Category: 2017

Armenpress News Agency , Armenia
 Friday
Armenian citizen subjected to labour exploitation in Georgia's
Azerbaijani populated Soghanlugh village
YEREVAN, AUGUST 11, ARMENPRESS.A criminal case has been initiated at
the General Investigation Department of the Special Investigation
Service of the Republic of Armenia for subjecting an Armenian citizen
to labour exploitation in Georgia's Azerbaijani populated Soghanlugh
village.
As "Armenpress" was informed from the press service of
theInvestigative Committee of Armenia, as a result of media monitoring
a number of publications have been recorded on the labour exploitation
of an Armenian citizen in the Azerbaijani populated village in
Georgia.
According to those publications, on July 28, 2017 a representative of
the Armenian MFA announced at a press conference that the Armenian man
was kept like a slave for years in an Azerbaijani populated village in
Georgia and was subjected to labour exploitation during those years.
Fortunatelly, it has been possible to take him back to Armenia. To
check the mentioned information the Deputy Chairman of
theInvestigative Committee of Armenia,Head of the SpecialInvestigation
ServiceVahagn Harutyunyan tasked to prepare materials. As a result, it
was found out that in 2003 the Armenian citizen left for Georgia
hoping to find a job, where he asked the driver of a random car to
help him in finding a job. The mentioned person took him to the
Azerbaijani populated village in Georgia, where the members of an
Azerbaijani family, taking advantage of his vulnarable situation
conditioned by being unfamiliar tothe area, kept in in in something
like slavery till May 7, 2017 making him to work without
anyremuneration in their land and the lands of their neighbors, while
he lived in themansard of the house sleeping on cardboard boxes.
A criminal case was initiated at the General Investigation Department
of the Special Investigation Service of Armenia on August 10.
Preliminary investigation is underway.

ARMINFO News Agency, Armenia
 Friday
We re in a right direction, friends!
Yerevan August 11
Alexander Avanesov. Construction sector was and remains one of the
most important branch of Armenian economy, Armenian Prime Minister
Karen Karapetyan stated during the solemn ceremony dedicated to the
Construction Day on August 11.
According to the Prime Minister, the activation of the construction
sector brings a multiplier effect to the economy. "If the construction
is actively developing, other spheres are developing, for any state
the development of the urban development sector has a multiplier
effect, having a positive impact on the development of other areas of
the country's economy." The state in which the construction sector
develops is going through a period of progress. Our ancestors left us
an exceptional heritage, which we are proud of, presenting it to the
world and generations. It is remarkable that the Armenian builders
today are developing the experience they have received from great
masters and tradition ii, building strong and beautiful building with
a modern-day application of innovative solutions and technologies ",
said Karen Karapetyan.
According to the Prime Minister, despite the statistics that the
construction sector is experiencing hard times in Armenia, one thins
is obvious: Armenian builder has always built and will build. It so
happened that the decline in the construction sector fell on a very
difficult period for the country. Karen Karapetyan stressed that at
the present time the government is making efforts to implement
investment programs in the construction sector in order to activate
urban development. "There are already numerous projects in the capital
and in the regions, and in this context, the statistics we are
currently distributing are very interesting and encouraging, and we
are ready to create additional conditions for the development of the
economy and for attracting investments, I would like to record, That
the tendencies of activation are observed in the construction sector
and we are confident that we will make progress in speeding up the
growth of the sphere, "the Armenian government head said. He added
that for the first six months of this year, according to statistics,
there is a decline in two areas - construction and agriculture.
"According to our forecasts, by October this year in the construction
sector there will be such indicators that will supplement the pace of
the last year, and by the end of 2017 there will be growth," Karen
Karapetyan said, adding that last month there were tendencies to
growth. "We are sure that we are on the right track," head of Armenian
Government said.

ARMINFO News Agency, Armenia
 Friday
Forecast: Considering that in issue of Iranian gas transit, Serzh
Sargsyan is guided by Moscow`s opinion, there will not be need to
replace it
Yerevan August 11
David Stepanyan. Certainly, in the first turn the issue of transit of
Iranian gas through Armenia to Europe as a geopolitical background.
Director of Armenian Center for Political and International Relations
Aghasi Yenoqyan expressed such an opinion to ArmInfo.
I do not think that there are special economic problems here, since
technically the organization of the transit of Iranian gas through
Armenia to Europe can be solved quite easily. In this sense, I
consider the question of transit in the same plane as the actual lack
of response to the US $ 8 billion investment proposal. All this is
only discussed, and in theory.
"The emergence of transit Iranian gas in Armenia will be a serious
challenge for Gazprom, since the issue will not be in the sphere of
providing gas to Armenia, but in the gas supply of the European
market." This is in the context of Gazprom's longstanding policy of
achieving gas monopoly in Europe "Of course, it should be noted that
in recent years, such prospects have significantly escalated, in
particular, thanks to the US sanctions against Russia," he said.
Nevertheless, talking about the refusal of Moscow from the idea of
becoming a gas monopoly in Europe, and for the sake of
Armenian-Iranian projects, in Yenokyan's view, is premature. The main
problem, according to his estimates, is not even in Tehran, but in the
ability of the Armenian authorities to resolve the eradication of
Gazprom's monopoly in the country. In this light, he believes that
Serzh Sargsyan should still be guided by Moscow's opinion on this
issue. The political scientist believes that Serzh Sargsyan does not
refuse to discuss the establishment of gas transit through the
territory of Armenia, thereby leaving a window of opportunity open for
himself. Moreover, the situation at the global level is heated to the
limit, allowing to hope for the resolution of the issue of Armenian
gas transit in a matter of months. For example, it stipulates the
possibility of Armenia gaining transit functions by significant
changes in the relations between Moscow and Brussels as a result of
the strengthening of the same sanctions regime. According to
Yenokyan's estimates, Serzh Sargsyan is quite capable of sitting in
the prime minister's seat himself. However, with the same success in
this chair after 2018, Karen Karapetyan may remain. The political
scientist is convinced that the main thing for Sargsyan is the
preservation of the sole control over the corruption pyramid in his
hands and if Karapetyan does not show any significant pincushion in
the Prime Minister's chair, Sargsyan will not interfere with the
continuation of his premiership.
"Serzh Sargsyan can only assume the functions of prime minister to
maintain complete control over financial flows in conditions of
minimal responsibility." It is important who Sargsyan himself wants to
see at the post of prime minister, and not someone in Washington,
Brussels and even Moscow. I believe that his current policy puts
Russians in need of his replacement, there is nothing to worry about,
at least until Sargsyan follows their instructions. Therefore, he does
not really need to resist his next re-enactment in power in Moscow
Will be, "concludes Yenokyan.

Armenpress News Agency , Armenia
 Friday
International recognition of Artsakh Republic is just matter of time –
Vice-Speaker Sharmazanov
YEREVAN, AUGUST 11, ARMENPRESS. Vice-Speaker of Armenia’s Parliament
Eduard Sharmazanov on August 11 hosted member of the Parliament of
Portugal RubinaBerardo, press service of the parliament told
Armenpress.
The meeting was also attended by head of Armenia-Portugal
parliamentary friendship group Gagik Melikyan.
Vice-Speaker Sharmazanov expressed hope Portugal-Armenia friendship
group will be formed in the Portugeuse Parliament soon. He attached
importance to deepening the ties with Portugal in terms of developing
Armenia-EU ties and establishing political dialogue between the two
countries.
Sharmazanov at the meeting also touched upon the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict, as one of the key issues of Armenian political agenda,
stating that Azerbaijan presents it as a territorial issue between the
two countries, however, in reality, it is a classical example of
peoples’ self-determination.
The Vice-Speaker called on the European partners not to become the
victim of Azerbaijani fake propaganda and present the reality to the
world.
“The people of Artsakh, like every people in the world, have a right
to live freely and independently. We will spare no efforts to reach
the international recognition of Artsakh’s independence, and the
international recognition of the Artsakh independence is just a matter
of time”, Sharmazanov said.
As for the recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide,
Sharmazanov said numerous countries of the world have recognized it
and condemned the extermination of millions of Christians, however,
Turkey still continues the cultural genocide started in the beginning
of the past century: the recent incidents are linked with Varagavank.
In her turn RubinaBerardo thanked for the reception and said the two
peoples can find cooperation ways and develop ties in human rights,
economic, cultural and other spheres.
At the end of the meeting RubinaBerardo, by attaching importance to
the development of inter-parliamentary ties, said after the visit to
Armenia the next step can be the formation of friendship group with
Armenia in Portugal’s Parliament.

ARMINFO News Agency, Armenia
 Friday
Frank Pallone intends to visit Armenia and Artsakh
Yerevan August 11
Tatevik Shahunyan. Armenia-USA friendship group co chair, congressman
Frank Pallone intends to visit Armenia and Artsakh.
"In September, I plan to visit Armenia and Artsakh in connection with
the Independence Day of Armenia (September 21, ed.). For members of
the House of Representatives of the Congress, this will be a good
opportunity to achieve the set goals for rapprochement between the US
and Armenia, "Frank Pallon said at a meeting with the Patriarch of the
Jerusalem Diocese of AAC Nurkhan Manukyan, Israeli media reported.
He also said that the friendship group with Armenia in the Congress
continues efforts to bring the United States and Armenia closer and to
support the peaceful settlement of the Karabakh conflict.