Tigran Torosyan could muddle up everyone in PACE. Shavarsh Kocharyan’s suggestion to include the issue over the Constitutional Court decision in the report was refused. {BR} Opposition MP offered to replace the second and the third sentences of the first plank of the report by the following words: ”The organization of the referendum of confidence was in conformity with the decision...

PACE decided to postpone the issue of the commissions on the Armenian delegation to September, 2004. {BR} It was suggested in the preliminary report to cease the commissions of the Armenian delegation in Assembly in June in case of not fulfilling PACE demands while in fact the suggestion of our pro-governmental delegates to delay it till September was passed. In other words, we were given to 5 months...

For the time being the report on Armenia is being discussed in PACE. The “bold” suggestion of our Opposition MPs to remove the expression over election lawfulness wasn’t accepted. {BR}

Shavarsh Kocharyan and Artashes Geghamyan from Opposition suggest to add “for participation in Opposition rallies” wording in the expression over the pursuits. {BR} It’s a “bolder” offer so it can become a topic for heated discussions. Opposition offers to remove the expression on legality of the elections. “Despite the election frauds, they can’t influence...

Tigran Torosyan tries to reduce PACE position introducing proper suggestions over the preliminary report. {BR} In particular, he suggested to replace the phrasing on ceasing the commissions of the Armenian delegation in case of not fulfilling PACE demands till June: “To instruct ‘’It resolves to instruct the Monitoring Committee to send after a short period Reppoteurs to Armenia...

The meeting of Armenian and Azeri Presidents in Warsaw lasted for 1,5 hours. At the beginning OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs were present. Then the meeting continued in private with participation of 2 presidents only. {BR} Though the Presidents didn’t answer the questions of journalists after the negotiations, they made statements. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliev stated the discussion passed...

”Is it possible that a political decision is made and the political prisoners are released?”, we asked Parliament Speaker Arthur Baghdasaryan. ”If the political dialogue takes place, as a Parliament Speaker I am ready to appeal to the proper law machinery and the President with the suggestion to stop the arrests during an emerging political situation in Armenia”, he said. Arthur...

Lyova Eghiazaryan, member of “Republic” Party political board was invited to Office of Prosecutor and examined. He is accused of disrespect for Court /N 343 article of Criminal Code/. {BR} ”Crime” occurred during consideration of the appeal of the criminal case for Tigran Naghdalyan’s murder. Eghiazaryan said then: “You are immoral, shame on you!” - the...

Here we represent PACE preliminary report on Armenia, which will be discussed this evening. Honouring of obligations and commitments by Armenia. {BR} Report Committee on the Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by Member States of the Council of Europe Rapporteurs: Mr René André, France, Group of the European People’s Party, and Mr Jerzy Jaskiernia, Poland, Socialist Group Summary Since...

Aramazd Zaqaryan, member of “Republic” Party political board, stopped the hunger-strike in Yerevan-Center Criminal-Executive establishment. {BR} Let’s remind that he had gone on hunger- strike on April 24 thus protesting against the situation in the state, the political pursuits, violence and the impunity atmosphere. He ceased the strike after the message of the rally participants...

Parliament didn’t put the issues discussed yesterday to voting today since there weren’t enough quorums in the Parliament hall. {BR} During the sitting Parliament Speaker Arthur Baghdasaryan persuaded the party and group heads to provide presence of their MPs. At 12:00 PM 82 MPs were in Parliament hall. They unanimously pressed the necessary buttons and not only their own ones. After...

While the political situation in Armenia is discussed in PACE session, the arrests and detentions continue here. {BR} ”Republic” Party informed that 19 people from various cities were taken to Police after the rally yesterday. 10 of them are said to be from Charentcavan and 5 from Artashat. Under the information we possess there are 10 women among Charentcavan residents and a criminal...

As to the draft for the report on Armenia in PACE, Armenian delegation member Shavarsh Kocharyan considers that it has numerous positive aspects, there are facts that weren’t included and there are demands which were necessary. {BR} They must be settled by suggestions. The members of the Armenian delegation have made the suggestions separately. Tigran Torosyan and Armen Rustamyan made 7 offers...

During today’s press conference in PACE CE Secretary General Walter Schwimmer referred to “A1+” TV Company problem. {BR} Let’s remind the Armenian Authorities insist that there aren’t any free frequencies any more. It means that tenders won’t be conducted for 5 years at least. ”Ayb-Fe” asked if it was possible that a European monitoring group would...

The bill on “Holding Meetings, Rallies and Marches” was passed by 62 pros, 3 cons and 6 abstaining. {BR} Let’s remind that it was approved yesterday morning by the second stage. Last afternoon it was introduced by the third reading and 24 later it was passed. Some political powers connect such a rapid approval with the command of Robert Kocharyan. But Arthur Baghdasaryan informed...

- You have received the draft of the report. What is it alike comparing with your expectations? -The expectations are not essential. The document is basic. I think it is good. Of course, there are planks that need to work on. But even if the document remains like this it is significant for Armenia and favorable to settle the situation. {BR} -You now work on the suggestions. Do you have ones already...

A delegation of the Council of Europe Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) recently carried out a three-day visit to Armenia. The main purpose of the visit, which began on 20 April 2004, was to collect information concerning the treatment of persons deprived of their liberty in the course of or following the recent demonstrations in Yerevan....

Armenian high-profile opposition leader Stepan Demirchyan’s friend Arthur Vardanyan, a US citizen, was deported from Armenia Tuesday night.{BR} It should be reminded that he was arrested Friday night and charged with one count of illegal crossing Armenian border and one count of making seditious calls in public.

Pro-governmental MPs vented their anger at the opposition today at parliament. On the one hand, the coalition is inviting its opponents for a dialogue. On the other hand, government-leaning lawmakers are displaying a hard-line stance toward their fellow MPs.{BR} “Let the opposition stop nursing ambitions of power transition”, member of the ruling coalition’s Republican Party MP...

Justice 16-party opposition bloc issued a statement on Tuesday saying the ruling coalition’s invitation for dialogue is nothing more than a mere formality.{BR} Ignoring the opposition demand not to discuss the bill on rallies and marches until its MPs return to parliament, National Assembly members did pass the bill at the second reading, the statement says. In the statement, the bloc reiterated...

Government-leaning MPs, who were very passive at today’s parliamentary session, developed stunning activity after it, during traditional parliamentary hour for announcements.{BR} MP Mushegh Movsisyan, a man who has provided Robert Kocharyan with support of Echmiadzin and nearby areas constituencies in presidential elections, quarreled with everybody because of being drunk. Another MP Levon...

Despite the law enforcement intense preparations for expected march – policemen lined the Baghramyan Avenue pavements – the opposition leaders decided to refrain from any march after their three-hour-long rally.{BR} Political activists informed people about latest development of the situation in the republic. They said no accord has been reached with the ruling coalition. The opposition...

PACE Monitoring Commission has already completed its session. A document preliminary adopted by the commission condemns facts of violence and arrests in Armenia. If the thinks won’t be but right till June, Armenia’s CE membership will be called into question. Both pro-governmental delegates and their political opponents were unhappy about the document adopted. The commission statement...

Justice Minister David Harutyunyan said Tuesday the government had decided not to take into account the opposition demand to postpone discussion of the bill on rallies and marches in parliament.{BR}