Category: News

On Sunday, 10 May 2015, the Office of the Armenian Community Representative, Vartkes Mahdessian, in co-operation with the Armenian Prelature of Cyprus, organised the eighth annual visit-pilgrimage to the Sourp Magar Monastery (Magaravank), Gibrahayer EMagazine reports.

The first time was on 6 May 2007, when the Armenian-Cypriot community visited the occupied Armenian Monastery after 33 years. According to the Representative’s Office, around 100 Armenian-Cypriots visited the Monastery on Sunday, some of whom came especially from abroad.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is providing $4 million for a pilot project which will enable Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, to modernise its street lighting system by introducing new energy-efficient technologies.

The EBRD’s sovereign loan will be on-lent to the Street Lighting Company owned by the city of Yerevan. The loan is expected to be complemented by a capital grant of up to $2 million from the Eastern Europe Energy Efficiency and Environment Partnership (E5P). Technical cooperation for project preparation was financed by the TaiwanBusiness-EBRD Technical Cooperation Fund and the EBRD’s own resources.

Yerevan has a population of 1.1 million, roughly one-third of the total population of Armenia, and the street lighting network consists of old, inefficient and environmentally polluting mercury-based lights. The heavy-metal based content of the current lighting system contributes to energy waste and is a considerable environmental hazard. Due to the antiquated condition of the current system and the high percentage of lights that are not working, large parts of the city are not sufficiently illuminated.

To overcome this problem the pilot project will introduce new energy-efficient LED lighting, a control and monitoring system, pole replacement and renovation as well as power cable replacement. This will result in better service quality and improved environmental standards due to reduced energy consumption and the minimisation of operating and maintenance costs. Lighter streets will also be safer for pedestrians and motorists alike.

Mark Davis, EBRD Head of Office in Yerevan, said: “We welcome this project and are pleased to support it with financial means as well as technical assistance. The new street lighting will contribute to Yerevan’s goal of reducing its CO₂ emissions, while at the same time significantly reducing the city’s energy bill. In addition, the project will contribute to the comfort and safety of residents.”

Since the start of its operations in Armenia in 1992, the EBRD has invested over €900 million in more than 135 projects in the country’s financial, corporate, infrastructure and energy sectors, with 87 per cent of investments being in the private sector.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu briefly crossed into Syria on Sunday to visit the tomb of a revered Ottoman figure, Euronews reports.

He then vowed Turkey’s flag would fly there forever. The Syrian government condemned what it described as Davutoglu’s “infiltration” without its permission

The tomb of Suleyman Shah, grandfather of the founder of the Ottoman Empire, had originally been situated further inside Syria but was relocated to within a few hundred metres of the border in February in a Turkish military operation.

— where the remains of Suleyman Shah, the grandfather of the first Ottoman Sultan, are held in a tomb — to evacuate the tomb and some 40 guards, who had come under siege by Islamic State fighters.

Following evacuations, the contents of the tomb were moved to the village of Esme, closer to Turkey but still in Syrian territory under Kurdish control and, in addition, a major site along a route on which Ottoman forces led Armenians in death marches during the Armenian Genocide.

President Francois Hollande has become the first French leader to visit Cuba in more than a century, the BBC reports.

He is also the first Western leader to visit the Communist island since a diplomatic thaw between Cuba and the US was announced in December.

Mr Hollande is due to meet his Cuban counterpart, Raul Castro, later on Monday.

The French leader is travelling with a delegation of ministers and business executives.

A bizarre steel statue showing an Ottoman prince taking a selfie with a smart phone while grasping his sword has raised eyebrows in a historic Turkish town – only to be physically attacked hours later, the  reports, quoting Doğan News Agency.
The municipality in the Black Sea province of Amasya erected the unconventional statue on the shore of the town’s Yeşilırmak River on May 9.
In the Ottoman era, Amasya served as one of the cities to which sultans sent their young sons, titled “Shahzade,” to learn how to govern.
Amasya Deputy Mayor Osman Akbaş said the steel statue did not depict any particular “Shahzade.”
“We built it for a purely visual purpose. We thought it would draw attention,” Akbaş said.

The statue indeed drew attention as scores of tourists flocked to the area to take their own selfies with the Ottoman prince, hours after reports of the statue appeared in the media.

However, on May 10 unidentified assailants broke off the cellphone feature on the statue.

Forces loyal to Libya’s internationally recognized government said on Monday they shelled a Turkish ship off the Libyan coast after it was warned not to approach, and one crew member was killed in what Turkey described as a “contemptible attack,” Reuters reports.

Libya is in a state of violent factional chaos with two rival governments backed by various armed groups vying for control of the oil-producing North African state including its ports, four years after rebels overthrew Muammar Gaddafi.

The dry cargo ship was targeted about 10 miles from the coast on Sunday after it was told not to break a ban on approaching the eastern city of Derna, Libyan military spokesman Mohamed Hejazi told Reuters.

The forces of Libya’s internationally recognized government have said they will hit any ships approaching Derna to stop supplies getting to Islamist militants based there.

The Turkish foreign ministry said the vessel was shelled as it approached the nearby Mediterranean port of Tobruk and then attacked from the air as it tried to leave the area.

The third officer on the Cook Islands-chartered Tuna-1 vessel died and other crew members were wounded in the attacks, according to the Turkish statement.

On Saturday, its opening day, the jury of the 56th Venice Biennale announced the winners of the international art festival. Armenia was awarded the Golden Lion for its pavilion presenting works by the Armenian diaspora on the 100th anniversary of the mass killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks.

Regardless the petition and the appeals of Armenians of Istanbul, on May 6 the Turkish authorities destroyed the camp-orphanage located in the Tuzla district of Istanbul, where among many Armenian orphans Hrant Dink, founder of the Turkish-Armenian Agos newspaper who was murdered in 2007 and his wife Raquel Dink used to work and live for decades.  The destruction of the orphanage was suspended by the intervention of citizens, including Karo Balyan, Sezin Uchari and Ali Tcheliqi, opposition candidate members to the Parliament from Peoples’ Democratic Party.

According to Agos, in the morning of May 6th construction machines entered into the premises of Camp Armen and started destroying the building despite the recent protest against the destruction of the Camp initiated through internet.

Camp Armen was one of the most symbolic and important property belonging to the Armenian community and confiscated by Turkish authorities. In 1915, after the Armenian Genocide, there was no school left in Western Armenia and more than 1500 Armenian orphans were living in the camp and being taught the Armenian language.

The destrcution of Armen Kamp coincides with the strong reactions on the part of Turkish against the condemnation of the Armenian Genocide by Pope Francis I on April 12, during the famous Vatican mass dedicated to the Centenary  of the Armenian genocide, the condemnation of the Armenian Genocide by the German president on April 15, the EU Parliament’s call to Turkey to show moderation subject of the Armenian Genocide on April 22, the Austian Parliament’s recognition and condemnation the Armenian Genocide and its call to Turkey, considering the recognition of the historic complicity as a precondition for reconciliation etc.

The Assembly of Armenians of Europe (AAE) condemns Turkey’s consistent pressure against Armenians and the persistent and non-constructive approach, which was reflected in its provocative attitude by transfering the Dardanelles celebrations from March 18 to April 24. This was not only a dishonoring act and an offense towards 1,5 million Armenian victims, but also to the whole civilized world.

We call upon world’s and Turkey’s leaders to condemn the extremist and irresponsible attitude of the Turkish authorities and to show solidarity to the Armenian survivors living in their countries. Turkey’s aggression and discrimination against the Armenian community and other national and religious minorities must be condemned.

AAE believes that such provocative and intolerent policy adopted by Turkey will lead to instability and agitations and will generate a new wave of national hatred and tension. We shouldn’t forget about Turkey’s everyday violations of human rights and freedom of speech and the fact that the number of imprisoned journalists is higher in it than in any other country of the world. The Assesmbly of Armenians of Europe expresses its gratitude to the countries and international organizations that have adopted a positive stance concerning the issue of the Armenian Genocide and the Turkish intellectuals, journalists and writers for  their solidarity to the Armenian people despite of the many threats that they face.

Dear compatriots,

Dear veterans of the Great Patriotic and Artsakh Liberation Wars,

Respected generals, officers and soldiers of the Defense Army,

On behalf of the republic’s authorities and myself personally I cordially congratulate you on the 70^th anniversary of the Victory, the Day of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic Defense Army and the Liberation of Shushi.

70 years ago the Artsakh people also had a worthy contribution in forging the glorious victory against the Nazism, one of the greatest evils in the human history. Our compatriots were distinguished by their heroism and courage, endurance and dedication both in the battlefield and the rear. Tens of thousands of Artsakh people went to the war, half of them did not return. Eternal honor and glory to all our martyrs! Their memory will always remain bright in the history of our people.

We are deeply grateful to our brave fathers and grandfathers for their heroic path, for the lessons of patriotism and selflessness taught to us. These lessons were studied well by further generations that forged victories decades after the Great Patriotic during in the Artsakh Liberation War. Together with Mother Armenia and our world-spread sisters and brothers we defended the freedom and independence of Artsakh, peace and tranquility of our native people, liberated the ancient fortress of Shushi and laid solid foundations for new victories.

In the hearth of this struggle the Nagorno Karabakh Republic Defense Army, the pride and glory of the whole Armenian nation and the main guarantor of our security, was born. The army continues to fulfill the tasks set before it with dignity, giving a worthy counter stroke to the enemy’s encroachments and keeping impregnable the Fatherland’s borders.

Due to our people’s freedom-loving spirit and strong will we registered great successes and achievements during the years of independence. Only in this way, united and consolidated, we are able to solve the issues we are facing, bring to life various programs and achieve the realization of national goals.

Dear compatriots,

I once again congratulate all of us on this glorious Triple Holiday and wish peaceful, prosperous and victorious path to our heroic people and Motherland.

Dear compatriots,

I cordially congratulate you on the occasion of Victory and Peace Day.

Today is a special jubilee day. It marks the 70th anniversary of the historic victory in the Great Patriotic War. It was the crushing blow of the multinational Soviet army that decided the outcome of the war in Europe in May 1945.

From fighting on the frontline and in guerilla detachments to getting involved in underground and resistance activities, Armenians brought their contributions towards the total defeat of Nazi forces. We struggled in the trench of justice, freedom and humanism against an anti-humanistic ideology, violence and vandalism. By fighting heroically on various fronts and working in the rear day and night, we thus defended our homeland, Armenia, as well.

This victory afforded the Armenian people who had survived the genocide real and broad opportunities for peaceful work and reconstruction and for their total revival.

It was a symbolic coincidence that on the same day in May 1992 the ancient Armenian fortress town of Sushi was liberated. Following the example of their fathers and grandfathers, our modern-day heroes repeated their ancestors’ feat, fighting in the same trench of justice, freedom and humanism against Armenophobia, violence and vandalism.

I once again congratulate all of us on this great holiday. Peace to the world and peace to our country!