Tuesday, French Ex-PM Joins Armenian Investment Fund France -- Former Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin, 11Jun2009 Dominique de Villepin, a former French prime minister, has been appointed to the governing board of a newly established Armenian government fund tasked with attracting foreign investment in Armenia. The Armenian National Interests Fund (ANIF) said on Tuesday that the appointment is part of its efforts to bring together a “world-class Board of Directors” that will help it achieve its goals. “The appointment of Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin sets the bar very high,” ANIF’s executive director, Davit Papazian, said in a statement. Papazian described Villepin as an “ally” of Armenia. He indicated that the appointment was recommended and facilitated by President Armen Sarkissian. "Joining ANIF's Board of Directors begins an exciting new journey,” the statement quoted Villepin as saying. “Like France, Armenia has recently lived through a significant rejuvenation of its political landscape.” Villepin, 65, served under France’s former President Jacques Chirac as his chief-of-staff, foreign minister and ultimately prime minister from 2005 and 2007. He is famous for announcing Chirac’s refusal to join the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq in an impassioned speech at the United Nations. ANIF mentioned the “momentous speech” in its statement. The Armenian government set up ANIF in May. It said the fund headed by Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinian will provide advice and assistance to foreign investors interested in Armenia. Economy Minister Tigran Khachatrian said it will likely focus on investment projects exceeding $10 million. ANIF says on its website that it will also “co-invest alongside top global investors and industrial partners in large-scale projects” to be implemented in “crucial sectors of the Armenian economy and infrastructure.” In June, the fund signed a “cooperation agreement” with a similar agency operating in Russia. Armenia Introduces Tougher Penalties For Illegal Logging • Susan Badalian Armenia -- The Shikahogh forest preserve in Syunik province, September 4, 2018. The upcoming entry into force of a bill criminalizing illegal logging in Armenia will put the government in a much stronger position to stop the country’s deforestation, Environment Protection Minister Erik Grigorian said on Tuesday. Armenian law has until now envisaged only fines for the practice that has been widespread since the 1990s. A package of amendments to the criminal and administrative codes unanimously passed by the National Assembly earlier this month made it a crime punishable by two years in prison in cases where damage caused to forests exceeds 100,000 drams ($210). Individuals illegally cutting a smaller number of trees for a second time will also face imprisonment. In addition, the amendments, which will take effect next week, will introduce criminal liability for “collective logging” not authorized by relevant authorities. “This will have a substantial impact on illegal logging and we will see in the coming year how many people stop using wood as a source of heating,” Grigorian told RFE/RL’s Armenian service. He predicted that firewood will become much more expensive than it is now. “The existing legal rules have left many loopholes for people to periodically cut trees and get away with that,” argued the minister. Armenia -- Environment Protection Minister Erik Grigorian speaks to RFE/RL, Yerevan, . Nazeli Vartanian, who runs the non-governmental organization Forests of Armenia, disagreed, saying that many poor residents of small towns and villages located near forests have not been able pay the existing fines. This has not prevented them from cutting trees on a regular basis, Vartanian said. She suggested that they will ignore or revolt against the heavier penalties. Grigorian countered that poverty cannot be an excuse for not punishing such people. He also argued that much of the illegal logging in Armenia has been done by organized groups linked to the underworld or corrupt government and security officials. In its drive to protect the country’s endangered forests, the minister went on, the government will not only enforce the new penalties but also deploy more forest guards and step up logging inspections. Government efforts to curb logging have already met with fierce resistance in the northern Tavush province. Hundreds of local residents rallied and blocked a major highway there last week in protest against the crackdown. More than a dozen of them were arrested after clashing with riot police. Following the unrest, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian ruled out any concessions to “the organizers of illegal logging” and pledged to end the practice “in the most resolute manner.” Grigorian acknowledged that the crackdown could spark more protests in this or other parts of Armenia. Armenia Offers Closer Ties To New UK Leader U.K. -- Boris Johnson gestures as he speaks after being announced as the new leader of the Conservative Party in London, President Armen Sarkissian expressed Armenia’s readiness to forge closer ties with the United Kingdom in a message to its incoming new Prime Minister Boris Johnson sent on Tuesday. Sarkissian was quick to congratulate Johnson on winning the leadership of the ruling Conservative Party. “Armenia is interested in establishing a new kind of cooperation with the United Kingdom in areas of mutual interest and is prepared to take necessary steps in that direction,” he wrote. He said hopes the two nations will achieve closer “multi-sectoral partnership” through a “constructive dialogue.” Sarkissian lived and worked in London, including as Armenian ambassador to Britain, for nearly three decades prior to becoming Armenia’s largely ceremonial head of state in April 2018. He received British citizenship in 2002 but renounced it about a decade later. Sarkissian also established a friendly rapport with Britain’s Prince Charles. The two men jointly raised funds for charity projects in Scotland and Armenia. Johnson will formally replace Theresa May as prime minister on Wednesday. The former British foreign secretary made headlines in May 2018 after being tricked by a Russian prankster posing as Armenia’s newly elected Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian. Their 18-minute phone conversation was posted on the Internet and widely circulated by international media. In that audio, Johnson described as “remarkable success” Pashinian-led mass protests that toppled Armenia’s previous government. “You can definitely count on the UK,” he told “Pashinian.” “I admire your vision and what you are trying to achieve.” Press Review “Haykakan Zhamanak” suggests that although most Armenians remain largely supportive of their government there has been a “certain rise in social tension” in Armenia exposed by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s recent visits to the country’s regions. The paper edited by Pashinian’s wife, Anna Hakobian, accuses opposition media of “skillfully exaggerating” the increased public discontent. “They are succeeding in doing that because there is a certain gap between the people’s and the authorities’ ideas about the future of the state and the government’s functions,” it says. “If, for instance, a businessman had promised people 300,000 drams [in monthly wages] but actually pays them 100,000 drams or if enterprises suffer because of monopolies or if investments are delayed because of a sloppy bureaucrat or if banks fail to provide low-interest loans promised by them, people may stage protests and block roads. In those cases, the government does need to take serious action and immediately step in. But what is happening now has nothing to do with that.” The paper claims that Armenia’s former rulers are now “using their huge funds and immense experience of misleading people” to stir up protests against the current government. “Zhoghovurd” slams “representatives of the judicial branch” for putting up “resistance” to the Armenian authorities. The paper says that judges who routinely executed orders issued by Armenia’s former presidents are now stressing the importance of judicial independence. It singles out Hrayr Tovmasian, the chairman of the Constitutional Court, for criticism, saying that his latest public response to harsh criticism voiced by Pashinian contained “elements of abuse of power.” “The chairman of Armenia’s Constitutional Court dares to hit back at Armenia’s prime minister, spicing up his words with admonitions, advice and warnings,” it says. According to Lragir.am, a parliament deputy from the opposition Bright Armenia Party (LHK) has rung alarm bells over huge lines of car importers formed at Armenia’s main border crossing with Georgia. The publication adds its voice to the lawmaker’s criticism of the perceived slow work of Armenian customs officers.It urges the customs service to deploy more staff at the Bagratashen checkpoint. (Lilit Harutiunian) Reprinted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL Copyright (c) 2019 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc. 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. www.rferl.org