John Hovhannisian – Page 47 – Armenian Directory & News

Armenia health minister on his service car: My personal cars are more expensive than the Prado

January 17, 2020January 17, 2020 John Hovhannisian

News.am, Armenia

Jan 17 2020

17:38, 17.01.2020

YEREVAN. – We have a lot of cars that I use sometimes, and now I am walking toward Republic Square, to the government, to the ministerial committee meeting. Armenia’s Minister of Health Arsen Torosyan said this in a conversation with journalists today, referring to the issue of the Prado-model car servicing him.

To the observation that it was stated that such an expensive car could not service him, he said: “Why couldn't it serve me? How expensive is that car? As far as I know, this car was purchased in 2014-2015 for 14 million drams. (…). We [the Ministry of Health] now have 4 or 5 cars, and sometimes we all use them. My personal cars are more expensive than the Prado, if you are interested."

Torosyan also referred to the press report, according to which the government had left the Minister of Health all alone. “The press was not writing; only news medium was writing whose duty is to write something like that twice a day, or once every two days, which I do not consider to be serious to refer. I'm a member of the executive [branch of power]. How can they have a conflict with the executive?”

Armenian minister rules out conspiracy theory in relation to April war

October 28, 2019October 28, 2019 John Hovhannisian

News.am, Armenia

Oct 27 2019

Armenian minister rules out conspiracy theory in relation to April war Armenian minister rules out conspiracy theory in relation to April war

13:41, 27.10.2019

YEREVAN. – The Armenian diplomats are responding skillfully to the international reaction following Armenian PM’s statements on Artsakh, Defense Minister Davit Tonoyan told reporters at the Yerablur Military Cemetery.

He was asked to comment on the reaction to Nikol Pashinyan’s “Artsakh is Armenia, period” statement, and especially the remark by BBC’s Hard Talk host Stephen Sackur who said “Arstakh is a territory where Armenians live” during his interview with Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan.

Tonoyan urged “not to draw him in these statements” and added that he had informed about his position before.

Asked how he imagines the settlement of the Karabakh conflict, Tonoyan said: “I imagine it by achieving victory, this is the only option. The Artsakh issue is settled”.

Speaking about the situation on the border, he described it is relatively peaceful.

“The situation is under control, there are shots that are conditioned by engineering works,” he added.

The Defense Minister also commented on the work of the committee investigating the April 2016 war. He assured that the committee is working closely with the Defense Ministry, and all necessary documents are being provided. Asked what he will do if he is called to testify before the committee, Tonoyan replied: “If they call me, I will go there”.

The Minister also ruled out the possibility of a war due to conspiracy: “I exclude the Armenian conspiracy”. He hopes that the committee investigating the April war will put an end to the rumors.

168: Progress in combatting corruption brought Armenia to better shape for trade, economic cooperation-PM

October 26, 2019October 26, 2019 John Hovhannisian

| 14:32 | October 25 2019

DO YOU KNOW MY NAME? DARING ARMENIAN WOMEN INAUGURAL LAUNCH

October 18, 2019October 18, 2019 John Hovhannisian

BOSTON, MA, – Do You Know My Name?” is the first of a series of video montages presented by the Daring Armenian Women (DAW) Project, showcasing Armenian women from all over the world, who are often overlooked, honoring their courage, intelligence, talent, and resilience. The first montage, produced in cooperation with Yerevan-based Bars Media Studio, is a tribute to women from history. The DAW project takes a modest step towards bringing them into the present, giving them voice, place, and agency. On October 25 the montage will be launched on the Daring Armenian Women social media sites, along with a panel discussion at the American University of Armenia in Yerevan, Armenia.

The opening frame lingers on an image of the Mayr Hayastan (Mother Armenia) statue asking the question, “Do you know my name?” and then segues to photos of 27 daring Armenian women featured in the montage, whose legacies impacted the social, political, economic, and cultural life of our collective history all over the world. As part of the DAW curation team, Melissa Bilal, Lerna Ekmekcioglu, Audrey Kalajian (creator), Susan Pattie, and Judith Saryan, have researched and identified women's contributions in fields as diverse as sacred music, boxing, and medicine. This collaborative project is a first step towards expanding our understanding of Armenian women’s place in the history of arts, music, literature, science, sports, politics, and other fields of life, and generating awareness about the importance of preserving women’s history, especially for the future generations.

These women and many others to date, are a reminder that gender justice remains a significant challenge, one that is hindering collective well-being. Today, women are not only finding their voices, but their voices are also being heard. A powerful example of this were the women featured on the frontlines and in global news articles about Armenia’s recent Velvet Revolution. While project is universal with subtitles in English, the next phase includes a translation into Eastern Armenian.

DAW social media presence creates a space to learn more about these and other Armenian women and to generate contemporary discussions within the Armenian communities around the world inviting them to nominate other DAW women for future themed montages.

The launch event on October 25 will take place at the American University of Armenia (AUA), with the video screening and panel discussion spearheaded by Dr. Melissa Bilal, Assistant Professor of Humanities and Social Sciences. “Daring Armenian Women: Anonymous No More” is the title and the panelists include: Anna Nikoghosyan, Arpine Haroyan, Gayane Aghabalyan, Elmira Ayvazyan, and Sona Margaryan. Bilal highlights, “the aim of this project is to challenge and disrupt the traditional anonymity of Armenian women in public space and to make their names and lives known in the present.”

Please note, DAW social media audience is welcome to nominate past or present women and suggest themes on the DAW Facebook page.

For additional information about the women featured in the montage, visit or follow Daring Armenian Women on Facebook, Instagram @DaringArmenianWomen and Twitter @DaringArmWomen. The DAW curation team, Melissa Bilal, Lerna Ekmekcioglu, Audrey Kalajian (creator), Susan Pattie, and Judith Saryan, are available for interviews. For further information, please contact, Audrey Kalajian at

Armenian FM holds meeting with EU Special Representative Toivo Klaar

October 17, 2019October 17, 2019 John Hovhannisian

Armenian FM holds meeting with EU Special Representative Toivo Klaar

18:14,

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 16, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs Zohrab Mnatsakanyan received on October 16th EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia Toivo Klaar and the latter’s delegation.

“The parties exchanged ideas over the Armenia-EU partnership comprehensive agenda, as well as touched upon topical regional issues and steps aimed at further strengthening cooperation within the framework of the EU Special Representative’s mandate.

In the context of the NK conflict’s peaceful resolution process the Armenian FM briefed on the current situation around the peace process. In this context the EU’s support to the ongoing peaceful settlement process under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs and the exclusively peaceful resolution of the conflict was emphasized,” the foreign ministry said in a readout.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

Artsakh hero claims Armenia’s PM, Azerbaijani president agreed over not returning Artsakh to the table of negotiations

October 16, 2019October 16, 2019 John Hovhannisian

Aysor, Armenia

Oct 15 2019

With the statement “Artsakh is Armenia and that’s it” Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan likely wanted to say that he is the general leader, Artsakh hero, former secretary of Artsakh Security Council Vitaly Balasanyan said at a news conference on Tuesday.

“Nikol Pashinyan is very wrong, it is not a norm in politics, it is very dangerous, he did it on purpose,” Balasanyan said.

He stressed that Artsakh must return to the table of negotiations.

“But the vector selected by Pashinyan is the other. I am sure he has reached arrangement with Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev to make such a statement for Artsakh not to return to the table of negotiations,” he said.

Balasanyan urged the Armenian political elite to make corresponding decision, sit with the Artsakh leadership and discuss the points from which the negotiations should resume.

NSS reveals new case of embezzlement again involving former director of Hayastan All-Armenian Fund

October 14, 2019October 14, 2019 John Hovhannisian

NSS reveals new case of embezzlement again involving former director of Hayastan All- Armenian Fund

11:27, 11 October, 2019

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 11, ARMENPRESS. Armenia’s National Security Service revealed another case of embezzlement again involving former executive director of the Hayastan All –Armenian Fund Ara Vardanyan, the NSS told Armenpress.

Vardanyan has earlier been charged for misappropriating funds of the charity organization for personal goals, was arrested, but later was released on bail.

Based on the NSS data, this time Ara Vardanyan, by reaching an agreement with the director of the company belonging to the Fund with 100% share, signed a contract on October 26, 2017 to supply property worth 149.474.540.00 AMD to the education departments of the administrative staffs of Artsakh’s Shahumyan, Martakert, Hadrut, Kashatagh and Martuni regions, however, that equipment has not been delivered to these departments, and fake documents have been prepared for embezzling the aforementioned sums.

On October 9, 2019, the Yerevan Court of General Jurisdiction approved the motion to select the arrest as a preventive measure against Vardanyan.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan

Armenia’s PM, Azerbaijani president discuss prospect of Karabakh conflict settlement in Ashkhabad

October 11, 2019October 11, 2019 John Hovhannisian

Aysor, Armenia

Oct 11 2019

Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev had a conversation in Ashkhabad today, PM’s spokesperson Vladimir Karapetyan told Aysor.am.

“The leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan talked during the official dinner in Ashkhabad. Nikol Pashinyan and Aliyev talked about the prospect of Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement,” Karapetyan said.

Earlier Armenia’s PM reiterated that the settlement resolution must be acceptable for the peoples of Armenia, Artsakh and Azerbaijan.

‘Constantinople’

September 27, 2019September 27, 2019 John Hovhannisian

Arts & Culture

By Any Means

Latest

Theatre

Top Stories

5 hours ago

“Constantinople” will have its world premiere on Sept. 27

BY GAREN YEGPARIAN

For quite some time now I’ve wanted to reflect on Armenian theatre. Aram Kouyoumdjian’s latest play, “Constantinople” (opening on Friday September 27 in North Hollywood) provides that opportunity, though in a more focused way than originally intended.

For full disclosure, I work with Aram, assisting with the fundraising.

Last week, I had the opportunity to attend the first full run-through rehearsal. I was repeatedly moved to tears. I think this is his best production so far (and I’ve had the opportunity to see his work since the early 1990s).

The play is set in immediate post-Genocide/WWI Bolis. This is a time and place about which I knew precious little. When Aram was inspired by Lerna Ekmejioghlu’s book, “Recovering Armenia” to write this play, I felt compelled to read it too. I strongly recommend everyone read that book. It was quite the eye-opener. But if you choose to be reading-wise lazy, then at least see the play.

The ardor, danger, disappointment, energy, feminism, fervor, great-power politics of that time and place, hope, intense activity, loss, nation-preservation, nationalism, political tension, rapid developments, and state-building are all on stage. Simply, all the key issues of the time are on display. Of course there’s a romance running through the play, too.

What’s also fascinating is that there are many parallels to the issues we confront today as a nation, in the homeland, the Diaspora, and the unique place that is Bolis. I miss no opportunity to remind people that before Turks took over the city, Byzantium was the capital of the millennium-long Byzantine Empire, ruled by Armenians for roughly one third of its existence. Also, remember how much of Western Armenian culture is rooted and evolved there. We have a huge stake in that place, and this play serves as a potent reminder of that importance. Those in our communities who hail most recently from Bolis will undoubtedly feel great pride upon seeing, nay, LIVING vicariously, what their parents and grandparents were doing a century ago.

The show will run through November 2 at the Secret Rose Theatre in North Hollywood, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. Order tickets online. www.itsmyseat.com/Constantinople.

Do not miss this show. Especially given the intimate setting of a 60-seat theatre, you will feel like “you were there” as Walter Cronkite used to say in the historical TV series he hosted.

Chess: World Cup: Aronian makes it to quarterfinals

September 23, 2019September 23, 2019 John Hovhannisian

Panorama, Armenia

Sept 23 2019

Armenian grandmaster Levon Aronian has advanced to the quarterfinals of the FIDE Chess Wold Cup being held in Russia’s Khanty-Mansiysk.

The Armenian player defeated Vietnamese Lê Quang Liêm in a tiebreak match in the 1/8 finals, the National Olympic Committee’s press service reported.

Aronian had played draw with his Vietnamese opponent in the first two games of the 1/8 finals

Defending champion Aronian is looking to get a third World Cup victory after having won the arduous event in 2005 and 2017.

Two other representatives of Armenia Robert Hovhannisyan and Armenian champion Arman Pashikyan dropped out of the competition in the first round, while Sergey Movsesyan lost to Ding Liren of China in the second round.

Chess World Cup 2019 is a 128-player single-elimination chess tournament taking place from 9 September to 4 October. The finalists of the tournament will qualify for the Candidates Tournament for the World Chess Championship 2020.