ARMENIA CIS LEADER BY ECONOMIC FREEDOM INDEX

Noyan Tapan
Mar 13 2006

YEREVAN, MARCH 13, NOYAN TAPAN. Armenia ranks 27th (being considered
as a “mostly free” country) in the table of the 2006 annual rating
of economic freedom of the Heritage Foundation and the Wall Street
Journal. Vahagn Movsisian, Director General of the Armenian Development
Agency (ADA), stated this at the March 11 press conference. According
to him, the rating showed that Armenia is the CIS leader by the
economic freedom index. It shares 27th place with Japan and Bahamas,
while Georgia is in 68th place, Azerbaijan – 123rd, Turkey – 85th,
Iran – 157th, Ukraine -99th and Russia is in 122nd place out of 161
countries. V. Movsisian said that during the Business Assistance
Council (BAC) sitting (Armenian Prime Minister is BAC Chairman, the
ADA Director General – BAC Secretary), the new database on business
corruption risks, including the conclusions of the research conducted
by the international organization FEAS, will be examined. A working
group composed of 50 businessmen was set up at the BAC for the purpose
of creating the database. He reminded that such a database was created
in 2001 after the foundation of the BAC. Later, corruption risk-related
issues were discussed at 24 sittings of the BAC. According to ADA
Director General, the gradual solution of these issues has contributed
to the fact that Armenia is 27th by the economic freedom index (44th
in 2005), and the investment climate has significantly improved in
the country.

6 CASES OF POISONING REGISTERED IN FEBRUARY IN VAYOTS DZOR

Noyan Tapan
Mar 13 2006

YEGHEGNADZOR, MARCH 13, NOYAN TAPAN. 6 cases of poisoning were
registered in February this year in Vayots Dzor (1 carbon monoxide
poisoning, 5 poisonings from tinned food), in consequence of which 10
people suffered, 1 died. 2 cases of poisoning were registered in the
same month of 2005 in the region, from which 2 people suffered. 2 cases
of fire, 2 car incidents (4 victims, 2 injured) were registered in
the region in the same month and cases of bird plague were registered
in the Yelpin community (50 hens belonging to 3 farms died).

27 regional communities suffered in consequence of the heavy snow in
February, the total damage of which amounted to about 56 mln drams
(about 125 thousand USD).

THREE SERVICEMEN GET PHYSICAL INJURIES IN IJEVAN AS CONSEQUENCE OF STRONG WIND

Noyan Tapan
Mar 13 2006

IJEVAN, MARCH 13, NOYAN TAPAN. The roof of the military unit placed
in the region of Ijevan fell to ruins at about 11:00, March 9,
because of a strong wind, as a consequence of what 3 servicemen
were injured. Benik Miskarian, the regional department specialist
of the Department on Extreme Situations informed the Noyan Tapan
correspondent about this. According to him, the health state of one
of those servicemen is serious.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

DIAGNOSTIC CENTER OPENS IN RA CENTRAL MILITARY HOSPITAL

Noyan Tapan
Mar 13 2006

YEREVAN, MARCH 13, NOYAN TAPAN. Opening of a diagnostic center took
place on March 9 at the Central Military Hospital of the RA Ministry of
Defence. The Center has 8 services: 4 functional and 4 laboratory ones
which are full of modern equipment. According to Lieutenant-General
Artur Aghabekian, the RA Deputy Minister of Defence, the activity of
the center will give an opportunity to implement a complete examination
of servicemen in the central hospital.

According to him, there is a goal at present to provide the
hospital with modern equipment in a short period of time, to restore
fundamentaly all the departments for it’s possible to completely
implement the process of patients’ treatment in the above-mentioned
medical institution. “During the coming two years we’ll completely
provide the central hospital with modern technics,” A.Aghabekian
stated, mentioning that re-training of doctors is also implemented
to make use of those technics.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NUMBER OF MURDERS INCREASES THREEFOLD IN ARMENIA IN FIRST TWO MONTHS OF 2006 COMPARED WITH SAME PERIOD OF LAST YEAR

Noyan Tapan
Mar 13 2006

YEREVAN, MARCH 13, NOYAN TAPAN. 1,342 crimes were registered in Armenia
in the first two months of 2006 against 1,526 crimes in the same period
of last year. Colonel Hayk Militosian, Head of the RA Police Main
Department of Criminal Investigation, stated at the March 10 press
conference that the number of grave crimes declined by 57 compared
with January-February of 2005 and made 336. The number of particularly
grave crimes grew by 16 on the respective index of last year and made
31, while the number of crimes with use of firearms grew by 2 to 15
cases. 15 murders were registered in January-February 2006 against 5
murders over the same period of 2005. There was also a growth in the
number of attempted murders (3-7), crimes against sexual immunity
(5-8), drug-related crimes (30-80), hooliganism (24-36), crimes
with the use of firearms (10-14), robbery (18-21), apartment thefts
(67-76), and theft of means of transport (15-18). At the same time,
there was a decline in the number of such crimes as causing harm
to health deliberatly (118-64), illegal turnover of arms (29-15),
embezzlement of state or public property (50-33), embezzlement of
private property (373-361), fraud (75-51), crimes against economic
activity (39-32) and in some other crimes. The index of confiscation
and voluntary handing of the arms has remained at the same level –
19-20. Over the period under review, the crimes committed with use
of firearms and posing a great danger to society were disclosed by
100%. However, according to H. Militosian, the index of crime solution
declined by 2% to 62% compared with last year. H. Militosian said
that the number of beggar children declined considerably – this year
their number made about 80 against 170 registered in 1997. The number
of parents negligent in their duties of upbringing makes 48. Last year
26 citizens were subjected to criminal liability for involvement of
minors in crimes.

ARMENIAN WRESTLERS RETURN FROM TASHKENT ONLY WITH ONE PRIZE

Noyan Tapan
Mar 13 2006

TASHKENT, MARCH 13, NOYAN TAPAN. The 2nd tournament of the World
Golden Grand Prix of free-style wrestling: the Independence cup
tournament of Uzbekistan was held in Tashkent. The wrestlers of
Russia competed the most successfully and they won the first three
prizes. The representatives of the U.S. won first two prizes and of
Georgia and Uzebkistan 1 prize each. Only one of the sportsmen of
Armenia managed to become a prize-winner: Zhirayr Hovhannisian from
Vanadzor took the 3rd place in the 66 kg weight catergory.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

CHESS-PLAYERS TIGRAN KOTANJIAN AND LUSINE ALAVERDIAN BECOME YEREVAN CHAMPIONS

Noyan Tapan
Mar 13 2006

YEREVAN, MARCH 13, NOYAN TAPAN. The first group tournaments of Armenian
men and women chess championships are over. At the same time they had
a status of open Yerevan championships. International master Tigran
Kotanjian (Yerevan) took the first place and became Yerevan champion in
the men’s tournament held with participation of 53 chess-players. He
gained 7.5 out of 9 possible points. David Kalashian (Gyumri) took
the second palce with 7 points. Kotanjian and Kalashian gained the
right to take part in the tournament of Armenian championship highest
group. 3 winners among 30 participants of women’s tournament were to
get the right to take part in the country’s championship. The winners
became: Lusine Alaverdian (Hrazdan), Anahit Kharatian (Vanadzor)
and Marianna Gasparian (Gyumri). L.Alaverdian became the winner of
Yerevan open championship.

ELINA DANIELIAN CONTINUES TO COMPETE IN WOMEN’S WORLD CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP

oyan Tapan
Mar 13 2006

YEKATERINBURG, MARCH 13, NOYAN TAPAN. A regular women’s world chess
championship started in the Russian city of Yeketerinburg. It is
held among 64 women chess-players by the “Knockout” contest rules
when those defeated in short competitions are left out of the further
competition. Lilit Mkrtchian, one of 2 representatives of Armenia, was
left out of the competition. She drew the main two games with Chinese
Ruan Lufey but was defeated in one of 2 additional games drawing
the next one. So, Lilit Mkrtchian was defeated with a score of 1.5
to 2.5. Another grand master from Yerevan, Elina Danielian, ended the
competition with the same score but in favor of herself. Elina defeated
Romanian Christina Foyshor and is to compete with representative of
Russia Alexander Kostenyuk in the second tour. By the way, the latter
defeated Armenian chess-player Natalia Khudgarian representing Canada
with a score of 2 to 0.

TWO SPORTSMEN FROM ARMENIA TO PARTICIPATE IN PARALYMPIC WINTER GAMES IN TURIN

Noyan Tapan
Mar 13 2006

TURIN, MARCH 13, NOYAN TAPAN. The Paralympic Winter Games are held in
the city of Turin (Torino), Italy, on March 10-19. Invalid sportsmen of
few dozens of countries will participate in the Olympiad. 2 sportsmen
will represent Armenia: mountain-skier Mher Avanesian and Greta
Khndzrtian. They were to compete on March 11 and 14.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ELECTIONS OF LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT BODIES HELD IN TWO RURAL COMMUNITIES ON MARCH 12

Noyan Tapan
Mar 13 2006

YEREVAN, MARCH 13, NOYAN TAPAN. Councillor’s elections were held on
March 12 in the Arzakan rural community of the Kotayk marz and special
elections of the community head in the Debed rural community of the
Lori marz. By the Government’s decision, commissions of the acting
community head of Debed were stopped ahead of time due to his death. As
Victoria Haroutiunian, the Chairwoman of No 31 district electoral
commission informed the Noyan Tapan correspondent, non-partizan
and unemployed Garik Nazlukhanian and Kamo Petrosian pretended for
the post of the comminuty head. According to the preliminary data,
G.Nazlukhanian won with the superiority of 2 votes. 482 people of
the 600 voters of the community participated in the votion. The
commission got no applications-complaints within the term fixed by
the electoral code.