“We see a clear difference between the word and deed”
Armnie AVETYAN | January 31, 2012
Says NA Deputy-Speaker Eduard Sharmazanov
- Is what’s happening between the RPA and the PA a mere collision, tension or a usual pre-election competition? - The pre-election campaign hasn’t started yet and the coalition parties should realize their functions stipulated by the coalition declaration. The coalition was formed to realize the pre-election promises and policies of the president as well as the goals of the coalition declaration. Not only RPA but also all the other coalition forces should realize that responsibility is a political category. As of the tension then I think the closer we get to elections the more we are going to see all kinds of interpretations and expressions of ambitions. I can only say that the RPA is the main favorite of the political marathon at this stage. In the political race not the sprint (the run-up of 100 meters) but marathon is what matters, which lasts 42 kilometers 195 meters. In sprint your breath may be enough for 100 meters. After that it will be difficult to run. - By saying sprint, do you mean the... [full story]
Does the PA fail promises?
January 31, 2012
During a conversation with us Edward Sharmazanov, the deputy speaker of the parliament, expressed suspects concerning the slogan of the PA saying that “their word is work”. Concerning the recommendation by the PA and Heritage factions to organize hearings in the parliament concerning 100% proportional electoral system, which was supported by the PA too, Edward Sharmazanov said that the PA was not acting fair. “I can only say that they are not honest in their actions. Their justifications are not so well-grounded. I think that those powers can be success in politics that do what they say. This is a political trick, they are not honest and here we see difference between the words and actions. They’d be better to invent something else.” He also referred to the coalition memorandum and said that by signing it the coalition powers had committed to implement the president’s platform. “It should be clear not only to the RPA, but the other coalition powers as well that responsibility...
Not really development
January 28, 2012
The national Statistics Service has published the preliminary information on the macroeconomic situation in 2011, according to which the economic activity indicator during the year was 5,9%. In other words, according to the official statistics the economic growth is about 6%. Former prime-minister Hrant Bagratyan thinks that the information provided by the ANS is a trick. According to Bagratyan, there has been growth of the service sector due to inclusion of the car insurance system, however in fact the car insurance cannot be considered expense or productive activity. According to the former PM, if don’t take into account the mining sector, the growth and development will be zero. “The other trick is the fact that in October they told us that the economic activity indicator was 3% compared to the same period of the previous year.” Now the edited information that is posted in the statistics service web site shows that it was 4,1%. In November it was 2,4, and now it is 3,1. Which one is true?...
“Friends, let’s stop these games”
Armnie AVETYAN | January 28, 2012
- Mr. Bagratyan, there are opinions that the world will undergo the second wave of the global economic crisis, which may be even more powerful. What expectations do you have in this regard? What impact will it have on Armenia? - The world has entered the phase of long-term concerns, which will last 15-20 years. Therefore we don’t have the quiet world anymore to speak about the wave of crisis. In general 2011 was not a bad year for the world. The world economic growth of the year is not analyzed yet but it will reach 3,7-4,2%. The growth rates of China is known – 9,2%, India – 7%, Russia – 4%. The year was principally good for the West as well. The economic growth of the US will soon reach 2,5%, Germany – 3%. There is a problem in the European Zone. The economic growth of France will be 1,5%, Italy’s – 0,5%. Greece had a 5% slump. But one thing is clear for sure. The world debt by the end of the world amounted to 70 trillion USD and the state debt already reaches 50 trillion...
Congratulatory Address by President Serzh Sargsyan on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the creation of the Armed Forces of Armenia
January 28, 2012
Dear Compatriots, Generals, officers, soldiers, Ladies and Gentlemen, I cordially congratulate you on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the creation of the Armed Forces of Armenia. After losing independent statehood, the Armenian nation brought forth many warriors, but was not blessed with having its own army. The Armenian soldiers, officers and generals brought glory to different countries through their personal valor and dedication, but our nation’s sons were deprived of the opportunity to defend jointly interests of the Motherland and rights of the fellow citizens. Twenty years ago, we turned the wheel of history. It that critical time, our nation reinstated its independent statehood and took total responsibility for the protection of its rights and national interests. At the moment of that historic rise, the creation of the Armenian army was one of the most momentous achievements. There was an imperative to thwart the imminent danger of a genocide looming over the Armenian people and, particularly,...
Fat and rich parliamentarians: is this the shortcoming of the electoral law?
Lilit AVAGYAN | January 26, 2012
The opposition political powers of Armenia believe that if the electoral system is transformed to fully proportional system of elections, there will be less electoral violation and falsification. Or, these 41 MPs that are the loyalists of the authorities and business representatives will not be in the parliament anymore. This means that the mechanism of elections does not work in a duly manner because of the law. There must be a small change. The assertion of the opposition is not justified well, meanwhile the reaction of the government is not understandable either. In fact, it is an attempt to create an imitation of a conflict concerning an issue that in fact does not have any influence on elections in Armenia. Such discussions might be useful maybe before the elections in 1995-96. In fact it doesn’t make much difference if the authorities violate with 100% proportional system of elections or majoritarian. The ARF, Heritage, ANC and PA parties have the same opinion concerning this issue and they say that...
Archive
|
Trying
January 28, 2012
During a recent summit in the University of Yerevan dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the army the defense minister Seyran Ohanyan spoke about the role of the army and objective discussions about its situation and said, “It is wrong to make an opinion about the army based on the political situation, processes between political parties, and conditions in the country. These things are changing and are different every time, but the army is doing the same job. We don’t understand why would people praise the army, later criticize, and return to praising again shortly.” Concerning the deaths in the army the minister said, “Every loss is pain, and we take this pain with the families, and we are taking serious actions not only with the administration of the army but the society, law-enforcement bodies and other groups, and we are trying to give the answers everyone deserves.”...
Special investigation department’s report is shame
January 26, 2012
The coordinator of the ANC’s ad hoc on state and legal issues Gagik Jhangiryan has announced that the document, issued by the special investigation department in the end of December, concerning the investigation of the events of March 1,2 has raised new questions and suspects concerning the integrity and objective process of investigation. According to him, it is evident that the police is trying to blackmail all the killed people besides those that served for the police forces. “The goal is to imitate and show to the people that are not aware of the real situation and the international community that those that were killed had bad past and were criminals. Besides that, this report ignores the legality and policy for declaring state of emergency on part Robert Kocharyan and involving the ministry of defense in those activities. Does not this mean that with this order Robert Kocharyan crossed the limit of his rights as president and is responsible for the future crimes?” he said. In answer to...
Unnecessary trust
January 26, 2012
The international human rights defender organization Human Rights Watch has published its annual report, according to which “the Armenian authorities continue to abuse human rights, meanwhile the international partners fail to use their tools to improve the situation”. The report also writes about the events of March 1, 2008, in which it is written that during 2011 Armenia again failed to register improvement in attempts to discover the case of the 10 deaths, limited the freedom of gatherings and failed to negotiate the cases of deaths in the army and prisons in a duly manner. “In more than three years after the tragic events of March 1, 2008, there is no reliable report concerning the disproportional use of power on part of the police,” writes the document. The report also criticizes a number of international partners. According to the Human Rights Watch, some of them have limited their critics addressed to the government. “In October 2011 the PACE adopted a resolution concerning...
Against majoritarian system of elections
January 24, 2012
During yesterday’s conference on adopting a full majoritarian system of elections organized by the Heritage and ARF parties PA representative MP Naira Zohrabyan announced that she was for adopting a fully majoritarian system of elections and said that it would enable to form a political parliament. “Let’s think how many of those 41 MPs elected under the majoritarian system we know and whether they really represent the interests of their constituency,” said Zohrabyan and added that surveys show that people don’t know the MPs elected under the majoritarian system. Concerning John Prescott’s announcement that they are against the cancellation of the majoritarian system N. Zohrabyan said that the PACE did not have the right to make decisions instead of Armenia....
Will meet on January 23
January 21, 2012
By the invitation of the Russian President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev the RA President Serzh Sargsyan will pay an official visit to Sochi. In the framework of this meeting the two presidents will meet. According to the news section of the Armenian President’s Office on the same day the trilateral meeting of the presidents of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan will take place, which will be dedicated to the resolution of the NKR conflict....
|
