Residents of Armenian village of Garni gathered Wednesday in Yerevan outside the House of the Government in a bid to attract the government attention to their problem.{BR} The think is that villagers have to do without irrigation water. Chair of the government-affiliated Water Resources State Committee Gagik Martirosyan said at a briefing that the committee doesn’t engage in issues related...

Tram depot workers gathered today outside Armenian president’s office demanding to conduct monitoring in order to find out who are stealing electric power from the depot.{BR} Tram drivers think that the depot’s income is scant because of that.

”In 2004 the entrance in the Armenian Institutes of Higher Education will pass under 2-degree system, in other words, those who become students in 2004 will study 4 years to win a bachelor’s degree and 2 years for master’s degree”, Education and Science Minister Sergo Eritsyan informed the journalists after the report in Government. {BR} Summing up ES Ministry activity, he...

”Lessons in the schools of Armenia will restart on January 26”, Armenia’s Chief Sanitary Physician Vladimir Davidyants informed, assuring that there is no longer danger for flu epidemic in the country. {BR} It is to remind that lessons in the schools were stopped at the end of 2003 because of influenza epidemic. Mr Davidyants stated that they would carry out periodical checking in the schools.

New jobs are planned to set in Odzun village of Lori Marz. {BR} Milk cultivation workshop was built there. Under the calculation, 10-12 tons of milk will be cultivated in the workshop and 10 people will work there.

Today Review Court of Criminal and Military Cases published the verdict on murder case of Tigran Naghdalyan, Chairman of Public TV and Radio Company Council. As the prosecution had demanded Court reduced the punishment set for one of the defendants, Grigor Petrosyan /Mzdr/ from 7 years to 5. The verdict for the rest of the defendants remained unchanged. {BR} It is to remind that Armen Sargssyan...

Attorney of the convicted in Tigran Naghdalyan murder trial Amalia Avagyan speaking Monday at press conference said even facts and evidence presented by prosecution side prove his client Armen Sargssyan’s innocence.{BR} “All codefendants have repeatedly stated that Hovhannes Harutyunyan, known as Aper, but not Armen Sargssyan was the crime key orchestrator. But the court has even declined...

Armenian National Assembly Vice-Speaker Vahan Hovhannisyan said at anticorruption seminar held Monday that corruption run high in Armenia and pose threat to the republic security.{BR} Corruption affected all spheres: a wide range of officials from traffic wardens to tax inspectors and police investigators are involved in corruption. Hovhannisyan is sure struggle against corruption will produce...

Correspondent: Don’t you think Council of Europe lost interest in A1+ problem? N.V.: I don’t think so. PACE stance is expressed very clear and even firm, I should say, in its report that will be adopted on January 27. Correspondent: If so, why Europe’s stance produces so little effect? N.V.: If we issue no certain statements, it doesn’t mean we don’t follow the problem....

Armenian president’s controlling service discovered innumerous abuses in Zvartnots airport in passenger service sphere. After handing the airport over to Argentine Eduardo Ernekyan, Zvartnots didn’t begin to work in correspondence with international standards.{BR} 20 employees were dismissed because of abuses, 15 underwent disciplinary penalties, and 2 are believed to be prosecuted.

Armenian Ambassador to Cuba and Mexico Ashot Melik-Shahnazaryan died on Sunday. Those wanting to pay last tribute to Shahnazaryan can do this in the first floor of Armenian Foreign Ministry building on Tuesday from 12:00 to 14:00.{BR}

Armenian delegation headed by Social Security Minister Aghvan Vardanyan submitted a national report to the UN Child Rights Committee in Geneva. The committee comprising 18 independent experts considers the process of fulfillment of any country’s commitments toward the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child.{BR} Armenia’s report contains description of the steps taken in the republic...

Hundreds residents of Georgian province of Tsalka gathered outside the local government’s building demanding the province governor Eldar Khvistiani’s resignation. Fighting broke out during the protest action. Khvistiani was injured in the fighting.{BR} Georgian 2nd state channel reports the rally was staged by MP from Tsalka Hayk Meltonyan. The same source reports that only Armenians...

Armenian capital’s Vice Mayor Kamo Areyan said Monday if “Lincy” Fund doesn’t stop its financing program in 2004, two roads will be built in Yerevan. Government is financing works on the capital’s major plan and on dilapidated buildings reparation, he says.{BR} Yerevan municipality is going to work out and implement a city development program, Areyan says. He said...

October 27 terrorist action case reconsideration by the Court of Appeal entered debate stage on Monday. Defendants Edik Grigoryan, Ashot Knyazyan, Hamlet Stepanyan and Grigoryan’s attorney Karo Aghajanyan made their speeches within an hour.{BR} Karo Aghajanyan’s speech was brief. In his words, now it became clearer than before that the October 27 assassinations haven’t been planned...

In 2003, 48 babies more than in 2002 were born in Armenian town of Sisyan. In 2002 376 babies were born and in last year 424, 208 of which were boys and 216 girls. The first in 2004 baby was born on January 2. He is a boy and his parents' first-born child.

Armen Sargssyan, the main defendant for Tigran Naghdalyan’s murder case, has today introduced about 130 contradictions in the testimonies of {BR}Hovhanness Harutyunyan /Aper/. After that the defendants voiced the last plea. Judges went for deliberation. The verdict will be made public on January 19 or 20. The verdict of the appeal to the Review Court for “October 27”will be published at the same time.

In 2004 Armenian Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare will be granted $ 650.000 within CE programs for patronage of orphans by some international organizations{BR}. Ashot Esayan, Labor and Social Welfare Deputy Minister told this at the briefing in Government. He assures that many families wish to take care of children. According to Mr Esayan, in orphanages 50.000 drams are monthly spent for...

The defendants and their advocates appeared with their defense speeches during the trial on Tigran Naghdalyan’s murder case. Armen Sargssyan’s advocate Amalia Avagyan introducing the facts, which hadn’t been checked in the First Instance and Review Courts, announced that Sargssyan’s guilt wasn’t proved, so solicited the Court to acquit her client and to release him from...

Karine Naghdalyan, the sister of Tigran Naghdalyan appeared with a political speech. She commented on those having participated in the defense operations of the homeland, saying that majority of them aimed to hold posts or get reach, {BR}to obtain weapons and commit such crimes. This point of view enraged Sargssyan’s battle partners who have taken part in Karabakhi combats. Karine Naghdalyan...

”A senseless gap arose between the youth and the priesthood”, Deacon Gevorg Ghushchyan voiced discontent during the press conference in the Armenian Apostolic Church. He is surprised that the young people feel shame when talking to a clergyman and can’t phrase their thoughts. ”It’s the stereotype since the past”, he explains adding that one of the reasons for this...

One of the accused in October 27 terrorist action case Ashot Knyazyan said Wednesday at the Appeal Court’s session that all his testimonies had been extracted by means of violence. {BR} His attorney Marusya Chilingaryan added saying one of the investigators threatened her client before her very eyes. Prosecutor Armen Harutyunyan reacted angrily to her statement. Why she didn’t appeal...

October 27 terrorist action trial stepped at the final stage on Wednesday. The Court of Appeal gave four days to defendants Hamlet Stepanyan, Ashot Knyazyan, Edik Grigoryan and his attorney Karapet Aghajan for preparation of their speeches, which are scheduled for January 19.{BR} The first instance court has sentenced Hamlet Stepanyan to 14 years in jail. Edik Grigoryan and Ashot Knyazyan have been sentenced to life imprisonment.

Another earthquake is likely to strike Iran soon, Armenian Seismic Stability and Physics Association Chair Sergey Balasanyan said Wednesday at a press conference. In his opinion, earthquake in Iranian town of Bam caused such a huge death toll because of unawareness of population and poor preparation of authorities.{BR}Besides, the most of buildings were constructed without taking into account seismic...