Category: News

The UK’s Minister for Europe and the Americas, the Rt Hon Sir Alan Duncan MP, congratulates the Armenian people on the occasion of the country’s 25^th Independence Day.

Sir Alan Duncan said:

“The UK enjoys a strong relationship with Armenia – a young country with a long history. We work closely with the Armenian government and people to promote democratic and governance reform and to strengthen our economic and cultural ties. We fully support the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs to broker the resolution of the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, building  a peaceful and prosperous future for Armenia and its neighbours. On behalf of Her Majesty’s Government I am delighted to send my congratulations to the Armenian people on the 25th anniversary of independence.”

The European Union has congratulated the Republic of Armenia and its people on the 25th anniversary of its independence. The message reads:

The Republic of Armenia has undergone profound developments in these past years and we as the European Union look forward to continuing to work closely with the country in the future. The  European Union has and will continue to support the development of strong democratic institutions, the rule of law, and economic prosperity, for the benefit of all citizens.

We look forward to the future EU-Armenia Agreement, which would, alongside our engagement in the Eastern Partnership framework, enable the European Union to enhance our dialogue with the Armenian authorities, to support them in their reform efforts and to increase our contacts with the population.

A preliminary by the Council of Europe’s constitutional law experts (the Venice Commission) criticizes draft modifications to the constitution of Azerbaijan, which will be put to a national referendum on Monday 26 September.

Many proposed amendments would severely upset the balance of power by giving “unprecedented” powers to the President, according to the Venice Commission opinion.

For example, the extension of the presidential mandate from five to seven years “cannot be justified” given the already very strong position of the President, who since 2009 can be re-elected without term limits.

Another reform gives the President power to dissolve parliament, which does not only make political dissent in parliament “largely ineffective”, according to the opinion, but also affects the independence of the judiciary, since parliament’s role in the approval of judges will be reduced.

The Venice Commission experts were “particularly worried” by the introduction of the figure of unelected Vice-Presidents, who may at some moment govern the country, and the President’s prerogative to declare early presidential elections at his convenience.

The opinion also criticizes the procedure of the referendum as having lacked proper debate in parliament and having been carried out too quickly and without real public discussion beforehand.

Indeed, due to time constraints, the opinion rapporteurs themselves were unable to visit Azerbaijan and did not benefit from direct consultations with the authorities, experts and other stakeholders. In this context, the Venice Commission regrets that the authorities of Azerbaijan did not consult it prior to submitting the draft to the referendum.

The experts praised proposed amendments in the human rights chapter of the Azeri constitution, such as the introduction of the concept of “human dignity” and of the right to “conscientious treatment excluding arbitrariness” by state bodies and of certain procedural rights. They also praised the proposal to elevate the “principle of proportionality” to the constitutional level, which means that every restriction to human rights should be proportionate to the aim the state seeks to achieve.

However, the experts expressed reservations with other proposed changes in the human rights chapter, in particular one which provides for limitations to public gatherings for the sake of “public order” and “morality”, since this provision risks to be too broadly interpreted. The opinion also is concerned about a proposed provision on withdrawing citizenship that “reduces the scope of the current guarantee” that prevents withdrawal of citizenship in absolute terms.

The President of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades sent on Tuesday a congratulatory message to the President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Independence of Armenia, underlining that “the bonds between Cyprus and Armenia are as strong and resilient as ever,” Cyprus Mail reports.

He further reiterates Cyprus’ commitment to the enhancement and deepening of bilateral relations and notes that “Cyprus will continue to stand in solidarity and in support of Armenia’s efforts for prosperity and regional peace”.

According to an official announcement, Anastasiades also notes that both countries share common values and traditions, as well as a historical and cultural connection.

He refers finally to the presence of a vibrant Armenian-Cypriot community in Cyprus, whose invaluable contribution and achievements, he notes, enrich all aspects of society.

System Of A Down frontman Serj Rankian has launched a petition on Change.org, calling for action for positive civic changes and reforms in Armenia.

“Friends (In Armenia and Worldwide) – Today marks the 25th anniversary of Armenian independence. We should take the opportunity to celebrate some of the successes of this small but beautiful nation while also tackling the troubling issues at hand,” Serj Tankian said in a Facebook post.

“Independence means little when a large segment of the public are discontent. That is why myself and a group of friends have drafted a statement of support for the people of Armenia and their call to action for positive civic changes and reforms. Please have a look at the campaign link on  and sign on if you agree,” Tankian said.

The petition reads:

We, as Armenians, residing in Armenia and throughout the diaspora, are collectively committed to immediate change and justice in Armenia. In the wake of yearly protests and recent upheavals during the spring and summer of 2016 that resulted in gross violations of human and civic rights,

We say
NO to systematic corruption, monopolies, judicial inequality, police brutality, partisan politics, unequal rights, national depopulation, and elections tainted by fraud, all of which have contributed to the ongoing unrest.

We say
YES to the equality of all people, the fundamental preservation and protection of human rights, direct engagement in fair and transparent elections, respect for the rule of law, fair wages, separation of powers, a free press and advocacy for the disenfranchised.  We say yes to tangible, democratic change through civic engagement with the citizenry of Armenia.

As a global community of Armenians, we would like Armenia’s political leaders to embody integrity, accountability, wisdom, intelligence, diplomacy, compassion, effectiveness and visionary thinking in addressing the pressing needs of the people of Armenia, thereby securing an egalitarian, just and constructive path towards real democracy where every voice matters.

Justice Within Armenia is a coalition of concerned Armenians around the world who believe in standing in solidarity with the people of Armenia and being present as eyewitnesses and monitoring free and fair elections while actively engaging with the Armenian populace in contributing to the present and future of our nation. We need to visualize an egalitarian state worthy of the resilience of our people and achieve it. Given our unique values and character, Armenia can and should become a country of opportunity, creativity, democracy and hope in a region rife with turmoil. The alternative is unthinkable.

Armenia has proudly showed off state-of-the-art Russian ballistic missiles at a military parade marking its independence day, the Associated Press writes.

According to AP, the Iskander missiles displayed Wednesday are capable of striking targets up to 300 kilometers with high precision, adding muscle to the Armenian military amid tensions over Nagorno-Karabakh.

A military parade dedicated to the 25th anniversary of independence was held in Yerevan.

 

“This year also marks the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Lithuania and Armenia. I am confident that we will further take advantage of every possible opportunity to strengthen our cooperation in trade, transport, innovations, science, education, and other areas of mutual interest,” wrote Lithuania’s Foreign Minister.

According to Linkevičius, Lithuania welcomes and wholeheartedly supports the ongoing negotiations on the new legally-binding EU-Armenia Agreement, which will open up new opportunities for enhanced bilateral trade, investments and people-to-people contacts.

On 21 November, Lithuania and Armenia will mark the establishment of diplomatic relations 25 years ago.

On September 21, 2016 “HayPost Trust Management” B.V. put into circulation two stamps dedicated to the 25^th anniversary of Independence of the Republic of Armenia.

The official cancellation ceremony of the stamps took place at the Presidential Palace. The cancellation was carried out by the Presidential of the Republic of Armenia, Serzh Sargsyan.

The stamps have been printed in “Cartor” Printing House, France, with face values of 200 and 300 Armenian drams.

The stamp with face value of 200 drams depicts “25^th anniversary” and “INDEPENDENCE” texts, as well as the waving tricolor flag of the Republic of Armenia on the background of blue sky symbolizing the twenty five years of independence and statehood of the country.

The stamp with face value of 300 drams depicts “25^th anniversary” which consists of a collage made with the sights of Yerevan showing thus the advancement of the country through twenty five years of its independence.

The stamps have been designed by the Managing Director of “HayPost Trust Management” B.V., Juan Pablo Gechidjian and the designers of “HayPost” CJSC Vahagn Mkrtchyan and David Dovlatyan.

Date of Issue: 21 September 2016
Face value: 200 AMD
Design by: Juan Pablo Gechidjian, Vahagn Mkrtchyan
Printing House: Cartor, France
Size: 40,0 x 30,0 mm
Print run: 50,000

Date of Issue` 21 September 2016
Face value: 300 AMD
Design by: Juan Pablo Gechidjian, David Dovlatyan
Printing House: Cartor, France
Size: 30,0 x 40,0 mm
Print run: 50,000

The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement in recognition of Armenia’s Independence Day:

“Today, we join the Armenian community – here in Canada, in Armenia, and around the world – in celebrating the country’s 25^thIndependence Day.

“Canada and the Republic of Armenia enjoy a dynamic and friendly relationship, rooted in the shared values of democracy and freedom, bilateral relations, and our collaboration in international organizations such as La Francophonie.

“I look forward to working with President Serzh Sargsyan and newly-appointed Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan to further strengthen the relations between our two countries, and to work together on global and regional issues including peace, security, and development cooperation.

“On behalf of the Government of Canada, Sophie and I invite all Canadians to reflect on the important contributions of Canadians of Armenian descent to our national fabric, and offer our best wishes to everyone celebrating today.”