Garnik Zakarian – Page 29 – Armenian Directory & News

Armenia election campaign: Day 11

June 18, 2021June 18, 2021 Garnik Zakarian

08:54,

YEREVAN, JUNE 17, ARMENPRESS. The electoral campaign for the June 20 snap parliamentary elections officially launched in Armenia on June 7.

The campaign will last until June 18.

25 political forces – 21 parties and 4 alliances, are participating in the elections.

ARMENPRESS presents the schedule of the visits of the political forces on the 11th day of the campaign.

Alliance With Honor

-Press conference at their headquarters (12:00)

Bright Armenia party

-Yervand Kochar Street (11:00)

“Armenia” alliance led by 2^nd President Robert Kocharyan

Visit to Gegharkunik province

-Shorja (11:00)

-Vardenis (12:30)

-Martuni (14:50)

-Gavar (17:00)

-Meeting in Sevan’s square (18:30)

Civil Contract party led by caretaker Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan

-Meeting at Yerevan’s Republic Square (20:00)

Free Fatherland alliance

Visit to Shirak province

-Artik (11:00)

-Maralik (12:30)

-Gyumri (14:00)

-Press conference in Yerevan’s Freedom Square (19:00)

National Democrats Axis party

Visits in Yerevan, to Ararat and Armavir provinces

-Arabkir, Kentron and Nubarashen administrative districts (19:00)

-Ararat province (Masis town, 16:00)

-Armavir province (Etchmiadzin, 18:30)

Prosperous Armenia party

-Yerevan, Freedom Square (19:00)

CivilNet: Armenia’s I Have Honor Alliance Candidate Arrested for Vote Buying

June 15, 2021June 15, 2021 Garnik Zakarian

CIVILNET.AM

15 Jun, 2021 04:06

By Emilio Luciano Cricchio

Armenia’s Special Investigative Service reported on June 14 that the former Mayor of Armavir region Ruben Khlghatyan, who is running to be a member of parliament with Artur Vanetsyan and former President Serzh Sargsyan’s I Have Honor Alliance, has been arrested for vote buying.

According to the Special Investigative Service, Khlghatyan attempted to bribe a number of residents of his native Janfida village in Armenia’s Armavir region, to secure votes for the I Have Honor Alliance, which is in the run for the June 20 snap parliamentary elections.

“Ruben Khlghatyan had reached an agreement with a resident of the village of Janfida to bribe at least 147 voters in the Armavir region to vote for the [I Have Honor Alliance] in the snap elections,” the statement of the Special Investigative Service reads.

The report states that on June 10, at around 4:30pm, Khlghatyan drove to the house of a Janfida resident with the intention of transferring close to $20,000 to be passed among a list of voters.

Both persons were detained by the police at the time of the transfer, and the money was confiscated by police from the yard of the same house.

The former mayor was later detained by police as he was transferring the money, which was confiscated after officers inspected the scene.

Khlghatyan and the resident were arrested, and the court has approved the prosecutor’s petition for detention as a measure of restraint.

Etchmiadzin residents greet Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan with chants, doves being released into sky

June 14, 2021June 14, 2021 Garnik Zakarian

News.am, Armenia

13:36, 14.06.2021

A well-functioning government is a government about which people do not know where it is located. Robert Kocharyan—the second President, leader of the "Armenia" bloc which is running in the snap parliamentary elections on June 20, and candidate for prime minister—said this at a campaign rally with the residents of Etchmiadzin city.

"If all goes well, if the government is working like clock, why should people know where it is located?" The former president asked. However, he continued by saying that protest rallies are held in front of the Armenian government building literally every day for the past three years, and this means that there are many unresolved issues.

The second President declared that the incumbent Armenian authorities’ helplessness had led to the Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) war last fall and losses.

Kocharyan stressed that there is a lot to do and the responsibility is huge. "Sometimes, when I am alone with myself, I even ask myself a question: Why do I need this? But there is no other way out; we have to move forward."

To note, the Etchmiadzin rally was taking place on the street, and the people—despite the considerable heat from the Sun—were waiting and chanting "Kocharyan." And when the second President arrived, he was greeted with doves being released into the sky.

Armenian and Azerbaijani MODs accuse each other of shelling

June 13, 2021June 13, 2021 Garnik Zakarian

The Caucasian Knot, EU

Azerbaijani positions came under fire on the Armenian border, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defence (MoD) has stated. Armenian militaries were forced to open fire after being shelled while trying to stop engineering works at the border section in Gegarkunik Region, the Armenian MoD has stated in its turn.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that the border conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan escalated in mid-May. Yerevan stated that Azerbaijani militaries had penetrated the territory of the Syunik and Gegarkunik Regions of Armenia. In their turn, Azerbaijani authorities claim that border guards are only changing their deployment. The parties systematically report incidents at the border.

On June 10, Azerbaijani militaries tried to perform some engineering works in the border section of the Gegarkunik Region, but the Armenian party forced them to stop the works, the Armenian MoD has reported on its Facebook page today.

After that, fire was opened on the Armenian positions; and militaries "took responsive actions," the MoD has informed, adding that there were no victims among the Armenian militaries as a result of the shootout.

In its turn, the Azerbaijani MoD has stated the shelling of its positions stationed on the Armenian border, noting that as a result of the shelling, there were no casualties or wounded persons among Azerbaijani militaries.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on at 00:58 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.

See earlier reports:

Experts dispute on UN role and position in Armenian-Azeri border conflict, Azeri political analysts note the need to strengthen borders, Azerbaijan returns lost soldier to Armenia.

Author: The Caucasian Knot;

Source: ?fbclid=IwAR1il8albN44etcHXWbV0rGCKoKdvmHKn3zcE4Wi59GhCF-R0slcOBEuwyI
© Caucasian Knot

Armenian President visits Russian Embassy

June 13, 2021June 13, 2021 Garnik Zakarian

11:37,

YEREVAN, JUNE 11, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian visited the Embassy of Russia in Yerevan on the eve of the national holiday of Russia – the Russia Day, the Presidential Office told Armenpress.

President Sarkissian congratulated Ambassador Sergei Kopyrkin, the Embassy staff and the Russian people on the state holiday.

The Armenian President and the Russian Ambassador also exchanged views on the bilateral cooperation agenda and the regional issues.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Status of Nagorno Karabakh has yet to be agreed – Russian FM

June 10, 2021June 10, 2021 Garnik Zakarian

12:14, 9 June, 2021

YEREVAN, JUNE 9, ARMENPRESS. The status of Nagorno Karabakh should be agreed upon with the participation of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs – Russia, US and France, but at the moment the important is to return the peaceful life to region, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.

“I understand that many people are now talking about the fact that the status of Nagorno Karabakh remains unresolved. It should be finally agreed with the participation of the OSCE Minsk Group, which, at this stage, maybe should focus not on the status issue, but should contribute to the strengthening of trust, solution of humanitarian issues so that Armenians and Azerbaijanis will again live together in security and economic welfare”, the Russian FM said.

He expressed confidence that in this case there will be a situation in several years that the status of Nagorno Karabakh will be resolved much easier.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

CIS deploys observation mission for Armenian parliamentary elections

June 7, 2021June 7, 2021 Garnik Zakarian

BelTA, Belarus

June 1 2021

MINSK, 1 June (BelTA) – The CIS observation mission at the snap elections to the National Assembly of Armenia began monitoring the election campaign on 31 May, following the invitation of the country, BelTA learned from the mission headquarters.

As part of the monitoring of the parliamentary elections, head of the CIS observation mission Evgeny Kozyak met with Chairman of the Armenian Central Electoral Commission Tigran Mukuchyan to discuss the upcoming snap parliamentary elections. The CEC chairman spoke about the election campaign, and the work of the Central Electoral Commission in the conditions of a tight timeframe for preparing the elections.

For his part, Evgeny Kozyak noted that the mission will be working in strict compliance with the electoral laws of Armenia, independently, based on the generally recognized principles and norms of international law in the field of elections. The task of the mission is to assess the compliance of the election campaign with the national legislation and to assist in the conduct of free and democratic elections.

The mission is currently being formed. It is expected to consist of about 70 people. About 10 will be deployed on a long-term basis.

The snap elections to the National Assembly of Armenia are scheduled for 20 June.

Pashinyan’s working visit to Belgium kicks off

June 7, 2021June 7, 2021 Garnik Zakarian

09:48, 2 June, 2021

BRUSSELS, JUNE 2, ARMENPRESS. The working visit of Armenia’s caretaker Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to Belgium kicked off today.

The first meeting in Brussels is with President of the European Council Charles Michel. The meeting will be followed by a luncheon on behalf of Charles Michel.

Thereafter, Nikol Pashinyan will meet with Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Belgium Alexander De Croo.

The meetings will focus on issues of mutual interest, the Armenia-EU ties, the post-war situation in Armenia, the further cooperation aimed at conducing democratic reforms in Armenia, etc.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

MP Naira Zohrabyan denounces authorities for failure to bring back captured soldiers

June 7, 2021June 7, 2021 Garnik Zakarian

Panorama, Armenia

June 4 2021

MP Naira Zohrabyan from the opposition Prosperous Armenia faction on Friday denounced the authorities for their failure to bring back the six Armenian soldiers captured by Azerbaijani forces on May 27.

“I would like to remind you that the General Staff chief announced that he gives Azerbaijan just one hour for them to return the captured Armenian boys, whereas 144 hours have passed since then and our soldiers remain in captivity,” Zohrabyan said at a parliament sitting.

The lawmaker said that the Armenian delegation, which left for Moscow to negotiate the release of the captives, returned empty-handed, as evidenced by the delegation's “vague statement, which says that discussions and negotiations are going on.”

Naira Zohrabyan also noted that on 1 June the Azerbaijani law enforcement authorities completed the preliminary investigation of the criminal case against 14 Armenian prisoners of war (POWs) and forwarded it to a Baku court.

The MP recalled that the matter concerns the servicemen captured near the Hadrut region on December 13, saying despite the immense pressure of the international community Azerbaijan refuses to recognize them as prisoners of war.

She said that criminal proceedings have also been brought against the other Armenian POWs held in Azerbaijan.

Caucasian Knot | At exhibition in Yerevan, Nagorno-Karabakh presents new tourist routes

June 5, 2021June 5, 2021 Garnik Zakarian

The Caucasian Knot, EU

June 5 2021

Instead of the historical and cultural sights that remained in the territories occupied by the Azerbaijani Army, about 20 new objects have been presented to tourists, Gevorg Arakelyan, the head of the tourism department under the Ministry of Economy of the unrecognized republic, said at the "Intour Expo" international exhibition in Yerevan. This season, tourism in Nagorno-Karabakh is popular mainly among visitors from Armenia and local residents, entrepreneurs have reported.

Given the fact that after the 2020 war, some territories came under Azerbaijan's control, it was necessary to design new tourist routes, Mr Arakelyan has noted.

"The new tourist routes include natural and historical-architectural monuments located in the Martuni, Martakert and Askeran Districts. There are up to two dozen attractions in total. Mountain and forest hiking trips, local history and ethnographic museums are very popular among tourists," Gevorg Arakelyan said, adding that From January to May, up to 600 foreign tourists visited Artsakh, which is 70 percent lower than during the same period of 2020.

As noted by Sergey Shahverdyan, the chairman of the Nagorno-Karabakh's Public Council for the Protection of Cultural Heritage, after the 2016 war, the tourism sector was restored quite quickly.

There are enough historical, cultural and natural monuments in the republic that can be included into tourist routes, said Armine Airapetyan, the director of the Nagorno-Karabakh's State Service for the Protection of Historical Environment. According to her story, some of them can already be visited by tourists; others need some minor furnishing.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on June 5, 2021 at 01:54 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.

See earlier reports:

Nagorno-Karabakh tourism industry stays on verge of bankruptcy because of pandemic, Archaeologists tell about ancient castles in Kashatag District of Nagorno-Karabakh, 5000 people attend Artsakh Airfest festival in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Author: Alvard Grigoryan; Source: CK correspondent