Author: Kanayan Tamar

ARMENIAN ENVOY: IRAN-ARMENIA TIES ARE AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL

16:18 06/03/2013 ” REGION

Iran-Armenia ties are at the highest level, Armenian Ambassador to Iran
Grigor Arakelyan said at a meeting with Managing Director of Islamic
Republic News Agency (IRNA) Majid Omidi-Shahraki, according to IRNA.

The Armenian envoy pointed to cultural commonalities between the
two countries.

Armenia has always adopted stance close to that of Iran, he noted.

The ambassador also called for meeting between chiefs of the two
countries’ news agencies, saying that such meetings will help expand
bilateral media cooperation.

Majid Omidi-Shahraki, for his part, said that Tehran-Yerevan ties
have improved in recent years more than before given the volume of
economic and commercial exchanges.

The Armenians have always lived in desirable conditions in Iran and
Iran’s government considers itself duty-bound to defend their rights,
he said.

Source: Panorama.am

MASSIVE INFLUX OF IRANIAN TOURISTS NOT EXPECTED – ANI PLAZA DIRECTOR

NEWS.AM
March 06, 2013 | 15:28

YEREVAN.- Massive influx of Iranian tourists is not expected in 2013,
director of “Ani Plaza” Mkrtich Grigoryan told reporters on Wednesday.

He explained it by complicated situation in Iran.

“Iranians simply cannot afford leaving the country,” he said.

Vice President of the Armenian Association Travel Agents Yeghishe
Tanashyan noted that this March registered unprecedentedly low number
of tourists.

Iranians usually travel during Novruz holiday (March 21). Tens of
thousands of Iranians prefer to travel in the region, around 15-20
thousand Iranians visit Armenia. However, starting from last year, the
number of Iranian tourists began to fall due to the sharp devaluation
of the Iranian currency.

THE LONGEST WAY AROUND…: MOVEMENT FORMED ON POST-ELECTION PROTESTS APPEARS TO BE GETTING READY FOR ‘STEP-BY-STEP’ STRUGGLE

VOTE 2013 | 06.03.13 | 15:24

Photolure

By NAIRA HAYRUMYAN ArmeniaNow correspondent

The protest movement that has emerged in Armenia after the February 18
presidential election has proclaimed its next target. Representative of
the Armenian Revolutionary Federation’s Supreme Body Armen Rustamyan
told the March 5 rally in Yerevan that his party along with the
Heritage party of Raffi Hovannisian is going to nominate candidates for
the May local elections in Yerevan in order to take power “from below”.

Hovannisian, too, stated that they were ready to take power in Yerevan,
a city that is home to almost half of Armenia’s population.

Hovannisian and his supporters have been accused by many of lacking
determination and a clear action plan. But apparently there is
a concrete program now, and the opposition is now going to seek
a majority of seats in municipal bodies. Local government bodies
have been seen as the ruling Republican Party’s support base. The
opposition has long claimed that it is municipalities that are being
used by the ruling party for election rigging.

March 5 also brought another piece of important news regarding the
likely future course of events. Parliament Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan
said Hovannisian had been asked to head a commission on constitutional
reform. Apparently, the Republican Party does not rule out the proposed
transition to a proportional system of elections and a parliamentary
form of government. It is not excluded that the Republican Party will
join this initiative made by several opposition parties last year.

These proposals were heard before the parliamentary elections in
2012 and the presidential election in 2013, however, the ruling party
rejected them, saying that while it was not against such an approach
in principle, it was still early to discuss it. What representatives
of the majority meant was that they wanted President Serzh Sargsyan
to be elected into office for a second term, and only then, when he
will have no possibility to run for the office for the third time,
they could consider switching to the parliamentary form of government.

Some media have already alleged that Sargsyan is thus paving the way
for his becoming prime minister of a parliamentary republic. However,
Hovannisian has not yet responded to the offer to serve on the
commission. Meanwhile, it is being reported that the initiative of
the ARF and Heritage on convening a special session of parliament to
discuss the aforementioned issue has failed. Two factions have begun
collecting signatures, but if they fail to enlist the support of the
second largest faction of Prosperous Armenia, then they will not be
able to gather at least 44 signatures required for such a motion.

PAP is still considering whether it should join the initiative,
even though it was this party that last year initiated the push for
a fully proportional electoral system.

It now becomes more and more obvious that the protest movement is
not setting tough demands to President Sargsyan, rather it prefers
taking a long way of “gaining power from below”, which implies winning
at municipal elections, achieving a dissolution of parliament and
new legislative elections or a transition to a parliamentary form
of government.

RAFFI HOVANNISIAN WILL NOT MAKE CONCESSIONS – ARMENIA’S FIRST OMBUDSMAN

NEWS.AM
March 06, 2013 | 13:31

YEREVAN.- In 2013 the opposition will not use methods which will
become a reason for the authorities to use force, Armenia’s first
Ombudsman Larisa Alaverdyan told reporters on Wednesday.

She is confident the opposition will hold open and transparent talks
which will not be result of backstage games. Raffi Hovannisian will
not make concessions and in this term the ball is in authorities’
court, Alaverdyan added.

“The authorities are disappointing people,” she said, expressing hope
that the authorities will find courage and will make concessions.

Otherwise, people will continue the struggle.

At the same time, former Ombudswoman said consultation between Raffi
Hovannisian and representatives of other political parties are not
transparent.

PRICE OF TOURISTIC VISITS TO ARMENIA HAS SOARED – EXPERT

NEWS.AM
March 06, 2013 | 13:55

YEREVAN. – The prices of tour packages to Armenia have soared by 10-20
percent, Armenian Association of Travel Agents (AATA) Deputy Chairman
Yeghishe Tanashyan stated during a press conference on Wednesday.

In his words, the reason for this increase is the rise in the fees
the country’s food service facilities charge and this, in its turn,
is because now they likewise pay value added tax.

In the outcome, as per Tanashyan, the tour packages to Armenia have
become less competitive as compared to other countries in the region.

Nonetheless, according to the AATA official, the demand for domestic
tourism is greater than its offer, which likewise contributed to some
increase in hotel accommodation prices in Armenia.

The country needs new high-end hotels, since the Armenian tourism
agencies are attracting new, more solvent markets.

ARMENIA, GERMANY INTERESTED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF INTER-PARLIAMENTARY COOPERATION

15:26 06.03.2013

Today, President Serzh Sargsyan received the President of German
Bundestag Norbert Lammert, who has arrived in Armenia on an official
visit.

President Sargsyan welcomed the guest and stressed the importance of
high-level visits in the context of developing bilateral ties. He also
underscored that Armenia is interested in a steadfast and continuous
development of cooperation with the Federal Republic of Germany. Serzh
Sargsyan stressed the importance of the inter-parliamentary cooperation
for further strengthening and deepening of the Armenian-German
relations.

At the beginning of the meeting, the President of German Bundestag
congratulated President Serzh Sargsyan on his re-election and wished
success in his second term in office. According to Norbert Lammert,
relations with Armenia have traditionally been good and friendly,
which, in his opinion, creates a solid base and good prerequisites
for the enhancement of the cooperation at the parliamentary level.

The President of German Bundestag assessed his meetings and
negotiations at the RA National Assembly conducted in the framework
of his visit, as efficient and encouraging for the development of
the bilateral dialogue.

THE CONTUMACIOUS PREMIER

2013-03-06 13:20:51

When everything is bad, it is bad for everyone, but it turns out that
everything is bad, but not for all. When everything was bad in 2012,
and the year was ending, that is the state ended the year with foreign
debts reaching untold numbers, with emigration of thousands of people
from the country, plus the rise of the minimum wage no more, no less
than 2,500 drams, Prime Minister was smiling.

Asked about the office of the Prime Minister for the next 5 years,
had just smiled, saying, you had survived so much, survive for
several months. Yes, very felicitous phrase, concernning surviving our
official. Indeed, the nation endures, but how long, how much people
should survive, if during this period, those, who endured, get richer.

Nightmare 2012 came and doubled some persons’ wealth, but also doubled
the state’s debt. For example, today media’s attention was fixed on
Prime Minister’s property. They calculated, aggregate and multiplied,
not forgetting to divide, and came to the conclusion that the Prime
Minister’s property compared to 2012, had increased or something
like that.

Besides Prime Minister’s 6 points of real estate and 1 point of
movable property, his wife’s 4 points of real estate and 3 points of
movable property were taken into account, plus the Prime Minister’s
investment income.

However, it is noted that in 2012 his revenues have increased,
although there is no word about the new achievements. In spite of
all appearances, people should be happy to accept Tigran Sargsyan as
a Prime Minister, not forgetting that there is always a better one
than the previoous.

It turns out that those who have appeared in the top are never
satisfied, but they simply demonstrate satisfaction of symptoms,
raising the minimum wage and the minimum threshold of a historical
reality for the entire 2,500 AMD.

It remains to hope that in the near future, we will have a Prime
Minister instead of contumacious Premier again, and most importantly,
they will not insult people in public, throwing the poor 2,500 AMD,
which Armenians can not live even a day.

Gevorg Avetisyan

AZERBAIDJAN : REPORTERS SANS FRONTIÈRE CONDAMNE L’ETOUFFEMENT ECONOMIQUE DU PRINCIPAL JOURNAL D’OPPOSITION

Reporters sans frontières denonce l’acharnement de la justice
azerbaïdjanaise pour tenter d’etouffer economiquement le principal
journal d’opposition du pays, Azadlig.

“Les amendes disproportionnees prononcees a l’encontre d’Azadlig
revetent un caractère politique evident et menacent plus que jamais
la survie du journal. Elles contredisent directement les traites
internationaux ratifies par l’Azerbaïdjan et la jurisprudence de la
Cour europeenne des droits de l’homme, dont le pays est partie. Dans
un paysage mediatique deja très largement contrôle par le pouvoir,
la disparition d’Azadlig serait lourde de consequences. La communaute
internationale doit clairement signifier aux autorites de Bakou
que la repression s’abattant sur les voix critiques a l’approche de
l’election presidentielle d’octobre 2013 est intolerable”, a declare
l’organisation.

Le 19 fevrier 2013, un tribunal de Bakou (capitale) a confirme en
appel la condamnation du quotidien Azadlig (” Liberte ” en francais)
a 32 000 AZN (environ autant d’euros) de dommages et interets au profit
de la proprietaire d’un centre commercial. Quatre jours auparavant,
la Cour supreme avait confirme une condamnation similaire de 30 000
AZN, prononcee contre le journal a la demande du chef de l’autorite
du metro de la capitale. Plus aucun recours n’est possible dans ce
dossier. La situation financière d’Azadlig est d’autant plus critique
que le reseau de distribution GASID a accumule des arrieres de paiment.

La diffamation est toujours penalisee en Azerbaïdjan, et des amendes
astronomiques sont egalement souvent prononcees au civil. Azadlig fait
l’objet de multiples poursuites judiciaires, et la version en ligne
du journal est regulièrement la cible de cyber-attaques. Ses comptes
bancaires avaient ete temporairement bloques en novembre dernier. Son
redacteur en chef, Ganimat Zahid, a ete incarcere pendant deux ans
dans une affaire montee de toutes pièces. Au moins quatre journalistes
sont toujours emprisonnes, dans des conditions deplorables, du fait
de leurs activites professionnelles.

L’Azerbaïdjan est situe a la 156e place sur 179 dans le classement
mondial 2013 de la liberte de la presse etabli par Reporters sans
frontières. Renforcement des sanctions en cas de manifestation
illegale, contrôle accru sur Internet : la pression sur la societe
civile n’a de cesse de se renforcer a l’approche de l’election
presidentielle prevue en octobre.

source :
,44145.html

jeudi 7 mars 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

LE BLOC DE TER PETROSSIAN EXHORTE L’OPPOSITION A REALISER L’UNITE POUR LES MUNICIPALE

Le Congrès national armenien (HAK) a appele mercredi a la formation
d’une large alliance de l’opposition pour battre le Parti republicain
(HHK) aux prochaines elections municipales a Erevan.

Le HAK s’est dit pret a se mettre d’accord avec le Parti Armenie
prospère (BHK), ainsi qu’avec la FRA et le parti Zharangutyun
(Heritage) de Raffi Hovannisian, sur une liste commune de candidats
pour les elections prevues le 5 mai.

” Il s’agit d’une occasion unique pour ces quatre forces politiques
de remporter une importante victoire sur le regime en consolidant
leurs ressources et en coordonnant leurs efforts. Ce serait ouvrir la
voie a un eventuel changement de regime “, a declare Levon Zurbaian,
un membre dirigeant du bloc d’opposition dirige par l’ancien president
Levon Ter-Petrossian.

Les electeurs de la capitale armenienne vont elire a cette occasion une
nouvelle assemblee municipale qui sera chargee de nommer le maire de la
ville. Celle-ci est jusqu’a maintenant contrôlee par le HHK. Le parti
au pouvoir a annonce la semaine dernière que le maire d’Erevan actuelle
Taron Markarian sera la tete de liste de ses candidats a l’election.

Zurabian a declare a RFE / RL (Azatutyun.am) que le HAK n’a discute
de sa proposition avec aucune des trois autres forces politiques. Il
n’a pas precise quand il pourrait entamer des negociations officielles
avec eux.

Les representants de la FRA et de Zharangutyun ont accueilli
favorablement ce principe. La reaction immediate du BHK a ete plus
ambiguë.

Armen Rustamian, un leader du Dachnaktsoutioun, a souligne
l’importance des elections municipales dans son discours lors d’un
rassemblement organise a Erevan mardi par Raffi Hovannisian le leader
de Zharagutyun. Selon Rustamian une telle victoire de l’opposition dans
ce scrutin marquerait ” la première etape ” de l’eviction progressive
du pouvoir du president Serge Sarkissian.

jeudi 7 mars 2013, Ara ©armenews.com

BLACK SABBATH GUITARIST PENS ARMENIA’S EUROVISION SONG ENTRY

My MO Info
March 6 2013

Posted : Wednesday, 06 March 2013 01:25PM

LONDON (Reuters) – Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi has written
the music for Armenia’s entry to the annual Eurovision Song Contest,
bringing a heavy metal pioneer to an event described by the media as a
“kitschfest” and “bad taste party”.

The musician, a founding member of the influential British band,
said the song called “Lonely Planet” was a “demo idea” which was
eventually voted Armenia’s Eurovision contender.

It is due to be performed by the Dorians in the semi-finals on May
16 in Malmo, Sweden, Iommi said.

Iommi has connections in Armenia as he was one of several rock stars
who helped raise funds after a huge earthquake in 1988 killed 25,000
people and let tens of thousands homeless in the then Soviet Armenia.

He was given an order of honor by Armenia during a visit in 2009 and
became involved in another project, to re-build a music school there.

Despite critical derision, Eurovision is watched by a television
audience of tens of millions each year, and has helped launch the
career of one of the biggest acts of all time, Abba, which won in
1974 with “Waterloo”.

Last year’s Eurovision Song Contest was held in Azerbaijan and won
by Swedish act Loreen. The victory means Sweden hosts the competition
this year.

Iommi has joined fellow founding members Ozzy Osbourne (vocals) and
Geezer Butler (bass) to record Black Sabbath’s first new album in 33
years, 13″, which is due out in June.

Drummer Brad Wilk joined them after original band member Bill Ward
pulled out of the reunion recording over a contract dispute.

The band’s plans for a tour in 2012 were scaled back drastically after
Iommi was diagnosed with cancer and underwent treatment for lymphoma.

(Reporting by Mike Collett-White, Editing by Belinda Goldsmith)