AGRICULTURE OF LORI MARZ SUFFERS DAMAGE OF 635 MLN DRAMS BECAUSE OF TORRENTIAL RAINS
Noyan Tapan
May 22 2006
VANADZOR, MAY 22, NOYAN TAPAN. The torrential rains and hail on
March 17 and 18 caused damage to many farms of Lori marz. The head
of the agriculture and environmental protection department of Lori
marz Volodya Buniatian told NT correspondent that the total amount
of damage done to 19 marz communities made 635 mln drams (about 1.4
mln USD). According to preliminary information, 70% of fruit gardens
and 50% of areas under crops were damaged. Potato sowing failed as
a result of continuous rains in Tumanian and Stepanavan regions.
From: Baghdasarian

WOMEN MAKE 71% OF PEOPLE HAVING UNEMPLOYED STATUS IN ARMENIA IN LATE MARCH
Noyan Tapan
May 22 2006
MAY 22, NOYAN TAPAN. The averige number of the economically active
inhabitation of Armenia made 1163.6 thousand people in January-March,
92.3% or 1074.3 thousand of who were engaged in the economy, and 7.7%
or 89.3 thousand of who had no job. The latters were registered at
the “RA Employment Service” agency of the RA Ministry of Labour and
Social Issues and got unemployed status.
According to data of the NA National Statistical Service, as of late
March, 92.5% or 107.5 thousand people of the 116.2 thousand registered
ones searching job were unemployed. 84.7% or 91 thousand of them got
the unemployed status.
Women made 71% of the officially registered unempolyed people.

YEREVAN MAYOR’S OFFICE GIVES 500 USD TO EACH FAMILY OF VICTIMS OF A-320 CRASHED PLANE
Noyan Tapan
May 22 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 22, NOYAN TAPAN. Yerevan Mayor’s Office gave 500
USD to each family of the passengers who died in the accident of
Yerevan-Sochi plane. As Armen Soghoyan, Head of Healthcare and Social
Security Department of Yerevan Mayor’s Office, informed at the May 22
press conference, the Mayor’s Office also gave financial assistance
to the Association of Psychologists and Psychiatrists for their
specialists to visit these families for several months and provide
them psychological assistance.

61,967 ARMENIAN CITIZENS APPLY FOR DEPOSIT COMPENSATION
Noyan Tapan
May 22 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 22, NOYAN TAPAN. The process of filing applications to
receive compensation for deposits made with the Savingsbank of the
Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic before June 10, 1993, finished
on May 12. 61,967 Armenian citizens have applied for compensation,
presenting 137,481 saving books.
According to the PR Department of the RA Ministry of Labor and
Social Issues, the lists of citizens eligible for compensation will
be published in the third quarter of 2006, after which the payment
process will start. Prior to it, the database of applicants has to be
clarified by comparing the family benefit database of the ministry
with the information in deposit cards of the Savingsbank. To recap,
only members of the families, which were continuously in various
social groups to receive a family benefit from July 1, 2005, to
April 1, 2006, are eligible for compensation. The payment priority
is determined based on a social group.

DISCIPLINARY PUNISHMENT IMPOSED ON 66 TRAFFIC POLICEMEN IN 2005
Noyan Tapan
May 22 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 22, NOYAN TAPAN. 66 policemen of the RA Police State
Automobile Inspection (SAI) were subjected to disciplinary liability
in 2005.
Disciplinary fines have been imposed on 7 policemen since early
2006. Chief of the RA Police SAI Ishkhan Ishkhanian stated this at
the May 19 press conference.
According to him, a large number of traffic policemen failed the
attestation conducted on the instructions of the RA Police Chief –
due to lack of knowledge.
570 employess currently work in the SAI.

JOURNALIST ORGANIZATIONS OF ARMENIA DEMAND TO PUNISH THOSE VICTIMIZING THEIR COLLEAGUE
Noyan Tapan
May 22 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 22, NOYAN TAPAN. The Union of Journalists of Armenia,
the Yerevan Press Club and the Committee for Speech Freedom Protection
issued a joint statement on May 18, in which they demand to punish
those who committed violent actions against Narine Avetisian,
Executive Director of Lori TV company (Vanadzor), member of the Union
of Journalists of Armenia. According to the statement, some unknown
persons pelted N. Avetisian’s car with stones on May 16.
It was for a second time this year that violence was committed
against the journalist, and those guilty have not been found. The
statement says that as in the previous case, the incident occured
after N. Avetsisian criticized the local authorities. “We remind the
authorities of Lori marz and Vanadzor that preventing a journalist
from carrying out his/her legal professional activities is a crime
and we demand that the law enforcement bodies conduct an ojective
investigation into these and the previous facts and punish those
guilty, thus preventing any further violence,” the statemant reads.

58 PEOPLE DIE, 446 INJURED AS RESULT OF CAR ACCIDENTS IN ARMENIA IN FIRST 4 MONTHS OF 2006
Noyan Tapan
May 22 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 22, NOYAN TAPAN. In 2005, 1,312 road accidents were
registered in Armenia, as a result of which 310 people died and 1,774
were injured.
Chief the RA Police State Automobile Inspection (SAI) Colonel Ishkhan
Ishkhanian stated this during the May 19 press conference. According
to him, over the first 4 months of this year, 317 road accidents were
registered, as a result of which 58 people died and 446 received
bodily injuries. In the first 4 months of this year, 36,318 cases
of traffic rule breach were registered, including 722 cases due to
driving a vehicle in a state of intoxication. In 2005, these indices
made 165,723 and 4,745 respectively.

DELEGATION OF NOYEMBERIAN PAYS ONE-WEEK VISIT TO ATHENS
Noyan Tapan
May 22 2006
NOYEMBERIAN, MAY 22, NOYAN TAPAN. The delegation of the city
of Noyemberian of the marz of Tavush, headed by Mayor Seryozha
Amiraghanian, left for capital of Greece Athens for one-week
visit. Representatives of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation
Supreme Body of Armenia and territorial organization are among the
delegation staff. Just on the ARF initiative, friendly ties were
established 5 years ago between Noyemberian and Virona suburb of
Athens. Virona community populated by many Armenians gave computers
to educational institutions of Noyemberian, diagnostic equipment to
medical institutions, a park of the Armenian-Greek friendship was
built in the city.

OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRS TO ARRIVE IN THE REGION TOMORROW
ArmRadio.am
23.05.2006 16:55
May 24 OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs accompanied by Deputy Foreign
Ministers of their countries will pay a visit to the region. The
discussions on the settlement of the Karabakh issue will start
tomorrow.
Tomorrow the Co-Chairs, as well as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of
State Daniel Fried, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigori Karasin
and Director on Political Issue of the French Ministry of Foreign
Affairs Stanislas D’ Labouiet will first visit Baku then Yerevan.

HARUTYUN ARAKELYAN: “ORINATS YERKIR” PARTY TOOK A POLITICAL DECISION
ArmRadio.am
23.05.2006 16:23
“Orinats Yerkir” Party took a political decision, considers Harutyun
Arakelyan, Head of the Liberal Democratic Party of Armenia. Moreover,
he congratulated Arthur Baghdasaryan and characterized the occurred as
a normal phenomenon. “The coalition would collapse sooner or later,”
Head of the Party added.
“Political decisions cause a confusion in Armenia,” Harutyun Arakelyan
said.
According to him, “Orinats Yerkir” Party entered the final stage
of development. He is confident this party will have a role in the
political system of the country, at the same time characterizing the
position of the opposition as hilarious.
The Liberal-Democratic Party does not have spite against any
party. Head of the Liberal-Democrats refutes the talks that some
points in their platform counter other parties.
The party will participate both in 2007 and 2008 elections. Harutyun
Arakelyan cannot say so far which political force they will unite
with. This will become clear only after the meeting of the Party.