Author: Maral Takmazian

Turkish parliament receives petition seeking to strip Garo Paylan of parliamentary immunity

Maral Takmazian
Panorama, Armenia
Dec 26 2018
Politics 17:28 26/12/2018 Region

The Turkish parliament has received a petition seeking to strip eight deputies, including Turkish lawmaker of Armenian descent Garo Paylan of parliamentary immunity.

Ermenihaber reports, the petition was submitted to the parliamentary constitutional and justice commission on the grounds of “insulting the Turkish nation, the Turkish state, its army and police forces.” 

Meanwhile, the summery of the proceedings prepared by the Ankara Chief Prosecutor’s office says that Paylan is accused over an interview he gave in Canada in May 2017 for “public humiliation of the Turkish state and its president.”

Russian-Armenian businessman donates $2.8 mln to Hayastan Fund

Maral Takmazian
PanArmenian, Armenia
Dec 15 2018
– 12:56 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Hayastan All-Armenian Fund summed up the results of the fundraising telethon held in late November, revealing that the owner of the Tashir group of companies, Samvel Karapetyan, has donated $2.8 million in addition to the more than $11 million raised with the help of Armenians around the world.

“Karapetyan donated $2.8 million, the major part of which will be sent to Karabakh,” the director of the Foundation, Haykak Arshamyan, told a press conference in Yerevan.

“Approximately $1 million of all the funds will go to families who have a fourth child ($4000 for each family). A youth center is also being built there, the construction of which will be completed by the HayastanFund with the remaining funds.”

Arshamyan also said that the total amount of donations at the moment stands at $14.11million dollars.

On the eve of Telethon 2018, Artur Vanetsyan, Head of the National Security Service, visited Hayastan All-Armenian Fund’s Yerevan office with his son.

The National Security Service made a contribution of some AMD 9,5 million (approx. $20,000) to the Fund, while Vanetsyan donated his monthly salary.

President of Armenia, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Fund Armen Sarkissian too visited the office of the Fund on the eve of the event and signed a donation ticket for more than AMD 5.7 million (approx. $12,000) which makes his salary for six months.The President will also donate his salary for the next six months to the Fund.

Acting PM Nikol Pashinyan, meanwhile, donated AMD1 million from the Prime Minister’s fund and AMD 500,000 from his own funds ($3000 in total).

The biggest donations came from an anonymous benefactor ($2.5 million), Iranian-Armenian philanthropists Henrik and Adrine Ter-Ghukasyan ($1.34 million) for the renovation of a key road in Artsakh, Grand Holding owners Karen and Mikayel Vardanyan (AMD 60 million or approx. $123,000) for the renovation of the road connecting the Armenian towns of Dilijan and Ijevan, while U.S.-based Armenians Andranik Baghdasarian and Albert A. Boyajian have donated $1 million each.

Alex Holding donated $200,000.

Embassy calls against politicizing killing of Armenian woman presumably by Russian serviceman

Maral Takmazian
Interfax – Russia & CIS Diplomatic Panorama
Friday
Embassy calls against politicizing killing of Armenian woman presumably by Russian serviceman

YEREVAN. Dec 14

The Russian embassy to Armenia has called against politicizing the tragic incident in Gyumri that involved a Russian serviceman.

“We have paid attention to the ongoing emotional comments on the tragic incident in Gyumri. Once again we call against politicizing this issue, jumping to conclusions, and hindering the activity of investigative agencies. We also wish to extend our condolences to the family and friends of the victim,” the embassy said.

A court in the Shirak district of Armenia arrested a serviceman of the Russian military base in Gyumri on Thursday. A source in the law enforcement authorities told Interfax that the serviceman was being held on the premises of the Russian base.

The serviceman was detained on suspicion of killing a local woman.

The local media said that the killing of a 57-year-old janitor in Gyumri on December 3 was being investigated. The woman was beaten to death.

Shot of the day. Is it valid to demand clarifications from Alexander Lukashenko?

Maral Takmazian
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Acting Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan is currently participating in the session of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council in Saint Petersburg.


The Russian media captured an interesting moment: Nikol Pashinyan’s look at the President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko.


To remind, Pashinyan reaffirmed the other day that during this meeting he will demand clarifications from Lukashenko in order for the latter to present the CSTO internal kitchen to the ambassador of Azerbaijan.


In turn, the RA Foreign Ministry, evaluating the meeting, stated that it was not correct for Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to present the discussions on the appointment of the CSTO Secretary General to the meeting with the Azerbaijani ambassador.

Lusavor Hayastan Party kicks off campaign in Yerevan’s Nor Nork district

Maral Takmazian

Lusavor Hayastan Party kicks off campaign in Yerevan’s Nor Nork district

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12:49, 26 November, 2018

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 26, ARMENPRESS. The Yerevan campaigning event of Lusavor Hayastan (Bright Armenia) Party kicked off at the city’s Nor Nork district.

The party is campaigning on three levels – provincial, Yerevan, and district.

Mane Tandilyan, number two on the proportional list, and Gevorg Gorgisyan, number 4 of the proportional list, were leading the campaign.

They walked across the streets and neighborhoods of the districts, talking to citizens and presenting their program.

Tandilyan said that Lusavor Hayastan, during its brief history, has been able to realize their vision of shaping a state of dreams.

“The path that our party has passed is short, but substantial. Edmon Marukyan, Mane Tandilyan, Arman Babajanyan, Gevorg Gorgisyan – the honest and clear struggle of these politicians has brought to the reality of the current new Armenia. The election of national assembly is highly important. This is the first post-revolution general election, that will decide in what kind of Armenia we will live in,” Tandilyan said.

She called on citizens to vote for them, and said that the party considers its mission to be ensuring the prosperous and dignified life of citizens.

Photos by Gevorg Perkuperkyan

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan




ARF Criticizes Armenian Government

Maral Takmazian
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ARF Bureau member Armen Rustamyan during a campaign rally on Monday

YEREVAN (Azatutyun.am)–A leader of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation launched stinging verbal attacks on the government as his party began its parliamentary election campaign on Monday.

Armen Rustamyan said Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s government may be trying to “replace old political and economic monopolies with new ones.” Rustamyan also claimed that Pashinyan is reluctant to limit sweeping prime-ministerial powers which he strongly criticized before coming to power in May.

Pashinyan voiced the criticism during Armenia’s controversial transition from a presidential to parliamentary system of government initiated by former President Serzh Sarkisian. He said that constitutional changes will give the prime minister too many powers at the expense of the ruling cabinet.

“We have still not abandoned what they described as a ‘super-prime-ministerial system,’” Rustamyan said at a campaign rally held by the ARF in downtown Yerevan. “We also don’t have guarantees that if [Pashinyan and his team] try to reinforce their power that will not lead to the super-prime-ministerial system’s transformation into a super-presidential system.”

Rustamyan went on to accuse the new government of courting “oligarchs” that enjoyed privileged treatment by the Sarkisian administration. “It turns out that they are not oligarchs anymore,” he said. “It turns out that they are simply rich people, successful entrepreneurs. Probably because they have become allies [of the new government.]”

Rustamyan further claimed that those tycoons retain their “dominant positions” in lucrative sectors of the Armenian economy contrary to Pashinyan’s assurances that all economic monopolies in the country have been broken up. “It is claimed that there are no monopolies, probably because those monopolies are now showing their loyalty and are ready to serve the new authorities,” he said.

The ARF was officially allied to Sarkisian during the last two years of his decade-long rule. A power-sharing agreement signed in 2016 gave it three ministerial posts in the former government.

The ARF reached a similar deal with Pashinyan after mass protests led by him forced Sarkisian to resign as prime minister in April. The de facto coalition collapsed in October, with Pashinyan accusing the ARF and another partner, the Prosperous Armenia Party, of collaborating with Sarkisian’s Republican Party.

The ARF holds seven seats in Armenia’s outgoing parliament. Analysts believe that its main objective in the December 9 snap elections is to win at least 5 percent of the vote needed for being represented in the new National Assembly.

Armenian acting PM demands legal grounds not allowing march two days before official election campaign

Maral Takmazian
Aysor, Armenia
Nov 23 2018
Read Aysor.am inTelegram

Armenia’s acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan urged all the lawyers present legal norms not allowing conduction of march two days before the official launch of the election campaign or carry out provincial visits, the PM stated speaking to reporters today.

He said his actions are not legally banned.

“Do you mean to say that the acting PM should not leave his office? Is any citizen restricted in conducting march any day he wants?” Pashinyan said, urging lawyers, and especially Republican ones, find any legal norm that restricts a citizen to conduct march any day he wants.

He said no one is banned to make campaign calls before the official campaign launches. “I have always contacted with people, I am doing it now and will do in future as well,” he said.

Asked about the nature of upcoming Saturday march in Yerevan, Pashinyan said, “It is of walking nature. Let them show me all the international norms which do not allow it. Let us stop groundless speeches. I call on all citizens of Armenia to vote for My Step bloc, what have I done now? Have I violated administrative resources? My election campaign started yet in 2007 and will continue till the end of my political activity,” he said.

Sports: Acting PM asks president to award weightlifters Simon Martirosyan, Gor Minasyan

Maral Takmazian
Panorama, Armenia
Nov 16 2018

Acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has applied to President Armen Sarkissian to award leading weightlifters Simon Martirosyan with the 2nd Degree Order for Services to the Motherland, and Gor Minasyan with the Medal of Gratitude, the government said on Telegram.

Simon Martirosyan, a European champion and Olympic silver medallist, was crowned world champion after lifting a combined total of 435kg, setting several world records, while heavyweight Gor Minasyan, an Olympic silver medallist, grabbed the silver with the result of 450kg in the World Weightlifting Championships held in Ashgabad, Turkmenistan several days ago. 

Armenpress: 65 prominent figures sign petition against Erdoğan’s visit to France – Le Monde

Maral Takmazian

65 prominent figures sign petition against Erdoğan’s visit to France – Le Monde

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20:50, 9 November, 2018

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS.  French Le Monde newspaper has published the announcement of Coordinating Council of Armenian Organizations in France which has been signed by both Armenian and French prominent public and political figures. ARMENPRESS reports the people who have joint the petition express their concern over Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s visit to France on November 11, during which he will participate in the festive events dedicated to the 100thanniversary of WWI armistice. The people who have signed under the statement condemn the possible presence of the Turkish president, claiming that the meaning of the ceremony can be distorted.

The statement particularly runs as follows, “Denialist state of Turkey continues denying the Armenian Genocide. It seems that the head of that country has made only one conclusion from the Armenian Genocide, which is that a crime can be bribed”.  The figures that have joint the petition demand French President Emmanuel Macron to explain his guest that his presence cannot be grounded, given also the peculiarities of his regime, oppressions that are contrary to the values of the 100 years of the armistice.

The statement has been signed by President of the European Grassroots Antiracist Movement Benjamin Abtan, Nicolas Aznavour, the son of world famous late chansonnier Charles Aznavour, former football player Youri Djorkaeff, Former Mayor of Lyon Georges Képénékian and others.

Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan