Armenian News... A Topalian... Only 31% of Armenians trust religious authorities: EU report

Pan Armenian, Armenia
Oct 10 2017

31% of Armenians trust the country's religious authority against 60% who do not, as 9% of respondents were undecided, an opinion poll carried out in the framework of The EU NEIGHBOURS east project showed recently. 

Meanwhile, a major new Pew Research Center survey argues that 95% of Armenians believe in God , with many people regarding the national patriarch as the main religious authority. 

According to the survey, Armenians do not possess a great deal of trust in national, regional and local institutions, although the share of individuals, who tend to trust the institutions, has slightly increased in 2017 compared to last year. 

Political parties remain the least trusted institution (24%) among Armenians, the poll suggests, while just under a third of citizens trust the religious authority. 

The purpose of the annual surveys is to investigate and understand better the opinion and the level of awareness that the citizens of the EU's Eastern Partner countries have about the EU and the cooperation of the bloc and their country. 

Also, the EU conducted opinion poll revealed that more than three-quarters of Armenians (76%) feel relations with the European Union are good - well ahead of the regional average (61%). 


Public Radio of Armenia
Oct 11 2017
Uncertainty grows over election of the Armenian Patriarch of Istanbul 
The process of election of a new Armenian Patriarch of Istanbul is again in stalemate. October 9 was the deadline for the Turkish authorities to respond to an official application for organization of patriarchal elections, but there has been no response so far. 

Locum Tenens Karekin Bekciyan told a press conference last week that the elections would be organized, but refrained from mentioning concrete dates. 

Former Patriarchal Vicar, Archbishop Aram Ateshyan says the process is in stalemate and offers ways out of the crisis. 

Aram Ateshyan says elections will not take place unless the government gives its consent. He considers that the initiative group should be dissolved, as the state refuses to recognize it. 

“We were to hold elections back in 2010, but the state did not recognize the initiative group. The same is happening today. There are people in the group the government would not like to see there,” Aram Ateshyan told Public Radio of Armenia. 

The Archbishop said the clergy is divided into two groups, but added, however, that “it does not mean they are enemies.” “There’s no enmity or hostility between them, but they differ on ideas.” 

Archbishop Ateshyan believes the organizing committee should be dissolved and the Locum Tenens has to resign. Afterwards, he says a new Locum Tenens has to be elected and a new application submitted to the Istanbul Governor’s Office. 

Sources close the Patriarchate have told Agos , that the initiative group might file a complaint to the court. Member of the group, lawyer Sebu Aslangil had said earlier that “should the state have any reservations regarding the organizing body, it should present them in a written form.” 

Editor of Istanbul-based Jamanak daily Ara Gochunyan stands for finding “the golden mean.” He believes that “it’s necessary to be flexible enough not to allow the government’s intervention in internal affairs.” 

“We fail to find the golden mean, because certain people are guided by personal interests,” he said. 

According to reports from Istanbul, the Patriarchate is now taking time to work out a strategy for future actions. 


RFE/RL Report
IMF Also Upgrades Armenian Growth Forecast
October 10, 2017
Economic growth in Armenia will be faster than expected this year even
if it falls short of the Armenian government's revised projections,
according to a report released by the International Monetary Fund on
Tuesday.

The IMF's latest World Economic Outlook predicts that the Armenian
economy will grow by 3.5 percent after stagnating in 2016.

The fund forecast a growth rate of around 3 percent in June. It warned
of downward risks at the time, saying that increased remittances from
Armenians working abroad and prices of copper, the country's number
one export item, "may not endure."

Most of those multimillion-dollar remittances come from migrant
workers in Russia which fell into recession in 2015. Russia is also
Armenia's leading trading partner.

"After two years of recession, economic activity in Russia is
projected to expand by 1.8 percent in 2017, helped by stabilizing oil
prices, easing financial conditions, and improved confidence. Over the
medium term, however, growth is expected to remain about 1.5 percent,"
says the latest IMF report. This might explain why it expects economic
growth in Armenia to slow to 2.9 percent in 2018.

The Armenian government had forecast a 3.2 percent growth rate for
2017 over a year ago. Official statistics showed the country's Gross
Domestic Product increasing by around 5 percent in the first half of
this year on the back of a double-digit rise in industrial output.

Finance Minister Vartan Aramian said late last month that full-year
growth will likely come in at 4.3 percent. In its draft state budget
unveiled by Aramian last week, the government said that growth should
accelerate to 4.5 percent in 2018. 


Imperial College London, UK
Oct 12 2017
Lord Darzi honoured by President of Armenia
by Deborah Evanson 
Professor the Lord Darzi of Denham, Director of Imperial's Institute of Global Health Innovation, has been awarded Armenia's highest state honour. 

Professor Darzi was presented with the Order of Honor by the President of Armenia, His Excellency Serzh Sargsyan, in a ceremony held in the capital, Yerevan. 

Lord Darzi receiving the honourThe award was made in recognition of Professor Darzi’s achievements in the fields of science and medicine and for the part he has played in strengthening UK-Armenia relations. 

Professor Darzi, whose grandparents were born in Armenia, has strong ties with the nation. His visits there have seen him perform operations, help to educate doctors and supply surgical kits and training. He has also facilitated visits by Armenian doctors to the UK. Strengthening relations 

He is currently advising the Government on the development of a cancer strategy for the country, and earlier this year was appointed to the selection panel for the Aurora Prize , established to mark the centenary of the Armenian genocide and chaired by the US actor George Clooney . 

Lord DarziIn a recent lecture at the American University of Armenia about innovation in healthcare quality and safety, Professor Darzi stressed the importance of listening to patients: “If you really care about the quality of healthcare you have to get feedback from patients,” he said. 

Medical staff must be able to learn from their mistakes, he added, and punishment is not the answer: “Punishment will suppress the errors and drive them underground. Graver errors will then occur and the health system will become less protected. We have to be able to learn from our mistakes.” 


South Manchester News, UK
Oct 12 2017
Stockport hearing giants Starkey deliver special gift to Armenia
Sue Souter 
Stockport-based Starkey Hearing Technologies, one of the world’s largest hearing technology companies, is taking a team of UK hearing professionals on a mission to Armenia as part of the firm’s global community support programme. 

It will be the first time a UK team has fitted devices in an overseas mission as part of the worldwide Starkey Foundation initiative, which has provided over 1.9 million hearing devices in more than 100 countries. 

Eleven partners plus a seven-strong Starkey team from the UK head office leave for Yerevan on October 13 to fit the devices. 

This mission is the second phase of the project for Starkey and its partners who travelled to Yerevan in June to carry out hearing screening and take ear impressions of 1600 people who were identified for support – the ones most in need of better hearing. 

This trip will see the actual fitting of the hearing instruments, counselling and aftercare, working closely with a local team. 

Roger Lewin, Managing Director at Starkey, said the mission had been one of the most worthwhile things he had ever been involved in: “Meeting the people of Yerevan and those trying to help them on the ground was a truly humbling and inspiring experience. 

“We are really looking forward to this next stage where we will be able to actually fit the devices and ‘gift’ better hearing to people who really need it.” 

Providing access to hearing care opens up a whole new world of opportunity, helping people to connect to life and accomplish more than they ever thought possible. 

Hearing aids help bridge the gap at school, work and life for children and adults with hearing loss and the Foundation strives to move people towards a better life and an awareness that they can help others in turn. 

According the World Health Organisation, more than 360 million people have disabling hearing loss, with the greatest number living in developing countries. 

Unfortunately, fewer than three per cent can afford hearing aids or access to care. 


Banks.am, Armenia
Oct 10 2017
UK’s best management expertise introduced in Yerevan 
Representatives from a number of spheres had the opportunity today to get acquainted with the best British and international expertise in management and leadership. 

Within the frames of the events, dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the establishment of Armenian-British diplomatic relations, UK Embassy to Armenia in cooperation with International Academy of Business (IAB) organized today the “1st Annual Management and Leadership Forum”, aimed at supporting the development of private and public sectors. 

UK Ambassador to Armenia Judith Farnworth remarked that the forum will help participants better understand the full potential of leadership approach and proper management. 

“We have decided to organize this event now, when we notice certain dynamics of changes in private and public sectors of Armenia. By sharing the British expertise, we are committed to boosting management and leadership skills among the Armenian specialists,” she said, highlighting CMI qualification, brought to Armenia last year. 

Touching upon Armenian-British diplomatic relations, UK Ambassador to Armenia assessed them “as deepening and strengthening more.” 

“We are willing to support reforms in Armenia. We know that the Armenian government is committed to seriously improving the investment sector in the country, and we are ready to support in creating a predictable and transparent environment. In my view, Armenia is on the right track,” Judith Farnworth said. 

Founder and CEO of IAB International Academy of Business Araksia Martirossian noted that this forum, organized for the first time this year, tends to become an annual event. 

“We are aiming at revealing all the issues that Armenia faces in the process of integrating into the international market. We need to provide decent quality of management to keep pace with the rapidly developing world,” she said. 

The one-day forum involved international and local speakers and trainers, heads of over 100 structures and 50 students. 


PanArmenian, Armenia
Oct 9 2017
Funny reasons for pretty women to avoid visiting Armenia: Travel journal 
Russian travel journal Tonkosti.ru has published an article, detailing five funny reasons why beautiful women should avoid visiting Armenia. 

They won't be kidnapped and taken to the mountains, the article points out, adding that Armenians are very respectful towards foreigners. However, it says, it is better for pretty girls to not take a trip to Yerevan. 

1. Divine food is a threat to the figure. To say that Armenian food is tasty and abundant is to say nothing. They offer eight different dishes for breakfast alone, followed by khash, khorovats (barbecue) , lavash, 30 varieties of jam! In a word, you'll have to forget about your beautiful waist for a while. 

2. Armenia has the world's most delicious pomegranate wine and brandy. Both are irresistible even if you have an iron will, or even if you do not drink alcohol at all (to keep the skin fresh). Anyway, you will try at least a sip and won't be able to stop. 

3. The program is too busy. The locals will make spontaneous proposals for walks through Yerevan at night or mountain gorges. Armenians adore their country and want its beauty to captivate you. 

4. Fatigue from compliments is quite a thing. "Bottomless eyes you can drown in" is a child's play compared to what you will hear from local men who know how to appreciate women's beauty. 

5. A huge selection of inexpensive sweets which you can't find anywhere else. Alas, in the foothills of Ararat, you will have to say goodbye not only to your figure, but also to your money.