Category: News

Swiss prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation into Sepp Blatter, the head of football’s world governing body Fifa, the BBC reports.

The attorney general’s office said he was suspected of criminal mismanagement or misappropriation over a TV rights deal and of a “disloyal payment” to European football chief Michel Platini.

Mr Blatter was being questioned, and his office was searched, it added.

Fifa said it was co-operating with the investigation.

Mr Blatter, 79, has run Fifa since 1998 and has always denied any wrongdoing.

President Serzh Sargsyan received today the delegation headed by Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches. The meeting was also joined by His Beatitude Gregory Petros XX Gabroyan, the newly elected Catholicos-Patriarch of the Armenian Catholic Church.

Armenia’s president welcomed the guests and expressed satisfaction with the fact that more than a 20-year history of diplomatic relations between Armenia and Vatican City has always been characterized by high-level political dialogue. The president stated that Cardinal Sandri’s visit is a striking illustration of the fact that Armenian-Vaticanian relations has always been the center of mutual care and continue to strengthen.

Serzh Sargsyan greatly appreciated Cardinal Leonardo Sandri’s own major contribution to the reinforcement of bilateral interstate relations, noting that he is aware of the cardinal’s attention and care for the issues of great concern to the Armenian people.

At the meeting, President Serzh Sargsyan awarded Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, the Order of Friendship for the protection of spiritual values, making a significant contribution to the strengthening of bilateral ties between Armenia and the Holy See, as well as for his active pro-Armenian activities.

“We are grateful for your personal devotion and great support. Please accept, Your Excellency, this honor, as a symbol of our deep gratitude. The Armenian people highly esteem the names that have showed concern for their problems across history, that have ever been involved in dealing with them,” said the RA president.

Serzh Sargsyan noted that it is hard to overestimate Vatican City’s role not only in the consolidation of the Christian world, but also in the protection of human rights, maintenance of tolerance, mutual understanding and peace. He stated that it is vividly illustrated by the fact of Vatican City’s recognition of the Armenian Genocide which was a step aimed at restoring the historical justice and was a tribute to those Armenian Christians who fell prey to the terrific crimes committed in Ottoman Turkey. Armenia’s president said that the impressions of the prayer offered by the Pope in April in memory of the Armenian Genocide victims will remain in the Armenian people’s memory for many years to come.

Serzh Sargsyan mentioned that the Armenian people are very proud of the fact that throughout the 2000-year history of the Catholic Church, Saint Gregory of Narek, a son of the Armenian people and a genius of Medieval thought, joined the 36 greatest thinkers who received the title “Doctor of the Church.”

At the meeting, the parties attached great importance to the promotion of cultural cooperation between Armenia and Vatican City. They welcomed the steps taken in this direction, expressing satisfaction with the fact that the cooperation between the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and the Holy See has always remained at a high level.

Cardinal Sandri expressed his gratitude for the honor accorded to him and for the warm welcome, noting that he accepted such gesture in the spirit of profound esteem and friendship, which linked him to the sons and daughters of Armenia’s noble land. “Over the years, both in my service as Substitute of the Secretary of State and now as the Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Studies, I have had occasion to participate in events which exemplify the friendship and collaboration between your Country and the Holy See: the commemoration of 1700 years of the Baptism of Armenia, with the memorable voyage of Saint John Paul II; the placing of a statue of Saint Gregory the Illuminator in a niche of the Vatican Basilica; the naming in his honor of a courtyard of the same Basilica; various visits to the Pontiffs, such as those of the Catholicos, His Holiness Karekin II; and also the prayer, led by Pope Francis and witnessed by the entire world, at the Altar of the Confession of Saint Peter last 12 April, on the occasion of the commemoration of the victims of Metz Yeghern.

We can truly call this a profound friendship, and I welcome this honor which is accorded me today as a sign of this close bond between the Republic of Armenia and the Supreme Pontiff and the Apostolic See.

I recognize that it is bestowed not so much on my person, but even more on His Holiness Pope Francis. Indeed, it is an honor for all those who love Armenia, a Country so proud of its Christian identity and also magnanimous in its openness to peoples and cultures, respectful of man and his rights in the concert of Nations,” said Cardinal Sandri at the meeting with the RA president.

Cardinal Sandri handed over the Gold Medal of Pope Francis to the RA President.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has phoned British singer Elton John and proposed a meeting if their timetables coincide, Putin’s spokesman told Russian news agencies on Thursday, Reuters reports.

John had previously asked to speak to Putin about gay rights in Russia, but had fallen victim to pranksters who impersonated Putin on the phone.

This time, Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said a phone call had really taken place and that the Russian leader had asked John not to be offended by the earlier prank, which had been carried out by comedians and later broadcast on Russian television.

The French Armenian International Network (FAIR) was officially launched at a solemn ceremony at Rhône-Alpes Regional Parliament attended by President of the Rhône-Alpes Regional Council Jean-Jack Queyranne, Armenian Ambassador to France Vigen Chitechyan, ex-Ambassador of France to Armenia Henri Reynaud, a number of French Armenian and French businessmen, officials and journalists.

President of the association Aramazd Abedi said entrepreneurs representing different fields of economy will be involved in the activities of the structure.

Vice-President Hilda Tchoboian said the association aims to promote economic
synergies between the business entrepreneurs of the Rhone-Alpes region and their
counterparts in Armenia for the creation of a regional hub providing access to the region’s
markets, such as Georgia, Iran, and other CIS countries.

The worldwide networking of FAIR shall include the still-untapped economic potential of the Armenian diaspora, from the Middle-East countries to the Americas, as well as the countries of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union.

Ambassador Chitechyan said the Association will help promote the existing economic cooperation between Armenia and France, taking note of the new realities. He added that Armenia’s membership in the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) will provide French companies with an access to EEU markets.

The Ambassador stressed that “Armenia is ready to support the association by creating favorable conditions for all interested parties.”

The Supreme Election Board has rejected an application from incarcerated intellectual Sevan Nisanyan to run as a deputy candidate representing the Liberal Democratic Party in the upcoming Nov. 1 general election, Today’s Zaman reports. 

The Armenian-Turkish linguist is currently serving a sentence of 11 years after being found guilty of violating Law No. 2863 on Protection of Cultural and Natural Heritage by “deliberately causing harm to the protection of immovable cultural heritage.” Nisanyan was handed the sentence after building an extension to his home in the Aegean village of Sirince that was deemed to violate the Cultural and Natural Heritage Protection Act, under which his house is protected.

“The Supreme Election Board has informed us that Sevan Nişanyan will not be a candidate due to [having built an extension without a permit]. We knew it would be difficult to make Nisanyan a candidate but still, it is important to draw attention to the fact that he will be spending years in jail for not obtaining a stamp of approval,” Tarik Beyhan, the deputy secretary general of the LDP, told the Diken news portal.

Nisanyan is known for his outspoken criticism of the government and many commentators have alleged that his prison sentence is politically motivated. Beyhan once again repeated the claim that the extension to his house was used as an excuse to incarcerate him and added that it was important for the LDP to draw attention to the injustice.

President Serzh Sargsyan attended today the opening ceremony of Dilijan Central School which is another major contribution to the community development in Dilijan.

The school opening was conducted by Father Mesrop Aramyan, Cofounder of the Ayb Educational Foundation and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Ayb Learning Hub Foundation, and by the Chairman of the Central Bank of Armenia (CBA), Arthur Javadyan.

The president toured the newly-opened educational institution, familiarized himself with the conditions, educational programs and the teaching methodology aimed at the comprehensive development of children.

Dilijan Central School was established in 2013 by the Ayb Educational Foundation in cooperation with the CBA. It is a general education school designed for up to 160 pupils of 1-9th classes.

The entry of Dilijan Central School into the RA education system has created an urban model of school available not only to CBA employers, but also to other children of families living in Dilijan.

According to the executives, with its ideology and vision, school curriculum, teaching methodology and approaches, and with its teacher and pupil admission policy, the school is totally synchronized with Yerevan’s Ayb elementary and middle schools. The Ayb educational foundation is also in charge of the school management and the introduction of educational content corresponding to Ayb’s standards.

The construction of the school and its operation is entirely financed by the CBA.
The territory of Dilijan Central School also houses a fab lab, an industrial research lab, which has been established in cooperation with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The lab will serve school pupils, as well as pupils, students and creative people from Dilijan and nearby cities.

During the tour, President Serzh Sargsyan was informed that presently more than 80% of 119 pupils studying at school and 24% of the school employees are from Dilijan, 22% of the employees has moved from Yerevan to Dilijan with their families, 13% of the employees are from Armenia’s other marzes, and the remained employees combine their jobs in Yerevan and Dilijan.

President Serzh Sargsyan attended today the official consecration ceremony of Holy Martyrs Armenian Catholic Church, an episcopal residence, in Gyumri. The ceremony was held as part of the commemoration of the Armenian Genocide Centennial. The church is named “Holy Martyrs” in memory of the Holy martyrs of the Armenian Genocide.

The sacred ceremony was attended by RA government officials, heads of diplomatic missions and international organizations accredited to Armenia, members of the Synod of Bishops of the Armenian Catholic Church, as well as by the sponsors of the church construction and worldly guests from different countries.

The ceremony was co-conducted by His Eminence Leonardo Sandri, Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, and His Beatitude Gregory Petros XX Gabroyan, newly elected Catholicos-Patriarch of the Armenian Catholic Church.

On the occasion of the church opening, Papal Nuncio Bishop Marek Solczynski read the message of Pope Francis, Bishop of Rome, and the episcopal delegation of Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin presented the patriarchal blessings of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians.

It was S. E. Archbishop Nerses Der-Nersessian of blessed memory, the first primate of the Ordinariate of the Armenian Catholic Church in Armenia, Georgia, Russia and Eastern Europe, who pursued a goal to build an Armenian Catholic church in Gyumri as an episcopal residence. The preparatory actions were continued by second Primate S. E. Archbishop Nshan Karakeheeyan, construction works started in 2010 during the service of H. Vahan Ohanyan, an apostolic delegate, with the blessing of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians and with the support of the RA government. The church is designed by architect Hakob Jivanyan. 

The church construction was continued and finished by S. E. Archbishop Rafael Minasyan who took the office of primate in 2011. It was his decision to name the church Holy Martyrs as a symbol of the Armenian Genocide Centennial to keep the martyrs’ memories alive forever.

The chief supporters of the construction of Holy Martyrs Church are the Holy See, the Council of Oriental Churches, the Italian Synod of Bishops, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Renovabis, Kirche in Not, the Archdiocese of Cologne, the association Work in the East, Rome’s Levonian Pontifical College, St Vlas Church, and the Caporale family from Italy.

Within the frames of the Armenian Genocide Centennial, a cross-stone to martyrs has been erected in the yard of Holy Martyrs Church.

A leading House Democrat is urging members of the committee charged with awarding Nobel Peace prizes to grant the honor to Pope Francis, reports.

California Rep. Adam Schiff will began circulating Wednesday a letter among his House colleagues that calls for the pope to be given the highly-touted humanitarian award for using his “pulpit to exhort people and nations around the world to conduct their affairs with spirituality, morality and integrity.”

“Pope Francis has been a powerful advocate for peace, urging an end to conflict and support for constitutive ties among nations,” Schiff wrote. “He has called on the world to use diplomacy and discussion to solve disputes, rather than military force, coercion or intimidation. This commitment to nonviolence, which the Pope has put into practice every day through his words and actions, is at the core of the principles behind the Nobel Peace Prize.”

Pope Francis is in Washington this week to meet with President Barack Obama and give a joint address to Congress.

Democrats have praised the pope, who was elected in 2013, for speaking out on climate change, immigration and forgiveness for those who have lived outside the traditional tenants of the Catholic Church.

Lawmakers have also thanked the pope for being a leading advocate to push countries to accept a series of migrants fleeing the Middle East for Europe.

Schiff wrote in the letter that Pope Francis’ compassion for the refugees solidifies his credential for the Nobel Peace Prize.

“As the world struggles to cope with a flood of refugees not seen since the end of World War II, the Pope has emerged as perhaps the leading advocate for relief,” he wrote. “The Pontiff has called on the international community to respond meaningfully to this unsurpassed humanitarian disaster. His compassion has also taken the concrete form of inviting a Syrian refugee family to reside in his residence at the Vatican.”

The Armenian Genocide Museum Institute has obtained a rare original photo taken by an unknown photographer in 1915.

The photo depicts homeless Armenian orphans wandering in the streets of Diyarbakir and Austrian soldiers giving them bread.

Hayk Demoyan, Director of the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute, uploaded the photo on his Facebook page.

Most likely, the photo was taken by German servicemen, as it was discovered in Germany.