Author: Maral Chavushian

Peace treaty will be achieved based on previously reached high-level agreements – Pashinyan to Aliyev

Maral Chavushian

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 13:23, 23 March 2023

YEREVAN, MARCH 23, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan expressed confidence March 23 that a peace treaty with Azerbaijan will be achieved.

“Dear members of the Cabinet, dear people, I want to convey the following message to you and the international community. There will be a peace treaty, and it will be achieved on the basis of the written documents that have been reached on the highest levels so far,” Pashinyan said at the Cabinet meeting in response to Azeri leader Ilham Aliyev’s latest statement that Armenia must accept Azerbaijan’s terms or else there won’t be a peace treaty. Pashinyan said that Aliyev’s statement constitutes an act of aggression against Armenia.

RT’s Simonyan, Russian propagandist with Armenian roots, banned from entering Armenia

Maral Chavushian
March 15 2023

The other banned propagandist is Life tabloid founder Aram Gabrelyanov.

“Armenia is a sovereign state and has the right to expect respect for itself,” said Pashinyan.

“Armenia has also the right to use its sovereign mechanisms in case of intentions against its interests.”

The Armenian prime minister said that the banned persons should respect Armenia and the government elected by its people.

“Also, I want to draw your attention to one fact: if these people had committed even one percent of the actions against their countries that they committed against Armenia, they would not have been able to get into their own home. That’s the bottom line.”

Read also: Ukraine’s SBU detains RT propagandist in Chernihiv Oblast

Pashinyan also did not specify who else, apart from Simonyan and Gabrelyanov, was banned from entering Armenia, saying that the relevant structures are dealing with this issue.

Read also: From the archives: Kremlin’s mouthpiece RIA publishes Russian fascist manifesto

Simonyan commented on her ban almost immediately, calling the Armenian Prime Minister a “bastard” and declaring that she, a “pure-blooded Armenian,” had no plans to travel to Armenia under the current prime minister.

“I have never said anything about any corridors, but I have said and will continue to say personally about Pashinyan that he is a bastard and a traitor to the Armenian people, that he sold and betrayed all the Armenian interests that he could betray and sell, and will sell and betray those that he could not yet, that he hates Russia and deceives (Russian dictator Vladimir) Putin, that he is a CIA mole without honor and conscience, like all CIA moles,” Simonyan wrote on her channel on the Telegram messenger.

Hetq: Armenia State Revenue Committee preparing for reopening of Turkey border

Maral Chavushian
News.am
Armenia –
23:59, 17.03.2023

The council of elders of the Metsamor community of Armenia’s Armavir Province has decided to donate one of the administrative buildings, the hotel building, and about 2 hectares of land in Margara village to the State Revenue Committee (SRC). In case of the possible re-operation of the Margara checkpoint bordering Turkey, the mentioned buildings and lands will be used for the customs control process, Hetq.am online newspaper of Armenia reports.

The council of elders of the aforesaid community made this decision on Friday, which was based on the writings of the head of the SRC, the governor of Armavir Province, and the recommendation of the head of the community, Vahram Khachatryan. After the council's decision, a donation agreement must be signed between the parties, which is subject to notarization and state registration.

Hetq asked Edgar Hovhannisyan, the first deputy mayor of Metsamor, why the council donated the aforesaid community property to the SRC.

The deputy mayor did not have information about the purpose, and advised to check with the SRC. He only noted that the mentioned buildings and the plots of land serving them used to belong to the state, in recent years they was transferred to the community, and now the state is taking back its property again.

Edgar Hovhannisyan, as a member of the aforementioned council of elders, voted in favor of that decision, not knowing why that communal property was being transferred to the SRC. Twenty members of the council of elders voted in favor of the decision, and none—against.

Hetq tried to find out from the Armavir provincial governor's office what the content of his letter was and why the said property was being transferred to the SRC. The news department informed Hetq that the governor's letter referred to the allocation of land for the construction of buildings for medical organizations providing primary health care services operating in the community's settlements.

In fact, however, these real estates were transferred to the SRC for a completely different purpose, and it has nothing to do with the construction of medical facilities, as they inform from the provincial governor's office.

SRC General Secretary Edgar Gevorgyan, in response to the written inquiry of Hetq, said that in order to ensure the technical part of the possible re-operation of the Margara border checkpoint in Armavir Province, the SRC petitioned to the Metsamor community council with a request to transfer to the SRC the real estates and land that are considered the property of the community.

"The above-mentioned real estate is planned to be used in the event of a possible re-operation of the checkpoint to carry out the customs control process," said the response provided by the General Secretary of the SRC.

Margara village of Armenia is about 500 meters away from Alican village in Turkey. The two countries are separated there only by the Araks River, and they are connected by a bridge built on it.

This February, humanitarian aid was sent from Armenia to the residents affected by the devastating earthquakes in Turkey. The trucks carrying this aid crossed the Armenian-Turkish border through the Margara-Alican section, i.e. through the Margara checkpoint.

What are the real estates transferred to SRC?

According to the information available in the Cadastre Committee of Armenia, the ownership rights of real estates and plots of land transferred to the SRC still belong to the Metsamor community. In other words, state registration of the property has not yet been carried out on the basis of a donation contract.

The administrative building has two floors. Before the closure of the Armenian-Turkish border, it was a checkpoint. It was built in the Soviet years, in 1964. The internal surface area of this building is 1,329 square meters, and the degree of its completion is 80 percent or more.

It is located near the Armenian-Turkish checkpoint, on the bank of the Araks River. It is in the neutral zone—inside the barbed wire where the entry of ordinary citizens is prohibited.

The roof with an area of 462.2 square meters, the warehouse of 186.1 square meters, and the land area of 0.83 hectares were also transferred to SRC.

The pumping station with an area of 238.4 square meters and the land area of 0.083 hectares were also donated.

As for the hotel building, it has three floors. It is located in front of the administrative building transferred to the SRC—and again inside the aforesaid barbed wire.

The building has an area of 1,056 square meters. The 23.5-square-meter pumping station and the 25-square-meter water pumping tower serving the hotel building were also transferred to the SRC. This building was also built in 1964. More than 80 percent of it is completed, and only its water tower is unfinished.

Also, this hotel building has 1 hectare of land, which was also transferred to the SRC.

FC Lokomotiv Moscow defender Nair Tiknizyan signs with Armenian national team

Maral Chavushian

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 14:58, 7 March 2023

YEREVAN, MARCH 7, ARMENPRESS. FC Lokomotiv Moscow defender Nair Tiknizyan will play for Armenian national team, the Football Federation of Armenia announced Tuesday.

Before joining FC Lokomotiv, the 23-year-old footballer played in CSKA Moscow and FC Avangard Kursk.

“I am grateful to the Football Federation of Armenia for this chance. I will try to prove that I can help Armenian national team. It was my initiative to make this decision,” said Tiknizyan.

IALA returns with annual mentorship program for emerging Armenian writers

Maral Chavushian
March 1, 2023 International Armenian Literary Alliance Literary Corner, Announcements 0

The International Armenian Literary Alliance’s (IALA) third annual mentorship program will run from July 3 through August 31, 2023 with mentorships for writers of the novel, memoir, creative nonfiction, short story and poetry. Mentors will read and provide feedback on their mentee’s writing and speak virtually with their mentee throughout the program to discuss the writing life, the mentee’s work and how to navigate the publishing industry. At the end of the program, IALA will host an Emerging Writers Showcase to feature the mentees’ work.

Applications are now open through April 15, 2023. 

“I cannot wait to see the new crop of emerging writers who will submit their applications for the 2023 IALA’s Mentorship Program. Internationally, this is the only writer-specific mentorship program that pairs up Armenian mentees with Armenian mentors,” says IALA Mentorship Program director Shahé Mankerian. “Because of its uniqueness, we have met amazing emerging writers from across the globe.”

“Mentors are an invaluable resource to emerging writers, not only in giving feedback on work, but in providing encouragement and guidance in what’s otherwise an often solitary practice. Persistence is vital to a writer’s journey, and we pair our mentees with authors who believe in their power to create, inspiring them to persevere through inevitable periods of self-doubt,” says IALA founder and director Olivia Katrandjian. “We hope that bonds between our mentors and mentees will last beyond the length of the program, and transform into mutually supportive relationships that will only strengthen our writers and the Armenian literary community.”

In its two years of offering this first-of-its-kind mentorship program, IALA has matched 15 up-and-coming writers with authors. Mentors have included Aida Zilelian, Nancy Agabian, Armen Davoudian, Gregory Djanikian, Mashinka Firunts Hakopian, Arminé Iknadossian, Nancy Kricorian, Markar Melkonian, Lola Koundakjian, Aline Ohanesian and Alene Terzian-Zeitounian.

“I’ve never encountered another Armenian poet, so meeting Arthur for the first time was a mixture of experiencing both novelty and home. The connections and similarities between us were uncanny,” said Jen Siraganian (mentee, 2022) about her mentor Arthur Kayzakian. “I’m truly humbled by his warmth, enthusiasm, and focus, and thanks to him, my work shifted in huge and brave ways.”

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The International Armenian Literary Alliance is a nonprofit organization launched in 2021 that supports and celebrates writers by fostering the development and distribution of Armenian literature in the English language. A network of Armenian writers and their champions, IALA gives Armenian writers a voice in the literary world through creative, professional, and scholarly advocacy.


Armenia could again take Azerbaijan to world court over gas and power supply cut-offs in NK

Maral Chavushian

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 11:37, 23 February 2023

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 23, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said that Armenia will again file a request to the International Court of Justice against Azerbaijan over the gas and electricity supply interruptions in Artsakh when sufficient evidence is collected.

The United Nations’ highest court – the International Court of Justice – ordered Azerbaijan on Wednesday to “take all steps at its disposal” to ensure unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin Corridor in both directions. The Lachin Corridor is blocked by Azerbaijan since 12 December 2022. 

However, the court ruled that Armenia has not presented sufficient evidence that Azerbaijan is behind the gas and power supply interruptions.

“Of course, the reason for this situation is that the valve of the gas supply pipeline of Nagorno Karabakh is in a location inaccessible for Armenia. The same can be said about the point of interruption of the electric energy. And here, Armenia simply couldn’t present undeniable evidence. But this also means that the moment when we’ll be able to collect direct evidence we will appeal to the court over this issue again. And there will be high likelihood that the court will satisfy this request as well,” PM Pashinyan said, noting that at this moment the gas supply in Nagorno Karabakh is being carried out normally.

Armenian Minister of Healthcare assures safety standards at Amulsar mine will be strictly maintained and monitored

Maral Chavushian

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 13:14, 23 February 2023

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 23, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian Minister of Healthcare Anahit Avanesyan said she is certain that all modern technologies will be utilized to ensure the safe operations at the Amulsar gold mine in line with all standards.

“I am sure that all required studies were carried out and are carried out. And a strict monitoring will be carried out in the process,” the minister told reporters.

She said the healthcare ministry is always focused on mining-related possible health hazards.

“We are sure that all new technological means and opportunities will be utilized to ensure safe operations in line with standards,” Avanesyan said.

The Amulsar gold mine is set to restart operations after its owner – Lydian Armenia – signed a 250,000,000 dollar agreement with the Armenian government. The government of Armenia will receive 12,5% shares of Lydian Armenia for free.

Sports: Armenian wrestlers to compete at ranking series tournament in Egypt

Maral Chavushian
Panorama
Armenia – Feb 23 2023

Six Armenian freestyle wrestlers have headed to Alexandria, Egypt for the Ibrahim Moustafa 2023 wrestling tournament, this year’s second ranking series to be held from February 23 to 26.

The Armenian contestants are Manvel Khndzrtsyan (57 kg), Arsen Harutyunyan (61 kg), Vazgen Tevanyan (65 kg), Arman Andreasyan (70 kg), Hrayr Alikhanyan (74 kg) and Arman Avagyan (79 kg), the National Olympic Committee reports.

The results will not only give ranking points to the wrestlers, but they will also be crucial in determining the four seeds for the upcoming continental championships. Ibrahim Moustafa will be the second event in which UWW will award prize money and a two-kilogram weight tolerance will be allowed in each weight class, the United World Wrestling (UWW) said.

More than 450 wrestlers are participating in the tournament.

New delegation from European Parliament to visit Armenia on fact-finding mission

Maral Chavushian

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 14:40,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 20, ARMENPRESS. French Members of the European Parliament Sylvie Guillaume and François Alfonsi, the co-chairs of the Friendship Group with Artsakh at the European Parliament, and Hungarian Member of the European Parliament and member of the Friendship Group with Artsakh Attila Ara-Kovacs will be in Armenia on a fact-finding mission from February 21 to 24, the European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy (EAFJD) said in a press release.

EAFJD President Kaspar Karampetian and other EAFJD representatives will accompany the delegation in Armenia.

The agenda of the visit includes meetings with the legislative and executive authorities, the Catholicos Karekin II, the opposition, and the Foreign Minister of Artsakh. A separate meeting with the ARF representatives is also planned.

On February 22, the delegation will visit Syunik province and the communities affected in the latest Azerbaijani aggression.

Another EP delegation was in Armenia in October of 2022. The EAFJD credited the members of that delegation with having an important role in the EP in the adoption of documents related to Armenia, namely the Humanitarian Consequences of the Blockade in Nagorno Karabakh resolution and the 2021-2022 report on the EU-Armenia relations.

Deputy Finance Minister: Eurozone Is Not a Mirage

Maral Chavushian

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 15:32,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 18, ARMENPRESS. "The eurozone is by no means a mirage and will not remain a mirage," said Deputy Finance Minister Metodi Metodiev on the morning show of Nova TV. He was commenting on the statement of Finance Minister Rositsa Velkova Friday that Bulgaria will postpone its target date for joining the euro area.

According to Metodiev, Bulgaria must implement the reforms that it has committed to and that were submitted to the National Assembly as bills, and there should be a more sustainable trend of inflation reduction in order to reach the inflation criteria for eurozone entry.

"The government has done a lot of technical and political work so far, but we do not meet these two criteria. The National Assembly, with the actions it has taken regarding the legislative programme in the last month of its existence, has worked against its decision of October 27 to join the eurozone," Metodiev clarified.

“The caretaker government will continue its work on the technical preparations for the euro changeover, this is also the agreement with our European partners from the European Commission and the ECB,” Metodiev said, adding that once Bulgaria has a clear horizon for a sustainable downward trend in inflation, it will submit a request for a convergence report and assessment.

According to the deputy finance minister, the next target date for joining the euro area is linked to the implementation of reforms and a sustainable inflation trend.

"I hope that the next parliament will have the Euro-Atlantic foresight to pass the necessary laws. The problem in the last parliament, in terms of changes to the eurozone laws, will be there in the next parliament because the government is determined to bring forward the same legislative proposals that were already rejected. Therefore, the political elite must have a clear idea of where and how fast Bulgaria wants to go on the path of its economic and political integration," Metodiev pointed out.