Armenian News... A Topalian
AIR CRASH UPDATE: TWO ETHNIC ARMENIANS KILLED
ON BOARD ILL-STARRED RUSSIAN PLANE
03.11.15
According to the latest reports, two ethnic Armenians - both citizens
of Russia - were killed on board the Russian passenger jet that
crashed in Egypt on October 31.
Kogalymavia/Metrojet Flight 9268 en route to St. Petersburg is thought
to have broken up in midair shortly after takeoff from the resort
city of Sharm el-Sheikh, killing all 224 people, including seven crew
members, aboard the Airbus A321-200.
Armenia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said there were no Armenian
citizens on the plane. Later it was reported that two ethnic Armenians
were also killed in what became Russia's worst-ever aviation disaster.
One of the victims is Leonid Mnatsakanov, a 39-year-old native of
Russia's Volgograd oblast. The other is Armen Vishnev, a 27-year-old
resident of St. Petersburg.
Most of the victims on the plane were citizens of Russia. Among the
victims were also citizens of Belarus and Ukraine.
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan sent condolences to his Russian
counterpart Vladimir Putin on October 31. Other Armenian officials
also offered their condolences to their opposite numbers in Russia
on the tragedy.
Since November 1, when Russia observed a day of mourning, ordinary
Armenians have been bringing flowers, candles and toys to the Russian
embassy in Yerevan in memory of the air crash victims.
03.11.15
According to the latest reports, two ethnic Armenians - both citizens
of Russia - were killed on board the Russian passenger jet that
crashed in Egypt on October 31.
Kogalymavia/Metrojet Flight 9268 en route to St. Petersburg is thought
to have broken up in midair shortly after takeoff from the resort
city of Sharm el-Sheikh, killing all 224 people, including seven crew
members, aboard the Airbus A321-200.
Armenia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said there were no Armenian
citizens on the plane. Later it was reported that two ethnic Armenians
were also killed in what became Russia's worst-ever aviation disaster.
One of the victims is Leonid Mnatsakanov, a 39-year-old native of
Russia's Volgograd oblast. The other is Armen Vishnev, a 27-year-old
resident of St. Petersburg.
Most of the victims on the plane were citizens of Russia. Among the
victims were also citizens of Belarus and Ukraine.
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan sent condolences to his Russian
counterpart Vladimir Putin on October 31. Other Armenian officials
also offered their condolences to their opposite numbers in Russia
on the tragedy.
Since November 1, when Russia observed a day of mourning, ordinary
Armenians have been bringing flowers, candles and toys to the Russian
embassy in Yerevan in memory of the air crash victims.
RFE/RL Report
5 Armenian Pilots Die In South Sudan Plane Crash
04.11.2015
Five Armenian pilots of a Soviet-built cargo plane and dozens of other
people reportedly died on Wednesday when it crashed moments after
taking off from the airport in South Sudan's capital Juba.
News reports from the African nation said that the Antonov-12 plane
also carried 18 passengers. All but three of them were said to have
died. A Reuters witness saw 41 bodies at the site of the crash along a
bank of the White Nile River, suggesting that they included people
killed on the ground.
A South Sudanese presidential spokesman told Reuters that the six crew
of the plane comprised five Armenians and one Russian.
Armenia's Foreign Ministry confirmed the five Armenian casualties,
citing "preliminary information" from its embassy in Egypt. It
identified the killed pilots, including Captain Gevorg Tovmasian,
later in the day.
A ministry statement also said that the Antonov-12, which had
reportedly gone into service in the Soviet Union in 1971, was
registered in Armenia before until handed over to the Tajikistan-based
Asia Airways last year. According to the TASS news agency, Asia
Airways acquired the plane from an Armenian carrier, Taron Avia, and
transferred it to a South Sudanese freight and logistics firm shortly
afterwards.
The Juba crash raised to at least 19 the total number of Armenian
pilots who have been killed while flying old Soviet-made aircraft in
Africa and the Middle East in four incidents reported since
2001. Dozens of Armenians have worked for domestic and foreign
airlines carrying out flights there ever since the Soviet collapse,
which left many of them without permanent jobs.
The victims include the four Armenian crew of another Antonov-12 that
crashed in Sudan in 2003. Five other Armenians died when their heavier
cargo plane, Ilyushin-72, skidded off the runway and crashed into
houses and a bar in Congo's capital Brazzaville in 2012.
Six other Armenian pilots landed in a different kind of trouble when
they worked in Equatorial Guinea in 2004. They were arrested and
handed lengthy prison sentences on dubious coup charges they strongly
denied. They were set free after spending more than a year in a
notorious local jail.
04.11.2015
Five Armenian pilots of a Soviet-built cargo plane and dozens of other
people reportedly died on Wednesday when it crashed moments after
taking off from the airport in South Sudan's capital Juba.
News reports from the African nation said that the Antonov-12 plane
also carried 18 passengers. All but three of them were said to have
died. A Reuters witness saw 41 bodies at the site of the crash along a
bank of the White Nile River, suggesting that they included people
killed on the ground.
A South Sudanese presidential spokesman told Reuters that the six crew
of the plane comprised five Armenians and one Russian.
Armenia's Foreign Ministry confirmed the five Armenian casualties,
citing "preliminary information" from its embassy in Egypt. It
identified the killed pilots, including Captain Gevorg Tovmasian,
later in the day.
A ministry statement also said that the Antonov-12, which had
reportedly gone into service in the Soviet Union in 1971, was
registered in Armenia before until handed over to the Tajikistan-based
Asia Airways last year. According to the TASS news agency, Asia
Airways acquired the plane from an Armenian carrier, Taron Avia, and
transferred it to a South Sudanese freight and logistics firm shortly
afterwards.
The Juba crash raised to at least 19 the total number of Armenian
pilots who have been killed while flying old Soviet-made aircraft in
Africa and the Middle East in four incidents reported since
2001. Dozens of Armenians have worked for domestic and foreign
airlines carrying out flights there ever since the Soviet collapse,
which left many of them without permanent jobs.
The victims include the four Armenian crew of another Antonov-12 that
crashed in Sudan in 2003. Five other Armenians died when their heavier
cargo plane, Ilyushin-72, skidded off the runway and crashed into
houses and a bar in Congo's capital Brazzaville in 2012.
Six other Armenian pilots landed in a different kind of trouble when
they worked in Equatorial Guinea in 2004. They were arrested and
handed lengthy prison sentences on dubious coup charges they strongly
denied. They were set free after spending more than a year in a
notorious local jail.
AT LEAST 7 DEAD, 35 INJURED AS BUS OVERTURNS NEAR
TULA IN RUSSIA
Russia Today
Nov 3 2015
At least seven people were killed and 35 injured when a passenger bus
on its way from Moscow to the Armenian capital of Yerevan overturned
on the M4 "Don" highway in Tula Region, RIA Novosti reported, citing
emergency services.
The vehicle, reportedly a Hyundai bus carrying 63 passengers, wobbled
for about 200 meters before crashing onto its right side, according
to the local police press-service quoted by TASS.
All of the injured have been evacuated to nearby regional hospitals,
while the rest of the passengers have been given shelter in a local
cinema.
"Almost all traveling in the bus [were] citizens of Armenia, all of
them were adults, there were no children," local emergency service
told TASS.
The bus, which can carry up to 65 passengers, was nearly full at the
time of the crash.
The driver, who is now "in a state of shock," was not injured.
lragir.am
AZERBAIJANI ARMED FORCES FIRED AT VAN DRIVING ALONG
Russia Today
Nov 3 2015
At least seven people were killed and 35 injured when a passenger bus
on its way from Moscow to the Armenian capital of Yerevan overturned
on the M4 "Don" highway in Tula Region, RIA Novosti reported, citing
emergency services.
The vehicle, reportedly a Hyundai bus carrying 63 passengers, wobbled
for about 200 meters before crashing onto its right side, according
to the local police press-service quoted by TASS.
All of the injured have been evacuated to nearby regional hospitals,
while the rest of the passengers have been given shelter in a local
cinema.
"Almost all traveling in the bus [were] citizens of Armenia, all of
them were adults, there were no children," local emergency service
told TASS.
The bus, which can carry up to 65 passengers, was nearly full at the
time of the crash.
The driver, who is now "in a state of shock," was not injured.
lragir.am
AZERBAIJANI ARMED FORCES FIRED AT VAN DRIVING ALONG
ARMENIAN ROAD
05 November 2015, 23:07
Aravot.am informed that on November 5, at 4.30 pm the Azerbaijani
armed forces shot at a van driving along the interstate road near
Baghanis village, piercing the tire of the van, as well as doing
other damage to the car.
The driver of the van, a foreigner, was scared by the shooting. Two
people of Voskevan village took him to their home. The van was left
in the border area.
After the fire at the van the Armenian border guards closed the
interstate road in Baghanis and Voskepar.
panorama.am
HAYKAKAN ZHAMANAK: DONATIONS TO HAYASTAN FUND
05 November 2015, 23:07
Aravot.am informed that on November 5, at 4.30 pm the Azerbaijani
armed forces shot at a van driving along the interstate road near
Baghanis village, piercing the tire of the van, as well as doing
other damage to the car.
The driver of the van, a foreigner, was scared by the shooting. Two
people of Voskevan village took him to their home. The van was left
in the border area.
After the fire at the van the Armenian border guards closed the
interstate road in Baghanis and Voskepar.
panorama.am
HAYKAKAN ZHAMANAK: DONATIONS TO HAYASTAN FUND
ON THE DECLINE
5/11/2015
'Haykakan Zhamanak' daily writes that the Armenian government will
discuss at its regular session today the issue of allocating 1.5
billion drams to Hayastan All-Armenian Fund for construction of
Vardenis-Martakert motorway. The construction of a 166km strategic
road began last year, and 3.8 billion drams has already been allocated
from the government's reserve fund.
The paper says that the total cost of construction work is about 13
billion drams. It is Haystan Fund's only major program assisted by
the government.
The government funding is said to be due to the fact that the Fund
is gradually raising less money through telethons, and the collected
funds are insufficient to implement all the programs.
5/11/2015
'Haykakan Zhamanak' daily writes that the Armenian government will
discuss at its regular session today the issue of allocating 1.5
billion drams to Hayastan All-Armenian Fund for construction of
Vardenis-Martakert motorway. The construction of a 166km strategic
road began last year, and 3.8 billion drams has already been allocated
from the government's reserve fund.
The paper says that the total cost of construction work is about 13
billion drams. It is Haystan Fund's only major program assisted by
the government.
The government funding is said to be due to the fact that the Fund
is gradually raising less money through telethons, and the collected
funds are insufficient to implement all the programs.
lragir.am
WHY IS RATE OF STILL BIRTH UP?04 November 2015
The Zhoghovurd Newspaper writes: "Over the past nine months of this
year, the number of still born children in Armenia was 625."
This rate is up by 47 compared with the previous year, the
newspaper alarms. In addition, these are official rates and have
been published by the National Statistics Service. What is the cause
of this situation? It is known that two main reasons why children
are born still are poverty and low level of health care. Statistics
shows that more families cannot afford to provide pregnant women with
sufficient nutrition. On the other hand, the newspaper notes, medicine
has developed to the point that problems are detected during pregnancy.
So, only lack of adequate medical care may make the majority of these
problems unsolvable and cause still birth, the newspaper concludes.
"Of course, officially prenatal services are free of charge. But in
reality there are only one or two hospitals in Armenia where a person
gets necessary medical services without a fee. So, a lot of pregnant
women who have a shortage of money cannot get regular examinations,
which results in grave consequences."
armradio.am
BRITISH COMPANY PLANS TOURS TO KARABAKH,
AZERBAIJAN UNHAPPY
04 Nov 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan
Regent Holidays, a travel company located in Bristol, United Kingdom,
is planning new group tours to Nagorno Karabakh.
Two tours are scheduled for May 6 and August 28, 2016. The trips will
start from Armenian and last 11 days; visits to the cities of Shushi
and Stepanakert, Gandzasar and Dadivank Monasteries, the Mayraberd
and Tigranakert fortresses are envisaged.
Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry has said the trips are "illegal."
Spokesman for the Ministry Hikmat Hajiyev told APA that the Azerbaijani
Embassy in the UK will inform the country's state bodies about the
"illegal" activity of the travel company and take necessary measures
in this regard.
The travel company doesn't organize trips to Azerbaijan.
RFE/RL Report
04 Nov 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan
Regent Holidays, a travel company located in Bristol, United Kingdom,
is planning new group tours to Nagorno Karabakh.
Two tours are scheduled for May 6 and August 28, 2016. The trips will
start from Armenian and last 11 days; visits to the cities of Shushi
and Stepanakert, Gandzasar and Dadivank Monasteries, the Mayraberd
and Tigranakert fortresses are envisaged.
Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry has said the trips are "illegal."
Spokesman for the Ministry Hikmat Hajiyev told APA that the Azerbaijani
Embassy in the UK will inform the country's state bodies about the
"illegal" activity of the travel company and take necessary measures
in this regard.
The travel company doesn't organize trips to Azerbaijan.
RFE/RL Report
Government Sees No Economic Betterment In 2016
Ruzanna Stepanian
02.11.2015
The socioeconomic situation in Armenia is unlikely to markedly improve
next year due to slower GDP growth anticipated by the government,
Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamian said on Monday.
"In the context of tense geopolitical developments, promising an
immediate betterment of all aspects of social welfare would be a
populistic but not honest approach," Abrahamian told lawmakers as he
presented his cabinet's draft 2016 budget.
The proposed budget envisages only a marginal increase in government
spending, which will not translate into increases in public sector
salaries, pensions and poverty benefits. It is based on the assumption
that the Armenian economy will grow by 2.2 percent in 2016.
Although the government expects faster growth this year, Abrahamian
cited "authoritative economists and international structures" as
saying that the wider region is now facing even more serious economic
challenges than during the 2008-2009 global financial crisis. He
singled out the collapse in oil prices, which has plunged Russia into
recession and cut vital remittances from Armenian migrant workers.
"In the face of such deterioration, our sole path to social welfare is
to create jobs by means of stimulating investments and ensuring
economic growth," the premier told members of the parliament
committees dealing social and economic issues. "It is essential to
stimulate domestic manufacturers and foster exports."
The grim economic outlook prompted strong criticism from an outspoken
opposition lawmaker, former Prime Minister Hrant Bagratian. He accused
the government of lacking the ambition to improve the lives of
ordinary Armenians.
Bagratian also dismissed Abrahamian's pledges to facilitate job
creation, saying that it will be hampered by domestic oligopolies led
by government-linked individuals."Our problem is that only 10 people
invest," he claimed. "We don't let the economy decentralize itself so
that its benefits trickle down to everyone."
"Only 7.5 percent of the population is self-employed," complained the
oppositionist. "It should have been 45 percent."
Abrahamian and some members of his cabinet, notably Finance Minister
Gagik Khachatrian, have extensive business interests which critics say
make them disinterested in genuine reforms.
Khachatrian insisted on Monday that the scale of government corruption
and economic monopolization is grossly exaggerated by Armenian media
critical of the authorities. "The public buys into what you, the
media, spread," he told reporters. "Because of you and us, the public,
as a rule, accepts bad news more easily than positive news."
Ruzanna Stepanian
02.11.2015
The socioeconomic situation in Armenia is unlikely to markedly improve
next year due to slower GDP growth anticipated by the government,
Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamian said on Monday.
"In the context of tense geopolitical developments, promising an
immediate betterment of all aspects of social welfare would be a
populistic but not honest approach," Abrahamian told lawmakers as he
presented his cabinet's draft 2016 budget.
The proposed budget envisages only a marginal increase in government
spending, which will not translate into increases in public sector
salaries, pensions and poverty benefits. It is based on the assumption
that the Armenian economy will grow by 2.2 percent in 2016.
Although the government expects faster growth this year, Abrahamian
cited "authoritative economists and international structures" as
saying that the wider region is now facing even more serious economic
challenges than during the 2008-2009 global financial crisis. He
singled out the collapse in oil prices, which has plunged Russia into
recession and cut vital remittances from Armenian migrant workers.
"In the face of such deterioration, our sole path to social welfare is
to create jobs by means of stimulating investments and ensuring
economic growth," the premier told members of the parliament
committees dealing social and economic issues. "It is essential to
stimulate domestic manufacturers and foster exports."
The grim economic outlook prompted strong criticism from an outspoken
opposition lawmaker, former Prime Minister Hrant Bagratian. He accused
the government of lacking the ambition to improve the lives of
ordinary Armenians.
Bagratian also dismissed Abrahamian's pledges to facilitate job
creation, saying that it will be hampered by domestic oligopolies led
by government-linked individuals."Our problem is that only 10 people
invest," he claimed. "We don't let the economy decentralize itself so
that its benefits trickle down to everyone."
"Only 7.5 percent of the population is self-employed," complained the
oppositionist. "It should have been 45 percent."
Abrahamian and some members of his cabinet, notably Finance Minister
Gagik Khachatrian, have extensive business interests which critics say
make them disinterested in genuine reforms.
Khachatrian insisted on Monday that the scale of government corruption
and economic monopolization is grossly exaggerated by Armenian media
critical of the authorities. "The public buys into what you, the
media, spread," he told reporters. "Because of you and us, the public,
as a rule, accepts bad news more easily than positive news."
arka.am
ARMENIAN HARVEST TO GROW 2.5 BILLION DRAMS WORTH
DUTCH ROSES A YEAR
YEREVAN, November 5. Armenian Harvest, a company specializing
now in growing of tomatoes and cucumbers, will be producing 2.5 billion
drams worth Dutch roses a year, economy minister Karen Chshmarityan
told a Cabinet session today.
The minister said the company is bringing in new equipment for
cultivation of Dutch roses and plans to produce 2.5 billion drams
worth roses a year.
The company has been awarded today by the government a three-year
deferment of VAT payment after pledging to import equipment worth
more than 300 million drams. The deferment is awarded to companies
which import more than 300 million drams worth modern equipment or
technology to expand their output and modernize production facilities.
Armenian Harvest, located in the central Kotayk region is planning
to invest in the greenhouses 1.637 billion drams. Of that amount
1.337 billion drams will be spent on purchase of equipment for the
production of Dutch roses.
The bulk of flowers is supposed to be exported to Russia, Georgia,
Belarus, Kazakhstan and other countries. The greenhouses occupying 11
hectares of land employ 90 workers. To build the greenhouses Armenian
Harvest used the technology of the French company Richel Group. ($1 -
476.32 drams) .
YEREVAN, November 5. Armenian Harvest, a company specializing
now in growing of tomatoes and cucumbers, will be producing 2.5 billion
drams worth Dutch roses a year, economy minister Karen Chshmarityan
told a Cabinet session today.
The minister said the company is bringing in new equipment for
cultivation of Dutch roses and plans to produce 2.5 billion drams
worth roses a year.
The company has been awarded today by the government a three-year
deferment of VAT payment after pledging to import equipment worth
more than 300 million drams. The deferment is awarded to companies
which import more than 300 million drams worth modern equipment or
technology to expand their output and modernize production facilities.
Armenian Harvest, located in the central Kotayk region is planning
to invest in the greenhouses 1.637 billion drams. Of that amount
1.337 billion drams will be spent on purchase of equipment for the
production of Dutch roses.
The bulk of flowers is supposed to be exported to Russia, Georgia,
Belarus, Kazakhstan and other countries. The greenhouses occupying 11
hectares of land employ 90 workers. To build the greenhouses Armenian
Harvest used the technology of the French company Richel Group. ($1 -
476.32 drams) .
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