“Hello. I am Nikol Pashinyan, and I came to be arrested”: Armenia oppositionist wanted by police surrenders and anticipates punishment

The passionate oppositionist and the editor of an ultra-oppositional newspaper who surrendered to police after 16 months of hiding may face at least 6-7 years of imprisonment, according to his lawyers.

Nikol Pashinyan, editor of ‘Haykakan Zhamanak’ (Armenian Times) who disappeared from Armenian public life after March 1, 2008 violence between police and opposition supporters was charged with organizing mass disorder and violence against authorities and with holding a public event in violation of law.

Under-mining: Plant in southern Armenia resumes amid worker concerns

A copper-molybdenum plant in southern Armenia that ground to a halt last year influenced by the unfavorable world market situation and the broader global economic slowdown has resumed operations this week. But many on its current and former staff still have questions to ask to the administration.

The plant in Agarak, in the southern Syunik region of Armenia, started working again on July 1 after idling for about nine months.

TV bridge: Experts in Armenia, Georgia look back at Saakashvili visit

Societies and political elites in Armenia and Georgia view positively last week’s visit by President Mikheil Saakashvili to Yerevan, said a majority of speakers during a teleconference between Yerevan and Tbilisi organized in both capitals this week.

On the Armenian end of the so-called TV bridge, Deputy Director of the Kavkaz Institute Sergey Minasyan argued that the Georgian president’s two-day visit to Armenia only confirmed the continuity of relations between the two nations.

Flower Power: Turks plan to decorate stadium with 70,000 carnations for Armenia soccer game

Turkey is preparing a large-scale floral greeting to Armenia’s national soccer team and few fans that will be traveling across the border for a return World Cup 2010 qualifier this fall, according to a Turkish newspaper report.

Turkey’s Today’s Zaman reports that 70,000 carnations will decorate the Turkey v Armenia soccer match that will take place in Kayseri’s Kadir Has stadium on October 14, “with two carnations put on each seat in the stadium, which has a capacity of 33,000.”

Televirtual Viewing: TV through internet to become available for viewers in Armenia

Men in blue company uniforms have been busy these days installing long black cables along the streets of the capital of Armenia, laying the information highway for potentially tens of thousands of Yerevan residents to watch a different TV.

After signing a deal with one of the world’s leading suppliers in telecommunications, an Armenian internet provider company, Ucom, began Wednesday (July 1) a rollout to start delivering IPTV (or Internet Protocol Television) services to viewers in Armenia based on advanced technologies.

Projects continue, relations strengthen: Iranian Ambassador to Armenia speaks of further cooperation between countries

Iranian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Armenia Seyed Ali Saqqaiyan, speaking about the post-election developments in Iran, said the latest events will not have their influence upon Armenian-Iranian relations.

Those strategically important projects between the two countries will be continued, such as the construction of the railway and the construction of the oil pipeline (from the Iranian city of Tabriz to the Armenian station Yeraskh in Ararat province). Saqqaiyan added that Iranian specialists will arrive in Armenia to participate in a pipeline construction.

More punishment?: Armenian activist fighting for the rights of Armenians in Javakhk denied international attorney

A Georgian-Armenian political activist who was sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment was not allowed to have a French-Armenian defense attorney, based on amendments to Georgian law stipulating that a Georgian citizen cannot be represented by a foreign attorney.

Vahagn Chakhalyan was detained in Georgia last April and charged with keeping weapons, for participating in mass disorder, and for resisting a police officer. Chakhalyan is an activist for the settlement of the problems concerning Javakhk, (Samtskhe-Javakheti), a mostly Armenian-populated region of Georgia.

Golden Apricot: Sixth international film festival in Armenia promises some novelties

With less than two weeks to go before the opening of Armenia’s best known international film festival, Golden Apricot, the mood among cinemagoers in capital city Yerevan appears festive not least due to numerous festival announcing banners as well as information conferences held by organizers.

The annual festival, to be held for the sixth time this year, opens on July 12 and will be held with the assistance of the Ministry of Culture and main sponsorship of VivaCell-MTS company. During a week the audience will be offered 110 films by directors from 40 countries participating in three categories – international feature films, documentaries, and the Armenian panorama.

Outrage and Accusations: Armenia delegates up in arms over colleague’s PACE performance

Heritage MP Zaruhi Postanjyan continued to feel the wrath of fellow Assembly members Tuesday (June 30) over her decision at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) last week to accept the signatures of the Azeri and the Turkish representations on a series of proposals connected to March 1, 2008 political unrest in Armenia.

Postanjyan’s proposal called for restoring the March 1 investigation by the fact-finding group of experts, the release of all “political prisoners” and for the PACE to continue monitoring the progress of the investigation.

Culture and Corruption: Audit shows wrong doing by Armenia ministry and regional bodies

The Armenian Audit Chamber, which twice a year audits state departments to see how State Budget money is spent, registered a recurrent misuse of about half a million dollars in the communities of Armavir Province, and at the Ministry of Culture of Armenia.

The most serious violation was revealed at the Ministry of Culture, where about 204 million drams ($570,000) was spent without any document.

No regrets: Armenia delegate defends her behavior at Strasbourg branded as “unpatriotic”

An opposition member of Armenia’s parliament serving on the delegation to the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) has dismissed claims by critics and political opponents that her move to secure Azerbaijani and Turkish signatures to a paper on Armenia was “unpatriotic”.

Zaruhi Postanjyan, representing the opposition Heritage party’s parliamentary faction, last week submitted to the PACE summer session a document calling on the Armenian authorities to use all steps to release the oppositionists imprisoned in the wake of last year’s post-election unrest that remained behind bars despite the recently declared amnesty as well as to reinstate the powers of the abolished group of experts conducting an independent probe into the circumstances of the March 1-2, 2008 events. Postanjyan also suggested that the co-rapporteurs on Armenia prepare a new report on the government’s compliance with the PACE resolutions by the time the body gathers for its winter session.

Animated Armenia: Yerevan to host international animation film festival

Armenia will for the first time host an international animated film festival, October 3-6. ReAnimania, as it is named, will be held in Yerevan and will enable Armenian and foreign artists to present their art and participate in different specialized lectures. Organizers believe the festival will be instrumental in developing the sphere of animated film production in Armenia.

Battle cry: Karabakh war veterans in Armenia demand a new law and privileges

A group of Karabakh war veterans in Armenia intends to apply to the National Assembly demanding the adoption of a law which would define privileges for them and therefore help them resolve their social problems.

An announcement on the matter came Monday by about 30 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) dealing with veteran issues.

June 29: International Day of Missing in Action is marked in Armenia

Minister of Defense Seyran Ohanyan accompanied representatives of different organizations and relatives of Armenia’s Missing In Action to Yerblur’ Military Cemetery today (June 29) to commemorate International Day of MIA.

Some 300 soldiers are still unaccounted for as a result of the Karabakh war. The minister said there is a commission in his ministry charged with learning the whereabouts of any MIA. The work, Ohanyan said, is hampered by poorl relations with Azerbaijan.

And the Oscar goes to…. Armenia Public Television awarded “Unpleasant TV” title

A disagreeable title “Unpleasant TV Broadcast” was awarded to the Armenian Public television as was defined by most of the 110-member panel of judges in the first-ever contest of television channels in Armenian.

The panel of intellectuals held a monitoring in February-March this year of all 17 TV companies in Armenia, and by 74 votes it was decided that the most unpleasant is the Armenian Public Television’s broadcast. Armenia TV is in the second place according to “unpleasantness and vulgarism”.

Member to Member: AmCham Armenia praised for new initiative

Business companies in Armenia have provided positive responses to the initiative of the American Chamber of Commerce in Armenia (AmCham) to help local companies increase their business turnover as the country’s economy is experiencing the deepening effects of the continuing global crisis.

On Friday evening, AmCham extended for another year its Member to Member program (M2M), which has expanded this year also enabling non-participating companies (in addition to AmCham members) to provide discounts to AmCham members.

Loss to Church Family: Armenia Apostolic Church Archbishop dies in hospital

A well-regarded priest in Armenia who has done extensive service to the Church has died in hospital after being severely injured in a robbery attack more than four months ago.

The Information System of the Mother See of Holy Echmiadzin reported on Saturday that Archbishop Nerses Pozapalian died at Nairi Medical Center in the morning. He was 72.

Diplomacy Challenge: US “Meet and Greet” comes with “tough questions” for Ambassador to Armenia

The United States Ambassador to Armenia, Marie Yovanovitch, has been on a tour of Armenian communities in the US this week which will continue through July 1.

From Boston to California, the ambassador is making the first ambassadorial visit since former ambassador John Evans’ series of meetings in 2005 during which he used the word “genocide” (in violation of US policy) and was subsequently recalled from Armenia.

Home, but not Alone: More “guest workers” remain in Armenia due to hard times in Russia

The number of Armenians leaving the country for work decreased by 56 percent this spring compared to a year ago.

A reported reversal of trend in Armenia’s outward migration during the typical period of guest worker movement means that potentially more people will be in search of jobs this year after losing opportunities for jobs abroad.

Tough tuition: Foundation in Armenia for sponsored studies abroad stands by its statute to fund “all eligible”

A foundation set up in Armenia last year with the focus on funding the education of students admitted to the world’s prestigious colleges has announced it is entering the stage of active operations amid lingering dissatisfaction and concerns expressed by potential beneficiaries about the work it has done so far.

Meeting students at Yerevan State University for the first time this week, Lyus Foundation educational programs director Jacqueline Karaaslanian heard their concerns about application deadlines, the list of universities admittance to which makes selected applicants eligible for funding, the possible number of funded students, etc.

Opinion: Let the splintering begin for Armenia’s opposition

The best news we’ve heard lately from Armenia’s anemic opposition is that it was suspending rallies for the summer.

Unfortunately, opposition leaders were no better at fulfilling that promise than at any others they have made since trying to reinvent a movement. Leaders now say we are due for more dirt in the already dusty Yerevan skies when the opposition rallies July 2 – strengthened by the reluctantly received amnesty of key members this past week.

Letter Home: A Diaspora discovers Armenia and “Armenianness”

Before I left for Yerevan, friends and family inevitably asked me, “Why are you going to Armenia?” My answer? It wasn’t to visit my family—any family members I have in Armenia are either unknown to me or nonexistent. Nor was it to discover my true homeland—while Armenia remains the land of my ancestors and its past and future are important to me, I have no illusion of truly belonging here and returning to the “land of my people.” My Armenian language skills are subpar to say the least, and my knowledge of current issues and affairs in Armenia is also deficient. Then, why was I making this journey halfway around the world to a country I knew little about and in which I knew no one?

Perspective: A news reporter looks at how Armenia defines “Public” TV

There is a good joke in Armenia: a pensioner is crying, and when she is asked what has happened, she replies, “I want to live in Haylur’s Armenia.”

It seems that the Armenian Public Television (showing ‘Haylur’ news program), as well as many TV companies in Armenia follow the former Soviet ideology: everything is fine in the country; everything is blossoming; people are happy; the economy is developing, and it is moving towards a bright future.

Partnership in perspective: Analyst says tensions in Tehran unlikely to impact joint projects with Armenia

The latest events in Iran can affect the prospects of development of Iran-Armenia bilateral relationships, however some Armenian political analysts believe that the political turmoil in the neighboring country isn’t likely to impact at least the already outlined joint projects.

The railway construction project connecting Armenia to Iran and ports of the Indian Ocean has been finally approved this year.

Fans on Boxing King’s victory: Latest “Lion-tamer” from Armenia urged to go “Ghost” hunting?

Armenia-born undefeated International Boxing Federation (IBF) middleweight champion Arthur Abraham may still be facing an uphill battle despite his scintillating tenth consecutive defense of the title last weekend.

Without challenging the “royal credentials” of the naturalized German with the current professional boxing alias of King Arthur, at least one fan in Armenia approached by ArmeniaNow has called on Abraham to face the reality: “If you want to get recognition, you should box mainly in the United States.”

Armenia’s Ring King Maintains Title: Arthur Abraham stops challenger Oral in 10

Armenia’s “King Arthur” retained his boxing crown in Berlin, Germany Saturday night with a 10th round knock out of Turkish-German Mahir Oral.

Yerevan-born Arthur Abraham(yan) withstood early-round damage by Oral, before taking charge of the scheduled 12-rounder in the fourth round, when the 29-year old Armenian landed the first of five knockdowns.

“Armenian King” v “Turkish Lion”: Armenia sports fans await Abraham’s Saturday night challenge

Women looking for their men Saturday night in Armenia need go no farther than TV screens and sports bars at around 1.00 a.m. local time when beloved son “King Arthur” defends his crown in the boxing ring.

Favored great Abraham (Abrahamyan) brings a sensational 29-0 record into the ring in Berlin, Germany to face his friend, but ethnic foe, Turkish-German Mahir Oral. Nearly all of the native Armenian’s fights (23) have ended in knock outs (KOs).

A great club’s great decline: Armenia’s soccer icon a far cry from its glorious Soviet self

A legendary soccer club that has long been synonymous with the nation’s Soviet-era successes is going through its worst crisis in years revealing the extent of problems in the management of the game in independent Armenia.

FC Ararat, which reached the height of Soviet football in the 1970s and became a perennial favorite in Armenia and across its Diaspora communities, saw hard times after the breakup of the USSR in 1991 and the establishment of an independent football league in Armenia. But it has never been so close to demise as after the latest spat between its management and national football’s governing body.

Sport: Armenia soccer clubs learn their opponents in European competitions

Soccer

A draw in Switzerland this week has decided the opponents for Armenian soccer clubs in European competitions commencing later this summer.

Champion Pyunik will start in the Champions League from the second qualifying round against Croatia’s Dynamo Zagreb. The first and second leg matches are scheduled for July 14/15 and 21/22, respectively.