PRECONDITIONS FOR SHOOTING ARMENIAN-AZERI FILMS ARE APPARENT
A1+
[12:25 pm] 02 May, 2006
One of the main and profitable conditions of films is the source
of money necessary for the film shooting and not the skills or the
sophistication of the artists. An organization will be set up in the
South Caucasus which is aimed at teaching the cinematographers the
ways and means of getting financial means.
The representatives of the new cinematographers’ Association of the
South Caucasus were in Armenia for a few days and they were looking
for producers, directors and scenario writers, who would like to
become members of the above-mentioned Association.
After the meeting with the Armenian representative of state and
private studios they claim that there is an obvious interest in
Armenia towards their initiative.
The Association which is mainly sponsored and financed by the
Sweden Development and Cooperation Agency will direct its work in 4
directions. A lobbing of the cinematography field will be organized
for the Armenian, Georgian and Azeri specialists, training will be
held for different specialists of the field, and the producers will
take a course so that the films made by them will meet the European
standards. By the way, there is much work to be done on this score.
After the collapse of the Soviet cinematography the former USSR
countries are unable to finance and make proper films according
to the European criteria. “We shall invite experts who will give
a training course on the methods how joint production is realized
and how to present the project and details of films,” mentioned
the representative of the Association Tamara Tatishvili. Thus, the
Association is aimed at bringing the cinema field representatives in
line with the current international criteria.
By the way, the Association will not finance film production. It will
merely provide ground for the right and profitable cinema industry and
for the joint film production in conditions of regional cooperation
and possibilities. Though Tamara Tatishvili doesn’t think that it will
be possible to shoot joint Armenian – Azeri films in close future,
she states that the regional establishment, the Cinematographers’
Association of the South Caucasus, will contribute to the realization
of the idea. “At present I think that it is improbable to make joint
Armenian – Azeri films though I cannot give a definite answer to that
question today. If there are such preconditions when people attempt
to work and make films together and to develop the field of film
industry on the national level, this is already a progress.”

LET’S ADMIT BUT NOT THE REALITY
Hakob Badalyan
Lragir.am
01 May 06
It is clearly set down in the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia
that power in this country belongs to people. It means when an Armenian
public official “barters” with Russia, or negotiates for “barter”,
he should keep in his mind that he is merely a person who has been
authorized by people. Certainly, no one even suggests that our public
officials ever remember that they are accountable. Not only they forget
about this before signing important deals, but also they decline to
give any explanations later. Hence, the news released by World Bank
Armenia Country Director Roger Robinson on April 28 that next week
the government of Armenia will hold public debates to elucidate the
deal on the Thermal Power Plant of Hrazdan is astonishing.
Finally. Finally they decided to report to the society on what they
did, how and why. We already know via who. He announced that they
would tell more details about the deal and we would become convinced
that they did everything properly. He announced, and now they have
decided to tell. Thanks, but to Roger Robinson that he told us about
the intention of the government. Robinson will tell our government that
we are grateful, because the society and the government in Armenia
contact via the officers of international organizations, namely
Robinson. And there is sufficient reason to say so. For instance,
it is difficult to understand why the society should learn about the
public debates that the government will hold from Robinson, who has
many other things to do in Armenia, and not the same government, which
has press and other services. We do not want to enquire in return for
what Robinson carries out the duties of an agent or what he demands
from the government in return for this service. It is not our concern,
our concern is our government, which is, in fact, reluctant to contact
with the citizens, although he lives on the direct taxes that they pay.
And the reason of these words is not just the information about the
public hearings, although it is already sufficient reason. Besides,
Roger Robinson also announced that judging by the information
provided by the government, the deal on the fifth generating unit of
the Thermal Power Plant of Hrazdan was profitable for Armenia. The
World Bank Armenia Country Director announced that when the citizens
of Armenia learn what he had been told, they will become convinced
that it was a good deal.
Let us not assess the deal now, for there will be enough opportunities
to do this over the year or may be even the decade. At the moment,
in fact, it does not matter much if the deal was good or bad. It is
important and utterly important, that, in fact, the officer of an
international organization, let it be an authoritative one, learns
about the deal on the fifth generating unit before the society.
Does it mean that for the authorities of Armenia the international
officer is more important than the citizens who form these authorities,
at least formally. This formality might be the reason why the
government did not consider giving explanations to the society, whereas
they gave a detailed account to the World Bank Country Director. In
other words, the government, in fact, is accountable to international
organizations rather than the citizens.
There is no need to be astonished. After all, long ago did money
become the indicator of power and the determiner of thinking for the
ruling elite, whereas the society does not have money, at least it
does not have as much as the World Bank or any other organization.
The society does not have power either, therefore the conclusions
of international organizations are based on the explanations of
the government rather than public opinion. In other words, if the
government says it is favorable, it means it is favorable, and it
does not matter what the society thinks. The society is simply
advised to admit the reality. Admitting the reality means doing
nothing. Explanations become obsolete when the reality is admitted.
Many sophisticated inventions have been made because man refused to
admit the reality. After all, democracy is also based on defying the
reality, and the same World Bank gives millions of dollars to the same
government of Armenia for democratic reforms. Why do they defy the
reality then and give the millions? Maybe these millions do facilitate
admitting the reality. And finally, what is reality? Most probably
it is time to give explanations, without any agents going between.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

BIG TAXPAYERS ARE MOSTLY FROM YEREVAN
Aram Zakaryan
Lragir.am
01 May 06
There are interesting changes on the lists of 300 big taxpayers of
2005 and the 300 big taxpayers of the first quarter.
One of the most notable changes is the recession of Flitfood Company,
owned by Member of Parliament Samvel Alexanyan. In 2005 this company
was the fifth taxpayer (last year it paid 7 billion drams), in the
first quarter of this year it is the 32nd with 245 million drams.
Flitfood imports sugar, and 99 percent of sugar in Armenia is imported
by this company. And the import of sugar is not seasonal.
Let us recall the rumors about a businessman who started the business
of importing sugar to Armenia on the approval of the authorities. The
season might be the reason why Shant +, occupying the 264th place
among 300 taxpayers of 2005, cannot be found among 1000 taxpayers of
the third quarter. This company produces cakes, sweets, but dominates
on the market of ice cream. Again about Samvel Alexanyan. Another
company owned by him, Natali Pharm, which imports medicine, has gone
up the list; if in 2005 it was 56th, in 2006 it is 51st. Moreover,
the amount of taxes that this company paid shows that this business is
not seasonal. Over the past year Natali Pharm paid 675 million drams,
in the first quarter – four times less, 147 million drams.
The business of other companies, Zigzag, Yerevan Champaign Wines,
etc, is not seasonal too.
By the same statistics, the business of Coca Cola is not seasonal
either. The company, however, has yielded its position; if last year
it was the 16th, this year it is the 41st. The first fifth companies
are stable. Copper and Molybdenum Factory is similarly the first, the
second is again Armentel. The sixth big taxpayer is Pares Armenia,
the eighth is Distribution Networks of Armenia, the ninth is Grand
Tobacco and the Nuclear Plant of Metsamor, which is the tenth on
the list, have sustained their achievements. If last year the petrol
company Flash was the third, and Armrusgasard was the fourth, in the
first quarter of 2006 they exchanged places.
K-Telecom, Vivacell, moved from the seventh to the 15th position with a
“tiger’s bounce.” If this company paid 2.2 billion over the past year,
in the first quarter of 2006 it company paid 1.6 billion.
The rumored bird flu, which “did not visit us,” had an extremely
negative impact on Armenian poultry farms. By the way, the owners
of poultry farms have been alarming over the past months. If in
2005 the six largest poultry farms of Armenia, Lusakert, Yerevan,
Arzni and Arax, were among the 300 big taxpayers of Armenia, in the
first quarter of 2006 only two poultry farms, Lusakert and Arax,
are found on this list. In 2005 Arax Poultry Farm was the 102nd,
Lusakert was the 103rd, with 342 million drams each, whereas in the
first quarter of 2006, Arax is the 131st with 70 million drams, and
Lusakert is the 296th with 30 million drams. In the first quarter of
2005 Getamech Poultry Farm is the 548th.
After the casino scandal in Moscow, involving Member of Parliament
Tigran Arzakantxyan, Great Valley Company owned by him dropped by
186 points. This brandy factory paid 164 million drams and was the
132nd last year. In the first quarter of 2006 Great Valley paid 27.8
million and is the 318th. The Mill of Yerevan, owned by another member
of parliament, Levon Sargsyan, also bounced back. In 2005 the mill
paid 373 million and was the 89th, in the first quarter it paid 30
million and is the 297th.
The Underground of Yerevan, living on subsidy, is the 355th taxpayer
in the first quarter of 2006. It paid 24.7 million drams. From among
the state government agencies only the National Assembly is a big
taxpayer; in addition, it is not in the first 300 but in the first
500. In the first quarter of 2006 the National Assembly returned 20
million out of the funds it gets from the state budget. By the way, in
2006 the National Assembly will get more money than the government and
the president’s administration. The National Assembly will get 2.087
billion, the budget of the government will total 1.1 billion and the
president’s administration of the president 1.9 billion. Perhaps this
is the reason why the president’s administration and the government
are not among big taxpayers.
Both in 2005 and in the first quarter of 2006 the majority of taxpayers
are based in Yerevan. Out of the 300 big taxpayers only 74-75 or 25
percent are based in the regions.

COUNCIL OF BENEFICIARIES OF THE “MILLENIUM CHALLENGE – ARMENIA” PROGRAM TO BE ELECTED
ArmRadio.am
02.05.2006 11:08
Elections of the civil society representatives at the Council of
Beneficiaries of the “Millenium Challenge – Armenia” program will be
held at the American University of Armenia.
The task force of the program is expected to sum up the election
results by 9 a.m.

12TH MEETING OF US-ARMENIA TASK FORCE TO START TODAY IN YEREVAN
ArmRadio.am
02.05.2006 10:35
The 12th meeting of the US-Armenia Task Force (USATF) will start
today in Yerevan. The meeting will be chaired by RA Minister of
Finance and Economy Vardan Khachatryan and US Coordinator for Europe
and Eurasia Tom Adams. According to the Press Service of the RA
Ministry of Finance and Economy, it is envisaged to discuss issues
of bilateral interest, present the programs under implementation and
to clarify issues of the programmed measures. Among the issues on the
USATF agenda are measures to encourage Armenia’s economic development,
democratic reforms, the Millennium Challenge Program-related issues,
macroeconomic policy and long-term development promotion programs,
tax and customs sector reforms. Problems of agriculture, judicial
and energy sectors, educational and scientific issues, as well as the
fight against terrorism and other programs of mutual interest will be
addressed during the meeting. The USATF was established in 2000 with
the aim of promoting the cooperation between the two countries and
enhancing the efficiency of assistance programs implemented by the
US government in Armenia. The USATF holds two meetings annually –
in Washington and Yerevan. Over the past decade, the US government
has implemented various development and humanitarian programs of a
total of 1.6 billion dollars in Armenia.

KARS-AKHALKALAK-TBILISI-BAKU RAILWAY COMMUNICATION ISSUE TO BE DISCUSSED AT TRASECA SITTING
ArmRadio.am
02.05.2006 11:43
The issues of Kars-Akhalkalak-Tbilisi-Baku railway communication
will be discussed at the sitting of the intergovernmental commission
of TRASECA participant countries to be held in Sofia, Azerbaijani
Ministry of Transport informs.

PACE RAPPORTEUR ON MONITORING OF CULTURAL MONUMENTS TO PAY A VISIT TO THE REGION
ArmRadio.am
02.05.2006 12:54
“PACE Rapporteur on monitoring of cultural monuments in the South
Caucasus, British MP Edward O’Hara’s visit to Armenia, Azerbaijan and
Nagorno-Karabakh is expected between May25 – June 7, 2006,” member
of the Azeri delegation to PACE Rafael Huseynov told “Trend” Agency.
“I am a member of the PACE delegation for investigation of facts,”
Huseynov said, noting that the first pat of the reporter’s visit
will be dedicated to the investigation of the state of Azerbaijani
monuments on the territory of Armenia. Huseynov said that the exact
date will be set after the sitting of the PACE Committee on Culture,
Education and Science, which will be held May 18-19 in Paris.

OPENING OF THE FIRST BUILDING UNDER THE “CATHOLICOS KAREKIN II WORK PROJECT” TO BE HELD MAY 3 IN GAVAR
ArmRadio.am
02.05.2006 13:10
On May 3, 2006 the opening ceremony of building will be held under the
” Catholicos Karekin II Work Project: An Armenian Building on Faith”
project in Gavar city, Gegharkunik region.
“The partnership with HFH Armenia and also being the first to
implement such a great project is much responsible for us,” said
Gurgen Martirosyan, the mayor of Gavar city, “We will do our best in
the mission of eliminating poverty housing in our community.”
The construction of this building was stopped in 1993 because of the
huge grade the country was exposed. Now the city administration gave
the building to the families selected by HFH Armenia to be homeowner.

GOVERNOR OF FLORIDA RECOGNIZES THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
ArmRadio.am
02.05.2006 13:25
Jab Bush, Governor of Florida, US President George Bush’s brother
declared April 24th the day of commemoration of Genocide victims,
Turkish “Hurriet” informs. According to the source, the Jab Bush
issued an official statement saying, “Turks carried out genocide
against Armenians.”
“1915-1923 Osman Turks subjected 1.5 million Armenians to mass
assassination, who became victims of a genocide,” the statement says.
The source reminds that “the Governor of California Arnold
Shwarzenegger declared a week of commemoration of Genocide victims in
California, while President Bush has not been using the word “genocide”
ever since undertaking his position, despite the great pressure.”

ASHOT GALOYAN APPOINTED RA AMBASSADOR TO ESTONIA
ArmRadio.am
02.05.2006 13:48
With RA President Robert Kocharyan’s decree dated April 29, RA
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Poland Ashot Galoyan
was appointed RA Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to
Estonia.