Author: Kanayan Tamar

FATAL YEREVAN RESTAURANT INCIDENT COURT TRIAL ADJOURNS AGAIN

NEWS.AM
October 03, 2012 | 17:09

YEREVAN. – The court trial into the deadly incident that occurred
in Armenian capital city Yerevan’s Harsnaqar Restaurant Complex was
adjourned yet again on Wednesday.

Defendant Arman Baghdasaryan asked the court to appoint a new legal
defender, and the court complied with his request and appointed
attorney Vagharshak Gevorgyan as Baghdasaryan’s legal defender. In
his turn, the lawyer motioned the court to grant him two weeks to get
familiar with the particulars of the case, but the court granted him
only one week and adjourned the hearing until October 10.

As Armenian News-NEWS.am informed earlier, an incident had occurred
at Harsnaqar Restaurant Complex on June 17, where several military
doctors including Edgar Mikoyan, Arkadi Aghajanyan, Garik Soghomonyan,
Artak Bayadyan and Vahe Avetyan were brutally beaten by security
personnel. And Vahe Avetyan died in hospital on June 29.

Subsequently, a criminal lawsuit was filed and, now, six people are
standing trial.

The Restaurant’s owner is ruling Republican Party former MP, Football
Federation of Armenia President, and businessman Ruben Hayrapetyan,
who formally gave up his parliamentary seat in connection with this
incident.

OSKANIAN MAY BE EXECUTED IF ARMENIAN PEOPLE REMAIN PASSIVE – EXPERT

PanARMENIAN.Net
October 3, 2012 – 17:56 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Ex-foreign minister Vartan Oskanian’s fate depends
on further actions of the Armenian people, according to a political
expert.

“Okanian might even be executed, should Armenia’s society remain
passive,” Yervand Bozoyan told a news conference in Yerevan.

“Persecution of Oskanian may boost the latter’s rating, making him
a serious contender at presidential elections,” the expert said.

“The authorities are aware that major external pressure will be exerted
in Oskanian case, so accusations against the ruling Republican Party
of Armenia (RPA) leadership may follow,” he said.

In conclusion, Bozoyan urged to follow the suit of Georgia, where
recent parliamentary polls proved the country’s adherence to democratic
values.

ARMENIAN MAN DIES IN ALEPPO

TERT.AM
03.10.12

The Armenian man injured in Aleppo a week ago has died in hospital.

The Syrian-Armenian Facebook group report that Abraham Baqqalyan
(born in 1961) was injured by a sniper a week ago.

Reports say that a shooting incident occurred on the way to the Aleppo
airport on Tuesday and an Armenian was among the injured.

Talking to Tert.am Zhirair Reisyan, leader of the Armenian diocese
in Beirut, confirmed the reports. He said that the injured man~Rs
condition is serious and he is under medical control.

ARMENIAN PHOTOGRAPHER’S EXHIBITION TO OPEN IN LUXEMBOURG

PanARMENIAN.Net
October 3, 2012 – 17:20 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Luxembourg will host Armenian photographer and
graphic designer Bagrat Badalyan’s personal exhibition that opens
October 3.

The new works by the 24-year-old photographer will be showcased at
the COVART gallery.

Bagrat Badalyan has been practicing photography since 2007. Andrei
Tarkovsky, David Lynch, Stanley Kubrick and Martin Scorsese are among
the individuals having inspired him. Skillfully combining the arts
of photography and graphic design, Badalyan creates brilliant black &
white or colorful works.

TAMARA DAIRY CHIEF SAYS WRONG MEDIA REPORTS CAUSE 40 PERCENT SLASH IN SALES

/ARKA/
3 October, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, October 3. / ARKA /. The chief executive officer of Tamara
dairy company said today its sales slashed by about 40 percent over
the last two weeks after some local news agencies and newspapers
quoted a senior member from the State Food Safety Service as saying
that it had revealed that several of company’s products failed to
meet microbiological parameters set by the government.

Speaking at a news conference, the chief executive, Khachatur
Poghosian, said the State Food Safety Service meant in fact another
company called Tamara and Ani, and the fault was found in its spread,
which Tamara does not produce.

He said due to the failure of editors and the name confusion Tamara
suffered large losses, however, it will not go to court to seek
compensation. “We just want to make it clear for our customers that
there is nothing to doubt the quality of our products,” he said.

Poghosian also said that the sales are gradually recovering.

Asked to comment on the fact that the agency had revealed soda in the
milk produced by Tamara and several other dairies which is ostensibly
added to extend the shelf life of the products, Mr. Poghosian said
it is not true because soda can not do so.

“As a specialist, who has worked for many years in this field, I can
say that adding soda to milk does not extend its shelf life. One can
not either says with certainty that what the examination found was
soda. Milk contains 0.7-0.8% of salts and carbonate, which can be
taken for soda,” he explained.

The chairwoman of the National Association of Consumers, Melita
Hakobyan, said that a laboratory examination commissioned by it showed
that Tamara produces high quality products.

NO COMMENTS ON EX-PRESIDENT’S STATEMENT – ARMENIAN RULING PARTY REP

tert.am
03.10.12

Galust Sahakyan, Chairman of the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA)
parliamentary group, is not going to comment on a statement by
Armenia’s ex-president Robert Kocharyan.

At his meeting with journalists on Wednesday he expressed his
conviction that Robert Kocharyan never made a statement on deprivation
of Vartan Oskanian of his parliamentary immunity.

“I can answer, but I do not think Robert Kocharyan has changed in
recent years. That is, I do not want to comment a statement not signed
by Robert Kocharyan,” Sahakyan said.

According to him, the statement is not in Robert Kocharyan’s style.

Team work with Armenia’s second president produced serious results,
but the statement in not “in his style,” Sahakyan said.

With respect to Robert Kocharyan’s statement that by stripping Vartan
Oskanian of his parliamentary immunity Armenia’s parliament discredited
itself, Sahakyan said that it depends on interpretation.

“It is a matter of principle. We should believe the relevant
authorities,” he said.

He is surprised at Vartan Oskanian case being interpreted as political
persecution of the Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP), as Vartan Oskanian
is a MP of the (PAP).

“Like others he is an MP. The parliament discussed his case as it
was to,” Sahakyan said.

ARMENIAN OPPOSITION PARTY CONGRATULATES GEORGIA’S LIBERALS

news.am
October 03, 2012 | 15:24

YEREVAN. – Opposition Armenian National Movement (ANM) Party Board
Chairman Aram Manukyan issued a letter to the representatives of
Georgia’s liberal party, in connection with its victory in Monday’s
parliamentary elections in the country.

“Dear liberal friends, this is a triumph for the opposition and
the government as well as for entire Georgia. We are confident that
the liberals’ entry into the Georgian parliament will have a great
significance for Georgia and entire South Caucasus. Your country yet
again creates a good precedent for our region. ANM stands ready to
continue cooperation with the Georgian liberals,” Aram Manukyan’s
letter states in particular.

PROSPEROUS ARMENIA REP. MAY BECOME EU INTEGRATION COMMITTEE VICE-HEAD

PanARMENIAN.Net
October 3, 2012 – 16:06 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Prosperous Armenia parliamentary group member Vahe
Enfiajyan may be appointed to the post of deputy head of National
Assembly’s Standing Committee on European Integration.

According to the party’s decision, Mr. Enfiajyan will replace Martun
Grigoryan, who will, in turn, assume the post of the chairman of the
standing committee on agriculture and environment.

Mr. Enfiajyan is currently a member of the standing committee on
science, education, culture, youth and sport.

“The party will hold a meeting in the near future and will announce
its final decision on parliamentary committees on agriculture and
European integration,” Prosperous Armenia spokesman Tigran Urikhanyan
told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

SAFAROV’S EXTRADITION WAS VIOLATION OF INTERNATIONAL NORMS

Aysor.am
October 03, 2012

“Whatever happened with Ramil Safarov’s case was against all kinds
of international standards,” said the German ambassador to Armenia
Reiner Morell in connection with the extradition of Ramil Safarov.

He mentioned that the main concern over this issue is not to create
an unstable condition in the region.

“We do realize the significance of this issue. We understand feelings
of Armenians concerning that issue, but we mostly are worried for
finally damaging the Armenian – Azerbaijani relations,” said the
ambassador and added that he is concerned with what happened and
hoped that the two sides won’t lose self-control and the situation
in the region will not aggravate.

According to the ambassador, no one can approve of Safarov’s
extradition in Germany.

R. Morell noticed that Azerbaijan lost its reputation by that incident.

RUSSIA MAY SACRIFICE ARMENIA’S INTERESTS FOR GEORGIA TIES – EXPERT

PanARMENIAN.Net
October 3, 2012 – 14:13 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili-led opposition’s
victory in Georgia’s parliamentary elections and the prospect of
normalization of Russian-Georgian ties may have a negative impact on
Armenia, a political expert believes.

“Georgia will be demanding to be “paid” to normalize ties, with the
national interests of Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Armenia set as a
price,” Levon Shirinyan told a news conference in Yerevan.

“Though not absolutely certain about the scenario described above,
I could recall historic precedents where Russia sacrificed Armenia’s
interests to boost ties with Georgia,” the expert said, citing
Javakhk’s transfer to Georgia to gain the latter’s favor.