Author: Torgomian Varazdat

Armenia Will Continue to Buy Russian Weapons Despite Looming Sanctions

Torgomian Varazdat
  • Armenia

    •  

  • Featured Story

    •  

  • Latest

    •  

  • News

    •  

  • Top Stories

5 hours ago

Armenia’s Deputy Defense Minister David Pakhchanyan

YEREVAN–Armenia will continue purchasing Russian-made weapons despite possible sanctions from the West against Russia, Deputy Defense Minister David Pakhchanyan said at a news conference Wednesday.

“Of course, sanctions are a problem, but the issue of security is a top priority for us, and we’ll be guided by our interests first,” added Pakhchanyan.

“Armenian and Russian cooperation in this field is very productive. We have received weapons worth $200 million under the first contract signed between the two countries. We have agreed on starting the second stage worth $100 million,” explained the deputy minister.

He added that Armenia cooperates with other countries, as well. Pakhchanyan said Armenia has established good ties with countries with well-developed military industry, such as Serbia, China and Poland.
Pakhchanyan noted that the supply of Russian weapons to Azerbaijan cannot but worry Armenia and welcomed the recent statements by Russian officials that the volume of those supplies have been reduced since the April 2016 War.

On the same note, Russian news agency Tass reported Thursday that Moscow will start supplying weapons to Armenia under the new $100 million loan in 2018, according to Russia’s Deputy Head of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation Vladimir Drozhzhov.

“They [supplies] are envisioned for 2018,” Drozhzhov told reporters at the ArmHiTec exhibition.

The agreement on the loan for Armenia to buy Russian weapons was signed on October 24. The loan was provided with a three percent annual interest rate over a period of 15 years. Under the agreement, Yerevan should use the funds from 2018 to 2022.

In June 2015, Russia signed an agreement with Armenia on a state export loan worth $200 million to finance deliveries of Russian weapons. The loan maturity was 13 years with a three-year grace period and a three percent annual interest rate.

Does Andrias Ghukasyan endanger Serzh Sargsyan’s corrupt regime? (video)

Torgomian Varazdat
  • 19:05 | March 27,2018 | Politics
  • Armenian:
  • Rus

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) will soon investigate the case of Andrias Ghukasyan, a member of the New Armenia opposition movement, who was detained for nearly two years.

The complaint of violation of Article 18 of the Convention, the abuse of state power against political opponents, was raised against Armenia. The court has asked to present information indicating the violation of the Convention’s articles on the applicant.

“They wanted a document, and the record of the trial, during which the judge said that he asked Andrias Ghukasyan whether he would continue his opposition activities if he was released, he also wrote a decision,” Karen Mezhlumyan said to A1+, by adding that the applicant has already sent that recording and they are also considering the case for political motives.

And today, the court continued the trial of Andrias Ghukasyan, accused of organizing mass disorders and attempts to join Sasna Tsrer group, on July 29, 2016. At the very beginning of the session, Andrias Ghukasyan’s lawyer stated that the judge continues to hold procedural violations, restrict Andrias Ghukasyan’s rights, reject the petitions, and therefore he again challenges. “Say something new, the same thing cannot be repeated 10 times,” said Judge Vardan Grigoryan.

Karen Mezhlumyan wanted to cite the example of an American professor to show how police violated human rights, but the judge interrupted him. “It would have been like a National Assembly that we could turn off your microphone.”

It was unclear for Andrias Ghukasyan why the judge refused to change his preventive measure by pointing out that being free, Adrias Ghukasyan could pose a serious threat to public life.

“If you mentioned that I could endanger Serzh Sargsyan’s corrupt regime, I would agree with you completely,” said Andrias Ghukasyan

Anahit Bakhshyan’s answer to Zaruhi Postanjyan (video)

Torgomian Varazdat
  • 15:50 | March 19,2018 | Politics
  • Armenian:
  • Rus

Zaruhi Postanjyan, head of Yerkir Tsirani faction, criticized members of the Yelk (Way Out) faction at today’s Yerevan City Council session.

“The woman, who used to be my partner, received a medal from her husband’s murder,” she said, referring to Yuri Bakhshyan’s widow, Anahit Bakhshyan.

“I did not receive any medal from Robert Kocharyan’s hand,” Mrs. Bakhshyan said, explaining that she was nominated by the Heritage faction. At that time she and Zaruhi Postanjyan were members of that party.

Armenia is positioned on international tourism platform as cradle of wine

Torgomian Varazdat
ArmenPress, Armenia
Armenia is positioned on international tourism platform as cradle of wine


YEREVAN, MARCH 17, ARMENPRESS. Armenia is actively involved in the development of wine routes of the Silk Road that links different country from China to Spain that were historically part of the ancient Silk Road. ARMENPRESS reports Chairperson ofthe State Tourism Committeeof Armenia Zarmine Zeytuntsyan told the reporters that still last year they suggested during the ministerial meeting of the countries of the Silk Road to run the working group engaged in the development of wine routes which was approved. “This is a very important initiative also for developing Armenia’s tourism, because we attach great importance to the development of inter-regional tourism, and besides we want to position Armenia as a country that is the cradle of wine, the fatherland of wine”, she said.

Zarmine Zeytuntsyan informed that they cooperate with the Smithsonian Institution. “I would like to note that saying “wine routes” we do not mean just visiting wine factories, since any route, be it adventure, eco or agro also includes some other major components to make a touristic product. A wine route is the familiarization with the culture and history of a country”, she said, adding that the communities also should be active.

The 8th ministerial meeting of the Silk Road participant countries took place in Berlin on March 7 in the sidelines of the annual international tourism exhibition “ITB Berlin 2018”.

English –translator/editor: Tigran Sirekanyan

State Tourism Committee to organize visit of French journalists to Armenia ahead of Francophonie summit

Torgomian Varazdat
ArmenPress, Armenia
State Tourism Committee to organize visit of French journalists to Armenia ahead of Francophonie summit


YEREVAN, MARCH 17, ARMENPRESS. Armenia takes steps to gain a tourism benefit from the 17th Francophonie Summit which will be held in Yerevan in October 2018.

Zarmine Zeytuntsyan, president of the State Tourism Committee, in response to ARMENPRESS question said “it’s time for major events not to be held without a result”.

“Yes, 5000 people are expected to visit Armenia during these five days of the event, but this is not enough, it will again be the situation that we didn’t capitalize the Francophonie, like we didn’t capitalize the visits of Pope Francis and Kim Kardashian to Armenia. In other words, these events are not followed by further steps. But today we decided to move ahead, we will invite a group of journalists from France to Armenia before the summit, in May-June, we will tour them across Armenia so that they will prepare reports on Armenia and will distribute information about our country before the summit”, she said.

But as for the main days of the summit, tours will operate at a daily regime, there will be information packages in French about Armenia’s attractions, excursions in hotels. “In accordance with our policy and strategy we will try to ensure decentralization, will take them to provinces to get acquainted with our culture and history. We will have an online booking system, will work with some of our tour-operators who are ready to take this heavy burden on them, to deal with organizational issues and logistics”, Zeytuntsyan said.

She informed that works are already being carried out on developing “before, during and after” tourism strategy for holding the World Congress on Information Technology -2019 in Armenia.

English –translator/editor: Aneta Harutyunyan


Sports: Armenian national basketball team beats Albania

Torgomian Varazdat
Panorama, Armenia
Feb 26 2018
Sport 12:32 26/02/2018 Armenia

Armenian national basketball team won over Albania at 84-65 on Sunday in the regular round of pre-qualifier basketball match for the FIBA EuroBasket 2021.

National Olympic Committee reports that our team dominated the game in all four quarters. The game was quite important for us as it brought the team to the top of the group.

According to the source, Allan Hess was named the man of the match with 21 points. Armenia will face Denmark in the last pre-qualifier game set on June 28.

Etchmiatsin expects Turkish government to accept Armenian community’s ‘fair demand’ of holding patriarchal elections

Torgomian Varazdat 
Armenpress News Agency, Armenia
 Friday
Etchmiatsin expects Turkish government to accept Armenian community's
'fair demand' of holding patriarchal elections
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 23, ARMENPRESS. The latest developments around the
patriarchal elections at the Armenian Patriarchate of Istanbul were
discussed, among other issues, at the February 20-23 Supreme Spiritual
Council Assembly in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiatsin.
Catholicos Garegin II chaired the assembly.
“The Supreme Spiritual Council once again expresses concern over the
undesirable developments in the Patriarchate and the life of the
Istanbul-Armenians during the last 10 years due to the illness of
Patriarch Archbishop Mesrop Mutafyan,” the Assembly said in a
statement.
Mentioning that the situation over the patriarchal seat has caused
distress, the Assembly noted that the election of the patriarchal
locum tenens “inspired new hope in terms of enthroning the historic
seat and restoring the normal life of the Istanbul-Armenians”.
The statement notes that the reckless steps of individuals and church
bodies resulted in a situation which causedexternal interferences and
the intervention of the Turkish government, which led to failure of
the efforts for organizing patriarchal elections.
“The Mother See of Holy Etchmiatsin has always welcomed the expression
of will of the Istanbul-Armenians and has supported the decisions of
historic structures of the See. Taking into account the February 9,
2018 decision of the Spiritual Assembly of the Armenian Patriarchate
of Istanbul, we address a call to sober up to Archbishop Garegin
Bekchyan, Archbishop Aram Ateshyan, Bishop Sahak Mashalyan and the
other clergy to rank the interest of the Patriarchate above personal
aspirations and interpersonal relations and consider it as priority,
to correct the wrong processes with wisdom and commitment and to
restore peace, unity and solidarity in the life of the Istanbul
Armenians”, the statement says.
Etchmiatsin called on members of the Spiritual Assembly and
influential individuals in the Armenian community to pursue
acknowledging Patriarch Mesrop Mutafyan, who has been severely ill for
a long time, as incapacitated and organization of patriarchal
elections in accordance to the procedure with the state, by
maintaining Armenian Church rules and lawful demands.
“We expect from the Turkish authorities to accept the Armenian
community’s fair demand of organizing Patriarchal elections”, the
Mother See said.
“Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration,
encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of
love and peace will be with you” - 2 Corinthians 13:11.
English –translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan

Sports/Olympics: Armenia’s Mikayel Mikayelyan finishes the 83rd in Olympic skiathlon

Torgomian Varazdat
Panorama, Armenia
Feb 16 2018
18:54 16/02/2018

Armenian skier Mikayel Mikayelyan finished the 83rd in the 15k freestyle race at the Olympics. The Armenian showed a result of 39:01.4, around six seconds behind the winner.

Swiss Dario Cologna became the quadruple Olympic champion in the race. Norwegian Simen Kruger, who has previously won gold in the skiathlon, became the second. Russian Denis Spicav won bronze in the Olympics.

To note, this was the last race of Mikayelyan in Pyeongchang. Armenia’s last representative Ashot Karapetyan competing in the Alpine skiing will start on February 22.

Nine employees of Gyumri libraries to be discharged

Torgomian Varazdat
  • 19:21 | February 6,2018 | Regions
  • Armenian:
  • Rus

Nine employees of Gyumri libraries will be discharged.

The reason is that the library optimization process has started. Gyumri municipality’s “Ani” library community non-profit organization will pass to the balance sheet of school N 11 in Gyumri. As a result, employees will be deprived of their jobs and an alternative will be offered for them.