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January 16, 2009,
1. No Cents Nonsense: Staples in Yerevan cost more than in
world's "most expensive city"
2. Trial and Error?: "Case of 7" called "mockery" before it has
even started
3. Reality Check: Armenia faces up to the world's problem
4. Infection in Vanadzor: Punishment is ready, guilty is not found
5. Black January: Armenian experts say pogroms in Baku have to be
recognized as
"genocide"
6. Tips online: Website aims to serve as a guideline for repatriates
7. Conflict Settlement: Everything hinges on Karabakh's participation?
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1. NO CENTS NONSENSE: STAPLES IN YEREVAN COST MORE THAN IN WORLD'S
"MOST EXPENSIVE CITY"
Sara Khojoyan
ArmeniaNow reporter
An informal survey by ArmeniaNow has confirmed what residents in
Armenia have felt for sometime: Armenia - and especially its capital,
Yerevan - is no longer a "cheap" place to live.
In fact, anecdotal information gathered from sources abroad shows that
costs of basic food products in Yerevan are hardly less expensive -
and in some cases more expensive - than in cities where the living
comfort level (i.e., public services) far exceeds what is found here.
ArmeniaNow asked acquaintances in certain cities to make notes on
their shopping lists of staples common to every household in Armenia.
(We invite you to do the same: Tell our "comments" section how much
these items cost where you live.) Some replies were expected (Paris is
multiple times higher as is London), but others might not be as you'd
think.
For example: For the past years the Mercer Cost of Living Survey has
found that Moscow is the world's most expensive city. However, when
ArmeniaNow asks consumers there to make a comparison shopping list, we
learned that daily staples are more expensive in Yerevan. In average
costs (determined by shoppers in non-exotic food markets):
- 6 eggs in Yerevan cost $1.08; in Moscow, 80 cents.
- 1 liter of milk in Yerevan, $1.12; Moscow, $1.
- 1 liter of cooking oil in Yerevn, $2.55; Moscow, $1.45.
- 1 kilo sugar in Yerevan, 75 cents; Moscow, 70 cents.
- 1 kilo flour in Yerevan, $1.40; Moscow, 90 cents.
In fact, of six items ArmeniaNow asked shoppers in Moscow to compare,
only potatoes (30 cents p/kilo in Yerevan vs. 70 cents in Moscow) were
cheaper here. And the likely reason is because of the unexpected
bumper crop of potatoes that farmers enjoyed this past harvest in
Armenia.
Meanwhile, in the "World's Most Expensive City", the average citizen's
income rose by almost 30 percent last year according to Moscow
municipality, to $1,000 per month, while the average Armenian makes
$280 (according to State Statistical Services).
Prices were compared according to locally-produced goods - i.e.,
non-import (with the exception of cooking oil and sugar in Armenia's
case), nor organic, non "exotic", etc.
In Munich, Germany, where the average monthly income is $5,800 - 20
times higher than in Armenia -- prices proved nearly the same as in
Yerevan.
Director of Politeconomins research center, economist Andranik
Tevanyan brings three reasons for such high prices: "First of all it
is the lack of a competitive market in Armenia, as a result of which
prices do not change the same way and at the same time as in the world
market."
"The second reason is shipment expenses added to imported goods and by
that raising their gross prices (applicable in this survey to cooking
oil and sugar). And, finally, the third reason is the tax-budget and
monetary policy of Armenia, which is too severe and puts tax
pressure on businesses, so that they are unable to respond to world
prices. "
While the Government of Armenia implements each year a program to
increase the gross income and/or pensions, residents here will hardly
feel the $16 per month - especially if predictions of impending
hardship related to the global financial crisis prove true.
Yerevan follows the global trend of cost of living increases, yet the
capital is far from catching up to other metropolitan centers when it
comes to simple conveniences that should be expected to go along with
paying more to live in a place. Example:
- Residential buildings - even in the city center - do not have central heating.
- Most buildings still do not have 24-hour water service (water comes
once in the morning, once in late afternoon).
- Garbage lies piled in festering heaps due to inadequate collection service.
- Only major streets and sidewalks are cleared of ice in winter
creating hazards.
- Internet service - even for those who can afford to pay nearly $70 a
month - is too slow to be practical compared to other parts of the
developed world.
(For comparison: A subscriber to the most popular dial-up service in
Armenia - for which he pays about $70 a month -- wanted to download
the latest version of Itunes software. The subscriber was notified
that download time would be 6 hours, 47 minutes. A friend of
ArmeniaNow in California was asked to try the same download. The user
there pays $50 a month -- and the download time was just two minutes.)
Surely, such comparisons are far from scientific and do not build all
variables into the equation. Still, they serve to illustrate the
growing awareness and growing dis-satisfaction of Armenia's nascent
middle-class (to say nothing of those in lower incomes or the socially
vurnerable), that while quality of life is indeed improving here, it
comes at a cost greater than the amount of comfort it affords.
Heghine Balyan, 49, could hardly care about the download time of
Itunes. For her, as with hundreds of thousands here, quality of life
is secondary to living.
Heghine's family of seven lives off her husband's parents' pensions
and money from their two sons' salaries. From their monthly income of
about $320, about $195 is spent on food.
For low-income families and pensioners, the battle against cost hikes
has always been a challenge for survival.
But the reality of today's Armenia is that even those who have risen
out of the grip of "break-even" family financing are finding it
difficult to achieve the marks of success they might have expected
from their middle-class status.
Nelly Shishmanyan, 26 lives with her husband and 1year-old baby in
Yerevan. Her family is considered middle class because her husband
earns more than $1000. Still, she says it is very difficult to have a
proper living on that money in Yerevan.
"I spend at least $70 for diapers every month. The other $70 we pay
for telephone. We rent our apartment and pay $330 for that. We wait
for our second baby and when I plan to buy things for him it becomes
difficult to manage our monthly family budget. Even when you go to a
market - you should know that you will spend some $20-30 for sure".
"So how can I afford to give my baby to a private kindergarten and pay
for that at least $200 even if I am sure that my baby will receive all
needed attention and care? And how can I spend my holydays abroad? I
think if one has some $1500-1700 monthly income and saves some
$200-300 monthly maybe he or she can manage to go abroad once a year,"
says Nelly.
An economist and lector at Armenian State University of Economics Zoya
Tadevosyan says there is no middle-class in Armenia. She divides
Armenians into very poor, low-class and oligarchs.
"As a scientist and politician (Heritage Party) I consider myself as
low class because I can't afford many things that a middle-class
person could. I can't save money or do investments because my income
is enough only for basic goods and services.
How Yerevan compares (prices averaged lowest-to-highest):
Yerevan Moscow Tehran Lit tle Armenia Ca. USA Munich
6 eggs $1.08 80 cents $0.8 -1 $1.39 $2.45
1 liter cooking oil $2.55 $1.45 $1- 1.5 $2.15 $1.30
1 liter milk $1.13 $1 $0.8-1 $1.69 60 cents
1 kilo sugar 70 cents 75 cents $0.6 $1.20 95 cents
1 kilo potatoes 30 cents 70 cents $0.35 $1.80 60 cents
1 kilo flour $1.40 90 cents $1 $2.25 55 cents
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2. TRIAL AND ERROR?: "CASE OF 7" CALLED "MOCKERY" BEFORE IT HAS EVEN STARTED
Gayane Abrahamyan
ArmeniaNow reporter
Armenia's so-called "Case of 7" court hearing has been postponed 6
times since it began on December 19, because the defendants refuse to
stand when Judge Mnatsakan Martirosyan enters the hearing room.
Stemming from the violent and deadly post-election clashes last March
1, Former Foreign Minister of Armenia Alexander Arzumanyan, NA
deputies Hakob Hakobyan, Sasun Mikayelyan and Myasnik Malkhasyan,
former mayor of Abovyan Grigor Voskercyan, members of Armenian
National Movement political party Suren Sirunyan and Shant
Haroutyunyan are accused of violating Article 225 on Mass Disorder,
point 3 ("Mass disorder accompanied with murder...") and Article 300
on Usurping State Power, point 1 ("1. Usurping state power, i.e.
seizure of state power, in violation of the Constitution of the
Republic of Armenia, or keeping it with violence....) of the RA
criminal code, punished with 6-15 years of imprisonment.
Myasnik Malkhasyan is also charged with personally leading the mob
which was showing resistance to the police, and Sasun Mikayelyan is
charged with illegal gun possession.
The case of the 10 people killed on March 1 has also been attached to
this case of 41 volumes and nearly 12,000 pages; legal successors of
the victims have been brought as the aggrieved party in this legal
case. So full responsibility for the victims of March 1 events is put
on these seven people and in the course of the law suit the
prosecution has to prove that they are the ones guilty of murder of 10
people.
Even though the trial has not started in earnest, it has drawn regular
protestors. Some 200 gather outside General jurisdiction court in
Shengavit with big posters saying "The best guys are in jail", "I'll
be the next" and "Freedom". Attorneys and legal experts say that the
case is flawed with flagrant violations and that's the reason why the
court keeps dragging out the process.
"According to Article 314 (The Order of Court Sittings) of RA Criminal
Procedure Code, they can have defendants to be taken away and postpone
the hearing, but only when the court is implementing a fair trial,
whereas in this case the court has accepted a flawed legal case full
of violations, with the victims' relatives brought as legal
successors, which means the guilt for all the killed people is shifted
upon these seven people. All these demonstrate the fact that the court
is not impartial, hence is not perceived or respected as such," says
oppositionist MP Zara Postanjyan, an attorney.
Prosecutor Koryun Piloyan insists on the opposite, saying that the
defense has a purpose in artificially dragging out the trial.
"In fact, the logics of the defense strategy is as follows: to delay
for so long that public trial does not take place and, hence, the
public would not be able to find out what really happened on March 1,"
Piloyan told ArmeniaNow.
Mikayel Daniyelyan, head of Helsinki Association, told ArmeniaNow,
that for many times during March-1-related trials when the defendant
did not stand up, which however did not result in the court striking
an attitude, so they continued the sitting.
"They did not stand up at the first sitting too, but the court
nonetheless continued the hearing. That day it became clear that the
case has many shortcomings, that is the reason they are now trying to
win time to say what can be done," says Danielyan.
"The contradictions of this legal case make it clear even to those
knowing nothing about legal processes that it is completely political
and made to order."
Yet during his November visit the Council of Europe Commissioner for
Human Rights Thomas Hammarberg said that "there aren't solid proofs
available on the ground of which an independent court could accuse
those seven people or charge them with usurpation of state power."
And according to RA Ombudsman Armen Harutyunyan, this legal case will
become "the litmus paper" of the whole chain of trials on March
events.
"The prosecution does not possess enough evidence and its accusation
line is not convincing. Two months ago the case attorneys submitted
the inaccuracies and violations in the legal case to me, to which I
said and I am now repeating that the violations are so obvious that
even if half of the facts brought are true it is already a disgrace
for the country," says the Ombudsman.
The most outstanding violation in the case is that the case of the 10
people killed has been attached to it, whereas it has already been
proven and stated by the prosecution for a number of times, that 3
people had died at the hands of police using "Cheryomukha 7" -- a
term referring to having been shot by over-sized, gas powered bullets.
A month ago the prosecution even made public the investigation
results: there were 4 policemen who had used that kind of special
means, however, Armenian forensics were unable to identify which
policemen's bullets caused the deaths of those three people.
"On the one hand they prove that three people were killed by the
police, and on the other, they attach the cases of those same people
to the 'Case of 7', this is simply a mockery not a law suit; so the
message is that no matter what the evidence is, the opposition should
be held accountable for everything," says Danielyan.
ArmeniaNow ask the state prosecutor handling the case, Koryun Piloyan,
to respond to allegations that his case is weak. The attorney refused
to answer ArmeniaNow's questions saying that when the trial starts
everything will become clear and comprehensible.
"We have undeniable evidence of their guilt and when this show is over
and the trial finally starts we will prove that," says Piloyan.
Legal successors of the victims were in the court demanding to start
the law suit and expressing their doubts on why they got engaged in
this legal case.
Jemma Vardanyan, March 1 victim David Petrosyan's mother, told
ArmeniaNow that she knows perfectly well who is guilty in her son's
death and that the trial is just a means to "cover up the case"
Another victim Tigran Khachatryan's mother, Alla Hovhannisyan, is also
angry that her son's case has been attached to the "Case of 7".
"It has long been proved that my son died of special means, which
means the police killed him, and now they have brought us here as an
aggrieved party in this law suit. The impression is that they are
simply mocking us. It is very offensive. Why haven't they, for
example, taken those four policemen under arrest, why? " Hovhannisyan
told ArmeniaNow.
Head of "Supreme Council Deputy Club" NGO Ruben Torosyan believes that
"pure vengeance" is what's happening in this legal case.
"The authorities have a bitter enmity towards the majority of people
involved in this legal case, something that has been proven on a
number of other occasions: some are perceived by the authorities as
traitors and they won't miss their chance now to get even with them,"
says Torosyan.
Court is to resume on January 30.
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3. REALITY CHECK: ARMENIA FACES UP TO THE WORLD'S PROBLEM
Gayane Lazarian
ArmeniaNow reporter
As recently as a few months ago officials here arrogantly maintained
that tiny, insular Armenia would somehow be untouched by the world
financial crisis.
But as the republic awakes from its long holiday season that saw
unprecedented consumption opportunities (one supermarket offered a
full shark for about $1,300), speculation turns to the reality that
hard times are soon likely.
Economist, lector at Armenian State University of Economics and
Heritage party member Zoya Tadevosyan expects drastic job cuts and
major decreases in remittances from abroad plus a decrease of state
budget revenues, and unpaid wages.
"Whether we have overcome the 'first wave' of the financial crisis, or
not, we still have to wait for the 'Decuman wave'," she says -
implying that surge may follow the current wave.
.Economist Andranik Tevanyan, head of the Politeconomy Center agrees
that the result of the crisis on Armenia will be (already are)
decreased sums of private transfers, cuts in financing various
international projects as well as decrease in the amount of "cheap
money" (transfers that have insignificant impact on the local economy)
through the banking system.
Authorities here continue to maintain that Armenia is safe against
devastating effects of the crises, due to the nature of its sources of
major income.
Gagik Minasyan, head of the standing commission for finance-credit and
budgetary issues of the National Assembly says a number of projects -
creation of Pan-Armenian Bank, construction of the new nuclear power
plant, exploitation of the Meghri-Batumi automobile highway, as well
as decreasing the volume of shadow economy, will safeguard Armenia
against the crisis.
"300 large taxpayers provide 65 percent of our budget; the small and
medium businesses provide 5-7 percent. We anticipate 25 percent
increase in tax revenues in 2009 to be provided by cutting the scale
of the shadow economy," he says.
Former chairman of the Central Bank of Armenia Bagrat Asatryan stated
in an interview to Radio Liberty that unemployment will be a priority
issue for Armenia's economy in 2009.
"That is conditioned with a series of circumstances, qualitative
changes in the working environment an Armenian worker is used to that
will be followed with loss of jobs particularly in Russia; the second
important factor is that the hidden unemployment in the sphere of
agriculture will reveal itself particularly in 2009," Asatryan stated
- referring to legislation that requires farm workers to be accounted
for beginning this year.
The experts say they anticipate no double digit economic growth of the
previous years in 2009, due to both objective and subjective reasons.
The first group of reasons refers to the world economic crisis,
whereas the second relates to pre- and post-election processes, the
behavioral changes of the capital tending to more reservedness and
anticipation, conditioned with the March 1 events. The decrease in
economic activities is caused by the tax and customs policies of the
government, the experts say.
"The first victims of tax collection were the small and medium
businesses. The large businesses are known to export capital. The
authorities redistribute property by exploiting repressive methods of
tax collection under the slogan of fight against the shadow economy,"
Tevanyan explains.
The State Statistical Service of Armenia says Armenia registered
economic growth of 7.2 percent in January-November 2008, which points
to a drop in the pace of GDP growth; the tendency will persist also in
2009.
Tevanyan also calls worrisome the issue of the negative foreign trade
balance. Armenia imports goods of $4 billion more than it exports. As
of the data for 11 months the volume of exports dropped by 4.5
percent, whereas imports grew by 39.5 percent.
"This means we lose our economic competitiveness. The correlation of
dollar to dram of the recent years, the appreciation of the dram
directly hit producers, particularly those who export," he says.
Prime Minister Bagrat Asatryan stated at the first government session
this year the most important things to be done in 2009 will relate to
the sphere of entrepreneurship, and promised radical changes. The
number one target in improving the governance in tax and customs will
be the large business, as the government will introduce new rules of
the game, he said.
"Large businesses will have to publicize the results of their
activities affirmed by auditors in the press and the public will be
able to control them," the PM said.
Sargsyan, former chairman of the Central Bank, mentioned there is also
a problem of large importers' monopolies that affects inflation.
"Look, the prices for oil products have dropped in the world. If
Russia's curve (the lowering of common goods' prices there) continued
in Armenia, the petrol here would cost about 200 drams (about 70
cents). The price for bread would have dropped for 30 percent,"
Asatryan said.
Official statistics show the average salary in the republic in
January-September 2008 made 88,672 drams (about $290), 20.3 percent
more than in the same period of 2007. The consumer goods price index
in January-September 2008 shows that prices rose by 9.6 percent.
"Contrary to the general tendencies in the world the prices for
priority consumer goods continue to grow, exceeding the average salary
growth index in general. If we add the number of future unemployed, we
can get the full picture of the social situation we will appear in the
near future," says Tadevosyan - meaning that common folk will be worse
off.
Gagik Tsarukyan, leader of Prosperous Armenia Party believes there is
need to give a chance to businesspeople to avoid cuts that will result
in unemployment. He thinks businesspeople have to be given privileges.
PAP came up with a statement suggesting that all other questions be
laid aside to think only about supporting entrepreneurs. The
parliamentary faction of the party also voted against the tax package
suggested by the government.
Ecnomist Tevanyan suggests to review the 2009 state budget before it's
too late. The state, he says, has to cut the expenses and decrease the
benchmark for state revenue collection.
"In the global economic crisis, all countries take the path of
protectionism, trying to save their markets, decrease taxes, directly
subsidize the private sector in case of availability of means," he
says. "Whereas here they say let's do everything, but don't touch the
budget. The reason is obvious - because the budget is a tool in the
hands of the authorities to keep the political control by terrorizing
with taxes."
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4. INFECTION IN VANADZOR: PUNISHMENT IS READY, GUILTY IS NOT FOUND
Naira Bulghadaryan
ArmeniaNow Vanadzor reporter
A law firm in Vanadzor plans to appeal to the court to get
compensation for residents who suffered an infectious intestinal
disease last October in Vanadzor.
About 1,000 residents, mostly children, were made ill (none fatal) by
bacteria that the Ministry of Healthcare said was caused by the city
water supply.
Populex wants to make the so-called strategic court trial a precedent
in Vanadzor. Edmon Marukyan, a lawyer at the company, insists
unambiguously that the infection was a case of consumer rights
violation.
"From the very beginning to the last court session, this is a
procedure of rights protection and restoration of the rights of a
group of people," the lawyer says.
Apart from the decision of the Health Ministry the prosecutor's office
of the Lori province in its turn has instituted legal proceedings for
a criminal case last October. The case was instigated upon an order
from the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Armenia, after the
results of check-ups on infection cases in the province proving to
exceed the average level, were discussed.
Until now the prosecutor's office has not determined who to charge.
"We still do not have the list of persons in charge," says Karen
Shahbazyan, prosecutor of the Lori province.
"We will define the reason and who failed to perform his duties to
what extent after we get the results of examination by the
commission," Shahbazyan said.
The preliminary investigation body questioned 200 patients within the
past three months and a commission of experts in agriculture,
healthcare and water supply was also formed.
The prosecutor still does not blame the water supply company -- Lori
Jrmugh-koyughi -- until the examination within the preliminary
investigation is finished.
Suspicions pointed to the source as being a brand of Canadian sausage
or fish or eggs, until the MOH laid the blame with the water company.
However the director of the company which is blamed for the infection
claims that his company has nothing to do with that. Ararat Ginosyan,
director of the Lori Jrmugh-koyughi assures the water has been
supplied in compliance with norms.
"The conclusion of the Ministry of Healthcare has not reached me yet,
because it is not proved up to this day the water factor has become a
reason of the spread of infection," asserts Ginosyan.
Vanadzor gets water from several water pipelines not interrelated,
whereas the infection was spread all over the town. Ginosyan said that
fact excludes infection originated from the water.
Zemfira Ghazaryan, head of the quality supervision unit of the water
supplier company asserted the quality of water complies with the set
standards for at least 98 percent, if not for 100.
The attorney will sue to have his clients reimbursed for money spent
on treatment of the infection.
By appealing to the lawyers Anahit Mkhitaryan, 48, wanted to find out
what was the true reason of infection. She does not believe it was the
drinking water that became a reason for her daughter's illness.
Christina Torosyan, a young mother of 26, has appealed to Populex
anticipating a compensation for the infection of her 1.5 year-old
child. Another 39 residents of the town have appealed to the legal
adviser company in a similar hope.
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5. BLACK JANUARY: ARMENIAN EXPERTS SAY POGROMS IN BAKU HAVE TO BE RECOGNIZED AS
"GENOCIDE"
Marina Grigoryan
ArmeniaNow Reporter
Every January the Armenian community commemorates the victims of 1990
Baku pogroms- one of the cruelest and bloodiest pages in the history
of the Karabakh conflict.
For six days, January 13-19, the Azerbaijani capital became a
slaughter zone as a result of which, according to different estimates,
from 120 to 300 Armenians were murdered by Azeris, tens of thousands
were raped and tortured. Those who survived were banished from their
historic home. (Until 1988 470-480,000 Armenians lived in Azerbaijan,
260-270,000 out of whom were residents of Baku. By January of 1990 the
remaining 25-30,000 Armenians of Baku were banished from the country.)
Meanwhile many think that the Baku pogroms did get either legal or
political assessment they deserved inside Armenia itself.
Now, 19 years after the tragic events, on the initiative of Assembly
of Azerbaijani Armenians NGO, Heritage parliament faction is drafting
a statement on "Recognition of actions taken in 1988-1992 by the Azeri
authorities towards the local Armenian population in numerous
settlements across the Azerbaijani SSR and the Autonomous Region of
Nagorno Karabakh (later the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh) as genocide"
The Assembly Chairman Grigori Ayvazyan says they have turned not only
to the National Assembly of Armenia with their initiative, but also to
several NGOs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia (MFA), the
OSCE Minks Group and the embassies of its co-chairing countries, as
well as to a number of other structures.
"In our appeal to OSCE we pointed out that in the negotiation process
it's illegitimate to raise the question of return of only Azeri
refugees to their former domiciles. Return can either be reciprocal or
none at all. The French Embassy in Armenia (France being one of OSCE
Minsk group co-chairing countries) has responded saying that the issue
of Armenian refugees is key in the negotiation process and that the
interests of all the sides involved have to be taken into
consideration in order to guarantee the establishment of long-term
peace in the conflict zone. Besides that, we have positive responses
from several deputies and the Foreign Ministry," Ayvazyan told
ArmeniaNow.
Heritage faction's statement provides grounds why Armenia has to
recognize the above-mentioned events as genocide and has a package of
relevant documentation attached to the statement.
"It's absolutely obvious that we are not dealing with accidental
actions or mass disorder, but with a purposeful, deliberate and
long-term policy of Azerbaijan. It's extremely important to emphasize
that both legal and political realities following the pogroms
completely exclude the return of Armenians to Baku. So in this case
people are deprived of their right to return to their historic homes,"
says Larisa Alaverdyan, Heritage faction MP.
By the Assembly's request the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute has
drawn a reference-paper stating how the actions against the Armenians
of Azerbaijan correspond to 1984 UN Convention on prevention and
punishment for the crime of genocide.
"To my mind, we are late not only with such a statement but on the
whole with collection of related information and making a file on
Armenian pogroms in Baku," Hayk Demoyan, director of the Genocide
Museum, told ArmeniaNow. "Our reference shows according to which
parameters the 1988-1992 events against the Armenians in Azerbaijan
correspond to the UN Convention provisions on genocide."
According to many experts and observers, the issue of compensation to
Armenian refuges who left a huge amount of both movable and immovable
property in Azerbaijan, has never found an adequate reflection in the
course of the negotiation process.
"In my opinion, the first step in this direction has to be taken by
the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh which, after its declaration of
independence, must have taken up the state and legal responsibility
for those Armenians banished from Azerbaijan," says professor
Alexander Manasyan, head of Academy of Political Studies NGO, who also
says that the statement has to be adopted.
Armenian pogroms in Baku took place in Soviet times and were condoned
by not only the authorities and law-enforcement bodies of Soviet
Azerbaijan, but also the Moscow Central Government. The troops
interfered only on January 19 when practically no Armenians were left
in the city. At the same time thousands of Russian and Jewish families
were also forced to leave the city.
"The adoption of the statement will enable us to finally turn that
tragic page of Armenia's modern history," says Alaverdyan. "The lack
of official assessment on the part of the Armenian State means that
such crime can be repeated, and the present hostile rhetoric of the
leader of Azerbaijan serves as proof to that."
The statement drafted by the Heritage faction is currently being
studied by the Legal department of the National Assembly of Armenia.
**************************************** ************************************
6. TIPS ONLINE: WEBSITE AIMS TO SERVE AS A GUIDELINE FOR REPATRIATES
By Siranuysh Gevorgyan
Armenians who live abroad and wish to be back to Armenia now have the
opportunity to be more informed about the legislation of their
motherland by visiting www.backtoarmenia.am website.
Created by the initiative of the migration agency of the RA ministry
of territorial administration the website (launched half a year ago)
is to favor the repatriation of the Armenians that live in other
countries. During six months more than 200 visitors to the site have
used it to get answers to questions. The project is financed by
British Council and "International Center for Human Development".
On the website could be found information about issues such as health,
education, citizenship, military service and others.
Irina Davtyan, the director of migration department of the migration
agency says that most of the people that turned to them were Armenians
who live in European countries. Most of the 200 or so queries were
interested in dual citizenship, military service and questions
connected to the RA Passports.
For the purpose of informing about the website to the Armenians
abroad, the Migration Agency turned to the embassies in RA and to the
different Armenian companies, and also put the announcement about the
website in the Armenian media.
Davtyan says: "This way, the Armenians that live here can inform their
relatives that live abroad (by telling about the site".
According to official data since 1992 about 1 million people left
Armenia. Statistics also say the amount of people leaving Armenia
surpasses the amount of people that came to the republic (1.2 people
came to Armenia during the period from January to November while at
the same time 1.3 million left). So the amount of people that turned
to the website, testifies that repatriation is not one of the nearest
plans of the emigrants yet.
In this website the readers may get information on four levels. First
is the RA legislation; that is through the legal acts that
systematizes different spheres of public life, people can get answers
to the questions they are interested in.
In the second level visitors of the website can get information about
the following spheres of public life in Armenia in the way of
questions and answers: health, education, citizenship, military
service, pension and allowances.
In the third level the RA citizens who live abroad, can send the
questions they are interested in right to the website and in the
fourth level the visitor to the website can communicate online to the
corresponding official.
"We have contact persons in all the ministries, with the help of who
we will connect to the corresponding official", says Davtyan, adding
however till now no visitor of the website had a wish to talk to any
official, but in case if there is a desire, it can be arranged.
**************************************** ************************************
7. CONFLICT SETTLEMENT: EVERYTHING HINGES ON KARABAKH'S PARTICIPATION?
Naira Hayrumyan
ArmeniaNow Karabakh reporter
The first visit of OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen to the Karabakh
conflict zone in 2009 is expected during the coming week. The US
co-chairman Mathew Bryza said there are plans to meet presidents of
Azerbaijan and Armenia to discuss "basic principles".
Officially, Karabakh's non-participation is conditioned by the fact
that Robert Kocharyan who was elected president of NKR in 1996 was
later appointed to the position of RA Prime-Minister. He then became
the president of Armenia and took up the obligation of representing
both Armenia and Karabakh in the negotiation process. During the 10
years of his 2 terms that was the situation. But even during those 10
years when no visible transformations in the settlement process took
place, analysts kept bringing up the necessity of returning to
trilateral format of negotiations.
Manvel Sargsyan is one such analyst. In 1994, when he was NKR
representative in Armenia, Sargsyan took an active part in trilateral
negotiations of Armenia-Azerbaijan-Karabakh (he later became an
adviser to NKR president on political issues).
"During the past years assessments of the Karabakh conflict by the
international community have undergone drastic quality changes. The
essence of the Karabakh issue, for the most part, has been brought
down to a territorial argument with an emphasized assessment of the
fact that the right to those lands belongs to Azerbaijan, whereas
initially the conflict started because of Azerbaijan hindering
Karabakh's aspiration for self-determination," Sargsyan told
ArmeniaNow.
In Sargsyan's opinion, the whole diplomacy of Armenia and NKR was
initially aimed at the solution of one issue: strengthening NKR's
independent role as a subject of war and diplomacy, which was a
security guarantee for the people of Karabakh.
"For some reasons, since 1998, the Armenian authorities have ignored
the given circumstance and, to some degree, have accustomed the
community to their own approach. But the time is up now- the
atmosphere around NKR is starting to take not quite rosy colorings.
And the reasons aren't exactly a matter of a day or two, they have
been accumulating for many years" Sargsyan said.
Karabakh showed little resistance to being removed from the
negotiation process. Too close ties between the Armenian and Karabakh
authorities, Stepanakert's economic dependence from Yerevan (more than
half the income of Karabakh state budget comes from the interstate
loan given by Armenia) do not allow the authorities of Karabakh to go
against their Armenian colleagues. Only once, in 2006, NKR former
president Arkadi Ghukasyan publicly called upon Armenia to step aside
from the negotiations, in which case Baku would have to communicate
directly with Karabakh. That caused a negative reaction in Yerevan:
then President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan recommended his colleague
"not to fish in troubled waters".
Prior to the end of his term, in the summer of 2007, President
Ghukasyan stated that Nagorno Karabakh is being informed about the
details of the negotiations. "However," he said, "we are not an
immediate participant of the negotiations, and that is a problem,
because we are deprived of the opportunity to feel all the nuances
taking place in the process."
And a few days before saying good-bye to the presidential chair Robert
Kocharyan, who had been heading Armenia for 10 years, threatened that
the recent developments in both the conflict settlement and regional
processes were forcing Armenia and Karabakh to modify their approaches
in regard with the security and status of Karabakh.
Answering reporters' questions, Kocharyan pointed out that "there are
two options: either to recognize Karabakh's independence or replace
recognition by signing an agreement between Armenia and Karabakh on
collective defense, mutual collaboration in solving urgent issues and
imperative participation in case of an aggression."
However, despite Kocharyan's "threat", Armenia, just as expected, did
not step out of the negotiation process "if Karabakh does not join
it".
Just the opposite, after President Serzh Sargsyan took office,
bilateral format of negotiations has asserted itself once and for all
and was officially consolidated in the "Moscow Agreement" of November
2, 2008. After signing the declaration a new wave of protest rose in
Karabakh and Armenia demanding to restore Karabakh's participation in
the negotiation process. NKR authorities stated that they are not
going to implement agreements reached behind their back.
Mediators have also stated the need for Karabakh's participation in
the negotiations. Moreover, during the December 2008 meeting with
Karabakh parliamentarians French co-chairman of OSCE Minsk group
Bernard Fussier stated that the issue "has to be clarified between
Armenia and Karabakh".
It's not clear yet whether the issue of Karabakh's participation in
the negotiations will be discussed or not during the forthcoming visit
of the co-chairmen. However, it appears that the process of conflict
settlement hinges on that very issue.
Administration Address: 26 Parpetsi St., No 9
Phone: +(374 1) 532422
Email: [email protected]
Internet: www.armenianow.com
Technical Assistance: (For technical assistance please contact Babken
Juharyan)
Email: [email protected]
*************************** **************************************************
January 16, 2009,
1. No Cents Nonsense: Staples in Yerevan cost more than in
world's "most expensive city"
2. Trial and Error?: "Case of 7" called "mockery" before it has
even started
3. Reality Check: Armenia faces up to the world's problem
4. Infection in Vanadzor: Punishment is ready, guilty is not found
5. Black January: Armenian experts say pogroms in Baku have to be
recognized as
"genocide"
6. Tips online: Website aims to serve as a guideline for repatriates
7. Conflict Settlement: Everything hinges on Karabakh's participation?
********************************* *******************************************
1. NO CENTS NONSENSE: STAPLES IN YEREVAN COST MORE THAN IN WORLD'S
"MOST EXPENSIVE CITY"
Sara Khojoyan
ArmeniaNow reporter
An informal survey by ArmeniaNow has confirmed what residents in
Armenia have felt for sometime: Armenia - and especially its capital,
Yerevan - is no longer a "cheap" place to live.
In fact, anecdotal information gathered from sources abroad shows that
costs of basic food products in Yerevan are hardly less expensive -
and in some cases more expensive - than in cities where the living
comfort level (i.e., public services) far exceeds what is found here.
ArmeniaNow asked acquaintances in certain cities to make notes on
their shopping lists of staples common to every household in Armenia.
(We invite you to do the same: Tell our "comments" section how much
these items cost where you live.) Some replies were expected (Paris is
multiple times higher as is London), but others might not be as you'd
think.
For example: For the past years the Mercer Cost of Living Survey has
found that Moscow is the world's most expensive city. However, when
ArmeniaNow asks consumers there to make a comparison shopping list, we
learned that daily staples are more expensive in Yerevan. In average
costs (determined by shoppers in non-exotic food markets):
- 6 eggs in Yerevan cost $1.08; in Moscow, 80 cents.
- 1 liter of milk in Yerevan, $1.12; Moscow, $1.
- 1 liter of cooking oil in Yerevn, $2.55; Moscow, $1.45.
- 1 kilo sugar in Yerevan, 75 cents; Moscow, 70 cents.
- 1 kilo flour in Yerevan, $1.40; Moscow, 90 cents.
In fact, of six items ArmeniaNow asked shoppers in Moscow to compare,
only potatoes (30 cents p/kilo in Yerevan vs. 70 cents in Moscow) were
cheaper here. And the likely reason is because of the unexpected
bumper crop of potatoes that farmers enjoyed this past harvest in
Armenia.
Meanwhile, in the "World's Most Expensive City", the average citizen's
income rose by almost 30 percent last year according to Moscow
municipality, to $1,000 per month, while the average Armenian makes
$280 (according to State Statistical Services).
Prices were compared according to locally-produced goods - i.e.,
non-import (with the exception of cooking oil and sugar in Armenia's
case), nor organic, non "exotic", etc.
In Munich, Germany, where the average monthly income is $5,800 - 20
times higher than in Armenia -- prices proved nearly the same as in
Yerevan.
Director of Politeconomins research center, economist Andranik
Tevanyan brings three reasons for such high prices: "First of all it
is the lack of a competitive market in Armenia, as a result of which
prices do not change the same way and at the same time as in the world
market."
"The second reason is shipment expenses added to imported goods and by
that raising their gross prices (applicable in this survey to cooking
oil and sugar). And, finally, the third reason is the tax-budget and
monetary policy of Armenia, which is too severe and puts tax
pressure on businesses, so that they are unable to respond to world
prices. "
While the Government of Armenia implements each year a program to
increase the gross income and/or pensions, residents here will hardly
feel the $16 per month - especially if predictions of impending
hardship related to the global financial crisis prove true.
Yerevan follows the global trend of cost of living increases, yet the
capital is far from catching up to other metropolitan centers when it
comes to simple conveniences that should be expected to go along with
paying more to live in a place. Example:
- Residential buildings - even in the city center - do not have central heating.
- Most buildings still do not have 24-hour water service (water comes
once in the morning, once in late afternoon).
- Garbage lies piled in festering heaps due to inadequate collection service.
- Only major streets and sidewalks are cleared of ice in winter
creating hazards.
- Internet service - even for those who can afford to pay nearly $70 a
month - is too slow to be practical compared to other parts of the
developed world.
(For comparison: A subscriber to the most popular dial-up service in
Armenia - for which he pays about $70 a month -- wanted to download
the latest version of Itunes software. The subscriber was notified
that download time would be 6 hours, 47 minutes. A friend of
ArmeniaNow in California was asked to try the same download. The user
there pays $50 a month -- and the download time was just two minutes.)
Surely, such comparisons are far from scientific and do not build all
variables into the equation. Still, they serve to illustrate the
growing awareness and growing dis-satisfaction of Armenia's nascent
middle-class (to say nothing of those in lower incomes or the socially
vurnerable), that while quality of life is indeed improving here, it
comes at a cost greater than the amount of comfort it affords.
Heghine Balyan, 49, could hardly care about the download time of
Itunes. For her, as with hundreds of thousands here, quality of life
is secondary to living.
Heghine's family of seven lives off her husband's parents' pensions
and money from their two sons' salaries. From their monthly income of
about $320, about $195 is spent on food.
For low-income families and pensioners, the battle against cost hikes
has always been a challenge for survival.
But the reality of today's Armenia is that even those who have risen
out of the grip of "break-even" family financing are finding it
difficult to achieve the marks of success they might have expected
from their middle-class status.
Nelly Shishmanyan, 26 lives with her husband and 1year-old baby in
Yerevan. Her family is considered middle class because her husband
earns more than $1000. Still, she says it is very difficult to have a
proper living on that money in Yerevan.
"I spend at least $70 for diapers every month. The other $70 we pay
for telephone. We rent our apartment and pay $330 for that. We wait
for our second baby and when I plan to buy things for him it becomes
difficult to manage our monthly family budget. Even when you go to a
market - you should know that you will spend some $20-30 for sure".
"So how can I afford to give my baby to a private kindergarten and pay
for that at least $200 even if I am sure that my baby will receive all
needed attention and care? And how can I spend my holydays abroad? I
think if one has some $1500-1700 monthly income and saves some
$200-300 monthly maybe he or she can manage to go abroad once a year,"
says Nelly.
An economist and lector at Armenian State University of Economics Zoya
Tadevosyan says there is no middle-class in Armenia. She divides
Armenians into very poor, low-class and oligarchs.
"As a scientist and politician (Heritage Party) I consider myself as
low class because I can't afford many things that a middle-class
person could. I can't save money or do investments because my income
is enough only for basic goods and services.
How Yerevan compares (prices averaged lowest-to-highest):
Yerevan Moscow Tehran Lit tle Armenia Ca. USA Munich
6 eggs $1.08 80 cents $0.8 -1 $1.39 $2.45
1 liter cooking oil $2.55 $1.45 $1- 1.5 $2.15 $1.30
1 liter milk $1.13 $1 $0.8-1 $1.69 60 cents
1 kilo sugar 70 cents 75 cents $0.6 $1.20 95 cents
1 kilo potatoes 30 cents 70 cents $0.35 $1.80 60 cents
1 kilo flour $1.40 90 cents $1 $2.25 55 cents
******************************************* *********************************
2. TRIAL AND ERROR?: "CASE OF 7" CALLED "MOCKERY" BEFORE IT HAS EVEN STARTED
Gayane Abrahamyan
ArmeniaNow reporter
Armenia's so-called "Case of 7" court hearing has been postponed 6
times since it began on December 19, because the defendants refuse to
stand when Judge Mnatsakan Martirosyan enters the hearing room.
Stemming from the violent and deadly post-election clashes last March
1, Former Foreign Minister of Armenia Alexander Arzumanyan, NA
deputies Hakob Hakobyan, Sasun Mikayelyan and Myasnik Malkhasyan,
former mayor of Abovyan Grigor Voskercyan, members of Armenian
National Movement political party Suren Sirunyan and Shant
Haroutyunyan are accused of violating Article 225 on Mass Disorder,
point 3 ("Mass disorder accompanied with murder...") and Article 300
on Usurping State Power, point 1 ("1. Usurping state power, i.e.
seizure of state power, in violation of the Constitution of the
Republic of Armenia, or keeping it with violence....) of the RA
criminal code, punished with 6-15 years of imprisonment.
Myasnik Malkhasyan is also charged with personally leading the mob
which was showing resistance to the police, and Sasun Mikayelyan is
charged with illegal gun possession.
The case of the 10 people killed on March 1 has also been attached to
this case of 41 volumes and nearly 12,000 pages; legal successors of
the victims have been brought as the aggrieved party in this legal
case. So full responsibility for the victims of March 1 events is put
on these seven people and in the course of the law suit the
prosecution has to prove that they are the ones guilty of murder of 10
people.
Even though the trial has not started in earnest, it has drawn regular
protestors. Some 200 gather outside General jurisdiction court in
Shengavit with big posters saying "The best guys are in jail", "I'll
be the next" and "Freedom". Attorneys and legal experts say that the
case is flawed with flagrant violations and that's the reason why the
court keeps dragging out the process.
"According to Article 314 (The Order of Court Sittings) of RA Criminal
Procedure Code, they can have defendants to be taken away and postpone
the hearing, but only when the court is implementing a fair trial,
whereas in this case the court has accepted a flawed legal case full
of violations, with the victims' relatives brought as legal
successors, which means the guilt for all the killed people is shifted
upon these seven people. All these demonstrate the fact that the court
is not impartial, hence is not perceived or respected as such," says
oppositionist MP Zara Postanjyan, an attorney.
Prosecutor Koryun Piloyan insists on the opposite, saying that the
defense has a purpose in artificially dragging out the trial.
"In fact, the logics of the defense strategy is as follows: to delay
for so long that public trial does not take place and, hence, the
public would not be able to find out what really happened on March 1,"
Piloyan told ArmeniaNow.
Mikayel Daniyelyan, head of Helsinki Association, told ArmeniaNow,
that for many times during March-1-related trials when the defendant
did not stand up, which however did not result in the court striking
an attitude, so they continued the sitting.
"They did not stand up at the first sitting too, but the court
nonetheless continued the hearing. That day it became clear that the
case has many shortcomings, that is the reason they are now trying to
win time to say what can be done," says Danielyan.
"The contradictions of this legal case make it clear even to those
knowing nothing about legal processes that it is completely political
and made to order."
Yet during his November visit the Council of Europe Commissioner for
Human Rights Thomas Hammarberg said that "there aren't solid proofs
available on the ground of which an independent court could accuse
those seven people or charge them with usurpation of state power."
And according to RA Ombudsman Armen Harutyunyan, this legal case will
become "the litmus paper" of the whole chain of trials on March
events.
"The prosecution does not possess enough evidence and its accusation
line is not convincing. Two months ago the case attorneys submitted
the inaccuracies and violations in the legal case to me, to which I
said and I am now repeating that the violations are so obvious that
even if half of the facts brought are true it is already a disgrace
for the country," says the Ombudsman.
The most outstanding violation in the case is that the case of the 10
people killed has been attached to it, whereas it has already been
proven and stated by the prosecution for a number of times, that 3
people had died at the hands of police using "Cheryomukha 7" -- a
term referring to having been shot by over-sized, gas powered bullets.
A month ago the prosecution even made public the investigation
results: there were 4 policemen who had used that kind of special
means, however, Armenian forensics were unable to identify which
policemen's bullets caused the deaths of those three people.
"On the one hand they prove that three people were killed by the
police, and on the other, they attach the cases of those same people
to the 'Case of 7', this is simply a mockery not a law suit; so the
message is that no matter what the evidence is, the opposition should
be held accountable for everything," says Danielyan.
ArmeniaNow ask the state prosecutor handling the case, Koryun Piloyan,
to respond to allegations that his case is weak. The attorney refused
to answer ArmeniaNow's questions saying that when the trial starts
everything will become clear and comprehensible.
"We have undeniable evidence of their guilt and when this show is over
and the trial finally starts we will prove that," says Piloyan.
Legal successors of the victims were in the court demanding to start
the law suit and expressing their doubts on why they got engaged in
this legal case.
Jemma Vardanyan, March 1 victim David Petrosyan's mother, told
ArmeniaNow that she knows perfectly well who is guilty in her son's
death and that the trial is just a means to "cover up the case"
Another victim Tigran Khachatryan's mother, Alla Hovhannisyan, is also
angry that her son's case has been attached to the "Case of 7".
"It has long been proved that my son died of special means, which
means the police killed him, and now they have brought us here as an
aggrieved party in this law suit. The impression is that they are
simply mocking us. It is very offensive. Why haven't they, for
example, taken those four policemen under arrest, why? " Hovhannisyan
told ArmeniaNow.
Head of "Supreme Council Deputy Club" NGO Ruben Torosyan believes that
"pure vengeance" is what's happening in this legal case.
"The authorities have a bitter enmity towards the majority of people
involved in this legal case, something that has been proven on a
number of other occasions: some are perceived by the authorities as
traitors and they won't miss their chance now to get even with them,"
says Torosyan.
Court is to resume on January 30.
********************************************* *******************************
3. REALITY CHECK: ARMENIA FACES UP TO THE WORLD'S PROBLEM
Gayane Lazarian
ArmeniaNow reporter
As recently as a few months ago officials here arrogantly maintained
that tiny, insular Armenia would somehow be untouched by the world
financial crisis.
But as the republic awakes from its long holiday season that saw
unprecedented consumption opportunities (one supermarket offered a
full shark for about $1,300), speculation turns to the reality that
hard times are soon likely.
Economist, lector at Armenian State University of Economics and
Heritage party member Zoya Tadevosyan expects drastic job cuts and
major decreases in remittances from abroad plus a decrease of state
budget revenues, and unpaid wages.
"Whether we have overcome the 'first wave' of the financial crisis, or
not, we still have to wait for the 'Decuman wave'," she says -
implying that surge may follow the current wave.
.Economist Andranik Tevanyan, head of the Politeconomy Center agrees
that the result of the crisis on Armenia will be (already are)
decreased sums of private transfers, cuts in financing various
international projects as well as decrease in the amount of "cheap
money" (transfers that have insignificant impact on the local economy)
through the banking system.
Authorities here continue to maintain that Armenia is safe against
devastating effects of the crises, due to the nature of its sources of
major income.
Gagik Minasyan, head of the standing commission for finance-credit and
budgetary issues of the National Assembly says a number of projects -
creation of Pan-Armenian Bank, construction of the new nuclear power
plant, exploitation of the Meghri-Batumi automobile highway, as well
as decreasing the volume of shadow economy, will safeguard Armenia
against the crisis.
"300 large taxpayers provide 65 percent of our budget; the small and
medium businesses provide 5-7 percent. We anticipate 25 percent
increase in tax revenues in 2009 to be provided by cutting the scale
of the shadow economy," he says.
Former chairman of the Central Bank of Armenia Bagrat Asatryan stated
in an interview to Radio Liberty that unemployment will be a priority
issue for Armenia's economy in 2009.
"That is conditioned with a series of circumstances, qualitative
changes in the working environment an Armenian worker is used to that
will be followed with loss of jobs particularly in Russia; the second
important factor is that the hidden unemployment in the sphere of
agriculture will reveal itself particularly in 2009," Asatryan stated
- referring to legislation that requires farm workers to be accounted
for beginning this year.
The experts say they anticipate no double digit economic growth of the
previous years in 2009, due to both objective and subjective reasons.
The first group of reasons refers to the world economic crisis,
whereas the second relates to pre- and post-election processes, the
behavioral changes of the capital tending to more reservedness and
anticipation, conditioned with the March 1 events. The decrease in
economic activities is caused by the tax and customs policies of the
government, the experts say.
"The first victims of tax collection were the small and medium
businesses. The large businesses are known to export capital. The
authorities redistribute property by exploiting repressive methods of
tax collection under the slogan of fight against the shadow economy,"
Tevanyan explains.
The State Statistical Service of Armenia says Armenia registered
economic growth of 7.2 percent in January-November 2008, which points
to a drop in the pace of GDP growth; the tendency will persist also in
2009.
Tevanyan also calls worrisome the issue of the negative foreign trade
balance. Armenia imports goods of $4 billion more than it exports. As
of the data for 11 months the volume of exports dropped by 4.5
percent, whereas imports grew by 39.5 percent.
"This means we lose our economic competitiveness. The correlation of
dollar to dram of the recent years, the appreciation of the dram
directly hit producers, particularly those who export," he says.
Prime Minister Bagrat Asatryan stated at the first government session
this year the most important things to be done in 2009 will relate to
the sphere of entrepreneurship, and promised radical changes. The
number one target in improving the governance in tax and customs will
be the large business, as the government will introduce new rules of
the game, he said.
"Large businesses will have to publicize the results of their
activities affirmed by auditors in the press and the public will be
able to control them," the PM said.
Sargsyan, former chairman of the Central Bank, mentioned there is also
a problem of large importers' monopolies that affects inflation.
"Look, the prices for oil products have dropped in the world. If
Russia's curve (the lowering of common goods' prices there) continued
in Armenia, the petrol here would cost about 200 drams (about 70
cents). The price for bread would have dropped for 30 percent,"
Asatryan said.
Official statistics show the average salary in the republic in
January-September 2008 made 88,672 drams (about $290), 20.3 percent
more than in the same period of 2007. The consumer goods price index
in January-September 2008 shows that prices rose by 9.6 percent.
"Contrary to the general tendencies in the world the prices for
priority consumer goods continue to grow, exceeding the average salary
growth index in general. If we add the number of future unemployed, we
can get the full picture of the social situation we will appear in the
near future," says Tadevosyan - meaning that common folk will be worse
off.
Gagik Tsarukyan, leader of Prosperous Armenia Party believes there is
need to give a chance to businesspeople to avoid cuts that will result
in unemployment. He thinks businesspeople have to be given privileges.
PAP came up with a statement suggesting that all other questions be
laid aside to think only about supporting entrepreneurs. The
parliamentary faction of the party also voted against the tax package
suggested by the government.
Ecnomist Tevanyan suggests to review the 2009 state budget before it's
too late. The state, he says, has to cut the expenses and decrease the
benchmark for state revenue collection.
"In the global economic crisis, all countries take the path of
protectionism, trying to save their markets, decrease taxes, directly
subsidize the private sector in case of availability of means," he
says. "Whereas here they say let's do everything, but don't touch the
budget. The reason is obvious - because the budget is a tool in the
hands of the authorities to keep the political control by terrorizing
with taxes."
************************************ ****************************************
4. INFECTION IN VANADZOR: PUNISHMENT IS READY, GUILTY IS NOT FOUND
Naira Bulghadaryan
ArmeniaNow Vanadzor reporter
A law firm in Vanadzor plans to appeal to the court to get
compensation for residents who suffered an infectious intestinal
disease last October in Vanadzor.
About 1,000 residents, mostly children, were made ill (none fatal) by
bacteria that the Ministry of Healthcare said was caused by the city
water supply.
Populex wants to make the so-called strategic court trial a precedent
in Vanadzor. Edmon Marukyan, a lawyer at the company, insists
unambiguously that the infection was a case of consumer rights
violation.
"From the very beginning to the last court session, this is a
procedure of rights protection and restoration of the rights of a
group of people," the lawyer says.
Apart from the decision of the Health Ministry the prosecutor's office
of the Lori province in its turn has instituted legal proceedings for
a criminal case last October. The case was instigated upon an order
from the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Armenia, after the
results of check-ups on infection cases in the province proving to
exceed the average level, were discussed.
Until now the prosecutor's office has not determined who to charge.
"We still do not have the list of persons in charge," says Karen
Shahbazyan, prosecutor of the Lori province.
"We will define the reason and who failed to perform his duties to
what extent after we get the results of examination by the
commission," Shahbazyan said.
The preliminary investigation body questioned 200 patients within the
past three months and a commission of experts in agriculture,
healthcare and water supply was also formed.
The prosecutor still does not blame the water supply company -- Lori
Jrmugh-koyughi -- until the examination within the preliminary
investigation is finished.
Suspicions pointed to the source as being a brand of Canadian sausage
or fish or eggs, until the MOH laid the blame with the water company.
However the director of the company which is blamed for the infection
claims that his company has nothing to do with that. Ararat Ginosyan,
director of the Lori Jrmugh-koyughi assures the water has been
supplied in compliance with norms.
"The conclusion of the Ministry of Healthcare has not reached me yet,
because it is not proved up to this day the water factor has become a
reason of the spread of infection," asserts Ginosyan.
Vanadzor gets water from several water pipelines not interrelated,
whereas the infection was spread all over the town. Ginosyan said that
fact excludes infection originated from the water.
Zemfira Ghazaryan, head of the quality supervision unit of the water
supplier company asserted the quality of water complies with the set
standards for at least 98 percent, if not for 100.
The attorney will sue to have his clients reimbursed for money spent
on treatment of the infection.
By appealing to the lawyers Anahit Mkhitaryan, 48, wanted to find out
what was the true reason of infection. She does not believe it was the
drinking water that became a reason for her daughter's illness.
Christina Torosyan, a young mother of 26, has appealed to Populex
anticipating a compensation for the infection of her 1.5 year-old
child. Another 39 residents of the town have appealed to the legal
adviser company in a similar hope.
******************************************* *********************************
5. BLACK JANUARY: ARMENIAN EXPERTS SAY POGROMS IN BAKU HAVE TO BE RECOGNIZED AS
"GENOCIDE"
Marina Grigoryan
ArmeniaNow Reporter
Every January the Armenian community commemorates the victims of 1990
Baku pogroms- one of the cruelest and bloodiest pages in the history
of the Karabakh conflict.
For six days, January 13-19, the Azerbaijani capital became a
slaughter zone as a result of which, according to different estimates,
from 120 to 300 Armenians were murdered by Azeris, tens of thousands
were raped and tortured. Those who survived were banished from their
historic home. (Until 1988 470-480,000 Armenians lived in Azerbaijan,
260-270,000 out of whom were residents of Baku. By January of 1990 the
remaining 25-30,000 Armenians of Baku were banished from the country.)
Meanwhile many think that the Baku pogroms did get either legal or
political assessment they deserved inside Armenia itself.
Now, 19 years after the tragic events, on the initiative of Assembly
of Azerbaijani Armenians NGO, Heritage parliament faction is drafting
a statement on "Recognition of actions taken in 1988-1992 by the Azeri
authorities towards the local Armenian population in numerous
settlements across the Azerbaijani SSR and the Autonomous Region of
Nagorno Karabakh (later the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh) as genocide"
The Assembly Chairman Grigori Ayvazyan says they have turned not only
to the National Assembly of Armenia with their initiative, but also to
several NGOs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia (MFA), the
OSCE Minks Group and the embassies of its co-chairing countries, as
well as to a number of other structures.
"In our appeal to OSCE we pointed out that in the negotiation process
it's illegitimate to raise the question of return of only Azeri
refugees to their former domiciles. Return can either be reciprocal or
none at all. The French Embassy in Armenia (France being one of OSCE
Minsk group co-chairing countries) has responded saying that the issue
of Armenian refugees is key in the negotiation process and that the
interests of all the sides involved have to be taken into
consideration in order to guarantee the establishment of long-term
peace in the conflict zone. Besides that, we have positive responses
from several deputies and the Foreign Ministry," Ayvazyan told
ArmeniaNow.
Heritage faction's statement provides grounds why Armenia has to
recognize the above-mentioned events as genocide and has a package of
relevant documentation attached to the statement.
"It's absolutely obvious that we are not dealing with accidental
actions or mass disorder, but with a purposeful, deliberate and
long-term policy of Azerbaijan. It's extremely important to emphasize
that both legal and political realities following the pogroms
completely exclude the return of Armenians to Baku. So in this case
people are deprived of their right to return to their historic homes,"
says Larisa Alaverdyan, Heritage faction MP.
By the Assembly's request the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute has
drawn a reference-paper stating how the actions against the Armenians
of Azerbaijan correspond to 1984 UN Convention on prevention and
punishment for the crime of genocide.
"To my mind, we are late not only with such a statement but on the
whole with collection of related information and making a file on
Armenian pogroms in Baku," Hayk Demoyan, director of the Genocide
Museum, told ArmeniaNow. "Our reference shows according to which
parameters the 1988-1992 events against the Armenians in Azerbaijan
correspond to the UN Convention provisions on genocide."
According to many experts and observers, the issue of compensation to
Armenian refuges who left a huge amount of both movable and immovable
property in Azerbaijan, has never found an adequate reflection in the
course of the negotiation process.
"In my opinion, the first step in this direction has to be taken by
the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh which, after its declaration of
independence, must have taken up the state and legal responsibility
for those Armenians banished from Azerbaijan," says professor
Alexander Manasyan, head of Academy of Political Studies NGO, who also
says that the statement has to be adopted.
Armenian pogroms in Baku took place in Soviet times and were condoned
by not only the authorities and law-enforcement bodies of Soviet
Azerbaijan, but also the Moscow Central Government. The troops
interfered only on January 19 when practically no Armenians were left
in the city. At the same time thousands of Russian and Jewish families
were also forced to leave the city.
"The adoption of the statement will enable us to finally turn that
tragic page of Armenia's modern history," says Alaverdyan. "The lack
of official assessment on the part of the Armenian State means that
such crime can be repeated, and the present hostile rhetoric of the
leader of Azerbaijan serves as proof to that."
The statement drafted by the Heritage faction is currently being
studied by the Legal department of the National Assembly of Armenia.
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6. TIPS ONLINE: WEBSITE AIMS TO SERVE AS A GUIDELINE FOR REPATRIATES
By Siranuysh Gevorgyan
Armenians who live abroad and wish to be back to Armenia now have the
opportunity to be more informed about the legislation of their
motherland by visiting www.backtoarmenia.am website.
Created by the initiative of the migration agency of the RA ministry
of territorial administration the website (launched half a year ago)
is to favor the repatriation of the Armenians that live in other
countries. During six months more than 200 visitors to the site have
used it to get answers to questions. The project is financed by
British Council and "International Center for Human Development".
On the website could be found information about issues such as health,
education, citizenship, military service and others.
Irina Davtyan, the director of migration department of the migration
agency says that most of the people that turned to them were Armenians
who live in European countries. Most of the 200 or so queries were
interested in dual citizenship, military service and questions
connected to the RA Passports.
For the purpose of informing about the website to the Armenians
abroad, the Migration Agency turned to the embassies in RA and to the
different Armenian companies, and also put the announcement about the
website in the Armenian media.
Davtyan says: "This way, the Armenians that live here can inform their
relatives that live abroad (by telling about the site".
According to official data since 1992 about 1 million people left
Armenia. Statistics also say the amount of people leaving Armenia
surpasses the amount of people that came to the republic (1.2 people
came to Armenia during the period from January to November while at
the same time 1.3 million left). So the amount of people that turned
to the website, testifies that repatriation is not one of the nearest
plans of the emigrants yet.
In this website the readers may get information on four levels. First
is the RA legislation; that is through the legal acts that
systematizes different spheres of public life, people can get answers
to the questions they are interested in.
In the second level visitors of the website can get information about
the following spheres of public life in Armenia in the way of
questions and answers: health, education, citizenship, military
service, pension and allowances.
In the third level the RA citizens who live abroad, can send the
questions they are interested in right to the website and in the
fourth level the visitor to the website can communicate online to the
corresponding official.
"We have contact persons in all the ministries, with the help of who
we will connect to the corresponding official", says Davtyan, adding
however till now no visitor of the website had a wish to talk to any
official, but in case if there is a desire, it can be arranged.
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7. CONFLICT SETTLEMENT: EVERYTHING HINGES ON KARABAKH'S PARTICIPATION?
Naira Hayrumyan
ArmeniaNow Karabakh reporter
The first visit of OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen to the Karabakh
conflict zone in 2009 is expected during the coming week. The US
co-chairman Mathew Bryza said there are plans to meet presidents of
Azerbaijan and Armenia to discuss "basic principles".
Officially, Karabakh's non-participation is conditioned by the fact
that Robert Kocharyan who was elected president of NKR in 1996 was
later appointed to the position of RA Prime-Minister. He then became
the president of Armenia and took up the obligation of representing
both Armenia and Karabakh in the negotiation process. During the 10
years of his 2 terms that was the situation. But even during those 10
years when no visible transformations in the settlement process took
place, analysts kept bringing up the necessity of returning to
trilateral format of negotiations.
Manvel Sargsyan is one such analyst. In 1994, when he was NKR
representative in Armenia, Sargsyan took an active part in trilateral
negotiations of Armenia-Azerbaijan-Karabakh (he later became an
adviser to NKR president on political issues).
"During the past years assessments of the Karabakh conflict by the
international community have undergone drastic quality changes. The
essence of the Karabakh issue, for the most part, has been brought
down to a territorial argument with an emphasized assessment of the
fact that the right to those lands belongs to Azerbaijan, whereas
initially the conflict started because of Azerbaijan hindering
Karabakh's aspiration for self-determination," Sargsyan told
ArmeniaNow.
In Sargsyan's opinion, the whole diplomacy of Armenia and NKR was
initially aimed at the solution of one issue: strengthening NKR's
independent role as a subject of war and diplomacy, which was a
security guarantee for the people of Karabakh.
"For some reasons, since 1998, the Armenian authorities have ignored
the given circumstance and, to some degree, have accustomed the
community to their own approach. But the time is up now- the
atmosphere around NKR is starting to take not quite rosy colorings.
And the reasons aren't exactly a matter of a day or two, they have
been accumulating for many years" Sargsyan said.
Karabakh showed little resistance to being removed from the
negotiation process. Too close ties between the Armenian and Karabakh
authorities, Stepanakert's economic dependence from Yerevan (more than
half the income of Karabakh state budget comes from the interstate
loan given by Armenia) do not allow the authorities of Karabakh to go
against their Armenian colleagues. Only once, in 2006, NKR former
president Arkadi Ghukasyan publicly called upon Armenia to step aside
from the negotiations, in which case Baku would have to communicate
directly with Karabakh. That caused a negative reaction in Yerevan:
then President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan recommended his colleague
"not to fish in troubled waters".
Prior to the end of his term, in the summer of 2007, President
Ghukasyan stated that Nagorno Karabakh is being informed about the
details of the negotiations. "However," he said, "we are not an
immediate participant of the negotiations, and that is a problem,
because we are deprived of the opportunity to feel all the nuances
taking place in the process."
And a few days before saying good-bye to the presidential chair Robert
Kocharyan, who had been heading Armenia for 10 years, threatened that
the recent developments in both the conflict settlement and regional
processes were forcing Armenia and Karabakh to modify their approaches
in regard with the security and status of Karabakh.
Answering reporters' questions, Kocharyan pointed out that "there are
two options: either to recognize Karabakh's independence or replace
recognition by signing an agreement between Armenia and Karabakh on
collective defense, mutual collaboration in solving urgent issues and
imperative participation in case of an aggression."
However, despite Kocharyan's "threat", Armenia, just as expected, did
not step out of the negotiation process "if Karabakh does not join
it".
Just the opposite, after President Serzh Sargsyan took office,
bilateral format of negotiations has asserted itself once and for all
and was officially consolidated in the "Moscow Agreement" of November
2, 2008. After signing the declaration a new wave of protest rose in
Karabakh and Armenia demanding to restore Karabakh's participation in
the negotiation process. NKR authorities stated that they are not
going to implement agreements reached behind their back.
Mediators have also stated the need for Karabakh's participation in
the negotiations. Moreover, during the December 2008 meeting with
Karabakh parliamentarians French co-chairman of OSCE Minsk group
Bernard Fussier stated that the issue "has to be clarified between
Armenia and Karabakh".
It's not clear yet whether the issue of Karabakh's participation in
the negotiations will be discussed or not during the forthcoming visit
of the co-chairmen. However, it appears that the process of conflict
settlement hinges on that very issue.