Category: 2019

ArmInfo.The Armenian National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Armenia made a statement in connection with the criminal case about tax evasion on the side of the  Tsakhkadzor cable road.

Thus, according to the statement of the NOC, received by ArmInfo, the Olympic Committee will take all legal measures to restore the possible damage to the NOC, both in the already opened criminal case and in the direction of possible damage  as a shareholder in Larnatur LLC.The committee stated that the  accredited manager of LLC Lernatur had informed the NOC back in  April-May 2017 that the rope of the ropeway had broken and submitted  an invoice for the purchase of a new one, meanwhile it was found out  that the rope was not cut off, but only slightly damaged and did not  pose any threat.

The NOC stated that these unreasonable actions of the head of  Lernatur LLC caused damage to the committee in the amount of 117,500  euros, as a result of which they tightened control over the company’s  activities, and in August the director of this company was relieved  of his post. “A new head was appointed to this position, after which  it became clear that Lernatur’s revenues were disproportionately  larger than it seemed,” the NOC said, informing that it was decided  to monitor the activities of the Tsakhkadzor ropeway after the  internal monitoring of the winter season 2018-19. roads, in  connection with which on February 14 of the current year an agreement  was signed between the committee and the licensed audit company.”The  auditing company recorded inconsistencies and lack of reporting for  the period from 2009-2016, and disproportion of income for the period  from 2009-2016 and 2017-2018, and addressed proposals to the NOC to  initiate actions to protect their own interests and repair the  damage. 

Considering the above, and the fact that the NOC must receive 50% of  the profits from the operation of the cable car, being also the owner  of 50% of the shares of Lernatur (i.e., the NOC has the right to  receive 75% of the net profit), the Olympic Committee will initiate  all legal means to recover of the damage “, – stressed in the NOC of  Armenia.Recall, according to the RA General Prosecutor’s Office, as a  result of non- payment of taxes during the operation of the cableway  in Tsakhkadzor, the state suffered damage in the amount of over 476  million drams (over 980 thousand dollars). In fact a criminal case.  In 2005, the NOC transferred the cableway to the trust management,  first one and then from 2008 to the present – to another limited  liability company. These companies in the years 2005-2017. presented  a turnover totaling about 496 million drams, meanwhile, only in 2018  the turnover of the cableway was 537 million drams or 40 million  drams more than in the past 12 years combined.

Arminfo, Armenia

Marianna Mkrtchyan

Panorama, Armenia

MediaMax, Armenia

“It is a pity the album is already at the printing house, so we can’t include this work in it, but we will definitely exhibit it in the future,” Narek Van Ashughatoryan posted on his Facebook page a few days ago along with a photograph of an 18th-19th century “fantastic piece of embroidery from Marash”.

 

Narek has a collection of over 70 pieces of embroidery. They are pictured in the book “Rescued Armenian Embroidery”, which was presented at the National Gallery of Armenia on .

 

 

Narek is the grandson of Hovhannes Sharamberyan, Honored Artist of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic (ASSR). After going through his heirlooms, small pieces of embroidery, Narek started thinking about the mission that was trusted to him through ownership of the items.

 

“It was clear the pieces were cut-outs, they were not complete. I began to wonder what was on the minds of the Armenian refugees who were fleeing their homes, not knowing if they would survive, and why they decided to take the pieces of embroidery with them.

 

 

Perhaps, it was an intuitive decision, but many refugees made it, so there was a sense of mission among them, a responsibility to save the pieces of culture they had and get it out of danger. The embroidery could not keep them warm or serve as clothing or a towel, they could not sell the cut-out pieces, but they probably still kept them to preserve the memory, give continuity to that art and, in a more global sense, maintain their identity.

 

I realized that if those people had the courage to leave more essential items behind to save these pieces, which I keep now, it means they passed down a specific message and mission to us,” told Narek.

 

 

That is how Narek started researched Armenian textile and schools of embroidery. Plenty of works were left in Western Armenia in the homes of Armenian refugees. These riches were stolen and recovering them is a difficult, but important work.

 

“First, I searched the foreign markets and auctions. I tried the tag “Armenian”, but I found nothing and realized that the Turks not only stole the works themselves, but violated the copyright as well. The nation that produced the pieces was simply wiped out of the picture. The works depicted in my book are presented to the world as Ottoman or even Turkish embroidery, in some extreme cases,” added Ashughatoyan.

 

 

Having learned from that experience, Narek used it and the knowledge he had to search for “Ottoman” embroidery pieces. Afterwards, he separated the Armenian pieces. According to Narek, they can be distinguished from the works by other nations living in the Ottoman Empire by specific colors and style. The pieces in Narek’s collection (towels, blankets, handkerchiefs, ecclesiastical attire, and cut-out pieces of them) present the embroidery schools of Van, Marash, Urfa and Ayntap.

 

 

“This is painting for me. I look at some of the pieces and I see clearly that the maker had to be a painter or a designer to be able to produce a work of such quality. There are some primitive works too. Going from school to school, you notice the differences between them, the embellishments, and the “bad taste” of that time as well. In coastal cities especially, Armenians adopted elements of French and Italian embroidery as they were exposed to the respective goods supplied by sea. Nevertheless, these pieces are still distinctively Armenian,” said Narek. 

 

 

For Narek, the purpose of “Rescued Armenian Embroidery” is not to raise scientific issues, but to make Armenian works public. The book, written in Armenian and English, will be sent to the world’s key museums, Armenian Studies centers, and Turkish universities. However, Narek believes that first of all, Armenian culture should be presented and preserved in Armenia.

 

 

“When I say “revival”, I don’t mean copying this fantastic towel. Our daily life has changed, however, the mentality, taste, color choice and external factors are still an interesting topic for study. We need to revive our daily life and culture, just in different ways. We don’t have to use this towel today, but a designer can use the embroidery on that towel to revive the style or use it as a foundation to create something entirely new,” explained Narek.

 

 

Narek is still replenishing his collection. According to him, it has become an “additionc”, which is costing him quite a lot.

 

“Although the world does not distinguish these works as Armenian, it values them. There is no common market price, but people who keep these works are well aware of their value,” he said.

 

 

The pieces of embroidery also tell stories of Armenians who assimilated into the Turkish society, the Armenian families who converted to Islam, stories about different Armenian villages.

 

The bilingual book is the first step towards representation of Armenian embroidery. The next one will be the exhibition of the rescued embroidery pieces.

 

Lusine Gharibyan 

 

Photo: Emin Aristakesyan

‘You have won and will win’ – Armenian PM extends congratulations on Citizen’s Day

11:25,

YEREVAN, APRIL 27, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has extended congratulations on the Citizen’s Day which is celebrated in Armenia for the first time, reports Armenpress.

“Dear people, proud citizens of the Republic of Armenia,

I congratulate you all on the Citizen’s Day.

You have won and will win. Be courageous!”, the PM said on Facebook.

Citizen’s Day is being celebrated in Armenia for the first time on the last Saturday of April.

A number of events are scheduled on this Day across the Republic.

On April 9 the Parliament adopted the bill on making amendment in the Law on Holidays and Remembrance Days. According to the bill, last Saturday of April would be celebrated as the Day of Citizen of the Republic of Armenia. In case when May 1 coincides with Saturday, the Citizen’s Day will be celebrated on the last Sunday of April.

The Armenian government has provided 124 million drams from the reserve fund for the holding of events on the occasion of the Day of the Citizen.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan

‘Citizen’s power is established in Armenia’ – Pashinyan participates in Citizen’s Day celebrations in Yerevan – LIVE

11:59,

YEREVAN, APRIL 27, ARMENPRESS. The citizen of Armenia has again blocked the Mashtots Avenue: the Avenue belongs to the citizen, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said live on Facebook on the occasion of the Citizen’s Day, reports Armenpress.

“This is the greatest symbol of the fact that a citizen’s power is established in Armenia, and no any other power will exist anymore. The prime ministers, the governments, the parliaments will change, but the power will not change as it belongs to the citizen”, the PM said.

At the moment the PM is walking in the Mashtots Avenue of Yerevan and participating in the celebrations together with the citizens.

Citizen’s Day is being celebrated in Armenia for the first time on the last Saturday of April.

A number of events are scheduled on this Day across the Republic.

On April 9 the Parliament adopted the bill on making amendment in the Law on Holidays and Remembrance Days. According to the bill, last Saturday of April would be celebrated as the Day of Citizen of the Republic of Armenia. In case when May 1 coincides with Saturday, the Citizen’s Day will be celebrated on the last Sunday of April.

The Armenian government has provided 124 million drams from the reserve fund for the holding of events on the occasion of the Day of the Citizen.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan

Another wounded soldier starts working at Armenian Presidential Office on Citizen’s Day

12:16,

YEREVAN, APRIL 27, ARMENPRESS. On the Day of the Citizen in Armenia, the Presidential Office hired another citizen, Liparit Melkonyan, who was wounded and became disabled while defending the Homeland, reports Armenpress.

“A year ago President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian has made a call to assist the defenders of the homeland. The talk was about providing soldiers, who were wounded and became disabled while defending the homeland, with jobs.

As an example, as a moral duty, the President’s Office made this step months before by hiring soldier Gor Darmanyan who receives treatment in the Rehabilitation Center for the Defender of the Homeland and has professional skills.

President Sarkissian also stated that this process will be continuous. And today, on the Citizen’s Day in Armenia, another defender, Liparit Melkonyan, starts working at the Presidential Office. Another citizen of Armenia is provided with job.

Let’s continue assisting our soldiers, who sacrificed their health for the peace and security of our country and all of us, by providing them with jobs”, the Presidential office said in a statement on Facebook.

Citizen’s Day is being celebrated in Armenia for the first time on the last Saturday of April.

A number of events are scheduled on this Day across the Republic.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan

Citizen’s Day is one more opportunity to listen to citizens’ issues of concern, says Secretary of Security Council

13:12,

YEREVAN, APRIL 27, ARMENPRESS. Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen Grigoryan says for him the Citizen’s Day is one more chance to talk to the citizens and listen to their issues of concern.

“This day is another chance to appreciate the citizen and talk about the role of the citizen. It’s also an opportunity to meet with the citizens and listen to their issues of concern. It’s another opportunity to appreciate the citizen and talked to him/her. For me a citizen is perfect who talks about the problems, is active and tries to control and be demanding to the leadership”, he told reporters.

Citizen’s Day is being celebrated in Armenia for the first time on the last Saturday of April.

A number of events are scheduled on this Day across the Republic.

On April 9 the Parliament adopted the bill on making amendment in the Law on Holidays and Remembrance Days. According to the bill, last Saturday of April would be celebrated as the Day of Citizen of the Republic of Armenia. In case when May 1 coincides with Saturday, the Citizen’s Day will be celebrated on the last Sunday of April.

The Armenian government has provided 124 million drams from the reserve fund for the holding of events on the occasion of the Day of the Citizen.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan

‘Today I am here as a citizen, not as a PM’ – Pashinyan tells reporters on Citizen’s Day

13:15,

YEREVAN, APRIL 27, ARMENPRESS. Today I am here as a citizen, not as a Prime Minister, Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan told reporters on April 27 on the occasion of the Day of the Citizen. The PM asked the journalists not to ask questions on this day. Nevertheless, the reporters managed to get the responses of several questions.

Asked to what extent it was right to provide 124 million drams for holding the events on the Citizen’s day, if it was possible to spend these sums in another direction, the PM stated: “Sums will be spent on other directions as well. This year the citizen overfulfills the budget revenues by 40 billion drams”. Pashinyan added that the money provided by the government from the budget will also be equally spent in the provinces.

Asked what has changed in his life within a year, Pashinyan said with a joke: “This has changed in my life that I cannot walk freely in my home town”.

Citizen’s Day is being celebrated in Armenia for the first time on the last Saturday of April.

A number of events are scheduled on this Day across the Republic.

On April 9 the Parliament adopted the bill on making amendment in the Law on Holidays and Remembrance Days. According to the bill, last Saturday of April would be celebrated as the Day of Citizen of the Republic of Armenia. In case when May 1 coincides with Saturday, the Citizen’s Day will be celebrated on the last Sunday of April.

The Armenian government has provided 124 million drams from the reserve fund for the holding of events on the occasion of the Day of the Citizen.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan