137 737 PEOPLE RESIDE IN NAGORNO KARABAKH
ArmRadio.am
22.08.2006 15:05
The number of the permanent population in the Nagorno Karabakh Republic
totals 137 737 people, MEDIAMAX Agency informs.
NKR National Statistical Service informs that these are the final
results of the census carried out in October 2005.
48.3 % percent of the NKR population are men, 51.7 % are women. The
number of urban and rural population is 47% and 53% respectively. 49
986 people reside in capital Stepanakert.
A UNIVERSITY TALE PERFORMED BY ELITE STUDENTS
Aram Zakaryan
Lragir.am
21 Aug 06
Article 27 of the reformed constitution of Armenia providing for
the right to receive and get information concerns even journalists
and even on holidays. This is the reason why on the next day of
the international day of the youth I appeared in the summer camp
of Dilijan of Yerevan State University with the group headed by the
permanent coordinator of the UN in Armenia Consuelo Vidal. The deputy
rector of YSU Aram Simonyan and the deputy minister of culture Arthur
Poghosyan were supposed to come but only Arsen Karamyan was showed
up, who is the deputy of the rector of YSU generally and a student
in distant learning particularly.
The UN representatives were likely to speak about how to battle poverty
together. And they did. They repeated for a number of times that
in settling the problems of the youth the voice of young people and
therefore their involvement is especially important. They said young
people in Armenia have a considerable potential, which is not used,
however, because there is no involvement. They said it is wrong to
think that poverty existed and will exist forever. In the diplomatic
language this means that today’s oligarchs are not forever and will not
rob till the end of time. They said they are ready to help the Armenian
youth to become established if they know what they expect from the UN.
And the expectations of young people – questions – were addressed
to Arsen Karamyan. It means that the new leadership of YSU does not
spoil students with frequent appearances. And Arsen Karamyan like the
UN representatives called for activity. He agreed with the students
that there are inappropriate phenomena in YSU but he preferred
milder words. For instance, in answer to one of the students that
"all the places of the master’s course were sold" Arsen Karamyan said,
"those who do not deserve are admitted to the master’s course".
If Serge Sargsyan, the chair of the Council of the Republican Party,
promised visible changes in 3 or 4 months, Arsen Karamyan, a member
of the managing board of YSU led by Serge Sargsyan promises visible
changes in three years only. One of the changes that Arsen Karamyan
endorses is reduction of the number of students. Since everything
in Armenia is elite, building materials, buildings, mineral water,
taxis, except quality life and mentality, in case Arsen Karamyan’s
dream comes true, "we will have 8 000 elite students instead of 13
thousand students". "We’re fed up with this word elite," whispered
a student. And Arsen Karamyan assures that his wish to reduce the
number of students does not have anything to do with the reality that
the defense minister is the head of the managing board of YSU.
During the meeting in Dilijan it became known that the permanent
coordinator of the UN Consuelo Vidal knows us very well. In Peru,
which is 40 times larger than Armenia and the population is 6-7 times
more than that of Armenia, a university diploma is a special status.
"The Armenians are university addicts," I recalled this remark of my
colleague when Consuelo Vidal from Peru remembered the traditions and
mentality of her country. And Arsen Karamyan continued presenting a
beautiful future, bad specialists will not be admitted, universities
training bad specialists will be removed, the reduction of the number
of students will lead to reduction of the number of university
teachers, but the sad experience of lay-offs in schools will not
repeat, job announcements will be placed on the Web site of YSU for
students. "Job announcements are false," announced a student who has
a job. Nobody rejected. The UN is ready to make investments in the
basic institutions of education and health and also explain to our
university addicts that a person might as well be happy without a
university education.
Unfortunately, our students were not active and became active along
with the sunrise. When the sun was high in the sky, the time for the
meeting was over. I returned to Yerevan leaving behind students who
were not encouraged by this meeting, the meeting that was over and
a university tale starting anew.
Radio Polonia, Poland
Aug. 18, 2006
A turn for the worse
German-Polish relations turn sourer still; Ukrainians working without
a permit in Poland; and illegal betting on the internet are just some
of the stories in the Polish current affairs magazines.
Reviewed by Krysia Kolsowska
18.08.06
"A turn for the worse", writes Solidarnosc, a weekly of the
Solidarity trade union, commenting on the current state of
Polish-German relations. They took another plunge recently over an
exhibition mounted in Berlin about expulsions in the 20th century.
Poland argues that the exhibition puts an equality mark between the
suffering of Armenians or ethnic cleansing in the Balkans and
post-war deportations of Germans from Eastern Europe under the
decisions of the allied powers.
This is an offense to Poles, victims of the war started by Germany.
If such false analogies gain an official status, then the Germans
themselves will not be able to understand the horror of the last war,
says Solidarnosc. Erica Steinbach, president of the German expellees
union, is entering the center of German politics. The exhibition
sponsored by her organization was mounted in a prestigious place and
its opening was graced by many leading German personalities. This is
why Poles are alarmed. A spirit of historical manipulation has been
revived, something which should worry German people most. That was
Solidarnosc.
The weekly Polityka writes that a day after Erica Steinbach opened
the exhibition about expulsions, renowned German writer and Nobel
literary prize winner Guenter Grass revealed that he had served in
notorious Waffen SS units towards the end of the war. The weekly
recalls that five years ago, Grass published a novel on how the
Soviets sunk a ship evacuating Germans trapped by the Red Army in
East Prussia, killing over 9 thousand of its passengers, more than a
half of them children. By doing this he drew attention to the tragedy
of German refugees.
Now he is giving a clear signal to the Germans that they should stop
pretending: don’t cheat ourselves now that we are old, because at a
young age the majority of us believed in Nazism and had some share in
it. But the weekly writes also that without Polish-German dialogue
our mutual neighbourhood is threatened by provincial egocentrism and
the loss of empathy with neighbouring nations.
Newsweek reports that as many as 100,000 people from non-EU Ukraine
may be working in Poland without a permit. Only about 3 thousand are
employed legally. This will soon change, Poland’s labor ministry
plans to issue a regulation in the autumn enabling citizens of
neighbouring countries to work legally in this country. Today
Ukrainians who come to Poland find employment as manual workers.
Women, who may be teachers, nurses or accountants back home, work as
cleaners, child minders and cooks. Men usually work at construction
sites.
Their earnings are poor and cases of cheating by employers are not
that rare. Analysts sound an alarm that the Polish economy badly
needs immigrant labor today. Cheap workers from the East will fill a
gap on the market and contribute taxes to state coffers. Perhaps the
best example for Poland should be the economic boom experienced by
Ireland in the past decade also thanks to immigrant workers, Newsweek
points out.
Wprost publishes the list of Poland’s fifty richest politicians,
which is opened by 42 year old Janusz Palikot, a deputy of the
opposition liberal Civic Platform who declared to be worth 330
million zlotys. Palikot became involved in politics already as a very
wealthy man.
He became millionaire in the 90s, starting with production of wooden
cases for transporting alcohol and then moving on to alcohol
production. A completely different approach is represented by his
party colleague and now deputy to the European Parliament, Pawel
Piskorski. He was elected MP at the age of 23, even before graduating
from university. He made 1.7 million zlotys during his political
career, drawing many a suspicious look even from his party
colleagues.
Polish politicians, writes Wprost, tend to regard income statements
as a necessary evil, whereas revealing assets could be beneficial for
their political careers. People would perhaps be more willing to vote
for politicians who can prove what the sources of their income are,
than those who talk all the time about how little they own, says
Wprost.
Though it is illegal in Poland, around 200,000 Poles visit bookmakers
on the web, writes the weekly Przekroj reporting on studies conducted
by the Inter-active Market Research Institute. During the world
soccer championships, the number of Poles making bets through the net
rose more than 120 percent. Bookmakers admit unofficially that their
profits in Poland are smaller than in other countries because Poles
tend to win more often than representatives of other nations.
Russian Supreme Court delays deliberation of senator’s issue
ITAR-TASS News Agency
August 18, 2006 Friday 05:45 AM EST
MOSCOW, August 18 — Russia’s Supreme Court on Friday again postponed
deliberation of the issue of whether there were hallmarks of crime in
actions by Federation Council senator from Kalmykia Levon Chakhmachian.
"The Court’s session cannot take place without the presence of
my client, who remains in hospital," Chakhmachian’s lawyer Boris
Kuznetsov told Itar-Tass.
The senator’s condition has worsened. "Due to deteriorating health,
he is likely to be connected to an artificial kidney," Kuznetsov said.
On June 6, the Prosecutor General’s Office asked the Court to give
a qualification of Chakhmachian’s actions which may be covered by
Part 4 of Article 159 of Russia’s Criminal Code /fraud committed by
an organized group or grand fraud/.
Chief accountant of the Association of Russo-Armenian business
cooperation Igor Arushanov and assistant auditor of the Audit Chamber
Armen Oganesyan were detained in Moscow on June 2 on suspicion of
taking a large bribe.
According to investigators, they demanded 1.5 million dollars from
a businessman for taking out negative information from an audit report.
Levon Chakhmachian happened to be in their office when detectives
seized 300,000 of marked dollar bills.
However, as a FC member, he enjoys immunity, so no procedures were
instituted against him. Arushanov and Oganesyan were arrested.
In accordance with the Criminal Code, judges will meet behind closed
doors to consider the Chakhmachian issue.
Chakhmakhchian was elected senator of the Federation Council from
Kalmykia in 2004. He occupied the post of Deputy Chairman of the
Committee for problems of local governments.
On June 23, 2006, the Kalmyk parliament, on a presentation by Speaker
of the Federation Council upper house of the Russian parliament Sergei
Mironov, voted for early termination of Chakhmachian’s powers.
AZERBAIJAN TRANSFERS TO ATTACK TACTICS IN INFORMATION WAR WITH ARMENIA – HEAD OF SCWALA
Author: A.Mammadova
TREND, Azerbaijan
Aug. 17, 2006
According to the order of the president, Azerbaijan transfers to the
tactics of attack in the information war with Armenia, the chairman of
the State Committee for Work with Azerbaijanis Living Abroad (SCWALA)
Nazim Ibrahimov told on August 17, Trend reports.
He stressed that a forum of Azerbaijanis working in foreign mass
media will be held in 2007. It will be one of the works directed
towards bringing the realities of Azerbaijan to the attention of the
world public.
Besides, Ibrahimov noted that it is planned to hold the forum
of scientific workers so that they assist in the information
war. After the next conference of the heads of Azerbaijani diplomatic
representations, the diaspora of Azerbaijan, together with the
Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, will strengthen its activities.
MONEY TRANSFERS RECEIVED FROM ABROAD BY THE HOUSEHOLDS IN ARMENIA IN 2005
Source: Central Bank of Armenia web-site ()
ArmRadio.am
17.08.2006 12:32
The inflow of money transfers from abroad into Armenia via banking
system during 2003-2005 totaled to 580 mln USD annually or about 15.5%
of GDP.
According to some experts’ assessment, the estimation of the total
volume of money transfers (including non-bank transfers) needs to
be adjusted up by 20-30% to account for alternative routes of money
receipts.
It is very important to realize that complete information (covering not
only bank transfers) will significantly contribute to the efficiency
of economic policy implementation. With this in mind, as well as
considering the growth pattern of transfers and the pressure they
exert on the foreign exchange market, the Central Bank of Armenia
(CBA) initiated the conduct of a survey to estimate the total volume
of transfers to Armenia. The survey was carried out by "Alpha-Plus"
consulting company during February-April 2006 and was financed by the
World Bank. The questionnaire was designed by the CBA and reviewed by
Alpha-Plus. The CBA’s External Sector Statistics Division of Statistics
Department has analyzed the data and prepared the final study.
The survey covers three basic dimensions: 2000 households receiving
money transfers, 2000 respondents sending money transfers from Moscow,
and several organizations engaged in providing money transfer services
in Armenia.
The major objective of the survey was to estimate the volume of money
transfers received by the Armenian households in 2005. The transfers
are defined to include not only money sent by relatives, friends
of the recipients, but also transfers of compensations received
by seasonal workers abroad. Other objectives were to disclose the
main routes of money inflow into Armenia, as well as the geographic
coverage, seasonality, sustainability, spending structure, and other
characteristics of money transfers. Remittance senders’ profile and
motives were also studied.
According to the results of the survey, in 2005 the Armenian households
received money transfers in the amount of about 940 mln USD. On average
37% of households are transfer recipients who receive around 1,434
USD per annum. The average transfer size is about 353 USD (which
contrasts to 692 USD in banking transfers).
The seasonal distribution of transfers suggests that the bulk of
money transfers are received in December – about 13% of total (the
respective number according to banks’ reports is 12%). The second
largest volume of transfers is received in August – 9.5% – coinciding
again with the data reported by banks – 10.6%.
78% of money transfers received by the Armenian households is mediated
by banks which is rather high proportion. Most of the respondents
indicated that banking transfers are preferred because they provide
swiftness of transfers and reliability. The second popular mode
of transfers is sending cash through some people or organizations,
which represents 12.5% of total transfers.
Money transfers mostly originate from Russia (72.2% of total),
followed by the USA (14.3%). Other major sources are Germany, Greece,
and Ukraine (5.2% combined). USA-originated money transfers are mostly
made through specialized organizations providing this service.
30.6% of money transfers are sent by seasonal workers, while 69.4%
are sent by non-residents.
Over half of money transferers are employed in construction (36%)
and trade (20%) industries. Other industries include transportation
and communication (mostly drivers) – 4% and other services (auto body
shop workers, programmers, etc.) – 5.6%.
Regarding sustainability of transfer flows, 84.5% of respondents
informed that they believed they would continue receiving money
transfers. 6.2% of respondents could not comment, and 9.3% of
respondents answered that they would stop receiving money from
abroad. For 54% of this latter category the reason is that the money
transferer moves back to Armenia.
For the recipient households the amount of money transfers on average
makes up 47.8% of their income. This proportion holds around the same
for both urban and rural population.
The average income of the recipient households is about 4,500 USD
per annum.
For those living in Yerevan the corresponding amount is 3,400 USD,
for other urban households – 4,900 USD, and for households living
in rural areas – 5,100 USD (per capita income is 71 USD, 71 USD,
and 90 USD respectively).
The average recipient household spends 76% of total money transfers
on current consumption, 6.1% – on education, 1.2% – on the purchase
of real estate, 2.0% on investing in business activity, and saves 1.1%.
The analysis of Moscow respondents’ responses revealed that they
sent to Armenia as much as 27% of their income, which is quite a
high share, indicative of close relationship between the tranferer
and the recipient.
67% of Moscow respondents disclosed that the volume of money transfers
they send will increase over time. 31% of respondents informed that the
amount of transfer and their income are not correlated. This result
corresponds to the fact that many of those sending money to their
parents setup permanent residence in Moscow with their families,
therefore the increase in their income will not affect the amount
transferred, but rather on their own spending behavior. Probably,
that is the reason why the answer "the amount of money transfer will
not change" dominates in the answers of the respondents sending money
to their parents.
The analysis attempted also to reveal the respondents’ ties with
Armenia.
28% of respondents rejected the idea of ever returning to Armenia. 25%
of respondents mentioned that if paid 300-600 USD per month they would
consider coming back home. Another question asking if won 50,000
USD how would this money spent, 36% of respondents indicated their
willingness to return, 12% of respondents would send part of this
money to Armenia, 7% of respondents would buy housing in Armenia.
Below are presented the conclusions on the sustainability based on
the responses to other questions related to this point:
· since, as mentioned above, 72% of money transfers are originated
in Russia, from sustainablility perspective it becomes crucial to
possess updated information on the economic developments of Russia;
· other conclusions which need further testing are: – 78% of total
transfers are regular, 84.1% of Moscow-originated transfers are also
sent periodically allowing to categorize them as sustainable; – 63.6%
of money recipients are sent the transfers more than 3 times per year
evidencing close ties between the transferer and the recipient; – only
a small share of money transfers is saved therefore suggesting their
sustainability. Usually the households tend to save more when they
expect that the transfers will discontinue; – 84.5% of respondents
expected that transfer inflows are sustainable; – the main motive of
transferers is altruism confirming that transfer flows are stable and
continuous; – 90.5% of Moscow respondents also believe that they will
continue sending money; – only 5.6% of recipients receive money from
relatives living abroad for more than 15 years, suggesting strong
ties with the transferers living abroad less than 15 years; – over
75% of recipients receive money from family members, mostly from a
son/daughter or from the head of the family; – 65% of money sent from
Moscow is intended for family members (24%) and parents (41%). As long
as parents are less inclined to leave their home country the money
transfers received by this group may be considered as sustainable.
These conclusions help us to assess the overall sustainability of
money transfers into Armenia based on factors, such as the degree
of economic development, the profiles of money recipients and money
transferers, the proximity between these two groups, as well as the
share of seasonal workers in total number of money transferers and
factors affecting working seasonally abroad.
In summary, this study is the first in Armenia large-scale analysis
in the field due to its coverage and scale. The survey contains very
valuable information policy makers too. It will be complemented by
another survey to be conducted in September-November 2006 in Los
Angeles, USA among money transferers.
The reliability of the study results will certainly increase if more
surveys are conducted on a continual basis at least for a couple of
years to come.
This will allow to estimate and forecast the trends in the volumes
of money transfers in Armenia.
–Boundary_(ID_ZwVnlmsE2Vn8xx0UiV9fLg)–
ARMENIAN PRESIDENT SAYS CHEMICAL PLANT TO BE SOLD TO RUSSIAN COMPANY
Arminfo
11 Aug 06
Yerevan, 11 August: A Russian company has shown interest in the
Vanadzor chemical plant and negotiations have been going on for four
months already, Armenian President Robert Kocharyan told journalists
during his visit to Lori Region today.
"In my assessment, if an agreement is reached, this will open new
prospects for the plant," the president pointed out, adding that he
is being careful, taking account of the unsuccessful experience of
the past. He said that this issue was discussed at today’s meeting
with the leadership of Lori Region. The president did not say which
Russian company he was talking about.
"The plant can operate," the president pointed out, adding that the
interest shown in the plant confirms this conclusion. "However, the
plant should be updated as it needs new technologies," the president
said, asking Vanadzor residents to be more patient.
At the request of the potential buyer, the plant suspended its
operation after the beginning of the talks.
[Passage omitted: The plant was sold to a Russian businessman of
Armenian origin in 1999, but could not get off the ground due to high
fuel prices]
AZERBAIJANI PRISONS ARE REAL PARADISE
E. Babayan.
Azat Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
11 Aug 2006
Perhaps this opinion is dominant in the neighboring republic, otherwise
Arzu Abdullayeva, the chair of the Azerbaijani committee of Helsinki
Civil Association would not announce in the press conference with the
Azerbaijani media, " I had not seen worse conditions anywhere else
than in the prison of the town of Shushi." The Azerbaijani defender
of human rights arrived in Karabakh for a two-day visit, and she had
a chance to meet with NKR President Arkady Ghukassian, the local NGOs
and even visit Shushi. The visit naturally sparked a strong reaction
among the Azerbaijani society. After returning to Baku Ms. Abdullayeva
gave a press conference and told about her impressions from
Karabakh. Unfortunately, some facts described by the Azerbaijani human
rights defender are not real. We asked Albert Voskanian, the chair
of the Civil Action Center Karabakh to comment on Arzu Abdullayeva’s
statement that in the prison of Shushi she became convinced that the
worst conditions are found in the prison of Shushi. She said, "The
first floor, where they keep 300 inmates, reminds a stable. I asked
to take us to the second floor. When our guides got instructions from
"above", we quickly passed by the cells on the upper floor.
Although it has been slightly repaired, some writings on the walls
made by the Azerbaijani POWs are still visible…" Albert Voskanian
said, "The Civic Action Center NGO that I lead regularly conducts
monitoring of NKR penitentiaries and reports to international,
regional and local organizations. The prison of Shushi was built in
1869. Its initial appearance was preserved in the Soviet times and
was similarly passed over to independent Nagorno Karabakh. This
penitentiary with 5 degrees of security is foreseen for 350
people. We have been conducting monitoring of the prison for many
years, and over this period the number of inmates was between 60 and
80. During the visit of Abdullayeva there were 78 prisoners, and 300
inmates mentioned by the Azerbaijani defender of human rights is not
true. As for the "stable", during the visits of foreign, including
Azerbaijani defenders of human tights to the prison they reported
normal conditions, including hygiene, food, medical service. Every
year the cells are partly repaired. Of course, the conditions are
far from the European standards, but these are being improved, and
our organization has a considerable contribution. It gives advice to
the leadership of the prison and provides aid, including computers,
newspapers, medicine, etc." Arzu Abdullayeva said the Azerbaijani
POWs are kept in Kelbadjar, in a place called Tunnel. She said it
is a gold mine, where the Azerbaijani POWs allegedly work. In this
connection Albert Voskanian said, "For already 13 years I have been
dealing with this problem (in 1993-1997 Albert Voskanian was deputy
chair of the NKR State Commission on POWs, Hostages and the Missing)
and I state that all the Azerbaijani POWs returned home within two
years after the cease-fire signed in May 1994. In cooperation with
our Azerbaijani counterparts we exchanged or returned to Azerbaijan
several hundreds of POWs, and tens of bodies." As for the words of Arzu
Abdullayeva that "the soldiers of the Sumgait regiment were buried
near Aghdara", Albert Voskanian said "necessary efforts are made
to find the places of mass burial, and it is not expedient to make
suggestions, and even specify names of people relying on rumors. It
may deal a new psychological blow to the relatives of the missing,
which would not be useful for the search."
SUMMER FILM ACADEMY FESTIVAL FEATURES INDIAN FILMS
PAP Polish Press Agency
PAP News Wire
August 8, 2006 Tuesday
Over 200 films grouped in 11 theme sets are in the programme of the
Summer Film Academy LAF festival underway in Zwierzyniec, Lublin
province. The event which opened last weekend to run till mid-August
features 11 films by Indian director Satyajit Ray.
"The first in Poland review of pictures by the Indian filmmaker is
expected as a special event. This will be an opportunity to have a look
at the Indian cinema, especially its still little known non-Bollywood
current," LAF organiser Arnold Dec says.
Ray’s films reflect changes in customs and conflicts that take place
after Indian tradition merge with contemporary civilisation.
The cycle "Sacrum et Profanum" features films pertaining to the
problems of faith and spirituality, including classics, like Polish
Jerzy Kawalerowicz’s Cannes awarded "Mother Joan of the Angels"
and Ingmar Bergman’s "Seventh Seal".
Armenian director Sergei Paradhanov will have a retrospective of
films penetrating cultural archetypes and national traditions,
folklore and art of the peoples of Armenia, Ukraine and Georgia.
Dutch cinema will be represented by films by Jos Stelling who is to
come to meet the audience at Zwierzyniec. Also Czech and Hungarian
films are in the programme of the festival which will run till
August 15.
MARXIST PARTY CHAIRMAN ADVISES SERZE SARGSYAN TO TAKE POWER BY FORCE
Panorama.am
16:23 09/08/06
"The Republican junta has finally got hold of the absolute power in
the country with its party conference. Since 1998, this is the second
time that the military machine passes to a party which possesses
also the parliamentary and the executive powers," Davit Hakobyan,
Marxist Party chairman, told a press conference today.
Hakobyan labels the recent assembly of the Republican Party as "palace
coup d’etat," also saying in the language of political science it
may be called "bonapartism, juntaism, political blackmail."
Hakobyan advises "Serze the Liberator," as he sarcastically calls Serze
Sargsyan, to start the political active campaign with a "royal gambit."
Moreover, the Marxist is sure that the "throne" must be taken by
force by January, otherwise, the Republican Party will have no
such chance after the parliamentary elections. "Either Serze the
Liberator will become the owner of the throne by January, or else
he will never be because the situation will be different after
the parliamentary elections," Davit Hakobyan assures. The Marxist
even forecasts resignation of the president by his own will in
October-November.