  |
|
|
home news banks cultural criminal dipcourier products subscribe |
CULTURE MINISTER OF GEORGIA PROPOSES ARTISTS FROM EUROPE AND CAUCASUS TO IMPLEMENT JOINT PROJECT IN TBILISI FEBRUARY 22. ARMINFO-BLACK SEA PRESS. Culture Ministers of the European Union approved draft Declaration on intercultural dialogue and prevention from conflicts at the meeting in Strasbourg of February 17-18. As Giorgi Kavtaradze, Head of press service of Culture Ministry of Georgia, said to BLACK SEA PRESS, Sesili Gogiberidze, the Minister, came out with the initiative of implementing a joint art project for the conflicting parties. According to her proposal, artists from European and Caucasian countries will arrive in Tbilisi and cover with drawings a wall in a Tbilisi street. Sesili Gogiberidze considers that participation of the conflicting parties in the joint project will promote reconciliation.
The project is expected to be implemented under supervision and
leadership of prominent Georgian artist Gia Buadze. He has already
got similar experience: Tbilisi professional artists and amateurs
covered with drawings the concrete wall in the centre of Tbilisi in
2002 under his leadership.
GENERAL IMPRESSION OF PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN ARMENIA BASED ON
RESPONSES OF DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS RATHER POSITIVE: ARMENIAN FM
He said the Feb 19 presidential election was the first after Armenia's joining the Council of Europe. This time holding the election, the country was guided by quite new standards. "When joining the CE, we undertook serious obligations, and now all the political forces, irrespective of their attitude to the power, should fulfill these obligations," Oskanyan said.
He said, on the whole, the reports of the observers from the OSCE and
PACE contain positive assessments of the first round of the
presidential election. The minister pointed out that the given report
is much more positive than those of the European observers on the
previous elections in Armenia. At the same, he said the report
contains cases of violations of electoral legislation of the country.
"Of course, there were gaps, lacks and even violations, however, it
does not mean that they were in favour of the incumbent president of
Armenia, they were made by the opposition supporters as well
PPA PRESS-SERVICE REPORTS ON MASS DETECTION OF PERSONS REPRESENTING
OPPOSITION CANDIDATES, WHILE POLICE PRESS-SERVICE REFUTES THIS
INFORMATION
FEBRUARY 22. Over 100 persons representing
opposition candidates were detained on Feb 22 night, said
Press-Secretary of the People's Party of Armenia (PPA) Ruzanna
Khachatryan talking to ARMINFO. She said at present the arrests are
in process and no explanations are presented when arresting these
persons. While, the Press-Service of the Armenian Police
categorically refutes the given information.-
ACTS OF ARMENIAN OPPOSITION CAST SHADOW ON ALL POSITIVE ACHIEVEMENTS
OF LAST YEARS: ARMENIAN FM
FEBRUARY 22. The actions of the Armenian opposition cast shadow on all the positive achievements reached during last years, said Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan in his interview to the Armenian Public Television. He said the opposition's behavior can be considered nothing but destabilization of the situation. "Leaders of the opposition can be aware that they should not play on the stability of the country. The more so as the opponents of the incumbent president Robert Kocharyan do not make even 1/3 of the population," Vardan Oskanyan said. He pointed out that one should not consider the people simpletons, insisting on the victory in the election by 27 or 28 percent of votes. The minister pointed out that the results of the first round are the best estimation of the work carried out, as the results showed that the majority of the votes were in favour of Robert Kocharyan, he said. At the same time, Minister Oskanyan recognized the facts of violations in the course of the election, pointing out that they were made not only for the welfare of the president, but also for all the candidates.
"I am aware that the considerable part of the population is
dissatisfied, as they are on the verge of poverty. And the incumbent
president is also aware that it is a serious dissatisfaction.
However, such a way of expressing dissatisfaction is not right. I
hope that the opposition leaders will sober up and will take the
right way of solving the current situation, and the president of
Armenia will be elected through election," summed up the foreign
minister.
HEAVY SNOWFALLS BLOCK MANY ROADS IN ARMENIA
FEBRUARY 22. As a result of heavy snowfalls lasting for 4 days in Armenia, many roads are blocked or have become difficult for traffic. The press-service of the Ministry of Transport and Communication of Armenia reported ARMINFO that by 12:00 am. local time among the blocked roads were Yerevan-Sisian, Chambarak-Berd, Khorom-Artik-Alagyaz, as well as the roads Yerevan-Goris-Meghri on the Vayk-Sisian-Goris section. While, the highways in Giumri and a section of the Sevan-Giumri-Martouni-Vardenis highway has become very difficult for traffic. According to the source, the "Armroads" company that is attached to the ministry of transport and communication provided 75 graders and 17 show-plugs and other transports facilities for delivery of fuel, salt and sand.
The ministry urges the citizens to abstain from trips in the morning
and evening hours because of fog.
ACCIDENT TAKES PLACE ON PYATIGORSK-YEREVAN-STEPANAKERT ROAD
FEBRUARY 22. An accident took place today on the Pyatigorsk (Russia)-Yerevan-Stepanakert road near the village of Vahagnadzor.
An Ikarus bus with 19 passengers and 2 drivers fell into a ravine
from the height of 8-10 meters. They were just lucky to be stopped by
a tree. 15 people were wounded. 8 passengers were given first aid, 7
taken to hospital of Vanadzor. The causes of the accident are being
investigated.
YEREVAN'S MUNICIPALITY GIVES NO SANCTION TO OPPOSITION'S RALLY
FEBRUARY 22. Yerevan's Municipality has given no sanction to the opposition's Feb 23 rally.
According to the Yerevan's Mayor Robert Nazaryan, the opposition did
not even ask the municipality for such a sanction. He said that the
Feb 21 rally was also unsanctioned. The municipality did not allow
the opposition to organize a procession, nor did the latter even
asked for one. In conclusion, Nazaryan urged Yerevan's residents not
to take part in any unsanctioned events.
OPPOSITION'S ACTIONS JEOPARDIZE ARMENIA'S SECURITY: DEFENCE MINISTRY
FEBRUARY 22. The opposition's current actions break the internal stability in Armenia and jeopardize the country's constitutional order and security, which is pregnant with unforeseeable consequences, the board of Armenia's Defence Ministry stated today. In this situation the Armenian army fully supports the government. "We urge the opposition to stop making anti-constitutional and opportunist statements. As a guarantor of the country's security the DM reminds that Armenia is still living in conditions of temporary armistice." The DM urges the country's public and opposition to be sensible and reserved, to comply with the law and to maintain the public order.
"The Armenian army will not stay passive in case of an attempt to
shatter Armenia's statehood or a possibile threat to the country's
security." "We believe that reason will triumph and the second round
of the presidential election will be held in full compliance with the
law."
STABILITY IN ARMENIA IS RESULT OF MY PRESIDENCY: ROBERT KOCHARYAN
Commenting on the opposition's post-Feb 19 actions, Kocharyan said that he will never let anybody jeopardize this stability. The opposition is much stronger when it acts in compliance with law. Otherwise, it allows the government to use the law for its own strengthening. The opposition's tactics is wrong. "We'll react very seriously and srictly to any attempts to violate the public order and especially to steps aimed at thwarting the normal work of the government structures," Kocharyan said.
He said that his position is clear and uncompromising and everybody
must know it. There have already been cases when political figures
hid behind the people's back trying to use others' hands to
destabilize the situation. "We know how they do it, know who they
are. We are fully controlling the situation now and will most
seriously oppose any such attempts and approaches," Kocharyan
said.
STEPAN DEMIRTCHYAN WILL NOT ACCEPT KOCHARYAN'S PROPOSAL TO MEET
He said that he does not want to meet with a man who sponsors criminal structures. He said that he did not proclaim himself a presidential. "I only said that the first round was rigged and the falsifiers must be punished."
According to head of Demirtchyan's electoral staff Grikor
Haroutyunyan the real picture was received only in 50% of the
electoral districts. According to the data collected, Pres.Kocharyan
polled 42%. If one adds to this figure CEC's falsified data from the
remaining electoral districts, Kocharyan polls 46.6% at most, but
never 49.8%.
SELF-DETERMINATION PARTY DOES NOT LIKE ANM ENTOURAGE OF STEPAN
DEMIRTCHYAN
FEBRUARY 22. Leader of the Self-Determination party Parouyr Hayrikyan does not like Stepan Demirtchyan's entourage consisting of representatives of the formerly ruling party Armenian National Movement. To remind, before the election Hayrikyan supported Geghamyan who polled 17%. Now when Geghamyan dropped off the race Hayrikyan is going to reconsider his position. He said that the 90s ANM was fulfilling KGB's order. "There is almost no politician in Armenia today who has not been an ANM member, but I mean the founders for the party." Despite their restraint the ANM leaders cannot keep their supporters within this restraint. They allow them to feel themselves revolutionaries and to make revolutionary appeals. They are allowed to make idols of their leaders, while these leaders prefer using the mob to oppress and to subdue their potential allies. As for Kocharyan's mistakes, Hayrikyan mentioned his broken promise to carry out constitutional reforms and blamed Kocharyan for his recent disrespect for SDU. The only time Kocharyan talked of SDU respectfully was when accepting Hayrikyan's resignation from the post of head of the presidential Human Rights Commission.
Whoever SDU will supports in the second round it will demand naming
the falsifiers of the first round and allowing people to make voter's
lists themselves during the May parliamentary election
REPRESENTATIVES OF FORMER AUTHORITIES AND DISMISSED OFFICIALS
GATHERED AROUND STEPAN DEMIRCHYAN: ROBERT KOCHARYAN
FEBRUARY 22. Representatives of the former government and dismissed officials have gathered around leader of the People's Party of Armenia Stepan Demirtchyan, Armenia's President Robert Kocharyan said during today's interview to Public Television of Armenia.
As a result a necessity has been formed in the opposition to have not
a strong but a week and easily manipulated leader, like Demirtchyan,
a figure who can be easily controlled and who will allow these people
to continue their former activities. "This is on the surface and can
be seen at first glance," Kocharyan said.-
SEVERAL DOZENS OF PEOPLE DETAINED FOR HOLDING AN UNSANCTIONED RALLY
AND BREAKING PUBLIC ORDER
FEBRUARY 22. Several dozens of people were detained Friday for participating in an unsanctioned rally and breaking public order.
According to the head of the PR Department of Armenia's Police Artak
Vardazaryan, some of them were subjected to administrative
punishment. The degree of guilt of the others is being specified.
YERKRAPAH URGES ITS MEMBERS TO ABSTAIN FROM PROVOCATIONS
FEBRUARY 22. The public-political organization Union of Volunteers "Yerkrapah" has urged its members to be reserved and to abstain from provocations. According to the statement of Deputy Defence Minister of Armenia Lieut.Gen. Manvel Grikoryan received by ARMINFO today, some political forces of Armenia are speculating on the name and glory of Yerkrapah in an attempt to scare and mislead the public. They don't understand that Yerkrapah "was born for the sake of our independence and protection of our borders." "Any deflection from legality will be a heavy blow on the interests of our country," says the statement. HEADLINES OF 22 FEBRUARY
NKR NATIONAL ASSEMBLY CONFIRMS KARABAKH PEOPLE'S ADHERENCE TO IDEA OF
INDEPENDENT DEMOCRATIC STATE
|
FEBRUARY 22. The general impression of the
presidential election in Armenia based on responses of diplomatic
missions is rather positive, however, it is untimely making any
assessments of the first round of the election yet, as a run-off
election is expected, Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan said
in his interview to the Armenian Public Television.
FEBRUARY 22. The current internal political
stability in Armenia is one of the results of my presidency, the
incumbent President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan said during today's
interview to Armenia's Public Television.
FEBRUARY 22. "Neither Robert Kocharyan not
representatives of his electoral staff have not asked me to meet with
them," presidential candidate, leader of the People's Party of
Armenia Stepan Demirtchyan said at a press-conference today.
