8 500 people from Armenia annually appeal to various countries to get refugee status. UNO’ High Commissioner on Refugees possesses the data. 7000 refugees acquired citizenship of Armenia till 2000. After that 55000 refugees have changed their status up to now. But the figure, 62000 don’t make the majority of the refugees. There are 382.000 refugees registered in Armenia. The Armenian Government...

Tigran Naghdalyan’s murder trial was continued today. Suspect Armen Sargssyan’s attorney, Hovik Arsenyan, who has been temporarily suspended from proceedings at previous session, appeared before the court at today’s hearing. Hovik Arsenyan submitted to the court his license and pleaded to be allowed to defend his client saying he has the legitimate right to legal activity and adding there is not a word about temporary suspension of a lawyer...

2 minibuses and 3 cars collided today in Armenian capital. 15 were reportedly injured in the accident and rushed into hospital. The crash was happened after brakes of one of the minibuses failed in functioning. The minibus collided with another one, which went stretch into a road post. Minibus with break-down brakes continuing its uncontrollable course collided with a car, which, in turn, crashed into two other vehicles.

The international conference on Armenian studies started working in the National Academy of Sciences. It will be held from September 15-20. Yerevan State University and the NAS initiated the idea for it. About 250 specialists on Armenian studies were sent to invitations. Only 80 arrived in Armenia. 60 specialists from Diaspora and 110 ones of Armenia will appear with reports on their scientific...

On September 14 the young generation of the Kurds in Armenia held a march from Vardan Mamikonyan’s Monument to Matenadaran. ”We are pro-Ojalan ones. Ojalan’s mode of life is ours.”, the children announced. Mizgin Shadin, chair of Party of Kurdistan’ Free Women in Armenia made a speech at Matenadaran. The Kurds organise protest actions all over the world, demanding freedom for their leader. ”Ojalan’s health state is getting...

On September 12 TV and Radio National Committee discussed the tender proposal of “Radio Alfa”, the only claimant to radio program broadcasting licence on 104,9 MHz frequency in Yerevan territory. Before the licence expiry the company used to broadcast its programs on the same frequency range. Under the tender package, the programs of the radio company are of information, education, entertaining...

The Armenian nationalists voiced their support today to the opponents of school optimisation in the round hall of the Writers’ Union. According to them, optimisation would progress if it weren’t distorted at the root. Those disfiguring are foreign organisations, which activity was planned and purposeful. Armenian Aryans’ Unity leader Armen Avetisyan found through the program on “2001-2005 Education Development”, approved by Parliament...

Water supply for Avan and Nor Nork communes had been stopped for 3 days. “Water and Sewerage” CJSC told us that the sewer system was damaged, its causes were eliminated and water supply will soon be restored. But why was so much time - 3 days needed to do away with the damage. It turned that 3 days were not much for “Water and Sewerage”. ”Our workers toiled day and night. Damage was quickly removed”, they said. Water supply was...

Today the First Instance Court of Kentron, Nork Marash Communes continued the trial over Tigran Naghdalyan’s murder. It is to remind that at the previous session Felix Arustamyan’s defender Zaruhi Postanjyan had asked for 2 days to look through the case materials and to get to know her client. Today prosecutor Zelim Tadevosyan holding “Hayots Ashkharh” Daily with special respect announced that he had become aware of an article there,...

Beginning from August “Lous Astgh” charitable union implements the program of defence of the educational rights for the blinds “White Cane” in Vanadzor. “World Teaching” social organisation has allowed $25000 for that purpose. For 5 years ”Lous Astgh” has been occupied with involving people with vision, hearing, talking and walking problems in the public. 500 blind people 18 upward reside in Lori District. Education and professional...

What will happen to the world if nowadays’ young people master governing it? According to Armen Ashotyan, head of “A Look to the Future” project, the world will be better but under the stipulation that ”the present life doesn’t spoil us”. The Armenian young people held a press conference to announce without any modesty that “they are the future”. From October 7-13 the first international student’s conference “A Look to the Future”...

The drivers of N 5 tram have today assembled at Municipality with “Green Path to Trams!” and “The Future belongs to the Electrical Transport!” calls. They demanded for their last year’ salaries of 3 months and to reduce daily income, which now makes 10500 drams. Areg Barseghyan, head of Transport Department of Municipality received two of the drivers. He assured them that their debts would certainly be paid but 10 days were necessary...

Bill on Social Security Cards proposed by Social Security Minister Aghvan Vardanyan was on Armenian National Assembly’s floor today. The Individual Codes Law passed in 2002 ratified in 2003 prompted strong criticism in Armenian community. In particular, Armenian Apostolic Church criticised the law saying documents not people should be called “individual codes”. After negotiations the Church authorities and the ministry officials reached an...

A press conference was convened today in “Nemesis” organisation headquarter as the reply to the article published in “Aravot” newspaper, where Armenian Liberation Army’s activity (ASALA) was considered as terrorism. Vazgen Petrosyan, the “Nemesis” leader, said the ASALA and the IRA are the only organisations of this type around the globe, which in the wake of September 11 haven’t been included in well-known list of the terrorist...

Armenian Church leader Garegin the Second blessed the Congress of Eastern Churches Jurisprudence started Monday in Tsakhkadzor. The congress is focused on juridical problems of the Orthodox Churches functioning across the Caucasus territories. Catholicos Garegin II spoke on basic provisions of juridical guidelines of the religion: freedom of worship, freedom of conscience, religious tolerance. “All...

The CE Ministerial Committee issued a report Tuesday on CE commitments fulfilment by Armenia and Azerbaijan. The report calls on both countries to speed up the process democratic reforms and take immediate steps to solve a number of urgent problems. What about Armenia, the group headed by Mr. Ago placed on record that there is no progress here at all. Some problems need to be solved such as Constitutional...

”USA Government has allowed $2.000.000 to implement educational and cultural programs in Armenia in 2003”, Kimbery Hargan, head of the department of USA Embassy to Armenia on the relations with the public has announced today. Mr Hargan divided the projects envisaged in Armenia into 2 parts, those implemented by USA Government and by non-state organisations. Plenipotentiary Lillian Walker introduced...

The health system of countryside in Armenia is in a sad state. The buildings, medical equipment and service level since Soviet times are too stale to satisfy the nowadays’ demands. The pregnant women of the villages have to go to the near cities for maternity consulting, for which finances are not enough. The number of those enjoying village ambulatory services reduced during the last 10 years....

The ordinary unexpected event occurred during the trial over Tigran Naghdalyan’s murder case. Today’s petition of defendant Felix Arustamyan was quite unexpected after the sensational statement he made at the previous trial. He solicited the judges to provide him with an advocate. It is to remind that Arsutamyan had had no advocate since the trial. Today he requested Hovik Arsenyan, Armen...

Parliamentary Council on Disabled Issues started its activity today. The council is made from 21 members with only one disabled among them - Artak Arakelyan, who is the head of the council and a member of “Orinats Erkir” party. The rest 20 members are different organisations’ representatives. What about the disabled, they will attend the council’s sessions as guests. Today, using the opportunity...

Ramkavar-Azatakan party, which suffered a humiliating defeat in recent parliamentary elections, is now engaged on Armenian aviation problems. The party activists are concerned not about government’s decision 331-A made on March 26, under which Armenian Airlines has nothing in common with aviation but the fact that the company’s staff is protesting and demanding justice. Today, Ramkavar-Azatakans...

Armenia must abolish death penalty without any exception. We can wait for death penalty abolition for 20 years and you too, but not after your joining to the CE. We have to comply unconditionally with the CE demand”, CE expert Christof Ziman said in an uncompromising manner speaking at “Death Penalty and Armenia” conference held today in Yerevan. “You decided to become a CE member, we didn’t...

Armenian government made a series of decisions concerning social security on Thursday at its regular session. One of the decisions is related to disability benefits. Until now, disability benefits payments were made with some restrictions stipulated in current regulations: the payment was equal to an average salary but must not exceed 1,600 drams per day. Today’s decision lifted this restriction....

Few expected such a dramatic development in course of Tigran Naghdalyan’s murder trial. Suspect Felix Arustamyan made a stunning statement at today’s hearing saying he isn’t sure that John Harutyunyan killed Tigran Naghdalyan. “He even can’t shoot well. We used to go hunting together and I know his capability. John pled guilty just because we were promised by Prosecutor Office $250,000 if plead guilty and told we would be released after...