Author: Karlen Baghdasarian

Major tax fraud revealed in Gazprom Armenia

Karlen Baghdasarian
Panorama, Armenia
Nov 15 2018

The State Revenue Committee (SRC) of Armenia has revealed a major tax evasion scam in Gazprom Armenia – a subsidiary of Russian gas giant Gazprom – as part of its ongoing anti-fraud and anti-shadow operations.

The inspections have found that Gazprom Armenia presented fake figures in the value-added tax (VAT) and income tax reports to tax authorities in 2016 and 2017, due to which the company’s tax duties were reported several billion drams lower.

The comparative analysis on the volumes of supplied natural gas to self-service gas stations also testify to the fraud allegations, the SRC said in a statement.

According to the committee, Gazprom Armenia’s volume of loss in the distribution network reduced by an average of over 3 times from June to July 2018 compared to January-May of the same year. Meantime, the research data shows that the company’s gas supply volumes to the filling stations rose sharply by 37% in June-September from the first five months of 2018.

A criminal case has been launched under Article 205 (Part 2) of Armenia’s Criminal Code – evasion from taxes, duties or other mandatory payments.

Investigative and procedural operations are being carried out to clarify the damages caused to the state and reveal corruption cases in natural gas consumption. 

Culture: Foreign musicians will continue their work in Armenia

Karlen Baghdasarian
Arminfo, Armenia
Nov 8 2018
Foreign musicians will continue their work in Armenia

LENGTH: 254 words

DATELINE: Yerevan November 8

Alexander Avanesov. Foreign musicians will continue their work in Armenia. At the November 8 sitting, the RA government decided to allocate 48.4 million drams to pay their fees.

According to Acting Minister of Culture of Armenia Lilit Makunts, the National Philharmonic Orchestra periodically invites leading foreign musicians, which enhances not only the professionalism of the orchestra, but also the image of Armenia in the international arena.

Earlier this issue was handled by the ''Luys'' Foundation, however, after its liquidation, the state assumed the costs of their maintenance. Acting Minister stressed that we are talking about six musicians employed in the orchestra. Moreover, funds will be allocated only for the current year. In the future, Lilit Makunts promised to find funds from alternative sources foreign funds, grants and donations.

The proposal of the Ministry of Culture raised concerns about Acting Minister of Finance of Armenia Atom Janjughazyan, who pointed out that the initiative of the Ministry of Culture would be an additional burden on the budget. He recalled that according to the draft basic law of the country for 2019, funds for these purposes are not provided at all. "It would not have happened later that in 6 months you will begin to demand new financial investments," the country's chief financier expressed his concern.

In response, Makunts again promised to find alternative sources of financing in the future.

To note, we are talking mainly about musicians invited from Russia and Spain.


We want to promote labor in Armenia and tell all businessmen to come and invest in Armenia, get rich and make rich– Nikol Pashinyan

Karlen Baghdasarian
ArmenPress, Armenia
Oct 26 2018
We want to promote labor in Armenia and tell all businessmen to come and invest in Armenia, get rich and make rich– Nikol Pashinyan



YEREVAN, OCTOBER 26, ARMENPRESS. Acting Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan attended the conference “Investments and trade”. Parliamentarians, ministers, business representatives, chairmen of trade and industry chambers, representatives of major companies from 20 countries participated in the conference.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the official website of the Prime Minister of Armenia, Pashinyan saluted the intentions of the businessmen participating in the conference to invest in Armenia. “Unfortunately, not so long ago some people used the words corruption and poverty when referring to our country and emphasized the factor that Armenia is an agrarian country. Following the non-violent, popular velvet revolution of Armenia in April-May we set a task to make Armenia a lawful country and to encourage labor and high technologies. And for reaching this goal we consider businessmen our best allies, who want to make new investments in Armenia. We want to promote labor in the Republic of Armenia and tell each investor to come and do business in Armenia, to become rich and make others rich. We invite every investor to Armenia for recording success and inspiring others by their success”, the acting PM said.

Pashinyan emphasized that today favorable conditions for investments have been created in Armenia, since equality before the law has been established in Armenia. “I think it’s a tragedy when the head of a country is engaged in business and has business interests. I think it’s really a priority factor for promoting business. Therefore, I have good news for all of you. I am out of competition” pashinyan said.

The participants of the 3-day conference will have the opportunity to get familiarized with the business and investment environment of Armenia, and discuss issues referring to the prospects of investing in Armenia. The delegates will visit various companies, and will get acquainted with the legal and economic specifications of investing in Armenia,

Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan

Azerbaijani Press: Former U.S. top Karabakh negotiator defends Moscow’s role, criticizes Washington

Karlen Baghdasarian
Turan Information Agency, Azerbaijani Opposition Press
October 20, 2018 Saturday
Former U.S. top Karabakh negotiator defends Moscow's role, criticizes Washington
 
 
James Warlick, former U.S. top Karabakh negotiator, urges Washington to step up efforts in supporting certain confidence building measures in Nagorno-Karabakh.
 
"I see no evidence in this [Trump] administration of any interest in Nagorno-Karabakh," Warlick, currently partner and senior policy adviser at a leading Russian firm Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners, said at Atlantic Council in Washington, TURAN's U.S. correspondent reports.
 
In fact, he added, "our current representative in the Minsk Group, at least, deserves to have a personal rank of Ambassador as the other negotiators do."
 
Andrew Schofer, current U.S. Co-Chair of the Minsk Group, is a career diplomat without ambassadorial rank.
 
Speaking on Russia's role in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, Warlick said, he doesn't think it was within Moscow's power alone to resolve the conflict. "Even if Moscow were to decide tomorrow that NK needs to be settled, I don't think, it's going to happen that easily."
 
In the meantime, the added, there is an interest – first and foremost in Moscow – not having unstable southern border where there is an active military engagement.
 
"The conventional wisdom with Karabakh [resolution] has been that Moscow really doesn't want a settlement… The problem with that conventional wisdom is that it just doesn't bare itself out," Warlick said, adding that when the hostilities broke out in 2016, Moscow and Washington "worked together pretty well to come with a plan that could form the basis for a settlement. Those same ideas are still in play. The kind of settlement that, in fact, [Russian foreign minister] Lavrov has suggested is not that different."
 
Asked if Moscow is being accommodative and cooperative within the Minsk Group because there is no chance for moving forward given where the parties are, but that Kremlin actually doesn't want to see a resolution, Warlick disagreed: "If peace were to break out the region would change better," he argued.
 
In reply to Turan's Washington correspondent's question about Russia's troublemaker role as a supplier of arms to the conflict sides, Warlick said, he is not going to defend arm sales to Armenia and Azerbaijan by any country but, "there needs to be a concerted effort – not only by Russia – to ensure that there is a rough equivalence between military capabilities of Armenia and Azerbaijan. If there weren't such a rough equivalence the dangers of war would be high."
 
The dangers are high enough as it is. In the meantime, he added, if we see one side or the other prevailing in terms of military capabilities, there could be the risk that in the event of a political or diplomatic stalemate, one side or the other will take military action. We should be worried about that."
 
"Even with a rough military balance between Armenia and Azerbaijan, I do believe that the sides could be frustrated in the future and come to a conclusion that there can be no resolution through diplomatic channels. That would be unfortunate not only for those two countries but the entire future."
 
Does Moscow need to have a positive-sum view of relations with the Western world for NK resolution? Answering to the question, Warlick said it's a lot to ask that the conflict be settled in terms of more global view of Russia's role in the world.
 
"We could work with Russia in a non zero-some game on a path to the settlement. I believe there is an interest in Moscow in supporting certain confidence building measures."
 
Former negotiator also urged Washington and Moscow to "work collaboratively on things that can be achieved now, such as confidence building measures, people to people steps…"
 
"I do think that there is an opportunity to begin a discussion about what a peace keeping force would look like in Nagorno-Karabakh. That discussion hasn't taken place yet," he added.
 
Alex Raufoglu
 
Washington D.C,

ACNIS reView #34, 2018:

Karlen Baghdasarian
Ազատ ամբիոն

ՀՈԿՏԵՄԲԵՐԻ 13 2018
Քաղաքական ինքնասպանություններ
«Թավշյա» հեղափոխությունից հետո երկրում առաջացած քաղաքական երկատումը վաղ թե ուշ պայթելու էր: Այդ «պայթյունը» տեղի ունեցավ հոկտեմբերի 2-ին, երբ հեղափոխությունն ակնհայտորեն թեւակոխեց վճռորոշ փուլ՝ վերջնականապես ամբողջացնելու եւ ամրագրելու քաղաքացիների ձեռք բերած հաղթանակը գալիք արտահերթ խորհրդարանական ընտրությունների միջոցով:
Քառորդ դարից ավելի իշխանությունը զավթած պսեւդոքաղաքական ցուցանակ-կուսակցությունները հայտնվել են աղետալի վիճակում. նրանք պարզապես բախվեցին իրականությանը, որն այլեւս ի զորու չեն բեկել եւ հարմարեցնել իրենց նպատակներին: Երեւանի ավագանու արտահերթ ընտրությունները վերջիններիս ամբողջովին զրկեցին արհեստածին պատրանքներից: Եթե ոմանք հույս ունեին քաղաքական շահաբաժին պոկել եւ լուսանցք չմղվել՝ կամա թե ակամա իրենց աջակցությունը հայտնելով հեղափոխությանը, ապա Ավագանու արտահերթ ընտրություններից հետո հասկացան, որ չարաչար սխալվեն են իրենց հաշվարկներում: Հասկացան նաեւ, որ արեւելյան «բազառի» առեւտրականները քաղաքական դաշտում տալիք ու առնելիք այլեւս չունեն:
Ոմանց դեռ իրապես թվում էր, որ կրկին կկարողանան «պորտֆելներ» ստանալ կեղտոտ ծառայություններ մատուցելու կամ կուլիսային պայմանավորվածություններ ձեռք բերելու արդյունքում, եւ համառորեն հրաժարվեցին գիտակցել, որ հետայսու քաղաքականություն որոշողը միայն քաղաքացին է՝ իր քվեով:
Արդյունքում քաղաքական տրամաբանությունից եւ ինքնուրույն գործելու ունակությունից զուրկ ուժերը մի պահ որբ մնացին՝ նոր տեր գտնելու հույսերն ու ակնկալիքները չարդարացան, ուստի անառակ որդիների պես վերադարձան հին տիրոջ մոտ՝ հոկտեմբերի 2-ին Ազգային ժողովի կանոնակարգ-օրենքի փոփոխություններ կատարելու փորձով:
Բայց, ինչպես տեսանք, անհեռատես նախկին ընտրախավի «ինքնապաշտպանական» արկածախնդրությունը վերածվեց «ինքնահուղարկավորման»: Նիկոլ Փաշինյանի կառավարությանը, այդպիսով, հնարավորություն տրվեց ազատվել «բալաստից» եւ գործել շատ ավելի անկաշկանդ ու վճռական՝ հստակորեն ուրվագծելով հեղափոխության հաղթարշավի հետագա փուլերը:
Ժողովրդավար պետությունում քաղաքականությունը բաց հանրային գործընթաց է, եւ քաղաքական ատավիզմ հանդիսացող ուժերը չեն կարող այս պարզ ճշմարտությունն անտեսել եւ շարունակ փորձել հին գործելաոճով ներազդել երկրում տեղի ունեցող իրողությունների վրա. ժողովուրդը լիարժեքորեն տիրապետում է դրան հակազդելու բոլոր մեխանիզմներին:
Սրա գիտակցումը, կարծես թե, սկսում է մտնել ոմանց գլուխները: Հանրապետական կուսակցության ճոճվող նավակից փախչելու հերթ կանգնածները եւ ցայտնոտի մեջ հայտնված «Բարգավաճն» ու «դիրքափոխությամբ» տառապող դաշնակներն, ի վերջո, հասկացան, որ իրականում իրենցից արտահերթ ընտրություններ անցկացնելու թույլտվություն չեն խնդրում, այլ պարզապես հայտնում են դրանց անցկացման հույժ անհրաժեշտությունը եւ ամենաօպտիմալ ժամկետները, իսկ իրենցից պահանջվում է միայն որոշել, թե իրենց համար ինչպիսի կորուստներով են հասնելու կամ չհասնելու արտահերթ ընտրություններին:
Ըստ էության՝ գոյություն չունեցող, բայց դեռ արհեստական շնչառության վրա պահվող խորհրդարանի այսօրվա ողբերգազավեշտալի իրադարձություններն արտացոլում են զուտ մտացածին գործառույթ իրականացնող այդ մարմնի անպիտանելիության աստիճանը: Քառորդ դար այդ մարմինը փաստացի եղել է կակիստոկրատիայի մարմնացումը՝ անձեռնհասության գերակայության եւ օրենքի ոտնահարման հարթակ:
Խորհրդարանը ցրելու հետ կապված իրավական գործընթացի շուրջ անհիմն հիստերիա ու աղմուկ բարձրացնելու բազմաթիվ սին փորձերը եւ հերթական անհաջող գործարքի տապալումից հետո հուզումնալից հարցազրույցներն ու դրանց ընթացքում հնչող բարոյախոսությունները եւս վկայում են, որ այս չարաբաստիկ խորհրդարանը ոչ թե ծանրաքար է (քանզի այն իրականում ոչ մի քաշ չունի), այլ ծանրաքարից մնացած ժանգոտած մի շղթա, որը միայն դատարկ ձայն է արձակում:
Մարինա Մուրադյան

168: Armenian, French Presidents attend presentation of architectural project of “Aznavour” center (photos)

Karlen Baghdasarian
| 10:42 | October 12 2018
Category
Culture

President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian and Mrs. Nouneh Sarkissian, President of France Emmanuel Macron and Mrs. Brigitte Macron attended the presentation of the architectural project of “Aznavour” center at the “Charles Aznavour” Residence on October 11.

ARMENPRESS reports Nicolas Aznavour, the son of French-Armenian chansonnier, who is also the founder of “Aznavour” Foundation and Director Kristina Sarkisian presented the goals and activities of “Aznavour” center.

An interactive museum will operate in the center, dedicated to Charles Aznavour’s life, as well as music, French and film making will be taught.

The two Presidents, accompanied by their wives and the leadership of the Foundation toured in the area of the center, which will open its doors after the full reconstruction of the building.

Afterwards, Emmanuel Macron and Armen Sarkissian gave speeches. Armen Sarkissian quoted the words of Aznavour that he is 100% French and 100% Armenian, adding that he was also 100% internationalist, citizen of the world.

“Dear Nicolas, on behalf of the entire Armenian people, my wife and personally me I once again extent deep condolences on the occasion of this great loss. Your father, the great poet, once said in a philosophic manner that life is very simple – there is birth, there is death and there is life between them. But let me say that in case of a great poet, musician and artist such as Aznavour there is something beyond all that – a second life coming after death. His second life started a few days ago”, President Sarkissian said.

Armen Sarkissian thanked Emmanuel Macron for what he, his wife and the entire French people did to show the great respect and appreciation towards Aznavour.

Nicolas Aznavour said that it’s a pity for him and the staff of the Foundation to present the project of “Aznavour” center without the presence of his father.

Aris Adamian is the architect of the center, who discussed the reconstruction issue of the center with Aznavour when he was still alive.

Macron’s wife tours Yerevan museums

Karlen Baghdasarian
| 15:12 | October 12 2018
Category
Society

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s spouse Anna Hakobyan, French President Emmanuel Macron’s spouse Brigitte Macron and spouses of other heads of state and government of OIF member countries visited several museums today in Yerevan.

They initially visited the Yervand Kochar Museum, then the Cascade Complex, where they viewed the Fernando Botero sculptures. Later, they visited the Cafesjian Center for the Arts.

The guests also signed the guestbook at the Yervand Kochar museum.

“Thank you Armenia for this unique reception, this was a wonderful trip,” Brigitte Macron told reporters.

La Francophonie Economic Forum is arena for diversifying external commercial relations, says foreign ministry

Karlen Baghdasarian 
ArmenPress, Armenia
Oct 10 2018


La Francophonie Economic Forum is arena for diversifying external
commercial relations, says foreign ministry



YEREVAN, OCTOBER 10, ARMENPRESS. The La Francophonie economic forum is
a platform in which Armenia will diversify its foreign economic
relations, Armenian foreign ministry spokesperson Tigran Balayan told
reporters ahead of the forum.

“The La Francophonie economic forum will have impact on foreign
economic policy. Not only [government]officials, but also businessmen
from nearly five dozen countries are in attendance of the forum,” he
said.

Digital technologies is one of the main topics of the forum. Balayan
said in this context Armenia has many proposals.

He praised the governmental interagency commission, led by Deputy
Prime Minister Tigran Avinyan, for daily supervision of the
preparations for the forum and the summit.

On October 4, Tigran Balayan was named next Ambassador of Armenia to
the Netherlands.

The forum is organized under the high patronage of President Armen Sarkissian.

Back at the 2014 summit of La Francophonie in Senegal, participants
agreed to deepen the economic direction of the organization – adopting
the first economic strategy of La Francophonie.

Yerevan is hosting the XVII International Organisation of La
Francophonie summit in 2018.

The events will take place October 7-12, with the summit scheduled for
the final two days.

Armenia is a member of the organization since 2008.

The International Organisation of La Francophonie represents one of
the biggest linguistic zones in the world. Its members share more than
just a common language. They also share the humanist values promoted
by the French language. The French language and its humanist values
represent the two cornerstones on which the International Organisation
of La Francophonie is based.

The International Organisation of La Francophonie was created in 1970.
Its mission is to embody the active solidarity between its 84 member
states and governments (58 members and 26 observers), which together
represent over one-third of the United Nations’ member states and
account for a population of over 900 million people, including 274
million French speakers.

IOF organizes political activities and actions of multilateral
cooperation that benefit French-speaking populations. Its actions
respect cultural and linguistic diversity and serve to promote the
French language, peace and sustainable development.

IOF has concluded 33 cooperation agreements with international and
regional organisations and has established permanent dialogue between
the major international linguistic zones (the English, Portuguese,
Spanish, and Arab-speaking zones).

The IOF has its head office in Paris as well as four permanent
representations in Addis Ababa (at the African Union and at the United
Nations Economic Commission for Africa), in Brussels (at the European
Union), in New York and in Geneva (at the UN). It has three regional
offices (West Africa; Central Africa and Indian Ocean; Asia-Pacific)
located respectively in Lomé (Togo), Libreville (Gabon) and Hanoi
(Vietnam) and two regional antennas in Bucharest (Romania) and in
Port-au-Prince (Haiti).

Alongside the IOF, the Parliamentary Assembly of La Francophonie and
the four direct operators are responsible for implementing the
programs decided at the Summits. The four direct operators are: the
Academic Agency of La Francophonie, TV5Monde, the International
Association of Francophone Mayors and The Senghor University of
Alexandria.

58 Member States and Governments: Albania, Principality of Andorra,
Armenia, Kingdom of Belgium, French Community of Belgium, Benin,
Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada,
Canada-New-Brunswick, Canada-Quebec, Cape Verde, Central African
Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Cyprus, Democratic Republic of the
Congo, Djibouti, Dominica, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, France, Gabon,
Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Ivory Coast, Laos,
Lebanon, Luxembourg, former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia,
Madagascar, Mali, Morocco, Mauritius, Mauritania, Moldova, Monaco,
Niger, New-Caledonia, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Säo Tomé
and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Switzerland, Togo, Tunisia,
Vanuatu, Vietnam.

26 Observers: Argentina, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Canada-Ontario, South Korea, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic,
Dominican Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kosovo, Latvia,
Lithuania, Mexico, Montenegro, Mozambique, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia,
Slovenia, Thailand, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

Ottawa: Statement by the Prime Minister Trudeau on Armenia’s Independence Day

Karlen Baghdasarian
The Office of the Prime Minister of Canada
Sept 21 2018

Ottawa, Ontario –

The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on Armenia’s Independence Day:

“Today, we join Armenian communities in Canada and around the world to celebrate the anniversary of Armenia’s independence.

“Armenia and Canada enjoy a special relationship – one that we are committed to strengthening. More than 60,000 Canadians trace their heritage to Armenia, and their contributions help make Canada the prosperous, vibrant, and open country it is today.

“Over the last few years, Armenian Canadians have come together to welcome thousands of Syrian refugees to Canada. They have gone above and beyond to make newcomers feel safe and welcome, reunite families, and give people a chance at a new life. Their generosity and compassion inspire us all.

“Armenia and Canada share similar visions of peace, justice, and democracy, and collaborate in international organizations such as La Francophonie. I look forward to my visit to Armenia in October on the occasion of the XVII Francophonie Summit, in Yerevan.

“On behalf of the Government of Canada, I offer my best wishes to everyone celebrating Armenia’s Independence Day.”

Book: New book studies how Armenian lobby influences U.S. policy-making

Karlen Baghdasarian
PanArmenian, Armenia
Sept 11 2018
– 12:49 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – A new book titled "Congress and Diaspora Politics: The Influence of Ethnic and Foreign Lobbying", which studies the impact of lobbying efforts by domestic ethnic groups and foreign governments on U.S. policymaking, has recently been published by SUNY Press.

The book explores, among other things, how the Armenian lobby has influenced American policy-making over the years.

Furthermore, there is a special chapter titled "The Armenian and Turkish Lobbying, and the (Non-) Recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the United States."

"Congress and Diaspora Politics" examines the impact of lobbying efforts by domestic ethnic groups and foreign governments on US policymaking," the publishers said in the description.

"Over time, the number and variety of ethnic groups have grown, and foreign governments have increasingly turned to professional lobbyists rather than relying on their diplomatic corps to cultivate relationships with Congress.

"The case studies presented here examine this new lobbying environment by focusing on Jewish American, Muslim American, and Cuban American interest groups as well as lobbying efforts by the governments of Turkey, Armenia, Mexico, and others. They explore the strategies, tactics, and resources utilized to impact policymaking.

"The volume also offers perspectives of those who have worked on both sides of the lobbying equation—“a view from K Street” (the lobbying side) and “a view from the Hill” (the congressional side). Finally, challenges lawmakers face when Diaspora interests intersect with national interests are covered."