Author: Kanayan Tamar

ANC. PUBLISHED RESULTS DON’T CORRESPOND WITH REALITY

2013-02-25 20:09:53

The parliamentary faction of the Armenian National Congress (ANC)
said today that “the published results of the presidential elections
don’t correspond with reality”.

According to the statement made by the ANC faction during the election
‘the government used their full potential to falsify the results.”

Today, people have only one main goal and that is to restore
constitutional order in the country and prevent the appropriation of
votes and power of the people by the regime’, the statement said.

In support of the people, the ANC faction will not take part in the
meeting of the National Assembly which began today to ‘discuss issues
not related to the topic of the day.”

Presidential elections were held in Armenia on Feb.18. Incumbent
President Serzh Sargsyan won the presidential elections with 58.64
per cent of the vote. The First Foreign Minister of Armenia Raffi
Hovannisian ranked second winning 36.75 per cent, while former Prime
Minister Hrant Bagratyan ranked third after receiving 2.15 per cent
of the vote.

IVANISHVILI’S FUND WILL FINANCE RESTORATION OF ARMENIAN THEATER IN TBILISI

NEWS.AM
February 25, 2013 | 18:17

Armenian theater in Tbilisi will be restored with the support of
Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili’s fund, Georgian Ambassador Tengiz
Sharmanashvili told reporters on Monday.

“Do not doubt, repairs will be made at a high level,” the ambassador
assured, adding that the Prime Minister himself has expressed a wish
to restore the theater.

In addition to the theater, the fund will finance reconstruction
of six churches the belonging of which is being determined, the
ambassador said.

“I would rather restore them, and then let scientists determine
who owns the church. If we are going to argue for years, they will
collapse, and we will have nothing to define,” the Ambassador quoted
Prime Minister. According to him, some time ago, it was the Ministry
of Culture that decided to start the restoration works, but there
was a hitch because of the funds, and Ivanishvili set to work himself.

ARMENIAN KIDNAPPED IN ALEPPO SUBURB RELEASED

18:16, 25 February, 2013

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 25, ARMENPRESS: Nerses Aghaian, who was kidnapped
in one of Aleppo suburbs last week, has been released. According to
Armenians from Aleppo, he was released after paying the ransom.

It was earlier reported that Armenian was kidnapped in one of the
Aleppo suburbs in the evening on February 20. Nerses Aghaian, 60,
was kidnapped from the public transport by the militants.

Situation in central, mainly Armenian districts of Aleppo is relatively
calm. This was noted by Jirair Reisian, Spokesman of Berio Diocese,
in the interview with Armenpress.

In accordance with the UN data clashes lasting about 23 months in
Syria caused death of over 70 thousand people, including more than
four dozens Armenians.

25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SUMGAIT MASSACRES COMMEMORATED IN FRANCE

17:32 25.02.2013

Memorial service for the victims of the Sumgait massacre was offered
at St. Hovhannes Mkrtich Church of Paris on February 24. The ceremony
was attended by representatives of the Armenian Embassy of France,
the Representation of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, French Armenian
organizations and members of the Armenian community.

After the service the participants marched to the Yerevan Park of
Paris, where they laid a wreath at Komitas Statue in memory of the
victims of the Sumgait massacres. Armenian Ambassador to France Vigen
Chitechyan, NKR Representative Hovhannes Gevorgyan and Co-chairs of
the Coordinating Council of the Armenian Organizations of France Ara
Toranian and Murad Papazian joined the rally.

Memorial services were offered in the Armenian Churches of about 20
French cities.

ARMENIA NEEDS SYSTEM REFORMS, MP SAYS

TERT.AM
17:02 ~U 25.02.13

Naira Zohrabyan, Secretary of the Prosperous Armenia parliamentary
group, informed Tert.am that no PAP representative was informed of a
meeting of the parliamentary groups of the ruling Republican Party
of Armenia (RPA), Armenian Revolutionary Federation Dashnaktsutyun
(ARF-D) and Heritage.

“We are ready to participate in any discussions,” she said.

According to her, Armenia needs most serious system reforms. When
the PAP proposed forming political coalitions, the party’s political
agenda envisages the reforms. The party warned that Armenian was facing
serious socio-economic problems, but different political forces and
figures accused it of “aiming at individuals.”

In cooperation with like-minded political forces has tried to draw
up a political agenda to resolve the grave problems in Armenia.

The PAP has not discussed its joining the people in Freedom Square.

“Some of PAP members may be present in Freedom Square as citizens. But
the priority is that all the political forces realize the need for
system reforms in Armenia,” Mrs Zohrabyan said.

ARMENTEL ANNOUNCES TECHNICAL RE-EQUIPMENT OF NETWORK AND WARNS OF POSSIBLE TEMPORARY CONNECTION PROBLEMS

arminfo
Monday, February 25, 14:29

ArmenTel Company (Beeline brand) has announced a start of technical
expansion, modernization and re-equipment of Beeline network in
Armenia. Starting February 26 within two weeks the company will
be reorganizing the mobile network management systems to upgrade
reliability and quality of its mobile services throughout Armenia.

Although the work will be mainly at nighttime, the company warns of
possible temporary connection problems and some short-term restrictions
of mobile services. The company apologizes for possible inconveniences
and assures its customers that the company does its best in order
technical modernization processes causes minimum inconvenience to
subscribers.

ArmenTel CJSC (Beeline brand) is the subsidiary of VimpelCom Group.

The VimpelCom Group consists of telecommunications operators
providing voice and data services through a range of wireless, fixed
and broadband technologies. The Group includes companies operating
in Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Georgia and
Armeniaas well as Vietnam and Cambodia, in territories with a total
population of about 782 million. The Group companies provide services
under the “Beeline” brand. VimpelCom was the first Russian company to
list its shares on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”). VimpelCom’s
ADSs are listed on the NYSE under the symbol “VIP”.

RAFFI HOVANNISIAN VISITS AGRARIAN UNIVERSITY

03:32 PM | TODAY | POLITICS

Universities in Yerevan, including Medical University and Agrarian
University, have closed their doors to prevent students from
joining the group protesting the results of the ‘rigged’ February 18
presidential election in Armenia.

Heritage party leader Raffi Hovannisian who is disputing Serzh
Sargsyan’s re-election in the February 18 ballot, came to the Agrarian
University to support the striking students.

Mr Hovannisian said no one had the right to restrict students’ right
and exert pressure on them. The Heritage leader departed soon saying
he had some business.

The group then headed to the Polytechnic University.

The students are going to continue the strike on Tuesday.

Hundreds of students at Yerevan State University today boycotted
classes as ‘sign of protest against the fraudulent election.” they
were carrying placards, reading “Free and Independent Students”, and
“Unity.”

ARMENIAN OPPOSITION LEADER READY TO AGAIN MEET WITH PRESIDENT

NEWS.AM
February 26, 2013 | 15:14

MASIS. – Armenia’s opposition Heritage Party Chairman Raffi
Hovannisian-who is declared runner-up to the winner, incumbent
President Serzh Sargsyan, as a result of the presidential election
on February 18, but who claims to be the real winner in the vote-is
prepared to meet with Sargsyan again to find ways out of the current
situation which, as per Hovannisian, is a “nationwide alarm.” The
opposition leader stated this during his talk with the residents of
Masis city.

“I am ready to listen to his proposals,” Hovannisian added.

As Armenian News-NEWS.am reporter informs, a participant in the talk
asked the former presidential candidate why there were no journalists
during his February 21 meeting with Sargsyan, and Raffi Hovannisian
responded as follows:

“You are right. If Serzh Sargsyan wishes to meet again, I will demand
that the talk be open and public.”

ARMENIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS ANNULS RALLY ON MARCH 1, CALLS ON ASSOCIATES GATHER IN MYASNIKYAN SQUARE

16:07 ~U 26.02.13

Armenian National Congress (ANC) opposition bloc released a statement
informing that the alliance is annulling the March 1 rally in the
Liberty Square and calls on the associates to gather in Myasnikyan
square at the mentioned hour.

“As it is known the Armenian National Congress has informed the
municipality about the traditional March 1 rally in the Liberty Square
and march to the Myasnikyan Square, but yesterday it has become known
that the municipality has authorized the rally of the Heritage party
in the Liberty Square. Viewing March 1, 2008 tragic anniversary as a
day of manifestation of intolerance toward violence and rating high
the necessity of joint manifestation of people’s will on that day,
the ANC does not consider inexpedient conduction of event dedicated
to it in the same hour and annuls its rally and march, urging its
associates to gather in Myasnikyan square and pay tribute to the
victims of March 1,” the statement runs.

STUDENTS BOYCOTT CLASSES FOR SECOND DAY (PHOTOS)

12:10 ~U 26.02.13

Students who have boycotted classes until the recognition of victory
of the leader of Heritage party Raffi Hovannisian gathered today
from early in the morning at the central building of the Yerevan
State University.

The participants are calling on the others to join the boycott while
the others are demanding to leave the territory.

Gevorg Melkonyan, aide to the YSU rector Aram Simonyan, said he has
come to defend the right of learning of 18,000 students.

A big number of policemen have gathered in the university’s territory
demanding the students boycotting the lessons leave the territory.

The boycott launched yesterday from the YSU building and continued
in the territories of other universities as well.