Armenian News... A Topalian...10 editorials

Eurasianet.org

April 17 2019

Armenia gets mixed results in crackdown on shadow economy

Ani Mejlumyan 

The government claims that it has increased revenues by expanding the tax base, but the data aren’t clear.

       

Increasing tax revenues and increasing investments are two goals often at odds with one another. (Eurasianet)

When Nikol Pashinyan took power nearly a year ago, one of his top priorities was to crack down on corruption and the shadow economy and thus to boost tax revenues and the government budget. 

As the first anniversary of his “Velvet Revolution” approaches, though, the picture is mixed. The data on tax revenues are inconclusive. The shadow economy has shrunk modestly, but that trend began before Pashinyan took office. And an ongoing legal campaign against one of the country’s largest exporters illustrates the tension between aggressively collecting taxes and fulfilling another of Pashinyan’s major goals – increasing investment in the country. 

In early April, the head of the State Revenue Committee announced that during the first quarter of 2019, tax receipts had grown 25 percent from the same period a year before. 

Yet economic growth in the country remains low. The increase in revenues “came mostly at the expense of the shadow economy and less due to economic growth,” Davit Ananyan, the committee chairman, told reporters on April 3. “We will surpass projections this year thanks to reducing the shadow economy, but we also expect that in upcoming years economic growth will dominate. The economy should generate taxes.”

In a recent report, the World Bank projected the country’s GDP growth to slow to 4.3 percent in 2019. It blamed part of that on global political and economic crises, but domestic factors contribute to the uncertainty.

“On the domestic front, reforming Armenia’s economy will require bold efforts in many areas, which could still face opposition due to vested interests or perceived high costs,” the report said. “At the same time, without such bold reforms, tangible results in creating job opportunities, increasing wages, better addressing the social issues and improving the business environment to be able to attract investment, are unlikely.”

The reported increase in tax receipts tracks closely with what Pashinyan set as his goal for the revenue collection agency. When he appointed Ananyan in May 2018, shortly after taking power, Pashinyan told him: “First of all, you should not hamper business activities and, secondly, you must continue curbing the shadow economy and ensure consistent budget revenue growth, increase the level of budget receipts.”

But the data on the real change in revenues are inconclusive, said Hrant Mikaelian, an economist and analyst at the Yerevan-based think tank Caucasus Institute. The way January tax prepayments have been accounted for means that “it is impossible to compare” the quarters, Mikaelian told Eurasianet. But comparing February 2019 to the same month in 2018, tax revenues actually declined by more than 3 percent. 

Mikaelian said that according to his calculations, the share of the shadow economy in the total economy has shrunk under Pashinyan, from about 27 percent at the beginning of 2018 to 23 percent now. Part of that is due to factors in play before Pashinyan came to power, he said. While the shadow economy was shrinking rapidly for nearly a year before Pashinyan’s rise, in the tumultuous months around the protests and his transition it regained strength. “In recent months it has again decreased, actually continuing the trend that was under the [previous] government,” Mikaelian said.

The new government does deserve some credit, Mikaelian added, for enforcing rules requiring small businesses to maintain receipts and to keep all employees on the books. 

The most recent high-profile target of tax evasion has proven controversial. On April 5, the CEO of one of the largest exporters in Armenia, Spayka, was charged with tax evasion for allegedly failing to pay $15 million in taxes.

Armenian media have long connected the company, which is primarily an exporter of fruits and vegetables, to former president Robert Kocharyan and a son-in-law of another former president, Serzh Sargsyan. The new government has particularly targeted businesses belonging to figures tied to the former regime. 

Nevertheless, just 10 days before Ghazaryan’s arrest, Pashinyan had attended the company’s opening of a new cheese factory, slated to create 120 new jobs.

At a press conference Ghazaryan denied the accusations. He also claimed that the investigation threatened $100 million in potential international investments. “Last night I received a call from the Eurasian Development Bank,” he told assembled reporters. “I was told that the funding would be temporarily suspended because of the criminal case.” The Eurasian Development Bank, a lender dominated by Russia and Kazakhstan, did not respond to requests for comment.

The question of foreign investment is a delicate one, as it is also one of Pashinyan’s highest economic priorities. The World Bank report noted that investment has been sluggish even since the new government came to power. “Key impediments to [foreign direct investment] in Armenia include regulatory obstacles, business environment, and local labor force quality. Political uncertainty may have also deterred foreign investment.”

Mikaelian said that how the Spayka case is handled will send a message to potential local and foreign investors: “So the investigation needs to be as transparent as possible, and the punishment completely justified and proven in court. If there is a political component in this case, it will result in a new investment drought in the country.”

Ghazaryan also threatened to curtail the company’s business in response to the charges, but Pashinyan is calling the company’s bluff. “We will see soon whether they will stop or not,” the prime minister told reporters last week. “They will work normally as they will not want to lose millions of dollars just for boycotting.” 

Ani Mejlumyan is a reporter based in Yerevan. 

Arminfo, Armenia

April 17 2019

Marianna Mkrtchyan

Following France, Montreal declared April 24 as Remembrance Day for  the victims of the Armenian Genocide

The City  proclaimed April 24 as Commemoration Day for the  victims of the Armenian Genocide.

According to the Canadian-Armenian Horizon Weekly publication, the  corresponding decision was made at a special meeting of the city  council on April 15.  According to the source, the document, which  was adopted at the city council meeting, says that the initiative is  intended to perpetuate the memory of 1.5 million innocent victims of  the Armenian Genocide, which was the first in the history of the 20th  century. The document on proclaiming April 24 as the Day of  Remembrance of the Victims of the Armenian Genocide was signed by  Mayor of Montreal Valerie Plante.  

"The authorities of the second  largest city of Canada called on residents of Montreal on April 24 to  express solidarity with more than 50 thousand fellow citizens of  Armenian origin, most of whom are descendants of those who survived  the Genocide," the publication said. 

To note, on April 10, the French President signed a decree on the  establishment on April 24 of the Day of Remembrance of the Victims of  the Armenian Genocide in the France. 

Panorama , Armenia

April 17 2019

Turkish workshop discusses the safety at Armenian nuclear power plant

A workshop n the eastern province of Igdir started on Tuesday on the Armenian Metsamor nuclear power plant that is located close to the Turkish border. As the local sources report, the staff of local emergency authorities attended the workshop on radioactive emergency focused on the plant, which Turkey has repeatedly described as dangerous.

Speaking at the opening of the workshop, Bulent Zegem, provincial director for the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), said they would organize an exercise in June with the participation of AFAD teams from other cities. 

Associate professor Sertan Yeşil, an atomic energy engineer from the Turkish Atomic Energy Agency (TAEK) said they would assess radiation leaks from the plant and inform local authorities about monitoring radioactivity and taking samples in the three-day workshop.

To remind, Metsamor is Armenia's only nuclear power plant and produces more than a third of the country's electricity. Turkey has urged Armenia to shut down the plant due to imminent danger the outdated plant posed to Turkey. However, the experts working under the aegis of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) found an adequate safety at the nuclear plant and recommended specific measures which they said would further boost its operational safety.

Armenpress.am

18 April, 2019

Head of State Oversight Service charged with power abuse

 

The National Security Service of Armenia filed a criminal case against Head of State Oversight Service of Armenia David Sanasaryan on April 18 under Article 308 (1) of the criminal code of the Republic of Armenia, ARMENPRESS reports NSS Armenia informs.

Article 308 (1) - Abuse of official authority or duties by a state official for mercenary interests, personal, other interests or group interests, which caused essential damage to the legal interests of citizens, organizations, public or state rights (in case of property loss, the amount (value) exceeding 500 minimal salaries), is punished with a fine in the amount of 200 to 300 minimal salaries, or with deprivation of the right to hold certain posts or practice certain activities for up to 5 years, or with arrest for the term of 2-3 months, or imprisonment for the term of up to 4 years.

According to the NSS press release, sufficient evidences have been obtained that David Sanasaryan used his powers to create favorable conditions for a company de-facto controlled by his employees.

The preventive measure for Sanasaryan has been chosen signature on not leaving the country.

The investigator made a decision to temporally suspend David Sanasaryan’s  powers. The decision has been submitted to the office of the Prime Minister of Armenia.

Preliminary investigation is underway.

Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan

Armenpress.am

18 April, 2019

Armenia improves positions in World Press Freedom Index by 19 points: Pashinyan confident in continuation of progress

Armenia has recorded an unprecedented progress in the 2018 World Press Freedom Index, improving positions by 19 points and capturing the 61st place in the ranking, Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan said on Facebook, reports Armenpress.

“The ranking is prepared by the Reporters Without Border leading international organization.

In fact, this is the international recording of my claim that media has never been more free in Armenia than today.

Of course, we will consider the issues, concerns and recommendations voiced by the organization, and there is no doubt that Armenia will continue its progress both in press freedom and other fields”, the PM said.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan

Arminfo, Armenia

April 18 2019

Marianna Mkrtchyan

Mnatsakanyan told Le Figaro about the fate of the Zurich Protocols  and the Artsakh population

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict can only have a political solution, and the only format for achieving it is the co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group. The Armenian  Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan said this in an interview with  the French Le Figaro.

He recalled that on April 15, at the initiative  of the Russian side, a meeting took place in Moscow between the  Foreign Ministers of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia, which at some  stage were joined by the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group and the  Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office. Mnatsakanyan  also stated that the meeting took place after the meeting of the  leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Vienna on March 29."From our  point of view, the target of the problem is the security of 150  thousand people living in Artsakh. 

This population is under constant threats, given the atmosphere of  hatred that has been sown against Armenians. The settlement can only  be political, and the only format to achieve it is the MG co-  chairmanship OSCE. But at the same time it is necessary to ensure an  atmosphere conducive to peace and people-to-people contacts. We  cannot negotiate against the background of an atmosphere of hatred,  "the Armenian Foreign Minister said, adding that the security of  people it and the status of Artsakh are priority settlement  issues.According to Mnatsakanyan, 150 thousand people living in  Artsakh should participate in the negotiation process, as they are  the guarantors of the Armenian identity, an identity that still faces  denial of the genocide.Mnatsakanyan also stated that France  recognized the Armenian Genocide in 2001, and not so long ago the  French leader Emmanuel Macron established April 24 as the Day of  Remembrance of the Victims of the Armenian Genocide. "This decision  deeply touched the Armenian people. 

They wanted to wipe us completely off the face of the earth. But we  survived, strengthened and developed - this is a victory. But,  unfortunately, we still feel the consequences of the Turkish policy  of denial. This denial concerns not only Armenians, but also of all  mankind. The President of Turkey simply threw out the Zurich  Protocols on the normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations, signed  in 2009. We were committed to these protocols and were ready to  normalize relations with Turkey without preconditions, "Mnatsakanyan  concluded.

RFE/RL Report

Pashinian Unrepentant About Flag Outburst

April 16, 2019

Naira Nalbandian

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian rejected on Monday human rights activists’ and opposition leaders’ criticism of his angry behavior and sacking orders issued during a visit to a customs facility in Yerevan.

Pashinian berated a customs officer, Hayk Martirosian, for not standing at attention when he began inspecting the facility on April 9. He then entered an office and noticed an apparently dirty Armenian flag there before ordering everyone working in the room to be fired.

Human rights activists condemned Pashinian’s behavior, saying that he is not legally allowed to order such sackings. They also decried Martirosian’s 

humiliation in front of TV cameras.

Martirosian and the chief of the customs terminal resigned from their jobs following the incident. The State Revenue Committee (SRC), which comprises the 

Armenian customs service, denied forcing them to quit. The SRC chief, Davit Ananian, also claimed that Pashinian “urged,” rather than ordered, their 

dismissal.

Opposition politicians added their voice to the criticism. One of them compared Pashinian’s behavior to Belarusian strongman Alexander Lukashenko’s periodical public outbursts, while another published an open letter earlier on Monday accusing the prime minister of violating labor rights.

Pashinian scoffed at the letter. “If things continue like this, the next letter will be about us violating Serzh Sarkisian’s labor rights,” he said, referring to Armenia’s former leader overthrown in last year’s “velvet revolution.”

Pashinian said that Martirosian’s failure to stand at attention in his presence highlighted customs officers’ lack of respect for many citizens dealing with 

the customs service. “Why do you think we are getting hundreds of letters complaining about customs bodies?” he told reporters.

“He could have avoid writing the [resignation] letter,” Pashinian said of Martirosian. “What should I do? My position is that such people must not be [in the customs service.]”

“I think that no action aimed at enhancing [state bodies’ proper] attitude towards the national flag has been as effective as that incident,” he added.

Armenpress.am

16 April, 2019

More than 10,000 sq.m. cleared by Armenian de-miners in Syria

 Landmine clearing personnel of the Armenian Center for Humanitarian Demining and Expertise are resuming operations in Syria after few days of training and technical terrain explorations.

Armenian Center for Humanitarian Demining and Expertise spokesperson Nazeli Elbakyan told ARMENPRESS they are maintaining daily contact with the group’s commander Ara Martirosyan.

“According to him, they come across both anti-tank and anti-personnel landmines, IEDs aren’t few either. Landmine clearing works are carried out in compliance with international standards,” Elbakyan said.

She said the Armenian group has cleared more than 10,000 square meters of territory. The humanitarian de-miners and medics arrived in Aleppo in early February.

Ara Martirosyan, chief inspector of the Armenian Center for Humanitarian Demining and Expertise, has been appointed as the mission’s new commander in early April after the previous chief sustained injuries when a landmine exploded.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

[Turkish attempts at a counter-offensive. Perhaps they could show more non-disctriminatory understanding and respect for the Armenians in their country]

DailySabah.com

16.04.2019

April 24 allows us to identify friend and foe

OZAN CEYHUN

We are used to seeing the same drama every year on April 24 – a day when by Turkey, opposition Armenians are exploited while enmity against Turkey is exercised.

April 24 is used as a day for "getting even," by those who do not wish to see Turkey as an EU member due to various reasons, those who do not wish to see it become stronger in the region, or countries like the U.S. that want to see Turkey as a dependent state.

Armenians are only an excuse! Those who hold meetings and make decisions by using Armenians on April 24 do not actually care for Armenians. For French politicians, "Armenian votes" are very precious. Those who are contesting to get those votes are trying hard to become the ones who "attack Turkey the most and smear Turkey the most" in order to "be the one that deserves the Armenian votes the most."

Similarly, we see politicians competing for Armenian votes in the U.S. and "remember Armenians" as April 24 approaches. For some EU states, it is great proof of their "exploitation of Armenians" policy as for decades they have done nothing for these people but only remember the event when their relations with Turkey deteriorate.

In reality, a great injustice is being exercised on the Armenian people. Armenians do not only consist of diaspora Armenians who live in France and the U.S. No one cares to talk to the Armenians living in Turkey. Nobody asks for their opinion or, to be more precise, what Armenians living in Turkey say does not suit the agendas of Turkey's enemies.

Some time ago, Turkey urged Armenian citizens living in Istanbul to a joint Legislator Commission Meeting formed by the Turkish and European Parliament.

Religious leaders representing Turkey's Armenian congregation and Armenian journalists were among the guests. What they said did not please European Parliament legislators. Representatives of Turkey's Armenian community criticized politicians coming from Europe and clearly said "not to use them."

Among the guests was Hrant Dink, my journalist friend who was later unfortunately murdered by the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ). Dink had criticized European Parliament legislators by clearly stating, "We Armenians living in Turkey know very well what happened or what did not happen in the past or why it had happened. Turkey is our motherland. We want to evaluate our past as Armenians and Turks. The decisions you make in parliaments abroad are not right. You are doing these without talking with us or asking us. What happened in the past are events that have to be researched by Armenian and Turkish historians. Politicians should not meddle in this subject."

After Dink's criticism, a German European Parliament legislator whispered in my ear, "This Hrant Dink is probably sent by the Turkish National Intelligence Organization (MİT)."

This, however, was a great discourtesy toward Dink. An Armenian who never allowed anyone to use him and always said what he knows to be correct was not a "good Armenian" for European legislators.

If anyone wants to do something for Armenians, they can start by researching the secret government archives in Germany, Britain and the U.S. For years, Turkey has insisted that Armenian and Turkish historians research the matter and uncover the truth.

If they leave Turkey and Armenia and their people alone this may be possible. Those who are trying to rile Armenians against Turks do not think that they are the grandchildren of those who caused these pains in the past. Yes, there was great suffering. Both Armenians and Turks have suffered greatly. For example, a number of relatives from my father's side claim their grandfather was murdered by "Armenian gangs."

Especially in French-occupied southern Anatolian cities, the Turk's war of independence efforts was hindered by Armenian gangs, backed by French troops. At that period, the French had formed, in an area on Cyprus, a military training camp to train Armenian youth and later deployed these Armenian militants to Adana, Maraş and Gaziantep. For what reason?

A couple of days ago the Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu was very right when he said the following to a French deputy of Algerian descent who attempted to twist history. "I can understand why Ms. Sonia is shocked. Because countries like Ms. Sonia's and France do not understand a certain thing. They always have to patronize and criticize other countries, ridicule them and make decisions as they please. And as a result, when criticism comes from Turkey, they are shocked. France would be the last country to give Turkey lessons over genocide and history because we did not forget what happened in Rwanda and Algeria. France needs to look into its own dark history and should not try to give a lesson to Turkey."

Enough is enough! Leave Turks and Armenians alone!

BBC News

17 April 2019

UK universities face 'gagging order' criticism

By Rianna Croxford

UK universities are being accused of using "gagging orders" to stop bullying, discrimination and sexual misconduct allegations becoming public.

Dozens of academics have told BBC News they were "harassed" out of their jobs and made to sign non-disclosure agreements after making complaints. 

Figures obtained by the BBC show UK universities spent about £87m on pay-offs with NDAs since 2017. 

Universities UK says using NDAs to keep victims quiet should not be tolerated. 

Non-disclosure agreements were designed to stop staff sharing trade secrets if they changed jobs, but now lawyers say they are being misused to protect serial perpetrators of misconduct, and ministers say they want to tighten the rules. 

Anahid Kassabian, a former music professor at the University of Liverpool, said she felt like she was treated as a "burden" and "bullied out" of her 10-year job after being diagnosed with cancer.

She has broken her NDA in the hope that others who have been "through the same horrors" will realise they are "not alone" and will feel empowered to speak out.

"We all think we're isolated and alone, sobbing over past wrongs, when in fact there are many, many of us, and if we could speak to each other it would feel very different," she said.

Ms Kassabian, 59, who also has multiple sclerosis and fibromyalgia, believes her medical conditions had led to her ability to work being called into question, without the causes of the emotional stress she was under being adequately addressed. 

But the BBC has seen documents that suggest the university felt it had done all it could to support Ms Kassabian, and it had a responsibility to support the teaching of students and work in the department as well as staff.

The University of Liverpool said: "We refute these allegations in the strongest possible terms. Ms Kassabian was not subject to discrimination or bullying and the university did not fail to make reasonable adjustments.

"Settlement agreements with a standard confidentiality clause are used for a range of cases including conduct, capability and redundancy. As we too are bound by confidentiality, we are unable to provide specifics in relation to her case." 'Followed to new job' 

Another academic, Amy, not her real name, says bullying sparked her depression."It's crippling my career," she told the BBC. Amy says she has been bullied for six years across two universities by the same man. Her NDA, seen by the BBC, explicitly names the senior academic whom she calls a "serial bully". It means she is legally required not to reveal details of the allegations or she risks being sued."He told me I'd never have a successful career," she said. 

"He has done nothing but undermine my confidence; it's a complete abuse of power." After she put in a complaint, Amy says she was advised to sign an NDA and leave.

"I ended up hundreds of miles away at a new university, only for him to follow me and continue his harassment. Because of the NDA I can't tell people what went on in the past. I can't tell them why he's doing this.

"Universities would rather pay off people to leave, than push out the person doing the bullying." 'Signing a gagging clause set me free'

The president and the porn star  A source close to the settlement process, who has overseen a number of maternity and disability discrimination cases, said their university had a fund to get rid of staff with "significant health problems". Claims of the misuse of NDAs by universities follow high-profile cases in the film and business worlds. 

Emma Chapman refused to sign an NDA after a two-year challenge for sexual harassment Emma Chapman, an award-winning astrophysicist, says she was sexually harassed by a man at University College London and received a £70,000 payout after a two-year legal challenge.

She refused to sign an NDA in favour of a confidentiality waiver, believed to be the first of its kind, allowing her to defend herself. But Dr Chapman says the "trauma of the original incident is still there" with "nightmares of [her] house being set on fire".

Shortly after her tribunal, she received several untraceable voicemails of a person laughing down the phone in the middle of the night.  She reported it to the police, but there was no concrete evidence it was her harasser.

Now a campaigner to end sexual misconduct in higher education with The 1752 Group, Dr Chapman wants "to see this culture of silence banished and confidentiality waivers being given as standard, so that victims can protect their careers and universities are held to account".

UCL says it no longer uses NDAs for cases of bullying, harassment and sexual misconduct, but acknowledges that "historically" it has "not always got the balance right".

"We hope this sends a clear message that these behaviours will not be tolerated," it said. "#MeToo has made clear that all institutions can, and must do better, in preventing and addressing these behaviours. UCL is no exception."

A widespread problem?

The BBC sent Freedom of Information requests to 136 UK universities, asking how much they had paid in settlements that included "gagging clauses".

Analysis of figures from 96 universities responding in full, reveal about £87m spent on about 4,000 settlements in the past two years.

Many universities said  they were unable to disclose why the agreements were signed, so it is unclear how many relate to allegations of bullying, harassment or sexual misconduct.

Barrister Georgina Calvert-Lee says universities overuse NDAs to promote a system discrimination and harassment

Some universities attributed the bulk of their multi-million NDA spending to voluntary redundancy packages, but lawyers question whether, if such cases were truly voluntary, gagging clauses would be needed. 

Georgina Calvert-Lee, a senior barrister at McAllister Olivarius, has told MPs that NDAs are "overused to promote systemic discrimination and harassment" at universities.

"The danger is that you may have one complaint put in, it's settled with an NDA, but then the university takes no action to prevent the misconduct happening again, and this exposes others to further misconduct by the same perpetrator," she said.

Ms Calvert-Lee said that universities have to provide independent legal advice to affected staff, but that this is usually only "enough time to talk through the agreement and not about the circumstances that have led to it".

Universities UK, which represents 136 institutions, said it was important to note that signing an NDA "does not prevent staff or students from reporting criminal acts to the police or regulatory bodies, or from making a disclosure under The Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998".