Author: Kanayan Tamar

PAP leader’s decision may be result of pressures, Republican party member says

14:40 – 15.12.12

Former MP, Republican party’s member Tigran Arzakantsyan does not
exclude that pressures were exerted upon Prosperous Armenia party
leader Gagik Tsarukyan as a result of which he decided not run for
presidency.

`As a businessman Tsarukyan knows what to do and what he would have
faced. He is a political figure, a businessman who understands what
may happen,’ the former MP told the reporters before the 14th congress
of the Republican party.

Referring to the possibility of Serzh Sargsyan’s victory in the
election, Arzakantsyan said the incumbent president has no competitors
and will win in the elections.

22-year-old to be prosecuted for impregnating his underage wife in Armenia

NEWS.AM
December 15, 2012 | 00:51

A 22-year-old resident of Armenian Armavir married an underage girl,
who, as a result, became pregnant. Armenian News-NEWS.am was informed
that the First Instance court will be investigating the case.

The 22-year-old V.H. is being accused of marrying 15 years old
resident from Gegh village, Kotayk marz, K.N., and for having sexual
interaction with his underage wife. Moreover, 15-year-old K.N. has
become pregnant. The criminal case has been instituted according to
article 141: sexual interaction of an adult with an underage less than
16 years old. The defendant has been set free with a signature until
the trial date.

Azerbaijan fires 1,000 shots toward Karabakh positions

NEWS.AM
December 15, 2012 | 16:01

STEPANAKERT. – The adversary violated the ceasefire, at the line of
contact between the Karabakh-Azerbaijani opposing forces, around 200
times in the passing week.

During this time, more than 1,000 shots were fired in the direction of
Armenian positions – and by way of different-caliber artillery weapons – ,
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Defense Army reports.

The Defense Army vanguard units, however, refrained from taking
retaliatory actions and confidently defended the military positions
along the entire length of the line of contact.

Armenia belongs to Europe – European People’s Party leader

NEWS.AM
December 15, 2012 | 12:46

YEREVAN. – The last parliamentary elections in Armenia recorded
substantial changes, European People’s Party (EPP) President Wilfried
Martens stated during his video message addressed to the delegates of
Saturday’s 14th congress of the country’s ruling Republican Party
(RPA).

He reaffirmed EPP’s complete trust in RPA Chairman and incumbent
President Serzh Sargsyan, and stressed the EPP Eastern Partnership
Summit that was held recently in Armenia’s capital city Yerevan.

`Democratic reforms are a challenge, a difficult road, especially for
Armenia. But you have put your country on the right track. According
to all international observations, the last parliamentary elections
[in Armenia] recorded substantial changes. I believe the presidential
elections [to be held on February 18, 2013] will reaffirm these
changes,’ Martens said addressing Serzh Sargsyan.

`Dear RPA colleague, you can rely on the support of the EPP. Your
agenda of reforms is the only reliable one to carry out serious and
lasting changes in Armenia,’ the EPP President stressed.

`We all are Europeans. Armenia belongs to Europe. RPA has proved the
fact of being a leader of change. The Armenian people have trusted you
in making changes in the country. I do not doubt that in two months
the Armenian people will make the right choice to carry out future
changes and to consolidate democracy in the country,’ Wilfried Martens
stated.

Relations with Diaspora recently taken to a new level – Serzh Sargsyan

NEWS.AM
December 15, 2012 | 12:58

YEREVAN. – Armenia-Diaspora relations continue developing dynamically,
though some elements of the mutually beneficial cooperation require
more consistent work, Armenian President said.

In recent years, the relations with Diaspora were taken to a new
level, Serzh Sargsyan said on Saturday addressing the delegates of the
congress Republican Party of Armenia.

`Our potential, hundreds of examples of solidarity and cooperation of
all Armenians, multiplied our competitive advantages. At the same
time, the results obtained so far do not reflect the diversity and
depth of our collective abilities,’ he said.

Serzh Sargsyan believes implementation of strategic programs jointly
with the structures of the Diaspora, creating conditions for
cooperation between Armenia and the Diaspora, and the effectiveness of
mutual engagement, remain valid.

Speaking about the projects to be implemented in the coming years,
President Sargsyan pointed out increasing university scholarships
given to students from the Diaspora, the expansion of the cooperation
programs with educational centers in the Diaspora, the implementation
of joint research in the field of preservation of the Armenian
identity.

`The results of the programs, jointly implemented with worldwide
spread Armenian Diaspora, will become tangible in the near future,’ he
assured.

Armenian President issued condolence message to Barack Obama

16:37, 15 December, 2012

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 15, ARMENPRESS: President of Armenian Republic
issued a condolence message to USA President Barack Obama on December
15 on the occasion of `Shady Hook’ slaughter in elementary school. As
Armenpress was informed from the presidential press office it was
mainly noted in the message

`Dear Mr. President

The horrible news of `Shady Hook’ slaughter in the elementary school
of Connecticut deeply shocked all of us. I strongly condemn this
heinous act which claimed the death of innocent people, 20 children
among them, leaving irrecoverable wound in the lives of their
relatives and witnesses. I deeply condole on the death of all the
victims. I wish speedy recover to all the wounded, valor and strength
to the relatives of the victims and whole US nation’.

Did the PACE Delegate Present Distorted Facts About Violence Against
Journalists in the Republic of Armenia?

DECEMBER 14, 2012 15:25

`In Armenia, the decriminalization of libel in 2010 was followed by
more than 30 civil defamation cases, many brought by senior officials
or politicians against the media. A number of Armenian cases resulted
in newspapers being ordered to pay very high fines and damages,’ the
report of Mats Johansson (in the picture) for the PACE Committee on
Culture, Science, Education and Media presents the state of media
freedom in the Republic of Armenia in this manner.

The report also mentions the case of the Armenian Times, when the
newspaper had to pay 6 million AMD to each of the three
parliamentarians who won the cases against it. The report says that
the paper was able to pay the fines with the help of donations from
its readers.

As for the elections held in the Republic of Armenia, the PACE report
reads: `In the case of the Armenian parliamentary elections on 6 May
2012, a joint delegation of international election observers of the
OSCE, the Parliamentary Assembly and the European Parliament reported
a general lack of public confidence in the integrity of the election
process.’

The Swedish delegate states in the report made to the PACE that in the
Republic of Armenia, a set of television channels are engaged in the
practice of using material taken from paid political advertisements.
According to the delegate, it damages the credibility of reporting in
the Republic of Armenia.

The report reads: `Armenian journalists’ groups reported that the
media’s political independence and capacity to report freely on
important issues in the campaign, including allegations of corruption,
were seriously hampered by pressures for self-censorship.’

The report also mentions personal threats and violence against
journalists, saying that `they reached the exceptionally high number
of 33 between January and September 2011, and in

the first five months of 2012, 3 physical assaults on journalists were
recorded, including two during the parliamentary elections.’

As for the 2010 Television and Radio Act, which gave regulators new
powers, the delegate writes that it has intensified the pressure on
broadcasters to avoid or tone down criticism of those in authority.
inquired of Ashot Melikyan, the chairman of the Freedom
of Speech Protection Committee, whether the Armenian reality was
presented objectively in the PACE delegate’s report. He replied: `I
must say that there were three cases of violence during the
parliamentary election. The information regarding the year 2011 is not
accurate either. When they talk about 33 cases, they are talking about
different kinds of pressure on journalists, including lawsuits against
them. Our research shows that during the nine months of 2011, there
were only three cases of physical violence. Perhaps, the PACE delegate
didn’t gather information thoroughly and used inaccurate information,
or he misunderstood something. According to our research, the number
of cases regarding physical violence against journalists in Armenia
has decreased; it is another matter that the year 2011 was
unprecedented in terms of lawsuits against journalists and the mass
media. The number of cases has decreased this year, but the situation
is still worrisome.’

Tatev HARUTYUNYAN

The Fallen Buffalo

Haik Aramyan
13:12 15/12/2012
Story from Lragir.am News:

Gagik Tsarukyan’s decision was followed by a real hunt on the PAP’s
declared electorate of 500,000. The Armenian National Congress, for
instance, held a meeting of the political board which was not attended
by most parties. According to the participants of the meeting, further
cooperation with the PAP and attracting the PAP’s electorate were
discussed. The Congress did not publish its decisions because,
according to Sos Gimishyan, the leader of one of the parties
participating in the ANC, it will discredit the Congress.

For his part, Manuel Gasparyan, member of the Congress, told
lragir.am: `500,000 voters is a considerable number that can guarantee
victory in elections. Every force would like to get the PAP’s
electorate. We will try to cooperate with the PAP for the sake of
electorate, reach a mutual agreement. Who else can a political force
rely on if it is not trying to win over this electorate? 100,000 votes
the ANC got cannot compare to 500,000.’

Republican Armen Ashotyan believes there is no party decision by most
members of the PAP will support the Republican candidate. He thinks
Tsarukyan’s decision allows individuals to express their civil stance
not only publicly but also in other ways.

The eminent sociologist Aharon Adibekyan thinks that the ANC will not
benefit from Tsarukyan’s decision because Tsarukyan’s votes will go
mostly to Robert Kocharyan, some part will go to Serzh Sargsyana nd
Raffi Hovannisian, as well as the ARF. According to him, 20% of this
electorate would vote for Tsarukyan only so they will not show up at
the polling stations.

The electorate of 500,000 is a real bugbear for the so-called
political field of Armenia. Not because they are worried about its
destiny. The electoral mechanisms were destroyed a long time ago and
replaced by the art of numbers. There are no real people, voters under
those numbers, there is an `electorate’ which was shared among parties
and individuals, including those perceived as opposition, by means of
money, falsification, conjuncture.

The fight for the PAP `electorate’ by parties called political is an
ugly scene which resembles that of hyenas attacking the fallen
buffalo. The bugbear is how the electorate should be shared, what
share each of them should get to ensure a free and fair election which
will be the next step towards the progress described by the
international observers.

Meanwhile, the electorate will get hypocrisy, great arithmetic of the
so-called political parties, as well as alms in the form of some
money, pledges and reproaches.

So, Tsarukyan should run in the election not to allow others to tear
his `electorate’ to parts.

ARMENIE
Environ 55 % du poulet consommé en Arménie est importé

Environ 55 % du poulet consommé en Arménie est importé a annoncé le
ministre de l’agriculture Sergo Karapetian pendant un débat au
Parlement.

« Avant 2010 cette industrie a connu une récession, car en 2010 les
volailles ont été enlevées de la liste des animaux soumis à la
vaccination obligatoire, en conséquence nous avons perdu environ 30 %
de la population des volailles » a-t-il dit.

Selon le ministre, en 2010 il y avait aussi un manque d’oeufs, « mais,
jusqu’à présent nous produisons assez d’oeufs pour répondre aux
besoins domestiques ».

Sergo Karapetian a dit que le ministère soumettra à l’approbation du
gouvernement un programme pour le développement du secteur de la
volaille. Selon le ministère de l’Agriculture, l’Arménie produit
annuellement environ 120000 à 130000 tonnes de viande et en importe
aussi environ 54000 tonnes, dont la majorité est du poulet. Selon le
Service National de la Statistique, la production de bétail en juillet
2012 a été d’environ 19,3 milliard de drams, en augmentation de 3,2 %
comparé à juillet 2011.

samedi 15 décembre 2012,
Stéphane ©armenews.com

LIVRES
Succès des manifestations liées au 500e anniversaire de l’imprimerie arménienne

Lors d’une conférence de presse à Erévan le 12 décembre, Hasmig
Boghossian la ministre arménienne de la Culture s’est déclarée
satisfaite des manifestations liées au 500e anniversaire de
l’imprimerie arménienne. « Nous devons arriver à maintenir et
développer l’intérêt des lecteurs envers les livres » dit-elle avant
de présenter sa satisfaction face au nombre important des
manifestations « plus nombreux que ceux qu’on avait planifié (…)
surtout à l’étranger » liées au livre qui ont débuté en décembre 2011.
« Nous avions décidé de ne participer qu’aux Foires internationales du
Livre mais nous avons également participé à d’autres salons ou
manifestations » dit Hasmig Boghossian. La ministre a également noté
l’engouement de la jeunesse à la lecture. L’exposition « Lors le livre
trouve le peintre » s’est ouverte le 12 décembre au musée Hovhannés
Toumanian d’Erévan avec des conférences liées au 500e anniversaire de
l’imprimerie arménienne.

Krikor Amirzayan

samedi 15 décembre 2012,
Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com