Author: nina hovnanian

OSCE/ ODIHR SAYS OVER 270 OBSERVERS WILL ARRIVE IN ARMENIA

news.am
January 09, 2013 | 19:18

The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR)
has deployed an Election Observation Mission (EOM) to the 18 February
2013 presidential election.

The statement posted on the organization’s website said 250 short-term
observers will be requested from participating states and 24 long-term
observers will be deployed throughout the country.

The OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission, headed by Ambassador Heidi
Tagliavini, consists of 13 international experts based in Yerevan.

The day after the election, ODIHR will issue a statement of preliminary
findings and conclusions at a press conference. A final report
on the observation of the entire electoral process will be issued
approximately eight weeks after the end of the observation mission.

UNKNOWN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES USED AS TOOLS?

03:05 PM | TODAY | POLITICS

Nomination of unknown presidential candidates is an attempt to put
them to work in emergencies, says political scientist Levon Shirinyan.

“This is part of the technological process,” he added.

Political analyst Manvel Sargsyan is more enthusiastic to see new
candidates than the same figures.

“Every new person is more valuable,” he said during a meeting with
reporters.

Levon Shirinyan says by their decision to withdraw from the
presidential race the Armenian National Congress (HAK), Armenian
Revolutionary Federation-Dashnaktsutyun and Prosperous Armenia Party
(BHK) appeared in a terrible plight. He believes that the BHK had an
opportunity to boost the country but did not use it.

“And now we have a president who will obviously enjoy a brilliant
victory in February’s vote,” he said.

In his turn, Manvel Sargsyan reminded that ‘people have been left
alone in the struggle against the regime.’

Speaking about the presidential candidates Mr Shirinyan said Paruyr
Hayrikyan (Union for National Self-Determination-AIM) Raffi Hovannisian
(Heritage) and Hrant Bagratyan (HAK) have excellent chances to win.

KUWAITI AID TO BE DISTRIBUTED TO SYRIAN-ARMENIANS

16:13, 9 January, 2013

YEREVAN, JANUARY 9, ARMENPRESS. The aid of the Kuwaiti government has
already been distributed to 1000 Syrian-Armenian families settled in
the Republic of Armenia. In a conversation with “Armenpress” the Head
of Department of Armenian Communities of the Near East and Middle
East of the Ministry of Diaspora of the Republic of Armenia Lusine
Avetisyan stated that the remaining of the sum will be distributed to
several other families via cards. The Head of Department of Armenian
Communities of the Near East and Middle East of the Ministry of
Diaspora of the Republic of Armenia Lusine Avetisyan underscored:
“The main part of the sum of money has already been distributed to the
Syrian-Armenians settled in the Republic of Armenia. Only a trivial
part of this amount remained because several families had temporarily
left to Syria.”

On behalf of State of Kuwait Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Ambassador of Kuwait to the Republic of Armenia Bassam Muhammad
al-Kabbandi handed a certificate of 100 000 to “Center for
Coordination of Syrian-Armenians’ Issues” public organization to
provide humanitarian assistance to the Syrian-Armenians. Within this
sum of money Syrian Armenians have been provided with the coupons
showing the amount that gave them the opportunity to get food.

ZVARTNOTS AIRPORT OPERATES FLIGHTS ON SCHEDULE

January 9, 2013 – 15:32 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Despite the snow, Armenia’s Zvartnots International
Airport continues operation of flights in accordance with the schedule,
spokesman for the airport said.

“Airport runways are being cleared to ensure timely operation of
flights,” Gevorg Abramyan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

He further noted that in case of necessity a decision is taken to
suspend the flights for cleanup works.

PUTIN’S VISIT DOES NOT CAUSE FEAR IN ARMENIA
Naira Hayrumyan

16:40 09/01/2013
Story from Lragir.am News:

Switzerland has frozen the accounts of the defendants of the Magnitsky
case – the “untouchables”, probably responsible for the death of
Hermitage Capital auditor Sergei Magnitsky.

Actually, the rough law about the orphans adopted by the State Duma of
Russia became another desperate attempt of the Russian authorities to
keep their accounts in foreign banks. The issue is that the Magnitsky
law passed in the U.S. supposes to ban Russian officials involved in
that case to visit the U.S., as well as to freeze their bank accounts.

Since Russian officials do not trust Russian banks and prefer investing
in Swiss banks, the law was an opportunity to disarm immediately
the fat and stubborn Russian officials. No accident it caused such a
nervous reaction of the Russian elite – everyone knows that tomorrow
they can get notified about freezing their accounts. And this is the
worst for the officials.

The process has already begun, but the “Magnitsky list”, according
to the law, can vary depending on who the United States want to punish.

It is possible that the list will include people from the CIS
countries, which are also accused of “violating human rights”.

It is noteworthy that the “Magnitsky list” was passed in the U.S.

after Putin, once re-elected, started pushing out the American funds
from Russia and actively lobbying for the creation a new USSR. The
U.S. State Secretary stated openly that they won’t allow Russia
restoring the USSR, and as a means of prevention, the most painful
method was chosen – freezing of the accounts of the major officials.

By the way, the overthrow of Arab dictators also started with the
freezing of accounts, this move against any country is a sign that
the Western community has decided to change the regime. Russia, of
course, is not Libya or Egypt, but Russian authorities without their
billions will be nothing.

That’s what caused the nervousness of the Russian leadership. Perhaps
this is due to the fact that the Eurasian project died safely, and
Putin’s visit to Armenia that was announced several times never took
place. And although there are rumors that he could still come in the
first half of January, but in Armenia, they don’t wait for his visit
with fear, but rather with irony. Not least because it became obvious
that Putin failed to nominate his person for president in Armenia,
a loyal candidate to Russia and an apologist of the Eurasian Union.

However, Putin’s visit is also expected in the hope that Russia can
adjust its policies and understand that the days when the time when
the land was conquered by the Russian boot is over. Understand that
the law of Dima Yakovlev was not a response to the “law of Magnitsky”,
but its continuation to discredit the Russian leadership.

THE MURDER OF HRANT DINK: A TURKISH COURT DENIES A WIDER CONSPIRACY

2013-01-09 15:27:54

The journalist Hrant Dink was no stranger to sinister e-mails
and anonymous death threats. Turkish of Armenian descent, he was a
well-known and outspoken advocate for peace between the two bitterly
estranged nations. That won him few friends among rabid Turkish
nationalists who hated Dink because he openly said the killings of
hundreds of thousands of Armenians in the early 20th century was
genocide – a term Turkey rejects.

But things rapidly got worse for Dink in January 2007. Sentenced by
a court for “insulting Turkishness,” he was vilified by mainstream
newspapers and called into a meeting at the Istanbul governor’s office
to be warned that he had gone too far. “I am now a target,” he wrote.

“My soul,” he wrote shortly after the meeting, “has the skittishness
of a dove … a bit frightened, but free.”

The day those words were published, Dink was gunned down outside
his newspaper’s office, shot in the head three times by Ogun Samast,
then 17, who was later apprehended in Trabzon, a city on the Black Sea
coast, where patriotism and machismo run high. Leaked pictures showed
police and army officers apparently giving the young man a hero’s
welcome: they posed, smiling, against the backdrop of a Turkish flag.

According to rights activists, the case file is riddled with
contradictions, misplaced evidence, ATM-camera footage that
mysteriously disappeared and dozens of other suspect details. Even more
striking is that since the trial began in 2007, several individuals
believed to be involved in Dink’s assassination have been arrested
in connection with Ergenekon, an alleged ultra-nationalist network
that sought to topple the government. Yet lawyers have been unable to
question them about their connection to the Dink case. “This shows
us that the boundaries between who is immune from prosecution or
not are predrawn, and you can only go after someone when the state
deems it appropriate, which is not the case for Hrant Dink’s murder,”
said the Istanbul-based Human Rights Platform in a special report.

Turkey’s President Abdullah Gul promised last year to personally
pursue the case – “a clean Turkey,” he said, “was a personal
responsibility.” He ordered state auditors to look into the
allegations, although little has come of that initiative, and his
reaction to Tuesday’s verdict remains to be seen. Dink’s family –
his wife, son and daughter – will likely appeal the ruling.

PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of Canada
615 Stuart Avenue, Outremont-Quebec H2V 3H2
Contact: Deacon Hagop Arslanian,
Tel: 514-276-9479
Fax: 514-276-9960
Email: [email protected]
Web:

Primate honored on the Feast day celebration of the Holy Nativity and
Theophany at St. Gregory Cathedral in Montreal

By pressoffice

On January 6, 2013 the Armenian Apostolic Church celebrated the Feast of
the Nativity and Theophany of our Lord Jesus Christ.
On this auspicious day, Primate Galstanian was honored with the
presentation of the Diamond Jubilee Medal of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth
II. In his introduction, Mr. Chahe Tanachian, director of the Alex
Manoogian School, spoke to the faithful and said that it’s an ancient
Armenian tradition to acknowledge within each family the contributions and
achievements of a deserving member. With this regard, he continued by
saying that `it is joyful for our big Canadian Diocesan family, to
witness our Primate as recipient of this prestigious recognition.’ He
then introduced Mr. Alexandre Boulerice, Member of Parliament for the
Rosemont – La Petite-Patrie riding in Montreal, who presented the
Diamond Jubilee Medal, on behalf of Mr. Thomas Mulcair, leader of the New
Democratic Party of Canada and Member of Parliament for Outremont
accompanied by the head of the Diocese’s Government Relations Office
Deacon Hagop Arslanian. Mr. Boulerice, bestowed the medal in
acknowledgement and appreciation of our Primate’s significant
contributions and dedicated service to our community and for the country.
In his words of greeting, Mr. Boulerice commended the efforts and stressed
the importance of the ongoing initiatives that our Diocese is realizing
under the leadership of His Eminence, ranging from care and spiritual
needs of our faithful, to the development of essential educational
programs, establishment of vital social services and co-ordination of the
integration of new immigrants.
Primate Galstanian thanked Mr. Boulerice for this honor and wonderful
gesture and said that he `accepts this medal on behalf of each and every
Canadian-Armenian here in the Cathedral and throughout Canada who also
strive to bring their efforts and contributions to sustain the well being
and betterment of our communities and this country. Srpazan asked Mr.
Boulerice to convey his good wishes and gratitude to the Hon. Thomas
Mulcair, Leader of the Official Opposition who was instrumental for this
kind nomination.
The joyful ceremony ended with a reading from the Holy Bible and blessings
of the Primate.
We congratulate our Primate and wish him good health to continue his God
pleasing mission in the life of our people.

HADJINIAN APPOINTED TO LEAGUE OF CALIF. CITIES COMMITTEE

Tuesday, January 8th, 2013

Montebello City Council member Jack Hadjinian

MONTEBELLO-Montebello City Councilman Jack Hadjinian was appointed
to the California League of Cities Housing, Community and Economic
Development Policy Committee.

The Housing, Community and Economic Development (HCED) Policy Committee
reviews issues related to general plans and zoning, housing, rent
control, Subdivision Map Act, residential care facilities, other
land use regulation, development fees including school fee adequacy,
annexation and incorporation policy, development agreements, building
standards including seismic safety standards, economic development
policy including redevelopment and enterprise zones, military base
closure and reuse, mobile home regulation, and sign regulation. The
principle behind the policies reviewed by this Committee is to foster
local control of community planning decisions as they relate to land
use and economic development.

“When I got the call that my appointment was confirmed, I was a
little taken back to serve on a policy committee for the largest City
Association in the State of California,” said Hadjinian, whose real
estate background made him the perfect candidate for the position.

Hadjinian will attend his first policy committee meeting on January
17th in Sacramento.

Hadjinian currently serves on the Board of Directors for the San
Gabriel Valley Council of Governments, Gateway Cities Council of
Governments, and the Alameda Construction Authority.

ALL HIGHWAYS IN ARMENIA ARE HARDLY PASSABLE :EMERGENCY SITUATION MINISTRY

YEREVAN, January 10. /ARKA/. As of 9 a.m. all highways in Armenia
are hardly passable, Emergency Ministry of Armenia reports.

The following highways are closed due to poor visibility and snow:
Selim mountain pass, Amasia-Ashotsk-Gyumri, Gyumri-Tsokhamrg,
Mantash-Pemzashen, Lusaghbyur-Jajur, Verin Getashen-Madina,
Aragyugh-Bujakan, Hrazdan-Meghradzor, Hrazdan-Lernanist, Zar-Sevaberd,
Atis-Zovashen, Tsakhkahovit-Alagyaz, Meghradzor-Hankavan, and all
intercommunity roads of Hankavan, Sevaberd, Aragats and Aparan.

Due to the blizzard and poor visibility the following highways are
hardly passable: Qyarqi turns near Tigranashen village, Talin-Gyumri,
Berd-Chambarak, Artik-Mantash-Aragats, Kuchak-Aparan-Spitak,
Yerevan-Vanadzor, Alagyaz-Artik, Gavar-Martuni-Vardenis, Zanger
segment of Yerevan-Meghri highway, and the roads in Ashotsk, Amasia,
Akhuryan and Ani.

Snow cleaning works are carried out.

Georgian officials said Stepantsminda-Lars road is also closed. -0-

“HERITAGE FOUNDATION”: ARMENIA IS THE LEADER AMONG THE CIS COUNTRIES IN ECONOMICAL FREEDOM LIST

The “Heritage Foundation” has published the list of the “2013 Index
of Economical Freedom”. According to the list Hong Kong, Singapore
and Australia are on the first three places in the list.

Armenia’s economic freedom score is 69.4, making its economy the 38th
freest in the 2013 Index. Its overall score has increased by 0.6 point
from last year, mainly reflecting the better management of public
spending. “Armenia is ranked 17th among the 43 countries in the Europe
region, and its score puts it above the world and regional averages”,
the official web-site of the Foundation informs about this.

“Considerable diversification of the economic base has increased
economic dynamism in Armenia, and a decade of strong economic growth
has reduced poverty and unemployment rates. Regulatory efficiency
has been facilitated by a broad simplification of business procedures.

Following expansionary fiscal policies in recent years, steps have
been taken to limit the cost of government through more prudent public
finance management.

Although Armenia performs relatively well in many categories of
economic freedom, stronger foundations are needed in areas like
judicial independence and government transparency. Despite progress
in tackling corruption, particularly within the tax and customs
administrations, the close relationships within political and business
circles raise concerns about cronyism and undue influence by vested
interests”, the report concludes.

10.01.13, 13:31