Category: News

Life on the Outskirts: Margara village would be first to enjoy open border
May 7, 2004
By Gayane Lazarian
ArmeniaNow reporter
Along a 15-kilometer stretch of the Armavir region, a barbed wire fence and
the Araks river separates Armenia from Turkey, with the village of Margara
the last spot on the Armenian side.
Villagers think the village will profit if the border with Tukey is opened.
“See, that is the bridge and that is a Turkish soldier,” says Deputy Head of
Margara village Gharib Tadevosyan, pointing to a frontier guard post.
He explains that the village Alijan, which can be seen over there, was once
Armenian.
People of Margara grow up accustomed to military-guarded borders. Villagers
have friendly relations with soldiers. The 15 th station of frontier troops
of the Russian Federation is based in Margara.
Until 1994 non-residents of Margara, could enter the village only with
special permits and passes.
“Our girls couldn’t get married, because people who were not residents of
the village couldn’t come to see them,” villager Samvel Mirzoyan says. “For
that reason almost everyone in the village are in-law relatives to each
other.”
There are 400 households and 1100 residents in Margara. This year 24 births
have been registered.
“We love our village very much but the life is very passive here. It’s true,
we are people who keep the border but there is nothing interesting here,”
says Tadevosyan.
There is a cultural center in the village, but the roof is almost gone.
There is no kindergarten. There is a school for 240 students, but it has no
gym. Employees of the village government offices have not received salaries
for three years.
Gharib says when lands were distributed, families got 800 square meters
each. He complains that it isn’t enough, compared to what neighboring
villages got. Besides, the land itself is not so rich.
Villager Vachagan Asatryan moved to Margara from Spitak after the earthquake
of 1988.
He says Margara soil is too salty.
“People hardly work the land as the soil isn’t fertile,” Asatryan says.
“During Soviet times people used to add acid to the soil for increasing its
fertility. But now, who cares?”
Mirzoyan says the land has never been fertile, but that the village was
settled because of the river.
“Our grandfathers decided to go along the Araks and settle there. Fishery
was their primary occupation. They were living at the expense of fishing.
But now who will allow us to fish in the Araks?”
Villagers’ privatized lands are located behind the barbed wires within the
border. They can enter their own lands only with special permits.
“They open the fence in the morning at 9 o’clock and in the evening at 7 o’
clock they drive us out. We can’t fully use our day. We can’t work at
nights. But in summer our turn to get water often comes at night,” says
Mirzoyan, who argues that the river should be more accessible.
The village itself is in a depression created by a flood that in 1968
changed the center of the village.
May is always a dangerous month for Margara, when spring floods threaten.
Near the border bridge is a half-built construction. Tadevosyan says it was
supposed to have been a tourist camp.
“They say when Breznev was in power they wanted to open the bridge but
probably they didn’t come to agreement and left the works incomplete,” he
says.
Over the past year there have been official speculation on opening the
border with Turkey. Margara would be the first Armenian territory affected
by such a situation. Villagers are in favor of seeing it happen.
“We will be the first to make use of it,” Tadevosyan says. “If they open the
border the village will gain. One of the reasons is that there will be a lot
of new things to do. The trade will be developed, prices for the lands here
will increase and roads will be at last be reconstructed.”
Deputy head of Margara village Gharib Tadevosyan.
But he is interrupted by Mirzoyan who says villagers aren’t prepared for the
traffic of a border town. They don’t know how to manage business, run
restaurants, hotels, he argues.
And he tells of the history of other traffic through Margara.
“People used to pass the border and join Kurdish troops in the struggle
against the Turks. We heard it from our grandfathers,” he says. “Those who
were going to escape, told those who stayed in the village, that as soon as
they successfully reach the place they will light fire on the slopes of
Masis and smoke of the fire would mean they have reached the place without
problems. And it happened the way they told.”
Samvel says a prosperous life in the village would prove to the outer world
that Armenia is in good conditions.
“The sound of our school bell can be heard in Turkey. If our lights are
switched off at night our neighbors can clearly see. If the village lives
good it will be good for everyone. After all Margara, in some measure, is a
lock for the country. ”
In Margara storks live in concord with villagers and soldiers. As villagers
say, these birds in these latter days don’t leave the village even in
winters. They are like frontier guards, who are simple dressed in white.

Hometown Dispute: Family faces displacement over residency status
May 7, 2004
By Julia Hakobyan
ArmeniaNow reporter
Levon Galstyan’s family are not refugees of war, but of natural
disaster. They are Armenians who escaped Gyumri on December 9, 1988,
two days after earthquake ruined their home. The “Corncob”.
They came to Yerevan, where they moved into a landmark of the capital, the
“Corncob” building, officially known as Yerevan Youth Palace.
As aggressions intensified between Azerbaijan and Armenia over Karabakh,
hundreds of Armenians from Azerbaijan also moved into the hostel.
These 15 years later, the building, home for all the time to the Galystans
as well as the refugees, has been privatized. Twenty-nine refugee families
were paid between $5,000 and $10,000 to move out.
The Galstyans have gotten nothing. The three-member family says it faces
being homeless, unless an arbitration court finds them qualified to be paid
a displacement allotment relevant to real estate prices in Yerevan.
Authorities say the Galstyans must move back to Gyumri and apply for housing
there.
“We lived in Yerevan for 15 years and we have jobs here,” Levon Galstyan
says. “We will have no job and no home in Gyumri. All that we want is
compensation. It is not human to compensate all residents except us. If we
don’t have the refugee status it does not mean that we have to end up in the
street.”
The director of insolvency issues for the Youth Palace, Levon Hovanisyan,
says the Galstyans needn’t worry about being homeless, but should move back
to Gyumri, where they would be eligible for housing under earthquake relief
assistance programs.
“No one is going to move them out to the street. It is not that they have no
place to go. The problem is that they do not want to leave Yerevan,”
Hovanisyan says. “Other families from Gyumri agreed to take certificates and
leave. There is no law saying that if a person has lived in some city for
several years and has a job in that city he has the rights to have residency
pretensions.”
Levon, 43, his sister Susanna, 50, and their 83-year old mother lived in No.
310 of the Youth Palace. On weekends Levon, a musician by education, sells
the paintings of his brother who lives in Gyumri. Susanna works in a
library.
“My job in Yerevan feeds my family and the family of my brother,” Levon
says. “How am I am supposed to maintain them if I lose this work?”
The Galstyans are again facing the problem of moving out.
Levon and his mother have residency permits form Gyumri. Susanna, however,
has a stamp in her passport showing that her residence is the 20-square
meter flat in the Youth Palace. Hovanisyan questions how she got the stamp
for the property, which had belonged to the Ministry of Youth and Culture.
The Galstyans argue that their registration in Gyumri would provide only
$3,000 for housing.
“We can not buy a house for $3000 neither in Yerevan nor in Gyumri,” Levon
says. (In Yerevan one room apartments sell for an average of $7,000).
“Besides I have already checked that there are more than 2,000 families in
Gyumri, having acquired a housing certificate, cannot find an appropriate
house, . My brother, too, got the certificate after the earthquake but he
could not find a house and lives now in domik (temporary housing) in
Gyumri.”
The Galstyans’ appeal is currently being heard in court. Levon says the
family is not optimistic of a settlement in its favor.
“The family was suggested to take an apartment for four months free of
charge until they find the house by their certificate, but they refuse” says
Karine Petrosyan, the arbitration judge.
The family’s property is stored in the corridor of the hotel while they try
to maintain living in their unit.
The building, which includes a 500-bed hotel, a 1,200-seat concert hall,
gymnasiums and recording studios, was sold in January for about $740,000 to
Avantgarde Motor Company, distributors for Daimler Chrysler. The company
says it intends to spend $5 million on renovation, but will maintain the
building’s unique design.

Arts Digest : A capsule review and preview of art and entertainment in
Armenia
May 7, 2004
By Gayane Abrahamyan
ArmeniaNow arts reporter
THE PASSIONS O F SECTARIANS: A n agreement was reached on May 5 with
the leadership of Moscow and Nairi cinemas in Yerevan and the Ararat
Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC) that audiences
attending the film “The Passion of Christ” may be warned against
proselytizing by sectarian religious groups outside the cinema.
$1000 TO THE BEST: Tekeyan Cultural Union of Armenia will award “Vahan
Tekeyan” prize, a diploma, a medal and AMD equivalent to $1000 to the best
pieces of art, literature and science. The union restored its annual award,
adding three other branches, namely, architecture, TV-Radio journalism and
humanities, to its five basic nominations (literature, music, fine arts,
theatre, cinema). The works should be created during 2003.
According to Sergey Galstyan, vice-chairman of Tekeyan union, all works
should uncover Armenian mentality, reflect Armenian nature and artistic
views of Armenian life. They should support the development and expansion of
Armenian culture, literature and humanities.
COMPOSER’S ANNYVERSARY: The Union of Armenian Composers will hold a festival
in autumn dedicated to the 75 th anniversary of Armenian composer Avet
Terterian.
The chairman of the Union, Robert Amirkhanian told Armenpress the festival
will bring to Yerevan prominent performers, critics and composers from many
countries.
Terterian is one of the most progressive and original composers of the end
of the 20th century who introduced new and revolutionary ways in the
development of modern symphony. Terterian is the author of eight symphonies
(the ninth was left incomplete), two operas “Ring of Fire” and “The
Earthquake”, ballet “Richard the 3rd”, vocal-symphonic cycle, and many
chamber works.
WAR AND ART: An exhibition of works of modern Artsakh artists dedicated to
the 12th anniversary of liberation of Shushi and formation of the NKR
Defense Army will be opened in Yerevan on May 7. About 100 works of 20
Artsakh artists will be presented at the exhibition, which will last 10
days.
TWO ARMENIAN FILMS IN INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL: Two Armenian films will be
presented at the “Arsenal” international film-festival held in Riga in
September 2004: “Zhano, or in Search of Paradise” (film-maker Suren Babayan)
and “Documentalist” (film-maker Harutiun Khachatrian). It is these two films
that were selected by President of “Arsenal” August Sukut and artist
Alexander Buuse, who visited Armenia in connection with the youth
film-festival “It’s Me”. About 200 films will be shown at the “Arsenal”
festival. A jury will select 14 winners.
THREE JUBILEES DURING ONE FESTIVAL . Applications for 130 films from 25
countries were submitted for participation in the “Golden Apricot” first
international film-festival to be held in Yerevan from June 3 to July 4,
reported Noyan Tapan. Applications will be accepted until May 10. Susanna
Harutiunian, Chairwoman of the Association of Film Critics and Film
Journalists of Armenia, said that besides the contest programs it is
expected that three jubilee programs dedicated to the 80th anniversaries of
the establishment of the Armenian movie, Sergey Parajanov and Charles
Aznavour will be held within the framework of the “Golden Apricot”
film-festival.
FIRST PERFORMANCE IN ARMENIA: Karen Shahgeldyan, an Armenian violinist from
Moscow and winner of international competitions, will perform in Armenia for
the first time in a solo benefit concert. The 27-year old violinist will
play the unique instrument made by Antonio Stradivarius, belonging to the
State Fund of the Musical Instruments of the Russian Federation. Concerts
will be held in Yerevan, Gyumri, Spitak and Vanadzor. The violinist will
perform violin concertos by Bach, Vivaldi, Mendelson, Richard Straus. No
fees are charged for the concerts.
ON YEREVAN STAGES .
Russian Dramatic Theatre named after Stansilavsky Premier “Paris Twins”,
directed by Alexander Grigoryan. Ticket cost 500-2000
May 9 Aram Khachaturyan Philharmonic Concert Hall , Concert of the new pop
star Mister X. Ticket cost 1500-6000
May 10 Chamber Music Hall Concert of National Chamber Orchestra “Music, Love
and Poetry”, conducted by Aram Gharabekyan, soloists Nune Badalyan
(soprano), Lilit Grigoryan (Mezzo soprano), Ruben Nurijanyan (Tenor) and
Garegin Hovsepyan from Germany (bariton). Ticket cost 500-2000.
May 12 Aram Khachaturyan Philharmonic Concert Hall Lyric and Music Evening
devoted to 80 anniversary of Armenian poet Paruyr Sevak. Ticket cost
1000-3000.
May 15, 16 National Opera and Ballet Theatre Rebirth of the opera “Anush”,
Anush – Anahit Mkhitaryan, Nune Badalyan .. , Sosi – Tamazov, Saro – Ruben
Nurijanyan. artistic director Gegham Grigoryan. Ticket cost 2000-5000 AMD.

Armenian opposition ready for dialogue with authorities
Arminfo
5 May 04
YEREVAN
The opposition Justice bloc and the National Unity Party are ready to
start dialogue with the Armenian authorities, in particular, with
President Robert Kocharyan and Prime Minister Andranik Markaryan, the
Justice bloc and the National Unity Party said in a statement
forwarded to Arminfo news agency today.
The statement said the opposition took this decision because of the
deepening political crisis in the country after the presidential
elections in 2003 and because it realizes its responsibility for
leading the country towards democracy without any excesses. The
resolution of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
(PACE) about the political situation in Armenia was instrumental in
making the opposition take this decision.
The statement also noted that the opposition intends to accept the
speaker of parliament, Artur Bagdasaryan’s proposal to continue the
political consultations which will be resumed on 6 May. The Justice
bloc and the National Unity Party promised to abstain from organizing
rallies in the Armenian capital during the next 10 days. But, the
opposition will resume its protest actions in the country unless an
agreement is reached with the authorities, the statement said.

Armenian opposition upbeat on talks with authorities
Arminfo
6 May 04
YEREVAN
During today’s political consultations between the ruling coalition
and the Armenian opposition, a mutually acceptable formula was drawn
up on conducting a referendum of confidence in the president. The
sides agreed that the referendum will be on the agenda of the talks
between the opposition and the coalition, Viktor Dallakyan, secretary
of the opposition’s Justice bloc, told journalists today after a
five-hour meeting between the coalition and opposition leaders.
Today’s meeting, initiated by Armenian National Assembly Speaker Artur
Bagdasaryan, was the beginning of a new political situation in
Armenia, Dallakyan said. “If the sides display political will, then
these consultations will become a basis for forming a new domestic
political situation in Armenia,” he said.
The consultations today mainly concerned the issues that may be
included in the agenda of the forthcoming talks between the sides,
Shavarsh Kocharyan, an MP from the Justice bloc, said. The agenda will
include 30 items, including 10 proposals put forward by the opposition
some time ago, as well as the discussion of certain points of the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe resolution on the
domestic political situation in Armenia.
Among the 10 proposals, the key one concerns the conduct of a
referendum of confidence in the president. The opposition is also
demanding that the authorities stop political persecution and
repression, free opposition activists from prison, refrain from
violence against demonstrators and rally-goers, allow the free
movement of citizens within Armenia and ensure unbiased coverage of
the situation by public television. The opposition also wants live
airtime to deliver speeches.
The opposition is demanding the prosecution of those who organized the
mass falsifications during the presidential and parliamentary
elections held in 2003 and those who organized and perpetrated the
“punitive action” [breaking up an opposition rally in Yerevan] on the
night of 12-13 April.

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan State Info Agency
May 7 2004
SALOME ZURABISHVILI: `LOCAL CONFLICTS IN REGION IMPEDE ITS
DEVELOPMENT’
[May 07, 2004, 11:20:23]
As correspondent of AzerTAj reported, Minister of Foreign Affairs of
Georgia Salome Zuarabishvili is paying an official visit to Moscow.
On May 6, head of foreign policy department of this country had a
meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation
Sergey Lavrov during which have been discussed situation in Georgia
after resignation of the head of Ajaria Aslan Abashidze and the
further prospects of development of the Russian – Georgian relations.
On results of negotiations, the head the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
of Russia and Georgia have held press conference on which the
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov
has stated that the position of Russia on Abkhazia has not changed
and based on recognition of territorial integrity of Georgia. `Russia
proceeds from the principle of respect of territorial integrity of
Georgia – this position is consecutive and constant’, the head the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation has told. He
has emphasized, that Russia is satisfied with the peace settlement of
situation in Ajaria, it always considered this conflict as internal
work of Georgia.
In turn, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia Salome Zurabishvili,
answering questions of journalists, has declared that: `Georgia
highly estimates the political support rendered to authorities of
Georgia on the part of Russia, considers, that `arrival of the
Secretary of Security Council of the Russian Federation Igor Ivanov
to Batumi was very important. Russia during last moment has offered
help, and it creates that ground of trust which is necessary for
development of relations in a right way ‘.
The head of foreign policy department of Georgia Salome Zurabishvili
also has declared, that the delayed local conflicts brake development
of the Caucasian states, and these conflicts into which also enters
also Nagorny Karabakh – actually, freeze our development. As she
said, on the solution of similar conflicts depend all the Caucasian
peoples. S. Zurabishvili has emphasized, that the CIS countries take
the important place in the policy of Georgia, and Georgia would
continue further active interaction with the states of Commonwealth.
She has noted also that her country attaches great importance to
cooperation with the Organization of the Black Sea Economic
Cooperation.
Alongside with it, Salome Zurabishvili has declared, that Georgia
wants to combine partnership with the NATO and cooperation with
Russia.
It is necessary to note that during the meeting of the head of the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia and the head of the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation also have been discussed
questions on situation in Abkhazia, about the status and terms of
stay of the Russian military bases on territories of Georgia,
questions of visa regime between the two states, combat against the
international terrorism.

Azat Artsakh – Republic of Nagorno Karabakh (NKR)
May 7 2004
PLANNED MONITORING
On May 6 the OSCE Mission held planned monitoring of the border
between the armed forces of Nagorni Karabakh and Azerbaijan to the
northwest of the settlement Seysulan. On the side of the NKR Defence
Army the monitoring group was headed by the personal representative of
the OSCE Chairman- in-Office Andrzej Kasprzyk. The group involved also
field assistants of the personal representative Jurgen Schmidt
(Germany) and Miroslav Vitemal (Czech). During the monitoring no
violations of the cease-fire were reported. The mission was
accompanied by the representatives of the NKR ministries of defence
and foreign affairs. On the eve, on May 5 Andrzej Kasprzyk met with
the NKR foreign minister Ashot Ghulian and minister of defence Seyran
Ohanian. During the meeting they discussed the situation at the border
and questions referring the prospects of settlement of the Karabakh
conflict.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Baku Sun, Azerbaijan
May 7 2004
FM gives statement on Cyprus issue

BAKU – The position of members of the Azerbaijani parliament on the
Cyprus issue does not reflect that of the government and neither can
it be interpreted as a change in the relationship between Baku and
Ankara, a statement issued Wednesday by Azerbaijan’s Ministry of
Foreign Affairs read.
The statement printed in the state-run Azerbaijan daily newspaper on
Thursday said nothing can besmirch the relationship between the two
countries who are bound by centuries-old historical, cultural,
language and other ties.
Members of the Azerbaijani delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly
of the Council of Europe stated on Tuesday that they intentionally
did not show up at PACE’s 29 April meeting, which denied Turkish
Cypriots a right to be represented at the Parliamentary Assembly.
Head of the delegation, Samad Seyidov said they did not attend the
meeting in order to protect Azerbaijan’s interests.
Voting against the PACE resolution that urged Turkish Cypriots to
attend the Parliamentary Assembly meetings as `integrated’ with the
Greeks Cypriots, would set up a new precedent under which all
unrecognized republics, including Nagorno (Daghlig)-Karabakh, could
demand representation at PACE, Seyidov said.
The foreign ministry statement said Azerbaijan has always been for a
fair solution of the Cyprus problem, and supports the activities of
the United Nations, European Union and the Council of Europe to help
settle the problem.

Azat Artsakh – Republic of Nagorno Karabakh (NKR)
May 7, 2004
ECONOMIC POLICY IN KARABAKH IS FAVOURABLE
This is the opinion of the manager of “Base Metals Ltd.” Artur
Mkrtumian, which he stated during his meeting with the mass media. So
far 7 million dollars have been invested by the shareholders of the
company in capital building, equipment. “The implementation of so much
work within a period of about 1.5 year is not only the result of the
technical skills and efforts of the specialists but also the
favourable economic policy. The construction of a similar factory
might usually be delayed, hindered. It should be mentioned that
everything was done quickly, without any difficulties, and the result
is the powerful factory. At the same time in parallel with the growth
of the company the legislative regulations of Karabakh have been
accomplished, which today favour similar companies to make
investments, set up a business and achieve success,” said Artur
Mkrtumian. PERSONNEL PROBLEMS. The prevailing part of the 750 workers
of the company, mainly the technical staff, are invited. According to
the manager of the company Artur Mkrtumian, the company cannot keep
the invited specialists in the country for years on. Therefore the
company intends creating a base of specialists in the factory through
the invited specialists. The manager explains the absence of
specialists by the absence of similar production in Karabakh. It the
beginning the factory also had lack of labour force. According to him,
the reason was the events of the last 10-15 years. People have been
alienated from industrial work which supposes certain scheduling and
responsibility. The problem, however, has been solved, according to
A. Mkrtumian. Moreover, there are now hundreds of people wishing to
work in the mine. “We have local specialists, miners who excellently
carry out this hard work from the point of view of specialization and
earn as much as the 6th class specialist invited from Kapan,
Alaverdy. They are 24-26 years-old young men and the company has great
expectations from them,” said A. Mkrtumian. The manager also informed
that for the organization and development of the production in
Karabakh with the NKR government they work out a program of training
necessary specialists at Artsakh State University. The program is in
the initial stage. The company has presented the list of the necessary
specialties. NOT ONLY SOCIAL BUT ALSO HOUSING PROBLEMS ARE SOLVED. The
monthly salary fund of the company “Base Metals” totals about 80-100
million drams. The work in the factory lasts 24 hours, in three
shifts, except for the underground mine which works a six-hour shift
taking into account the hard working conditions. “Base Metals” also
favours the improvement of the social conditions of the population of
the adjacent villages. The evidence to this is the newly built
dormitory which will be opened soon. The same is pursued with the plan
of the management of the company to build a resort center on the side
of the reservoir Sarsang.
LAURA GRIGORIAN.

Azat Artsakh – Republic of Nagorno Karabakh (NKR)
May 7, 2004
WE CANNOT CURE THEIR BODIES BUT WE CAN CURE THEIR SOULS
The union of disabled children “Zangak” was founded on May 18, by a
group of representatives of the intelligentsia. The aim of the union
is to bring together the disabled children of Artsakh, broaden the
range of their interests and favour their integration to the society
preventing their alienation from it. In the course of time the
organization also started to involve begging and homeless children,
therefore the management of the organization founded a nursery school,
in April 2001 undertook the foundation of the children’s center
“Zangak” which was granted license by the Ministry of Education,
Culture and Sport in 2003. Since its foundation the organization has
brought together here 212 children from the capital and 404 children
from the entire republic. Currently the organization works with 8-14
year-old children. According to the chairman of the organization Anna
Asatrian, including in “Zangak” homeless or begging but healthy
children they aimed at using the relationships of the healthy and ill
children to develop best human qualities in them, such as
king-heartedness and generosity in healthy children and optimism and
vitality in the disabled children. The organization is not funded by
the state and it operates on non-regular donations of businessmen from
Artsakh and abroad. According to Anna Asatrian, for the implementation
of a number of programs “Zangak” has cooperated with the NKR
Ministries of Health, Agriculture and Defence, as well as businessmen
from Artsakh and abroad. A number of programs were approved by
business circles of France and Iran. Time to time benefactors lend a
hand to “Zangak”, bring into being this or that program and leave,
whereas the organization has too many problems to be solved. Recently
the organization has had a period of difficulties. To overcome them
“Zangak” applied to the governmental and other organizations of
Karabakh. Fortunately, the director of the company Karabakh telecom
Ralf Yeirikian agreed to cooperate with “Zangak”. Visiting the
organization and getting acquainted with the working conditions he
agreed to become the permanent sponsor of “Zangak” and start funding
in April of the current year. The fact of a permanent sponsor
encouraged the management of the organization to undertake a program
for 32 disabled, homeless and insecure children included in the
center. After the improvement of the building and communal facilities
the organization will create a boarding house for 10 children from 8
to 14 years old. The personnel of the organization visited the houses
of the children whose parents had applied to them, got acquainted with
their living conditions and undertook an attempt of cooperation with
corresponding organizations dealing with children of this social
class. Besides the reconstruction of the boarding house, “Zangak”
faces many other problems. According to Anna Asatrian, the lack of
transport makes the communication with the regions difficult. Starting
from the financial hardships the employees of “Zangak” carry out
several jobs at the same time; the organization should have 17
positions, whereas it has only 7. To acquaint children with the
holidays and special days of Karabakh “Zangak” celebrates almost all
the holidays. Today we are living in a period called transition
period. It is difficult to forecast what will happen in the
future. One thing is certain that independent of the geopolitical
actualities and the economic model of development the vocation of the
human being is to aid the weak and the sick. Believe me, all the
children of “Zangak” need is kindness. We cannot cure their bodies but
we can cure their souls. So let’s give them a chance!
NVARD OHANJANIAN.