Author: Kanayan Tamar

SERZH SARGSYAN BETWEEN LAW AND CRIMINAL NORMS

After the bloody incident in Syunik Marz, Serzh Sargsyan appeared
in a real stalemate. Apparently, yesterday’s session of the National
Security Council was convened for this question. One of the issues on
the agenda was “institutional strengthening of local authorities”. In
other words, how to take over the reins of governors, who feel like
petty kings in their possessions.

Let’s make it simpler: Serzh Sargsyan just wanted to consult how
to act, since this situation, from “political” point of view, is as
difficult as it is simple in legal terms.

No one can say what had happened during the party preceding the
incident, but apparently, after some insults, brothers Budaghyan
decided to go to the governor’s house armed. Who fired first is
unknown, and it is not important either. One of Budaghyan brothers
died, Suren Khachatryan’s bodyguard is injured, the other Budaghyan
brother is also injured, who is a commander of one of NKR military
units, Khachatryan’s son and driver are under arrest.

After military prosecutor Gevorg Kostanyan’s statement that Suren
Khachatryan was not at the crime scene, rumors went that Serzh Sargsyan
decided to save his favorite governor. Rumors go that the investigation
will aim to reveal that governor’s son shot in self-defense. Judging
by the statement issued by Syunik Marzpetaran, which describes the
events recorded by security cameras, only brothers Budaghyan fired.

This is the version Serzh Sargsyan is hinting to Suren Kachatryan. But
in this case, the whole blame should be laid on Budaghyan brothers.

And Artak Budaghyan, who is getting well (thanks God) should be taken
from hospital to jail, for an armed attack on governor’s house and
use of weapon.

However, Serzh Sargsyan and the others understand what reaction such
a version may cause. The internal grumbling in the army already exists
but it is not expressed, but it is evident that if the case is shifted
against Budaghyan, the army and Syunik region will rebel. This option
is more dangerous for Serzh Sargsyan than Surik Khachatryan’s loss.

Apparently, Serzh Sargsyan, during the NSC session, dwelt on the choice
between the odious oligarch and the army support. Someone is to be
sacrificed, and even if Surik Khachatryan’s son is arrested for killing
Budaghyan, someone should also be punished for injuring the bodyguard.

Serzh Sargsyan is between two institutions which are his political
platform: odious governor-feudal and army leadership. These two
structures support greatly the reproduction and preservation of
the power, and the loss of any of these two, may prove fatal for
the authorities.

The solution of the issue in a legal manner won’t help either.

Because, in the relationship between the authorities and governors and
many high-ranking officers, the law is not important, but special,
criminal norms and “justice” are. The law can’t justify Budaghyan’s
step to try to “punish” Khachatryan for insult, while the criminal laws
recognize the rightness of such a step. The issue is which of these
laws will be used to judge the governor and the high-ranking officer.

Naira Hayrumyan 11:59 06/06/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

WHO KILLED AVO BUDAGHYAN?

The press reported that the governor of Syunik region could have
killed the ex-mayor of Goris Avo Budaghyan. The social networks are
also discussing actively this version.

Suren Khachatryan himself, according to the press, was sitting at the
Marriott Armenia yesterday and supplying the Armenian mass media with
his alibi. This is a topical issue from different points of view, and
the mass media are publishing controversial alibis.

The tendency was already noticed in the reports that followed the
murder. Surik Khachatryan was sleeping or was not at home and so on.

Meanwhile, the “details” of the tragedy form a strange picture which
one could not see in Bollywood movies.

This flow of information was so controversial that produced the
opposite effect. The law enforcement agencies were involved which keep
referring to the video of the tragedy. Interestingly, they remembered
about the video immediately after the incident.

It looks like “clearance”. There is nothing surprising. Now Suren
Khachatryan’s son and bodyguard are in jail, they deny the charges.

Suren Khachatryan can take his time to do his “job”. The law
enforcement agencies have announced that lynching is unacceptable and
will be prevented. No doubt, they will do their best.

One needs to follow news to learn what new mine owners will appear in Syunik.

10:18 06/06/2013
Story from Lragir.am News:

39 PEDIGREE HEIFERS TO BE IMPORTED TO ARMENIA FROM GERMANY

09:55, 6 June, 2013

YEREVAN, JUNE 6, ARMENPRESS: 39 pedigree heifers will be imported
to the Republic of Armenia from Germany in the nearest future. This
was reported to Armenpress by the Head of the Animal Husbandry and
Veterinary Department of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic
of Armenia Ashot Hovhannisyan. In April the Ministry of Agriculture of
Armenia had already imported 446 pedigree heifers. ~SAll the animals
have been imported and will be imported from the Federal Republic of
Germany~T, – said Ashot Hovhannisyan.

The Head of the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department of the
Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Armenia stated that the
imported heifers provide a high quality and quantity of milk. Ashot
Hovhannisyan said that in average they give more than 5,000 kilograms
of milk annually, which is five times more than the milk given by
the cows bred in the Republic.

Ashot Hovhannisyan informed as well that in the framework of the
development of the cattle husbandry program, by now 1778 pedigree
heifers have been imported to the Republic of Armenia, which were
distributed to 56 economic units of the all marzes of the Republic.
In 2012 210 pedigree heifers were imported to Armenia. The imported
cattle were distributed to 14 economic units.

85000 ABONNES AU TELEPHONE MOBILE AU KARABAGH.

Au cours des cinq dernières annees, le nombre d’abonnes au telephone
mobile dans le Haut-Karabakh a ete multiplie par trois. Si en 2007
le nombre d’abonnes etait de 29886, selon les donnees de 2012 leur
nombre s’elevait a 85474.

Le ministre de l’industrie et de s Infrastructures Levon Mnatsakanyan
a rapporte il y a 9992 abonnes a l’Internet fixe et 30 298 abonnes
au telephone dans la Republique.

jeudi 6 juin 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT PARTIES AGREE ON NEED FOR PRESIDENTS’ MEETING

AzerNews, Azerbaijan
June 5 2013

The parties to the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
agree on the need to hold a meeting at the highest level, the office
of the US co-chair of the mediating OSCE Minsk Group, Ian Kelly,
told Trend news agency on June 5.

“The sides agree on the need for a meeting at the highest level,
and the co-chairs will continue working with the foreign ministers
to prepare for such a meeting,” he said.

Earlier, during their recent visit to the region the OSCE Minsk
Group co-chairs stressed the need for a meeting of the Azerbaijani
and Armenian presidents.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding
regions of Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France and the U.S. are
currently holding peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s four
resolutions on the liberation of the occupied territories.

LATVIA WISHES TO EXPAND COOPERATION WITH ARMENIA IN ECONOMY, CULTURE, EDUCATION

Baltic News Service / – BNS
June 4, 2013 Tuesday 12:43 PM EET

RIGA, Jun 04, BNS – Latvia and Armenia are interested in more active
cooperation not only in politics, but also in economy, culture and
education, said Latvian parliament speaker Solvita Aboltina after her
meeting with Hovik Abrahamyan, the speaker of the Armenian National
Assembly, on Tuesday, the Latvian parliament press service reported.

Aboltina said that Latvia sees Armenia as an important and perspective
partner in the South Caucasian region, and both countries have
developed good cooperation at the parliamentary level, which is proved
by Abrahamyan’s visit to Latvia, the first one since 2005.

Aboltina informed Abrahamyan that the Latvian parliament has set
up lawmakers’ group for cooperation with the Armenian parliament,
considering Armenia’s wish to make closer cooperation with the EU.

Latvia has accumulated valuable experience in EU integration and
reforms, said the Latvian parliament speaker, underscoring Latvia’s
wish to share this experience with Armenia.

Discussing possibilities to increase economic cooperation between both
countries, Aboltina voiced Latvia’s wish to strengthen cooperation,
underscoring that Latvian-Armenian trade in the past years has
shown positive trends, and both countries have a large cooperation
potential. She also said that bilateral agreements between both
countries on protection of investments and avoiding double taxation
lay good grounds for closer cooperation in economy.

Aboltina voiced Latvia’s support to signing the Armenian-EU Association
agreement planned this year.

The Latvian official said that Latvia is one of those countries who in
all possible international formats, including meetings of parliaments,
has underscored the necessity for the EU to form closer relations with
the EU eastern partners. Aboltina voiced appreciation over dynamics
of the Armenian-EU bilateral relations and wished success in the
upcoming Eastern Partnership Summit.

WHERE IS CHIEF OF POLICE?

The scandalous incident a few weeks ago was used for the benefit of
the chief of police Vova Gasparyan who made some loud statements,
threatened to make criminals migrate from Armenia unless they calm
down and put down their guns and follow the laws and morality.

A few weeks later they continue to use guns to resolve their issues.

Apparently, the southern region of Armenia has not heard about the
statements the chief of police had made in the northern region.

Perhaps several weeks were not enough for Vova Gasparyan’s statements
to get to Goris in a few weeks. Surprisingly, the chief of police
did not get to Goris after the incident. Vova Gasparyan did not go
to Goris.

A few days ago he crossed Goris when he was leaving for
Nagorno-Karabakh to form the next squad of police “angels”. Perhaps
he should have set up a squad of police “angels” who would combat
“monsters” and stop their crimes. Therefore, apparently, Vova Gasparyan
did not go there. It was too late, they already shot.

The chief of police who does not miss a single chance to display his
professionalism and artistic talent was silent this time. Perhaps, his
actions will speak louder than words but certainly not so beautifully
as Vova Gasparyan himself. Syunik is deprived of this beauty.

The TV channels televised police action of disarming in Gyumri for
several days on. While they were disarming Gyumri, Goris shot. They
will disarm Goris, they will shoot in Tavush, then Lori, Kotayk,
and so on. The way out is to disarm everyone and everywhere or not
to affect anyone to make sure nobody will shoot. Perhaps therefore no
show was staged after the incident in Goris, and the chief of police
does not take charge of the situation in Syunik.

Obviously, there is not a political decision therefore Vova Gasparyan
is hiding. The chief of police is an indicator of political decisions
in Syunik. For the time being, he indicates that the government has
not shut down the governor of Syunik but has put him on standby to
save energy.

James Hakobyan 21:58 04/06/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

WAR VETERANS TO SPEND NIGHT AT LIBERTY SQUARE

07:25 PM | TODAY | SOCIAL

50 000 roubles…

Karabakh war veteran Samvel Simonyan paid the sum to the state during
the years of the war to buy weapons.

The veteran had saved the money for 30 years to reconstruct his house
after the war. He agreed to give the money to the state on condition
that he would be paid back after the war.

“Today I am turning to Serzh Sargsyan. All documents are inscribed
in the name of “Koval” – Kovalenko Shahgeldyan, Governor of Kotayk
province – who continues to tell me that I need not have gone to the
front,” says the indignant veteran.

Simonyan together with a group of fellow veterans spent the night at
Liberty Square. They have declared a three-day sit-in at the square
demanding improvement of social conditions for themselves and their
comrades.

On the second day of the protest, the group has been visited by
Colonel Harutyunyan, a senior representative of the Defense Ministry.

“He said ‘everything would be all right, the government was seriously
engaged in the issue.’ Now we are waiting for them to keep their
pledge,” said Volodya Avetisyan.

Offended by the indifference of the government, the freedom fighters
say the Cabinet officials are dealing with secondary issues, such as
buying bio-toilets.

“Instead of paying $144 000 to buy a bio-toilet they could house 144
freedom fighters who are selling their houses at $ 10 000. They have
spent $ 60 mln to build a church but they seem to have forgotten that
their sins have reached God and even millions of churches cannot save
them from doomsday,” added Khachatur Khachatryan.

The disabled veterans say the government did not provide them with
free medicines except Analgin.

The freedom fighters will march tomorrow to the government building
to get an answer to their concerns.

NEW ARMENIAN NGO PROMISES INCREASED PUBLIC CONTROL

17:00 ~U 05.06.13

A new Armenian consumer NGO, committed to promote public awareness
and protection, promises to raise public control over food security.

The organization, Informed and Protected Consumer, has been founded
by a former press secretary for the State Food Security Service,
Babken Pipoyan, who considers the initiative important in terms of
tackling problems never raised before.

“Working at the State Food Security Service, I never avoided
highlighting the shortcomings. The key activity I now wish to engage
myself in is to increase public demand and public control,” he said,
declining to express any opinion on the Service’s work.

Pipoyan said the absence of a necessary set of tools and the laws
regulating the sector often conflict with one another, creating
difficulties.

“What we lack today is will, professionalism and a public support. The
situation hasn’t changed in the sector,” he said, adding that the
organization is ready to collaborate with anyone for reasonable
projects.

Armenian News – Tert.am

HEAD OF CENTRAL MILITARY HOSPITAL SPEAKS OF GORIS INCIDENT VICTIM’S STATE

16:33 ~U 05.06.13

Aram Asaturyan, Head of the Central Military Hospital, told journalists
on Wednesday that the state of Colonel Artak Budaghyan remains grave
now, showing positive signs.

“He will recover very quickly,” he said.

Budaghyan can talk, but he is not yet able to give evidence. He has
no memory problem.

Colonel Budaghyan does not yet know about his brother Avetik
Budaghyan’s death.

Armenian News – Tert.am