Author: Jalatian Sonya

PanARMENIAN.Net

Armenian opposition denies change in strategy
09.03.2009 21:42 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ After the speech opposition leader Levon
Ter-Petrosyan delivered during March 1 rally, some political forces
claim that the opposition, specifically the Armenian National
Congress, has altered the strategy and took up a milder political
course.

During today’s news conference, Galust Sahakyan, the head of the
Republican Party of Armenia, said the ANC policy is more cautious as
compared to that of Heritage party.

In a conversation with a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter, ANC coordinator
Levon Zurabyan said the ANC’s policy underwent no changes.

`We will continue our struggle in our usual way. As to Galust
Sahakyan’s statement, I think he came to notice things he didn’t
notice before,’ he said.

PanARMENIAN.Net

Elina Danielyan suffers defeat in 2nd tour of Grand Prix tournament
09.03.2009 12:54 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian chess player Elina Danielyan sustained a
defeat from India’s Koneru Humpy in the 2nd tour of Grand Prix
tournament for women.

With 1 point, she shares the 6-8th position with Georgia’s Maya
Chiburdanidze and Sweden’s Pia Cramling.

In the 3rd tour, Elina Danielyan will play vs. Chinese Shen Yang.

Preventing social shocks Armenian government’s top priority

YEREVAN, March 9. /ARKA/. Preventing social shocks is the Armenian
Government’s priority task, stated RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan.

`Our priority task is to prevent social shocks. We have stated and are
stating once more that the socially vulnerable sections will receive
the funds due to them on time and in full,’ T. Sargsyan stated in his
interview to Armenian TV channels.

He reminded the journalists that Armenia has completed negotiations
with the World Bank (WB), International Monetary Fund (IMF) and with
its strategic partners, which allows the Government to form a clear
idea of the financial situation during the coming three or four years
and of its own potential with the impact of the global crisis
considered.

`So we have specified our medium-term program and the amount of the
financial aid we need,’ the Premier said.

He pointed out that the IMF stated its intention to allocate $540 to
Armenia, with $240mln to be received immediately, and the rest of the
funds as quarterly tranches.

The WB, too, stated its intention to allocate $525mln to the Armenian
economy.

Also, RF Premier Vladimir Putin stated that the Russian Government
decided to issue a $500mln stabilization credit to Armenia for
surviving the global crisis.

T. Sargsyan also reported that Armenia has finished negotiations with
other financial institutions, particularly the Asian Development Bank,
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and Black Sea
Bank, all of which plan to allocate funds to the country.

`With the funds considered, we, of course, are modifying our
expenditure policy. The social sector will be top priority,’ the
Premier said.

He pointed out that the Government’s aim is that wages, pensions and
social allowances be paid on time.
Another priority is infrastructural expenses.

`We will use the fund to boost economic growth in Armenia. In
particular, we will help enterprises experiencing difficulties and the
one creating jobs,’ the Premier said.

T. Sargsyan believes that the measures will relieve social tension.

`Our strategy is a very simple one. We will first of all use our funds
to protect the socially vulnerable sections of the population.
Secondly, we are ready for infrastructural expenses. Thirdly, we will
promote the creation of jobs,’ Sargsyan said.

`In this context, the best means at our disposal that we have announced
is supporting small and medium-sized businesses, procuring additional
funds for crediting and implementing new small and medium-sized
business programs,’ the Premier said. `0–

Vartan Oskanian: Armenian government should be more transparent and
sincere with society

3

YEREVAN, MARCH 6, NOYAN TAPAN. Today the greatest problem of Armenia is
to halt the decline in economic growth, and in order to solve this
problem, it is necesaary first of all to ease the tax burden and to use
resources brought from outside in a really purposeful way, the chairman
of the Board of the Civilitas Foundation, former foreign minister of
Armenia Vartan Oskanian said in an interview with "25 Minutes" Program
of the Public Television Company. In his words, Armenia should be able
to eliminate the major element hindering the economy – monopolies and
to create an equal field of competition. After these three steps,
according to him, Armenia will succeed in overcoming the crisis.

V. Oskanian believes that the government should take a greater
responsibility and be more transparent and sincere with the society. In
his opinion, the depreciation of the dram was inevitable and impossible
to halt, and the government’s fault in this issue is that until the
last moment it denied the necessity of that.

"Of course, it was doing that for political purposes, it had its
problems to solve, and it was a great blow to the government’s
prestige. The government lost the society’s trust, which, in my
opinion, is quite harmful today, in conditions of the crisis. Without
the society’s trust in the government and steps to taken by it, we will
face much more serious difficulties".

According to V. Oskanian, it is impossible to ensure 9% economic growth
envisaged by the 2009 state budget. "A question arisis: will the
government ignore this issue as well, will it say that we have no such
problem, or will the government address this issue in a more
transparent way and explain to the people what it has done in this
respect?" the former foreign minister asked, adding that the government
has an occasion to regain trust of the people, and it should say: "We
made a mistake when envisaging a 9% economic growth in the budget, it
was a wrong calculation, we have probably overestimated it". V.
Oskanian said that even in case of reducing the budgetary expenditures,
increasing the budget’s deficit or "directing the money brought from
outside to the budget" it would be impossible to ensure 9-9.5% economic
growth. "The society is currently concerned that the government is
going to ensure a 9% growth at the expense of taxes, the burden will be
carried by small and medium business because there are some signs, that
is, the use of cash registers: this is a new burden which has been put
on small and medium business". In the opinion of V. Oskanian, the
government should directly state: "We are going to take the following
steps and it will not be done at the expense of a tougher tax policy".

"HERITAGE" UNDECIDED ABOUT THE FORM OF PARTICIPATION IN THE ELECTIONS OF THE YEREVAN MAYOR
Siranush Muradyan

"Radiolur"
06.03.2009 16:25

Members of the "Heritage" faction made a political-economic statement
today, demanding from the authorities to reveal the crimes committed
on March 1, 2008, ensure budget execution, present the State Budget
to the National Assembly for reconsideration, ensure the legitimacy,
fairness and transparency of the elections of the Yerevan Mayor and
the election campaign.

Deputies of the "Heritage" faction told a press conference today
that they have not yet decided whether they will run in the elections
separately or will join the Armenian National Congress.

INTERNATIONAL CRISIS GROUP PREPARES REPORT ON TURKEY-ARMENIA RELATIONS

APA
March 5 2009
Azerbaijan

Baku. Lachin Sultanova – APA. The International Crisis Group (ICG)
is preparing a report on Turkey-Armenia relations, ICG representative
in Baku Tabib Huseynov told APA.

He said the report would be released within a month.

Expressing the ICG’s opinion on the referendum to be held in Azerbaijan
on constitutional changed and amendments on March 18, Tabib Huseynov
said it did not have direct relation to their activity.

"International Crisis Group has touched upon elections in Azerbaijan,
Armenia and other countries, but in all cases it was linked to the
threat of violation of stability during and after the elections. As
there are no such concerns in terms of referendum, the International
Crisis Group does not deal with it directly. However, we are
attentively following the discussions on referendum and consider
that fateful issues raised in the referendum should not be adopted
hastily. Such issues should be adopted after broad and free public
discussions," he said.

VAZGEN SARGSYAN WOULD TURN 50 TODAY
Karen Ghazaryan

"Radiolur"
05.03.2009 14:33

The former Prime Minister of Armenia, Vazgen Sargsyan, would turn
50 today.

This morning President Serzh Sargsyan, Prime minister Tigran Sargsyan,
Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan, other officials visited Yeravlur
and laid wreaths at Vazgen Sargsyan’s grave. Servicemen, Sargsyan’s
friends also came to pay tribute to his memory.

President of the Government Commission established to organize the
events dedicated to Vazgen Sargsyan’s 50th anniversary, Prime Minister
Tigran Sargsyan, told reporters that a number of arrangements are
expected today.

The main event will take place at the Sport and Concert Complex after
Karen Demirchian.

Noting that the range of arrangements dedicated to Vazgen Sargsyan’s
memory is rather inclusive and embraces different classes – the army,
representatives of the spheres of education and sport, non-governmental
organizations. "We commemorate an outstanding statesman and politician,
who has shaped our victory and the peace of our people with his
companions in arms," the Defense Minister said.

PRIME MINISTER OF ARMENIA: OUR PROGRAMMES TO PRIMARILY AIM AT SOLUTION OF SOCIAL PROBLEMS

ArmInfo
2009-03-05 12:57:00

ArmInfo. Upon the results of negotiations with the World Bank and
the International Monetary Fund, the strategic partner regulated
the provisions of a mid- term programme of the Armenian government
aimed at overcoming of the financial and economic crisis during 3-4
years. The programme financing volumes have also been determined,
Prime Minister of Armenia Tigran Sarkisyan said in an interview with
the Public TV of Armenia commenting on March 3 situation with 20%
fall of the Armenian dram.

As he said, the IMF has already agreed to extend credit to Armenia at
the rate of $540 mln. $240 mln of which will be granted immediately,
and the rest amount – on a quarterly basis. The World Bank will also
extend $525 mln credit to Armenia to be directed to the different
economy sectors. The Russian prime minister also confirmed the
intention of Russia to extend $500 mln credit to Armenia which will
help Armenia to overcome the global economic crisis. ‘I am not going
to bring the examples of other partners the negotiations with which
have been completed – the Asian Development Bank, EBRD, Black Sea
Development Bank, which will also provide Armenia with funds’,
T. Sarkisyan said. Of course, these funds will help to take some
steps to change the expenditures. The preference will be given to
the social programmes, in particular, the programmes concerning
the pensioners, social allowances and salary increase. The second
direction is development of infrastructures, that will allow to
assure the republic’s life activity. The third direction is financial
assistance to the enterprises having some temporary difficulties or
which create new jobs. ‘We shall render assistance by any means in
order to mitigate the social, tension’, T. Sarkisyan said.

ARMENIAN OLIGARCH SUPPORTS CB NEW POLICY

PanARMENIAN.Net
03.03.2009 19:06 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "The new CBA policy will improve the situation of
the county’s exporters, who for the last 3 years were in a much worse
state as compared to importers," Prosperous Armenia Party leader,
major entrepreneur Gagik Tsarukyan told a news conference on Tuesday.

According to Tsarukyan, Armenia should by guided by the developed
countries, practicing floating rate policy specifically, Russia.

The dram-to-dollar exchange rate has gone up to AMD 360/$1 in few
hours today against yesterday’s 305 -310 index for sale and purchase
respectively.

Dram/euro exchange rate reached AMD 440 (against 387).

The upsurge followed CB President Arthur Javadian’s statement on
cessation of control over the foreign currency market and return to
floating rate policy.

According to the Central Bank, the dollar exchange rate will fluctuate
from AMD 360 to 380 in 2009.

Reuters
March 1 2009

Armenian protesters mark year since deadly riots

Sun Mar 1, 2009 10:02am EST

* Rally to remember dead protesters
* Opposition leader demands early elections
* President lights candles in memory of dead

By Hasmik Lazarian

YEREVAN, March 1 (Reuters) – At least 10,000 anti-government
protesters in Armenia on Sunday demanded early elections at a
demonstration to mark one year since deadly clashes between police and
opposition activists in the former Soviet republic.

Rights groups and the Armenian opposition accuse President Serzh
Sarksyan and his government of pursuing politically motivated trials
over the unrest and failing to investigate accusations the police used
excessive force.

The violence followed the election of Sarksyan in a vote the
opposition said was rigged. Ten people died, including two police
officers. More than 100 people were arrested during a state of
emergency imposed after the violence.

The crowd in Yerevan held a minute’s silence and carried banners
calling for early elections and "Freedom for political prisoners."
Riot police looked on as protesters chanted "Victory!" and "Freedom!"

"The authorities have drawn no conclusions from these tragic events
and have done nothing to establish democracy in the country," said
opposition leader Levon Ter-Petrosyan, Sarksyan’s challenger in the
election.

"Despite constant pressure from the government, the people are
stronger, are not frightened and are ready to continue the struggle,"
Ter-Petrosyan told the crowd. He promised another demonstration in
May.

Yerevan’s mayor had denied permission for demonstrators to gather in
the city centre, but the protest went ahead after talks with the
police.

Armenia’s next parliamentary election is due in 2012 and the
presidential vote in 2013.

OPPOSITION FIGURES ON TRIAL

The country’s leaders say they want to build a European-style
democracy and have won Western praise for allowing contested
elections. But opponents say it is a facade and the country is ruled
by a clique.

Armenia is considered Russia’s closest ally in the volatile South
Caucasus, but it has also pursued ties with NATO.

"This is a chance to change something here," said protester Artush
Dazikyan, a 53-year-old worker.

Demonstrators marched through the capital and laid flowers at the spot
where the worst clashes took place.

More than 50 people received jail sentences for the violence. A number
have since been pardoned but several senior opposition figures,
including a former foreign minister, remain on trial. The authorities
accused the opposition of trying to overthrow the government.

Western election monitors said the vote was broadly in line with the
country’s international commitments but that further improvements were
necessary.

The president’s office said on Sunday Sarksyan had lit candles at a
church in Yerevan in memory of those killed.

New York-based Human Rights Watch on Wednesday accused Armenia of
conducting "politically motivated" trials while ignoring evidence of
excessive use of force and ill-treatment of detainees. (Writing by
Matt Robinson in Tbilisi; Editing by Matthew Jones)