Author: nina hovnanian

REDUCE OF COPPER PRICES FORMS NEW EXPECTATIONS FOR ARMENIAN MANUFACTURERS

13:01, 9 March, 2015

YEREVAN, MARCH 9, ARMENPRESS. The continuous reduce of prices of
the copper in the international markets has compelled the Armenian
producers to renew their long-term projects. Although they have
positive expectations about the stabilization of prices, but recently
they have appeared under pressure to achieve their industrial rates
and eliminate needless costs.

On the other hand, the manufacturers admit, that the current level
of copper prices still allows them to operate in the commercial
zone. It should be noted, if in 2012 the copper per ton had exceeded
more than $ 8,000, but in 2013 costs 7,000 dollars. Last year the
price of copper per ton fall to $ 6,000, and this year reached up to
5800 dollars. The impact of the observed reduction of colored metals
market on the economy of Armenia is considerable, because the mining
industry occupies an area of around 13 percent, and the production and
cultivating of the copper provide about 5 percent of GDP in Armenia.

In order to clarify the formed sentiments among the businessman,
“ARMENPRESS” questioned the large companies, which are involved in
the copper production. The response came only from two companies;
“Teghout” and “Dundee Precious Metals Kapan” CJSC.

As “Armenpress” reports”, “Dundee Precious Metals Kapan” CJSC
particularly underscored: “Lately they are following the markets
carefully, because the decline of prices seriously affects their
income. the mining companies are implementing activities to prevent
the decline of income in Kapan, in Canada and around the world.

Apparently, we are under additional pressure, in order to achieve
safely our production rates and continue eliminating unnecessary
costs. The market factors are beyond our control, and we do not spend
time to predict the changes of the market. Our efforts should be
directed at the managing of those factors (productivity, costs), which
are under our control. As a manufacturer business of raw material,
we cannot have an effect on the market’s conditions. Thus, those are
the points, that we can do to get safely to our production rates and
at the same time reducing unnecessary costs.”

Armen Yerganyan, the Head of Development Department of the Ministry
of Economy, summed up the situation. The decline of prices affects
the income of companies, but the extent of manufacturing have not
tendency to decrease.

AZERBAIDJAN : LA CRISE DES DROITS HUMAINS AVANT LES JEUX EUROPEENS

Publie le : 09-03-2015

Info Collectif VAN – – Le Collectif VAN vous
propose ce communique de presse publie sur le site de Human Rights
Watch le 4 mars 2015.

Legende : Intigam Aliyev, eminent avocat azerbaïdjanais et directeur
de la Societe d’education juridique, une association a but non
lucratif. Arrete en août 2014 et encourt jusqu’a 12 ans de prison en
cas de condamnation pour pretendue fraude fiscale.

(c) 2013 Daniel Janik / RFE / RL

Human Rights Watch

Le 4 mars 2015

Azerbaïdjan : La crise des droits humains jette une ombre sur les
Jeux europeens

Bakou aspire a la reconnaissance internationale, tout en reprimant
l’opposition a l’interieur du pays.

(Berlin) – Le gouvernement azerbaïdjanais devrait immediatement
liberer tous les militants et journalistes injustement detenus,
a declare Human Rights Watch aujourd’hui, a l’approche des premiers
Jeux europeens qui doivent s’ouvrir a Bakou dans 100 jours. Un nouveau
photoreportage expose la situation de 12 personnes purgeant ou risquant
de longues peines de prison en Azerbaïdjan, manifestement en guise
de represailles pour avoir critique les politiques gouvernementales.

L’Azerbaïdjan accueillera du 12 au 28 juin les premiers Jeux europeens,
une competition multisports, dans la capitale, Bakou. Il est prevu
que ces jeux se tiennent tous les quatre ans dans un pays europeen.

>

Les dirigeants europeens devraient indiquer clairement au gouvernement
azerbaïdjanais qu’ils n’enverront pas de delegations de haut niveau
a la ceremonie d’ouverture a Bakou, si les personnes emprisonnees
a tort ne sont pas liberees, et si la repression a l’encontre des
opposants ne cesse pas, selon Human Rights Watch.

Un haut responsable du Comite olympique national de l’Azerbaïdjan a
ete cite dans les medias fin fevrier, assurant que le gouvernement
azerbaïdjanais couvrirait les frais de transport et d’autres coûts
pour 50 equipes participant aux Jeux. Le chef de mission de l’equipe
olympique britannique a reconnu que les organisateurs azerbaïdjanais
avaient en effet paye pour que son equipe participe a la competition,
selon le journal The Guardian.

Au cours de l’annee dernière, les autorites azerbaïdjanaises ont
recouru a toutes sortes de fausses accusations, notamment possession
de drogue et detention d’armes, fraude fiscale, vandalisme, incitation
a la violence, et meme trahison, afin d’arreter ou d’emprisonner au
moins 35 defenseurs des droits humains, militants politiques et civils,
journalistes et blogueurs. La repression a incite des dizaines d’autres
personnes a fuir le pays ou a entrer dans la clandestinite.

Plusieurs autres activistes font l’objet d’accusations similaires,
ce qui laisse supposer la nature punitive et politique des allegations.

Au cours des derniers mois, les autorites azerbaïdjanaises ont
egalement gele les comptes bancaires de nombreux groupes independants
de la societe civile et de leurs dirigeants, contraignant ces
organisations a suspendre leurs activites ou a fermer. Le gouvernement
a par ailleurs refuse d’enregistrer des subventions etrangères
et a renforce son contrôle sur les financements etrangers, ce qui
rend virtuellement impossible le fonctionnement des organisations
qui critiquent le gouvernement. Depuis de nombreuses annees, le
gouvernement harcèle les journaux et stations de radio independants,
et il a contraint de nombreux medias independants a cesser leurs
activites.

Les Jeux europeens ne sont pas un evenement olympique officiel, mais
sont geres et reglementes par les Comites olympiques europeens (COE),
une association de 50 Comites olympiques nationaux europeens. Parmi
les objectifs des COE figure notamment la propagation dans toute
l’Europe des ideaux olympiques definis par la Charte olympique du
Comite international olympique.

Parmi les personnes actuellement en detention et qui font l’objet
d’accusations similaires manifestement forgees de toutes pièces ainsi
que de longues peines de prison, figure le defenseur des droits humains
Rasul Jafarov, qui preparait une campagne >
(Sports pour les droits) pour souligner les preoccupations relatives
aux droits humains en Azerbaïdjan avant les Jeux europeens quand il
a ete arrete en août 2014. Il a ete mis en accusation pour entreprise
illegale, fraude fiscale et abus de pouvoir officiel.

Leyla Yunus, presidente de l’Institut pour la paix et la democratie,
ainsi que son mari, Arif Yunus, ont ete arretes en juillet et août
2014, respectivement, et mis en accusation pour trahison, fraude
fiscale et entreprise illegale. Tous deux presentent des problèmes
de sante chroniques qui se sont serieusement aggraves depuis leur
detention, selon leurs avocats.

L’avocat Intigam Aliyev, l’un des plus eminents et respectes defenseur
des droits humains de l’Azerbaïdjan, se trouve egalement en detention
et fait l’objet d’accusations fallacieuses de fraude fiscale, liees
semble-t-il a des represailles pour son travail en faveur des droits
humains. Les autorites ont place des scelles sur les bureaux de
l’organisation dont Aliyev est responsable, Legal Education Society,
fermant ainsi l’une des rares organisations du pays qui fournissait
une assistance juridique gratuite.

En decembre, les autorites ont arrete Khadija Ismayilova, eminente
journaliste d’investigation en Azerbaïdjan et ardente critique du
gouvernement, sur des accusations fallacieuses d’incitation au suicide,
puis en janvier de nouvelles accusations de fraude fiscale, entreprise
illegale et abus de pouvoir. En decembre, la police et des procureurs
ont perquisitionne les locaux de Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty a
Bakou, interroge les employes, saisi des equipements et des dossiers,
et mis les scelles.

Avant meme la repression actuelle, le gouvernement avait pris de
nombreuses mesures pour limiter les medias independants. Toutes les
stations de radio etrangères, y compris la BBC et Voice of America,
ont ete interdites des frequences FM depuis 2009.

L’intolerance du gouvernement envers les medias libres a des
implications directes pour les journalistes qui couvriront les Jeux
europeens, notamment leur capacite a se deplacer et a s’exprimer
librement avec certaines personnes et a couvrir une variete de sujets
en Azerbaïdjan, selon Human Rights Watch.

En 2012, l’Azerbaïdjan a accueilli le Concours Eurovision de la
Chanson. De nombreux journalistes qui ont couvert cet evenement ont
egalement rendu compte largement de la situation des droits humains
dans le pays, y compris par des interviews de nombreuses des personnes
qui sont maintenant detenues, emprisonnees, ou dans la clandestinite.

SPECIAL PROJECT. SURVIVORS OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE. MKHITAR TER-SEROBYAN ABOUT MASSACRES OF THE VILLAGE OF YERITSU

Aysor.am is launching the third series of project “Armenian Genocide:
Breaking the Silence.” Under the headline “Survivors” we will regularly
present the testimonies of survivors of the 1915 Armenian massacres
in the Ottoman Turkey.

Testimony of survivor Mkhitar Ter-Serobyan about deportations
and massacres of Armenians of the village of Yeritsu, Alashkert,
Karakilisa region, Bayazet province.

“The previous conditions in the village: After the all-European war,
the village of Yeritsu had 60 houses with Armenian residents. The
village had 1,000 sheep, 3,000 head of cattle, 200 ploughs, 3 mills,
two orchards with 600 trees. The village had a newly-built church –
Saint Hovhannes Church and priest Ter Mesrop Gasparyan (he died during
deportation). One of the villagers, Mkho Nhoeyan, had a wonderful
Gospel, and Ghukas Ter-Kirakosyan had an ancient handwritten Narek.

They took along those books when they left the village, but lost
them en route. The village school had 40 pupils and a teacher with
a budget of 15 Ottoman liras.

The current state of the village: The village is now completely ruined,
Russian soldiers live in it, all the houses were destroyed and all
firewood burned.

Draft: When Turkey started the draft, 30 men from Yeritsu village were
conscripted. 20 of them fled at the first opportunity, ten others
served in another army. Another nine men also fled, and nothing is
known about the fate of the remaining man – Misak Khlghatyan. As a
wartime tax, the government took 100 khalvars (30 poods) of wheat
and barley from our village, 4 khalvars of cracked wheat, 200 carts
of grass, 150 poods of oil, 300 pairs of shoes, socks, gloves, 200
blankets, think felt, 300 carts of seeds, 300 sheep, 250 head of
cattle, 1000 hens, and so on. Villagers in 30 carts and on120 oxen
were driven away to do labor. Turkish policemen seized those carts
and oxen in Dutagh.

In November 1914 the Russians entered Alashkert. Rich Turks and
military of Garakilisa came into Yeritsu village and then fled, taking
along the local residents’ carts and oxen. The Russians stayed in
the area for six weeks and then retreated in December 1914, together
with villagers. Some villagers – 40 men, 8 women, two children –
died en route to Etchmiadzin . Most of them froze to death.”

The project was prepared with the assistance of the Information and
Analytical Center of the Armenian Government Staff.

09.03.15, 10:00

Related news

Special Project. Survivors of Armenian Genocide. Aleksan Susyan’s
testimony on massacres in village of Molla Suleyman Special
Project. Survivors of Armenian Genocide. Grigor Sargsyan’s testimony
on massacres in Saghtun village Special Project. Survivors of Armenian
Genocide. Andranik Khcheyan’s evidence about massacres in Alashkert
region Special Project. Survivors of Armenian Genocide. Evidence of
Haykanush Hloyants about massacres in Khnus Special Project. Survivors
of Armenian Genocide. Misak Aghbalyan on deportation of Karin
population

EXPERT CRITICIZES CHANGES TO TURNOVER TAX

YEREVAN, March 9. / ARKA /. Harutyun Mesrobyan, a management expert,
has criticized today a set of changes to the law on turnover tax, which
allow small and medium-sized companies to choose one of the two options
to pay their turnover tax, saying the law benefits only oligarchs.

The changes in question propose that turnover tax be levied from
businesses with annual sales of up to 113.4 million drams, up from
58.35 million set by the current law.

The turnover tax was earlier lowered by the government from 3.5
percent to 1 percent for small companies with annual sales of up to
58 million drams, but the amended law obligated the small business
owners to provide tax authorities with documentary evidence of their
wholesale purchases made from larger firms or face heavy fines.

The new law was to come into force on February 5 but after protests
the government postponed its enforcement until July 1. The latest
changes set a 5% turnover tax for companies with annual sales of
up to 113.4 million drams, which will refuse to provide documentary
evidence of their wholesale purchase. Those that will provide it will
pay a 1 percent tax.

Speaking at a news conference Mesrobyan said the proposed changes
passed by the parliament in the first reading are ridiculous,
‘because the oligarchic economic system in Armenia makes all laws
increases the tax burden on medium and small businesses.’

According to him, ‘normal’ oligarchs, who usually have close
connections with all the branches of power, do everything to make
laws serve their narrow interests.

According to the Union of Armenian Employers, there are about 70,000
SMEs in the country, of which 58,000 are micro and small enterprises,
10,000 are medium companies. Together they account for 43% of Armenia’s
GDP and 5 percent of tax revenues. -0-

New force joined Armenia’s opposition camp – opinions

12:03 * 08.03.15

In an interview with Tert.am, political scientist Levon Shirinyan and
expert in election technologies Armen Badalyan commented on the
domestic political developments in Armenia, particularly the
Prosperous Armenia party’s statement on its joining the opposition
camp.

Mr Shirinyan believes that a new force joined the opposition ranks,
whereas Mr Badalyan thinks that it is hardly of any importance for the
party’s supporters.

“The Prosperous Armenia party will act as a political party, rather
than as a supplement to the oligarchic structure. This is something
new. The party’s council had better be well aware of its tasks in the
context of latest developments. Others must put up with the fact of
the Prosperous Armenia party acting as a political force,” Mr
Shirinyan said.

The party will be branded as “pro-government opposition.” However, a
new force has joined the opposition camp.

“As an opposition force it is really moving toward becoming a real
political party. Its other achievements depend on quality. If Gagik
Tsarukyan can help the other party members to intensify their
political activities, they will succeed. Otherwise, the party will be
dissolved,” Mr Shirinyan said.

If the Prosperous Armenia party remains committed to its position on
constitutional reforms, they will turn into an efficient political
force and a real political rival to the ruling Republican Party of
Armenia (RPA) within a year.

For his part, Mr Badalyan believes that the Prosperous Armenia party
joining the opposition camp has nothing in common with its voters or
any part of society.

“You do not get votes for representing the authorities or opposition
forces. Votes are normally received due to different principles,” he
said.

He points out obvious changes in Armenia’s politics. The party without
Gagik Tsarukyan is entirely different than it was under his
leadership.

“It was not just a change of leader. Under Gagik Tsarukyan’s
leadership the Prosperous Armenia party was a leading party, whereas
under Naira Zohrabyan’s leadership it is not. That is, the current
party leader is not so attractive as Mr Tsarukyan was. Some voters
supported the party dues to Gagik Tsarukyan as its leader, while
others were interested in it just as it was in the case of the ruling
Republican Party of Armenia,” Mr Badalyan said.

This principle will not remain in force, however.

“The party must change its strategy. Since it has it has not yet
happened, we can say two major forces are active in Armenia’s
political arena – the ruling Republican Party of Armenia and the
Armenian National Congress, which is rather weak now,” Mr Badalyan
said.

Society showed callous indifference to all the domestic political
processes, which is evidence of its unwillingness to have anything in
common with such processes, he concluded.

REVUE DE PRESSE
Fermeture d’une institution à Gap : l’épicerie fine Koutnouyan a
baissé le rideau

Hautes-Alpes : Elle existait à Gap depuis plus d’une soixantaine
d’années. L’épicerie fine de la rue Louis Balmens a servi ses derniers
clients ce dimanche matin.

La gérante, la fille du fondateur de cette épicerie, Élise, part à la
retraite. Et il n’y a personne pour reprendre l’affaire familiale. Un
commerce tenu par la famille d’Élise Koutnouyan depuis le drame du
génocide arménien.

VOIR LA VIDEO

dimanche 8 mars 2015,
Stéphane (c)armenews.com

ISRAEL
Un pétrolier du Kurdistan irakien livre du brut à Israël

Le United Kalavrvta était bloqué depuis plusieurs mois au Texas, suite
à une plainte déposée par Bagdad

Un pétrolier du Kurdistan irakien, bloqué au Texas depuis l’été
dernier après une contestation judiciaire émise par Bagdad, est revenu
en Méditerranée et a livré cette semaine une partie de sa cargaison en
Israël, selon des sources rapportées par le Jerusalem Post.

Le pétrolier United Kalavrvta, transportant près d’un million de
barils de pétrole nord-irakien, d’une valeur de 100 millions de
dollars, était ancré au large du port Galveston Bay (Texas), suite à
un imbroglio juridique.

Une cour américaine avait ordonné la saisie du pétrole nord-irakien,
jugeant illégale la vente du pétrole sans l’accord du gouvernement
irakien central, suite à une plainte du gouvernement de Bagdad.

Le gouvernement régional du Kurdistan avait protesté, rétorquant que
les ventes indépendantes étaient autorisées, conformément à la
constitution irakienne.

Le navire avait finalement quitté le Texas fin janvier, après que
Bagdad et le gouvernement kurde ont trouvé un accord temporaire sur
les ventes de pétrole.

Le pétrolier a ainsi été vu se dirigeant vers le port israélien d’Ashkelon.

Plusieurs pétroliers qui ont transportent du brut venant du Kurdistan
irakien depuis le port de Ceyhan en Turquie en Méditerranée, ont
déchargé une partie de leur cargaison dans plusieurs ports israéliens,
selon différentes sources maritimes et industrielles..

Les Kurdes ont pourtant refusé, dans le passé, de vendre du pétrole à
Israël, qui n’est pas reconnu par la grande majorité des pays arabes,
et notamment l’Irak.

Une source du gouvernement kurde a affirmé au Jerusalem Post que
l’intégralité du pétrole que le navire transportait avait été livré à
ses clients.

Une grande partie du brut vendu avait été payé à l’avance l’année
dernière, car les Kurdes avaient besoin de fonds après la réduction du
budget de la région par le gouvernement central de Bagdad, a ajouté la
source.

dimanche 8 mars 2015,
Stéphane (c)armenews.com

The News, Poland
March 7 2015

Mandela to be honoured in Poland’s ‘Garden of the Righteous’

PR dla Zagranicy
Nick Hodge 07.03.2015 12:21

The late anti-apartheid figurehead and South African president Nelson
Mandela is among three people set to be honoured in the newly launched
Garden of the Righteous in Warsaw.

The forthcoming memorials were announced on Friday night, chiming in
with the European Day of the Righteous, a commemorative day
established by the European Parliament in 2012. Although the day was
inspired by the ‘righteous gentiles’ that risked their lives to save
Jews from the clutches of the Nazis during World War II, the European
Day of the Righteous is likewise dedicated to opponents of all forms
totalitarianism and injustice. Hence the honouring of three figures
this year who were not directly linked to the Holocaust of Jews.

Besides Mandela, the committee of the Garden of the Righteous honoured
Petro Grigorenko (d.1987), a pioneer of human rights in Soviet Russia.

Also selected was former governor of Ankhara Hasan Mazhar Bey, who
tried to protect the Armenians under Ottoman Turkish rule from
genocide in 1915.

Trees will be planted in Warsaw’s Garden of the Righteous, which was
opened in 2014, on 27 April this year in memory of the three figures.

Last year, among those honoured was Jan Karski, the WWII resistance
courier who endeavoured to inform the West about the extent of the
German Nazis’ extermination programme against the Jews. Friday’s gala
was held at the Museum of the History of Polish Jews in Warsaw. The
Polish capital’s Garden of the Righteous was inspired its counterpart
in Jerusalem. Over 6400 ethnic Poles are commemorated there for aiding
Jews during World War II. (nh)

,Mandela-to-be-honoured-in-Polands-Garden-of-the-Righteous

FORMING THE FUTURE: ARMENIAN SISTERS ACADEMY, LEXINGTON

The Pilot, MA
March 6 2015

On: 3/6/2015, By Donis Tracy Pilot Correspondent , In: Local

Photo: Kindergarteners Talia Tarabelsi, Dominic Tarabelsi and Isabel
Koutougian listen to their teacher, Ms. Chaghlasian, at the Armenian
Sisters Academy in Lexington. Pilot photo/Donis Tracy

Students at the Armenian Sisters Academy in Lexington are getting a
history lesson they won’t soon forget.

This year marks the 100 year anniversary of the Armenian Genocide,
in which it is estimated that 1.5 million Armenians were killed under
the rule of the Ottoman Empire in what is now Turkey. The starting
date of the genocide is traditionally marked on April 24, the date
when, on 1915, Ottoman forces captured 250 Armenian intellectuals
in Constantinople. However, rather than memorize facts and dates,
students are being asked to interview family members to “let them find
themselves and their own families within the Armenian story,” explained
Mayda Melkonian, vice-principal and Armenian Curriculum Director.

Students then will write an essay based on their families’ individual
story, she said.

“We want our students not only to learn the history of the Armenian
people, but also their own families’ stories, and to see how the two
are part of the same,” Melkonian added.

This project marks one of the many ways the Armenian Sisters Academy
integrates the Armenian culture into their classroom.

The academy is a little different than most elementary schools. In
addition to the regular curriculum, this elementary school focuses on
the Armenian culture, language and history. Classes are taught in both
English and Armenian. Armenian feast days are celebrated alongside
American holidays. During October, which is Armenian culture month,
students are immersed in Armenian language, culture, dance and customs.

“We have our own alphabet, which we teach to the youngest children from
the beginning,” explained Sister Nelly Isin, the school’s principal
and a member of the Armenian Sisters of the Immaculate Conception
who run the school. “We really insist and instill in the kids the
love of their heritage.”

“For us the culture is very important,” added Melkonian, though she
noted that children of all cultures and backgrounds are welcome at
the school.

The Armenian Sisters Academy was originally established in 1979 in
Watertown by Sister Alphonsa Bedrosia as a preschool to serve the
Armenian community. In 1982, she opened the academy in Lexington to
allow for the expansion into an elementary and middle school education.

“Beginning in 1983, we added one grade every year,” recalled Melkonian,
who has been teaching at the school since its inception.

Currently, the school has 61 students from Pre-K through grade 7,
although plans are underway to expand next year to include the eighth
grade, which Sister Nelly admitted is only a fraction of what the
school could accommodate.

“It’s not a huge number, but that’s ok,” she said. “For one student,
I won’t close.”

Sister Nelly only arrived at the school in September, but already
has begun instituting plans to move the school forward including
repurposing old classroom space and engaging alumni volunteers.

“Many of these former students, who are now parents themselves,
volunteer their time and their skills to help our school,” Sister
Nelly said, point to the example of parent Victoria Zacarian
Tarabelsi. Tarabelsi is a graduate of the school who now teaches
English as a volunteer in her daughter Talia’s kindergarten classroom.

“Our alumni are also working on renovating the library,” ‘Sister Nelly
said, adding that alumni have also donated flat-screen televisions
for each classroom that will be linked to the computer system.

“We are rebuilding and reestablishing ourselves,” she said. “The
important thing is the students, and the parents are happy.”

LADIES WITH SHOULDER LOOPS CONTEST HELD AT RUSSIAN MILITARY BASE IN ARMENIA

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
March 6 2015

6 March 2015 – 5:36pm

The Russian military base of the Southern Military District in Armenia
is holding the Ladies with Shoulder Loops contest dedicated to the
upcoming Women’s Day of March 8. Over 50 female soldiers take part
in the contest, News.am reports.

The first stage called Tactical Unit consisted of shooting, driving,
digging trenches and a 5km run. The second stage was the art element
of the contest to demonstrate dancing or verses reading.

Colonel Alexey Polyukhovich, deputy commander of the military base,
said that the participants of the contest were very talented and
creative, demonstrating skills in choreography, vocals, drawing and
verses-writing.

The contest will be concluded by the Defile held at the Officers’
House tomorrow. Ladies will demonstrate evening dresses, comprehensive
knowledge, perform dances and songs. Winners will receive gifts and
diplomas. Art collectives of the military base and the school of
the Russian Defense Ministry in Armenia will make performances for
the contestants.