The Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) member Armen Ashotyan has updated the background image of his Facebook account with the motto of RPA for the upcoming general election – “If You Are Concerned [worried], Vote For Republicans.”
To note, the image is in black and white colors.
A man from Aragatsnotn Province is suspected in kidnapping and raping a 14-year old girl from the province of Armavir, authorities said.
The 21 year old suspect has been charged and placed under arrest, the investigative committee said.
The girl’s mother reported on November 6 to police that her underage daughter has been kidnapped earlier on the same day in what is known as “bride kidnapping”.
Authorities initially launched criminal proceedings on kidnapping.
The investigation identified the perpetrator and several circumstances of the incident, authorities said.
The suspect was arrested on November 9.
The girl was examined by medical experts. The suspect was charged with statutory rape based on evidence. He was placed under pre-trial detention. Authorities did not disclose other details.
“In the upcoming parliamentary elections, I have the honor to lead the pre-election headquarters of the “My step” bloc.”
Suren Papikyan, Acting Minister of Territorial Administration and Development, member of the “Civil Contract” party, announced this in a Facebook post.
“In this responsible and binding work, our mission is one: to ensure free and fair elections and secure the final victory of the citizen of the Republic of Armenia,” added the Acting Minister.
Let’s remind that the extraordinary parliamentary elections will be held on December 9, and the campaign will start on November 26.
Armenia’s Simon Martirosyan claimed his first-ever global title after powering to victory in the men’s 109 kilograms category on the penultimate day of the 2018 International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) World Championships here in Turkmenistan’s capital.
Despite finishing second in the snatch with 195kg after failing with a world standard-breaking attempt of 197kg, the 21-year-old went onto win the clean and jerk with a world standard of 240kg for a world standard total of 435kg.
The first of Martirosyan’s two successful clean and jerk lifts, which came at 230kg, also proved to be enough to secure the gold medals in that event and the total.
It earned the Rio 2016 Olympic silver medallist and 2017 European champion a world standard total of 425kg that he would go onto break for a second time.
“I knew I will have a lot of strong competitors,” Martirosyan, who opted not to carry out his final lift, said.
“I just did the same thing I always do, I gave my best.”
The silver medallist in the total with 419kg was China’s Yang Zhe, who won the snatch with 196kg and finished fourth in the clean and jerk with 223kg.
Rounding out the overall podium with 403kg was Poland’s Arkadiusz Michalski after he came 15th in the snatch with 175kg and second in the clean and jerk with 228kg.
Surprisingly, Rio 2016 gold medallist Ruslan Nurudinov of Uzbekistan bombed out of the snatch following one failure at 187kg and two at 189kg.
The 26-year-old bounced back, however, to win the clean and jerk bronze medal with 227kg.
“This is more than I expected tonight,” Nurudinov said.
“I was unfortunately sick all week.
“I had a temperature and I feel weak.”
The snatch bronze medallist was Russia’s Rodion Bochkov with 190kg, earning his country a third podium finish of these World Championships after Artem Okulov claimed double gold in the men’s 89kg category on Tuesday (November 6).
The 2018 World Championships are the first event to be held since the re-structuring of the IWF’s weight classes, nullifying earlier records.
It is for this reason that the term “world standard” is being used as oppose to “world record”.
There were also medals awarded today in the women’s 87kg category as China’s Ao Hui beat North Korea’s Kim Un Ju to overall gold following an intriguing battle between the two lifters.
The 21-year-old Ao won the snatch with 117kg to give her a 6kg advantage over third-placed Kim, the 2014 Asian Games champion in the 75kg category.
Kim managed to overcome Ao in the clean and jerk, registering 152kg to her nearest rivals 151kg, but it was not enough to ensure victory in the total.
Ao finished on 268kg overall, while Kim had to settle for 263kg.
The Dominican Republic’s Crismery Dominga Santana Peguero won the bronze medal in the total with 254kg having finished second in the snatch with 116kg and fifth in the clean and jerk with 138kg.
The fourth medallist in the category was Chile’s Maria Fernanda Valdes Paris, who came third in the clean and jerk with 140kg.
Another notable performance came from 40-year-old Ecuadorian Oliba Seledina Nieve Arroyo as she defied her age to record an impressive seventh-place finish in the total with 241kg.
Action in Ashgabat is due to conclude tomorrow.
Medals will be awarded in the women’s over-87kg and men’s over-109kg categories.
Competition will be followed by the Closing Ceremony.
Thursday,
Armenian Government Returns Former Presidential Palace To President
• Sargis Harutyunyan
An event on Armenia's Independence Day at the Prime Minister's Office (former
Presidential Palace), 21 September 2018
The Armenian government on Thursday came up with a law amendment that will give
the former presidential palace in Yerevan back to the president.
After a constitutional reform carried out during the previous administration,
curtailing the powers of the president in favor of the prime minister, former
President Serzh Sarkisian continued to occupy the building located in 26
Baghramian Avenue even after becoming Armenia’s prime minister on April 17.
In line with a controversial law enacted before that, the prime minister would
also have a second official seat located in the central government offices in
Republic Square.
Armenia’s newly elected President Armen Sarkissian, meanwhile, was given a less
sumptuous official seat in another location in central Yerevan.
Some two months after unseating Sarkisian and becoming prime minister Nikol
Pashinian pledged that he and his staff would eventually vacate the building
that was used as a presidential office for decades and would return it to the
president.
Pashinian, who had criticized his predecessor’s decision to convert the
presidential palace into the prime minister’s main office, explained then that
he could not relocate immediately because such a move would require certain
legal procedures.
During an event marking Armenia’s Independence Day on September 21 the gates to
the former Presidential Palace’s spacious yard were opened and Pashinian
declared the place open to the public.
In order to take effect the government’s decision will need to be approved by
parliament.
Most Small Hydropower Plants In Armenia Work With ‘Gross Violations’
• Anush Muradian
A view of the Debed river flowing through a canyon in the Lori province of
Armenia
A majority of small hydropower plants in Armenia have for years operated with
gross violations of the law, but relevant officials of the Environment Ministry
have not taken any measures to redress the situation, according to prosecutors.
The Prosecutor-General’s Office has concluded that as a result, “significant
damage was caused to the legitimate interests of the state.”
Based on this, the Prosecutor-General’s Office instituted a criminal case,
instructing the Investigative Committee to conduct a preliminary investigation
in connection with the alleged violations.
Abuse in the sector was revealed by a working group that had been set up
according to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s decision.
Inspections revealed that no water gauging devices had been installed at 143
out of 184 small hydropower plants operating in Armenia, which constitutes a
violation of the water use permit requirements. Besides, no fish protection
facilities are available in the riverbeds, in some cases the volumes of
environmental emissions are not maintained, and water drainage multiple times
exceeds the permissible quantity, the working group said.
Acting Prime Minister Pashinian spoke about these findings in parliament on
November 1. He described the sector as “a giant domain of abuses.”
“We have a situation when more water is used for a more powerful generator to
generate more electricity and more income, which not only disturbs the water
balance, but also results in the loss of state revenues… let alone
environmental problems,” Pashinian said.
Khachaturov Returns To Armenia Where He Faces Criminal Charges
• Ruzanna Stepanian
Armenia - Yuri Khachaturov arrives at the Special Investigative Service
headquarters in Yerevan, 26 July 2018
Former Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Secretary-General Yuri
Khachaturov, who was recalled from the senior post by Armenia after being
accused of overthrowing the country’s constitutional order in 2008
post-election events, returned home on November 4, Khachaturov’s lawyer Mihran
Poghosian told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service today.
“He returned on November 4 after the official decision on his dismissal was
published,” he said, adding that before that the former Moscow-based official
went to his native town in Georgia to visit his mother’s grave.
Khachaturov was formally charged in late July as part of the ongoing
investigation into the March 1-2, 2008 post-election crackdown on the
opposition. The 66-year-old colonel-general who was deputy defense minister at
that time is accused of using the army to quell protests that followed a
disputed presidential election. Ten people, including two security personnel,
were killed in the events.
Investigations into those deadly events were reopened after the change of
government in May. Armenia’s new Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian, who came to
power on the wave of anti-government protests, said that revealing the
circumstances of the crime was one of the priorities of his administration.
Also in July, former President Robert Kocharian was also charged with
overthrowing Armenia’s constitutional order by ordering the use of the army for
the violent repression of the protests.
Unlike Kocharian, who was briefly arrested, Khachaturov, who served as CSTO
secretary-general since May 2017, was granted bail and went back to Moscow to
continue his duties. Armenia, however, initiated a formal process of his
recalling, which was completed on November 2.
The issue of the appointment of the next CSTO secretary-general was due to be
discussed at the Russian-led security grouping’s summit held in Astana,
Kazakhstan, on November 8.
Prior to the summit several senior Armenian officials spoke in favor of
Armenia’s retaining the rotating post until 2020. Armenia’s Ministry of Foreign
Affairs neither confirmed, nor denied that other options may also be considered.
Armenia Negotiating ‘Gas Price Cut’ With Russia
• Sargis Harutyunyan
The Gazprom Armenia headquarters in Yerevan, Armenia
The Armenian government is negotiating with the Russian Ministry of Energy and
Gazprom the possibility of reducing the price of natural gas supplied to
Armenia, according to a minister.
“Negotiations are underway now over the formation of the gas price both at the
border and within the internal structure,” said acting Minister of Energy and
Natural Resources Garegin Baghramian at a briefing with reporters on Thursday.
“Naturally, the negotiations are being conducted towards the reduction [of the
price],” the official said, without revealing other details.
“In order to avoid some influences on the negotiation process, I think we
should wait for a little longer for the negotiations to be completed. Then we
will publish the details,” he added.
Gazprom sells natural gas to its Armenia-based subsidiary at a price of $150
per thousand cubic meters. The subsidiary, which owns Armenia’s gas
distribution network, then sells it to consumers in Armenia at a price of about
$284, according to the current dollar exchange rate.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian reportedly discussed the price of natural gas
supplied to Armenia during his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in
Moscow in September.
An Armenian parliament committee recently initiated discussions on how
justified the current natural gas and electricity tariffs in the country are.
CSTO Postpones Decision On New Secretary-General
Leaders of CSTO member states pose for a photograph at a summit in Astana,
Kazakhstan, 8 Nov 2018
Leaders of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) met in Astana,
Kazakhstan, on Thursday to discuss some of the pressing issues of the
Russian-led security grouping, including the appointment of a new
secretary-general after Armenia recalled its representative.
Earlier this month, the CSTO confirmed the dismissal of Yuri Khachaturov from
the senior post held by an Armenian representative as part of the rotation
principle.
Khachaturov was appointed to the post in May 2017, but after the change of
government in Yerevan he was charged as part of a reopened investigation into
post-election violence in 2008 during which the colonel-general served as
Armenia’s deputy defense minister.
Khachaturov was formally charged in late July with overthrowing Armenia’s
constitutional order by using the army for the violent repression of the
opposition-led protests in which eight demonstrators and two police officers
were killed.
After coming to power on the wave of anti-government protests in May, Armenia’s
new Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian said that revealing the circumstances of the
killings would be one of the priorities of his administration.
As part of the investigation former President Robert Kocharian was also charged
with overthrowing Armenia’s constitutional.
Unlike Kocharian, who spent more than two weeks in custody in July-August,
Khachaturov was granted bail and went back to Moscow to continue his duties as
CSTO secretary-general. Armenia, however, initiated a formal process of
recalling him from the post, which was completed on November 2.
Prior to the summit in Kazakhstan several senior Armenian officials spoke in
favor of Armenia’s retaining the post until 2020. Armenia’s Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, however, did not deny that other options might also be considered.
On November 7, Russian news agency TASS quoted Russian presidential aide Yuri
Ushakov as saying that three options were being considered at the moment. Among
them he mentioned Armenia’s retention of the post, the rotation of the post to
Belarus, which is next in line alphabetically, and placing the interim
secretary-general in charge until Minks takes over in two years.
A press release issued by the office of Armenia’s acting Prime Minister Nikol
Pashinian, who attended the CSTO summit on November 8, said that “the issue of
the appointment of a new CSTO secretary-general was also addressed during the
meeting.”
“The sides agreed to continue discussions on the issue during a meeting in St.
Petersburg on December 6. At the same time, work will be undertaken to
elaborate relevant norms regulating the issues related to the early termination
of powers of the secretary-general,” it said.
According to the official report, at the summit the leaders of the CSTO member
states, including Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and
Tajikistan, met in a narrow format before continuing talks in an extended
session.
They, in particular, discussed issues of international and regional security,
cooperation between CSTO member states within the organization and in the
international arena.
The summit adopted a number of documents, including the final declaration of
the CSTO Collective Security Council and a joint statement on mutually agreed
measures in relation to persons who participated in armed conflicts as part of
international terrorist organizations.
“The Heads of State adopted decisions of the Collective Security Council aimed
at improving the CSTO’s crisis response, countering illegal migration,
developing a coordinated information policy, organization of collective forces
and specification of their composition, and confirming the candidacy of the
Chairman of the Interstate Commission for Military-Economic Cooperation,” the
official report said.
Press Review
Ahead of the summit of the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization
in Astana, Kazakhstan, on November 8, “Zhamanak” writes that there is still no
clarity on whether Armenia will manage to retain the temporary position of the
organization’s secretary-general after recalling Yuri Khachaturov, who faces
criminal charges at home. “Neither there is any clarity on how and in what
format the matter will be discussed at today’s summit – wither it is going to
be a discussion of Armenia’s quota or its candidate,” the paper adds.
Lragir.am suggests that statements by members of the former ruling Republican
Party of Armenia (HHK) who call themselves “the only real opposition” to the
Pashinian government today makes many laugh. “But in doing so, the HHK does not
seek to convince the public, but rather it wants to cause people to be
skeptical of other political groups. Like in soccer an underdog builds its
tactics on complicating the game of the others, the HHK counts on hindering its
rivals. And the political team of acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian is not
its rival. Its rivals are the other political parties and groups that will
participate in the December 9 elections,” the online paper writes.
“Aravot” writes: “The upcoming elections will be a positive event in the sense
that they will reflect the public sentiments, and no political party or group
will be able to say that the real picture is distorted. Later, perhaps, there
will be no more such opportunity. In Armenia, at least, events in the past were
unfolding so that only the first ‘post-revolutionary’ elections were fair. In
the five years that followed the fair elections of 1990 the then ruling
Armenian National Movement party got the taste of power and became determined
never to lose it.” The newspaper’s editor believes that democratic changes will
be there to stay in Armenia only when the current political team loses in the
election that will follow the current snap elections “and then the party that
beats it also loses in the next elections.”
(Lilit Harutiunian)
Reprinted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
Copyright (c) 2018 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.
www.rferl.org
Acting Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan met with acting Prime Minister of Lebanon Saad Harriri on October 20 in the sidelines of his working visit to Lebanon.
As the official website of the Prime Minister of Armenia informed, Nikol Pashinyan thanked Saad Hariri for a warm welcome and hospitality. “This is my first visit to fraternal Lebanon, a country with rich history of ancient civilizations. I am convinced that the visit will help us promote the agenda of bilateral cooperation. Of course, your father, Rafik Hariri, who was a great friend of Armenia, made an invaluable contribution to the deepening and strengthening of ties between our countries.”
Saad Hariri noted that Lebanon highly appreciates the ongoing cooperation with friendly Armenia and is interested in its further strengthening. He appreciated the role played by the Lebanese-Armenian community in his country’s development, as well as in the furtherance of Armenian-Lebanese ties.
The sides exchanged views on the situation in the two countries. Nikol Pashinyan took the opportunity to present the national movement in Armenia, which started in April-May this year, dwelling on the political transformations and the expected developments.
Nikol Pashinyan and Saad Hariri noted with satisfaction that a high-level political dialogue is on between the two countries. They agreed in that vigorous efforts should be made to upgrade the economic component of interaction. In this regard, they highlighted the role of the intergovernmental commission for economic cooperation.
The Acting Prime Minister of Armenia presented his government’s steps aimed at improving the business environment and protecting investments. He suggested organizing a visit of Lebanese business circles in order to introduce Armenia’s business climate on the spot.
The parties discussed issues related to cooperation in agriculture, transport, tourism, as well as in other spheres of mutual interest. They expressed satisfaction at the rise in tourist flows as fostered by direct air communication between the two countries.
Nikol Pashinyan welcomed the interest shown by Lebanese companies in making investments in Armenia and reaching out to third markets through Armenia/
The two heads of government exchanged views over the ongoing Armenia-Lebanon cooperation at international platforms, touching upon regional issues and challenges.
At the end of the meeting, the Acting Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia signed the Golden Book of Honorary Guests.
Russian border guards stationed in Armenia have arrested a group of border-crossers who attempted to illegally cross the border from Turkey overnight October 15-16.
The Russian Federal Security Service’s Border Patrol Department said that the trespassers attempted to secretly enter the Araks River at nighttime and cross the border shortly. Border guards of Artashat, however, spotted and apprehended the group.
According to preliminary information the trespassers are originally from Southern Asia.
Law enforcement bodies are investigating the case to reveal the goal of the trespassers.
The arrested border crossers were handed over to Armenian law enforcement agencies as required by law.
Yerevan’s Aram Khachaturian Concert Hall is hosting a concert dedicated to the fight against breast cancer on 19 October on the sidelines of the 12th Yerevan International Music Festival.
Famous soloists Boris Belkin (violin, Belgium), David Abrahamyan (viola, Spain) and Armen Babakhanyan (piano, Armenia) will share the stage with the Armenian National Philharmonic Orchestra at the concert to be conducted by Eduard Topchjan, the orchestra said on Facebook.
The concert program features Sinfonia Concertante for Violin, Viola and Orchestra by Mozart, Piano Concerto No. 2 by Liszt, and Bruch’s Scottish Fantasy.
Boris Belkin began playing the violin at the age of six and made his first public appearance with the great conductor Kyrill Kondrashin when he was seven. He studied at the Central Music School of the Moscow Conservatory with professors Yankeievitz, Glezarova and Andrievsky. While still a student he played all over the Soviet Union as a soloist with leading national orchestras, and in 1973 won first prize at the Soviet National competition for Violinists.
Boris Belkin has appeared in many TV programs, including in a biographical film on the life of Jean Sibelius, in which he performs the Sibelius Violin Concerto with the Orchestra of the Swedish Radio and Ashkenazy, the Tchaikovsky Concerto with Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic, Ravel’s Tzigane with Bernstein and the Orchestre National de France, and Mozart and the Concerto No. 1 by Paganini with Haitink and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.
Since 1987 Boris Belkin has offered master classes at the Accademia Musicale Chigiana of Siena.
In recent years, he has appeared with the Saint Petersburg Philharmonic conducted by Temirkanov, touring in Japan. In 2019-2020 seasons he will be in Europe again with the Moscow Philharmonic and in South America with the St. Petersbourg Philharmonic.
’l-Music-Festival-breast-cancer-struggle/2018488
The post-revolutionary euphoria will not pass in Armenia in the next 15 years but it does not mean that 15 years elections will not be conducted in the country, Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan told reporters n Wednesday.
“Those who think that this political crisis must continue until May rate their narrow group interests higher than the state interests,” the premier stated.
Asked whether the president will sign the bill into law or not, the PM said that he does not think Armenia’s president will do anything against Armenia’s people.
He also convinced that after his resignation no uncontrollable situation will be created in the country but if so he did not exclude the conduction of all day rallies.