Author: Vorskanian Yeghisabet

Ara Saghatelyan: We leave large quantities of property for the next NA Staff (video)

Vorskanian Yeghisabet
  • 15:44 | January 11,2019 | Politics
  • Armenian:
  • Rus

“We leave large quantities of property, which can be used by the next staff, “said Ara Saghatelyan, Chief of Staff of the National Assembly, told the reporters.

“When I became the head of the staff, we had obligations for electrical power, and I had to bring dozens of used computers here from the president’s office and the Central Bank,” he said.

“In 2018, the National Assembly saved 404 million drams and stored a considerable quantity of goods and technical means,” says Ara Saghatelyan, adding that this is the result of proper and regulated work.

“I 2017, the economic mechanisms that we had introduced enabled us to effectively use the funds in 2018. For current repairs, there is a need for funding because the NA building has very serious problems related to the maintenance of the building.”

A little Russian king

Vorskanian Yeghisabet
La Croix International, France
January 5, 2019 Saturday
A little Russian king
 
 Gospel reflection for the Epiphany
 
 
 
Who were these famous Magi who infuse the nativity with a little of the atmosphere of One Thousand and One Nights? One meaning of the word “magos” could indicate that they were Persian priests. Or were they magicians, soothsayers, sages, or Babylonian astrologers? Some suggest that they were religious propagandists, even charlatans.
 
In the Gospels, only Matthew describes them in detail, careful to show how they are connected to the fulfilment of Isaiah’s prophecy: “Nations will come to your light/and kings to the brightness of your dawn.” (Isiah 60:3)
 
There is also Psalm 72: “May the kings of Tarshish and of distant shores bring tribute to him. May the kings of Sheba and Seba present him gifts.” (Ps. 72: 10)
 
From as early as the second century, in Syria, Armenia and the Arab countries, the apocryphal gospels demonstrate great powers of imagination. The Armenian Gospel of the Infancy says that they were kings, that there were three brothers, each rulers of different kingdoms. The first, Melkon (who became Melchior in the West) ruled over the Persians, the second, Balthazar, ruled the Indians, and the third, Caspar, ruled the Arab kingdom.
 
The Armenian Gospel delights in describing the gifts, the procession, the crowns worn by the Magi, their departure from Persia accompanied by the sound of a cockerel crowing, the arrival in Jerusalem at dawn, the conversations between Mary and Joseph as well as the gifts of Jesus’ swaddling that the kings took back to their countries as relics.
 
The story doesn’t stop there. In the eighth century, the great English Benedictine scholar, Bede the Venerable, described the Magi with such precision that you would think he had met them the night before at the office of Compline. Here, Melchior is made “an old man with white hair and long beard who gifted gold to the Lord as to a king.” The second, Gaspar, “young and beardless and ruddy complexioned … honored Him as God by his gift of incense, an oblation worthy of divinity.” As for the third, Balthazar, “black-skinned and heavily bearded … by his gift of myrrh he testified to the Son of Man who was to die for our salvation.”
 
In the 12th century, St. Bernard of Clairvaux, also a doctor of theology, enhanced the story, adding that it was the gold that finally lifted the Virgin from her sorrow, that incense was used to sanctify the stables and that myrrh was used a medicine to cure the child of his ailments.
 
Over the centuries, and up to our own times, literature has enjoyed revisiting this fanciful tale, including the tradition of the fourth king, unmentioned in the Gospel, who arrived too late at Christmas and was still a pilgrim 33 years later. I am greatly moved by Edgard Schafer’s Christmas tale written almost 50 years ago, in which this fourth king, a minor king of Russia, encounters many obstacles and loses all his gifts, and arrives just in time at the foot of the cross to offer his heart to the Lord.
 
This fourth king is also the king of Epiphany … he who finds the charm (known as the “fève” in France) in the Epiphany cake, the galette des rois, and wears the golden paper crown. And there is yet another tradition, in keeping with the Eucharist, that the youngest child is the fourth king, sometimes called “The Little King” or “The Sun Child,” who hides under the table and chooses who will have which slice, in complete innocence.
 

Asbarez: Bad News Beginning

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21 hours ago

Garen Yegparian

BY GAREN YEGPARIAN

Here we are in a brand new year and the bad news from the end of last year is hounding Armenians already.

The Republic of Armenia has decided to dissolve its Diaspora ministry as part of a reorganization of the ministries. Go figure! It’s the most important ministry from a pan-Armenian perspective. It manifests, by its very existence the commitment to and need for an integral approach to our nation. Don’t forget that roughly 75% of our nation is scattered all over the world and not on living on Armenian soil. This ministry’s mission was to implement programs to maintain our cohesion. It seems there’s a possibility its functions may be transferred to the vice-premier’s office. On top of everything, this was done without much, if any, in the way of consultations. How many people or groups in the Diaspora were asked their opinions?

Workers are going unpaid in the Republic of Armenia. It’s gotten so bad that those working on the north-South highway blocked the road to demand their wages, hoping to get paid before the holidays. The employer claims wages are delayed because the government is late in paying them for the work they do. It sounds like a lot of excuse-making to me. People work, people should get paid- period. What’s next- legislation like that just passed in Hungary allowing employers to FORCE their employees to work up to 400 hours of overtime per year?

The cost of natural gas coming from Russia is going up for the RoA. However, Prime Minister Pashinian has said people will not pay more for the stuff. Who’s going to make up the difference? Where’s the money coming from?

It’s being reported that as of November 10, 39 soldiers of the Atzakh and RoA armies have died in 2018. The really bad news is that only 7 of those were casualties of Azeri fire. The other 32 occurred internally!

Moving from the internal front southward, we also have the potential secondary impact on the RoA of the U.S. sanctions against Iran. These were the topic of discussions between the two countries recently.

Moving westward, we find our favorite megalomaniac is on the hunt for more scalps. Turkey’s wanna-be-sultan-but-only-a-prez Erdoğan is now seeking to strip Garo Paylan of his parliamentary immunity. Next would come trumped up charges of some ridiculous sort followed by lengthy jail time.

But that’s not all Erdoğan has been busy with. As of December 26 Turkish tanks were reported to be moving towards the border in Kilis, aimed for Manbij, a key town currently held by Syria’s Kurds who are targeted for extermination by Turkey’s army. The LATimes published (contested) reports that the Syrian Army is moving into Manbij. This could get ugly, or prevent a bloodbath. We’ll soon find out.

Meanwhile, Trump is being rewarded by one of his new besties, Erdoğan, and has been invited to Turkey after effectively green-lighting the demolition of Syria’s Kurdish forces that Erdoğan had been salaciously lusting for. Let’s see what new headaches that visit will bring for Armenians and everyone else in the region!

But just so I don’t become a total Sad Srpoohee, Moping Maneh, or… Grumpy Garen, I’ll end with a snippet of good news. It seems the net population flow has been INWARDS in 2018 (through December 25) for a net PLUS of 20,713 people. I just hope that this won’t drop to zero or less when holiday vacationers return to wherever they came from…

Let’s work to make this a better Armenian year than it has started out as. Shnorhavor nor daree.

The story of the Three Kings comes from Armenia

Vorskanian Yeghisabet
Philippine Star
Jan 6 2019


The story of the Three Kings comes from Armenia

FROM A DISTANCE – Carmen N. Pedrosa (The Philippine Star) – January 6, 2019 – 12:00am

The feast of the Three Kings today ends the long Christmas season in the Philippines. Although it is much celebrated in Spain and Latin American countries it is not so in the Philippines. Although there is an obligatory mass and it is a public holiday it is anti-climactic. With thousands of overseas Filipinos working abroad it was chaos in the airports. It is the day Filipinos prepare to go back to work in different countries.

In a way, it is also a departure from the influence of colonial Spain. In other countries colonized by Spain like Mexico, celebrations of this feast are big.

As far as I can remember as a child we hang socks for Santa Claus but for Three Kings we put our shoes out when it is said they will put money in the shoes. That is not practiced anymore in most families.

Like Christmas itself the story of the Three Kings varies but the generally accepted version comes from the Christmas story of the gospel of Matthew 2:1-12.

“After Jesus was born, Wise Men came to look for Him, probably from an area which is now in either Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia or the Yemen. Although they are often called the ‘Three Kings,’ the Bible does not say how many there were, or that they were kings. One theory is that they might have been Kings of the Yemen, as during this time the Kings of Yemen were Jews. Three is only a guess because they brought with them three gifts: but however many there were of them, they probably would have had many more servants with them.

They were certainly men of great learning. The word Magi comes from the greek word ‘magos’ (where the English word ‘magic’ comes from). Magos itself comes from the old Persian word ‘Magupati’. This was the title given to priests in a sect of the ancient Persian religions such as Zoroastrianism. Today we’d called them astrologers. Back then astronomy and astrology were part of the same overall studies (and ‘science’) and went hand in hand with each other. The magi would have followed the patterns of the stars religiously. They would have also probably been very rich and held in high esteem in their own society and by people who weren’t from their country or religion.

They had seen an unusual new star in the sky, and knew that it told of the birth of a special king in Israel. No one really knows what the new star in the sky was, and there are many theories including comets, supernovas, a conjunction of planets or something supernatural! Find out more about the star in the Star of Bethlehem page in the Christmas Customs section. The Magi would have known about the prophesies of a special Jewish Savior (also known as the Messiah) from when the Jews had been held captive in ancient Babylon several hundred years before.

Legends are told about them and they have been given names. This is how they are often described:

Gaspar (or Caspar), who has brown hair and a brown beard (or no beard!) and wears a green cloak and a gold crown with green jewels on it. He is the King of Sheba. Gaspar represents the Frankincense brought to Jesus. Melchior, who has long white hair and a white beard and wears a gold cloak. He is the King of Arabia. Melchior represents the Gold brought to Jesus. Balthazar, who has black skin and a black beard (or no beard!) and wears a purple cloak. He is the King of Tarse and Egypt. Balthazar represents the gift of Myrrh that was brought to Jesus.

Herod asked the Wise Men to find Jesus and tell him where he was, not so he could go and worship him as he said, but so he could kill him! He thought that Jesus sounded like a new King that could come and take his power away.

When the Wise Men found Jesus and Mary, they would have been living in a normal house, probably in Bethlehem or Jerusalem, because by this time Jesus would have been aged between one and two. Then they gave their gifts to him. The gifts seem quite strange to give to a baby, but Christians believe that they had the following meanings:

Gold: is associated with Kings and Christians believe that Jesus is the King of Kings.

Frankincense: is sometimes used in worship in churches and showed that people would worship Jesus.

Myrrh: is a perfume that is put on dead bodies to make them smell nice; Christian believe that it showed that Jesus would suffer and die.

The gifts are also all things that come from east of Israel in Arabia.

When the wise men were about to go to tell Herod where Jesus was, they were warned in a dream not to, so Herod could not carry out his horrible plan.”

Some scholars have written that the story of the Three Kings comes from Armenian tradition. It is from Armenian stories that the three men are identifies as Balthsar of Arabia, Melchor of Persia and Gaspar of India.

The identification of the three kings or three Magi gives a universal aspect for Christmas. It is believed that   they journeyed following the Star of Bethlehem which is now in either Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia or the Yemen.


Armenpress: Yerevan deploys entire fleet of snow removing equipment

Vorskanian Yeghisabet

Yerevan deploys entire fleet of snow removing equipment

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12:52,

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. Sanitek, the waste management operator for the city of Yerevan, has deployed its entire fleet of snow clearing equipment, the mayor’s spokesperson said.

“In any case, we ask you to refuse from driving if there is no urgent necessity in order to make the traffic lighter and safer,” Hakob Karapetyan, the spokesperson of Mayor Hayk Marutyan, said on Facebook.

He said that parked and double parked vehicles along pavements are in particularly disturbing the snow removal works.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan




Armenia’s Pashinyan: Consensus is more important to CSTO content

Vorskanian Yeghisabet
News.am, Armenia
Dec 22 2018
Armenia’s Pashinyan: Consensus is more important to CSTO content Armenia’s Pashinyan: Consensus is more important to CSTO content

15:46, 22.12.2018

We have said that we have a candidate and the matter should be decided by consensus.

The Acting Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, on Saturday told the aforementioned to reporters. He noted this, as he commented on the most recent developments regarding the appointment of the next Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).

“We need to attempt to reach a consensus [on this matter],” Pashinyan said. “It’s not like the CSTO Secretary General’s position is permanently reserved for Armenia. 

“The task for us is the CSTO content and the specifying, clarifying of mutual obligations, and to reach a consensus on this matter,”

The acting PM said he was satisfied with the past and future discussions at the CSTO.

“Very open and frank discussions have taken place, which has never taken place in the CSTO,” he added. “We need to comprehend our security environment.”

Asked whether Armenia will use its veto power should Belarus nominate its candidate as the next CSTO chief, Pashinyan responded: “Consensus is more important to the CSTO content than the Secretary General’s matter. We [Armenia] have always been constructive, and we will be constructive—hoping for the same constructive…We don’t want from others more than what we are ready to do.”

As for whether Armenia will host Belarus’ CSTO Secretary General candidate in capital city Yerevan, Nikol Pashinyan said: ‘As long as the discussions continue, we haven’t found it expedient. We haven’t rejected, but we have said that they are not expedient at this phase. The discussions will continue.”

Armenia should understand whether to treat CSTO seriously or not: Acting PM

Vorskanian Yeghisabet
Aysor, Armenia
Dec 22 2018

Armenian acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan told the reporters today that the post of the CSTO secretary general is not Armenia’s forever, it is based on rotation principle and Armenia’s term is to end at certain period.

“Our issue is not to preserve the post of the secretary general and the status, for us the important thing is CSTO’s content and clarification of mutual commitments,” he said, adding that there was time when the rotation principle was not acting and one person was holding the post of the CSTO secretary general for a long period of time.

He stressed that the issue is deeper and added that he is pleased with the discussions conducted recently. “Very open and frank discussions took place that had never taken place in the CSTO before,” he added.

“And we, understanding our security environment. must ask ourselves whether we need to treat the CSTO seriously or not. It is a very important issue,” he said.

La comunidad armenia recuerda a las víctimas de masacre de 1915

Vorskanian Yeghisabet
El Mirón de Soria, España
10 dic. 2018
Martes, 11 Diciembre 2018 09:29

La comunidad armenia de El Burgo de Osma inaugurará el 15 de diciembre un monolito para recordar a las víctimas de la masacre de 1915.

El acto tendrá lugar el próximo día 15 de diciembre a las 13:30 horas en el parque del Carmen de la Villa Episcopal.

Posteriormente, se realizará un vino español en El Palacio del Virrey de la citada localidad.

El monolito servirá para recordar a las víctimas de la masacre de 1915.

Armenian Ambassador presents credentials to President of Kazakhstan

Vorskanian Yeghisabet

Armenian Ambassador presents credentials to President of Kazakhstan

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12:34,

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 13, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Ambassador to Kazakhstan Gagik Ghalachyan on December 12 presented his credentials to President Nursultan Nazarbayev, the Armenian foreign ministry told Armenpress.

During the meeting President Nazarbayev touched upon the development of the relations between Kazakhstan and Armenia, stating that the trade turnover increased by 68% during 2018.

Following the ceremony Ambassador Ghalachyan delivered statement for the media, highlighting the potential to further develop the Armenian-Kazakh friendly relations, as well as further strengthen the bilateral cooperation within the frames of a number of regional and international organizations, including the Eurasian Economic Union (EAQEU) and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).

Earlier the Armenian Ambassador presented the copy of his credentials to the Kazakh deputy foreign minister Galymzhan Koyshybayev. During the meeting the officials emphasized the need to boost opportunities for bilateral economic relations and eliminate existing barriers on this path.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan




Poll: "My step" bloc goes to the Armenian parliament with 68.3% and "Prosperous Armenia" with 6.7%

Vorskanian Yeghisabet
Arminfo, Armenia
Nov 23 2018
Poll: “My step” bloc goes to the Armenian parliament with 68.3% and “Prosperous Armenia” with 6.7%

Yerevan November 23

Tatevik Shahunyan. According to the results of the poll conducted by the “GALLUP International association”, according to the results of the early elections on December 9, only two forces enter the Armenian parliament – the ruling “My step” bloc from 68.3% and the Prosperous Armenia party from 6.7%. In general, 1111 people from the capital and regions of the country took part in the survey. The error is 3%. The survey was carried out from 17 to 21 November.

The remaining 9 political forces participating in the elections received less or slightly more than 1% of the vote. Thus, the Republican Party received 1.5%, followed by the Enlightened Armenia party with a small margin, with 1.2%, followed by the ”ARF Dashnaktsutyun” – 1%, the ”Sasna Tsrer” party – 0.9%, Democratic Revival “- 0.3%, the block” We “(the Party” Republic “and” Free Democrats “) – 0.3%, the Social Democratic Party” Decision of the Citizen “- 0.2%,” Orinats Yerkir “- 0.1%, the party “National Progress” -0%. 12.7% refused to answer the question, 6.7% found it difficult to answer.

According to the poll, 70.9% definitely intend to take part in the elections, 15.5% are more likely to take part, 8.95 will definitely not take part, 2.9% are more likely not to attend, and 1.8% found it difficult to answer.

On the question of which political forces impressed you the most, 52.7% of respondents fully impressed with the “My Step” bloc, rather like 32.9%. The second is “Prosperous Armenia“, which is fully impressed by 17.6%, rather, it is impressed by 49.1%. But the Republican Party is leading in this rating in the nomination “antirating”. This party is extremely negatively treated by 66.3% of respondents, rather negatively – by 16.5%, only 2.9% are definitely impressed by the RPA and 16.5% are more likely to be impressed. The next batch, which has “antirating”, is ”Orinats Yerkir”. 44.7% relate to it extremely negatively, 20.3% – rather negatively.

In response to the question of why respondents impose a particular force, 32% answered that because of the leader, 24.9% – ideology, 15.5% said that there is no alternative, 8.2% trust, 6.9% believe, 6.6% like programs, 2.7% have acquaintances, 0.6% advised, 2.5% found it difficult to answer, other answers gave 19.2%. To the question from which sources respondents receive information, 69.5% responded from Armenian TV channels, and 47.6% trust this source. 37.7% receive information from Facebook, but only 14.7% of respondents trust this information. 28.4% of respondents receive information from electronic media, and 12.3% trust them. Of the environment and radio, 8.2% get information, but 3.7% trust the environment, and 6.1% trust the radio. 6.6% of respondents read the press, 3.1% trust it. 1.3% of respondents will find out information at rallies, 6.7% prefer other sources, 4.6% were undecided.

When asked about the most pressing problems facing the country, 45.2% cited unemployment, 29.6% economic condition, 23.9% low wages and pensions, 23.4% Karabakh issue, 16.6 % – corruption, 13.3% – inaccessibility of health care, 11.4% – emigration, 8.7% – low level of education, 8% – foreign policy problems, 7.3% – inflation, 6.5% – high utility costs and 4,1% – large taxes.