year,
the correspondent of Karabakh-open was informed by Sergei Sargsyan,
Head of the Infrastructure and Program Management Unit of the Tourism
Department at the NKR government.

“The number of tourists grew by 51.3% compared with the first quarter
of last year. In 2004-2005, the majority of tourists to Artsakh were
from Armenia and the Diaspora, whereas now one can often meet here
Americans, Africans, etc.,” he said.

According to the unit head, previously travelers spent two days in
Artsakh, while now they stay in the republic for four days, spending
about $100 per day. They prefer to visit such places as Gandzasar,
Amaras , Shushi, and Tigranakert.

TODAY, 21:05

Aysor.am

RECOGNITION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE AN IMPORTANT FOREIGN POLICY STEP FOR UKRAINE – EXPERT

July 10, 2013 | 18:25

Ukraine’s recognition of the Armenian Genocide at the legislative
level will be an important foreign policy step on the way of Ukraine’s
establishment as a regional leader in the Black Sea basin.

Creation of Kiev-Yerevan-Sofia triangle will serve as a deterrent of
pan-Turkic sentiments in the region, says the article by Ukrainian
public figure Dmitry Snegiryov.

Presenting details of Armenian history, the expert notes that,
under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment (1948), and
the Convention on the Non-Applicability of Statutory Limitations to
War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity, Turkey’s actions against the
Armenian people must be considered as an act of genocide, the purpose
of which was extermination of ethnic and religious groups.

“The victims of the genocide policy against the Armenians were more
than 1.5 million representatives of this nation. Western Armenia was
deprived of its native population. The Young Turks solved the Armenian
issue by physical extermination of the indigenous population of these
lands,” the expert is quoted by Analitika.at.ua.

As Armenian News-NEWS.am informed earlier, a bill on the Armenian
Genocide’s recognition was registered on June 6 in the Verkhovna Rada.

Ukrainian parliament members Arsen Avakov and Vilen Shatvoryan are
the persons behind this law proposal.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

HENRIKH MKHITARYAN: BORUSSIA WAS MY CHOICE

17:48 10.07.2013
Borussia, Henrikh Mkhitaryan

Midfielder of the Armenian national team Henrikh Mkhitayan is starting
to train with Borussia Dortmund today. The player was in Yerevan all
through the negotiations on his transfer. He left for Vienna on July 8,
and headed for Dusseldorf and then Dortmund.

“I was officially presented on July 8, as it was a day off in the
team,” Mkhitaryan said in an interview with the official website of
the Football Federation of Armenia.

“All legal issue have been settled, the contract has been signed,”
he said, adding that “the atmosphere in the team is very positive.” “I
was very well received, and I’m glad for it,” Henrikh said.

It was Mkhitaryan’s choice to wear the shirt #10. “I hesitated between
#22, which had already become dear to me and my fans and #10. Finally,
I decided to choose the latter,” he said.

The player said has not talked to head coach Jurgen Klopp yet, but
added he’s starting to train with the team today.

Henrikh said Borussia was also his choice. “I think this is a very
important step in my life. I preferred Borussia as it is a strong
club with good players and a good coach. The fans create a fantastic
atmosphere in the stadium. I hope I’ll be able to rejoice them. My
objective is to play every match with the team,” he added.

At the same time, Henrikh Mkhitaryan thanked Shakhtar, its president,
coaches, especially head coach Mircea Lucescu, his teammates and the
thousands of Shakhtar fans. “Without them I would not achieve what
I have achieved today,” Mkhitarayn concluded.

ICE-CREAM OUTPUT IN ARMENIA GROWS 22.1% IN JAN-MAY TO 1.7 MILLION LITERS

YEREVAN, July 10. /ARKA/. Some 1,750,100 liters of ice-cream were
produced in Armenia in Jan-May 2013 – 22.1% year-on-year growth,
the National Statistical Service of Armenia reports.

Some 819,500 liters of ice-cream were produced on May alone.

According to the statistical report, one kilogram of ice-cream may
be bought for 1,000 drams now, while in June 2012 one kilogram cost
994.5 drams. The price for one piece of chocolate ice-cream is 220.3
drams against 217.3 drams in June 2012. —0—

– See more at:

EBRD WILL PROVIDE $3.8 MILLION LOAN TO SARANIST, LEADING ARMENIAN MANUFACTURERS OF GLASS CONTAINERS

YEREVAN, July 10. / ARKA /. The European Bank for Reconstruction
and Development (EBRD) said today it will provide a $3.8 million
loan to Saranist Company, a leading manufacturer of glass containers
in Armenia.

Part of the funds will be channeled into construction of a furnace
with two additional production lines and another part into upgrading
the workshop with modern technology that will reduce the loss of raw
materials and energy consumption.

Founded in 1989, Saranist is one of the leading manufacturers of
glass containers in Armenia. The company produces a variety of bottles
and containers made of clear and colored glass, selling them at the
domestic market and importing part to Georgia.

When this project is implemented the company will be able to increase
production to meet the growing demand for glass containers in Armenia
and Georgia by offering an alternative to more expensive imported
glassware.

Earlier, the Bank assisted the company to improve information
systems management as part of a broader program designed to boost
small businesses.

“We are pleased to continue to work with those customers who expand
their production, improve the quality and efficiency and develop
from a small company into a leader of the sphere. This program is an
excellent example of the Bank’s involvement in promoting production,”
Bruno Balvanera, the director of the Bank for the Caucasus, Moldova
and Belarus was quoted as saying.

The EBRD is the largest investor in Armenia. Since the beginning of
its activities in the country it has invested about 650 million euros
in 120 programs. In 2012, the EBRD financed 15 projects in Armenia
with a total budget of 94 million euros. -0-

– See more at:

THE NEWLY ELECTED COMMITTEES OF THE ASSEMBLY OF THE CATHOLICOSATE OF CILICIA WILL SOON BEGIN THEIR WORK

13:46 10.07.2013

Under the presidency of His Holiness Aram I, the two committees
elected by the Assembly – the Council of Religion and the Council
of Laity-will now begin to implement the priorities of the Assembly,
the Catholicosate of Cilicia informs.

The 13 members of each council will represent the Dioceses for the next
four years. The Council of Religion will work on Christian education,
youth concerns, ecumenical and interfaith relations and issues related
to the renewal of the Armenian Church.

The Council of Laity, which also acts as the Executive Council, will
focus on events related to the commemoration of the 100th Anniversary
of the Armenian Genocide and will follow up mandated priorities in
construction projects, education, public relations, and finance and
administration.

ONE STAGE LEFT BEFORE START OF WAR

It is not a surprise that there may be people in Armenia who may outdo
Moscow’s expectations for justification of Russia’s treacherous deals
with Azerbaijanis against Armenians. After all, there is nothing new.

However, that “advocacy” of the initiative of war against Armenians
rather than supply of arms by Russia can start in Armenia is a nice
surprise to Moscow.

Or maybe Moscow knows Armenia is its capability better than we do.

Vartan Oskanian stated that Lavrov may know about the Karabakh
settlement more than we do. In addition, nobody was surprised by
this statement, at least the society and some experts. It was clear
to everyone Russia was more aware of our issue than we did.

In fact, there is no reason for surprise that there will be an army
of advocates and apologists who will justify in the morning press the
evening invasion of Russian tanks in Karabakh. Or they may justify in
the evening the invasion of the next morning. That would be better
because the Russians know about our issues better than us. It would
be better if they somehow let us know about the invasion. At least,
we would have a night to get ready.

In reality, the big issue is panic. Perhaps nobody would have doubts
that in order to prevent the deepening relations between Armenia
and the West Russia would even resort to a war and help Azerbaijan
to restore “historical justice”. After all, the Russians have a
rich experience of Turkish victory against the Armenians. However,
Russia will not launch a war unless it triggers a panic in Armenia
and Karabakh. Most probably, Moscow has set to cause a panic, going
from stage to stage.

First, the social premise of the panic is provided using economic
pressure and emigration. Then the psychological premise is ensured
justifying Russia’s “right” to punish the “pro-West” policy of the
government of Armenia with a new war in Karabakh.

Having the social and psychological premises in place, Moscow will
signal to Baku to launch the war. It is not ruled out that the weapon
sold to Azerbaijan may start shooting independently from Aliyev’s
will. At least, there have been several similar cases in the war
in Karabakh.

In reality, Russia does not care for the European integration of
Armenia. Moscow understands very well that it will not be something
fatal. Only one thing will be fatal – activation of the presence
of the Russian military base in the region because in an inactive
state it will lose its political effectiveness. In this regard,
the “pro-West” policy of the Armenian government has a very little
importance, and the main developments that deprive of meaning the
presence of the Russian troops in the Caucasus when it is not active
is the deep tendencies of developments relating to Syria and Iran.

Moscow understands this very well, and whether Armenia will get
further close to the West or not is not essential to Moscow from
the point of view of war because it needs to have active troops
in Armenia and Artsakh. In other words, Moscow will betray Armenia
and cheat Azerbaijan because not the status quo will change but its
administration which will be taken up by Russia.

So, the prospect of a possible war has nothing to do with the level
of relations between Armenia and Europe, and Moscow will just try to
use this to influence the issue.

Even if Armenia states now to join the Customs Union, let alone Russia,
the intensity of war planning in Moscow-based think tanks would not
drop any low because the problem of Russia is not to keep Armenia
within the area of its influence but to establish its influence over
at least “20%” of Azerbaijan, or maybe even more. In other words,
the possible war may end in the defeat of Azerbaijan but not in
victory of Armenia. It must end up in Russia’s victory.

However, Moscow still needs to pass the preparatory stages
successfully, which is not easy. Otherwise, Moscow would not hold
the preparations with such a noise.

Hakob Badalyan 16:17 10/07/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

DEMORALIZATION WILL CONTINUE UNLESS OUR SOCIAL PROBLEMS ARE SOLVED – KARABAKH WAR VETERANS

15:42 10/07/2013 ” SOCIETY

The social problems voiced by Karabakh war veterans (freedom fighters)
have not been solved yet, the veterans told a news conference in
Yerevan.

“The demoralization will continue unless our social problems are
solved,” said Reserve Lieutenant Colonel Gevorg Ter-Gevorgyan, adding
that veterans’ families, particularly those of perished freedom
fighters, are in a tough social situation.

“We built a state for it to attend to our problems,” the veteran said.

The veterans added that a month has passed after their meeting
with Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan, but they have not received the
promised answer.

Related: Prime Minister receives freedom fighters

Source: Panorama.am

HAYK ALUMYAN “ACCUSATIONS PRESENTED TO ARTAK BUDAGHYAN ARE TOTALLY INCONSISTENT WITH THE REALITY”

Wed, 07/10/2013 – 13:06
Trending topic

The accusations presented to the commander of N, Col. Artak Budaghyan
are totally inconsistent with the reality. Artak Budaghyan’s attorney
Hayk Alumyan said in the conversation with the reporter of “Factinfo”.

In response to the question whether the attorney plans to appeal the
accusations presented to Artak Budaghyan, he said that “First I will
do, then -say”.

As “Factinfo” reported earlier Artak Budaghyan is charged with
paragraph 1, article 137 of RA Criminal Code (Threat to murder,
to inflict heavy damage to one’s health or to destroy property).

The signature for not leaving is chosen as a preventive measure
against him.

Author: Factinfo – See more at:

VARUZHAN HOKTANYAN. “MORE STUDY IS NEEDED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT PART OF AMD 700 BILLION WAS ROBBED.”

July 8 2013

The Executive director of “Transparency International Anti-corruption
Center” Varuzhan Hoktanyan believes that it would be better if the
Control Chamber calculates not only how much money and how it is spent,
but also pays attention on the effectiveness of specific programs. “For
example, it is said that there have been violations in the North-South
road construction, breaching, but it does not say in what condition
is the road in the result of those violations, how it should be and
was not, and so on. It would be much more appropriate if information
were provided about the results. Those violations and breaching are
not only financial results, it was not expressed in the form of money
to be given.” In the conversation with Aravot, Mr.

Hoktanyan also said that it would be interesting and instructive, if
a group of economists, for example, representatives of the University
of Economics, or economists from the YSU Faculty of Economics conduct
in-depth study of the methodology used by the Control Chamber and
the methodology by which the government countered CC, and arrive
at serious, professional conclusion. However, he notes that Ishkhan
Zakaryan did not say that he had robbed AMD 700 billion, but he had
told that there are corruption risks in the transaction of AMD 700
billion, in other words, there are ways and methods by which concealing
and looting of those funds was possible. “But whether it became true,
or not, that is another question. And the fact that Serzh Sargsyan
stood up and initially announced that it was not AMD 700 billion, but
only AMD 200-300 million, is also wrong. Without detailed studies,
without checking the risks it is impossible to tell what results
these risks achieved. There are two extreme alternatives either all
possible mechanisms were put in use and all AMD 700 billion was robbed,
and the other extreme alternative that no penny was robbed from AMD
700 billion that contains all those risks, the mechanism of robbing
was missing, either by display of pure good will, or in the result
of preventive actions of control mechanisms.” Melania BARSEGHYAN

Read more at:

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