During exchange of Parliament-Government questions and answers “National Unity” member Agassi Arshakyan addressed a question to Government over registration of “Jehovah Witnesses”. {BR} According to Arshakyan, after becoming a CE member prostitution, drug addiction and sects increased in Armenia. PM Andranik Margaryan announced he agreed with Arshakyan, adding Armenia displayed...

Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan has recently been making strange expressions over Karabakhi conflict settlement. In particular, answering the question of Opposition MP Aram Sargssyan in Parliament Minister said: “I see nothing to alarm for. Our diplomacy is in a good state, the political processes pass the way they are to. We are the one to give something. But we won’t give...

The issue of launching negotiations with Turkey over EU membership will be decided in European Commission in December. {BR} Political scientist Andranik Mihranyan thinks, the issue must alarm Armenia and European commune in general. According to him, if instruments are not applied against Turkey now, Armenian Genocide, Cyprus, Kurdish etc problems will be forgotten after Turkey’s enrolment in EU.

At today’s press conference “One Nation” Party announced that it intends to introduce Parliament a bill on punishing the political figures. Party Chair Gor Tamazyan says the party members will meet Parliament Speaker Arthur Baghdasaryan a few days later to suggest him to discuss and pass the bill. {BR} Thus, the young party chair is going to punish many figures of Armenian Nationwide...

”The investments are not in my pocket to take them and invest. The Armenian Authorities must provide some conditions, too”, Ara Abrahamyan, Chair of World Armenian Congress said at the press conference. According to him, though he invests millions in Armenia he won’t leave because of some relations. Besides, he is not going to be occupied with politics in Armenia. {BR} Ara Abrahamyan...

In the first half of Parliament sitting 2 legislative changes, 1 law and a few international agreements were introduced in Parliament. {BR} Since Armenian Parliamentarians have represented and discussed the legislative initiatives scheduled this week at a high speed, the agenda was concluded today too soon. Parliament Vice-Speaker Tigran Torosyan announced Parliament activity will resume at 4:30...

The bill on “Making changes and amendments to the Electoral Code” passed at the first stage in Parliament caused various political powers to appear with statements. Department of “Human Rights and Democracy” Party has released a statement over the issue. {BR} ”We consider it a duty to remind that not long ago the same Authorities unanimously with OSCE Observers’...

Orinats Erkir, one of the three ruling coalition parties, attacked the opposition at Tuesday’s parliamentary hour of announcements saying it fulfills the orders from the outside.{BR} People’s Elective Representative parliamentary group secretary Vahram Baghdasaryan accused the ruling coalition of politicizing every issue instead of working. He said all posts are filled taking into account...

The opposition MPs were very active at Tuesday’s parliamentary hour of announcements. They spoke mostly on Karabakh problem. Shavarsh Kocharyan said Karabakh had found itself out of negotiation process thanks to the current authorities. In his words, Armenia is seeking international recognition for Karabakh while it hasn’t recognized the republic formally. He said only after power transfer...

Armenian National Assembly vice-speaker Tigran Torosyan spoke cordially of the opposition at Tuesday’s news conference.{BR} To a journalist’s remark that there is no opposition in Armenia, Torosyan responded by saying “there was, there is, there will be the opposition: there is no need to search it”. Torosyan’s optimism came from governing parties MPs cooperation with...

The head of Armenian delegation in the CE Tigran Torosyan, speaking Tuesday at a news conference, said a young man was spreading leaflets outside the PACE session building in Strasbourg, when the Assembly held its fall session last week.{BR} Totosyan said the leaflets had been made by one of Armenia’s organizations. However, he didn’t specify what organization it was. He only say a person...

Sargis Harutyunyan, a member of newly founded pro-governmental Progressive Party, speaking Tuesday at a news conference on behalf of his fellow partisans, said “our MPs are elected representatives of the people and they have to behave well”. He also said “out-of-parliament forces must influence parliamentary forces”{BR}. Expressing his opinion about the scandalous quarrel...

Azeri Day-az Internet newspaper reports quoting Azeri parliament source Armenia won’t take part in the session of Parliamentary Assembly of Black Sea Economic Cooperation to be held Wednesday and Thursday in Baku, Azerbaijan.{BR} Issues related to regional security will be discussed at the session. Lawmakers from 9 of eleven BSEC member countries will participate in the event. Only Armenian...

After the end of PACE session Russian delegation member Alexander Fomenko was walking along CE corridors and telling all the journalists about his victory over Turkey Prime Minister Erdoghan. {BR} ”Can we, the Orthodox Europeans hope that we will ever have a chance to be present for the divine service in Saint Sofia Temple, which is now a museum?”, Mr. Fomenko tried to find. Mr. Fomenko...

”National Unity” Party Chair Artashes Geghamyan appealed in written to be enrolled in a CE “Democratic” faction a few months ago. “Unlike other groups, all the issues are treated more exactingly here”, Mr. Geghamyan says. {BR} Membership issue was postponed till discussion on Armenia in CE. During the CE sitting a decision was made to involve Mr. Geghamyan in CE...

As it is known after the end of CE session, during discussions on Chechnya issue Armenian delegation member Shavarsh Kocharyan has voted “for” to all the suggestions introduced by the Russian delegation except one issue. {BR} ”A1+” asked Shavarsh Kocharyan why he has voted against the one suggestion? “The issue had common features with NKR conflict. If I voted for it,...

Norway Foreign Minister Jan Petersen, who is in Armenia on an official visit, has today met with the Opposition figures of Armenia. “Justice” Bloc leaders headed by Stepan Demicrhyan have the Norwegian diplomat in “Armenia” Hotel.{BR} It is known that the parts have discussed issues on honouring Armenia’s obligations in PACE and the political situation in Armenia.

Efficient and speeded up discussion of the bills continued in Parliament. No one asked questions or made speeches during representing the bills. During 1,5 hours 4 bills were introduced in Parliament. {BR} By the first break Parliament activity was on discussion of agriculture issues. Agriculture Deputy Minister Samvel Avetisyan represented the international credit agreement concluded between Armenian...

Parliament sitting started with participation of 97 MPs. Issues in the agenda and the legislative initiatives of last week were voted. {BR} At the 1st stage Parliament passed the bill on making changes and amendments to “Electoral Code” by 95 pros, 0 con and 0 abstaining. There are omissions in the bill yet. In particular, the political powers in Parliament haven’t come to terms...

Jan Peterson, Chairman of CE Ministerial Board and Norway Foreign Minister is in Yerevan on October 10-12. “To learn more about Armenia”, Jan Peterson phrased the aim of the visit during the joint press conference with Armenian FM. {BR} Armenian FM Vardan Oskanyan informed that the issues on honouring the CE obligations by Armenia and potential on cooperation between 2 countries were discussed...

”China is for the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan”. Day.az electronic newspaper informs Lu Yunshan, Secretary of Central Committee of China’ Communist Party announced this in Azerbaijan 2 days ago where he had met Azerbaijani Mili Mejlis Speaker Murtuz Aleskerov. {BR} It is noteworthy that the Chinese official has made the statement after the official visit of Robert Kocharyan...

Correspondent: Mr. Jaskernia, your report on Armenia sparked scepticism in Armenia toward CE. The thing is that your report doesn’t reflect the real situation in Armenia. What is your report grounded on? Jaskernia: Among positive steps made by Armenian authorities, such as death penalty abolishment, there were the CE demands Armenia hasn’t complied with. A number of problems are still...

Poland intends to withdraw its troops from Iraq. Is it likely Armenian authorities to cancel their decision to send a 50-soldier group and ask Armenian National Assembly not to ratify an agreement on that?{BR} On Friday, our correspondent asked Galust Sahakyan, the head of National Assembly’s fraction of governing Republican Party, about that. Sahakyan said so far the issue hadn’t been...

Armenian communist Party’s former member Khoren Sargssyan said Friday in an interview with our correspondent he thinks superpowers don’t like Armenia.{BR} Answering a question related to the PACE Thursday’s report on fulfillment CE commitments by Armenia, Sargssyan said it would be better for Armenia if it is mentioned rarely in Europe. “We are involved in a game”, he...