The UN commission recognized the 2011 as groundless. Azerbaijan’s complaint about RA

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The European Economic Commission of the United Nations recognized the 2011 as groundless. Azerbaijan’s complaint against Armenia. Vahram Kazhoyan, head of the Department of International Organizations of the RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs, wrote about this on his Facebook page.


“As a result of eight years of diplomatic “war” and extremely tense “trial” hearings and negotiations, today we brought to a victorious end an important issue for Armenia within the framework of the Convention of the UN European Economic Commission “On Environmental Impact Assessment in the Transboundary Context” (Espu, 1991).


Without giving details, let me say that in 2011, Azerbaijan filed a complaint against Armenia, which was denied on all points by the delegation of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Environmental Protection and Energy, during dozens of hearings held over eight years.


Today, the decision was officially adopted, by which, based on the facts presented by us, it was confirmed that Armenia fully complies with the provisions of the convention and that Azerbaijan’s complaint was groundless. Thank you to all my colleagues for providing invaluable help during these eight long years of fair struggle and intense work,” wrote Kazhoyan.

Russian companies producing buses will present profitable offers to Yerevan

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The first deputy mayor of Yerevan, Hrachya Sargsyan, and the trade representative of the Russian Federation in Armenia, Andrey Babko, discussed new opportunities for deepening trade and economic ties between Yerevan and the Russian Federation.


The City Hall informs that emphasizing active cooperation with Moscow, Saint Petersburg, and other Russian cities, Hrachya Sargsyan expressed confidence that it will become more effective.

“Our policy today is aimed at equal and stable development of the city economy. At this stage, the settlement of the problem of public transport and garbage collection is of primary importance for us. We are ready to listen to your suggestions as well,” said Hrachya Sargsyan. 

Speaking about the transport reform program, Andrey Babko noted that Russian companies producing buses are ready to present profitable offers to Yerevan. In addition, Russian organizations are interested in elevator economy, garbage collection, including garbage recycling projects. 

“Our partnership has a long history. We are ready to discuss and support new opportunities for cooperation in various fields, which will be acceptable and beneficial for you,” noted Andrey Babko. 

Hrachya Sargsyan thanked for information and willingness to support in expanding cooperation. He also added that in order to properly organize the snow removal works, the Yerevan Municipality recently acquired 9 new special equipment from the “KamAZ” company, which won the competition, which once again emphasizes the possibilities of expanding cooperation.

Armenia does not respond to offers to meet. Zass

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State Secretary of the Security Council of Belarus, Stanislav Zas, who is running for the post of CSTO Secretary General, stated that there is still no significant change in his appointment.


At the meeting with journalists in Minsk, he commented on the recent events surrounding his appointment as CSTO Secretary General, noting that he has not yet met with RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.


Zasi noted that he offered to meet Pashinyan at any time convenient for the Armenian side, but he has not yet received an answer. “We haven’t received an answer yet. The rest of the CSTO member-states have expressed their support for the Belarusian candidate,” he said.


The Secretary of State of the Security Council of Belarus also added that the CSTO charter also allows for making decisions with limited members. The Armenian side once answered regarding this issue that an absolute consensus is needed on the issue of CSTO General Secretary and the issue cannot be resolved through the mechanism of making decisions with a limited number of members.


Then Zas himself admitted that in this case that method is unacceptable, and for the normal work of the military-political alliance, a decision based on consensus is necessary.

Levon Ter-Petrosyan was interrogated in the case of March 1. he is involved as a witness

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Levon Ter-Petrosyan was also questioned as a witness in the March 1 case today. HZ informs about this.


With the same information, his interrogation lasted one and a half hours.


RA Special Investigation Service, however, again did not provide information regarding the interrogation, stating that they do not comment.


It should be noted that he was interrogated several times as a witness in the case of March 1 Serzh Sargsyan.His interrogation ended yesterday.

They are completely fictitious and fabricated. Defender of Serzh Sargsyan’s interests

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Today, some online media published information that during the interrogation within the framework of the March 1 case, Serzh Sargsyan, the third president of the Republic of Armenia, testified against the second president of the Republic of Armenia, Robert Kocharyan. According to the website, it is possible that this is what influenced today’s decision of the Appellate Criminal Court.


168.am asked S. for clarification in this regard. From Amram Makinyan, the advocate of Sargsyan’s interests.


“Serzh Sargsyan was summoned to the special investigative service of the RA within the scope of the March 1 case and questioned. I am sorry that due to the confidentiality of the preliminary investigation, I cannot present and comment on Serzh Sargsyan’s testimony in full. I am familiar with the news circulating in the press, according to which Mr. Serzh Sargsyan allegedly testified against Mr. Robert Kocharyan. I can say unequivocally that they are completely fictitious and fabricated,” Amram Makinyan, the advocate of Serzh Sargsyan’s interests, told us.

http://verelq.am/hy/node/42219?fbclid=IwAR2Dih_P0gvij1PW_4b10FBJDkKQ9k7jin7abegyM66QGgR8R6P2T4CmLRI

Press: They threaten Babayan to reveal his face and willingness to make concessions

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VERELQ presents the most notable publications of the Armenian press.


“Fact” the newspaper writes. “Samvel BabayanThe statements made recently received a harsh response in various circles of Artsakh. First, he was opposed by the favorites of the 2020 presidential elections: Araik Harutyunyan and Vitaly Balasanyan, then pointed out by him – activists of the movement Razmik Petrosyan and Armo Tsatryan: The point is that Samvel Babayan, in fact, accused the active figures of the Artsakh liberation struggle. Serzh Sargsyan, in keeping the so-called “compromising line”, and as the leaders of the movement represent, Sargsyan did not talk about concessions, but rather referred in detail to the ongoing negotiations on the Artsakh issue, presented the position and main approaches of the mediators, Azerbaijan, as well as the policy implemented by Armenia. By the way, according to the information we have, the same figures of the movement threatened in private conversations to address Babayan’s real character in the near future, in particular, to remind him of his willingness to make concessions in the stage before the war, which was prevented in the field. by commanders”.


“Publication” the newspaper writes. “The gap between the political elites of Armenia and Artsakh is growing. “Nikol Pashinyan drew that line and isolated the Artsakh leadership from the Karabakh settlement issue. on the one hand, he declares that he will do everything to make Artsakh a negotiating party, on the other hand, he broke ties with the leadership of Karabakh,” said our source. The point is that Serzh Sargsyan He had formed a tradition before and after all important foreign meetings regarding the Artsakh issue: he would go to Artsakh and meet with the local political elite, while Nikol Pashinyan does not have such discussions and meetings. At the beginning, the authorities and the elite of Artsakh did everything to gain his favor, but at some point they chose a different tactic. They have decided to maintain internal solidarity from now on and strongly oppose the Armenian authorities if they interfere in their internal life. As it happened, for example, Samvel Babayanafter the incriminating statement regarding “handover of land”. The former Prime Minister of Nagorno-Karabakh responded to that statement Araik Harutyunyan, although he is the number 1 supporter of the revolution and Pashinyan’s government in Artsakh.”


“time” the newspaper writes. “The Speaker of the National Assembly will leave for Artsakh next week Ararat Mirzoyan: In the past, the NA presidents’ visits to the Republic of Artsakh, especially the first, were quite representative, they included several MPs representing different parliamentary factions, because the parliaments of the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Armenia do not interact with each other at the level of friendly groups, but at the level of inter-parliamentary commissions. This time, the first visit of the President of the National Assembly is very modest and as frugal as possible.”


“People” the newspaper writes: “All three RA presidents were interrogated within the framework of the March 1 criminal case, just in different capacities. Yesterday, the SIS invited the first president of RA for questioning Levon Ter-Petrosyanas a witness. A third president was questioned twice as a witness Serzh Sargsyan, who held the position of the Prime Minister of RA on March 1 and as a result of those events, received the position of the head of the country. And the second president? Robert Kocharyan, who was still the acting president on March 1, has been under the status of an accused for several months, he is the only one of the accused in this case, moreover, yesterday the RA Court of Appeals rejected the appeal of the defense to change his restraining order. Thus, it can be expected that the preliminary investigation in the case of March 1 can take an objective course. after all, all three presidents were on the side of these events, just on two different sides. And logic suggested that these interrogations should have been done ten years ago. In these years, there has been a lot of talk about the need to interrogate them. after all, each of them probably had something to say. Also, each of them, especially in 2008 those in power can give the answers to the most important questions if they are honest. P.S. It is surprising, but it is a fact that Serzh Sargsyan in 2008 was the Prime Minister of RA, moreover, in 2008 As a result of rigged elections and March 1, he became the president of the country, but he was never accused of subverting the constitutional order. He is just a witness.”


“People” the newspaper writes: “Before the New Year, the pre-holiday awards from the state budget just came from the noses of the officials. Yesterday, the ruling “My Step” parliamentary faction invited the Minister of Finance of RA to give explanations on this topic. Atom Janjughazyan: Moreover, the session lasted a record long time – four hours. And as the sources of the newspaper claim, during those four hours, the deputies simply questioned the minister. To be honest, they were right, because the minister’s relative and godson received the biggest awards in the ministry. The leader of the “My Step” faction in a conversation with “Zhoghovurd” newspaper Lilit Makunts also said. “Regarding the godson, Mr. Janjughazyan said that the deputy minister is not his godson, but the children. Such a question was also discussed. And indeed the meeting lasted very long.” By the way, in response to our reporter’s question, Janjughazyan tried to deny it at first. “I have no family connection with anyone. Now no one has asked about it.” But when we referred to Makunts, he admitted. “Yes, there was a question, I clarified it.”


“time” the newspaper writes. “Despite all the assurances of the Central Bank that the macroeconomic situation in Armenia is stable, yesterday we witnessed another depreciation of the dram exchange rate. Our source close to the banking system claims that the Central Bank is holding down the dram exchange rate through repressive measures, preventing banks from buying dollars even if there is a demand for them. If in the past the Central Bank influenced the exchange rate of the dram through foreign exchange interventions, now the possibility of resorting to this financial instrument is also limited due to the poor state of foreign reserves.”


“time” the newspaper writes. “The government finally sent its activity plan to the parliament. But it turns out that it is not a final document, but constantly changing and being supplemented. Now the drafters are studying the feedback and trying to complete the text accordingly. Deputies were also warned that the final version may differ significantly from the published one. It is, of course, a violation of the law, but now nobody pays attention to such details.”


“Publication” the newspaper writes. “According to some information, the former director of Kanazi Garrison-Clinical Hospital is running for the position of the head of the Ministry of Defense Medical Service Department. Sahak Ohanyan, who was also the head of the Central Military Medical Commission. Let’s remind that the name of Sahak Ohanyan has always been circulated in the media in the context of unpleasant incidents. it was written about him that in 2013 he beat soldiers in the Kanazi hospital. And the current head of the medical service of the Ministry of Defense is Gayane Hovhannisyan.”


“Publication” the newspaper writes. “Optimizing, “super” ministries have started working with journalists in a “super style”. they don’t answer verbal questions any more, they demand to send the question in writing and, according to the law, they answer only on the 5th day. Minister of Internal Affairs Araik Harutyunyan we sent written questions. Employees of the National Institute of Education received notices on January 22 that they will work until March 31, “their contracts may be terminated.” What is the reason for this and will the institute be restructured or possibly dissolved? Secretary of the Ministry Narine Harutyunyan gave an “exhaustive” answer to the question. “The reduction of staff is due to the fact that in 2019 it is planned to carry out the program activities “Substantive and methodological maintenance of education and training of teachers of public schools of the republic”, “Primary (vocational) and secondary vocational education and training (VET) reforms” in a competitive manner, as a result of which the funding of the National Institute of Education may be reduced. Based on this reality, the board decided to notify the staff of the National Institute of Education in writing about the reduction of positions. At the same time, we should note that the sub-questions put forward by you can be answered based on the results of the competition.”


“People” the newspaper writes. “On January 24, RA Minister of Health Arsen Torosyanannounced the absolutely free operations of citizens in case of malignant neoplasms. Until now, surgeries were carried out on the principle of co-payment within the framework of the state order. We were informed by the Ministry of Health that the operations will be performed in those medical facilities that meet the requirements and have an oncology license. It should be noted that for a long time, a number of citizens have been calling “Zhoghovurd” daily and asking when the free surgeries will start. It turns out that they don’t even get the answers they are interested in from medical institutions. Until then, let’s note that cancer surgery will be free of charge in those hospitals that will sign the contract with the Ministry. And in this case, the medical center will not be able to perform surgeries in case of cancer diseases on a paid basis.”

There will be no extra-budgetary funds, the bonus is 30% of the salary fund. Deputy of the National Assembly

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There will be no more extra-budgetary funds in state structures. NA Vice President Lena Nazaryan wrote about this on her Facebook page, informing that Finance Minister Atom Janjughazyan came to the NA at the invitation of the “My Step” faction, with whom they discussed a number of issues related to the issue of bonuses and amendments to the Tax Code for about 5 hours.

Nazaryan informed about what changes decisions were made in the matter of bonus payments. 

“1. There will be no more extra-budgetary funds in state structures. (Only the Ministry of Defense may be an exception). It is mainly from these funds that gratuities have been provided for years, and no upper limit of gratuities has been set for a public servant. 

2. According to the 2019 budget, a gratuity fund in the amount of 30 percent of the salary fund will be provided for each state institution. 

3. The Civil Service Office drafts a government decree to regulate the distribution of bonuses. I think the most important question of this kind concerns the setting of an upper limit for each position, so that the manager is limited to that limit when giving bonuses to himself and the employees. 

4. At the earliest opportunity, we will initiate a change in the Law on Public Service, so that the amount of the bonus payment can also be seen in the published declaration.

p.c. In the last 10 years, there has not been as much change in the provision of bonuses as there has been in the last three weeks,” wrote the NA vice president.

Azerbaijan has always rejected the Madrid principles. Ashotyan

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Discussions on the Karabakh conflict have been ongoing in recent days. Armen Ashotyan, vice-chairman of the Republican Party from Artsakh, also referred to Samvel Babayan’s statement and the harsh reactions that followed, noting that the Madrid principles were always rejected by Azerbaijan.

“The harsh reaction to the misinformation actions regarding the consultation held in Artsakh in 2016 with the participation of Serzh Sargsyan was not too late. Many government and political figures of Artsakh put an end to these speculations.

However, the attempt to muddy the waters continues. In response to the fresh illiteracy of those who are several light years away from the negotiation process and politics and those who spread this joke, I would like to stress only two things:

1. Azerbaijan has always rejected the Madrid principles.

2. The Madrid principles or any recommendations based on them have never been signed.

It can be assumed that, in addition to internal Armenian developments, the political processes taking place in Artsakh are also fraught with dangerous perspectives on the Artsakh issue. But remember, gentlemen, that this is not the right time to show your local interests at the expense of national issues,” Ashotyan wrote on his Facebook page.


To remind, Samvel Babayan, in fact, accused the active figures of the Artsakh liberation struggle of keeping Serzh Sargsyan’s so-called “compromising line”, and as the figures of the movement represent, Sargsyan did not talk about concessions, but at their suggestion, he referred in detail to the ongoing negotiations on the Artsakh issue, presented the position and main approaches of the mediators, Azerbaijan, as well as the policy implemented by Armenia.

RFE/RL Armenian Report – 02/07/2019

                                        Thursday, 
Kocharian’s Appeal Against Arrest Rejected
        • Naira Nalbandian
ARMENIA -- Then Armenian President Robert Kocharian talks to the media at a 
polling station in Yerevan, February 19, 2008
Armenia’s Court of Appeals upheld on Thursday a lower court’s decision to 
extend the pretrial detention of former President Robert Kocharian prosecuted 
on coup charges.
A district court in Yerevan allowed investigators on January 18 to keep 
Kocharian under arrest for two more months, refusing to free him on bail. The 
64-year-old ex-president appealed against that ruling.
One of Kocharian’s lawyers, Hayk Alumian, denounced the higher court’s decision 
to reject the appeal. “This is a 100 percent political decision which was made 
as a result of a political order,” he told reporters. “There is zero 
jurisprudence behind this decision.”
Alumian said his client will challenge the decision in the higher Court of 
Cassation as well as the European Court of Human Rights.
Kocharian was arrested on December 7 on charges of overthrowing the 
constitutional order just weeks before serving out his second and final 
presidential term in April 2008. The Special Investigative Service (SIS) says 
that he illegally used Armenian army units against opposition supporters who 
protested against alleged fraud in the February 2008 presidential election. It 
denies any political motives behind the high-profile case.
The SIS has brought the same charges against three retired army generals, 
including former Defense Minister Mikael Harutiunian. But it has not arrested 
any of them.
Kocharian, who ruled Armenia for ten years, ordered army units into central 
Yerevan on March 1, 2008 amid vicious clashes between protesters and security 
forces trying to disperse them. Eight protesters and two policemen were killed 
in that violence.
Kocharian again defended his actions when he spoke in the Court of Appeals last 
week. He said that he only ordered the generals to “ensure the army’s 
neutrality” during the post-election political crisis in the country.
Another Western Firm Invests In Armenian Mining Sector
        • Emil Danielyan
Armenia - The Kapan Mining and Processing Company, September 5, 2018.
A British-based company has paid $55 million to buy a major gold and copper 
mine in Armenia from a Russian metals group.
The company, Chaarat Gold, is the largest Western investor to move into Armenia 
since last spring’s “velvet revolution” that replaced the country’s former 
government with a more reform-minded and democratically elected administration.
“Clearly our decision to come here straight after the revolution tells you that 
… we believe in the positive change that the revolution has brought to the 
country,” Chaarat’s chief executive, Artem Volynets, told RFE/RL’s Armenian 
service on Thursday. “We think it’s good to be in an open and transparent 
society.”
“We believe in transparency and doing things properly in the same way that 
people in this country believed in transparency when they initiated the 
revolution,” Volynets said in an interview.
Chaarat completed the acquisition from Russia’s Polymetal group of the Kapan 
Mining and Processing Company on February 1. The company currently employing 
about 1,000 people mines gold, copper, silver and zinc near the southeastern 
Armenian town of Kapan. It reported more than $20 million in earnings last year.
Chaarat is registered in the British Virgin Islands, headquartered in London 
and listed on the London Stock Exchange’s Alternative Investment Market trading 
platform. Its largest shareholder is Martin Andersson, a Swedish investor who 
has a 33.5 percent stake in the company. Switzerland’s UBS Group AG and a 
state-owned Chinese mining firm are among its smaller shareholders.
Volynets said the purchase of the Kapan mine is part of Chaarat’s plans to 
create “one of the leading gold producing companies in the former Soviet 
Union.” “We currently have two very large [gold] deposits in the Kyrgyz 
Republic which will form the base of our first cluster,” he explained. “The 
acquisition of Kapan is a logical step in that strategy.”
Armenia - An ore-processing facility at the Kapan Mining and Processing 
Company, September 6, 2018.
Chaarat, Volynets went on, views Armenia as the “second cluster” of its 
operations and could make further investments in the Armenian mining sector, 
which generated more than 40 percent of the country’s exports worth $2.4 
billion in 2018. “If our experience in Kapan will prove to be a successful one, 
we will look at other opportunities,” he said.
Armenia’s largest mining enterprise, the Zangezur Copper-Molybdenum Combine 
(ZCMC), is located in Kajaran, a smaller town about 15 kilometers west of 
Kapan. It has more than 4,000 employees. The German metals group Cronimet 
officially owns 75 percent of ZCMC.
Another major Western player in the sector is the British-American company 
Lydian International which had been granted the exclusive right to develop a 
large gold deposit in the southeastern Vayots Dzor province. Lydian has faced 
an uncertain future in Armenia since the “velvet revolution.”
All roads leading to the Amulsar deposit have been blocked since June 2018 by 
several dozen people protesting against gold mining operations there which they 
say are fraught with serious risks to the environment. Lydian, which claims to 
have invested more than $300 million in Amulsar, has dismissed these concerns, 
saying that it will use modern and safe technology. The company has repeatedly 
demanded an end to what it considers an illegal blockage.
U.S. diplomats have warned that continued disruption of Lydian’s operations 
could scare away other American investors interested in Armenia. Nevertheless, 
the Armenian government and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian in particular have 
not ruled out the possibility of revoking Lydian’s mining license.
Chaarat’s Volynets said he is aware of the situation around Amulsar. “We 
believe that if we do things right … we should be fine,” he said when asked 
about its potential implications for his company.
Volynets insisted that Chaarat will stick to “global standards” for 
environmental protection in its mining and ore-processing operations in 
Armenia. He said its most immediate task is to “reinforce” the Kapan mine’s 
toxic waste disposal dump located just outside the industrial town.
“Mining companies operate in many developed countries, whether it’s the United 
States, Canada or Australia,” argued the Chaarat CEO. “The important thing is 
to be responsible for your actions in terms of health safety and environment, 
and that is very much at the forefront of our activities.”
Ter-Petrosian Also Questioned In 2008 Violence Probe
        • Gayane Saribekian
Armenia - Former President Levon Ter-Petrosian at an election campaign rally, 
February 13, 2008.
Former President Levon Ter-Petrosian was questioned by an 
Armenian-law-enforcement body on Thursday as a witness in its ongoing 
investigation into the 2008 post-election violence in Yerevan.
His press secretary, Arman Musinian, told RFE/RL’s Armenian service that the 
interrogation lasted for around 90 minutes. Musinian gave no other details.
Ter-Petrosian, who served as Armenia’s first president from 1991-1998, was the 
main opposition candidate in a presidential held in February 2008. He staged 
nonstop street protests in Yerevan after rejecting as fraudulent official vote 
results that gave victory to Serzh Sarkisian, outgoing President Robert 
Kocharian’s preferred successor.
Security forces broke up those protests on March 1, 2008. Eight protesters and 
two policemen died in street clashes that broke out in Yerevan on that day.
Citing the deadly violence, Kocharian declared a state of emergency and ordered 
Armenian army units into the capital. He accused Ter-Petrosian of attempting to 
forcibly seize power. Dozens of Ter-Petrosian allies, including Armenia’s 
current Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian, were subsequently jailed on charges of 
organizing “mass disturbances” which they strongly denied.
Ter-Petrosian rejected the official version of events, saying that Kocharian 
resorted to lethal force to enforce the official results of a rigged election.
The Special Investigative Service (SIS) blamed the Ter-Petrosian-led opposition 
for the violence until last spring’s “velvet revolution” which brought 
Pashinian to power. It now says that Kocharian illegally used army units 
against the protesters.
Kocharian, who denies the accusations as politically motivated, was arrested in 
December. Sarkisian’s Republican Party of Armenian strongly condemned the 
arrest, saying that Pashinian is exacting “personal revenge” against the man 
who ruled the county from 1998-2008.
Sarkisian was reportedly questioned by the SIS late last week.
New Government Program Too Vague For Armenian Opposition Party
        • Tatevik Lazarian
Armenia - Parliament deputy Gevorg Gorgisian speaks to RFE/RL, October 20, 2017.
A senior opposition lawmaker strongly criticized a five-year policy program of 
the Armenian government on Thursday, saying that it is short on specifics and 
sets very few socioeconomic targets.
Gevorg Gorgisian of the Bright Armenia Party (LHK) insisted that the 70-page 
program does not substantiate Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s pledges to carry 
out an “economic revolution” in the country.
The document laying out the government’s priorities and policies was made 
public on Wednesday two months after Pashinian’s My Step alliance won snap 
parliamentary elections by a landslide. The government is expected formally 
adopt and send it to the parliament for approval on Friday.
The program says, among other things, that the Armenian economy will grow by at 
least 5 percent annually thanks to government efforts to improve the business 
environment, spur exports and attract more foreign investment. It promises 
“substantial” decreases in poverty and unemployment but sets no concrete 
targets.
Gorgisian dismissed the action plan as a collection of “nice wishes” not backed 
up by concrete figures and time frames for putting them into practice. “There 
is little substance there, and it is very dangerous that it lacks specific 
provisions on many strategic security spheres,” he told reporters.
“Everyone can propose toasts,” said Gorgisian. “If you go to any wedding or 
birthday party you will hear as many toasts.”
Finance Minister Atom Janjughazian disagreed with the criticism, saying that 
the quality of such programs does not depend on the abundance or lack of 
socioeconomic figures. Parliament deputies representing My Step also defended 
the program.
One of those lawmakers, Nikolay Baghdasarian, said that the program does not 
have to be very specific. It should first and foremost present the government’s 
strategy of coping with various challenges facing Armenia, he said.
Gorgisian said that his party has not yet decided whether to vote against the 
program when it is debated by the National Assembly later this month. “That 
can’t be ruled out,” he said. “How else can you call on the government to sober 
up?”
The LHK controls 18 seats in the 132-member parliament, compared with 88 seats 
held by My Step. The remaining 26 seats are controlled by Gagik Tsarukian’s 
Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK), which also claims to be in opposition to 
Pashinian’s government.
A senior BHK deputy, Naira Zohrabian said that the party’s parliamentary group 
has not yet discussed the government program and will therefore not comment on 
it for now.
Press Review
“Zhoghovurd” condemns as “disgusting” the behavior during a court hearing on 
Wednesday of members of the Sasna Tsrer armed group that seized a police 
station in Yerevan in 2016. “Having claimed three human lives during the 
seizure of the police base, the Sasna Tsrer members tried to present themselves 
as heroes and justify their deeds with their ‘right to revolt’ for the purpose 
of ‘saving the homeland’ and restoring the constitutional order,” reports the 
paper. It says that the members of the group set free following the “velvet 
revolution” still “do not realize the gravity of their actions or even try to 
show remorse.” On the contrary, it says, they are proud of their deadly attack 
on the Erebuni police facility.
Lragir.am says that the leadership of Kosovo is ready for a land swap with 
Serbia for the sake of its eventual membership in the European Union. 
“Coincidentally, almost the same statement has been made by the prime minister 
of Moldova,” writes the publication. “Kosovo, Serbia and Moldova are the most 
real candidates to join the EU in the near future. Territorial disputes are the 
biggest obstacles on that path and the statements by the prime ministers of 
Kosovo and Moldova mean that these countries are prepared to give up disputed 
territories for the sake of European integration.” The publication speculates 
that the West may also offer Azerbaijan to drop its claim to Nagorno-Karabakh 
in return for major benefits.
“Zhamanak” says that although Gagik Tsarukian’s Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) 
was driven out of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s government in October some 
BHK members still hold government positions. “In particular, the BHK’s deputy 
chairman, Armen Arzumanian, is a deputy minister of communications, transport 
and information technology,” writes the paper. “Other BHK members work as 
deputy governors or hold other state posts. This raises a logical question: is 
the BHK is a semi-governing or semi-opposition force now?”
(Lilit Harutiunian)
Reprinted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
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