CENN – NOVEMBER 5, 2004 DAILY DIGEST – ARMENIA
Table of Contents:
1. “Investigative Journalists” Still Have a Chance to Win The Suit
Against Yerevan Municipality
2. Armenian PM Says Restored Railway Llink with Russia “Vitally
Important”
3. IMF to Release Another $13 Million to Armenia
4. Schools is Built in Maralik (Armenia) on Assets of Hayastan All
Armenian Fund

1. “INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISTS” STILL HAVE A CHANCE TO WIN THE SUIT
AGAINST YEREVAN MUNICIPALITY

Source: Yerevan, Press Club Weekly Newsletter, October 29 — November 4,
2004

On October 29, 2004 the RA Court of Cassation secured the suit of
“Investigative Journalists” NGO versus the municipality of Yerevan. On
September 23, 2004 the organization challenged with the supreme
jurisdiction body of the country the ruling of the RA Court of Appeals
of September 16, 2004, that had left the decision of the court of
primary jurisdiction of Center and Nork-Marash communities of Yerevan of
June 21, 2004 unchanged. As it has been reported, the courts of primary
and secondary jurisdiction did not secure the demand of the plaintiff to
the Yerevan administration to provide it with documents necessary for
journalistic investigation: the resolutions of the municipality of
1997-2003 on the constructions in the public green zone around the
National Opera and Ballet Theater (see details in YPC Weekly Newsletter,
September 17-23, 2004).

The Court of Cassation ruled to send the case back to the consideration
of the Court of Appeals with a new composition. Thus, the Investigative
Journalists” along with the public at large now have a chance to finally
get an answer to the question: what were the legal grounds behind the
boost in construction of entertaining institutions in one of most
beautiful and once the greenest spots of Yerevan?

2. ARMENIAN PM SAYS RESTORED RAILWAY LINK WITH RUSSIA “VITALLY
IMPORTANT”

Source: Mediamax news agency, November 3, 2004

Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Markaryan met the head of the Russian
Railways Company, Gennadiy Fadeyev, in Yerevan today.

The sides noted that currently both the Russian Railways Company and the
Armenian Railway Department have great potential that have not yet been
used because there is no direct railway link between Russia and Armenia,
the government’s press service told Mediamax news agency today.

Markaryan said that the “restoration of transport communications is
vitally important to Armenia and we are interested in the most rapid
resolution of the problem”. “The Armenian government is ready for
practical steps in this direction,” the prime minister said.

Fadeyev said that restoring the direct railway communication link will
also suit Russia’s economic interests. He said that during the visit to
Yerevan the Russian Railways Company and the Armenian Railway Department
would sign a memorandum on the creation of a joint Armenian-Russian
joint venture for the transport of goods.

An agreement has been reached to set up a working group to work out
organizational, financial, economic and technical concepts for the new
joint venture.

3. IMF TO RELEASE ANOTHER $13 MILLION TO ARMENIA

Source: ArmenPress, November. 4, 2004

(IMF) office in Yerevan said today the Fund’s Executive Board is going
to approve in early December the release of $13 million to Armenian
Central Bank as the last tranche of an $87 million credit, which is part
of the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) Program.

The IMF Resident Representative James McHugh told a news conference the
money would arrive in Armenia in a couple of days after the Executive
Board approves the release.

McHugh said the Armenian government and the Fund are working now on
prospects for implementation of new joint projects, expressing also
hopes that the relevant talks will start in 2005 January or February. He
said it was so far difficult to define the direction of new projects,
but added that they would most likely apply to tax reforms and
administration improvement.

4. SCHOOL IS BUILT IN MARALIK (ARMENIA) ON ASSETS OF HAYASTAN
ALL-ARMENIAN FUND

Source: ARKA, November 4, 2004

Hayastan All-Armenian Fund put into commission a school in Maralik
(Armenia). According to the Press Service of the Fund, the
schoolchildren previously studied in temporary buildings for 15 years,
as the school was completely ruined as a result of the earthquake.

The construction of the new school, which started in 2002, was carried
out with the assistance of Jan Pogosyan, Belgian sponsor of Armenian
origin. `Thus, the last school in Shirak Marz which was located in a
temporary building will be functioning in a modern, well-built and
comfortable building’, states the press release.

The school is designed for 964 schoolchildren. The construction of the
heat supply system will be completed by the end of the year.

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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress