PRESS RELEASE
The Heritage Party
7 Vazgen Sargsian Street
Yerevan 0010, Armenia
Tel.: (+374 – 10) 58.08.77, 52.22.38
Fax: (+374 – 10) 54.38.97
Email: [email protected]; [email protected]
Website:
May 29, 2006
Heritage Party Headquarters Reopened by Court Order?
Yerevan–After a delay of months, the central office of the Heritage Party
was finally reopened by officials from the Service for Mandatory Execution
of Judicial Acts (SMEJA) of the Ministry of Justice at 1:00PM today. The
premises had been forcibly closed on March 4, 2006, when party
representatives had witnessed the unlawful replacement, without prior
notice, of the already-smashed lock of the outside door to the party’s
headquarters. This directive had been given by the management of the
Paronian Theater and carried out by its staff under the watchful supervision
of two unidentified men sitting in a nearby vehicle.
In a quick about-face, the SMEJA officials returned to Heritage’s office at
7:00PM the same day, demanding that the staff vacate the premises, in order
that the outside door be resealed. Deeming this reversal in demeanor as
illegal, a mockery of civil rights, contrary to judicial order, and outside
the domain of justice, Raffi Hovannisian refused to leave the office which
had been unlocked by the very same officials just six hours before and in
compliance with the ruling of the court.
On April 14, the Court of First Instance of Yerevan’s Central and
Nork-Marash communities prohibited the defendant theater from taking any
restrictive action in respect of the office in question and the usage of the
property thereof. This ruling, which for unknown reasons was not enforced
for a full month and a half, is in force until the full and final
examination of the case and pending an ultimate verdict by the court. In the
presence of several media representatives, the premises were inspected by
Raffi Hovannisian, attorney Vahagn Grigorian, and officials from SMEJA and
the Heritage Party; the defendant was absent. Promising he would return in
thirty minutes, director Karapet Shahbazian of the Paronian Theater left
immediately after the arrival of the SMEJA officers, but never came back.
The inspection made it clear that the window of the office of Gevorg
Kalenchian, director of the party headquarters, had been opened even though
he had closed it on the evening of March 3. Moreover, one television set and
two computers were turned on and working. The office staff confirmed that
they had not left any electrical equipment in operational mode when leaving
their place of work on March 3.
The officers from SMEJA prepared a report in connection with the inspection,
but did not wait until the computer expert invited by the party had checked
the data stored in the computers. This examination demonstrated that on
March 8, exactly four days after the main office was put under lock and
further access to it was blocked, someone had gained entry to the main
computer where all information regarding the party, its membership and
activities is maintained.
It now becomes evident as to how the “national security” bodies and the
local lackeys of the incumbent presidency were able to obtain relevant
information about the party’s support base nationwide. As is widely known,
the persecution and pressure upon the local divisions of the Heritage Party
have increased since the middle of March, with party members being
threatened and ordered to leave the party. An example of this took place
just recently in the town of Armavir, where the party’s local office manager
Levon Margarian had been taken into custody on May 20. Before being
released he was told that the region’s law enforcement agency knew about the
forthcoming visit of Raffi Hovannisian and other senior party members. The
police demanded that Margarian make sure the meeting did not take place;
otherwise they would use force to disrupt it.
“The sitting administration of the country has proved yet again that it will
not stop at any unlawful measure to prolong its rule for a few more days,
and the security bodies actually uphold not the rights of law-abiding
citizens and the imperative of national security, but rather the personal
well-being of a select few and their maintenance of power,” Kalenchian
stated.
“We are not afraid,” concluded Raffi Hovannisian, “and we will continue our
national citizens’ initiative until we strike justice.”
Founded in 2002, Heritage has regional divisions throughout the land. Its
central headquarters are located at 7 Vazgen Sargsian Street, Yerevan 0010,
Armenia, with telephone contact at (374-10) 580.877, fax at (374-10)
543.897, and email at [email protected]

ROBERT KOCHARIAN: MAY 28 IS ONE OF MOST IMPORTANT REFUGES ON WAY OF
CREATING NATIONAL STATE, FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY

YEREVAN, MAY 29, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. RA President Robert
Kocharian sent a message of congratulation on the occasion of the
Republic Holiday. The message submitted to Noyan Tapan by the
President’s Press Office, reads as the following: “Dear compatriots, I
congratulate you upon the Republic Day.
Independence was a goal of centuries for the Armenian people that
becomes reality due to our people’s liberating struggle and
especially, 1918 May heroic battle. By its short existence of
1918-1920, the first Republic of Armenia inspires the Armenian people
with a hope to have an independent statehood. It also became a basis
for the Soviet Armenia and the present Republic of Armenia.
I congratule all us upon this important May holiday. May 28 is one of
the most important refuges on our way of creating a national state,
freedom and democracy.”

CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS SENDS CONGRATULATORY MESSAGE TO ARMENIAN
PEOPLE IN CONNECTION WITH HOLIDAY OF REPUBLIC

ECHMIADZIN, MAY 29, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Catholicos of All
Armenians Karekin II sent a congratulatory message to the whole
Armenian people on the occasion of the Day of Republic. The
Patriarchal message provided to Noyan Tapan from the Press Services of
the Mother See of Holy Echmiadzin, in particular, read: “With fatherly
love we bless each of you in Armenia, Artsakh and Spyurk and
congratulate you on the occasion of the Holiday of Republic. As a
result of the heroic fights of 1918 May, the First Republic of Armenia
was proclaimed as the fulfilment of the age-old hopes of our people
for freedom and independence. The Armenian people who confirmed its
independent statehood with a heroic struggle, inflexible belief in its
independent statehood, is striving for improving its homeland with its
creative work.”

ARMENIAN SERVICEMAN DIED IN CONSEQUENCE OF CEASE-FIRE REGIME BREACH
FROM AZERBAIJANI SIDE

YEREVAN, MAY 29, NOYAN TAPAN. A cease-fire regime breach was fixed
from the Azerbaijani side at about 21:30 of May 27. As Colonel Seyran
Shahsuvarian, the RA Defence Minister’s Press Secretary informed Noyan
Tapan, in consequence of fire shot by the opponent in the direction of
fighting positions of the military basis placed in Noyemberian, Senior
Levon Hmayak Adamian, term serviceman born in 1985 and called to
military service from the Berd military registration and enlistment
office, got fire-arm injury at chest and died on the way when being
moved to the city hospital of Noyemberian.

WORLD SUMMIT OF RELIGIOUS LEADERS TO TAKE PLACE IN MOSCOW ON JULY 3-5

MOSCOW, MAY 29, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. A meeting of
specialists preparing the World Summit of Religious Leaders took place
in Moscow on May 25-26. The meeting was organized by the
Interreligious Council of Russia. 60 Christian, Muslim, Judas,
Buddhist and Hindu representatives from Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan,
Bahrain, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, China, Egypt, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Vatican, India, Iran, Israel, Italy,
Kyrghyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Romania, Russia, Switzerland, Syria,
Turkey, United Kingdom and U.S. participated in the meeting. As Noyan
Tapan was informed by the Interchurch Relations Department of the
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the participants exchanged opinions
and proposed themes for discussion for the World Summit of Religious
Leaders which will take place in Moscow on July 3-5, before the
Petersburg meeting of the Great 8. Bishop Yeznik Petrosian, the
responsible for interchurch relations represented the Mother See of
Holy Etchmiadzin at that meeting.

VARTAN OSKANIAN WAITS FOR BUCHAREST MEETING “WITH WARY OPTIMISM”

YEREVAN, MAY 29, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Minister of Foreign
Affairs of Armenia Vartan Oskanian waits “with wary optimism” for
results of the Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents’ meeting to take
place in early June in Bucharest, the capital of Romania. “Coming out
just of Paris experience, one must display a wary optimism. If
Presidents meet, a positive movement is always possible. One must hope
that it will be so. But there is no guarantee, so, we must wait,”
Oskanian said to Radio Liberty. Seyran Ohanian, the Defence Minister
of Nagorno Karabakh, waits with the Presidents’ regular meeting with
optimism as well. “Presidents of both countries do their best within
the limits of maximal possibility for the Nagorno Karabakh issue gets
legally its final solution. Maybe, there will be some progress,”
Ohanian said to Radio Liberty.
At the same time, he attached too much importance to “the
participation of Nagorno Karabakh, as a conflict side, in these
negotiation processes.” In response to the question, if the Nagorno
Karabakh people agrees to return some territories instead of the
status, Seyran Ohanian said: “If the time comes, the people will
decide itself. I do not think that I am competent to speak on behalf
of the people. I find that any decision that may call in question the
process of self-determination of Nagorno Karabakh, its security, tie
with Armenia, may not be made. And the people may not make such a
decision.”

HOLIDAY OF FIRST REPUBLIC MARKED AT SARDARAPAT MEMORIAL

ARMAVIR, MAY 29, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The main events
dedicated to the Holiday of First Republic were held on May 28 at the
Sardarapat memorial. RA President Robert Kocharian, Prime Minister
Andranik Margarian, Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II, RA MPs,
government members, high-ranking representatives of the diplomatic
corps accredited in Armenia had visited Sardarapat. The Armavir
inhabitants gave the guests an official welcome and met them with
zourna (type of flute) and dhol. Then RA President and the
high-ranking officials went up to the church-tower where they laid
wreaths and stood in silence to respect the memory of the Armenians
who died in the Sardarapat heroic struggle. On the way to the museum
the communities of Armavir had presented samples of traditional
domestic art and craft. President Robert Kocharian, the government
members and other guests helped themselves to the refreshments of the
Armavir inhabitants. The event was accompanied by concert
performances, song and dance.

ZHARANGUTIUN PARTY’S CENTRAL OFFICE REOPENED

YEREVAN, MAY 29, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. “In our days RA
citizen should protect his rights. If there is no realization of one’s
rights, we will have neither power, nor opposition or statehood,”
Raffi Hovhannisian, Chairman of the Zharangutiun (Heritage) party,
declared on May 29 when the party’s central office was reopened. The
Zharangutiun party’s central office, according to Raffi Hovhannisian,
was illegally closed on March 4: first they broke the office door
bursting into the office, then changed the lock and sealed it.
R.Hovhannisian said that on April 11 they applied to the court with a
claim to open the office which was sustained on April 14. But the
opening of the office had been delayed by now for some reasons.
According to R.Hovhannisian, this reflects the campaign “conducted by
the current power towards its own citizens.” “One cannot achieve its
purpose by horrifying, intimidating, threatening, misleading the
society, closing offices,” the Zharangutiun party Chairman declared.
It was also mentioned that as a result of specialists’ check-ups it
will be found out, whether the property and documents belonging to the
party were damaged or not. The Armenian Center for National and
International Studies headed by former RA Foreign Minister,
Zharangutiun party Chairman Raffi Hovhannisian has been renting an
area in the building of Hakob Paronian theater for already 12
years. According to the agreement signed between the Center and
theater management, they have the right to occupy the area until June.
Theater Director Karo Shahbazian unexpectedly declared that they
should immediately leave the rented area as henceforth it belongs not
to the theater but to the Ministry of State Property. This was
followed by the closure of the party’s office, at that, the theater
management affirms that the office door was broken by their
representaties and the party representatives consider this a political
order.

VAHAN HOVHANNISIAN: ATMOSPHERE CREATED IN SOCIETY ALSO IMPORTANT IN
SOLUTION OF KARABAKH ISSUE

YEREVAN, MAY 29, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. RA National Assembly
Deputy Speaker Vahan Hovhannisian, receiving on May 26 the OSCE
delegation, in the staff of which Ambassadors Carlos Sanchez De Boado
(Spain), Mette Kongshem (Norway), Alex Berg (Germany) and Maria-Pin
Kotbauer (Liechtenstein) were, touched upon the events taking place in
the innerpolitical life of Armenia, forthcoming parliamentary and
presidential elections. The NA Deputy Speaker attached importance to
holding of the forthcoming elections in correspondence with free, just
and democratic standards. He touched upon also amendments being made
to the Electoral Code, expressing a hope that the amended variant of
the Electoral Code will already be adopted in early autumn. As Noyan
Tapan was informed by the NA Public Relations Department, Vahan
Hovhannisian aprreciated the OSCE mission’s activity in Armenia and
attached importance to implementation of different programs. Touching
upon the Karabakh conflict settlement and the Armenia-Turkey
relations, the Ambassadors mentioned that relations with Turkey will
become easier in the case when the conflict will be solved. Vahan
Hovhannisian responded that the Karabakh issue was not among the EU
membership conditions put in front of Turkey, and it would not be
normal, if the Turkey-EU relations were provided by relations of
third, forth countries which are not EU members. Presenting Armenia’s
position concerning the Karabakh problem and attaching importance to
role of international parliamentary organizations in the problem
settlement issue, the NA Deputy Speaker expressed a viewpoint that not
only the contents of proposed solutions but the atmosphere created in
the public to what extent the authorities prepare societies to mutual
compromises are important in the problem solution. The Armenian
authorities, unlike the Azerbaijani authorities, never make military
statements, do not propagate war and hatred. One can find no
publication in Armenian press that sows hatred towards Azeris, when
the Azerbaijani press, text-books are full of statements arising
hatred towards Armenians, even in children’s radio-TV programs
negative figures are always Armenians, what causes little hope that
the Azerbaijani society is being prepared for mutual compromises. As
the EU policy is open borders, open society, free trade, in Vahan
Hovhannisian’s opinion, the conflict settlement is possible in
conditions of mutual cooperation, regional economic cooperation what
Turkey and Azerbaijan obstacle by their policy. Implementation of the
EU New Neghborhood policy in the region becomes difficult in these
conditions as the EU programs are based on integration and
cooperation. V.Hovhannisian expressed a hope that solutions will be
found if the EU policy principles are used towards Turkey as well
which blockaded Armenia.

THEATRICAL FIGURES MARK ISAHAK ALIKHANIAN’S 130TH BIRTHDAY ANNIVERSARY

YEREVAN, MAY 29, NOYAN TAPAN. The memory-morning party taken place on
May 29 at the Theatrical Figures’ Union of Armenia was dedicated to
the 130th birthday anniversary of famous producer, actor and theater
builder Isahak Alikhanian who has been honoured the first People’s
artist title of the Soviet Armenia. Isahak Alikhanian, with his rich
and various theatrical activity, has his unique place in history of
the Armenian theater, speaker of the day Vahe Shahverdian, the
Artistic Head of the Gabriel Soundukian National Academic Theater
emphasized. According to him, the younger generation almost does not
know Alikhanian, and there are neither his partners nor contemporaries
now, but this fact does not cover with shade the great actor’s
productive way. Isahak Alikhanian played at the Baku Armenian theater
during the first times, then moved to the Tbilisi Armenian theater. He
was invited in 1922 with some other actors from Tbilisi to Yerevan to
found the Gabriel Sundukian State Academic Theater. On the stage of
the mother theater, the prominent artist staged Sundukian’s “Pepo” and
at the same time played the leading hero’s, Pepo’s part.
Living and working in Yerevan during a short period of his life, the
talented actor and producer returned Tbilisi later.