THE ARMENIAN POOREST MARZ ACCORDING TO THE UNO DATA
A1+
[03:27 pm] 18 April, 2006
Ghegharkunik was considered the most vulnerable region according to
the UNO survey data. Both the rural and urban refugees live in awful
social conditions. The list of the poorest is topped by 8 refugee
communities of the marz.
Our compatriots who deported from Azerbaijan settled in 5 urban and
37 rural communities of Ghegharkunik.
Though they have lived in Armenia for 15 years they still have
adaptation problems. Mrs. Svetlana living in Azerbaijan in the
past now lives in a new community and gets adjusted with the rural
housing conditions with great difficulty. There are many people like
her who are cut from the outer world as they haven’t got TV sets and
newspapers are not available for them. The marz dwellers are mainly
involved in agricultural work. Their number one problem is connected
with flats. So far only 21 refugee families received flats.
About 20 000 Armenian refugees found a shelter in the marz in the
years following the migration and they mainly settled in Vardenis
and Tsambarak.
In those territories the roads are in a terrible state and there
are no means of transportation and communication. The refugees
deem themselves ignored and neglected. The regional department of
Human Rights Protection Centre after Sakharov is concerned with
their matter. The latter implements the program “The refugees in 15
years’ time” with the assistance of the World Bank Yerevan Office
and Open Society Institute Fund in order to raise the level of public
awareness on refugee needs and issues. The organization has held free
legal consultation and material support for the refugees living in
the region.
This time the regional department of Human Rights Protection Centre
after Sakharov organized a photo – exhibition discussion titled
“The refugees in 15 years’ time.” The chief of the program Ruben
Khachikyan while quoting the strategy program combating poverty,
the UNO survey of the vulnerable local and refugee dwellers stated
that the refugee index was worse than that of the local inhabitants.
“Kjavar” TV channel of Gavar

THE INTERNATIONAL WUSHU TOURNAMENT IN YEREVAN
A1+
[03:52 pm] 18 April, 2006
The international traditional wushu tournament devoted to “Old
Shengavit” will be held in “Dinamo” sports ground on April 21 – 22. The
tournament is held for the 3rd time. About 100 representatives from
Georgia, Nagorno – Karabakh, Kazakhstan and Armenia will participate
in the 2006 tournament. Armenia will have the most participants – 64
sportsmen. 16 wushuists will arrive from Georgia, 12 – from Kazakhstan
and 8 – from Artsakh. Whushuists of different ages are to participate
in the meetings starting from the age 12 to adults.
Last year the representatives from Russia and Turkmenistan also
participated in the tournament but this year they don’t participate
because of the lack of financial support.
By the way, the 6th wushu championship will be held in “Dinamo” sports
ground on May 12 – 14, and about 250 Armenian strongest whushuists
will participate in various weight categories.

ARMENIAN SPORTSMEN WON MEDALS IN THE EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP
A1+
[04:10 pm] 18 April, 2006
Armenian unarmed self-defense team won two medals in the European
Adult Championship held in Serbia. Ashot Danielyan won silver medal in
74kg weight category, and David Khachatryan won bronze medal in 68kg
weight category. Our best unarmed self-defense player, the world ex
champion of 2005 Layert Avagyan was injured in the first stage of the
championship and couldn’t continue his meeting. The Armenian Unarmed
Self-Defense Federation chairman Levon Hairapetyan mentioned that
Avagyan would win a medal by all means in case he participated. Thus,
Armenia lost one of its medals because of Avagyan’s injury. Regardless
of the medals the chairman of the Federation was not content with the
participation of the Armenian sportsmen. “We got accustomed to winning
medals which has become a normal thing for us. But I expected more –
a gold medal. This is a good result for the Olympic Games and Sport
Committee but I am not pleased with it.”
Let us add that 5 Armenian sportsmen participated in the European
Championship held in Belgrade.

RAZMIK SARGSYAN’S PARENTS CONTINUE THE HUNGER STRIKE
ArmrRadio.am
18.04.2006 14:17
Before the Court of Appeal would start the trial of the case of
murder of two soldiers, an act of protest was organized by parents
and relatives of the accused.
To remind, Razmik Sargsyan, Arayik Zalyan and Musa Serobyan are charged
with murdering the two soldiers. However, they continue to confirm they
have not committed the crime. They have again started a hunger strike
to prove their innocence. Their parents have also joined the strike.

WILL WATER PRICE GO UP?
A1+
[04:25 pm] 18 April, 2006
The RA State Committee regulating public services got a claim for
water price increase by “Yerevan Water” LTD on April 6, 2006.
“Yerevan Water” offers to establish new water price; 172AMD per
1sq. water instead of the former 125AMD.
According to the preliminary data the Committee will view the issue
on April 28 and will approve of it according to the Consumers’
Association Chairman Armen Poghosyan.

45 CASES PRESENTED IN THE PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE
A1+
[05:02 pm] 18 April, 2006
The issues of shadow curtail in construction and mining industry
spheres, the quarter results as well as false customs clearance combat
were today’s roundtable discussion theme during the work meeting of RA
President Robert Kocharyan and Tax State Service Chief Felix Tsolakyan.
According to the Tax State Service Chief the budget tax entries were
equal to 43, 2 milliard AMD which outnumbers the index of the previous
year data with 8milliard AMD. A high percent was registered in income
tax and profit tax. There was also a significant increase in social
payments. 15.3 milliard AMD was collected in the first quarter which
outnumbers the previous year data by 2.4 milliard AMD.
While speaking of the future plans the Tax State Service Chief
mentioned that the Service has marked out the list of the organizations
the taxes and deals of which do not comply with their activities,
and they will take measures on this score.
As for the false customs clearance combat Felix Tsolakyan stated that
45 cases were presented in the Prosecutor’s Office and an action was
brought against 19 of them.
There was also a mention about the property and income registration
procedure. Robert Kocharyan focused on the necessity of improving it
legally and utilizing mechanisms of responsibility.

RUSSIAN DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER GRIGORI KARASIN TO ARRIVE IN ARMENIA
ArmrRadio.am
18.04.2006 14:46
Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia Grigori Karasin will arrive today
in Armenia.
“Novosti” information agency of Russia informs that Karasin will
arrive in Yerevan from Tbilisi.
In Yerevan he will participate in the regional consultation of Russian
Ambassadors to Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkey. The Deputy
Foreign Minister will have meetings with the leadership of Armenia,
as well.

THE ADVOCATES DIDN’T APPEAR IN THE COURTROOM
A1+
[05:35 pm] 18 April, 2006
They Were On Strike
The trial of the defendants Razmik Sargsyan, Musa Serobyan and Arajik
Zajyan who are on hunger – strike for already 7 days was resumed
today in the Court of Appeal on Criminal and Martial issues. They
were hardly taken to the courtroom; they looked very weak and sick.
The trial was soon interrupted as the three advocates of the defendants
were not present in the courtroom.
The judge Mher Arghamanyan demanded the trial to be interrupted for
an hour so as they could find the reason of their absence.
While the participants of the trial waited for the trial resumption the
parents of the accused boys launched an appeal in front of the building
with the following posters, “The murders in the army are determined
by the fact that real murderers are not punished,” “Stop you illegal
steps, Court Martial Prosecutor” etc. They cried with loudspeakers,
“There are illegal cases in the army. Two innocent boys were killed
in the army and now our innocent sons are accused of their murder
instead of the real guilty ones.”
The courtroom was again full after the break but the advocates were
not present. The judge informed the people present that they phoned
the Advocates’ Union and spoke to the Chairman Ruben Sahakyan about
the current situation in the courtroom. The latter answered that the
two advocates were in the courtroom.
Mher Arghamanyan asked one of the court workers to ask them in but the
latter returned and said, “They refuse to work in such conditions. They
won’t return unless their mediations are taken into account.” “I
have never countered such a scene when the advocates gather in front
of the court and launch an appeal. The court is powerless; I cannot
make them come here. Even the Union Chairman cannot do it,” claimed
the judge. The representative of the accuser Anahit Eghazaryan said,
“I am astonished that they speak with an ultimatum with the court. This
is a way of exerting pressure. I have been working in this sphere
for 22 years and have never seen such a thing.”
The trial was resumed without the advocates.

PRESIDENT KOCHARYAN STRESSES THE IMPORTANCE OF FIGHTING SHADOW ECONOMY
ArmRadio.am
18.04.2006 17:45
Midterm results, the reduction of shadow economy in the spheres
of mining and construction were discussed today during the working
meeting of President Robert Kocharyan and Head of the State Tax Agency
Felix Tsolakyan.
According to the data provided by Head of the State Tax Agency,
the tax revenues in the state budget comprised 43.2 billion drams,
which is 8 billion more than last year.
The interlocutors stressed the importance of the fact that the
percentage of the income tax and profit tax is high in the total
volume of taxes.
Rise has been registered also in social payments. In the first term
15.3 billion drams have been collected, which is 2.4 billion drams
more than the results of the last year.
The collocutors turned to the process of registration of property and
revenues. Robert Kocharyan stressed the importance of the necessity
of its legal improvement and execution of certain mechanisms.
The President gave instructions regarding the issues discussed. He
underlined that he expects consistent work from the Tax Agency in
the direction of resolving the problems suggested.

MARY-ANNE ISLER BEGUIN: ONCE ARMENIA WILL BECOME A FULL MEMBER OF THE EUROPEAN FAMILY
ArmRadio.am
18.04.2006 18:14
“I am confident that once Armenia will become a full member of the
European family,” said Mary-Anne Isler Beguin, President of the
EU-Armenia Parliamentary Cooperation Commission.
During the 8th sitting of the Commission in Yerevan she assured she
is aware of the problems Armenia faces today and expressed readiness
to assist our country to resolve these.
“No doubt, the Karabakh issue is of urgent importance, and we, the
European Parliament, follow the situation and we are confident that
peace talks are the only way for resolution of the conflict,” President
of the EU-Armenia Parliamentary Cooperation Commission declared.
“We do not think that Ramboulliet was a failure,” Mary-Anne Isler
Beguin stated, turning to the Karabakh issue.