THEY TRY TO ASSUAGE THE RESULTS
A1+
03:22 pm 29 March, 2006
The RA President Robert Kocharyan and the Minister of Energy Armen
Movsisyan had a working meeting today.
During the meeting they discussed issues about the mechanisms
to assuage the results of the raise of the costs of gas and the
construction of the gas pipeline Iran-Armenia.
A decision was made to continue the negotiations with the Russian
side about the price of gas and to represent the pack of offers agreed
with Robert Kocharyan to the society.
The Minister informed that the construction works of the gas pipeline
Iran-Armenia have already started.

ARMENIA FACES LOSSES CAUSED BY CORRUPTION
Lragir.am
29 March 06
In 2005 the losses of Armenia caused by corruption totaled 3 billion
487 million drams, but only 236 million drams was recovered. Bagrat
Yesayan, the adviser to the president of Armenia on corruption,
says Armenia is facing serious corruption problems.
According to Bagrat Yesayan, more cases of corruption were revealed
in 2005 than in 2004, and 97 officials were punished. Yesayan does
not want to assess whether this is much or little; he merely mentions
the fact.

ARMENIAN AIRPLANE CRASHED IN IRAN
A1+
04:56 pm 29 March, 2006
According to the information from the RA Embassy in Tehran, on March
28 at 06:50 p.m. by local time the air-freighter AN-12 which belongs
to the company “Phoenix” registered in Armenia flying from Sharzha
to Karaj clashed with a flock of birds and spoiled three of the
four engines.
The crew of 12 people (11 of whom are citizens of RA and one is
Ukrainian) managed to make an emergency landing near Karaj.
As a result of the accident, four members of the crew had slight
injuries and were taken to the hospital. At present their situation
is satisfactory and they have been taken to the hotel.
The representatives of the Armenian Embassy in Tehran left for
the place of accident immediately and cooperating with the local
authorities took steps to help the crew.
The RA Foreign Ministry keep in constant touch with the RA Embassy
in Tehran.

GRECO IS AGAINST IMMUNITY OF ARMENIAN OFFICIALS
Lragir.am
29 March 06
GRECO, the international organization against corruption, starting
from the report on our country, advises the government of Armenia to
reduce the number of public officials who have immunity. Particularly,
the members of parliament, members of central and divisional electoral
committees are mentioned. Besides, GRECO’s recommendation emphasizes
the importance of reducing the role of the president of Armenia and
the public prosecutor, who make individual decisions, in depriving
judges and the staff of the Office of Public Prosecutor of immunity.
Now under the legislation of Armenia different people receive immunity
in different periods. Only during the local elections several dozens
of thousands of people are granted immunity.

INVESTMENTS EXCEEDING 500 M DRAMS ARE EXEMPT FROM PROFIT TAX
Lragir.am
29 March 06
The tax allowances for foreign investments in Armenia, particularly
the exemption of profit tax on investments exceeding 500 million
dram will work until late 2007. According to the news agency ARKA,
this was stated by Vakhtang Mirumyan, the head of the department
of government receipts, Ministry of Finance and Economy, during the
international seminar on banking in Yerevan. “The main peculiarity
of the tax system of Armenia is its liberal nature for both direct
and indirect taxes,” said Mirumyan.

WOMEN WERE 52.3 PER CENT IN 2004
Lragir.am
29 March 06
The National Statistics Service of Armenia, the Ministry of Employment
and Social Affairs, the UNDP Gender and Politics Program in the
South Caucasus and the International Development Agency of Sweden
published a statistical booklet entitled “Women and Men in Armenia”
in English and Armenia. The information in the booklet is based on
the facts of the National Statistic Service.
The booklet presents the main indices of 2004, describing the
gender issues in Armenia. The indices reflect the picture of gender
for demography, health care, education, social issues, as well as
breaches, employment, NGOs, as well as the organizations which adopt
political decisions.
In 2004 only 5 per cent of members of parliament of Armenia were
women. Women in the republican bodies of the executive are 39.7 per
cent, in regional administrations 37.8 per cent and judiciary 20 per
cent. Women in local governments comprise 56.3 per cent. The survey
suggests that 34 per cent of women and 65 per cent of men are daily
engaged in profitable work. In 2004 female convicts totaled 5.3
per cent.
Women in education, culture and arts, health care and social services,
as well as loan and state insurance totaled 54-78 per cent.

UNIFICATION FOR ARMENIA PARTY TO RUN FOR PARLIAMENT IN 2007
Lragir.am
29 March 06
“We are taking a step at reviving political parties that are not
operating. We derived the name of the political party Unification for
Armenia,” thus Vahram Baghdasaryan, the secretary of the People’s
Deputy Group, explains his and his supporters’ decision to run for
parliament in 2007.
Vahram Baghdasaryan thinks that the number of political parties
should be reduced, especially that “the programs and bylaws of the
political parties of this country hardly differ from one another. Our
aim was not to join active political parties for we have not joined
any political party for so many years.”
Presently, Vahram Baghdasaryan and his supporters are engaged in
changing the bylaws and programs of the political party, meetings
in the regions. “There will be meetings in all the regions.” Vahram
Baghdasaryan, a native of the region of Lori, started his meetings in
this region. By March 29 he has already had 6 meetings. The political
party will publicly state its political line and announce the date
of their assembly as soon as the bureau of the political party is
ready. “It will be in late summer, in fall. One of our aims is to
run for parliament in 2007 as a political organization,” said Vahram
Baghdasaryan to our news reporter.
Vahram Baghdasaryan does not deny cooperation with other NGOs, as
well as the People’s Deputy Group in the future. “We are ready to
cooperate with any political force, an alliance is not excluded. Our
doors are open to everyone.”

MIGRATION OF BIRDS LEADS TO A PLANE CRASH
ArmRadio.am
29.03.2006 17:55
Head of the Chief Agency of Civil Aviation of Armenia Artyom Movsisyan
told “Radiolur” correspondent that “An-12” airplane of the Armenian
“Fenix” Aviation Company went on a crash landing 35 kilometers away
from Tehran. There are no victims among the 12 members of the crew,
since they managed to leave the plane before a fire burst out.
According to Artyom Movsisyan the reason of the accident was the
flock of birds that crashed into the plane.
According to the information received from RA Embassy in Tehran,
four members of the crew were slightly injured and were immediately
hospitalized. At this point their condition is satisfactory, and they
have been moved to the hotel.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TRAINING AWAITS OFFICERS OF ARMENIAN LAW ENFORCEMENT BODIES
Lragir.am
29 March 06
“In terms of the use of modern methods and new technologies in fighting
corruption and bribery the professionalism of the officers of judicial
and law enforcement bodies of Armenia is on an unsatisfactory level,”
announced the adviser to the president of Armenia Bagrat Yesayan
to news reporters. GRECO extended a recommendation to Armenia with
regard to improving the situation in this sphere. Hence, training
courses will be organized for the officials of the judicial and law
enforcement bodies of Armenia.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT, MINISTER SET TO CONTINUE RUSSIAN GAS PRICE TALKS
Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
29 Mar 06
Armenian President Robert Kocharyan and Energy Minister Armen Movsisyan
discussed consequences of the Russian gas price increase and mechanisms
for softening them, as well as the construction of the Iran-Armenia
gas pipeline today.
The sides decided to continue negotiations with Russia on gas prices
and to present a package of proposals to the public after agreeing
it with the president.
The energy minister told the president that welding work on the
Iran-Armenia gas pipeline has already begun and construction will be
completed this autumn.
[Passage omitted: Movsisyan giving an interview about the talks with
the president and construction work on the Iran-Armenia pipeline]