Armenian News... A Topalian... Concert at Datev.... ANA Choirs
The Armenian National Academy Choirs concert at Datev
Ազգային ակատեմիական երգչախմբի համերգը Տաթևի մէջ
RFE/RL Report
Sarkisian Nominated As Armenia’s PM Amid Protests
April 14, 2018
Emil Danielyan
Ignoring continuing street protests in Yerevan, the ruling Republican Party
(HHK) on Saturday nominated its chairman and former President Serzh Sarkisian
to be Armenia’s next prime minister.
The HHK’s decision-making Council unexpectedly met in the resort town of
Tsaghkadzor, rather than Yerevan, to formalize the nomination the day after the
opposition Civil Contract party launched nonstop demonstrations in the capital
against Sarkisian’s continued rule.
The Civil Contract leader, Nikol Pashinian, told supporters on Friday to gear
up for marching to the HHK headquarters and surrounding it during the key
meeting. After it emerged overnight that the meeting has been moved to
Tsaghkadzor, Pashinian planned on Saturday morning to send a large group of his
loyalists there late in the afternoon.
The HHK again wrong-footed the protest leaders when it announced afterwards
that its Council has already met and nominated Sarkisian for what will now be
Armenia’s top executive post.
A short statement released by the party said the nomination was “proposed” at
the meeting by Karen Karapetian, the outgoing prime minister and the HHK’s
first deputy chairman. “The Council discussed the issue and unanimously
approved [Sarkisian’s] candidacy,” it said.
Sarkisian and Karapetian met to discuss their political future on April 7, two
days before the HHK chairman completed his second and final presidential term.
The outgoing premier said afterwards that they decided to “propose” to the HHK
leadership to nominate Sarkisian for prime minister.
Karapetian cited the need for a “smooth and effective transition” to a
parliamentary system of government. He is expected to become the number two
government figure in his new capacity as first deputy prime minister.
The Armenian parliament is scheduled to vote for the new prime minister on
Tuesday. The HHK holds 58 seats in the 105-member National Assembly. Its junior
coalition partner, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun),
controls 7 parliament seats.
The Dashnaktsutyun leadership officially announced its endorsement of
Sarkisian’s candidacy later on Saturday. “Although there are numerous serious
challenges and problems in our country requiring solutions, certain successes
achieved in the last two years make us hope that the chosen path is right,” it
said in a statement.
Dashnaktsutyun cut a power-sharing deal with Sarkisian and the HHK in March
2016. It is represented in the current government by three ministers.
Armenia - An opposition protester in Yerevan rips a poster depicting Serzh
Sarkisian and his 2014 promise not to hold on to power, 13 April 2018.
Sarkisian promised in April 2014 that he will “not aspire” to the post of prime
minister if Armenia becomes a parliamentary republic as a result of his
constitutional changes. He downplayed that pledge last month, citing the
increased risk of renewed fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh and other security
challenges facing the country.
The Armenian opposition and Pashinian’s Civil Contract in particular accuse
Sarkisian of failing to keep his word. The ongoing protests in Yerevan are
aimed at scuttling the ex-president’s plans. Pashinian has indicated that his
supporters will march to the parliament building and try to thwart the vote on
the new prime minister on April 17.
TASS, Russia
April 16 2018
At least 46 injured in Yerevan clashes, says Armenian Health Ministry
46 people required medical assistance as a result of street protests in Yerevan, among them 6 police officers, Armenian Health Ministry said on Monday.
"As of 16:30 (15:30 Moscow time) 46 people have required medical assistance in Yerevan, including 6 police officers," the ministry reported. Some of the injured were released from the hospital after receiving ambulatory care.
"For the most part, civilians have received surface injuries of their lower limbs," the Health Ministry added. "The police officers have received injuries caused by blunt or sharp objects."
One of the police officers had to undergo surgical treatment. There have been no life-threatening injuries, the ministry reported.
On Tuesday, Armenians will go to the polls to elect the nation’s prime minister. The ruling Republican party of Armenia nominated Serzh Sargsyan, who on April 9 had concluded his 10-year tenure as president of the country. The opposition is launching acts of protest in order to undermine the election.
EuroNews, EU
April 16 2018
Thousands of protesters take to the streets in Armenian capital
Several thousand people blocked traffic in the Armenian capital of Yerevan on Monday in protest against a recent change of government that the opposition sees as a move by the ex-president to stay in power.
Serzh Sargsyan, who served as president from 2008 until earlier this year when he stepped down because of term limits, is set to be approved as prime minister on Tuesday.
The new system sees the president's powers weakened and the prime minister taking a dominant role.
Armenia's opposition views the move as Sargsyan's attempt to stay in power indefinitely and has vowed to keep protesting around the clock.
About 10,000 people started marching toward parliament early Monday afternoon and were blocked by police using tear gas and stun grenades.
An Associated Press reporter saw several people wounded and at least four of them were transported away by ambulance including protest leader Nikol Pashinian.
Foreign Brief
April 16 2018
Appointment of prime minister sowing doubt in stability of Armenian democracy
Bibi Lichauco
Former Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan will be elected prime minister by the country’s parliament today as thousands in the capital protest his continued rule.
Since Armenia’s independence from the Soviet Union three decades ago, issues such as the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and a faltering economy have tested the country’s domestic stability. On top of these lies a corrupt political system which oversaw a 2015 referendum that gave parliament electoral power over the president while also concentrating power in the hands of the prime minster.
Filling Sargsyan’s shoes will be his ally Armen Sargsyan, a former prime minister elected last month to the now largely ceremonial office. Although some critics have accused Serzh of engineering this power grab, others see his previous experience make him the only qualified candidate.
With Serzh Sargsyan’s hold over parliament, his rule over Armenia will certainly be continued today. Along with further eroding democracy in the region, expect Russian influence to remain strong due to his ties with Moscow. Further protests are also likely, with violence not out of the question.
168.am
April 13 2018
Azerbaijani forces open gunfire at civilians in Armenian border town, countermeasures used to suppress attack
The Azerbaijani military opened gunfire at a civilian cargo vehicle in the town of Baghanis (close to the Azerbaijani border) in Armenia’s Tavush province late in the evening of April 12.
The Armenian Armed Forces suppressed the gunfire with countermeasures, Armenian defense ministry spokesman Artsrun Hovhannisyan said on Facebook.
“The vehicle was damaged, but fortunately the [civilian] driver was not wounded. The adversary was silenced after the countermeasure gunfire of the Armenian military”, Hovhannisyan said.
Earlier on April 9, the Azerbaijani armed forces had once again targeted the small Armenian town near the border, killing livestock of farmers.
[the 350,000 displaced Armenians starting with the Sumgait programs are now classed as Azeris!]
Trend.az
MP: Over million Azerbaijanis are IDPs because of hypocrite int'l structures as OSCE
14 April 2018
Baku, Azerbaijan
By Samir Ali – Trend:
The report of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) on the presidential election in Azerbaijan caused a sharp protest of not only the public and reporters, but also internally displaced persons (IDPs) who cannot return to their native lands for over 30 years, Azerbaijani MP from Khojaly district Elman Mammadov told Trend.
He made the remarks commenting on the preliminary conclusions of the OSCE/ODIHR presented at a press conference on April 12. The mission, which voiced opinions not reflecting the reality observed at the election, announced that the final report will be made public within two months.
So far, according to Mammadov, over one million Azerbaijanis are still IDPs due to the incompetent activities of the OSCE.
"Our compatriots have turned into IDPs because of such hypocritical international structures as the OSCE. We are outraged that these persons discredit the presidential election in Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijani lands are still under occupation because of their unfair activity carried out together with Armenians. This is why we live not in our native land," the MP said.
Mammadov further said that the OSCE/ODIHR is an organization financed by Armenians and dancing to the tune of Armenians.
"Representatives of the OSCE do not have the right to come to Azerbaijan and observe the electoral process. How did the OSCE, as an international structure, prove itself to Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh issue? I can answer - as a hypocritical structure pursing double-standards policy," Mammadov said.
Distributing the biased report on April 12, the OSCE/ODIHR acted against all voters, against the will of the Azerbaijani people and showed disrespect to the entire Azerbaijani people, he said.
"Neither the OSCE/ODIHR nor the Council of Europe are holding elections in Azerbaijan. They don't have the last say. The people is a source of the power in Azerbaijan, and the Azerbaijani people have the last say on this issue. The Azerbaijani people demonstrated its will on April 11 by voting for development, progress and its future. All international organizations that monitored the presidential election in Azerbaijan confirmed the transparent and fair electoral process," he said.
However, according to Mammadov, ODIHR representatives come to Azerbaijan with pre-prepared protocols.
"They acted the way their owners dictated. Therefore, their opinion is just a piece of paper for the Azerbaijani people," the MP said.
[the word 'Armenian' is deliberately missing from this article]
Medieval Ani Cathedral in eastern Turkey to go under renovation
15 April 2018
The ruined medieval Cathedral of Ani in Turkey's eastern Kars province, which is inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, will go under restoration, reports said Sunday.
Considered to be the largest standing building in Ani, the cathedral served as the first mosque used by the Turks after the Seljuk Conquest in 1064, but was then used as an Armenian church.
It is also referred to as the Fetih [The conquest] Mosque.
The restoration will be carried out in line with the authentic structure of the building, reports said.
Kars Museum Director Necmettin Alp told Anadolu Agency that the landscape and restoration work in Ani continues.
He noted that the restoration of the cathedral will start later this month and special attention will be paid to ensure that the authenticity of the structure is preserved.
Built by prominent Armenian architect Trdat in the 11th century A.D., Ani Cathedral is a large rust-colored structure which contains sculpted columns, arches and gates.
Ani's history dates back to 3,000 B.C. and hosted various civilizations including the Sacas, Sasanians, the Bagrat Kingdom, Byzantium Empire, the Principality of Şeddatoğulları, the Ani Georgian Atabegs, the Ilkhanids, the Seljuks, Karakoyunlus, Akkoyunlus, the Russians and the Ottoman Empire.
SwissInfo, Switzerland
April 14 2018
Delayed, disputed Armenian memorial unveiled in Geneva
A memorial series of street lamps commemorating the 1915-1917 Armenian genocide has been officially unveiled in Geneva. Turkish groups said that the initiative is a mistake.
“Streetlights of memory” was unveiled on Friday in the presence of various members of the Armenian community, including current Armenian ambassador to Switzerland Charles Aznavour, and the artist behind the work Mélik Ohanian.
No representative of the federal administration attended, a fact that could be ascribed to the ongoing diplomatic tensions around the 1915-1917 genocide, for which Turkey continues to deny responsibility.
Speaking to Swiss public broadcaster RTS in the Tremblay park in Geneva, not far from the United Nations building, Armenian ambassador Charles Aznavour (a famous French singer, in another life) said that the installation was not just a reminder of past disaster; “it’s a monument that says that this must never happen again”, he said.
+ Pierre Hazan on the transience, but importance, of such monuments
Turkish representative groups, notably the Federation of Turkish Associations in French-speaking Switzerland, called for demonstrations and criticized the authorities’ decision to allow the installation of the 10-metre-high posts.
“We are frustrated because this monument is symbolic of a conflict between communities, which I think is very dangerous,” said Federation president Celâl Bayer. “The city of Geneva has made a big mistake.”
The memorial was first approved by Geneva authorities a decade ago, in 2008, but disputes about location and diplomatic tensions delayed its installation. In the lead up to Friday, right up until the moment of inauguration, the work was surrounded by protective barriers to discourage vandalism.
The Armenian genocide was recognized by the parliament of Geneva in 2001 and by the Swiss federal parliament in 2003.
ArmenPress, Armenia
April 12 2018
Turkish prosecution files motion against Garo Paylan seeking to strip ethnic Armenian MP of immunity
Ankara's Republican Prosecutors Office filed a motion against eight lawmakers from the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), including ethnic Armenian MP Garo Paylan, Anadolu News Agency reported.
In addition to Paylan, the motion includes Osman Baydemir, Ailcan Onlu, Feleknas Uca, Sibel Yigitalp, Nadir Yildirimn, Dilek Ocalan and Mizgin Irgat.
The Prosecution is accusing the lawmakers of “publicly mocking the Turkish nation, the Republic of Turkey, the government, soldiers of the state or the security system”, “spreading terror-related propaganda”, “violating rules of political parties” and “insulting the President of the Republic”.
The motion filed against Garo Paylan in part mentions that the ethnic Armenian lawmaker had mocked the Turkish nation, the government and the republic and insulted the president in a May 1 2017 interview in Canada.
According to Article 83 of the Constitution, the motions can strip the MPs from their immunities. The prosecution submitted the motion to the ministry of justice.
A parliamentary committee is authorized to strip lawmakers from immunity.
MPs are entitled to appeal the committee’s ruling, and also appeal to the Constitutional Court.
English –translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan
PanArmenian, Armenia
April 13 2018
Exploring the world of Armenian brandy: Forbes
Forbes magazine has unveiled a feature about the world of the Armenian brandy, exploring the age-old brandy-making tradition and the thriving industry that developed in Armenia in the 19th century.
Armenia, along with its northern neighbor, Georgia, is believed to be the birth place of wine, the magazine says. Although it is likely that the different families of grape varieties had multiple independent centers of origin, the oldest historical evidence of winemaking, going back some 6,000 years, is found in this region.
The region was conquered by Russia during the 19th century, and the historic region of Armenia was divided between Russia and the Ottoman Empire. The country enjoyed a brief independent existence from 1917 through 1920, before it was eventually incorporated into the USSR as the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic. Armenia declared its sovereignty and became an independent republic in 1991.
"According to local legend, Armenians have been distilling wine into brandy since the 12th century. There is little definitive evidence of this," the article says.
"During the late 19th century a thriving brandy industry developed in Armenia. Taking advantage of the popularity of Cognac in Russia; a consequence of the anti-German, Franco-Russian alliance that preceded World War I, Armenian Brandy was also labeled Kanyak, the Armenian spelling for Cognac. A practice that continues in Armenia, Russia and some of the other former Soviet republics."
For a brief time, the feature says, one Armenian producer, Nikolay Shustov, did have the right to label his brandy as Cognac. Shustov was the official supplier of Armenian brandy to the court of the Russian Tsar Nicholas II. His company, Shustov & Sons, eventually became the Yerevan Brandy Company, Armenia’s largest brandy producer.
At the 1900 Universal Expo of Paris, Shustov & Sons’ brandy, was selected as the best brandy in a blind judging, beating out stiff competition from Cognac’s leading producer and earning the reward to legally call their product Cognac. That right, however, was revoked after the end of WW II.
The magazine reminds that the Armenian government lobbied the EU for permission to use the term Kanyak on its brandy in 2013.
However, under the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement signed between Armenia and the European Union in November 2017, the country will be able to export "Cognac" to EU member countries for 25 years. The agreement will give Armenian brandy producers the right to represent their product in the EU as "Armenian cognac" by 2042.
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