Thousands Demand Council Of Europe Action On Armenia

Thousands of opposition supporters marched to the Council of Europe office in Yerevan on Tuesday to demand that the Strasbourg-based organization press for snap elections in Armenia and other government measures sought by the opposition Armenian National Congress (HAK).

The PACE’s Monitoring Commission is due to look into the Armenian authorities’ response to its calls for sweeping political reforms that would ease lingering political tensions in the country. Its two Armenia rapporteurs, Georges Colombier and John Prescott, urged the authorities in Yerevan in January to draw up a “clear timetable for these reforms” before the Paris meeting.  Read more... (521 words)

New Tax Package Adopted By The Armenian National Assembly

The Armenian National Assembly today adopted the tax package with 71 pros, 20 cons and 7 abstentions.

During the previous four-day sitting, the National Assembly adjourned the voting for 15 days as both opposition and Coalition MPs sounded against the package.

Taking into consideration deputies’ proposals and observations, the government removed six taxes from the package leaving only two. In particular, the executive body suggests introducing hotel tax and parking tax.

Armen Martirosyan thanked the government in the name of Heritage faction for the changes and added that the party would abstain from the vote as they found the package incomplete.

“Let them work for another 15 days in order to introduce a full package,” said freelance MP Samvel Balasanyan.  Read more... (208 words)

“Why shouldn’t Tsarukyan keep lions and tigers?”

The Armenian National Assembly today kicked off its spring session. Present at the National Assembly was Gagik Tsarukyan, Leader of the Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) who answered journalists’ questions.

Why did the Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs, Armen Grigoryan, resign office?

You had better address the question to Mr. Grigoryan. Do you have any more questions?

The Minister is said to have usurped great sums of money, therefore you decided to punish him for his misbehavior.

I have already said that you had better meet the Minister and pose him the questions. He will be kind enough to answer your questions.

Arthut Petrosyan has worked in different power structures. Why did you decide to nominate him for the post?  Read more... (464 words)

Marchers Lay Carnations in Memory of March 1 Victims

A group of young activists of the Armenian National Congress (HAK) today held a march to commemorate the victims of March 1, 2008. They headed from the HAK central office to the Statue of Miasnikyan with posters “Punish the Criminals of March 1!”

“Today’s march is organized in memory of the innocent victims of March 1. We shall keep their memory bright in our hearts. We are determined to disclose the real criminals and bring them to court. It will be a good lesson for the authorities. We want them to realize that the power lies with people and they simply execute people’s wills,” said Hovhannes Kiramijyan, a participant of the march.  Read more... (226 words)

“Smell Of Blood From Authorities’ Chairs”

Sargis Kloyan, father of one of the victims of the events of March 1, 2008 Gor Kloyan, was shocked after hearing the verdict of Editor-in-chief of “Haykakan Zhamanak” daily Nikol Pashinyan.

“The authorities showed their image once again. Instead of six years, the judge sentenced Pashinyan to 7 years because he was fulfilling a political order. I was by Nikol Pashinyan’s side on March 1. He was only calling on the people to calm down so that they would not get into contact with the police and instigators,” said Sargis Kloyan.  Read more... (310 words)

Armenian Opposition Leader Nikol Pashinyan Sentenced To 7 Years in Prison

Nikol Pashinian, a prominent opposition figure and newspaper editor, was sentenced on Tuesday to seven years in prison on what he and his supporters call trumped-up charges stemming from the 2008 post-election unrest in Yerevan.

A Yerevan court found Pashinian guilty of organizing the “mass riots” but cleared him of assaulting a police officer during another opposition demonstration staged in October 2007.  Read more... (648 words)

“Serzh Sargsyan Is Responsible”

ARF representatives are silently awaiting the decision of the Constitutional Court with signs reading “No concessions to Turkey”, “CC, refute the anti-constitutional Protocols” without any screams and are more active when it comes to the issue of the Turkey-Armenia Protocols.

“Why should I believe in the CC when it hasn’t met anybody’s expectations to date? I think that we must demand Serzh Sargsyan’s resignation. He is the one responsible for all this and any reasonable person knows that. The rest are doing what he says and that is my personal opinion. I don’t understand Serzh Sargsyan’s policies. If he is not thinking about the fate of the nation, he doesn’t deserve to be the leader of this nation,” ARF representative Susanna Poghosyan told “A1+” today.  Read more... (404 words)