Armenian News ... A Topalian 7 editorials
Panorama, Armenia
Aug 23 2019
Armenia adopts Declaration of Independence 29 years ago today
Today marks the 29th anniversary of Declaration of Independence of Armenia that was adopted on August 23, 1990. The Supreme Council of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic signed Armenia’s Declaration of Independence in Yerevan, renaming itself as the Republic of Armenia.
Armenia officially became an independent state on September 21, 1991, upon the dissolution of the USSR.
Adopting the Declaration signified the beginning of establishment of independent sovereignty and creation of a democratic state.
Supreme Council member Aram Manukyan declared the secession of Armenia from the USSR and also declared Armenia as an independent nation. The declaration was signed by Armenia’s first president Levon Ter Petrosyan and secretary of the Supreme Council of Armenia, Ara Sahakyan.
The statement included 12 declarations. It renames Armenian SSR to the Republic of Armenia and establishes that the state has a flag, coat of arms, and national anthem. It also states the nation's independence with its own currency, military, and banking system. The declaration guarantees free speech, press, and a division of governance between a judiciary, legislature and presidency. It calls for a multiparty democracy. It establishes the Armenian language as official. It also supports "recognition of the 1915 Genocide in Ottoman Turkey and Western Armenia". It served as the basis for the development for the Constitution of Armenia.
Panorama, Armenia
Aug 22 2019
Earthquake hits 20 km north-west Martakert town of Artsakh
On August 22, at 09:41 local time (at 05:41 by GMT) the RA MES Seismic Protection Survey Seismological Network registered an earthquake at the northern latitude of 40.290 and eastern longitude of 46.600 geographic coordinates (20 km north-west from Martakert town of Artsakh Republic) with 3.7 magnitude and 10 km depth. As Armenia’s ministry of emergency situations reported, the tremor measured magnitude 5 at the epicenter area.
The earthquake was followed by a 2.2-magnitude aftershock.
According to the source, 3-4 magnitude earthquake was felt in capital Stepanakert, Shushi, Karvachar and Martakert towns in Artsakh as well in Goris and Noyemberyan cities of Armenia.
ARKA, Armenia
Aug 22 2019
Armenian vice-premier points out economic risks from stopping Amulsar Gold Mine's activity
A clear assessment of Amulsar Gold Mine's impacts on Jermuk water resources and Lake Sevan may become the key factor for a decision to resume the mine's operation, Armenian Vice-premier Tigran Avinyan wrote Wednesday on his Facebook page.
"According to the results of the expert analysis of ELARD Company, fears that have long been voiced by environmentalists over Sevan and Jermuk water resources are not realistic," Avinyan says. "Additional measures are being proposed to mitigate risks, and these measures have already been taken."
The vice-premier stressed that the government intends to set the highest bar for all mining facilities in tune with the highest environmental criteria.
In his words, the change of power in Armenia in 2018 has brought no consensus on Amulsar in the society, while $400 million have already been invested in it in accordance with the law. There is the risk of cut of 4,500 jobs.
"The opening of the mine implies additional investments totaling $130 million," Avinyan wrote. "Extra annual inflow into the government budget will amount to $45-50 million. The entire output, which will amount to $250 million, will be exported, and this is
estimated to have a 10% impact on the export."
Speaking about risks the vice-premier found it necessary to take into account possible arbitration. In his words, the government has already taken into consideration all possible legal arguments, positions and opportunities.
"Nevertheless, regardless of how well the government is prepared for arbitration process, it can't be predicted completely, and large reimbursements can't be ruled out, and we understand that these financial resources are not made out of thin air - they are taken from taxpayers."
As the biggest risk that can't be gauged, Avinyan pointed out the future of Armenia's investment environment.
"If we want to create a country where both inside and outside investors are protected, we shouldn't hobble any company's activity. Otherwise, there is a threat of turning into a country avoided by investors," he said.
In February, 2019 the Armenian government decided to allocate USD 396,900 from its reserve fund to Earth Link & Advanced Resources Development (ELARD) for carrying out a comprehensive expert examination of the Amulsar project. The mine's operation was ceased.
Lydian is a gold developer focused on construction at its 100%-owned Amulsar Gold Project, located in south-central Armenia. However, illegal blockades have prevented access to Amulsar since late June 2018. Amulsar is expected to be a large-scale, low-cost
operation with production targeted to average approximately 225,000 ounces annually over an initial 10-year mine life.
Estimated mineral resources contain 3.5 million measured and indicated gold ounces and 1.3 million inferred gold ounces as outlined in the Q1 2017 Technical Report. Existing mineral resources beyond current reserves and open extensions provide opportunities to improve average annual production and extend the mine life. Lydian is committed to good international industry practices in all aspects of its operations including production, sustainability, and corporate social responsibility.
Mining Weekly
Aug 22 2019
Lydian expresses disappointment as Armenia mulls another Amulsar audit
Mariaan Webb
Canadian gold mine developer Lydian International interim president and CEO Edward Sellars on Thursday expressed his disappointment at the news that Armenia’s Prime Minister, Nikol Pashinyan, had asked the Ministry of Environment (ME) to review whether a further environmental impact assessment (EIA) is required for the stalled Amulsar mine project.
Sellars said that although Lydian had not received official confirmation of either Pashinyan’s request or the scope of any review to be conducted, it was “more than disappointing” to learn of the Prime Minister’s social media post on Wednesday pointing to
the ME request.
On Monday, Pashinyan said that Lydian would be permitted to proceed with the contested project and said that the current information was “very clear – the exploitation of the mine does not harm the environment”.
In fact, Sellars said that the Prime Minister went as far as publically lauding the Amulsar project for its standards of environmental stewardship and indicated the government of Armenia would be requiring other mines in the country to move toward that standard.
“Lydian has not changed the design of its intended construction or operation of the Amulsar project from that which was contemplated in the original EIA process. Indeed, construction on the Amulsar project in accordance with its permits was over 75% complete when the illegal blockades commenced. The suggestion that anything more would be required of Lydian in that regard is unfounded.”
Environmental groups and some locals have campaigned against the mining project over concerns that it would pollute the Jermuk springs. But the project has now been subject to three full-scale environmental audits in the last 12 months and passed
the most recent audit last week.
Work on the Amulsar project was halted in June last year, when protestors set up illegal blockades preventing access to the mine. Police have failed to act on complaints from the company to remove the protestors and were forced by a court ruling
last week to launch criminal investigations into the actions of the protestors.
According to daily newspaper Asbarez, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Supreme Council of Armenia has called for a referendum to determine the fate of the Amulsar mine. The ARF put forward “contradictory statements by the new government
that are causing tensions surrounding the operation of the Amulsar mine, as well as the lack of adequate response on the part of the authorities to meet public expectations” as the reason for proposing a referendum.
EDITED BY: Creamer Media Reporter
Arminfo, Armenia
Aug 22 2019
Over 10 years, 495 children were adopted by foreign citizens from 6 orphanages in Armenia, and only 116 by local citizens
The Ministry of Labor and Social Security is in the process of reform, in particular in the field of adoption of children, taking into account all the risks that existed under the previous system of government. Anahit Kalantaryan, head of the department for children's affairs of the RA Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, stated this in an interview with ArmInfo. The ministry explained that children in difficult situations were entered into a closed database to help potential foster parents for the adoption procedure.
"According to our legislation, data on those children who have not been adopted by RA citizens for 3 months are redirected to the Ministry of Justice to consider the issue of their international adoption," she added.
Note that for the period from 2008-2018. out of 6 orphanages, 495 children were adopted by foreign citizens, and 116 children by local citizens over the same period.
Touching upon the issue raised at a government meeting on the existing risks in child adoption procedures identified as a result of research, Kalantaryan explained that the final results of the study will be presented in the short term.
She noted that the government meeting was held behind closed doors. < We want to introduce new paragraphs, provisions in the legislative field to reduce possible risks during adoption. These risks are numerous. However, only after the results of the study
and the revealed difficulties can we provide more specific information>, she added, noting that the requirements for adoptive parents and the range of tasks related to the adoption process itself will be revised as part of the new reforms. According to
Kalantaryan, in addition to collecting additional documents, it is also planned to introduce training courses for foster parents, and to reduce the barriers between orphans and foster parents, the ministry will create a video database with profiles of children. "This will make it possible to exclude some risks, in particular, related to psychological incompatibility in the family," Kalantaryan explained. According to her, it is also planned to introduce mechanisms to control the fates of adopted children.
Every 6 months for 3 years monitoring will be carried out, if necessary, monitoring will be more systematic. < Considering that in most cases children get to shelters because of adverse socio-economic conditions, because of mental disabilities and the presence
of disabilities in their parents, the ministry is trying to assist these people by involving their colleagues in solving these issues, "said Kalantaryan, recalling the memorandum on preventing children from entering orphanages due to disability, signed by the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, the Ministry of Health and the public organization "Good Mother".
In turn, the lawyer, director of the legal office of "Di Hey Consulting" Irina Danielyan believes that the reform of the social sector in Armenia at the moment does not proceed from a single social policy, and are mainly tactical rather than strategic.
When asked about how much the state protects the rights and interests of children during adoption, the lawyer noted that in order for adoption to comply with the provisions for the protection of human rights and other obligations, numerous procedural
issues need to be addressed.
The complete absence of mechanisms for monitoring the living conditions and upbringing of the adopted child contains serious risks in terms of protecting the rights and interests of children. To date, the embassy / consulate of Armenia is the body that monitors the living conditions and upbringing of the adopted child in a foreign country. However, practice proves that the embassies are not able to provide proper control>, Danielyan believes.
When asked about how simple and transparent the adoption process is in Armenia and what problems and risks exist regarding the adoption procedures in place, the lawyer noted that, like in any other country, the adoption procedure in Armenia contains some
corruption risks.
recordings of these meetings are not kept. These circumstances may cast doubt on the transparency and objectivity of the adoption process>, she added.
The lawyer of the RA Chamber of Advocates, the chairman of the Armenian Representative Office of the
International Union (Commonwealth) of Advocates Vardan Khechyan noted that the most important thing in the adoption of children is that the adoptive parents are morally stable and not harm the child, as well as be provided in material terms. According
to Khechyan, the time has come to introduce the corresponding changes in the legislative field, contributing to the liberalization of the adoption procedure, to make it more accessible.
It should be noted that over the past 50 years, international agreements have been developed and adjusted that regulate the changing landscape in the field of adoption and the serious problems that arise in this regard. The Convention on the Rights of
the Child is currently the main normative document on adoption at the global level. The 1993 Hague Convention is dedicated to the protection of children and cooperation regarding foreign adoption.
Relevant standards are also established on the basis of the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights. Changes and amendments to the laws of the Republic of Armenia related to the procedure for adoption of children, as a rule, are the result of monitoring by a number of international organizations and experts who identify current problems and shortcomings in the laws of the Republic of Armenia. More recently, some amendments to the RA Family Code have also been introduced.
JAM News
Aug 23 2019
Why are Armenians teaching English in China?
Anahit Harutyunyan, Gyumri
Stories from those who have already come back home
Recently, Armenian youth have found a new destination for labor migration – China.
And what is surprising is not so much the choice of the country as the specialization of many migrants. They go to China to teach English. There are about 900 Armenian teachers in China.
Sveta. A success story
Sveta Ghukasyan was one of the first to leave Gyumri three years ago for China. She graduated in Yerevan with a bachelor’s degree in English, and a master’s degree from the American University of Armenia.
In 2016, she applied to AIESEC (Association Internationale des Étudiants en Sciences Économiques et Commerciales) This international organization offers young people from the ages of 18 to 30 years old to find development opportunities in Armenia and abroad. The association helped Sveta find work in
China.
As a qualified specialist in China, she was first paid $2,500 a month and given an apartment. Every three months they raised her salary.
In China, she underwent additional retraining, and was given the right to teach children under 12 years using a local technique.
For those who want to follow her example, she says:
“Some people have mediocre English, and in Armenia they could not even work as mid-level managers. But they are going to teach some made up English in China. They are inspired by the salary – in Armenia they could receive $200 a month, and in China they pay 1200-1500. Now they have begun to carry out checks there, because they realized that not everyone came with the level of English necessary for teaching.”
Alvard. Why China “imports” teachers
“For them it’s a matter of prestige that there should be a foreign teacher in the school. If you do not have an Asian appearance – then you know English, it does not matter whether you are a native speaker or not. Most
Chinese think so. And schools, in order to attract students, hire foreign teachers”, says Alvard Grigoryan from Gyumri.
She graduated from the State Pedagogical Institute in Gyumri with a degree in English translation, and went to China for a higher salary.
After the first lesson, Alvard understood why the Chinese were inviting teachers from abroad:
“The English of the Chinese are jokingly called ‘Chinglish.’ After almost all words that do not end with a vowel they add a sound similar to ‘e.’ For example, I ask my class: ‘What is this?’ And they respond, ‘It is a buke.’
Chinese English teachers teach children that way. Foreign experts are trying to correct their pronunciation.”
Alvard plans to go to China again and work at the same school where now she has been promised an even higher salary.
Hasmik. Look for a trustworthy middleman
Hasmik says she left Gyumri and her favorite job because she wanted to see the world.
Asmik talks about the problems that expats face in China:
“Armenian migrants are considered cheap labor. Their salary is lower by 500-1000 dollars than those who come from the USA, England or South Africa, where English is the official language.”
The first and most important step, Asmik says, is to find a reliable intermediary.
Armenian ambassador in China. Why people are being deported
Armenian Ambassador to China Sergey Manasaryan says:
“English can be taught in a Chineses school by those for whom English is a native language, or those who have the international qualifications of an English teacher – and who can confirm their knowledge and experience.
“The majority of people who come from Armenia do not meet either the first or second criteria. They speak English, but they don’t fall into either the first or second category of people. And you definitely need a business visa, otherwise you are powerless in relations with your employer”, explains Sergey Manasaryan.
Over the past year, 15 Armenian citizens were deported because they were working without a business visa. After that, they are deprived of the right to visit China for 5 years.
Statistics record a sharp increase
In 2003, less than 60 labor migrants from Armenia lived in China.
In 2013, their number reached 500.
According to preliminary data for 2019, in China there are 2,500 people with Armenian passports.
RFE/RL Report
Ryanair Confirms Plans To Fly To Armenia
August 21, 2019
A senior executive of Ryanair on Wednesday reportedly confirmed the Irish budget airline’s plans to launch regular flights between Europe and Armenia.
Ryanair’s chief commercial officer, David O’Brien, and director of route development, Kate Sherry, discussed the matter with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian during a visit to Yerevan.
An Armenian government statement cited O’Brien as telling Pashinian that Ryanair “intends to enter the Armenian aviation market soon” and is now negotiating with Armenia’s civil aviation authority and main airport operator for that purpose. He presented concrete flights planned by the airline and its “tariff policy” for them, said the statement.
Pashinian welcomed those plans, saying that Ryanair flights to and from Armenia would benefit the country’s tourism industry. He expressed hope that the two sides will work out a “concrete variant of mutually beneficial cooperation.”
O’Brien and Sherry held a separate dinner meeting on Tuesday with Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinian and Tatevik Revazian, the head of the Armenian government’s Civil Aviation Committee. Revazian negotiated with Ryanair representatives in Dublin early this year before announcing in March that the Irish carrier is planning to fly to Armenia.
Revazian, who was also present at Pashinian’s meeting the visiting Ryanair executives, announced in July that Ryanair as well as another Western low-cost airline, Wizz Air, are ready to launch flight services next year if they are granted financial concessions.
She said the Civil Aviation Committee is already drafting a bill that would exempt them from a fixed $21 tax levied from every air ticket sold in the country. The government agency also hopes to convince an Argentine company managing Yerevan’s Zvartnots airport to offer them discounts for airport ground
services, she added.
The cost of air travel to and from Armenia has already decreased since the liberalization in 2013 of the domestic civil aviation sector. This has contributed to a steady growth of the country’s international air traffic. The total number of passengers processed by the international airports in Yerevan and Gyumri rose by around 10 percent in the first half of this year.
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