Author: Babken Chilingarian

I have returned to fight – Robert Kocharyan

Babken Chilingarian
Aysor, Armenia
Aug 28 2018
Read Aysor.am inTelegram

I have returned to fight for my honor and dignity, Armenia’s second President Robert Kocharyan said in an interview to Russian “NTV” channel.

In response to journalist’s observation that he is one of the unique presidents who did not leave the country even in conditions of danger of arrest, Kocharyan said, “I have not left, I have returned. I was in Greece and clearly realizing the danger of being arrested I have returned. I do not run away from difficulties.”

Kocharyan said he still hoped that the judicial system is independent.

“I hoped that the judicial power is independent from the executive one and it appeared to be so. I have returned to fight for my honor and dignity,” Kocharyan said.

A1+: Toy seller banned from trading in square (video)

Babken Chilingarian
  • 14:39 | August 27,2018 | Social
  • Հայ

Today, the citizens who were selling children’s toys, balloons and other small items at Republic Square and Northern Avenue were in front of the Government building. They protest that they are no longer allowed to trade in the Republic Square and Northern Avenue. According to citizens, for the first time that they were not allowed to trade there was when the German Chancellor Angela Merkel was in Armenia and had to walk through Northern Avenue, and the ban is continuing to be already four days.

Protesters say they are ready to go to the tax field if they will be provided booths and have the opportunity to earn money for daily living.

More information is in the video.

PM Pashinyan comments on possibility of making Constitutional amendments

Babken Chilingarian
| 14:07 | August 22 2018
Category
Politics

Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan commented on his statement on making Constitutional amendments ahead of the snap parliamentary elections, stating that the Constitutional amendments are not an end in itself.

The PM told reporters that making Constitutional amendments is one of the options, however he didn’t rule out other options as well which will remove these issues from the agenda. “But no action should be out of the logic of the Constitution, love and solidarity in any case”, the PM said.

He also commented on the statement of strengthening the referendum institute. “Yes, there must be issues which should be solved through referendum since our people saw during the velvet revolution that they can make decisions. And now we shouldn’t constantly carry out a revolution, but to create institutions which will enable the public to make decisions on key issues. The referendum institute should be strengthened a lot”, he said.

Another anti-Russian demarche of Pashinyan’s Armenia

Babken Chilingarian
Vestnik Kavkaza
Aug 17 2018
17 Aug in 15:47 Mikhail Belyaev, exclusively for Vestnik Kavkaza

After the resonant arrest of the CSTO Secretary General by the Armenian authorities, which came as a shocking surprise to even weathered Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Nikol Pashinyan's team has continued to take rather provocative steps towards Moscow. Yesterday, Armenia's State Revenue Committee conducted searches in the South Caucasian Railway. Documents were seized, personal belongings of employees were examined. A criminal case has been reportedly initiated in connection with 9.7 million drams of VAT fraud.

This event could be attributed to rumbles, prosecutions and inspections that have already become routine after the revolution, if it wasn't for two important aspects to which attention should be drawn.

First, the South Caucasus Railway is a subsidiary of the JSC Russian Railways, which is a Russian state company established in 2003 on the basis of the Russian Ministry of the Means of Communication and carrying out transport services in 77 out of 85 regions of the Russian Federation. In 2017, the  Russian Railways entered the top five of Russia's largest companies, the company employs 737,000 people. That is, it is about initiating proceedings and inspecting a subsidiary of a Russian state-owned company.

Second, a ridiculous amount of money, of which the Armenian authorities made the great deal and even sent special forces to the South Caucasus Railway, stands out here. We are talking about the alleged non-payment of 9.7 million drams. The figure looks impressive, but in fact it is only … $20 thousand. That is, due to $20 thousand of possible VAT fraud, the Armenian authorities send employees of the State Revenue Committee's special forces to the Russian state-owned strategic company that annually pays $7.5 million to the Armenian treasury and invested half a billion dollars in investment. Couldn't the Armenian authorities, who swear allegiance to an alliance with Russia, discuss this issue in a more delicate way with their ally?

In the beginning was the arrest of the CSTO Secretary General, now there are searches in the South Caucasus Railway. It is noteworthy that it is happening against the backdrop of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's rather harsh statement that Russia "must adapt to the new situation." Is it possible that the Armenian authorities looking forward to the Western support do not realize that tomorrow they may  face a "new situation" themselves? And it is far from certain that the new Armenian government will be able to adapt to it.

First President Levon Ter-Petrosyan and Armenian National Congress ready to assist investigation of 2008 March 1 case – ANC member

Babken Chilingarian
| 16:39 | August 13 2018
Category
Politics

First President of Armenia Levon Ter-Petrosyan is ready to assist the investigation of the 2008 March 1 case, Aram Manukyan, member of the Armenian National Congress party, told reporters on August 13.

“Anyone, who can contribute to disclosing the case, should be happy to come to the Investigation Service and provide materials. There is no one in this country who is more interested in the discovery of the March 1 case than Levon Ter-Petrosyan”, Manukyan said.

He informed that during these ten years they have collected all materials which they are ready to provide to the structure conducting justice.

“We have collected materials, published books, shot films, applied to all international European structures and prepared the list of all possible criminals during these ten years. We have the list of all police officers who gave false testimonies, the names of prosecutors who launched fake charges. We have done the last work before the 10th anniversary of the March 1 case. After publishing the collection of documents we have sent the samples to all concerned sides. It’s a whole collection which is enough for discovering the March 1 case. The material is so huge that it completely proves the fact that the March 1 crime was pre-organized and implemented”, Aram Manukyan said.

He stated that the precautionary measure against 2nd President Robert Kocharyan should remain the court’s ruling to remand him in custody.

Sports: Armenia – Yerevan – Football – UEFA – Europa League Qualifications

Babken Chilingarian
Prokerala
Aug 10 2018
 
 
ARMENIA-YEREVAN-FOOTBALL-UEFA-EUROPA LEAGUE-QUALIFICATIONS
 
Fri, Aug 10 2018 10:30 IST
 
Edit
 
YEREVAN, Aug 10, 2018 – Jefferson (R) of Armenia's Alashkert vies with Cristian Manea of Romania's CFR during the UEFA Europa League third qualifying round football match between Alashkert and CFR in Yerevan, Armenia, on August 9, 2018. CFR won 2-0.
 
 
Cristian Manea (L) of Romania's CFR competes during the UEFA Europa League third qualifying round football match between Alashkert and CFR in Yerevan, Armenia, on Aug. 9, 2018. CFR won 2-0.
 

Film: German actor Richard Sammel cast in new Karabakh film

Babken Chilingarian
PanArmenian, Armenia
Aug 10 2018
– 16:30 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – German actor Richard Sammel will star in a new English-language film, "Gate to Heaven", about Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh) by Armenian filmmaker Jivan Avetisyan.

"Meet and greet the main actor of Gate to Heaven, Richard Sammel," the film's official Twitter account revealed.

"It's a great honour for us to work with such a prolific and talented actor!"

The movie will center on the eternal conflict of the good and the bad, the reevaluation of the truth and the conscience and the people’s destinies.

In the movie, Finnish journalist Robert Stenval, 50, returns to Artsakh in 2016 to cover the war which has been reignited after a 22-year ceasefire. During his journalistic investigation, Robert meets Sofia Martirosyan, 35, a young opera singer, who happens to be the daughter of missing photojournalist Edgar Martirosyan, whom Robert abandoned in captivity during the fall of the village of Talish in 1992. Robert and Sophia’s frequent rendezvous ignite a passionate romance.

After more than two dozen documentaries and short films, Avetisyan's two feature films "Tevanik" and "The Last Inhabitant" received worldwide recognition by participating in international film festivals and film markets in Cannes, Los Angeles, Venice, Shanghai and Toronto. "Tevanik" has received over ten awards and most recently "The Last Inhabitant" won Best Feature Film at the Scandinavian International Film Festival 2018.

168: Prosecutor General’s Office rejects motion of MPs to change ex-President Kocharyan’s precautionary measure

Babken Chilingarian
| 12:15 | August 8 2018
Category
Politics

The Prosecutor General’s Office has rejected the motion of MPs on changing the precautionary measure selected against 2nd President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan.

“At the current stage of preliminary investigation, the grounds to remand Robert Kocharyan into custody are maintained and the selection of another precautionary measure not related to detention is still unable to guarantee the uninterrupted process of the investigation as a result of the proper conduct of the defendant”, Arevik Khachatryan, head of PR department at the Prosecutor General’s Office, said.

The Prosecutor General’s Office also released the list of MPs who signed the petition:

  1. Ara Babloyan
  2. Arpine Hovhannisyan
  3. Eduard Sharmazanov
  4. V. Harutyunyan
  5. Mihran Hakobyan
  6. Karine Achemyan
  7. Jemma Baghdasaryan
  8. Knyaz Hasanov
  9. Arsen Mikhaylov
  10. Armen Ashotyan
  11. Andranik Harutyunyan
  12. Aram Harutyunyan
  13. Harutyun Karapoghosyan
  14. Ashot Arsenyan
  15. Hakob Hakobyan
  16. Karen Avagyan
  17. Arayik Hovhannisyan
  18. Vahram Baghdasaryan
  19. Robert Sargsyan
  20. Shushan Sardaryan
  21. Hermine Naghdalyan
  22. Margarit Yesayan
  23. Artashes Geghamyan
  24. Nairi Sahakyan
  25. Gagik Melikyan
  26. Rustam Makhmudyan
  27. Arayik Grigoryan
  28. Samvel Nikoyan
  29. Shushan Petrosyan
  30. Hayk Babukhanyan
  31. Galust Sahakyan
  32. Samvel Farmanyan
  33. Khosrov Harutyunyan
  34. Mihran Poghosyan
  35. Ishkhan Zakaryan
  36. Karen Bekaryan
  37. Ruzanna Muradyan
  38. Artur Gevorgyan
  39. Koryun Nahapetyan
  40. Tachat Vardapetyan
  41. Karen Karapetyan
  42. Avet Sargsyan
  43. Armenuhi Kyureghyan
  44. Romik Manukyan
  45. Ruzanna Arakelyan


Armenian-Italian regional center for preservation and restoration of cultural heritage opened in Yerevan

Babken Chilingarian
Arminfo, Armenia
Aug 1 2018
Armenian-Italian regional center for preservation and restoration of cultural heritage opened in Yerevan

Yerevan July 31

Naira Badalyan. The President of Italy, Sergio Mattarella, who is in Armenia on a two-day state visit, together with his Armenian colleague Armen Sarkissian attended the opening ceremony of the Armenian-Italian regional center for the preservation and restoration of cultural heritage in the National Art Gallery of Armenia.

The Armenian Minister of Culture Lilit Makunts and the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy Enzo Moavero Milanesi made a welcoming speech at the opening ceremony, after which the presidents of the two countries opened the nameplate of the Center and walked through its territory.

It is reported that the Center was founded by a joint initiative of the Armenian and Italian sides, and has the goal of implementing various, including regional, programs aimed at preserving and restoring cultural heritage.

Earlier today, Italian President Sergio Matarella awarded Armenian President Armen Sarkissian with the highest award of the Republic of Italy – Cavalier of the Great Cross, decorated with the Great Ribbon.

Expert: Attraction of Khachaturov as a defendant in the criminal case may negatively affect Armenia’s image in CSTO

Babken Chilingarian
Arminfo, Armenia
Expert: Attraction of Khachaturov as a defendant in the criminal case may negatively affect Armenia's image in CSTO

Yerevan July 30

Tatevik Shagunyan. Attraction of Yuri Khachaturov as a defendant in the criminal case may negatively affect the image of Armenia in the CSTO. The director of the Caucasus Institute Alexander Iskandaryan expressed this opinion at the press conference.

He recalled that Khachaturov's appointment as Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization was difficult due to the opposition of Belarus and Kazakhstan, and only with the assistance of Russia this became possible. "Taking into account all this, the recent processes will lead to additional difficulties for Armenia within the organization," Iskandaryan assured.

At the same time, he considered it more expedient to first withdraw Khachaturov from the post of CSTO secretary general, and only then begin the procedure for his replacement. "All these legal procedures can cause opposition of member states," the expert said. According to him, CSTO members can negatively react to the arrest of the second president of Armenia. "However, Armenia should explain to all clearly that all this should be considered exclusively in the context of internal political processes," Iskandaryan said.

Khachaturov is held as a defendant on March 1, 2008, he is charged with overthrowing the constitutional order in Armenia. At present, he is released on bail, since he has diplomatic immunity. Armenia appealed to CSTO members to begin the procedure for recalling Khachaturov. So far only Moscow has responded to this. Russia's response was tough by diplomatic standards: "In a telephone conversation with Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that it was Armenia that should withdraw the General Secretary if such a decision was made in Yerevan."