Cost of Living in Armenia Nearly Twice As Much As 2005

Armenia experienced six percent inflation over the first half of this year, conditioned in part by up to 25 percent increase in cost of food products, compared to last year. Experts don’t see any decrease in the near future.

As compared to June, last year, vegetable prices rose by 21 percent, fruit by 17 percent, meat by 13 percent, and sugar by 6 percent, this year.

“Abrupt deflation was registered in July, last year; however, judging by the current tendencies, I do not think that seasonal food products [fruit, vegetable] will have such a deflation, this year,” Gurgen Martirosyan, Head of Prices Statistics and International Comparison Department of the National Statistical Service of Armenia, said in a press conference today in Yerevan.  Read more... (266 words)

Armenian Tourism Figures Questioned

Government claims that hundreds of thousands of foreign tourists visit Armenia each year are wide of the mark, according to private tour operators and other individuals familiar with the country’s tourism industry.

The official statistics show that as many 575,000 tourists visited Armenia from abroad last year. The government said earlier this year that the figure will surpass 620,000 in 2010.

“Our data for the first quarter of this year gives us reason to believe that we will have a growth of up to 8 percent this year,” Ara Petrosian, a deputy minister of economy dealing with tourism, told RFE/RL’s Armenian service this week.  Read more... (634 words)

Health Expert Expresses Concern Over The Number of Fake Drugs in Armenia

Almost 10-12 percent of 3,700 types of medicines being imported to Armenia are fake, according to Emil Gabrielyan, Director of the RA Ministry of Health’s Center for Pharmaceuticals and Medical Technology Testing.

At the press conference on Wednesday Gabrielyan said the medicine market is not being properly controlled in Armenia yet since there is no constant monitoring held in the sphere.

“Our center is controlling and checking the drugs only legally imported to Armenia at the customs. However, the medicines imported in a roundabout way, is out of our control; and they must periodically be checked by means of monitoring at pharmacies, but we are not entitled to do it yet,” says pharmacist, professor Gabrielyan.  Read more... (339 words)

Will Armenia Implement the Council of Europe Recommendation To Combat Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation?

 ”The Secretary General of the Council of Europe welcomes the decision of the Committee of Ministers on Wednesday 31 March to adopt a recommendation to member states on measures to combat discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

“The recommendation is an expression of the Council of Europe’s commitment to the equality for all and respect for the dignity of all. I invite all member states to make all the necessary efforts to implement this recommendation”, Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland declared”.

At their 1081st meeting, 31 March 2010, the Deputies adopted Recommendation CM/Rec(2010)5 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on measures to combat discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity.  Read more... (204 words)

“Bruises to the soul”:Performance Dedicated to The Women’s Rights

On the occasion of the international day of the fight against the Gender Violations, the Armenian center of the women’s rights will present the performance called “Bruises to the soul”, the employee of the press office of the “Women’s rights center” informed aysor.am.

The initiation of staging the performance was after the “Women’s rights center”. The performance was brought to life by a group of students from Yerevan Theatre’s and cinema state institute. The performance will take place today in H. Tumanyan’s theatre.

The performance is about a young married couple. Nina is living with the hard memories in her heart and Alek is not able to understand her, see the bruises that are in the soul of her wife. The only way of coming out of that situation is the leaving…  Read more... (183 words)

Life in Armenian Village of Brnakot – Deprived of Everything

The Brnakot village used to be one of the renowned centers of Syunik. The village is known for its monuments, church, history and the people who were born here such as historian Nikoghayos Adonts. The village is known for its 4 heroes who participated in WWII, many scientists, as well as state and cultural figures.

Aramayis Sahakyan, 87, says that the village was once famous, but there are no more hospitable, humanitarian and nationalist villagers. “Nothing has changed for the good in our village. There is no birth rate. There were 90 births and 20 deaths in the village in 1963. A couple of days ago, the village council official Andranik said that there are only 7 births this year. How can the village survive like this?” says Aramayis Sahakyan.  Read more... (380 words)

Tendencies and Moods: Armenian- Turkish Relations Through Sociology And Psychology

Armenian ethno-psychologist estimating the six-week discussions over the Armenian-Turkish protocols, divide the social mood in Armenia into three groups.

Karine Nalchajyan says the first group immediately rejects any relation with Turkey. The second extreme group believes that they will finally live well, without any hostility with Turks. The third represents those who are for the normalization of relations but not by current means.

“I believe the second group, who are rather large in our country cause somehow danger for the society, because they run the Turkish preaching machinery within the country,”

says Nalchajyan, candidate of psychological science.

She believes that the problem refers to all Armenians, no matter where they live – in Armenia or in Diaspora.  Read more... (345 words)

Will high schools replace private tutors?

14-year-old Shushan Hakobyan, schoolgirl of Yerevan’s Secondary School N 197, will no longer study with her classmates as the educational institution has no high classrooms.

In 2008 Armenia converted to a three-level educational system with the following sequence: elementary school, middle school and high school.

The formation of high schools is a gradual process.

Forty-eight high schools will operate throughout Armenia this year, seventeen of which are located in Yerevan. It means that each community of Yerevan City will have one or two high schools.

At present, there are 1169 secondary schools in Yerevan.

Vanik Misakyan, chief specialist of the RA Ministry of Education and Science, says the number of high schools will total 150 in two or three years.  Read more... (596 words)

Gyumri citizens prefer fresh meat

There are a few companies importing meat to Armenia today.

The quality of imported meat is checked and tested in special frontier posts and samples are forwarded to laboratories.

The meat is allowed to be imported to the republic only after a positive answer is received.

Imported meat is used in various meat products sold throughout the country.

There is no meat-importing company in Shirak Marz and meat is usually taken to Shirak from the capital.

Local residents have different opinions on the quality of meat products sold in shops. Some sounded pleased while others said they always bought meat from acquaintances and “tested” butchers. There were people who complained of the quality of meat products and said they preferred fresh meat.  Read more... (186 words)