Author: Khondkarian Raffi

Armenia plans to invest 2.5 billion in military development

Khondkarian Raffi
JAM News
Dec 16 2018
JAMnews, Yerevan
Artur Xachatryan
The country’s leadership says the Armenian army will be radically changed within five years

The Armenian government intends to invest $2.5 billion in the development of the army over the next five years, Acting Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan has announced.

Pashinyan says additional funds for the development of the army can be obtained by changing the structure of the economy:

“Our goal is to modernize the military-industrial complex. I see the solution of this problem in the transformation of Armenia into a technological and engineering country.”

Additional funds should, in particular, go towards increasing military readiness.

• Armenian parliament approves 2019 state budget
• Armenia’s defence budget increases by 25%

In 2019 the Armenian government will allocate about $647 million to defence, a quarter more than the current year. This is the second year in a row that the defence budget has grown significantly. In 2018 the budget was $518 million – 17 per cent more than in 2017.

The increase of the military budget is partly due to the growth of the Armenian economy.

In 2018, the country’s GDP increased by 6.5 per cent, while this year five per cent growth is forecasted. Moreover, defence will be allocated 4.5 per cent of the GDP. In developed countries, the military budget tends not to exceed two per cent of the GDP.

The decision to increase military spending is due to the ongoing arms race between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The situation on the line of contact of the troops of the two countries is consistently tense.

A sharp increase in the military budget of Armenia may be associated with another loan from Russia, which has been allocated to Armenia for the purchase of a new batch of weapons.

Saint-Brieuc : ils se mobilisent pour aider une famille arménienne menacée de quitter le territoire français

Khondkarian Raffi
actu.fr , France
 15 dec 2018


Publié le 15 Déc 18 à 10:00
Michèle Feugeret, gouvernante au Novotel de Saint-Brieuc (Côtes d’Armor), soutient Armine, son ancienne employée, et sa famille, menacés de quitter le territoire français. (©Marie Lamarque / Le Penthièvre)

« Depuis un mois, la situation devient invivable pour elle. Tous les matins, je la voyais arriver au travail les larmes aux yeux. » Michèle Feugeret, gouvernante au Novotel de Saint-Brieuc (Côtes d’Armor) mesure la gravité de la situation de son ancienne employée, Armine Hayrapetyan. D’origine arménienne, elle, son mari, et ses trois enfants, se sont vu refuser le 1er août 2018 le renouvellement de leurs titres de séjour et signifier l’obligation de quitter le territoire français.

En raison de cette situation devenue irrégulière, Armine, qui possédait un CDI en tant que femme de chambre, a été licenciée le 14 décembre, au grand dam de Michèle Feugeret. « Sans travail, comment va-t-elle s’en sortir maintenant ? », compatit la gouvernante. La famille a recours aux services d’un avocat de Saint-Brieuc, qui a fait appel de cette décision. Le tribunal de Rennes a rejeté cet appel et la demande a été transférée au tribunal de Nantes.

Le 11 février 2014, les Hayrapetyan arrivaient à Saint-Brieuc. Mais leur parcours a été difficile. En 2011, la famille quitte l’Arménie, un pays où « la vie est dure, il n’y a pas de travail, pas de logement », raconte Armine dans un français simple. Alors, ils s’installent en Russie pendant trois ans. Mais rapidement, leur situation se complique. Avec émotion, Alina, l’aînée de la famille, se souvient :

On nous regardait mal parce que nous étions étrangers. Nous avons eu des problèmes et on a préféré partir.

Ils payent un passeur 20 000 € pour arriver en France. Sur place, ils sont d’abord accueillis dans un logement d’urgence. Puis c’est une bénévole de l’association de solidarité avec tous les immigrés (ASTI) qui leur offre un toit. Ils résident ensuite dans un logement de la municipalité de Saint-Brieuc, avant de trouver leur propre maison à Langueux. « On a visité une trentaine de maisons avant de trouver. On a vraiment galéré », ajoute Alina.

Dans son malheur, la famille Hayrapetyan peut tout de même compter sur un grand élan de solidarité. Michèle Feugeret, avec l’aide de son directeur, a adressé un courrier à Jean-Yves Le Drian, ministre des Affaires Étrangères.

Au lycée Rabelais, où est scolarisée Alina, une pétition circule. Les collègues du père de famille, employé dans l’entreprise de casse auto Vandenkerkhove à Plérin, la diffusent également en signe de soutien. Installés en France depuis presque 5 ans, Michèle Feugeret ne comprend pas la décision de la préfecture des Côtes-d’Armor :

Armine et son mari avaient tous les deux un emploi stable. Ils possèdent leur propre logement, payent leur loyer sans aide et sont appréciés par leurs employeurs. Ils devraient pouvoir rester en France.

Alina, 16 ans, qui rêve de devenir interprète, est inquiète pour son avenir et celui de son frère Narek, 13 ans, qui souffre d’un handicap auditif. « Ici, il est assisté d’un AVS et il a ses rendez-vous médicaux. Il n’aura pas ce genre d’aide en Arménie. » Tous les enfants Hayrapetyan parlent arménien mais seule Alina, 16 ans, peut encore l’écrire :

Pour l’apprentissage de la langue, il faudrait que je reprenne tout à zéro, ce qui est faisable. Mais je serais complètement perdue là-bas pour reprendre mes études. Ma petite sœur de 3 ans, qui est née en France, ne connaît rien de ce pays.

La pétition pour la famille Hayrapetyan est disponible en ligne sur change.org 

Azerbaijani Press: Russia Refuses to Sell "Bal" Missile System to Azerbaijan

Khondkarian Raffi
Turan Information Agency, Azerbaijani Opposition Press
December 5, 2018 Wednesday
Russia Refuses to Sell “Bal” Missile System to Azerbaijan
 
Moscow / 12/05/18 / Turan: The Kommersant newspaper reported on Moscow”s refusal to supply “Bal” missiles to Azerbaijan.
 
The military believe that this coastal missile system will pose a threat to Russian ships in the Caspian.
 
“Bal-E” is intended for control of territorial waters, protection of bases, coastal infrastructure and sea communications. The complex includes self-propelled command and control centers, self-propelled launchers with anti-ship missiles, transport and handling machines. The range of destruction is up to 120 km.
 
According to the publication, the parties had initialed a contract for the supply of a small batch of “Bal” missiles and several dozen 3M24 missiles (export version of the X-35E missiles). But the agreement was not signed finally. The calculations of the Russian side showed that even the export modification of these missiles could pose a potential threat to the ships of the Russian Navy in Russian territorial waters.
 
The Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation and Rosoboronexport declined to comment the matter.
 
According to a high-ranking source, the issue of “Bal” deliveries to the Azerbaijani military is not discussed also because of “a very delicate geopolitical nuance.” Since in recent years the X-35 type rocket has been modernized for the destruction of earthly targets, Moscow does not want Baku to use these weapons in Nagorno-Karabakh, the source said.
 
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Armenia did not make a proposal to postpone the CSTO summit. Yegoyan to Ushakov

Khondkarian Raffi
  • 04.12.2018

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  • Armenia:

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  • rus

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Armenia did not make a proposal to postpone the CSTO summit. Arman Yeghoyan, the spokesperson of the Acting Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, announced this.


This is how he responded to the statement of Yuri Ushakov, assistant to Russian President Vladimir Putin, that the CSTO summit scheduled for December 6 was postponed at the request of Armenia.


According to Yeghoyan, everything happened as Pashinyan presented on December 2 in a conversation with journalists.


Earlier, Acting Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin had suggested postponing the summit to be held on December 6 in St. Petersburg in a telephone conversation with him.


“During our last phone conversation, the President of the Russian Federation suggested that since the situation is like this, we should not hold the CSTO summit on the 6th of the month in order to discuss the solutions in a working order, and then go with new ready-made solutions, and I agreed, because I think it is more correct to solve the issue through working procedures,” Pashinyan said.

Formation of middle class priority issue in National Progress party’s program

Khondkarian Raffi

Formation of middle class priority issue in National Progress party’s program

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13:13, 26 November, 2018

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 26, ARMENPRESS. The pre-election program of the National Progress party offers some changes in education and social sectors, reports Armenpress.

The party plans to depoliticize the management council of schools, and attaches importance to the formation of middle class for major changes in the social field.

“Our party’s slogan is “New Situation, New Solutions”. In the political field we are trying to push forward the ideology rather than individuals. We have a package for social reforms. We are trying to bring new solutions in accordance with the new situation”, party spokesperson Hayk Grigoryan told reporters.

Party’s district-list candidate Hayk Paytyan said they are planning to make major changes in education sector. He stated that they see education as a priority field of the economy. According to him, the universities must become so that many people will come from abroad to study here. This in its turn will boost the economic development.  

Hayk Grigoryan said they target the middle class in the social field. “In order to have stable democratic country it is necessary to have a middle class which is not vulnerable. The formation of middle class is a priority in our program. We propose for the income tax threshold to be more flexible. The salary up to 200.000 AMD must be taxed by 10%. We plan to make the accumulative pension payment on voluntary basis”, he said.

Another candidate Lusine Haroyan said among the reforms they attach importance to the change of the status of the member of Parliament. They will be consistent in the elimination of the institute of the MP’s immunity.

The party also has proposals for the foreign policy field. They highlight the decrease of gas price. “Works also must be carried out in the resettlement of some regions of Artsakh”, Paytyan said.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan




Art: Armenian artist Sargis Muradyan’s painting sold at London auction

Khondkarian Raffi
Panorama, Armenia
Nov 29 2018
Culture 15:11 29/11/2018 Armenia

“Woman in Yellow”, a portrait by famous Soviet Armenian painter Sargis Muradyan has been sold at Bonhams auction in London, his daughter Zaruhi Muradyan confirmed to Panorama.am.

She received the good news on Wednesday evening, but wasn’t told how much the painting was sold for or the identity of the buyer.

“The price isn’t important. I strongly believe it is lower than the real price, but the important thing is the fact that Sargis Muradyan’s art makes its way into the international market and is sold at the very first attempt,” she said.

According to Muradyan, her father, a People’s Artist of Armenia, was very famous in the Soviet period, particularly in 1970-80s, when he took part in numerous international exhibitions. She says the Cologne Contemporary Art Museum purchased two paintings by Sargis Muradyan at that time.

But the painter’s works were on the verge of being forgotten amid a decline in international contacts over the past 30 years and after the artist’s death in 2007.

“Thanks to our great efforts, we opened an exhibition hall, organized big exhibitions and managed to have one of the most prestigious auctions select Sargis Muradyan’s work,” the daughter said, adding Bonhams has unveiled plans to continue cooperation with them.

Muradyan only expressed regret that the portrait of his father was presented in the Russian arts sales section of the auction.

She says the Armenian art has generally been presented through the works of Minas Avetisyan or Martiros Saryan, but she is confident that apart from them or Sargis Muradyan Armenia has many other good painters.

Newspaper: My Step alliance tears down Bright Armenia Party posters, posts its own instead

Khondkarian Raffi
News.am, Armenia
Nov 28 2018
Newspaper: My Step alliance tears down Bright Armenia Party posters, posts its own instead Newspaper: My Step alliance tears down Bright Armenia Party posters, posts its own instead

11:11, 28.11.2018
                  

YEREVAN. – The campaign season for the upcoming snap parliamentary election in Armenia is underway for two days already, and we can say that unusual events and incidents have not occurred yet, Zhamanak (Time) newspaper reported.

“In their public address before the start of the campaign, virtually all [political] parties, [MP] candidates urged to maintain politeness toward contending forces, or rating [i.e. territorial representation electoral system] candidates.

“[But] the Zhamanak correspondent yesterday [Tuesday] informed that at Shengavit administrative district (…) of [capital city] Yerevan, the Bright Armenia Party candidates’ election posters posted on the walls are being destroyed by the members, or supporters of [acting PM Nikol Pashinyan-led] My Step alliance, [and] posting their own [posters],” Zhamanak wrote.

Campaign season for the upcoming snap National Assembly (NA) election has gotten underway Monday in Armenia.

The campaign season will conclude on December 7, whereas December 8 is election silence day, and December 9—election day

Eleven political forces—two alliances and nine parties—are running for parliament.

As a result of this election, the NA seats will be distributed proportionally among the political forces that have passed the respective minimum thresholds: 5% for parties, and 7% for alliances.

Minsk Toughly Called on Yerevan not to Rush

Khondkarian Raffi
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
Wednesday
 
MINSK TOUGHLY CALLED ON YEREVAN NOT TO RUSH
 
Yuri Rocks
Source: Nezavisimaya Gazeta, November 19, 2018, p. 1
 
  
Minsk reacted to the criticism of Acting Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, who complained about the statements made by the presidents of Belarus and Kazakhstan, voiced in connection with the CSTO summit held in Astana. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus recommended the Armenian leader not to introduce “the rules of the so-called street democracy … into big politics.” The story, it seems, is far from the end, because the Armenian side, even before the remarks of Minsk, was preparing an official appeal. It hasn’t been voiced yet.
 
Nikol Pashinyan is annoyed by the events that occurred after the CSTO summit in Astana on November 8. One of the topics discussed in the capital of Kazakhstan was the issue of replacing the general secretary of the organization. According to the statute, this position until 2020 should be occupied by a representative of Armenia.
 
However, Yuri Khachaturov, who worked as the CSTO Secretary General, was revoked by the new authorities of the republic, being accused of anti-constitutional actions on March 1, 2008. The actions of the Armenian authorities irritated the CSTO allies, especially Russia; the Foreign Ministry’s commentary said that the question of revoking the CSTO Secretary General could not be solved unilaterally and without taking into account that such actions could cause reputational damage to the interstate alliance.
 
Today, Yerevan believes that it is entitled to replace Khachaturov with another person. Even a specific nominee was called – former Minister of Defense of Armenia Vagarshak Arutyunyan. However, at the summit in Astana, the issue was not resolved, and its discussion was postponed for December 6, when the next organization’s summit in St. Petersburg will take place.
 
After the Astana meeting, the President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev, commenting on the situation, said that he considers that it would be right if the position of the CSTO Secretary General, on the stipulated alphabetical rotation, were at present, but not in 2020, transferred to Belarus. In Minsk, meanwhile, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko met with Azerbaijani ambassador Latif Gandilov and told him about the situation in the CSTO.
 
In Yerevan, Pashinyan nervously reacted to all of this, stating that Armenia has the right to demand explanations why the issues discussed at the closed meeting of the leaders of the military block became known to the representative of the state not included in this block, and why statements of a specific nature on the issue still to be resolved are voiced. He also said that he intends to discuss the situation with Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to reports, on the same day – on Saturday – a telephone conversation took place.
 
Pashinyan’s statements were heard in Minsk, and the press secretary of the Belarusian Foreign Ministry Anatoly Glaz responded “to the verge of foul”: “Apparently, the acting Prime Minister of Armenia imagines himself an international prosecutor authorized to punish or pardon … Perhaps, Mr. Pashinyan has not so far realized that the rules of the so-called street democracy are unacceptable in big politics.”
 
Acting CSTO Secretary General Valery Semerikov, who may keep his duties until 2020 if the members of the alliance fail to reach a compromise solution, noted that some members of the organization doubt the effectiveness of the representative of Armenia in this post. The situation is further complicated by the fact that the CSTO charter does not spell out procedures related to revoking the organization’s secretary general.
 
Yerevan, justifying its position on the replacement of the CSTO Secretary General, argues that it is right in its actions, because anything could happen to Khachaturov, and not just a court prosecution, and that it should not affect the distribution of posts in the CSTO. That is, the post of Secretary General should remain with Armenia until 2020.
 
One of the experts, on condition of anonymity, stated that the main issue for Armenia is relations with Russia, who is an unconditional leader in the CSTO. “It’s difficult for Armenia, amid the unsettled conflict with Azerbaijan, to see a reliable ally, say, in Kazakhstan, whose leader has repeatedly acted from Baku’s position on the Karabakh issue. It is much more important than the unpleasant statement made by the Belarusian press secretary who performed his official duties. Minsk is quite warm in its relations with Yerevan, no worse than with Baku, right up to the rumor about President Lukashenko’s personal friendship with one of the leading Armenian politicians – Gagik Tsarukyan. It is also important to understand that Nikol Pashinyan still finds it difficult to orient in an interstate alliances. Subconsciously, other leaders do not perceive him as as “theirs.” But it may change after the parliamentary elections in Armenia on December 8. From this point of view, the CSTO summit in St. Petersburg looks even more curious – if the heads of state will satisfy Armenia and agree to replace the Secretary General, it can be interpreted as international support for Pashinyan, and as a change in attitude towards him – that they are ready to recognize him as “theirs”. Of course, a different decision can be made,” said the source.
 
Translated from Russian
 

Military memorandum signed between Belarus and Azerbaijan addressed against Armenia’s interests: Acting PM

Khondkarian Raffi
Aysor, Armenia
Nov 20 2018

Armenia condemns military memorandum signed between Belarus and Azerbaijan, Armenia’s acting PM Nikol Pashinyan said at a news conference today, stressing that such deals are aimed against Armenia and its interests.

“We must get reciprocal explanations from each other. Each of the CSTO member states should clearly know what commitments it has before the other member state, before its military-political ally, what commitments each member state has before the organization and the opposite – the commitments the organization has before its member states,” Pashinyan said.

He said Armenia fully implements its commitments which unfortunately cannot be said about its other partners.

“Our issue is clear. We are going to give new content to the CSTO, to specify the commitments and mutual relations,” the acting PM said.

Azerbaijani Press: One-way ticket for Armenian "tourists" to Turkey

Khondkarian Raffi
AzerNews, Azerbaijan
Nov 6 2018
6 November 2018 14:55 (UTC+04:00)

By Rufiz Hafizoglu – Trend:

Turgut Ozal, the eighth president of Turkey, played a very important role in the development of Turkey’s tourism sector, and today the tourism sector is one of the most developed and profitable sectors in the country.

In the third quarter of 2018, Turkey’s tourism revenues increased by one percent compared to the same period in 2017 and amounted to $11.5 billion.

In September this year, 5,425,845 tourists visited Turkey, and in January-September – 31,815,952 tourists, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Turkey.

The tourism sector in Turkey is so interesting and attractive that even citizens of countries that have political problems with Turkey continue to visit this country.

For example, in the first nine months of this year, 349,462 tourists from Israel visited Turkey, which is 14.76 percent more than in the same period of 2017.

On the other hand, the citizens of Egypt, who also have tensions in relations with Turkey, continue to visit this country. In the first nine months of 2018, 111,311 Egyptian tourists visited Turkey, which is 50.16 percent more compared to the same period last year.

However, there is one small and poor country, the main export of which is labor migration under the guise of “tourism.” That is Armenia, with its hostile attitude to Turkey.

Three years ago, there were about 150,000 illegal migrants from Armenia in Turkey, but every year this number grows. This happens at least because migration from Armenia is the best step for the country’s people to get rid of the economic problems of their poor country. Another factor is that migration to Turkey doesn’t cost much.

Further, let’s take a look at some statistics on the number of Armenian “tourists” in Turkey.

 

For example, in 2017, 48,320 “tourists” from Armenia visited Turkey, which is 23.7 percent more compared to 2016, according to the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

This is while in the first nine months of 2018, 39,382 “tourists” from Armenia visited Turkey, which is 8.37 percent more compared to the same period in 2017, according to the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

In September alone, 5,929 Armenian “tourists” visited Turkey, which is 19.13 percent more compared to the same month of 2017.

Thus, statistics show that the number of Armenian “tourists” in Turkey is growing every year.

Turkish media report that the majority of Armenian citizens who come to Turkey as tourists don’t return to Armenia. It is also reported that the citizens of Armenia, who don’t leave Turkey, mostly remain in the provinces bordering with Armenia.

Thus, it is safe to say that Turkey is turning into a “tourist paradise” for Armenian citizens.