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| 15:07:17 | 09-09-2005 | Social |
VIOLATIONS ACCORDING TO THE LAW
While selling areas for state needs the Yerevan authorities do not violate
any laws, claimed the Yerevan mayor Yervand Zakharyan during today’s press
conference.
According to him, they do everything according to the law and corresponding
legislative acts. Yervand Zakharyan claims that the municipality has no
right to interfere with the evaluation of property, and if the resident is
displeased he can appeal the decision. As for the 10% income tax taken from
the compensation, according to the mayor, it is fully legal.
In the areas of North and Main Avenues, 997 contracts have been signed up to
now. 29 of them which are in court cases, do not form even 3%, the mayor
says. Yervand Zakharyan enumerated the names of the people who have brought
about a court case demanding 2000 USD for one square meter. `It is a
groundless demand’, he said, mentioning that the resident have been offered
up to 980 USD. Yervand Zakharyan announced that they have clear-cut programs
of reconstruction which will be realized without taking into account
anybody’s opinion.
As for the report of the RA Ombudsman Larissa Alaverdyan about the law
violations in the North and Main Avenues areas, Mr. Zakharyan announced, `I
have heard nothing about it. It is the opinion of Mrs. Larissa Alaverdyan’.

GERMANY ALLOCATES 2.2 MLN EUR TO ARMENIA FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF PROJECT
“BIO-DIVERSITY AND NATURE PROTECTION IN SOUTH CAUCASUS REGION”
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 9. ARMINFO. German Govenrment has approved 2.2 mln
EUR to Armenia for implementation of a program “Bio-diversity in the
South-West of Armenia” and “Protection of bio-diversity in Javakheti
through transboundary cooperation.”
A relevant agreement was signed today by Ministry of Nature Protection
of Armenia Vardan Ayvazyan and Representative of German KfW bank in
Armenia Karapet Gevorgyan. The programs are designed for 30-50 years
under a regional project “Protection of bio-diversity and nature in
the South Caucasus region.” Minister Aycazyan said the programs aim
prevention of conflict situations at transboundary Armenian-Georgian
territories and planning of joint measures on protection of
environment in Javakhk plateau. Under the projects, a National Park
Arpi will be developed which will embrace Lake Arpi with its drained
basin, brooks and water reservoirs near the villages of Ardenis,
Akhuryan, and those near Stepanavan-Tashir highway. The park will
occupy a territory of 74 ha and will be divided into three protected
zones: reserved territories, on protection of ecological system and on
stable development of the park’s territories.
The territory of the park Arpi is bordering Georgia and Turkey and
located not far from large populated areas in Armenia. Local residents
having mass social and economic problems will be attracted to
implementation of the project of National Park. Some 70 jobs will be
opened for local residents there, the minister said. Under the
projects, scientific research will be carried out for possible
creation of reserved territories in waterlogged areas to protect
water- marsh flora and fauna.
KfW Representative said the regional program was provided to the
Georgian an Azerbaijani parties as well, however Azerbaijan has not
considered it so far; and in Georgia the government has recently
approved the project “Protection of bio-diversity and nature in the
South Caucasus region.” Factually, implementation of the given
ecological program for the South Caucasus has started in Armenia,
Gevorgyan said. He added that one of the most important details of the
project is solution to social problems of the population in bordering
regions, taking into account the conflict between Armenia and
Azerbaijan. “Each time when CE member-states propose joint programs to
the South Caucasian three, political motives hinder their
implementation. However, the given program is necessary as nature has
no borders and it must be protected without any political conditional
characters,” Gevorgyan said. The project office will be in Tbilisi for
three years then the head office will be moved to the country that
will show the most successful and effective implementation of the
project. 0.3 mln EUR is allocated to each country for project
coordination under control of KfW.
It should be noted that since 1993 the German Government has allocated
Armenia some 127 mln EUR through the German bank KfW under various
programs in the sphere of energy, finances, water supply and
ecology. 100 mln EUR of the above sum were credits and the remaining
were grants.

BRITISH CHOREOGRAPHIC TROUPE TO PERFORM ON TOUR IN ARMENIA
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 9. ARMINFO. A leading British choreographic troupe Akram Han will arrive in Armenia on tour.
As ARMINFO was informed in British Council, performances will take
place on Sept 13-14 at the National Theatre of Opera and Ballet. Akram
Han is a dancer and choreographer of Indian origin introducing
elements of Indian classic dance “kathak” to European dance.
THERE ARE NOT ONLY OPPOSITIONISTS AMONG MALICIOUS ABSENTEES FROM
PARLIAMENT
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 9. ARMINFO. Although the small session of the
Armenian Parliament is focused on only one issue – about the absence
of 24 deputies from the opposition Justice bloc and the National Unity
party from more than half of the parliamentary votings absent from as
many votings were also a number of businessman deputies.
Gagik Tsarukyan was absent from 171 votings, Mkhitar Varagyan from
125, Tigran Arsakantsyan from 157 ones. But their absence is
considered to have valid reasons as some of them were on mission,
others have health certificates, some asked the speaker to consider
their absence well reasoned. Strangely enough some other businessman
deputies like Levon Sargsyan, Ruben Hayrapetyan and others who could
hardly be seen at any parliamentary session so far are not on the
absentee list.
Meanwhile Speaker Artur Bagdassaryan and his deputy Tigran Torossyan
were absent from 89 votings because of working missions.

PUBLICATION OF BOOK BY FIRST AMBASSADOR OF BULGARIA TO ARMENIA
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 8. ARMINFO. “Armenians – fate and migration” book
by the first Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Bulgaria
to Armenia Ivan Ivanchev (1999-2003) has been published in Bulgaria.
In a phone talk with ARMINFO’s reporter Ivanchev informed that the
book has been published in Bulgarian and has been already translated
into Russian (500 edition). The Diocese of Bulgaria of the Armenian
Apostolic Church was interested in the book acquiring 315 copies. The
book was given to Armenia’s new ambassador to Bulgaria Sergey
Manasaryan, known Armenian businessman Mikhail Baghdassarov, first
president of Bulgaria Peter Stoyanov (1997-2002) and all the
responsible workers of Bulgarian foreign ministry headed by Solomon
Pasy.
To note, chapters telling about the historical fate of Armenian
people, role of the Armenian Apostolic Church, formation of
present-day features of Armenian people’s psychology and its
mentality, as well as significant and determinant events in ancient
and modern history of Armenia, works of Armenian art and culture have
been included in the book.

FORESTS IN ARZNI AND NUBARASHEN RESTORED
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7. ARMINFO. The Forests Restoration and Development
Fund of Armenian jointly with the Armenian Agricultural Ministry has
elaborated two programs on restoration of forests in Arzni and
Nubarashen. Executive Director of FRDF Vladimir Movsisyan made this
statement at a discussion at the Armenian Government today.
He said design and calculation documents on restoration of forests in
the given zones have already been prepared. Thus, restoration of the
forests in Arzni will require 171 mln 48 thousand AMD, those in
Nubarashen – 92 mln 593 thousand AMD. Movsisyan said construction of a
pumping stations, power substations and electric lines is over. He
said the fund has fulfilled all the programs planned for the first
half of 2005 on the whole. Movsisyan said forests are restored mainly
on the charitable funds. Thus, Yerevan Brandy Company finances a
program on restoration of forests in the community of Jrambar,
Aragatsotn region. The program” implementation will require 8 mln 850
thousand AMD, Movsisyan said. Besides, he said in the first half of
2005, the fund received a 17 mln 760 thousand AMD financial charitable
assistance. He said expenses for the fund’s staff have been
considerably reduced, that is 7 mln 574 thousand AMD instead of the
planed 13 mln 728 thousand AMD. Executive Director said the fund
provided 5 mln AMD to the “Green Country” organization for
beautification of the territories nearing highways.
In his turn, Vice mayor of Yerevan Kamo Areyan said as of September 5
2005, the proceeds from the auction sale of the funds of Nork forests
were 857 mln 677.5 thousand AMD. 171 mln 400 thousand AMD of the sum
were transferred to the Ministry of Agriculture for financing of
programs of restoration of forests.

Armenian leader welcomes sports complex deal with Russian company
Arminfo
9 Sep 05
YEREVAN
Armenian President Robert Kocharyan today received the president of
the Russian construction holding BAMO, Murad Muradyan, who has bought
the Karen Demirchyan sports and concert complex. A relevant agreement
was signed today between the management of the holding and the state
property department of the Armenian government.
During the meeting, Kocharyan expressed his satisfaction with the
deal, the presidential press service told Arminfo news agency. In
turn, the new owner of the sports and concert complex assured the head
of state that he will rigorously keep his commitments stipulated by
the deal.
The two parties noted the importance of the fact that the
implementation of the investment programme of the sports and concert
complex will open new opportunities for the development of Armenia’s
cultural and sports life.
It must be remembered that BAMO has bought the sports and concert
complex for 5.7m dollars. The government decided to sell the complex
on 25 August this year.
[Passage omitted: Details of BAMO’s obligations]

Armenia’s state debt totals 1.25bn dollars
Mediamax news agency
9 Sep 05
YEREVAN
As of 9 September, Armenia’s state debt totalled 1.25bn dollars or
552.9bn drams.
The foreign debt accounts for 89 per cent of the overall volume of
state debts – 1,114.5m dollars (493bn drams), the head of staff at the
Armenian Ministry of Finance and Economy, Ruben Gevorkyan, has said in
an interview with Mediamax news agency. Most of Armenia’s foreign debt
falls to the World Bank – 67.4 per cent and the International Monetary
Fund – 17.3 per cent.
[Passage omitted: Other details]

Karabakh launches own currency – Russian report
ITAR-TASS news agency, Moscow
9 Sep 05
YEREVAN
One million copies of the currency of the unrecognized Nagornyy
Karabakh Republic (NKR) – the Karabakh dram – has been put into
circulation, the president of the Central Bank of Armenia, Tigran
Sarkisyan, said.
The decision to issue the Karabakh dram has been taken by the NKR
government and the NKR Ministry of Economy and Finance is the office
of issue. In fact the dram is a collector’s item for numismatists, but
formally it can be used as a payment instrument in Armenia as well,
Sarkisyan said.
Specimens of the new currency “were circulated all over the world and
have already raised interest among the collectors”, added Sarkisyan
who also heads the All-Armenian Academy of Philately and
Numismatics. This ” will give millions of people an opportunity to get
to know Nagornyy Karabakh”, he added.
For over 12 years NKR has been using the official currency of Armenia
– the Armenian dram.
NKR’s Deputy Minister of Economy and Finance Narine Azatyan said in
Stepanokert that the Karabakh currency was issued in banknotes of two
and 10 drams and coins of one and five drams and 50 lum [one dram is
equal to 100 lum]. There are no plans to issue other denominations
yet.

Russian nuclear power plant held successful emergency drill
ITAR-TASS news agency, Moscow
9 Sep 05
MOSCOW
The Kola nuclear power plant is prepared for any emergency situations,
the technical director of the Rosenergoatom concern, Nikolay Sorokin,
said at a news conference today, referring to the results of a
wide-scale training exercise at the nuclear plant which ended
yesterday. “The plant’s response to emergencies is good,” he said.
Sorokin said that it was “a scheduled training exercise which is held
every year at one of 10 Russian nuclear plants”. A total of 950 people
and 52 pieces of special equipment were involved in it. Specialists
from the USA, Ukraine, Armenia, France, Finland, Sweden and Norway
watched the exercise. [Passage omitted]

YEREVAN MAYOR: RESIDENTS OF BYUZAND STREET DEMAND TWICE AS MUCH MONEY
COMPENSATION AS THE COST OF THEIR PROPERTY
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 9. ARMINFO. “Residents of Byuzand street demand
twice as much money compensation as the cost of their property,”
Yerevan mayor Yervand Zakharyan told journalists today.
He said for each sq.m of floor space the authorities provide
$900-$1,000, and resident demand $2,000-$2,500. Mayor said during the
last 3-3.5 year Yerevan Municipality concluded 997 contracts on
alienation of lands for construction of Northern and Main
avenues. Only 25 contracts are under legal proceedings. Yerevan Mayor
does not rule out that some omissions and lacks are possible in the
process of implementation of such large-scale programs. However,
irrespective of anything, these programs will be fulfilled, Mayor
assured journalists. Yervand Zakharyan said city authorities are
guided with the orders of realty estimation money compensation
approved by the Armenian Government. The Municipality does not
interfere into the process of estimation, independent evaluators. “If
the results do not satisfy owners, they have a right to appeal against
them to the court,” Yervand Zakharyan said. Moreover, when providing
money compensation, the government issues a definite sum as
encouragement which covers 10% of the income tax imposed on the
residents of the alienated territory. Mayor Zakharyan said during
construction of the 30th quarter (Firdousi street) not money but
apartments will be provided as compensation. As regards the special
report by Armenian Ombudsman on mass violations of property rights,
Mayor said he was not informed of it and that “it is the personal
opinion of Larisa Alaverdyan only.”
Yervand Zakharyan also touched upon the issue of development of Kond
community subject to alienation for construction of the Main Avenue
under the project. He said no construction and alienation works will
be started until the issue of property certificates is settled. At
present, the Municipality has already started settling this issue.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress