Author: Karagyozian Lena

MILLENNIUM CHALLENGES PROGRAM TO PROVIDE 118 MILLION USD TO ARMENIA FOR
RECONSTRUCTION OF WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM

YEREVAN, AUGUST 15, ARMENPRESS: “Millennium Challenges” program will
provide 118 million USD for the reconstruction of water supply system
in Armenia.

Water supply specialist of the “Millennium Challenges” task group
Tigran Kalantarian noted that the program includes reconstruction of
water dams, main canals, gravity flowing systems etc. Underscoring
the technical support, studying and training of the newly created
companies of water users, Kalantarian noted that for the development
of institutional system 5.3 million USD will be provided, another 8
million will be provided for works on projecting and on the management
of the program.

At present the US specialists are assessing Armenia’s suggestion. The
task group and US delegates are studying the opportunities for
the implementation of the program from the economic, financial and
surrounding environment viewpoints to assess how the program will
promote the poverty reduction in village areas. The assessment phase
will be finished in early fall. The agreement is expected to be formed
and signed by the end of the year.

AZG Armenian Daily #143, 16/08/2005

Diaspora

CYPRUS ARMENIAN COMMUNITY SHOCKED FROM LOSS OF FAMILY IN AIRLINE TRAGEDY —
MELKONIAN ALUMNI LOSE VALUABLE MEMBER

Cyprus started three days of official mourning Monday as the island
recovered from Sunday~Rs disaster when all 121 people were killed on board a
Cypriot airliner that crashed on its approach to the Greek capital Athens.

The news shocked the island~Rs small Armenian community as a family of four
were also on board the fatal flight, traveling together for the first time,
with their 12-year-old son boarding his first flight.

Hagop and Hilda Tutunjian, and their young boys, 16-year old Ara and Baret,
four years his younger, were on the Helios Airways flight from Larnaca to
Athens, from where they would complete the journey for a holiday in Prague,
Czech Republic.

Hagop, a graduate of the Melkonian Educational Institute, was among the core
team struggling to save the school despite the AGBU~Rs unjustifiable
persistence to close the school and sell all its assets. He was a member of
the 7-person board of the Melkonian Alumni in Cyprus and was at many times
at the forefront of demonstrations, often pursuing a calm and rational
approach to public debates and arguments.

He started his community involvement as a teenage footballer, playing for
the local AYMA team in the 1960s and early 1970s. He kept his interest in
youth and sports over the years, coaching the AGBU-AYA junior football team
and helped stage several plays, some of which he directed. He was involved
with the Hamazkayin cultural club of Nicosia and served on the governing
board of the Nareg Elementary schools of Cyprus.

Working in the Gulf for many years, he recently set up his own electrical
supplies business.

Hilda (née Costanian), was a graduate of the American Academy and a member
of the AYMA club in her earlier years. She was an active “mother of
Melkoniantsi” and among the auxiliary team of supporters of the Alumni
struggle to help save the school. She was actively involved in church
activities, helping out with the Sunday school in Nicosia.

Ara was in his fourth year at the Melkonian and among the youth disappointed
by the AGBU. His younger brother, Baret, just graduated from the Nareg in
Nicosia.

Messages of support kept pouring in with friends and relatives by the sides
of Hagop and Hilda~Rs remaining families ~V brother Albert Tutunjian, and
parents Vartkes and Lilly Costanian.

“They shall be sorely missed, Hagop with his fiery but fair arguments, Hilda
who kept faithful to her religious education, often visiting any church ~V
Armenian or Greek Orthodox or even Catholic ~V and was a support for her
sister who suffered a car crash nearly two decades ago. Ara was a young
teenager in his prime and a rebel at times, while Baret made us all laugh
with his youthful smile. These were kind people who did not harm a sole.
They did not deserve this tragic end,” said a close friend of the family.

What should have been a celebration, marking the second holiest day for
Greek Orthodoxy, the holy day of ~QPanayia Theotokou~R (the Virgin Mary,
Mother of God), turned into a day of prayers as bells chimed somberly and
the faithful started their annual pilgrimages to monasteries with a heavy
heart.

There were no survivors among the 115 passengers and six crew, with complete
families wiped out as all of the travelers were holidaymakers, 48 of whom
were reportedly children.

Relatives of the air crash victims were also flown to Greece Monday to help
in the grueling task of identifying the remains of their loved ones, many of
whom were charred beyond recognition and needed blood samples to match their
DNA.

Even though the tragedy dominated the front pages of the Monday newspapers,
the local media were screaming at the incompetence of the airline as well as
the civil aviation authorities that could not give out a list of passengers,
even though 24 hours had elapsed. This was expected to happen later in the
day.

The media have also reflected on public pleas for information and that an
investigation of the circumstances that surrounded the mysterious crash be
concluded promptly and with transparency.

On the other hand, calls for resignation have been directed at civil
aviation authorities that granted the leased Boeing 737-300 its air
worthiness certificate, while the general public outcry demanded that the
airline be shut down.

Masis der Parthogh

–Boundary_(ID_nM38Jiet4xNZr5VFlh4uBg)–

AUTOMATIZED SYSTEM OF MANAGEMENT TO BE INTRODUCED INTO COURTS OF ARMENIA

YEREVAN, AUGUST 15, NOYAN TAPAN. An automatized system of management
will be introduced into courts of Armenia. This process will be
implemented by one of American programming companies which was
recognized the winner of the competition held by the the WB Office
implementing a credit program on the judicial-legal reforms. As Arsen
Mkrtchian, the head of the staff informed in the interview to the
Noyan Tapan correspondent, the proposal concerning the introduction
of that system was made by the “DPK Consulting” American consulting
company in Armenia which, jointly with the “Ameria” company, carried
out consulting assistance of the modernization program of courts.
That has a goal to study the state of organization of courts in the
republic and propose possible reforms, concrete events addressed
to improvement of management of courts based on those studies.
A.Mkrtchian mentioned that the conception “management of courts”
includes affairs management, budget management, human resources
management, etc. That will be introduced into all courts of Armenia,
and a centralized information base will be created with the goal of a
systematization of works. It was mentioned that the system envisages
a fast response to citizens’ applications by implementation of the
function of a term control. For example, the similar system used
in the USA also contains that function which, according to the
estimation of the head of the staff of the RA Court of Cassation,
is carried out in a very interesting way, by marks of different
coulors on applications: yellow colour mentions that there are
still 1-2 days for answering the citizen’s application, going to
red, 1 day, and overdue documents and applications were marked with
“unpleasant red” colour. Josef Traficanti, the former Deputy of the
Administrative Judge of the state of New York, USA, is the head of
the modernization program of courts of Armenia. On his initiative
and by the USAID financing, representatives of the judicial system of
Armenia, including the Secretariate of the Court Chairmen’s Council
and the RA Court of Cassation visited the state of New York, USA,
at the end of the program. During the visit lasted from July 30 to
August 8, they had an opportunity to study the American experience
with a goal to introduce that system in Armenia with success.

Azeri soldier reported killed in Armenian truce violation

Source: Space TV, Baku
15 Aug 05

Our national army has lost another serviceman. Soldier Else Kazimov
Surrey oglu, 19, died in Fuzuli District as a result of fire from
the Armenian armed forces on 13 August. He was conscripted from the
Ganca military enlistment office in 2004.

Metros rally to draw

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Sunday, August 7, 2005

Youri Djorkaeff scored two second-half goals Saturday night to rally the
MetroStars to a 2-2 tie with FC Dallas at Frisco, Texas.

Djorkaeff’s goals wiped out a 2-0 halftime deficit and helped the
MetroStars improve to 7-6-8. FC Dallas (10-5-5) is winless in its last
five games.

Djorkaeff tied the game in the 53rd minute, looping a volley from about
20 yards that dropped into the left corner of the goal for his fifth
goal of the season. Ante Razov earned the assist. Djorkaeff also scored
an unassisted goal in the 47th minute.

Carlos Ruiz scored twice for FC Dallas, in the 31st and 34th minutes. He
twice came close to completing a hat trick. In the 87th minute, Ruiz had
a shot from 15 yards stopped by goaltender Tony Meola, and a minute
later, his shot from the left corner of the goalie box drifted a few
feet wide right.

The first goal at Pizza Hut Park came on a Ruiz bicycle kick. He also
scored the first goal at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., in 2003.

Minutes later Ruiz flicked a back-footed shot into the right corner of
the net from inside 15 yards for a 2-0 FC Dallas lead and his ninth goal
of the year. O’Brien and Bobby Rhine assisted.

AGBU Press Office
55 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone: 212.319.6383, x118
Fax: 212.319.6507
Email: [email protected]
Website:

PRESS RELEASE

Friday, August 5, 2005

AGBU FOCUS 2005 Unites Worldwide Young Armenian Professionals, Raises
$30,000 for AGBU Scholarship Program

Over 550 Young Armenians Converge in South Beach

AGBU FOCUS has wrapped up its third biennial affair and is proud of
the unprecedented success that culminated from the weekend’s
festivities. Over 550 young Armenian professionals from around the
globe came together from July 14-17 in South Beach, Florida. The
stylish city played the perfect host to the program’s itinerary and
the shared vision of FOCUS organizers assisted in weaving together the
numerous events. Courtney Cachet, the sole Committee Member hailing
from Miami, held the responsibility of coordinating with the New
York-based Organizing Committee. “After a year of planning, it was a
pleasure to see our hard work come to fruition as we hosted hundreds
of Armenians from different hometowns on the shores of Miami. FOCUS
2005 garnered much enthusiasm from all its guests and has particularly
excited and inspired many local young Armenians to continue this
tradition of coming together to celebrate our common bond,” Cachet
said.

AGBU FOCUS was initiated in 2001 and designed as a weekend event where
young Armenian professionals from all over the world could congregate
and share their international perspectives, as well as provide a venue
to showcase notable contributions and achievements made by the
organization’s diverse youth programs. This landmark affair, organized
entirely by a new generation of AGBU beneficiaries and members, allows
participants to pay tribute to the programs that have positively
impacted their lives.

RAISING AWARENESS & FUNDS

“In addition to planning a weekend filled with activities that enrich
the relationships among young AGBU supporters, every two years, FOCUS
seeks to highlight a specific AGBU youth program. In doing so, FOCUS
educates its attendees on the true generosity and spirit of the
organization and demonstrates that a new generation is prepared to
continue AGBU’s mission. This year, we selected to honor the AGBU
Scholarship Program. Our Organizing Committee initiated pre-weekend
fundraising which allowed us to donate to this program. We are
grateful to all the donors who supported our efforts,” explained FOCUS
Chairperson Ani Manoukian.

For more than 70 years, grants and loans have been awarded to highly
qualified candidates who demonstrate excellence in their chosen fields
of study. AGBU Scholarship Program offers financial assistance to
full-time students of Armenian descent enrolled in colleges and
graduate programs around the world. Today, over $300,000 in
scholarships and loans is distributed annually to students in 25
countries. Many former recipients, selected for both their academic
and extracurricular involvements return to the Armenian community and
express their desire to continue the legacy of philanthropy in their
local communities. AGBU takes great pride in planting the seeds for
these future community activists. FOCUS 2005 applauded the Program’s
achievements and raised over $30,000 to ensure continuing support for
each generation of ambitious students and emerging leaders.

EXCHANGING INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVES

This year’s guests flew in from Belgium, Canada, England, France,
Greece, Israel, Italy, Lebanon and Switzerland, in addition to over 20
U.S. cities, to take part in FOCUS 2005 events. Everyone enjoyed the
weekend’s diverse schedule, including Thursday’s Perspectives, a
networking evening featuring a panel discussion; Club Night on Friday
at the heart of Miami’s spicy nightlife; FOCUS on Art on Saturday
afternoon, which coupled a casual lunch with a silent auction of art
from AGBU Children’s Centers in Armenia; a closing Sunday Brunch; and
the weekend’s highlight, an Saturday evening Gala at the Mandarin
Oriental Hotel.

Perspectives, which has become the traditional kick-off event to the
weekend, took place at the Wolfsonian Museum of Art & Design. The
topic of the evening, “Success Stories: Taking Chances in the
Professional World”, was moderated by Young Professionals of Northern
California’s Kimberly Bardakian, who was joined by four guest
speakers: Ara Balikian, Deborah L. Devedjian, Dan Janjigian and Debbie
Ohanian. Panelists shared their professional experiences, the
influences of their Armenian background, and the career lessons they
learned through risk-taking.

Debbie Ohanian, a Miami resident with vast entrepreneurial experience
in real estate, restaurants, nightclubs and fashion, started off the
evening on a high note. Ohanian recounted her adventures, including
her latest venture, a maternity clothing line called “Meet Me In
Miami,” which has been featured in numerous magazines and television
shows, including HBO’s “Sex and the City.”

Another unique career path was forged by Olympic bobsledder Dan
Janjigian of Northern California, who fulfilled his dream by securing
the funds needed to participate as part of Team Armenia in the 2002
Winter Olympics.

With her strong credentials in private equity investing and
international business, New York City-based Deborah L. Devedjian
shared her experiences in setting up the Copernicus Learning Fund,
LP. Realizing the great void in the for-profit education sector, she
launched a business plan and raised millions to set up this innovative
fund which invests in for-profit companies in K-12, university and
post-secondary, corporate training, lifelong learning and human
capital management.

Wrapping up the panel session with his trademark humor, Ara Balikian
from Boston recounted his personal journey in the legal world. Leaving
a secure position in a large firm, he established his own private
litigation law practice.

Canadian guest, Vicky Tarakjian from Montreal, was pleased with the
evening’s impact, “I found the Perspectives event to be inspiring,
motivating and beneficial, as it instilled a sense of pride toward the
achievements of fellow Armenians. The stories and experiences shared
by the panelists were true testaments to the fact that courage, drive
and perseverance are key ingredients to realizing one’s dreams and
aspirations.”

The Club Night on Friday attracted close to 600 people, who mingled
and danced till late into the evening at Rumi, situated on the
ever-popular Lincoln Road. Featuring both a local and New York DJ,
guests enjoyed a truly eclectic mix of world rhythms throughout the
night.

In addition to FOCUS activities, the weekend also provided a venue for
a meeting of leaders within the AGBU Young Professionals (YP)
network. This fast-growing association of professionals, comprised of
ambitious volunteers dedicated to the organization, design
philanthropic, educational, professional, cultural and social
activities that respond to the lifestyle of young Armenians. AGBU YP
members from the United States, Canada, France and Lebanon convened to
brainstorm and exchange ideas on a range of topics that will help
foster the growth and strength of the YP chapters. Led by AGBU YP
Liaison, Kim Yacoubian, the meeting brought forth positive
outcomes. “Over 15 representatives from YP Groups attended this year’s
meeting, where topics of discussion included fundraising, teamwork and
communication. This type of exchange of ideas is vital to the future
growth and sustainability of the YP movement,” she noted.

COMING TOGETHER TO FOCUS ON AGBU

Building on the success of the premier event held in Montreal in 2003,
the second FOCUS on Art took place Saturday afternoon at the art deco
Abbey Hotel. A silent auction showcased paintings, woodwork,
embroidery, needlework and other beautiful artistic renderings by
young students ages 11 to 16 from the Arapkir, Malatya and Nork AGBU
Children’s Centers in Armenia. The afternoon event proved to be a hit
once again as each of the 26 pieces of artwork sold to the highest
bidders.

Three-time FOCUS guest from Milan, Italy, Vatche Istanboulli, enjoyed
the afternoon of sunshine and bright colors, courtesy the Centers’
creative students. “FOCUS on Art demonstrates the vast talents of
Armenia’s newest generation. I was personally impressed by the tempera
works of a 13-year old artist…so impressed that I was eager to fight
till the very last second to bid the highest price on the beautiful
painting. But all fun aside, I do believe that through our collective
encouragement and with AGBU’s continued support, projects like the
Children’s Centers will create a brighter future in Armenia,” he said.

The highlight of the weekend was the Saturday night Gala held at the
Mandarin Oriental Hotel. The evening attracted 450 guests to the
elegant ballroom that was filled to capacity. Guests enjoyed a
cocktail hour overlooking the Biscayne Bay, a full-course sit-down
dinner, and an evening with the Renowned Johnny Roubian and Orchestra
entertaining the guests with live Armenian and international music as
they danced and socialized with friends old and new.

Enthralled by the convivial atmosphere of the Gala, Natalie
Golnazarians of Southern California noted, “The 2005 FOCUS Gala was
amazing. As we gathered from across the globe in celebration of our
friendship, our culture and our heritage, I felt the genuine meaning
of being an Armenian throughout the evening.”

At the Gala, guests were touched by the inspiring sentiments conveyed
during a video presentation that featured a dynamic presentation of
images and clips from past FOCUS events, along with AGBU Scholarship
Program recipient experiences and narration by alumni of various AGBU
youth programs, including Camp Nubar, the New York Summer Intern
Program and YPs. The applause of the crowd was encouraging to all,
especially as former beneficiaries thanked the organization for the
assistance and support in aiding them toward making their life
aspirations come true.

Many former and present scholarship recipients, including Dr. Joe
Bastadjian from New York City, joined in the festivities held in South
Beach: “Through a balanced mix of entertaining and educational events,
this weekend seamlessly unified Armenians from all corners of the
world. The video presentation at the Gala demonstrated the global
reach of AGBU’s tireless efforts in providing the means for Armenian
students to further their educational goals.”

On the final morning, more than 300 guests came together for the
Sunday Brunch at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel. The sentiment echoed
continually amidst the goodbyes was that of excitement and eagerness
to reunite again soon and to become more active within AGBU.

“This fantastic event has deepened my connection to AGBU. From Camp
Nubar and the New York Summer Intern Program to FOCUS, I have built
lifelong friendships-that is the spirit of AGBU, unity. We grow as
individuals and a community with each event and now we must all give
back to AGBU in our own special way,” said Stephanie Yacoubian, who
traveled from Beirut, Lebanon to attend.

Stephen Odabashian, a continuous FOCUS supporter, shared his view on
this endeavor: “I have been to all three events in New York, Montreal
and Miami. I am amazed at how each weekend manages to top the previous
one. Everyone was blown away by all FOCUS had to offer. The hotel
provided a picture postcard setting and the event venues offered the
perfect backdrop for this unforgettable event. Most importantly, the
people made it most memorable. FOCUS always manages to attract a
diverse group of professionals and we now anxiously await the
announcement of the 2007 host city.”

AGBU FOCUS 2005 has helped to unite young Armenian professionals from
around the world, leaving a lasting impression on their lives and
nurturing friendships. Each participant left the weekend with a
stronger connection to AGBU and a better understanding of its mission
to preserve and promote the Armenian identity and heritage. The young
group of volunteers that comprised the FOCUS 2005 Organizing Committee
worked diligently behind the scenes to flawlessly choreograph this
weekend of events. Thanks to the time and efforts of Chairperson Ani
Manoukian and committee members Hripsime Arissian, Courtney Cachet,
Aline Ekmekji, Anthony Ekmekjian, Natalie Gabrelian, Talia Jebejian,
Natalie Kaypekian, Lisa Markarian, Salpi Mekhjian, Tamar Nahabedian,
and Hrag Vartanian, AGBU FOCUS has taken another step forward and
hopes to plan bigger and better things for its next event in 2007.

To view photos from the weekend or learn more about FOCUS, please
visit:

Established in 1906, AGBU () is the world’s largest
non-profit Armenian organization. Headquartered in New York City with
an annual budget of $26 million, AGBU preserves and promotes the
Armenian identity and heritage through educational, cultural and
humanitarian programs, annually serving some 400,000 Armenians in 35
countries.

‘All the King’s Men’ builds on film’s reputation
By Scott Bowles

USA TODAY
Friday, August 5, 2005

If you’re going to remake a classic film, director Steven Zaillian
says, there’s one way to make sure your movie won’t be eclipsed by
the original.

Don’t watch the classic.

“I avoided that film like the plague,” Zaillian says of 1949’s All
the King’s Men. His version of the movie, starring Sean Penn and Jude
Law, opens Dec. 16. “I didn’t want to catch myself making a version
of the old one.”

Zaillian’s movie treads on hallowed ground: The 1949 film, based
loosely on the life of Louisiana governor Huey Long, won three Oscars,
including best picture, actor for Broderick Crawford and supporting
actress for Mercedes McCambridge, and was nominated for four more.

The 1946 book on which the two films are based is just as celebrated,
having won the Pulitzer Prize for author Robert Penn Warren.

So why venture into such vaunted territory? Zaillian, who won an
Oscar for his Schindler’s List screenplay, says the book’s themes of
politics, greed and corruption are timeless.

“The questions the book raised – Do the ends justify the means? Can
you be corrupt and still do good things? – are still pretty relevant,”
he says.

Men tells the story of Willie Stark (Sean Penn), a Southern politician
who rises to power by appealing to the common man while cutting
backroom deals. The story is told through the eyes of his right-hand
man, Jack Burden (Jude Law), who ultimately opposes Stark’s ruthless
political tactics.

Men features a cast that knows its way around an awards ceremony. Oscar
winner Anthony Hopkins, nominee Kate Winslet and Emmy winners Kathy
Baker and James Gandolfini have roles in the film, set and shot in
Baton Rouge.

But will awards committees recognize a movie title already so
decorated? No remake of a movie that won an Oscar for best picture
has won a best-picture Academy Award.

“Remaking the best picture could be seen as an obvious ploy,” says
Dave Karger, who covers the Oscar race for Entertainment Weekly. “Then
again, the first movie got so many nominations, the subject matter
obviously has something going for it.”

Winslet says that the five-decade break between films should be enough
to make the movie seem fresh.

“I hadn’t even heard of the first movie until Steven begged all of
us not to watch it,” she says. “That got me interested, but I stopped
myself and just read the book.

“I don’t think people are going to see this as old, or even a remake,”
she adds. “It’s about a politician who does corrupt things and manages
to (tick) a lot of people off. When isn’t that happening?”

;u=/usatoday/20050805/en_usatoday/allthekingsmenbuildsonfilmsreputation

NEW CONSTITUTION OF ARMENIA – ADVANCE TOWARDS EUROPEAN INTEGRATION

PanArmenian News Network
Aug 3 2005

03.08.2005 05:01

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ During today’s press conference UK Ambassador to
Armenia Thorda Abbot-Watt welcomed the Venice Commission’s positive
assessment of the draft constitutional amendments. According to
her, the new constitution of Armenia will become a recurrent step
towards the integration into European structures. At the same time
she noted that it is the Armenian population to decide what kind of
Constitution to adopt and what kind of country to live in. In her
words, the implementation of the Constitution is one of the most
important aspects. “Armenia should itself follow the implementation
process of the Organic Law of the country”, the British diplomat
noted. She also stressed the necessity of participation of all the
political forces in the constitutional reform process. In his turn
U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission Anthony Godfrey stated, “We support the
democratic reform in Armenia and hope that the new Constitution will
be adopted in November.” According to him, the positive assessment
by the Venice Commission is an advance, however the process is not
completed yet. “We expect the Armenian population to take part in the
constitutional debate, thus securing conduction of the referendum”,
he noted adding that the adoption of the reviewed Constitution cannot
rule out falsifications. Mr. Godfrey expressed hope that after the
parliamentary debates reasonable decisions will be taken.

INCIDENT WITH STOPPAGE COLUMN WITH RUSSIAN MILITARY EQUIPMENT ON
BOUNDARY WITH ARMENIA SETTLED

TBILISI, JULY 28. ARMINFO. The incident with stoppage of a column with
Russian military equipment on the boundary with Armenia is practically
settled, Official Representative of the Group of Russian Troops in the
Transcaucasus (GRTT) Vladimir Kuparadze informs RIA Novosti, Black Sea
Press reports. The executive for the column just forgot the necessary
documents. Everything necessary has already been sent, and the column
will continue the way as soon as the documents are brought, he says.

Georgian frontier guards of Akhaltsikhi regional administration in
Ninotsminda stopped a column with Russian military equipment on the
boundary with Armenia. Thursday, the Department for State Border
protection of Georgian Ministry of the Interior reported that the
column moved through planned permits, but inspection of the equipment
exposed uncalculated ammunition. The column consisted of 4 lorries and
4 armored vehicles. One machine-gun and a signal gun were found in the
armored intelligence and patrol machine. The column was stopped to
settle the situation, representative of the press-service of the
Frontier Department of Georgia explained, RIA Novosti reports.

LOW QUALITY OF SERVICES HINDERS TOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN ARMENIA

YEREVAN, JULY 22, NOYAN TAPAN. The development of tourism in Armenia
is mainly hindered by a low quality of services. According to the
rector of the Armenian Institute of Tourism Robert Minasian,
low-quality services are conditioned by the fact that most employees
of the sphere lack the necessary special education. In his opinion, in
order to solve this problem, the government should establish definite
rules to be applied in the tourism sphere and supervise their
fulfilment. R. Minasian said that the tourism-related legislation
field is not regulated. The current law on tourism has been in effect
since 1993 and, according to the rector, is of a declarative
character. According to R. Minasian, if not enough funds are allocated
for tourism development from the state budget, the tourist rent and
tourist tax must be introduced, which will allow to obtain additional
resources to be used for the formation of infrastructures. It was also
noted that adventure and medical tourism have prospects for
development in the country.