Author: nina hovnanian

Deadline.com
May 27 2014

Shirley MacLaine Negotiating To Star In ‘Men Of Granite’

By ANITA BUSCH | Tuesday May 27, 2014 @ 10:51am PDT

EXCLUSIVE: Oscar winning actress Shirley MacLaine is negotiating to
star in Men Of Granite. The project, based on the book of the same
name, is the true story of how a group of poor, immigrant high school
boys rose above bigotry in a small town in Illinois by proving
themselves on the basketball court to become the 1940 state champions.

MacLaine would play the role of Sophia Prather, a schoolteacher who
watches over her “boys of Lincoln Place” (the name of the poor area)
with a steely eye, takes no guff and prods the boys into getting out
of their broken-down neighborhood gymnasium and onto the high school
court. By mentoring, encouraging and helping to pave the way for these
downtrodden boys, she firmly believes that she is doing God’s work.
Prather stands up for the boys against the bigotry of the time as most
of them were Slavic and Eastern European. She was a true champion in
making these kids rise above their circumstances.

In fact, in a town that was economically and racially divided, these
boys had had to suffer the indignity of being called “dirty” because
of the complexion of their skin and their obvious poverty. The
Armenian boys were even dubbed “The Terrible Turks” before Sophia
Prather set the coach and the media straight. (The Turks, as everyone
knows but some fail to recognize, committed genocide against the
Armenian people).

There is now a school named after Prather in Granite City, IL where
the story is set. (Incidentally, Granite City is where I was born and
raised.) The story of these kids who became basketball champions — one
went onto play for the Boston Celtics — is well-known to the area.

William Hurt has also expressed interest in playing the high school
coach suffering a string of losses and resigned that his team will
never win a game … until this band of Armenian-speaking kids take to
the court. Only then does his passion for the game reignites. There is
no deal with Hurt and both his involvement and MacLaine’s is
contingent upon financing. The project and its financing is currently
being culled together by casting agent-turned-producer Valerie
McAffrey. Dwayne Johnson-Cochran is attached to direct. The
screenwriter is Armand Kachigian, who is from Granite City.

Granite City, a steel town in Southern Illinois, is right across the
Mississippi River from St. Louis. The surnames of the boys portrayed
in the film — Markarian, Hagopian, Parsaghian, Eftimoff — are
well-known names in the city. The story of the 1940s state champion
basketball team began with a bunch of immigrant kids who played in
socks, some so poor they didn’t own tennis shoes — all from
hardworking families from Eastern Europe and Slavic countries who
moved to the U.S. in hopes of a better life.

One of the basketball boys — a Hungarian kid born Andras Fulop — ended
up playing 11 years in the NBA as Andy Phillip (most notably for the
Boston Celtics). The other boys were Armenian, Yugoslavian and
Macedonian. Not only did they elevate the game of basketball in the
state, but they earned respect and changed the bigoted attitudes in
the city.

Both MacLaine and Hurt are Oscar winners. MacLaine, whose body of work
is very well known, won for her turn as the unforgettable Aurora
Greenway in Terms Of Endearment and Hurt won for his portrayal in The
Kiss Of The Spider Woman. They won their awards only one year apart.

The book on which the script was based was written by Dan Manoyan, a
sportswriter from the Milwaukee Sentinel. The project was formerly
known under the title The Boys Of Lincoln Place. MacLaine is repped by
ICM Partners.

Ancient settlement of Shushi: history unearthed

BY STAFF
– POSTED ON MAY 25, 2014

“Discovery of the fortress of Karkar was the highlight of the
excavation,” archeologist Hamlet Petrosyan said.

Ancient settlement of Shushi, dating back to the 7th century B.C.
spreads along the walls of the old Shushi fortress. Villagers,
ploughing up the flank of the hill at the fortress’s wall were the
ones to stumble upon its remains: bronze age weapons, skeletons,
household items which were used to determine the date.

Ancient settlement of Shushi dating back to the 7th century B.C.
spreads along the walls of the old Shushi fortress. Villagers,
ploughing up the flank of the hill at the fortress’s wall were the
ones to stumble upon its remains: bronze age weapons, skeletons,
household items which were used to determine the date.

In June-July 2005, an expedition from the Armenian National Academy of
Science’s Institute of Archaeology and Ethnographic worked in Shushi
and surrounding areas. The expedition was led by the historical
sciences doctor, archeologist Hamlet Petrosyan.

The excavations of ancient burial vaults and medieval relics were held
to systematize data on formation of Armenian ethnos in the area and
prove the presence of Armenian cultural strata on the Shushi plateau
before the arrival of Panakh Khan, with the final goal of promotion of
cultural tourism in the region.

As Petrosyan told PanARMENIAN.Net excavations on iron age burial
vaults were conducted, with individual vaults, dated 1st century B.C.
unearthed in the north and north-east of the city wall. Among items
discovered were household articles, bronze ornaments, iron weapons,
ceramics. The excavations also unearthed dozens of skillfully made
animal-shaped vessels reflecting our ancestors’ perceptions of faith.

The results of excavations in the old area of the Armenian-Greek
cemetery at the eastern wall of Shushi prove the existence of an
Armenian cemetery in the 12-13th centuries, with its khachkars used
for new burials in the 19th century. The 5 khachkars found here proved
that Shushi plateau was inhabited by Armenians in the period of
prosperity of the Principality of Khachen.

Discovery of the fortress of Karkar was the highlight of the
excavation, with Mongolian-type arrowheads and a piece of Chinese
celadon found on the site, of special interest. The findings prove
that a trade route crossed through the eastern part of Shushi plateau,
with a fortress built by Khachen princes to protect the route. The new
data suggests that Karkar is the very fortress in the gorge of Unot
mentioned by historians. During a liberation movement in late 17th
century, the fortress was reconstructed and renamed into Avani or
Signakh Minor.

A detail study of Panakh Khan-built Shushi fence and specialized
literature revealed that fragments of its ruins match those of a fence
at Mkhitarashen gate. Though full-scale archeological works haven’t
been completed in the area, the findings prove that the territory was
inhabited in the 1st century B.C.

About 2000 items found during the excavations were taken to Yerevan to
be studied and restored. Upon completion of works, the items will be
donated to the Shushi museum of regional studies. The excavations
being an important stage in the study, restoration and promotion of
Armenian history and culture, governmental assistance is essential in
the matter.

According to the Shushi museum director Ashot Harutyunyan, there are
about 2000 burial vaults in the surrounding areas, with 90% pillaged
back in pre-Soviet period. In 2005, a map of the burial grounds was
drawn by the Shushi expedition. During month-long excavations, the
expedition discovered 2 burial vaults from Kur-Araks culture dating
back to 10-13th centuries B.C. Obsidian blade, ornaments and other
items were also discovered, with the latters currently showcased at
the Shushi museum.

“In 1974-75, Azeri Academy of Sciences held excavations in a cave near
Shushi, with the items found dating back to the earlier period than
mentioned above. All of those items are now displayed in Baku as
samples of “Albanian culture,” Harutyunyan said.

Russia to Supply More Arms to Baku Than Previously Revealed

Tuesday, May 27th, 2014

A Russian T-90 tank on parade in Moscow

MOSCOW (RFE/RL)–Russia is to deliver 12 more heavy flamethrowers to
Azerbaijan as part of multimillion-dollar arms deals with Baku that
have caused outrage in Armenia, its main regional ally.

The Azerbaijani news agency APA revealed on Monday that the
Azerbaijani army will receive soon 6 TOS-1A systems manufactured by
Uralvagonzavod, a state-run Russian defense company. It said a third
and final batch of these weapons designed to support advancing tanks
and infantry will be supplied later on.

According to APA, Azerbaijan already took delivery of six such
multiple-launch systems last year and put them on display during a
June 2013 military parade in Baku.

A TOS-1A system can fire up to 24 incendiary or thermobaric rockets in
a single salvo. With a 6-kilometer range, the rockets are designed to
destroy enemy personnel, armored vehicles and transport.

News of the supplies of the flamethrowers came just days after a
senior Russian defense official said that Azerbaijan is entitled to
buying 100 more modern tanks from Russia. The Russians have already
sold a similar number of T-90 tanks to Azerbaijan in line with $1
billion defense contracts signed in 2011. They were disclosed in May
last year, sparking angry reactions from Armenian politicians, pundits
and media commentators.

Defense Minister Seyran Ohanian on Monday commented cautiously on the
tank deliveries, saying that Russia has a sovereign right to export
weapons. “I can’t be happy with that but I have no right to stop it,”
Ohanian told reporters. He insisted that the Russian arms sales will
not change the military balance in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Analysts in Yerevan were less sanguine about possible consequences of
Russian-Azerbaijani military cooperation. “If that is not compensated
with more arms supplies to Armenia it could disrupt the balance,”
warned Sergey Minasian, the deputy director of the Caucasus Institute.
He said Moscow has until now cemented the Karabakh status quo with
large-scale military assistance to Yerevan.

Another analyst, Ruben Mehrabian, said Russia is not only
demonstrating that it is not a true Armenian ally but also
deliberately preventing a peaceful settlement by arming both parties
to the conflict. “It’s time to question Russia’s role as a mediator,”
he said.

Russian Tank Manufacturer ‘Clarifies’ Shipments to Azerbaijan
A Russian defense company reportedly clarified on Tuesday that it has
not yet completed the delivery of 100 battle tanks to Azerbaijan
stemming from a Russian-Azerbaijani contract signed in 2012, RFE/RL’s
Armenian service (Azatutyun.am) reported.

The Azerbaijani news agency APA cited unnamed representatives of the
state-owned Uralvagonzavod enterprise as saying that shipments of the
advanced T-90 tanks began last year and are continuing “according to
schedule.” They said the next batch of this military hardware will
reach Azerbaijan in August.

“We are not talking about an additional order,” one of them said.
“Right now we are carrying out the outstanding order.”

Konstantin Biryulin, the deputy head of a Russian government agency
overseeing arms deals with foreign states, told the Itar-Tass news
agency on Friday that the Russian side completed the tank order last
month. He said the 2011 contract entitles Baku to buying 100 more
T-90s.

According to the Uralvagonzavod source quoted by APA, the two sides
are currently negotiating on the possibility of more tank sales. “At
the moment Azerbaijan is Uralvagonzavod’s biggest client,” added the
source.

Citing an unnamed Russian official dealing with arms exports, the
Moscow daily “Kommersant” on Monday confirmed Azerbaijani President
Ilham Aliyev’s August 2013 claims that the total volume of
Russian-Azerbaijani defense contracts signed since 2010 is worth
around $4 billion. The official said that the figure could rise to $5
billion by the end of this year.

The Russian weapons supplied to Azerbaijan include not only tanks but
also sophisticated air-defense and artillery systems and attack
helicopters.

ArmenTel-sponsored computer lab opens at YSU economics department

May 27, 2014 | 14:24

YEREVAN. – A new computer lab was opened and a library reopened at the
YSU’s Faculty of Economics on Tuesday.

The opening of the ceremony was attended by representatives of
ArmenTel company and university’s leadership as well as Bobby Leach,
VimpelCom Ltd. Group Director Communications.

“This is my first visit to Armenia, and I am very pleased that it
coincided with an event organized by ArmenTel,” Leach told reporters.
“VimpelCom operates in North America, Africa, Asia and many other
places. But everywhere we operate it is our ambition to help young
people to realize their potential. We do it in very different ways: we
support young entrepreneurs, we donate to universities, we assist with
woman’s education in countries like Pakistan,” he said.

ArmenTel CJSC Director General Andrey Pyatakhin, for his part, noted
that the company’s social policy is based on the idea of implementing
projects to improve the life of certain people.

“Today we are implementing one of such projects together with the
Yerevan State University. The computer lab and library are designed
for those who are doing their masters degree. Beeline always supports
the projects designed for the future,” Pyatakhin added.

ArmenTel company has implemented over 100 education assistance
projects in Armenia since 2008.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

ARMENIANS ENTICED BY RUSSIAN PASSPORT OFFER

Institute for War and Peace Reporting, UK
IWPR Caucasus Reporting #736
May 26 2014

Continuing exodus prompted by poor prospects at home could now
accelerate.

By Lilit Arakelyan – Caucasus

As Armenians queue up to take out Russian citizenship under newly
simplified rules, local analysts warn that this will boost the
continuing exodus from the country.

On April 22, President Vladimir Putin approved legislation allowing
anyone who lived in the Soviet Union, or is descended from someone
who did, to apply for a Russian passport. Even people with family
roots in the pre-1917 Russian Empire are eligible.

Applicants have to pass a Russian-language test, and can then acquire
a passport in just three months.

Worryingly for a small nation like Armenia, they must then renounce
their own citizenship, rather than holding two passports.

Almost immediately after Putin’s announcement, queues formed outside
the Russian embassy in Yerevan. People stood in line for hours to
hand in their documents.

For many Armenians, a passport for Russia is a practical way of making
it easier to live and work there, as so many of them do.

The government’s migration agency says that between 80,000 and 120,000
people travel to Russia every year to do seasonal work, returning home
for the winter. Some stay longer – the agency says between 900,000
and one million are there for a period of two or three years.

They send large sums of money home to their families, helping support
the struggling Armenian economy. Central bank figures show that 86
per cent of the two billion dollars in bank transfers to Armenia last
year came from Russia.

Some of these labour migrants – who are mostly men – will end up
staying on indefinitely and putting down roots. Another 30,000, among
them some of Armenia’s brightest and best, make a positive decision
to emigrate. That figure, too, is rising, and once again Russia is
the destination chosen by two-thirds of them.

“If the law provides permanent residence, then of course it increases
the risk of higher numbers of people emigrating,” Gagik Yeganyan,
head of the State Migration Service, told IWPR.

Outside the Russian embassy, Anush Balyan, a 22-year-old from the
southern Ararat region, told IWPR why she wanted a Russian passport.

“That way we can avoid all the hassles of getting deported. It’s
better to get a passport right from the outset,” Balyan said. “It
also means I’ll be living with everyone else in my family. My father
and three sisters live in Moscow, and my husband and I have submitted
our papers to the embassy so we can go and be with them.”

Work-wise, Balyan sees no choice in the matter.

“It’s easier to get a job in Russia. I’m a doctor and I only earn
60,000 drams [150 US dollars] a month here. That’s barely enough,”
she said. “In Russia, I could earn that in a day.”

Hovhannes Sahakyan, a member of parliament from the ruling Republican
Party, downplayed the likely effects of the relaxed Russian passport
rules.

“It won’t affect seasonal workers. If someone who goes off to work for
the summer but has family here takes out citizenship, all he’s doing is
making his life there easier… but he’ll still come back to Armenia,”
he told IWPR. “We need to focus on those sections of society that
leave to stay forever, instead of those who just go for the season.”

Many experts who watch emigration trends would disagree, and are
concerned that the net loss of Armenian citizens will accelerate.

Both Russia and Armenia allow dual citizenship in principle, but the
new scheme offered by Moscow does not -Armenian and other nationals
must renounce their citizenship to take advantage of it.

Hranush Kharatyan, an ethnographer with the Armenian Centre for
Genealogical Studies, predicts a major demographic shift.

“People will be a bit cautious about this for the first couple of
years, and then when the process picks up pace and is working well,
it may gain momentum. As a result, more people will leave the country,”
she told IWPR.

Since 2006, Moscow has been offering fast-track naturalisation to
Armenian nationals under a programme called “Compatriots”. Around
26,000 people have applied to move to Russia, although only 1,500
have gone so far.

According to Kharatyan, “The new law slightly alters the way
Compatriots is implemented. That programme set out where people must
live, required them to live there for a certain period, and gave them
money to do so. The new law lacks this conditionality, so people can
choose for themselves where they live in Russia.”

“I’m convinced that the number of people leaving for Russia is going
to increase,” Kharatyan added.

In the context of Moscow’s newly assertive policy in the region,
its offer to convert citizens of other former Soviet states into
its own raises some questions about its intentions. However, Ruben
Yeganyan, head of the Armenian Social-Demographic Initiative group,
believes the Russian government is desperate to gain new citizens in
order to curb population decline at home.

“Russia needs people. It needs a labour force, people of reproductive
age – parents – to address its fertility problem,” he said. “As for
the Russian language test, it’s clear that all you need is a basic
knowledge.”

Lilit Arakelyan is a reporter for Araratnews.am in Armenia.

ARMENIE-POLITIQUE
Le président Serge Sarkissian réélu à la tête du Parti Républicain
d’Arménie de la majorité présidentielle

Hier à Yerevan lors de la 15e Congrès du Parti Républicain d’Arménie
fut propose la candidature du président arménien Serge Sarkissian pour
sa réélection à la tête du parti de la majorité présidentielle. Les
1700 délégués présents à ce 15e Congrès ont réélu à l’unanimité Serge
Sarkissian à son poste de leader du parti. > dit Serge Sarkissian
après cette réélection. Autre nouveauté de ce 15e Congrès du Parti
Républicain d’Arménie, au lieu des 150 membres, désormais le bureau
compte 206 membres.

Krikor Amirzayan

dimanche 25 mai 2014,
Krikor Amirzayan (c)armenews.com

GENOCIDE ARMENIEN
450 nouveaux documents d’archives offerts au Musée du Génocide
arménien à Yerevan

Près de 450 photographies furent offertes au Musée du Génocide par la
famille Khaniguian qui habite en Grèce. Des archives familiales
remontant au génocide transmises durant plusieurs générations et qui
viennent d’être confiées à Yerevan. La collection représente de
nombreuses photographies du début du 20e siècle, prises dans l’Empire
ottoman, en Grèce, en Egypte, et dans les orphelinats de Syrie.

Elles représentent les orphelins Arméniens survivants du génocide,
recueillis dans des institutions ou orphelinats. Ces archives
comportent de très nombreuses annotations, noms et lieux qui sont
autant d’éléments importants dans le dossier du génocide. >
dit Haïk Démoyan le directeur du Musée du Génocide de Yerevan.

Krikor Amirzayan

dimanche 25 mai 2014,
Krikor Amirzayan (c)armenews.com

Between Two Fires

Igor Muradyan, Political Analyst
Comments – Saturday, 24 May 2014, 15:06

The European Union, either out of thoughtlessness, or as part of a
plan, continues to send signals to the “zone” that the doors to the
European space are still open and there are even remarks that certain
mechanisms of cooperation may be worked out which would be compatible
with the Customs Union and everything else relating to Russia’s
ambitions.

It is hard to propose a more dishonest game because Europe has a crisp
and clear decision on the future and political destiny of the “zone”.
Currently, after such an ugly phenomenon as “September 3”, the “zone”
is viewed as a highly dangerous topic which may intensify threats in
the direction of the Black Sea and the South Caucasus which does not
just separate the region from Europe but also makes global politics
tenser.

One way or another, the “zone” is tightly bound to a series of
conflicting circumstances and complicates any decision regarding
global political and economic projects. Identically with certain
clusters of the European space and society, (primarily in the result
of being a Christian type of a society) the “zone” has appeared in an
awkward situation due to flaring thoughtlessness and insufficient work
with the European bureaucracy and political circles. The proposed
mechanisms of returning the “zone” to the European Union require an
explanation of real conditions of the political situation in the
“zone”.

The conditions of negotiations and agreement on conditions with the
European Union remained a secret untill September 3, covered with
dark, only for “professional political scientists”, central districts
of Yerevan while for the interested analysts there were no special
secrets and veiled circumstances. The political leadership of the
“zone” did not even try to discuss security issues though there were
such possibilities, especially in terms of integration of the European
Union and NATO in the sphere of European security.

Now the European politicians and officials are trying to excuse
themselves retrospectively and make the “zone” believe that “life
always has room for the European vector”. Nine months have passed
since September 3, and one could have children in this period but the
position of Europe on the “zone” has not changed. The Europeans and
Americans have the understanding that the pro-Russian economic,
political and military blocs are gradually falling apart and growing
marginal.

The West, unequivocal on sanctions against Russia, could entrap these
pro-Russian blocs into collapse, but they refrain because first the
West does not see prospects before these blocs, and second they are
reluctant to assume responsibility for political destruction and,
thirdly, sanctions relating to the developments in Ukraine could cause
the collapse of anything without additional decisions.

What could the proposed mechanisms of integration with the “zone”
mean? There is only one thing – highly limited economic and political
obligations, shedding all responsibility for economic development and
security onto Russia. This is a well-considered idea elaborated
through consultations, which reminds of a “game operation” based on
forming the anti-Russian vector of the entire South Caucasus.

Moscow has understood this very well and does not hurry to treat the
“zone” as an institutional partner, set up binding relations at a
higher level. The Russians have understood that they are trying to
make a problem for Russia out of the “zone”, maybe not a crucial one
but still. The Russians have done everything to present the “zone” and
its society as highly unreliable, politically inadequate, which cannot
be considered as a sovereign state.

The “zone” is politically, economically and socially disorganized and
less dangerous as an instrument for the West’s anti-Russian policy. It
could not have been worse. At any rate, it would be highly problematic
for Russia. Of course, Moscow would not have all these doubts had
there not been for the developments in Ukraine, for Maidan the results
of which have devaluated and deprived of meaning most plans of Russia.

The political leadership of the “zone” is aware of how deeply it has
been misled, but apparently it is again being misled as the top
government is growing less frank. One has to be extremely cynical and
shaky to try to make the first person in the “zone” believe that
nothing special has happened, and they may try to return to the
European space through the back door.

There is no doubt that this assumption is made to relevant remarks and
instructions of Moscow. When the country, especially one in the form
of a “zone”, appears in severe international isolation, with all its
interests fully ignored, any government, even the most self-confident
one, will collapse, and even the people of the first echelon of
government understand this. Simplified iteration failed,
simplification became an indecent sign of the castrated
pseudo-intellectual service team which has nothing else to tell aside
from lies that they had foreseen this tragicomedy.

Having agreed on the destiny of the “zone”, the Europeans and
Americans have proposed to its leadership a difficult scheme of
behavior which consists in walking side by side with isolated Russia
and demand that it resolve economic and military-political issues. It
would add to Russia’s problems in the strategic southern dimension.
The political leadership of the zone is caught between two fires and
does not know what to do.

There are two ways – continue to agree everything with Moscow and
appear in far more isolation or run the risk of accepting the West’s
proposal, thereby allow that the ruling regime stay in its place. The
situation is further complicated by lack of interest in Moscow to
either confirm the legitimacy of the present government or support its
possible opponents. In other words, even the real opposition, like the
government, have a grudge on Moscow and are not likely to continue to
fulfill its instructions or are rather ready to fulfill the functions
formally, dooming the Russian policy in the “zone” to failure.

In this catastrophic situation, two real forces are left in the “zone”
that are capable of a political and ideological coup, the army and the
young generation, which is acknowledged by everyone. What could back
these “modest” clusters of real forces?

For the time being, only what was expected in the fall of the pathetic
but not very scary year of 2013. The European Union and NATO have
different mechanics, concepts and interests despite the matching
members of these two global organizations. The European Union has
inhibitions and is able to propose highly limited initiatives though
it is actively promoting its “Eastern policy”.

The “zone”, however, could accelerate integration with NATO and work
out proposals for the NATO summit in Cardiff in the fall of 2014 where
new decisions will be made and the former ones have been confirmed
which were not implemented at full. Is this a chance? No, this is a
real opportunity, and ignoring this opportunity would be a condition
for implementation of the West’s plans adding to the problems of
Russia, which determines the agreements with the West and Russia. To
feel how fair this statement is it should be noted that the Russian
propaganda in the zone has failed and proved inefficient.

The question is whether a dialogue will have to be conducted amid the
profanation offered by the West and Russia. Apparently yes because
there is no alternative. We will have to deal with the mess we made so
thoughtlessly.
– See more at:

Businesses Will Sustain Losses As Lars BCP on Georgian Border Remains Closed

Roza Hovhannisyan, Reporter
Business – Saturday, 24 May 2014, 15:57

The BCP of Upper Lars has been damaged by the landslide and closed,
and the trailers with cargo imported to or exported from Armenia are
waiting there in a line.

The head of the Union of Manufacturers and Businessmen Arsen Ghazaryan
told Lragir.am the line of trailers is long as this is a high season
of imports. According to him, this is a force majeure for businesses.
It will affect the pace of businesses. “The Georgian side has promised
to reconstruct the road within 15 days. They’re still working,” Arsen
Ghazaryan said.

However, he did not rule out that road works may last longer. “This
collapse was a surprise. It is the first case over the past 120 years.
Equipment is working, people are doing everything they can, we’ll
see.” He said they have suggested cargo transportation by containers
but it is too expensive.

“We suggest transporting goods in containers to Novorossiysk via Poti
but it requires additional costs and time,” Arsen Ghazaryan says.
Upper Lars has been closed since May 17 due to the landslide in the
Georgian territory.

– See more at:

Zhoghovurd: Armenia’s rural communities unable to realize produce

10:40 * 24.05.14

It’s quite a long time the population in several rural communities of
Armenia has been having difficulties with realizing their agricultural
produce, the paper has learned.

Villagers are said to be even unable to get the price cost of their crop.

In the past couple of months, residents of several communities in the
south-western region of Argatsotn had to sell their potato to
Georgians, says the paper.

In notes further that in April and May alone, 1,960 tons of potato
seeds were imported to the country from Austria, Belgium, Germany, the
Netherland, Scotland and the Czech Republic

In the same period, however, Armenia exported 6,923 tons of potato to
the Russian Federation and Georgia, according to the paper.

Armenian News – Tert.am