Author: Maral Takmazian

PM Pashinyan comments on resignation of Armen Sarkissian

Maral Takmazian

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 20:20,

YEREVAN, 24 JANUARY, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan does not consider it appropriate to comment on Armen Sarkissian’s statement on the motives for resigning from the post of President of Armenia, ARMENPRESS reports he said during an online press conference organized for the representatives of mass media and non-governmental organizations.

"The decision was made by the President. I learned about it hours before it was made public. He called me 3.5 hours before the publication yesterday, and we talked about it. I asked the President of the Republic if he was discussing the issue with me or he just informed me that he had made the decision. I tried to understand whether the decision was subject to discussion or not. After that, he said he had made a decision," Pashinyan said.

He noted that the positions of the President of the Republic regarding the Constitution were known earlier. "During the previous question-and-answer session, when we were discussing the topic of constitutional amendments, I said that my position in this regard differs slightly or significantly from the position of the President of the Republic. But I also want to emphasize that after 2018, when Armen Sarkissian was elected President of the Republic and then I was elected Prime Minister, there has been no change in any provision in the Constitution regarding the powers of the President of the Republic. During all this time, the rules have not changed," said the Prime Minister.

Pashinyan noted that the announcement of the president's resignation refers to its motives. ”I do not consider it appropriate to comment on them," the PM said, adding that each official decides on what arguments such decisions should be made.

Why tensions with the West are driving Russians to get revaccinated

Maral Takmazian
Jan 21 2022
  • By Fred Weir Special correspondent
YEREVAN, ARMENIA

While Russian tourists have always had a multitude of reasons to visit Armenia, a new and unexpected attraction has been drawing them here lately.

Instead of coming to see the natural sights or enjoy the cuisine, globe-trotting Russians are here in increasing numbers to get vaccinated – not for medical reasons, but for bureaucratic ones.

Because of the general lack of recognition of Russia’s Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine outside Russia’s borders and the unavailability of foreign vaccines within them, Russians who need regular access to the rest of the world are making treks to countries like Armenia to get Western-approved vaccines – and more importantly, their associated paperwork.

Far more than an inconvenience, it’s a hurdle that appears less rooted in scientific evidence than in political and diplomatic sparring – and one that could have significant implications at a time of deep and ongoing tensions between Moscow and the West. The Russians who would be cut off from Europe and the United States without such certification represent a critical bridge of communication between the two sides. And a rift between Russia and the West caused by vaccines could magnify an already tense situation.

The vast majority of Russians making the trip to Armenia or other vaccine havens like Croatia, Serbia, and Turkey have already gotten vaccinated back home with Russia’s own Sputnik V, which became available last year. But while Sputnik appears to be effective, it’s an international bureaucratic quagmire.

Only Russia and a few other countries recognize Sputnik, whatever its scientific merits. But foreign vaccines are also, for no good scientific reason, unavailable in Russia. That’s a real problem for the very large numbers of Russians who have family, business, studies, or other connections in the West, and want to travel without facing constant and expensive PCR tests, lengthy quarantines, and, sometimes, inability to even board a plane.

That’s where countries like Armenia come in. Armenia not only admits Russians visa-free and recognizes Sputnik vaccinations, but also provides Russians (and Russian residents, like this correspondent) with access to Western vaccines. Tens of thousands of Russians have already made the trek to vaccine havens, say travel agents. Organized tours that include transportation, accommodation, and a clinic appointment are doing a roaring business.

“Tours to get a European vaccine are tremendously popular right now,” says Ivetta Verdinyan of the BSI Group, a leading travel operator. “A lot of people were used to being able to travel around the world, and when this pandemic hit they found very many countries unavailable for them. If you don’t have an EU or WHO approved vaccination, you can’t go. Or you must isolate for a long time, have to do frequent tests, and can’t get the QR code that enables you even to visit a coffee shop sometimes. The situation can change at any time. So, serious people with travel plans want to make sure they have the right papers, because no one knows when the Russian vaccine will be recognized” in the West, she says.

Maria Podolskaya is a Russian journalist who lives in Britain, but travels often to Moscow to see her mother. She says she endured a gauntlet of obstacles, including mandatory isolation and expensive tests, until she hit upon the obvious solution: She got double-vaccinated, and now has valid documents from both sides.

“I got Pfizer in Britain, and Sputnik-lite in Moscow,” she says. “Now there are very few problems. Basically, I present my QR codes when registering for a flight, and that’s it. I’m good in both places.”

Andrei Kolesnikov, an analyst with the Carnegie Moscow Center, says it’s a widely shared problem among his colleagues. “We are think-tankers, and we need to travel. We have invitations to attend conferences and other exchanges.” Mr. Kolesnikov is a top expert on Russian politics, and the obstacles he faces in conducting dialogue with his international counterparts can’t be a good thing in these vexed times. “But regulations are different everywhere, and difficult everywhere,” he says.

The mutual refusal between Russia and the West to recognize each other’s vaccines does not seem to have its roots in scientific judgment on either side. And there seems to be at least some political sniping involved. Russian officials have repeatedly accused the West of blocking Sputnik in an effort to protect Western vaccine-makers’ profit margins.

But Michael Favorov, a former Soviet scientist who immigrated to the U.S. three decades ago, and then worked as an epidemiologist for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for 25 years, says that different regulatory systems and perceptions, not bad vaccines, have led to the current problems.

“Sputnik is OK. It’s a good vaccine,” says Mr. Favorov, who is now president of DiaPrep System Inc., a public health consultancy based in Atlanta, Georgia. He says he has studied a lot of Russian data about the uptake of Sputnik over the past year, and is satisfied that the vaccine is at least as effective as most others.

The issue, he says, is that Russian institutes and industry use different standards than Western ones – creating a kind of scientific cultural gap – and discrepancies have appeared in Russian production facilities.

“It’s not about the design of the vaccine, which is fine,” he says. “It’s a matter of regulation and certification, which is different in every country. … The Russians, of course, say the [refusal to recognize Sputnik in the West] is due to commercial competition. That’s not true. But people take from these problems the conclusion that Sputnik is a bad vaccine. That’s not true either.”

Experts say some progress has been made toward registering outside vaccines in Russia, including a Chinese one and the British-Swedish AstraZeneca. Russia’s Ministry of Health recently said it might start accepting antibody tests from foreign residents and travelers, but not their Western vaccine credentials.

“This is classic Putin-style whataboutism,” says Mr. Kolesnikov. “It’s ‘they don’t recognize our vaccine, and until they do we won’t recognize theirs.’ It’s a big political race.”

Larisa Popovich, a public health expert with the Higher School of Economics in Moscow, says the situation is “absurd,” and it causes unnecessary hardships for many Russians.

“Both sides should have gotten over themselves and found a way to recognize each other’s vaccines a long time ago. We have been trying to find out what is the matter for quite a while. Foreign agencies say it’s about discrepancies in regulatory documentation, while the Russian side says it’s inspired by political and competitive motives.”

According to the Russian Direct Investment Fund, which controls the international rights for Sputnik, the vaccine is now registered in 71 countries and over 100 million people have received it worldwide.

“Probably if the general climate between our countries were better, these problems would have been solved by now. Let’s hope the adults will take over and deal with this,” says Ms. Popovich.

 

Dreamers help revitalize city of Gyumri with technology

Maral Takmazian
January 12, 2022 Florence Avakian Non-Profit 0

It was over 33 years ago that a devastating earthquake shattered Armenia’s second largest city, Gyumri. Since then, the city has been recovering, albeit very slowly. One of its great advantages has been the creation of the Gyumri IT Center (GITC) in 2005, initiated and financed by the Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR). The goal of GITC was to develop and support a qualified labor force for the IT industry in Armenia which would encourage businesses already functioning in Yerevan to gradually open branches in Gyumri.

“This program would empower young talented people from Gyumri with technological abilities” so that this skilled labor force would attract businesses to follow. And most of all, these young skilled people would have a decent job and stop looking to other countries for employment benefits. They would stay in their homeland and work for its brighter future.

Now 16 years later, Gyumri has become the second hub of IT in Armenia with more than 30 high-tech companies headquartered there. GITC is not only helping Gyumri today, but it is also providing high-quality training to talented youth all across the homeland. In 2021, it opened a branch in Yerevan. GITC graduates are almost 100 percent employed with some getting jobs even before they graduate.

“As members of the FAR Board of Directors, one of the most critical roles we serve is to nurture and guide promising programs to advance and build a better life for the next generation of Armenians. From a pioneering idea 16 years ago, GITC has already impacted the lives of thousands of young Armenians who have acquired high level technological skills and good paying jobs in Armenia as a result of advanced training at GITC,” says Dennis Tarzian, FAR board member and one of the founders of GITC. 

GITC executive director Amalya Yeghoyan

Interestingly, the majority of GITC’s decision-making managers are women, including executive director Amalya Yeghoyan, who revealed in a telephone interview that GITC “is becoming a partner of the biggest technological companies like DISQO, SmartClick, etc…in scaling high quality training in the most advanced sectors of IT across all of Armenia and thus, securing employment.”

“We are very proud of Amalya and her growth as a leader who continually seeks new ways to partner with other tech companies and leading universities to ensure that GITC’s curriculum is evolving alongside the rapid changes in the technology sector,” continued Tarzian. 

The next vision for GITC leaders is to make Armenia “a regional hub” for high quality IT training. A program has already begun to train a group of high schoolers in engineering disciplines with amazing results.

Yeghoyan’s goal has always been to teach young people “how to fish, not receive fish for eating.” A graduate of Gyumri’s Pedagogical University majoring in English, her goal in the tech sphere was not to be proficient in the technical aspects of the industry, but instead “to be a good manager.”

Becoming GITC Executive Director in Gyumri in 2010, she was mentoring 50 percent male students, and 50 percent female. She proudly said that in the world Armenia has the highest percentage of females in tech, more than 35 percent.

In 2018, Yeghoyan joined the Ministry of Transport, Telecommunications and Information Technology in Armenia as deputy minister. “I made a decision as a female,” she said with understandable pride. “Women can be better leaders, but the most important factor is to be professional. Women should perform as professionals,” she stressed.

Since the pandemic began two years ago, GITC courses have been online. Since 2005, GITC has supported more than 5,000 young people to enter the burgeoning IT industry of Armenia. Many found positions, including senior ones, with the most famous tech companies. There are more than 200 students in its various technical education programs annually.

“GITC is unique,” she declared, “because it offers low fee technical education that is in high demand by employers. Though technical education is not cheap, it can develop and empower young people,” she added. “Thanks to the Fund for Armenian Relief, which subsidizes our trainings, it became affordable for young people, especially those coming from poor families. It is one of the few industries in Armenia where there are more jobs available.” She emphasized that it “is the only important program to prevent young talented people from leaving Armenia, and this is true for all developing countries. Technology is the answer.”

Apart from providing tech education and employment opportunities to talented young Armenians GITC is partnering with international and local organizations to support specific groups of populations in Armenia. After the Artsakh War, it has been providing tech skills to the veterans and family members of martyred soldiers through the funding from Armenian Bold Women Association, UMCOR Armenia and Armenian Engineers and Scientists of America. Up to 100 beneficiaries have already graduated this year and are ready to enter the IT labor market.

Another valuable partner is the California-based Armenian Educational Foundation. AEF supported the establishment of the Deep Engineering Laboratory and the program for high school students in Gyumri Polytechnic high school.

Ani Vardanyan

Twenty-two year old Ani Vardanyan was born in Russia and came to Armenia with her family in 2007. A graduate of the Polytechnic University in Yerevan, she understood at age 17 that technology, as a growing sector, is her field. As a student at GITC, she applied for a job and was admitted to Solicy Company in Yerevan as a software developer.

She related that IT development in Armenia is the key to making her country wealthy. Enthusiastically, she praised the GITC program which she said gave her “the technical skills, as well as training for the job interview in order to be a good employee.”

Armenia, she said, “is top in high technical innovation and research creativity.” There are up to 800 IT companies in Armenia that have hired 20,000 IT workers, and GITC graduates enter the field with 90-percent employment.

For Vardanyan, GITC “was so inspiring” with its advantages of “huge teamwork.” She readily shares her knowledge with other students and even trains others with them. “I owe all this to GITC.”

Shoghik Grigoryan

Shoghik Grigoryan was born in 1989 in Gyumri. After graduating from Yerevan State University, she completed the full GITC program. Later, she got married and moved to Stepanakert with one child.

“I received general theoretical knowledge at the university, but GITC allowed me to choose a specific Web programming profession.” This led to a job offering upon graduation in her favorite field. “I attach great importance to the period of study there. It gave me professional knowledge, but also the experience that I later applied to my teaching methods at Artsakh State University.” She also taught at Shushi Technological College.

During the start of the 44-day tragic war, she was in Artsakh, and moved to shelters, then to Armenia with the women and children. Her husband stayed to defend the homeland. “The war changed almost everything in our lives. Thousands of Armenians, including my students, relatives and friends gave the ultimate sacrifice. Luckily, her husband survived.

“The pain, anger and fear are still lingering. But Artsakh needs us more now. Of course, I will continue to live here, when my people need all of us more now.” Artsakh is in “great need of the GITC program, because as we became convinced during the war, it is critical to have qualified specialists in the field of IT.”

GITC, she continued, “was the only established institution during my studies that provided practical knowledge for requirements of the labor market. The important role of the Gyumri center is great because it is constantly evolving, innovating and basing its teachings on the demand of the IT market. It was number one when I studied, and it is number one today.”

A center like GITC “not only provides theoretical and practical knowledge and skills, it also prepares its students like no other schooling in the hi-tech business, where the demands are much higher than just technical knowledge.”

With GITC having many graduates in its 16-year existence, she called on all graduates “to always walk ahead of time, taking into account the rapid developments in our field, to always be ready to take everything new, and to develop and invest in them for the sake of strengthening our homeland.”

“There are always new challenges but as we look out into the future we hope to scale GITC with new approaches such as distance learning and self-paced online instruction to reach even more students. Armenia is blessed with a vast resource of talented STEM students; our job is to prepare them to compete for those jobs anywhere in the world and help young people become more optimistic about their future in Armenia,” concludes Tarzian.

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Armenia’s national airline ‘Fly Arna’ unveils visual brand identity

Maral Takmazian
January 2022
 January 2022 546

    ‘Fly Arna’, Armenia’s national airline, has revealed its new visual brand identity, the design of which reflects constant mobility and the colours of the logo inspired by the Armenian flag.
     
    Soon to be launched by the Armenian National Interests Fund (ANIF) and Air Arabia Group, the Middle East and North Africa’s first and largest low-cost carrier (LCC) operator, the brand name ‘Arna’ is derived from company’s official name ‘Armenian National Airlines’ with ‘AR’ taken from Armenian, ‘N’ from National and ‘A’ from Airlines. Chosen following a public competition, the name ‘Fly Arna’ was identified to be most inclusive and reflective of the spirit of the joint venture company to transform the aviation sector of the country.  
     
    ‘Fly Arna’ signifies a new era in the growth of the Armenian aviation sector and will contribute to the nation’s tourism, hospitality, and business sectors. 
     
    The young, modern and a value-driven national airline will strive to become the most accessible and sensible choice for air travel in Armenia and beyond. Its brand values are Ambition – to motivate to build and grow the airline; Persistence – to build services that deliver real and tangible value to customers; and Innovation – to inspire creative solutions that helps keep a competitive edge while remaining practical and efficient.
     
    Inspired by the logo and the brand ethos, ‘Fly Arna’ aircraft livery reflects clarity and a forward-looking airline that is always on the move, with the letter “A” creatively displayed at the aircraft tail. The bright outlook in the brand identity will also be reflected through the aircraft interior, staff uniforms and across all customer touchpoints.
     
    David Papazian, CEO of ANIF, said: “Fly Arna’s brand identity is truly reflective of the inspiring spirit and ethos of Armenia. This is highlighted by the involvement of the public in deciding the name to the colours used for the brand identity and the values that Fly Arna will promote. Today’s unveil of Fly Arna’s visual identity is an inspiring move that brings us one step closer towards the launch of the airline.”
     
    Adel Al Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer of Air Arabia, said: “Fly Arna’s visual identity launch is an important progress in the journey towards the launch of the airline.  This step also marks the beginning of a new era in the growth of Armenia’s aviation sector, not only contributing to the country’s economic growth but providing its people with a reliable and value for money experience. We look forward to its rollout in the coming weeks.” 
     
    ‘Fly Arna’ follows Air Arabia Group’s successful low-cost business model, taking Zvartnots International Airport (EVN) in Yerevan as its base. The Airline Operation Certificate (AOC) process has started and more details about the launch date, fleet, and destination network will be announced in due course. 
     
    ANIF and Air Arabia Group announced the launch Armenia’s new national airline in July 2021 followed by the reveal of the airline name in September 2021 following hundreds of suggestions from participants.– TradeArabia News Service  
     

    Russia favors swift launch of demarcation process of Armenian-Azerbaijani border, says FM Lavrov

    Maral Takmazian

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     14:47,

    YEREVAN, JANUARY 14, ARMENPRESS. Russia is in favor of a swift launch of the demarcation process of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a press briefing.

    “This issue doesn’t relate to Nagorno Karabakh and regional issues, this is a bilateral issue which we are proposing to start for already a year,” he said.

    He reminded that Russia offered to set up a special commission and act in an advisory capacity given the fact that the Russian military possesses maps which reflect the borders and their changes.

    “Yesterday I spoke with my Armenian counterpart over this issue. There is a respective proposal because in the event of creating a commission we must agree on what conditions it is created. There are disagreements, but our position is clear – it is necessary to sit down and resolve within the framework of the commission the issues which remain not agreed,” Lavrov said.

    Armenian health authorities still working on coronavirus health pass

    Maral Takmazian

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     14:34, 3 January, 2022

    YEREVAN, JANUARY 3, ARMENPRESS. Armenian health authorities are still working on a coronavirus health pass which would require people to produce either a recent negative PCR test result or a COVID-19 vaccination certificate upon entering restaurants or other leisure venues.

    The Ministry of Healthcare initially planned to mandate the health pass starting January 1, but the timeframes were delayed.

    The Ministry of Healthcare told ARMENPRESS that they have received the Ministry of Justice’s opinion on the matter and are now finalizing the document. The order will be issued after passing confirmation.

    Asbarez: Armenia-Turkey Normalization will Destroy U.S. Armenian Community, Says Erdogan’s Spokesman

    Maral Takmazian
    by Asbarez Staff

     

     December 27, 2021

     

    in Armenia, Featured Story, Latest, News, Top Stories

    Ibrahim Kalin is the spokesperson for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan

    The current Armenia-Turkey normalization process will destroy the Armenian community of the United States, said Ibrahim Kalin, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s press secretary.

    Kalin made the remarks during a meeting with Turkish-Americans in Chicago, the Anadolou news agency reported on Monday.

    Kalin said that the Armenian lobby in the U.S. has made anti-Turkish sentiments part of its identity.

    “A completely different process is being carried out in the Caucasus now, and the basis on which that diaspora has formulated all its arguments is on the verge of collapse,” said Kalin.

    “A completely different process is being carried out in the Caucasus now, the basis on which that Diaspora has built all its arguments is on the verge of collapse. In other words, the conflict between Armenia and Turkey or the Armenian-Turkish conflict in the Caucasus is coming to an end. “With the liberation of Karabakh and the reintegration of that region into Azerbaijan, a new page in history has been opened,” Kalin said.

    “The conflict between Armenia and Turkey, or the Armenian-Turkish conflict in the Caucasus is coming to an end. With the liberation of Karabakh and the reintegration of that region into Azerbaijan a new page in history has been opened.” Kalin proclaimed.

    The Turkish presidential spokesman said no one else has any other expectations to this end, and Ankara and Yerevan are taking reciprocal steps to normalize relations.

    At the same time, Kalin said that Armenia stands to benefit the most from this process

    “The normalization of relations with Turkey will contribute greatly to Armenia, a landlocked country, which is economically weak and is a ward of Russia, both politically and economically,” Kalin said.

    Artsakh FM visits the frontline

    Maral Takmazian
    Dec 31 2021
    , 16:03

     Less than a minute


    On December 31, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh David Babayan together with Government and Parliament members, visited a number of military units and some sections of the line of contact.


    The Minister congratulated the servicemen on the coming New Year and Merry Christmas, wishing them safe service.

    He stressed that the unshakable will and determination of the defenders of the Motherland’s serenity and the high level of professionalism in performing their duties inspire our people and society.

    Artsakh Prosecutor’s Office: Chartar village resident killed by long-range shot by Azerbaijan

    Maral Takmazian
    News.am, Armenia
    Dec 25 2021
    Artsakh Prosecutor's Office: Chartar village resident killed by long-range shot by Azerbaijan
    16:23, 25.12.2021

    STEPANAKERT. – Seyran Sargsyan, a resident of Chartar village of the Martuni region of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), was killed on December 3 by the Azerbaijani armed forces in the administrative area of the aforesaid village, the Artsakh Prosecutor's Office reports.

    In connection with the incident, the Azerbaijani side had presented an untrue version that Artsakh citizen Seyran Sargsyan had allegedly attacked the Azerbaijani military position, during which he was purportedly neutralized a few meters away from the Azerbaijani military position.

    The results of the actions taken in the criminal case on the incident, however, prove that Sargsyan was killed by a long-range shot, after which the Azerbaijani military had moved his body from the neutral zone to their combat position. This is evidenced also by the results of the examination of videos recorded by video surveillance devices located near the scene.

    The circumstances revealed in the recent criminal cases reaffirm the fact that the Azerbaijani military bases located in the vicinity of the peaceful settlements of Artsakh pose an immediate and real threat to the life and other vital rights of the community civilian population.