Bumper edition of Armenian News
ARMENIA: GOVERNMENT KICKS OFF TAX, CUSTOMS REFORMS
Haroutiun Khachatrian
EurasiaNet
June 11 2008
NY
Armenia's new government has taken the first steps towards a shake-up
of its notoriously corrupt and inefficient tax and customs agencies.
Improving Armenia's business environment has emerged as a top
priority for Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian, a former chairman
of Armenia's Central Bank, and newly inaugurated President Serzh
Sarkisian (no relation to the prime minister). In 2007, the country's
economy expanded by 13.7 percent, marking the sixth straight year of
double-digit growth. In an effort to maintain a robust growth rate, the
government is banking on an overhaul of the tax and customs sectors,
two areas that Sarkisian has pledged will be "at the center of his
attention," the presidential administration reports.
"In our country, apart from tax and customs revenues, there are
no sources of solving social problems," Sarkisian told an April
18 meeting of the State Customs Committee broadcast by state
television. "Therefore, we must follow the path of self-cleansing."
The push for reform first targeted customs, an area where President
Sarkisian claimed that corruption is "thriving." The Armenian leader
threatened to fire any official who failed to "work honestly."
The opposition press has hailed the criticism - albeit with a dig
at the government for past failures. "Customs officials are ordered
not to take bribes. This means that previously they were ordered to
take them," concluded Haykakan Zhamanak, a newspaper close to the
opposition movement led by ex- President Levon Ter-Petrosian. The
clean-up campaign cannot last for long, the publication argued, since
senior officials, it alleged, will not voluntarily give up the income
bribes provide.
Some entrepreneurs, though, say they have already seen a change. In
particular, implementation of a rule that allows businesspeople to
fill out their own customs declaration has played a role, one leading
member of Armenia's business community contends. The regulation has
existed since 2001, but was never observed until recently.
"Traditionally, Armenian importers had to go through a long procedure
for presenting customs declarations, and they could not do this without
the participation of customs officials," recounted Gagik Poghossian,
chairman of the Foundation for Small and Medium Businesses, a lobbyist
group. "This used to result in high corruption."
With no need to meet with customs officers, opportunities for bribery
have decreased, he added. At the same time, authorities have encouraged
the use of specialized customs brokers to help businesspeople fill
out their documents correctly, he said.
But the transition has not come problem-free.
One businessman who requested anonymity told EurasiaNet that the
absence of bribes has, in fact, delayed his taking a routine stock of
imported computers through customs. In the past, bribes facilitated
the clearance for lower fees -- an excise dodge that this businessman
alleges meant lower retail prices for consumers. The new shipment,
however, comes bribe-free and will be assessed at a higher excise
rate, meaning that it cannot be sold until previous, cheaper stock
is sold out, he said.
Poghossian, though, reports that while most businesspeople in general
are happy with the changes, they remain anxious about whether or not
the government will make sure that the changes are permanent.
Meanwhile, President Serzh Sarkisian's administration has moved on
to tackle the tax service.
In a May 29 meeting with business representatives, President Sarkisian
affirmed that "the state is on the same side as business." Particular
emphasis was put on the need for an equitable application of taxes,
and the closure of de facto payment loopholes for big business. Members
of the business community have been asked to propose additional areas
for reform or to amend suggested changes.
"If we fail to improve tax administration, we will destroy our
country, our state and our statehood," Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian
admonished senior tax officials at a June 3 meeting. Tax officials'
style of work must "fundamentally" change to reverse the business
community's negative attitudes, Sarkisian added. Salary increases for
tax officials and regular training sessions have been slotted to help
in that transition.
Government critics remain skeptical about the motivation for the
overhaul of the tax and customs systems. "My feeling is that these
changes will lead to a situation where, instead of a dozen people
having privileges in the tax and customs spheres, we will have just
two people with such privileges," Hrant Bagratian, who served as
prime minister from 1993-1996 under former President Ter-Petrosian,
said in reference to the current president and prime minister.
Prime Minister Sarkisian reminded officials at his June 3 event that
"[p]arliament members and ministers have no right to be involved
in business," but the extent to which that maxim will be executed
remains in doubt.
Local representatives of anti-corruption watchdog Transparency
International, one of the most outspoken international critics of
the shadowy line between governments and businesses, could not be
reached to comment.
For now, though, one of Armenia's richest business leaders maintains
that the time has come for change. "We have to forget what was in
the past," oligarch Gagik Tsarukian, leader of the pro-government
Prosperous Armenia Party, a member of Armenia's ruling coalition, told
reporters after the May 29 meeting with President Sarkisian. "From now
on, everybody should work with proper documents and must pay taxes."
Editor's Note: Haroutiun Khachatrian is a freelance reporter based
in Yerevan.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Haroutiun Khachatrian
EurasiaNet
June 11 2008
NY
Armenia's new government has taken the first steps towards a shake-up
of its notoriously corrupt and inefficient tax and customs agencies.
Improving Armenia's business environment has emerged as a top
priority for Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian, a former chairman
of Armenia's Central Bank, and newly inaugurated President Serzh
Sarkisian (no relation to the prime minister). In 2007, the country's
economy expanded by 13.7 percent, marking the sixth straight year of
double-digit growth. In an effort to maintain a robust growth rate, the
government is banking on an overhaul of the tax and customs sectors,
two areas that Sarkisian has pledged will be "at the center of his
attention," the presidential administration reports.
"In our country, apart from tax and customs revenues, there are
no sources of solving social problems," Sarkisian told an April
18 meeting of the State Customs Committee broadcast by state
television. "Therefore, we must follow the path of self-cleansing."
The push for reform first targeted customs, an area where President
Sarkisian claimed that corruption is "thriving." The Armenian leader
threatened to fire any official who failed to "work honestly."
The opposition press has hailed the criticism - albeit with a dig
at the government for past failures. "Customs officials are ordered
not to take bribes. This means that previously they were ordered to
take them," concluded Haykakan Zhamanak, a newspaper close to the
opposition movement led by ex- President Levon Ter-Petrosian. The
clean-up campaign cannot last for long, the publication argued, since
senior officials, it alleged, will not voluntarily give up the income
bribes provide.
Some entrepreneurs, though, say they have already seen a change. In
particular, implementation of a rule that allows businesspeople to
fill out their own customs declaration has played a role, one leading
member of Armenia's business community contends. The regulation has
existed since 2001, but was never observed until recently.
"Traditionally, Armenian importers had to go through a long procedure
for presenting customs declarations, and they could not do this without
the participation of customs officials," recounted Gagik Poghossian,
chairman of the Foundation for Small and Medium Businesses, a lobbyist
group. "This used to result in high corruption."
With no need to meet with customs officers, opportunities for bribery
have decreased, he added. At the same time, authorities have encouraged
the use of specialized customs brokers to help businesspeople fill
out their documents correctly, he said.
But the transition has not come problem-free.
One businessman who requested anonymity told EurasiaNet that the
absence of bribes has, in fact, delayed his taking a routine stock of
imported computers through customs. In the past, bribes facilitated
the clearance for lower fees -- an excise dodge that this businessman
alleges meant lower retail prices for consumers. The new shipment,
however, comes bribe-free and will be assessed at a higher excise
rate, meaning that it cannot be sold until previous, cheaper stock
is sold out, he said.
Poghossian, though, reports that while most businesspeople in general
are happy with the changes, they remain anxious about whether or not
the government will make sure that the changes are permanent.
Meanwhile, President Serzh Sarkisian's administration has moved on
to tackle the tax service.
In a May 29 meeting with business representatives, President Sarkisian
affirmed that "the state is on the same side as business." Particular
emphasis was put on the need for an equitable application of taxes,
and the closure of de facto payment loopholes for big business. Members
of the business community have been asked to propose additional areas
for reform or to amend suggested changes.
"If we fail to improve tax administration, we will destroy our
country, our state and our statehood," Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian
admonished senior tax officials at a June 3 meeting. Tax officials'
style of work must "fundamentally" change to reverse the business
community's negative attitudes, Sarkisian added. Salary increases for
tax officials and regular training sessions have been slotted to help
in that transition.
Government critics remain skeptical about the motivation for the
overhaul of the tax and customs systems. "My feeling is that these
changes will lead to a situation where, instead of a dozen people
having privileges in the tax and customs spheres, we will have just
two people with such privileges," Hrant Bagratian, who served as
prime minister from 1993-1996 under former President Ter-Petrosian,
said in reference to the current president and prime minister.
Prime Minister Sarkisian reminded officials at his June 3 event that
"[p]arliament members and ministers have no right to be involved
in business," but the extent to which that maxim will be executed
remains in doubt.
Local representatives of anti-corruption watchdog Transparency
International, one of the most outspoken international critics of
the shadowy line between governments and businesses, could not be
reached to comment.
For now, though, one of Armenia's richest business leaders maintains
that the time has come for change. "We have to forget what was in
the past," oligarch Gagik Tsarukian, leader of the pro-government
Prosperous Armenia Party, a member of Armenia's ruling coalition, told
reporters after the May 29 meeting with President Sarkisian. "From now
on, everybody should work with proper documents and must pay taxes."
Editor's Note: Haroutiun Khachatrian is a freelance reporter based
in Yerevan.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Parliament Votes for Probe into Post-Election Violence
By Ruzanna Khachatrian
The pro-government members of Armenia's National Assembly on Monday
voted unanimously in favor of setting up an ad hoc commission tasked
with a parliamentary investigation into the March 1-2 deadly clashes
between opposition supporters and security forces.
The commission will include two parliament deputies from each faction
and one independent deputy. In its final form it will thus include at
least eight pro-government lawmakers and two opposition
representatives.
The parliament opposition represented by the Zharangutyun (Heritage)
faction opted out of the vote and was not even present at the chamber at
the time of voting.
Zharangutyun faction member Armen Martirosian told RFE/RL that the
faction's participation in the commission's work was in doubt. `Since
our basic proposals were not accepted,' he explained.
`There is a preliminary decision to abstain from having any
representative in the commission yet,' Zharangutyun faction secretary
Stepan Safarian told RFE/RL.
The newly established commission, which is due to present its conclusion
to the National Assembly by October 25, held its first meeting later on
Monday electing Republican Samvel Nikoyan as its chairman (the
vice-chairman's position is reserved for a Zharangutyun representative).
The commission is expected to make an offer to Armenia's first president
Levon Ter-Petrosian and other political groups not represented in the
National Assembly to name representatives to the commission, but these
representatives will not have voting rights, however.
Last week the Ter-Petrosian-led opposition shrugged off a probe in this
format.
The conduct of an `independent, transparent and credible inquiry' was
one of the key demands addressed to the Armenian authorities by the
Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) in a resolution adopted
in mid-April. The European Union and the United States have also
stressed the need to establish all circumstances of the March 1 violence
in Yerevan that left at least ten people dead and more than 100 others
injured.
In another development, President Serzh Sarkisian signed into law on
Monday the legislative amendments abolishing some of the serious
restrictions on freedom of assembly which were imposed during a 20-day
emergency rule in capital Yerevan following the suppression of
post-election opposition protests. Abolishing the restrictions was also
one of the demands of the PACE Resolution.
According to Sarkisian's press office, the law will become effective the
next day after its publication in the `Republic of Armenia Official
Newsletter'.
Armenia's opposition on Friday plans to hold the first rally in the
capital's Liberty Square after the bloody dispersal of its post-election
street protests. It says it will go ahead with the plan despite the
Yerevan municipality's refusal to authorize the rally last week.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CONSTRUCTION OF AN EXHIBITION CENTER IN ARMENIA TO TAKE AT LEAST $10 TO 12 MILLION
ARKA
June 16, 2008
YEREVAN, June 16. /ARKA/. Construction of an exhibition center in
Armenia is to take at least $10 to 12 million, LOGOS EXPO Centre
Executive Director Ara Stepanyan said at Novosti International Press
Centre on Monday.
He said the company can't afford the construction, since it works on
the local market at minimal prices, which three or four times lower
than prices in Georgia and Azerbaijan. Stepantan said that in 2006,
the problem was presented even to the president.
He said that the soviet-era 35-hectare exhibition center has had 12
exhibition halls.
"These areas would be used as an exhibition center after developing
relevant infrastructures, however, it has been sold, and Armenia is
now left with no exhibition centers", Stepanyan said.
He said that state support is needed for the construction, since
private investors won't inject money in such an initiative because
of tardy repayment.
Martin Sargsyan said that preliminary design of the exhibition center
is ready and the site is already chosen in Shengavit district.
The project was planned to be launched yet in 2006 and even an
agreement was signed with Russian exhibition center. However, the
center has not been constructed.
By Ruzanna Khachatrian
The pro-government members of Armenia's National Assembly on Monday
voted unanimously in favor of setting up an ad hoc commission tasked
with a parliamentary investigation into the March 1-2 deadly clashes
between opposition supporters and security forces.
The commission will include two parliament deputies from each faction
and one independent deputy. In its final form it will thus include at
least eight pro-government lawmakers and two opposition
representatives.
The parliament opposition represented by the Zharangutyun (Heritage)
faction opted out of the vote and was not even present at the chamber at
the time of voting.
Zharangutyun faction member Armen Martirosian told RFE/RL that the
faction's participation in the commission's work was in doubt. `Since
our basic proposals were not accepted,' he explained.
`There is a preliminary decision to abstain from having any
representative in the commission yet,' Zharangutyun faction secretary
Stepan Safarian told RFE/RL.
The newly established commission, which is due to present its conclusion
to the National Assembly by October 25, held its first meeting later on
Monday electing Republican Samvel Nikoyan as its chairman (the
vice-chairman's position is reserved for a Zharangutyun representative).
The commission is expected to make an offer to Armenia's first president
Levon Ter-Petrosian and other political groups not represented in the
National Assembly to name representatives to the commission, but these
representatives will not have voting rights, however.
Last week the Ter-Petrosian-led opposition shrugged off a probe in this
format.
The conduct of an `independent, transparent and credible inquiry' was
one of the key demands addressed to the Armenian authorities by the
Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) in a resolution adopted
in mid-April. The European Union and the United States have also
stressed the need to establish all circumstances of the March 1 violence
in Yerevan that left at least ten people dead and more than 100 others
injured.
In another development, President Serzh Sarkisian signed into law on
Monday the legislative amendments abolishing some of the serious
restrictions on freedom of assembly which were imposed during a 20-day
emergency rule in capital Yerevan following the suppression of
post-election opposition protests. Abolishing the restrictions was also
one of the demands of the PACE Resolution.
According to Sarkisian's press office, the law will become effective the
next day after its publication in the `Republic of Armenia Official
Newsletter'.
Armenia's opposition on Friday plans to hold the first rally in the
capital's Liberty Square after the bloody dispersal of its post-election
street protests. It says it will go ahead with the plan despite the
Yerevan municipality's refusal to authorize the rally last week.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CONSTRUCTION OF AN EXHIBITION CENTER IN ARMENIA TO TAKE AT LEAST $10 TO 12 MILLION
ARKA
June 16, 2008
YEREVAN, June 16. /ARKA/. Construction of an exhibition center in
Armenia is to take at least $10 to 12 million, LOGOS EXPO Centre
Executive Director Ara Stepanyan said at Novosti International Press
Centre on Monday.
He said the company can't afford the construction, since it works on
the local market at minimal prices, which three or four times lower
than prices in Georgia and Azerbaijan. Stepantan said that in 2006,
the problem was presented even to the president.
He said that the soviet-era 35-hectare exhibition center has had 12
exhibition halls.
"These areas would be used as an exhibition center after developing
relevant infrastructures, however, it has been sold, and Armenia is
now left with no exhibition centers", Stepanyan said.
He said that state support is needed for the construction, since
private investors won't inject money in such an initiative because
of tardy repayment.
Martin Sargsyan said that preliminary design of the exhibition center
is ready and the site is already chosen in Shengavit district.
The project was planned to be launched yet in 2006 and even an
agreement was signed with Russian exhibition center. However, the
center has not been constructed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AFFLICTED PATRIARCH MUTAFYAN SUSPENDS WORK
Noyan Tapan
June 16, 2008
ISTANBUL, JUNE 16, ARMENIANS TODAY - NOYAN TAPAN. The recent surgery
and subsequent health concerns have led to the de facto retirement
of the Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople Mesrob Mutafyan, who has
been patriarch since 1998.
Mutafyan, 52, underwent a thyroid operation several months ago. In
the period immediately after the surgery, the patriarchate announced
that Mutafyan required a lengthy period of recuperation, as he was
suffering from extreme fatigue.
However, it became clear soon that it was not simply fatigue that
afflicted the patriarch.
As a result of the patriarch's illness, many official activities
of the patriarch have been suspended, as has the publication of the
patriarchate's bulletin, Lraper.
The patriarchate's Archbishop Aram Ateshian and Archbishop Shahan
Svazlian are taking over Mutafyan's functions on a dayto- day
basis. Ateshian represented the patriarchate at the meeting of Pope
Benedict XVI and Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II in the Vatican
last month.
Various neurologists examining the patriarch suggested that he is
suffering from a neurological disorder, yet did not specify the
illness.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THE OLDEST STONEHENGE IN THE WORLD !!!! ARMENIA OR ENGLAND???
Press-Inside.com (Pressemitteilung)
June 16 2008
Austria
2008-06-16 10:47:20 - Tourists familiar with Scottish heritage would
be astonished to discover the possibility of famous Stonehenge been
originated in Armenia, claiming the fact that the Armenian land is
the real cradle of civilization.
Famous professor and world's known specialist on stone monuments
Gerald. S. Hawkins had acknowledged that Karahunj is 7,500 years old,
which means that it is 3,500 years older than Scotland (?) Stonehenge,
older than Karnak in France and Newgrenge in Ireland. It may prove
what some people already suspect that Armenia is the cradle of the
civilization.
On the territory of 7 hectares, 223 huge vertical stones like soldiers
stand on the hill, some with holes pierced in them. The rough-
cut stones aligned irregularly for a purpose, 84 were found to have
holes. Many unique astronomic instruments consisting of one, two or
three Stones were identified and using these, many observations of the
Sun, Moon and stars. It is commonly assumed to be an early observatory,
the evidence of ancient astronomical culture in Armenia. These stones
have been attributed with mystical and cosmic powers. The Armenian
scientists in ancient times could accurately measure latitude,
knew that the Earth was ball-shaped, had an accurate calendar, and
many more.
The sight is beautiful and ancient, well worth the visit. Astronomers
from Europe and the US are showing increasing interest in the complex,
and several expeditions have already taken place. To compare Armenian
Karahunj with Scottish Stonehenge visit Welcomearmenia.com for its
unique images. For experience you can take guided tours to the ancient
sophisticated observatory of Karahunj with 7Days... Armenian Travel
Company. Multi-language guides will describe and explain the mystical
meanings of the Armenian Zorats Karer, the oldest observatory of
the world.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TENTH BYRON FESTIVAL READY TO ROLL
By Denis Robinson
Hucknall Today
http://www.hucknalldispatch.co.uk/hucknall/Tenth-Byron-Festival-ready-to.4189314.jp
June 16 2008
UK
THE sport-packed International Byron Festival is set to be Hucknall's
version of this year's Olympic Games in Beijing.
The tenth festival, which gets under way on Tuesday June 17 and runs
for three weeks until Saturday July 5, boasts a rich sporting theme.
It will even incorporate the Hucknall-based Festival Of Sport gala
day at Titchfield Park.
Cricket features strongly in the festival programme, including a
Twenty20 cricket match at Papplewick Hall in memory of Hucknall
tram-accident victim Matthew Dear.
There will also be an encounter between Hucknall's Holgate and National
Comprehensive Schools for the Byron Cup.
And the two schools will take each other on again for a corresponding
trophy in athletics.
Byron himself was justifiably proud of his sporting accomplishment
in swimming the Hellespont, the strait between Europe and Asia.
So it is fitting that a primary schools' swimming final at Hucknall
Leisure Centre is another of the festival items.
Boxing, another sport which Byron enjoyed, will be demonstrated at
a bumper family fun day on Hucknall Market Place.
And other sports covered in the festival include bowls and golf. There
will be a sports quiz and the Canon Fred Green Memorial Lecture
will be given by Dudley Savill, who has written a book called 'Byron
The Sportsman'.
Byron's boxing gloves, given on loan from Newstead Abbey, will form
part of an exhibition in Hucknall Parish Church, together with a copy
of a letter by the poet in which he somewhat exaggerated a batting
performance for Harrow School against arch-rivals Eton on August
2 1805.
However the festival is by no means confined to sport and provides
a host of other attractions, including drama, music, dancing, arts
and crafts.
Main organiser Maureen Crisp, secretary of Newstead Abbey Byron
Society, said: "In many ways, the 2008 festival is the most ambitious
yet.
"It will run for three weeks and it comprises more than 50 separate
events..
"I think the programme we have lined up is really wonderful and I am
confident that the festival will reach double figures in style.
"With the Hucknall community's widespread interest in sport, I am
hoping that any image of the festival being elitist will be well and
truly laid to rest."
Maureen pointed out that Byronists all over the world had been made
aware of the festival via the Internet.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
An international highlight will be an Armenian garden party at the
parish church, which will include consecration of a new plant-container
at the front of the Armenian cross known as a khatchkar.
Press-Inside.com (Pressemitteilung)
June 16 2008
Austria
2008-06-16 10:47:20 - Tourists familiar with Scottish heritage would
be astonished to discover the possibility of famous Stonehenge been
originated in Armenia, claiming the fact that the Armenian land is
the real cradle of civilization.
Famous professor and world's known specialist on stone monuments
Gerald. S. Hawkins had acknowledged that Karahunj is 7,500 years old,
which means that it is 3,500 years older than Scotland (?) Stonehenge,
older than Karnak in France and Newgrenge in Ireland. It may prove
what some people already suspect that Armenia is the cradle of the
civilization.
On the territory of 7 hectares, 223 huge vertical stones like soldiers
stand on the hill, some with holes pierced in them. The rough-
cut stones aligned irregularly for a purpose, 84 were found to have
holes. Many unique astronomic instruments consisting of one, two or
three Stones were identified and using these, many observations of the
Sun, Moon and stars. It is commonly assumed to be an early observatory,
the evidence of ancient astronomical culture in Armenia. These stones
have been attributed with mystical and cosmic powers. The Armenian
scientists in ancient times could accurately measure latitude,
knew that the Earth was ball-shaped, had an accurate calendar, and
many more.
The sight is beautiful and ancient, well worth the visit. Astronomers
from Europe and the US are showing increasing interest in the complex,
and several expeditions have already taken place. To compare Armenian
Karahunj with Scottish Stonehenge visit Welcomearmenia.com for its
unique images. For experience you can take guided tours to the ancient
sophisticated observatory of Karahunj with 7Days... Armenian Travel
Company. Multi-language guides will describe and explain the mystical
meanings of the Armenian Zorats Karer, the oldest observatory of
the world.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TENTH BYRON FESTIVAL READY TO ROLL
By Denis Robinson
Hucknall Today
http://www.hucknalldispatch.co.uk/hucknall/Tenth-Byron-Festival-ready-to.4189314.jp
June 16 2008
UK
THE sport-packed International Byron Festival is set to be Hucknall's
version of this year's Olympic Games in Beijing.
The tenth festival, which gets under way on Tuesday June 17 and runs
for three weeks until Saturday July 5, boasts a rich sporting theme.
It will even incorporate the Hucknall-based Festival Of Sport gala
day at Titchfield Park.
Cricket features strongly in the festival programme, including a
Twenty20 cricket match at Papplewick Hall in memory of Hucknall
tram-accident victim Matthew Dear.
There will also be an encounter between Hucknall's Holgate and National
Comprehensive Schools for the Byron Cup.
And the two schools will take each other on again for a corresponding
trophy in athletics.
Byron himself was justifiably proud of his sporting accomplishment
in swimming the Hellespont, the strait between Europe and Asia.
So it is fitting that a primary schools' swimming final at Hucknall
Leisure Centre is another of the festival items.
Boxing, another sport which Byron enjoyed, will be demonstrated at
a bumper family fun day on Hucknall Market Place.
And other sports covered in the festival include bowls and golf. There
will be a sports quiz and the Canon Fred Green Memorial Lecture
will be given by Dudley Savill, who has written a book called 'Byron
The Sportsman'.
Byron's boxing gloves, given on loan from Newstead Abbey, will form
part of an exhibition in Hucknall Parish Church, together with a copy
of a letter by the poet in which he somewhat exaggerated a batting
performance for Harrow School against arch-rivals Eton on August
2 1805.
However the festival is by no means confined to sport and provides
a host of other attractions, including drama, music, dancing, arts
and crafts.
Main organiser Maureen Crisp, secretary of Newstead Abbey Byron
Society, said: "In many ways, the 2008 festival is the most ambitious
yet.
"It will run for three weeks and it comprises more than 50 separate
events..
"I think the programme we have lined up is really wonderful and I am
confident that the festival will reach double figures in style.
"With the Hucknall community's widespread interest in sport, I am
hoping that any image of the festival being elitist will be well and
truly laid to rest."
Maureen pointed out that Byronists all over the world had been made
aware of the festival via the Internet.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
An international highlight will be an Armenian garden party at the
parish church, which will include consecration of a new plant-container
at the front of the Armenian cross known as a khatchkar.
TUESDAY JULY 1
2 pm: Holgate And The Lord Byron School, Armenian Garden Party, at Hucknall Parish Church.
2 pm: Holgate And The Lord Byron School, Armenian Garden Party, at Hucknall Parish Church.
Featuring music, poetry and the consecration of a new Armenian plant-container.
Admission free. Contact Brian Hinsley on 0115 9637414 or Maureen Crisp on 0115 9664367.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Belgian Goes on Hunger Strike in Armenian Capital
By Ruzanna Stepanian
A citizen of Belgium went on an open-ended hunger strike in Yerevan
after his Armenian wife alerted him to `the presence of political
prisoners' in the country.
Luc Vandevale, a 51-year-old builder currently based in Armenia, told
RFE/RL he meant his hunger strike in the Armenian capital's central
Northern Avenue as a demand for the release of political prisoners in
Armenia.
`It is not acceptable to have political prisoners in a democratic
country. It means it is not a democracy,' Vandevale said to RFE/RL in
French. `Armenia that represents the Council of Europe must release
political prisoners.'
The Belgian said he could not plan for how long he would continue his
action, but added that it depended on `the state of democracy in
Armenia.'
Vandevale also said he was not engaging in politics, but added: `I am a
pacifist and I think that in a true democracy people cannot be kept in
jail for merely expressing their political views. This is an essential
human right. All people are equal regardless of their opinion.'
The Belgian's Armenian wife says she is not affiliated with any
political party in Armenia, nor is a member of any organization. She
says simply seeing the current situation in Armenia, her husband decided
to resort to a hunger strike.
`He wants to see Armenia as a democratic country. He says if there are
political prisoners in Armenia, it means there is no democracy,' she
said to RFE/RL.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
By Ruzanna Stepanian
A citizen of Belgium went on an open-ended hunger strike in Yerevan
after his Armenian wife alerted him to `the presence of political
prisoners' in the country.
Luc Vandevale, a 51-year-old builder currently based in Armenia, told
RFE/RL he meant his hunger strike in the Armenian capital's central
Northern Avenue as a demand for the release of political prisoners in
Armenia.
`It is not acceptable to have political prisoners in a democratic
country. It means it is not a democracy,' Vandevale said to RFE/RL in
French. `Armenia that represents the Council of Europe must release
political prisoners.'
The Belgian said he could not plan for how long he would continue his
action, but added that it depended on `the state of democracy in
Armenia.'
Vandevale also said he was not engaging in politics, but added: `I am a
pacifist and I think that in a true democracy people cannot be kept in
jail for merely expressing their political views. This is an essential
human right. All people are equal regardless of their opinion.'
The Belgian's Armenian wife says she is not affiliated with any
political party in Armenia, nor is a member of any organization. She
says simply seeing the current situation in Armenia, her husband decided
to resort to a hunger strike.
`He wants to see Armenia as a democratic country. He says if there are
political prisoners in Armenia, it means there is no democracy,' she
said to RFE/RL.
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