Author: nina hovnanian

PROJET DE MEMORIAL COMMEMORATIF DU GENOCIDE ARMENIEN A PASADENA

USA

Dans quelques annees, les Armeniens du monde entier vont commemorer
le 100e anniversaire du premier genocide du 20ème siècle, quand 1,5
million d’Armeniens ont ete massacres.

Pour conserver la memoire des victimes vivante, 166 monuments ont
ete eriges dans 33 pays a travers le monde.

La communaute armenienne de Pasadena a voulu apporter sa part dans
l’effort de commemoration. Le Comite commemoratif du genocide armenien
de Pasadena a prevu qu’un monument très impressionnant soit construit
dans le Parc de la Memoire a Pasadena n 2015, avec des inscriptions
d’information adequates sur le genocide.

Le 16 juillet 2013, la Commission des parcs de loisirs a l’unanimite a
approuve le modèle propose par Catherine Menard, etudiante au Pasadena
Art Center College of Design.

La ville de Pasadena a programme l’audience du Conseil municipal 9
septembre pour l’examen et l’approbation de la conception du memorial.

L’association en charge du projet demande aux membres de la communaute
d’etre presents a l’audience du conseil municipal et de montrer un
soutien au projet de memorial propose.

vendredi 30 août 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

ARMENIA HAS NOT CONSIDERED CLOSURE OF DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS IN SYRIA SO FAR – DIPLOMAT

Interfax, Russia
August 28, 2013 Wednesday 5:54 PM MSK

YEREVAN. Aug 28

The Armenian Embassy in Damascus is continuing its operations,
Armenian Foreign Ministry spokesman Tigran Balaian said.

“The Armenian Embassy in Damascus and its consulate in Aleppo are
continuing to work. The closure of the diplomatic missions has not
been discussed,” Balaian told Interfax.

According to official information, the Armenian diaspora in Syria
numbered about 100,000 people before the conflict. Since then, an
outflow of ethnic Armenians living in Syria mainly to Armenia has
been recorded.

ARMENIAN FARMERS WILL GET DIESEL FUEL AT REASONABLE PRICE

August 29, 2013 | 15:33

YEREVAN. – Armenian government will allocate $110,000 to the
Agriculture Ministry to provide farmers with low-cost diesel fuel.

Besides, the villagers will be granted 5.2 million liters of diesel
fuel that was not used during the spring agricultural work. According
to the government’s program, subsidized Flash company is obliged to
sell diesel fuel at 350 drams per liter.

Earlier the government allocated funds to provide villagers with 17.5
million liters of diesel fuel at reasonable price.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

YEREVAN TO HOST DIGITEC EXPO 2013 OCTOBER 4-6

17:31 29.08.2013

The “DigiTec Expo 2013â~@³ with the title “Festival for High Tech
Armenians” will be introduced to high-tech Armenians on October 4-6
in “Yervan Expo” centre. This year it is anticipated to host 150
participating companies (instead of previous year’s 120) and 26,000
visitors (instead of last year’s 24,000) at the exhibition.

Currently 60 organizations have already submitted an application
for participation in the expo, among which are GNC-ALFA CJSC under
the brand of “Rostelecom”, “Questrade International Inc.”, “National
Instruments”, “Synopsis Armenia”, “Unicomp”, “Microsoft”, “Locator”,
“LanAr Service”, “Hybrid Solutions”, “Astromaps”, “Instigate”, “Synergy
International Systems”, “WebDorado”, “Tvayin Nur” organizations,
Enterprise Incubator Foundation, Yerevan Telecommunication Research
Institute, “Anania Shirakatsi” Lyceum, American University of Armenia
and other organizations. The Expo participants will present the latest
innovative products and systems, engineering and high-tech solutions,
mobile solutions, software etc.

during the 3 days.

The basic goal of the ninth international technological expo is to
create favourable communication platform for high-tech companies,
business customers and society. The expo gives an opportunity to
analyse the real picture in the fields of information and communication
technologies and high-tech (ICT/HT), as well as to see current
challenges and opportunities.

INDOOR MARKET OF YEREVAN WILL SHORTLY OPEN AS A SUPERMARKET

by Karina Manukyan

Thursday, August 29, 17:52

The Indoor Market of Yerevan will open in the near future. According to
the media, it will be able to serve its first customers on September
15. It is a big question whether the current market will resemble
the one Yerevan’s residents were accustomed to, especially given its
interior photos published by the Haykakan Zhamanak newspaper. Judging
by the photos, it will be an ordinary supermarket consisting of two
floors. This runs counter to the statements that the building will
have its initial appearance.

A Civic Movement “Let’s save the monument from the oligarch” has
recently been set up in defense of the indoor market. Architect Sashur
Kalashyan, activist Yeghia Nersisyan, analyst Garegin Chugaszyan and
singer Artur Ispiryan are among the members of the movement. The owner
of the indoor market is oligarch-parliamentarian Samvel Aleksanyan.

On August 29 Garegin Chugaszyan told the media that the movement
intends to fight for maintenance of the Indoor Market in all legal
ways. He recalled that the Indoor Market is on the list of Yerevan’s
historical monuments and the changes in its appearance are illegal.

Though there are almost 2 weeks left before the opening of the market,
the analyst thinks that it is not late to retrieve the Indoor Market
the residents of Yerevan love so much.

Sashur Kalashyan thinks that the responsibility for the current
situation lies on the Municipality of Yerevan, because the public
has repeatedly tried to draw the Municipality’s attention to the
construction of the reinforced concrete frame that disfigures the
appearance of the building. He recalled that the market owner has
been fined twice. According to the current legislation, if the owner
has repeatedly evaded the obligations imposed on him, the state has
the right to take away the monument from him.

Artur Ispiryan, in turn, pointed out that the atmosphere of the
Indoor Market and the mixture of dialects from all over Armenia
are one of the bright memories of his childhood. In this context,
he expressed regret that the initial exterior of the building has not
been restored and the building will no longer be an indoor market. “I
condemn the fact that we are losing the history of Yerevan because
of the personal benefit of a few people”, he said.

The Indoor Market was built in 1952 by Armenian architect Grigory
Aghababyan’s project and has been considered one of the symbols
of the Armenian capital since then. The repair inside the building
has damaged the original exterior of the building. In early June,
the municipality promised that the constructions erected inside the
building would be demolished and the original appearance would be
restored. However, these constructions have not been dismantled.

ARMENIA AND BRAZIL TO SIGN ECONOMIC AGREEMENT

Thursday,
August
29

At the regular session today, the Armenian government approved the
proposal to sign an agreement on economic cooperation between the
governments of Armenia and Brazil.

Presenting the proposal, Minister of Economy Vahram Avanesian said that
under the agreement, a bilateral intergovernmental commission will be
set up, enabling Armenia and Brazil to establish closer economic ties.

TODAY, 13:47

Aysor.am

HAYKAKAN ZHAMANAK: WE HAVE LOST CULTURAL MONUMENT

Thursday,
August
29

The newly-appointed Chief Architect of Yerevan, Tigran Barseghian, told
the correspondent of ‘Haykakan Zhamanak’ daily that the construction
changes to the Closed Market in downtown Yerevan are a ‘national
disgrace’. “It is not my own opinion, but nation-wide one,” he noted.

For his part, Chairman of the Union of Architects of Armenia Mkrtych
Minasian said that a cultural monument has been lost because “more
than half of the interior has been damaged”. “We have lost a big
multipurpose hall,” he said.

The former Chief Architect of Yerevan Narek Sargsyan and the Ministry
of Urban Development refused to make comments.

TODAY, 10:52

Aysor.am

ARGISHTI KIVIRYAN ENTERS SIS FORCE WITH 30 MEMBERS OF THE CHAMBER OF ADVOCATES

August 29 2013

ArmeniaToday website coordinator Argishti Kiviryan, at this point,
is going to enter the Special Investigation Service. About thirty
advocates from the Chamber of Advocates are also going to SIS to
protect him. “I was called for the criminal case under Article 316,
and the criminal case was filed based on the complaint by the police,
this Article is applied when exercising violence or threat over an
official,”- said Mr. Kiviryan. He said he was not yet informed with
what status he was called to the SIS: “As I understood as a witness,
but the reality of all such cases in Armenia commences as a witness,
five minutes later you may become a suspect, ten minutes later the
defendant … Whereas I was to be called as a victim.” “We believe
that his actions were lawful, and his protection is included in
the responsibilities of our Chamber,” – said the advocate of the
Chamber of Advocates Liparit Simonyan. A group of activists were
also gathered in front of SIS with posters “We will not allow a new
political prisoner”. Arpine SIMONYAN

Read more at:

WHO WILL TAKE THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT WITH THE PRIME MINISTER SERZH SARGSYAN?

August 28 2013

The ruling Republican party discussions are underway to amend the
Constitution, and in fact, it is not ruled out that the Republican
party will achieve decision to make a transition to the parliamentary
republic. Yesterday, Davit Harutyunyan, Chairman of the RA NA Standing
Committee on State and Legal Affairs, member of the RPA Executive
body, in the conversation with the “Freedom” radio station said that
the discussions regarding this subject are underway for quite a long
time. He assured that the issue of transition to parliamentary system
of management is going to become a subject for discussion. “The
issue should be viewed from a different perspective: which is the
most effective in current situation for Armenia, both geopolitically
and domestic politically. And from this perspective, there should be
a lot of clash of opinions, different approaches, and as a result,
I think, the concept will be elaborated.” David Harutyunyan did not
rule out that in case of transition to the parliamentary system of
management, the RPA proportional list for the next parliamentary
elections could lead the incumbent President Serzh Sargsyan and if
the Republicans win Serzh Sargsyan will be elected prime minister, by
leading Armenian with given status and added that so far there is no
clear option discussed, but did not rule out given option. So, in the
coming few months, the RPA ruling party will be involved in elaboration
of the concept of constitutional amendments. The fact that the ruling
elite finds necessary to implement constitutional amendments, is a
remarkable fact. In three months, Armenia is planning to initialing the
Association Agreement, and if everything is successfully completed,
the authorities afterwards will pass to amendments of the management
system of the country, surely introducing its necessity as a step in
the direction of the country’s democratic development.

However, it is clear that the process of constitutional amendments, in
addition to argumentation of creating more civil mechanisms for human
rights protection and increasing the level of democracy in Armenia,
will provide solution of rather essential issue, which is maintenance
of Serzh Sargsyan’s power. On the ground of amendments around the
Constitution, the RA President may be attributed advisory powers,
and the head of de facto of the authorities will be the Prime Minister
Serzh Sargsyan. The President, for example, Tigran Sargsyan … Whether
this scenario will work or not, it is too early to definitely predict
or asserting around any other version. But one thing is evident, the
main political processes, unfortunately, are proceeding in the field
of power, and not in the opposing wing. Moreover, let us not forget
that before the recent parliamentary elections, the the parliamentary
opposition made attempts to make amendments in the Electoral Code,
according to which it was expected to eliminate the majoritarian system
and switch to 100% proportional electoral system, and the transition
to parliamentary system of government was discussed. Thus, taking
into account the position of the other parties in the Parliament,
it can be assumed that the authorities, in this matter, may commence
the process of “constructive discussions” in NA. And if we consider
the fact that in 2013 after the presidential election, Serzh Sargsyan
suggested Raffi Hovannisian to head the committee on constitutional
amendments, then it is not ruled out that the process to amend the
management system of the country will be put into the right course
by just the parliamentary opposition. With this scenario both the
international community would be content with authorities of Armenia
and Serzh Sargsyan will solve the maintenance of his power, to be more
precise, the issue of reproduction of his third term in more civilized
form, in comparison, for example, with neighboring Azerbaijan. So
far, the question will be open as to who will take the office of the
President with the Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan endowed with wide
range of powers. … But this is another topic … Emma GABRIELYAN

Read more at:

ARTHUR SAKUNTS: PROTESTING SOCIETY WILL PLAN FURTHER ACTIONS

The actions of the police during the past few days indicated that
reforms in this institution were superficial and titular, the head
of the Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Vanadzor office Arthur Sakunts
told Lragir.am.

“The main evaluation of reforms is treatment of citizens by the
police. These evaluations are based innumerable observations reflected
in international reports on Armenia. Last year the UN Committee
Against Torture and the Human Rights Committee reports noted cases of
violence, degrading treatment, torture and the necessity of impartial
investigation of these facts,” Arthur Sakunts says.

According to him, investments re-equipment, staff training did not
help achieve change.

“When the chief of police says during a meeting with the graduates
of the Police College states that they deal with the riffraff and
criminals, thinking is self-evident. They identify the person with
actions of citizens. This is not a thinking of an official. One must
evaluate actions, not personality, one has to be faithful to the law
independent from a person’s act and one has no right to using degrading
treatment, such as those descriptions,” the human rights activist says.

The protesting society will plan their further actions after the
Police and the Prosecutor General’s Office respond to the letters.

Public hearings will be help on the police reforms, particularly their
productivity, applicability, which is one of the important points of
the Association Agreement expected to be signed between Armenia and
the EU.

23:46 28/08/2013 Story from Lragir.am News: