Author: Kalantarian Kevo

GRECO: PRESIDENT AND MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE OF AZERBAIJAN EXERCISE CONSIDERABLE INFLUENCE ON LEGISLATURE AND JUDICIARY

14:03 07/04/2015 >> LAW

Eliminating undue influence and political interference are
crucial for preventing corruption within the legislature and the
judiciary in Azerbaijan, reads the Council of Europe’s Group of
States against corruption (GRECO) Report on Azerbaijan dealing
with corruption prevention in respect of members of parliament,
judges and prosecutors. The report is published on the website of
the organization.

“Although the principles of independence and the separation of powers
are enshrined in the Constitution and key laws of Azerbaijan, the
institutional set up grants particularly strong powers to the President
and members of the executive, who exercise considerable influence
on the legislature and the judiciary, including the Prosecutor’s
Office. This environment lacks transparency and is prone to political
favouritism and corruption,” the report reads.

According to the report, allegiance to the executive is common to the
three professional groups under review. MPs belong to or support the
party led by the President. A weak opposition is characteristic of the
political system. This and the restrictions imposed on parliamentary
debates significantly limit the legislative process. Judges and
prosecutors are directly or indirectly appointed by the President,
while the Judicial Legal Council – the key judicial self-governing body
– is subordinated to the Ministry of Justice. Such a framework can
create opportunities for undue influence and political interference
in the independent functioning of the legislature and the judiciary,
eroding institutional checks and balances and generates significant
corruption risks.

Another factor which is characteristic of the above-mentioned groups
is the lack of controls on accessory activities and asset disclosure.

The law on asset disclosure adopted in 2005 is still not enforced. It
provides for sealed, confidential asset declarations. Moreover,
information on company organizational structures and ownership was
withdrawn from the public domain in 2012. Building accountability
of individual MPs, judges and prosecutors and their respective
institutions appears to be problematic also in the context of
restrictions on and self-censorship of the media, the report reads.

Related:

CoE urges: Azerbaijan is not active enough in anti-money laundering
and counter-terrorist financing system

Armenia is again ahead of Azerbaijan in Corruption Perceptions Index
according to Transparency International

AMULSAR OPEN GOLD PIT MINING AND ITS HEAP LEACH FACILITY CAUSED LITIGATION

15:05 April 03, 2015

EcoLur

Amulsar open pit gold mining project and the construction of a heap
leach facility caused litigation in court. Reminder: the project is
implemented by Lydian International with the financial support of
IFC, International Finance Corporation, and EBRD, the European Bank
for Reconstruction and Development. In 2014 the project was issued a
positive opinion of the environmental expertise of Nature Protection
Ministry with 6 requirements mandatory for implementation.

The claim was issued by Gndevaz villagers, which is immediate impact
zone of the project, and by two NGOs – “EcoIravunq” (Environmental
Law) and “EcoDar” against Nature Protection Ministry, Energy and
Natural Resources Ministry and Scientific-Expert Committee on Lake
Sevan Preservation. More details in next publications.

REVELATION ABOUT 148 MILLION DOLLARS BY HRANT BAGRATYAN

Lragir.am
Country – 07 April 2015, 18:17

Today, during the presentation of the conclusion of the ad hoc gas
committee the key rapporteur Vardan Aivazyan stated that the sale of
20% of Armenia’s shares of Armrusgazprom was administered in accordance
with legal regulation.

During the presentation, Member of Parliament Hrant Bagratyan,
ex-prime minister, inquired how come Armenia buys gas for 164 USD
and sells at 340 USD.

He noted that Ukraine at war buys gas for 247 USD and sells at 280
USD. “In 1998 we gave half of Armenia’s gas to the Russians for
148 million. We were to get money for that, 148 million, but it
didn’t come, did you start looking into it from this point? When
the second president was doing away with 148 million dollars, he
created a committee which was discussing the mazut case. In the end
they apologized that we supplied electricity to this country. Where
are those 148 million dollars as we gave gas away to the Russians,
they supplied us with gas for two years, we weren’t to pay, and this
money should have accrued on a special account. Have you examined
this or not?” Bagratyan stated. He also asked how come the manager
of Gazprom appears to be an oligarch.

The head of ad-hoc gas committee Vardan Aivazyan said we buy gas for
164 USD and sell to consumers for 345 USD.

“We sell at 345 to households which are about 35-40% of all consumers.

We sell to the other 60% for something like 280 dollars. As to the
oligarch, when we wanted to look into that to find out who became
an oligarch inside, you were against except the RPA. When we said
let’s look at the costs, how the tender was administered, where the
costs were made, everyone except the RPA said they did not want to,”
Aivazyan said.

Hrant Bagratyan announced that he attended several sessions of the
committee and Vardan Aivazyan told him: “Be aware that not everything
is allowed to us”. “And I said I have nothing to do here,” Bagratyan
announced. Vardan Aivazyan denied having said so. “Let’s go and listen
to the recording, I didn’t say that.”

PRESS RELEASE
National Association for Armenian
Studies and Research (NAASR)
395 Concord Avenue
Belmont, MA 02478
Tel.: 617-489-1610
E-mail: [email protected]

AUTHOR MARSHA SKRYPUCH TO DISCUSS HER WORKS AT WATERTOWN PUBLIC LIBRARY

Author Marsha Skrypuch will discuss her work in a presentation
entitled “Writing About the Armenian Genocide: Connecting with Young
Readers,” on Saturday, April 18, 2015, at 1:00 p.m., in the Watertown
Savings Bank Meeting Room at the Watertown Public Library, 123 Main
Street, Watertown, MA. This program is co-sponsored by St. Stephen’s
Armenian Elementary School, the Watertown Public Library, and the
National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR).

Marsha Skrypuch is well known for her books that show the effects of
20th century war and genocide from the perspective of young
people. Her nineteen books have garnered more than sixty awards and
honors. She has written four young adult novels set during the
Armenian Genocide as well as two books that approach the topic for
younger children.

Her newest novel, Dance of the Banished, is set during the Armenian
Genocide but shown from the perspective of Zeynep, an Alevi Kurd
witness and rescuer. Kirkus Reviews calls it “An eye-opening exposé of
historical outrages committed in two countries, with intriguing
glimpses of a minority group that is not well-known in the Americas.”
For more information contact Heather Krafian at 1-781-856-7375.

Belmont, MA
April 6, 2015

ARMENIA CAN BE TRANSIT CORRIDOR FOR IRAN’S ENERGY RESOURCES: EXPERT

Global Times, China
April 6 2015

Source:Xinhua Published: 2015-4-6 22:22:51

The achievement of consensus on Iran’s nuclear program will give
Armenia an unprecedented chance to become a transit corridor for
Iranian energy resources, an Armenian expert said.

“It is an undeniable fact that the Armenian side has a real opportunity
to build a bridge between Iran and the West in terms of energy,” though
it is unknown in what direction events over the Iranian nuclear issue
will develop further, Rudik Danielyan, an Armenian expert on Iranian
studies, told reporters.

Prospects for further cancellation of sanctions against Iran could
encourage the recovery of the West-Iran interaction, said Danielyan.

Iranian negotiators and the P5+1 group concluded Thursday the nine-day
nuclear talks in the Swiss town of Lausanne, reaching common grounds
to unresolved issues in a bid for a comprehensive deal by June 30.

RECONOCIMIENTO DEL GENOCIDIO ARMENIO SIGUE VIGENTE, AFIRMAN EXPERTOS

Sputnik Mundo, Rusia
6 abril 2015

El problema del reconocimiento internacional del genocidio armenio
no ha perdido su actualidad, señalaron expertos este lunes en una
mesa redonda organizada en la agencia Rossiya Segodnya.

El genocidio cometido contra los armenios durante el Imperio Otomano
se conmemora anualmente el 24 de abril.

Este año, con motivo del centenario de este triste acontecimiento,
las actividades en Armenia se desarrollan a partir del 24 de marzo,
tambien se celebraran mas de 2.000 actos en ciudades rusas, incluida
Moscú, informo anteriormente el presidente de la Union de Armenios
de Rusia y embajador de buena voluntad de la UNESCO, Ara Abramian.

Según el director del Instituto del Derecho Internacional y
Politología, Alexandr Mkrtchian, las consecuencias del genocidio
armenio no se han eliminado hasta hoy, aunque el pueblo víctima de
esta tragedia ha venido planteando este problema a lo largo de todo
este tiempo.

“Los acontecimientos que se desarrollan hoy en Ucrania (…) y otras
partes del mundo, cuando un pueblo pequeño se convierte en objeto de
tiranía por parte de las autoridades propias o a raíz de la política
de otros Estados, aumenta la necesidad de levantar la voz para que
sea reconocido el primer genocidio en la historia de la humanidad
y para que ningún otro pueblo viva una tragedia semejante”, dijo
el politologo.

El presidente de la Union de los Armenios de Rusia por su parte
señalo que Turquía debe reconocer el genocidio armenio y asumir la
liquidacion de sus consecuencias y al mismo tiempo revelo que los
armenios del mundo entero no ven en Turquía a un país enemigo.

“Nos sentimos agradecidos a aquellos turcos que salvaron a decenas
de miles de armenios en aquella epoca”, agrego.

A finales del siglo XIX y comienzos del XX, el Imperio Otomano
persiguio a los armenios. Las persecuciones alcanzaron su punto
culminante en 1915 y fueron calificadas como genocidio por Armenia.

Turquía rechaza esa acusacion, afirmando que la tragedia de 1915 afecto
tanto a los armenios como a los turcos, y reacciona con nerviosismo a
las exigencias del reconocimiento internacional del genocidio armenio.

El primero en reconocerlo en 1965 fue Uruguay, despues lo hicieron
el Parlamento Europeo y el Concilio Mundial de las Iglesias.

La Duma de Estado (camara baja del Parlamento ruso) emitio en 1995 la
disposicion “De la condena del genocidio del pueblo armenio cometido
de 1915 a 1922 en su patria historica, Armenia Occidental”.

ARMENIAN LEGISLATIVE CAUCUS LEADS THE GENOCIDE CENTENNIAL EVENTS IN CALIF. LEGISLATURE

Monday, April 6th, 2015

>From left: Assemblymembes Adrin Nazarian, Khatcho Achadjian and
Scott Wilk

SACRAMENTO–The Armenian Legislative Caucus, formed by Assemblymembers
Adrin Nazarian, Katcho Achadjian, and Scott Wilk, are leading the
effort to commemorate the Centennial Anniversary of the Armenian
Genocide.

The Caucus has introduced Assembly Joint Resolution (AJR 2) designating
this year as California’s Year of Commemoration of the Centennial
Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. The resolution also calls upon
Congress and the President of the United States to recognize the
Armenian Genocide.

“Congress and President Obama must officially recognize the Armenian
Genocide, and engage in dialogue with the Republic of Turkey to come
to terms with its past once and for all,” stated Assemblymember Adrin
Nazarian. “In California, we are forging ahead, educating students on
the genocide through an essay scholarship program and sponsoring an
exhibit at the California State Museum that will focus on the Armenian
Genocide, Armenian Immigration, and prominent Armenian-American
figures in California History.”

In a show of solidarity for the centennial anniversary, AJR 2 has been
jointly-authored by a majority of the Assembly, an unprecedented show
of support from previous resolutions.

In addition to introducing AJR 2, the caucus has an array of activities
to commemorate and engage California citizens during the centenary
year of the Armenian Genocide.

“I am proud of the California Legislature for continuing to recognize
the Armenian Genocide,” said Assemblymember Achadjian. “This year we
commemorate the 100th anniversary of these atrocities. This day is
not only about recognizing those tragic acts that happened a century
ago, but about celebrating the triumphs of the Armenian people in
rebuilding their lives and thriving all across the world.”

Efforts by the State of California and the Armenian Legislative
Caucus include:

Armenian Genocide Commemoration in Sacramento: Community Commemoration
on the West Steps of the State Capitol on April 20, 2015 at 2 PM.

“Armenian Journey: From Shattered Past to Prosperity.” Exhibit at the
California State Museum: Exhibit opens on March 31, 2015 and concludes
on August 2, 2015. The exhibit will focus on the Armenian Genocide,
Armenian Immigration, and prominent Armenian-American figures in
California History. Some highlights in the exhibit include original
works by William Saroyan and sister carpets of the Armenian Orphan
Rug woven by orphans, of the Armenian Genocide.

Armenian Genocide Essay Scholarship: A statewide scholarship contest
sponsored by the Armenian Legislative Caucus with the aim to increase
awareness of the Armenian Genocide. California high school students in
9th-12th grade are invited to participate. The three top entries will
receive scholarship awards of $1,000, $500, $250, respectively, and
will be invited to Sacramento to witness the Legislatures commemoration
of the Armenian Genocide and be recognized by the Caucus for their
winning entries. The top three winning submissions will also be
displayed in the “Armenian Journey” exhibit at the California State
Museum. Deadline for submissions is April 6, 2015.

Inclusion of Armenian Genocide Books in the California State Library:
The Armenian Caucus worked to secure a collection of books, on the
Armenian Genocide, for inclusion in the California State Museum’s
catalogue.

AB 1410 (Divestment from Turkish Bonds): The Caucus introduced AB
1410, which calls for the divestment and prohibits holdings of state
retirement investments in Turkish bonds.

“I know firsthand through family members, and will always remember,
the horrors visited upon the Armenian people by the Ottoman Turks
starting in 1915. That is why last year I joined two of my Assembly
colleagues in forming the Armenian Caucus to dedicate ourselves
to educate this and future generations of those events so they
may recognize the Armenian struggle for justice and commit to the
proposition that nothing like that will ever happen again anywhere
in the world.” said Assemblymember Scott Wilk.

Assemblymember Nazarian added: “Education is the cornerstone
of change. I look forward to providing future opportunities for
Californians to learn about the Armenian story, while celebrating
the collective achievements of the diverse and vibrant communities
in our state.”

The Armenian Legislative Caucus serves as a forum for members of
the Legislature to identify key issues affecting Armenian-Americans
and develop and empower the Armenian-American community throughout
California.

LA TURQUIE CREE DES OBSTACLES POUR LA CONFERENCE SUR LE GENOCIDE A ISTANBUL

TURQUIE

L’Universite Bilgi d’Istanbul a annule sa decision de tenir une
conference intitulee le ” Le genocide armenien : Concepts et
perspectives comparatives” rapporte l’hebdomadaire Agos.

La veritable raison de l’annulation de la conference n’est pas claire.

L’administration de l’Universite a informe qu’elle ne pouvait pas
tenir une telle conference et a conseille de chercher un autre lieu
pour la conference.

La Fondation Histoire et l’UCLA, les organisateurs de la conference,
ont commence a chercher un autre lieu.

lundi 6 avril 2015, Stephane (c)armenews.com

ABOUT 2,800 MUSICIANS AND PERFORMERS TO PARTICIPATE IN “RENAISSANCE” INTERNATIONAL CONTEST- FESTIVAL OF MUSICIANS AND PERFORMERS

15:54, 6 April, 2015

GYUMRI, 6 APRIL, ARMENPRESS. This year’s “Renaissance” International
Contest-Festival of Musicians and Performers will be dedicated to the
100thanniversary of the Armenian Genocide and to the 70th anniversary
of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War. By the decision of the
organizers, the festival will be entitled “Against the Crime of
Genocide, Against Wars”. The organizers have received applications
from nearly 2,800 musicians and performers, of which 700 are from
36 countries, while the rest are from Yerevan and all provinces
of Armenia.

This year’s contest-festival will bring together musicians and
performers from the United States, the UK, Austria, Belarus, Belgium,
Germany, Egypt, Yemen, Estonia, Turkmenistan, Iran, Italy, Spain, Iraq,
Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, Lebanon,
Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Mongolia, Switzerland,
China, Russia, Syria, Serbia, Sudan, Georgia, Tajikistan, Taiwan,
Uzbekistan, Ukraine and France.

The solemn opening ceremony of the contest-festival will be held at
the Dramatic Theater of Gyumri on April 13 at 17:00. According to the
established tradition, the festival will begin with the blessing of
Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II and will be held under the high
patronage of First Lady of the Republic of Armenia Rita Sargsyan. As
always, this year’s contest-festival is also organized by the Ministry
of Culture of the Republic of Armenia, the “Pyunik” Pan-Armenian Human
Resources Development Foundation, the Gyumri branch of Yerevan Komitas
State Conservatory and “Renaissance” International Contest-Festival
NGO. The contests will be held in 14 categories at cultural and
educational institutions of Gyumri from April 11 to May 20.

“100TH ANNIVERSARY WITHOUT THE REGIME” TO HOLD RALLIES IN ARTIK AND VANADZOR

11:26 | April 6,2015 | Politics

The 100th Anniversary Without the Regime, a radical opposition group
seeking regime change, is rallying its supporters in Artik and Vanadzor
on April 8.

Head of the movement Zhirayr Sefilyan says the meeting in Artik will
be held outside the House of Culture at 1.00. At 4.30, the group
members will meet their supporters in Artsakh Park in Vanadzor.