YEREVAN MUNICIPALITY PROHIBITS HERITAGE PARTY TO CONDUCT RALLIES IN LIBERTY SQUARE
ARMINFO
Friday, February 22, 11:05
The Yerevan Municipality dismissed on Thursday the request by the
leader of Heritage Party Raffi Hovhannisian to allow to him conduct
rallies in Liberty Square on Feb 23-25.
The Municipality’s argument was that such a request should be submitted
no later than seven days before the rally.
HOTEL ROOM GAS POISONING LEAVES 4 DEAD IN ARMENIA’S LORI REGION
TERT.AM
10:51 ~U 22.02.13
Monoxide gas poisoning has caused the death of four individuals in
one of the hotels of the Stepanavan (Lori region).
The hotel’s director, who reported the police on the incident, said
the four people – Grisha Zalinyan (31), Sargis Ghukasyan (33), Elmira
Stepanyan (43) and Armen Revazyan – were found dead in a hotel room
on Thursday morning.
A further probe found that the incident occurred between 1:00 am to
10:30 am.
The hotel’s director has been detained. The inquest continues.
THERE CANNOT BE MILITARY SOLUTION TO NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT: NULAND
10:44, 22 February, 2013
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 22, ARMENPRESS. The United States remain firmly
committed to working with the sides towards the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict settlement. As reports “Armenpress” citing the official
website of the United States Department of State, the spokesperson
for the United States Department of State Victoria Nuland stated this
during the briefing. Among other things she noted that the tragic loss
of life in the war reminds that there cannot be a military solution
to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The spokesperson for the United
States Department of State underscored: “Only a lasting and peaceful
settlement can bring about stability, prosperity, and reconciliation
in the region. As co-chairs of the Minsk Group, we remain firmly
committed to working with the sides towards that.”
GREEK CONDUCTOR TO HEAD THE CONCERT OF ARMENIAN PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
FEBRUARY 21, 2013
ARMENPRESS: Korean pianist Yun Su Reen will take part in the concert
with the Armenian national philharmonic orchestra on February 22. The
concert will take place in the concert hall after Aram Khachaturyan.
Philharmonic orchestra press service told “Armenpress”, the
Philharmonic orchestra will introduce the Armenian première of
Debussy’s 12 preludes.
During the concert Mozart’s number 21 romantic piano concerto whose
solo player will be Yun Su Reen. The concert will start with Weber’s
prelude “Evriante.” Nikos Christodulu (Rome) will head the concert.
FREEDOM SQUARE IS CALLING
by Houry Mayissian
February 21, 2013
Growing up in Lebanon, I remember football (soccer) tournaments were
events of magnified importance. Teams were divided along confessional
and political lines and, naturally, so were the fans.
Rally at Freedom Square in Yerevan on Feb. 20, 2013. (Photo by Khatchig
Mouradian, The Armenian Weekly) I recall the stories my father and
older brother would tell when they returned from a game. Depending
on whether Homenetmen had won or lost, they would talk about the
chants and slogans, describe how this or that player scored a goal,
how luck was simply not on our side that day, or how the referees
were completely unreasonable and unfair in their rulings.
Teams went to great lengths to ensure victory. Bribing referees and
fixing matches were regular occurrences for several local teams that
could afford it-a phenomenon we refused to participate in. For the
community, though, it did not matter. Whether we were strong enough
to take on the opponent or not, whether we could expect a game to be
fixed or not, our fans showed up in the numbers with their flags and
chants to support their team. It was not just about sports. The games
were about the community’s thirst for acknowledgement, for winning. It
was one way to channel the political aspirations and frustrations of
a community formed on the ashes of Genocide and deprived of a homeland.
And so rain, hail, or shine they showed up.
So did our compatriots in Armenia on the day of the country’s sixth
presidential election. They showed up to express their aspirations for
a better future; they showed up for a chance to win against all odds.
With three major opposition forces not participating, the
non-competitiveness of the election seemed to dominate public
discourse, or at least media discourse, in the pre-electoral phase.
The results were going to be fixed-and they were; People were going
to be bribed, pressured, intimidated-and many were; Not many people
were going to show up, because it was all a sham-but many did; it was
meaningless to participate-but the aftermath has shown it certainly
wasn’t. In retrospect, those who held these views-myself included,
but, more importantly, several prominent opposition forces-were right
about many things; but I am thankful we were wrong about what counts
most-the will of the people.
Election day is over but the struggle for fair and just elections is
not. We may never know the exact proportion of votes Raffi Hovannisian
and Serge Sarkisian received, but our people are still showing up,
this time at Freedom Square, to defend their democratic right to vote,
to defend their choice. I don’t know where the future will lead us,
and if, when, or how the gatherings at Freedom Square will come to
an end this time around. How the coming days pan out will depend
on many things, including the decisions and actions of Hovannisian,
the authorities, and other political forces in Armenia.
In these uncertain times, however, one thing is certain. This
struggle is not about Hovannisian gaining power. It is not about
the Heritage Party or the Republican Party; the ARF, the Armenian
National Congress or Prosperous Armenia. This sentiment was
reiterated by Hovannisian himself during one of his speeches at
Freedom Square. This struggle is about freedom, self-determination,
nation-building, and democratization. It is the struggle for a better
future-a strong Armenia where the will of the people is respected,
not oppressed. For this reason, it must be a united struggle.
Yet again, Armenia is at a crossroads. All political forces in Armenia
have a choice to make. Those who see themselves defending the freedom
of the people and democratic principles must play their role in this
struggle. This is particularly true for the main opposition parties.
Members of the Armenian National Congress-which remains embroiled in
an internal struggle-have attended the gatherings at Freedom Square.
Prosperous Armenia remains silent. The ARF has announced it stands by
the people. More concrete actions are needed, however. Having sat out
the elections out of lack of faith in the process, these parties now
have an opportunity to re-evaluate their policies and to take part
in carving out a different future for our country. Otherwise they
may risk marginalizing themselves.
The people of Armenia have spoken. They have spoken against five
more years of corruption, emigration, social inequality, economic
deprivation, human rights violations and irresponsible foreign
policies. We can’t afford five more years of suppressing the will of
the people. Enough. Freedom Square is calling.
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION EXCLUDES WORKS OF EKREM EYLISLI FROM SCHOOL TEXTBOOKS
17:54 20/02/2013 ” EDUCATION
Ministry of Education has decided to withdraw from school textbooks
works written by Azerbaijani writer Ekrem Eylisli the author of
the much-talked-of novel “Stone dreams” which is about the massacre
of Armenians in Nakhijevan. As the site Veteninfo.az reports, the
decision was made “on demand” of literature teachers, who allegedly
sent a lot of letters to the Ministry.
Head of books and publishing department of the Education Ministry of
Azerbaijan Faig Shahbazli said in an interview to modern.az that the
teachers’ claims will be satisfied. “While forming the textbook, Ekrem
Eylisli was a popular writer, and had titles. We then did not know
that his next steps will cause problems for the educational process.
All works of Ekrem Eylisli will be removed from the textbooks while
republishing them. I think it will be meanness to leave his works
in the textbooks. Ekrem Eylisli has nothing to do in Azerbaijani
textbooks,” said an official from the Ministry of Education.
Ekrem Eylisli is national writer (since 1998) and Honored Artist
of Azerbaijan, holder of the highest order of Azerbaijan “Istiglal”
(2002) and the order of “Shokhrat” for his outstanding merits in the
literature of Azerbaijan. Recently, on the website of Russian magazine
“Friendship of Nations” was published his novel titled “Stone Dreams”
in which the author describes the massacres of Armenians in Baku
in 1990 and in Nakhichevan in 1919. The author in his novel speaks
positively about the Armenian people and their culture. The novel
“Stone Dreams” also contains criticism over the former Azerbaijani
President Heydar Aliyev and the tyranny of the system created by him.
After publication of the novel, Eylisli was exposed to severe pressures
in Azerbaijan; the pro-governmental youth held rally in front of
his house, his issue was discussed in the parliament of Azerbaijan,
MPs suggested to burn his books and to deprive him of citizenship and
deport from Azerbaijan. Many people “blamed” Eylisli in his Armenian
origin, etc. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev deprived him of
personal pension and the title of National Writer, and accused him of
“purposefully distorting the history of Azerbaijan” and “in distorting
realities about history of Azerbaijan in an inappropriate way.”
The leader of the pro-governmental party “Modern Musavat” Hafis Hajiyev
announced that he would pay about 10 Euros to the one who will cut
the ear of the writer. Only after the intervention of the media,
the politician was “warned” by the Interior Ministry of Azerbaijan
about the illegality of such appeals.
The U.S. Department of State and the OSCE Office in Baku condemned
persecution of Eylisli in Azerbaijan and called on the authorities
to fulfill their obligations.
Source: Panorama.am
RAFFI INVITED SERZH SARGSYAN TO FREEDOM SQUARE
17:32 20/02/2013
Story from Lragir.am News:
Raffi Hovannisian’s rally kicked off at Freedom Square. People cheered
Raffi chanting his name. Raffi Hovannisian responded to them: “No
Raffi, no Serzh, no Levon and no Robert but Armenia.” Demonstrators
started chanting Armenia.
Attending the rally are also some of the supporters of the Armenian
National Congress. Nikol Pashinyan is there too.
Raffi Hovannisian stated that no one will grad people’s victory from
them adding that if by 6pm Serzh Sargsyan does not go to the square
and apologize, people will give him an appropriate answer.
Raffi Hovannisian asked people whether they are ready for a long
fight till the end. Receiving a positive answer, he noted that all
kinds of party flags don’t count now but only the flag of people and
of their victory.
Raffi Hovannisian said that he will address them again at 6pm about
the meeting Serzh Sargsyan proposed through the president elect’s
spokesman Armen Arzumanyan today. The Heritage parliamentary group
will join the rally, as well as Nikol Pashinyan, Karapet Rubinyan,
Dashnaktsutyun if it wants, Prosperous Armenia and whoever wants,
Raffi Hovannisian said.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE URGES BAKU TO PROVIDE AUTHOR AYLISLI’S SAFETY
February 20, 2013 – 15:01 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net – The U.S. Department of State have been closely
watching the situation with Azeri author Akram Aylisli, facing threats
in Baku over a book sympathizing with Armenians, the spokesperson said.
“It’s our understanding today that the Modern Musavat party has now
rescinded the offer and law enforcement authorities have called in
this individual for questioning, which is the right way for this
to go. Obviously, we strongly support and believe in respect for
freedom of expression. We urge the Azerbaijani Government to uphold
its commitments to protect the safety and security of Mr. Aylisli
and all of its citizens,” Victoria Nuland stated during a briefing.
Earlier, Modern Musavat party leader Hafiz Hajiyev offered a 10,000
manat reward for cutting Aylisli’s ear.
BAKO SAHAKYAN AWARDED SOLDIER GOR GHAZARYAN WITH MEDAL “FOR SERVICE IN BATTLE”
Today – 09:51
On 19 February Artsakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan signed a decree
on awarding posthumously NKR Defence Army private Gor Ghazaryan with
the “For Service in Battle” medal for bravery shown during the defense
of the Nagorno Karabagh Republic state border.
Central Information Department of the office of the Artsakh Republic
President informs about this.
“KARABAKH: HIDDEN TREASURE” IS AWARDED AS THE BEST FILM OF THE YEAR
Today – 11:50
Film by “Yerkir Media” “Karabakh: hidden treasure” got the first
price at cinema-center “Armenian film awakening” as the best film of
the year. The award is annual and is taking place already the time.
The film differs from other ones as no word about Nagorno-Karabakh was
is spoken in the film. Artsakh is presented from another point of view.
Jivan Avetisyan is the director of the film.