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Mortgage rating
February 4, 2010
It is several days that officials of different caliber are lobbying for the “available apartment” project launched by the prime minister recently. The government’s new project was introduced so bright that it seemed that young people would get married at once. In fact it is a very little help to young families to buy apartments. Even though the government pledges to spend $3 billion in the long-term run, currently they are speaking of assisting 300 young families only. This support to 300 families will cost 6,600,000 dram per month. It is hard to say how honest the government’s will to support young families is. However the opinions that this project is aimed at encouraging the business of elite building construction are more realistic. It is funny to advertise and brag about a project, which spends as much money on young families as an oligarch would spend on gas for his body guards’ vehicles a month.... [full story]
Politics
The delegation against Postanjyan
The Armenian delegation to PACE, which returned from Strasbourg last week, convened a news conference to update the public of their activities in the PACE. But it turned out that the press conference turned into a response to the member of the Heritage faction Zaruhi Postanjyan. Let us remember that the latter wasn’t included in the main delegation and she had left for Strasbourg only after the mediation of the EPP. Despite being excluded from the delegation, Postanjyan traveled to Strasbourg to attend the PACE’s winter session that began its work. Her allegations of serious procedural violations in the change of the delegation make-up were swiftly picked up by the European People’s Party (EPP), one of the largest PACE factions. In accordance with the PACE statutes, the matter was immediately referred to the assembly’s Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs. The committee discussed it and found no violations on the part of the Armenian parliament leadership...
Business & Economy
PR help for young friends
It’s been several days since all the TV channels laud the program on “Apartments to young families” during all the news casts and other kind of outlets. As a matter of fact the campaign reached its goal. People have become more interested by thinking that the government is doing something good for them. For the sake of justice, let us mention that although the program will relieve the problems of only a few it is still a positive thing and is better than nothing. Now let us simply why this program is not relevant to the noise raised around it. 1. Limited number of beneficiaries Thus, the state allotted 3 billion AMD for the program, a part of which will be directed to re-financing of 300 loans. Even the government confesses that this is a very small number. For example, Ruben Markosyan, the secretary of the National Youth Policy Council adjacent to the Prime Minister told the journalists that the number of young people in Armenia is 800 thousand and 4-5% of them cannot afford to take mortgage...
Society
Without “Mozart effect”
Implacability, vengeance and evil are serious political tools in Armenia. And this bad example is best assimilated by the most assimilated group of the society – the children. To say that the government of the country is so because they didn’t get to own a bike in their childhood would sound very romantic. At any rate, childhood gives answers to many questions. Do you remember how a 9th grade student of #67 school after Charents Sos Melkonyan was recently stabbed. This 16-year old boy was killed by the stabs of a kitchen knife by another kid of his age as a response to the offence made by the victim. The interesting thing is that the murderer wasn’t sorry for what he’d done and was instead trying to justify his behavior. This is exactly what they do in the political elite. The director of Mkhitar Sebastatsi education complex Ashot Bleyan and the head of the department of medical psychology of Yerevan’s medical university after Heratsi Khachik Gasparyan agree that in our lives there...
Marzes
Suggested to become MP
On January 13, 2008, there will be additional parliamentary elections in two precincts in Karabakh. One of those precincts is the 4th precinct of Stepanakert, in which Ara Harutyunyan was elected as deputy before being appointed as prime minister. The elections in this precinct may be interesting due to the fact that the main competitor of president Bako Shakyan, Masis Mayilyan may run for parliament. The latter was dismissed from the foreign affairs deputy minister’s position after Bako Sahakyan was elected president, which was not welcomed by some political groups in Armenia and Karabakh. According to our sources from Karabakh, this suggestion has been proposed by the authorities and they have suggested Masis Mayilyan to support him be elected. Certainly, after the presidential elections in Karabakh it was clear that Masis Mayilyan had strong positions in Karabakh without the help of the authorities too. ...
World
An Armenian promoted to Obama’s victory
In the preliminary elections held on Saturday in North Carolina 55% of the votes were given to the US Democrat Presidential Candidate elected a Congressman from Illinois Barrack Obama thus giving him victory in that State. According to the opinion of the US media the victory of Obama was mainly promoted by the head of the state campaign Richard Ara Harputlyan, an Armenian descent. According to the Radio Liberty the mentioned Armenian Democrat politician, 58,, who has been the leader of the democrat’s campaign in North Carolina, a few days prior to the voting gave an interview to the MSNNC TV. He blamed the other leading democrat leader Hillary Clinton’s team of using unfair methods of campaign against Obama. Harputlyan insisted that the supporters of Clinton during their debates and meetings with voters first of all bring up the racism issue, by trying to convince the American voters that the African-American candidate has almost no chance to have victory in the race. “Clinton should tell his...
Science
Is this what we have?
Last week, the unexpected happened. The verbal conversations about the Matenadaran really came true. The institute of manuscripts was always beyond doubt. Public opinion has always considered it as a national pride and a citadel of armenology. For two years, directors of research institutes have been sent, one by one, to retirement. Many people thought that this decision of the government would not relate to the future status of the Matenadaran. Both in a professional level and in public opinion the image of Sen Arevshatyan was as mysterious as the manuscripts of the institute he was directing. And then suddenly, for two or three months, issues regarding the Matenadaran have turned into a public discussion. Everything started with the story of digitization. A group of serious scientists started to present the contract with the American institute as an ordinary deal. Only after the contract was publicized in the newspapers did this issue become objective and worth being concerned about. In the legal meaning, the...
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Education
Special project for everyone
Dear readers, hence in the Thursday edition of 168 Hours we will be publish information on educational, scientific, professional trainings, conferences, internships, exchange programs and scholarships of famous international organizations and educational institutions such as schools, colleges and universities. We get the mentioned information from international organizations, (including those operating in Armenia as well), educational centers and institutions, as well as Embassies in Armenia. Due to the information published in the newspaper people of different ages will get the opportunity to get education, be retrained and have new professional achievements....
People
“Will, desire and thought-out policy are necessary”
Interview of the ABBYY Company’s Chairman of the Board of Directors David Yang to Mediamax Agency Recently, in Armenia people have been talking actively about the necessity to develop science-intensive economy, involve the scientific potential, which successfully fulfills itself in different countries of the world, in the republic’s development. Mediamax correspondent asked David Yang, the Chairman of ABBYY Company’s Broad of Directors, to present his understanding of these processes. David Yang was born in 1968 in Yerevan. In 1992, he graduated from the faculty of General and Applied Physics of Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT). As a fourth-year student, David founded his first company - BIT Software, which was later on renamed into ABBYY. David Yung is one of the founders of Ayb Club and Educational Foundation, which plans to establish Ayb Learning Hub (ALH) in Yerevan. - A lot of Armenian specialists, who deal with promising scientific activities, work abroad today. It...
Books & Arts
“The real noble person is liable for his own person and the society”
Says world famous expert of arts Francesco Gallo, who has been friends with the prime minister of Italy Silvio Berlusconi for 25 years. A lecturer of fine arts of Naples, famous expert of arts Francesco Gallo has already been visiting Armenia twice. During his one-week visit he had managed to do quite a lot. He had met with the family of Minas Avetisyan because he is planning to hold exhibitions of the pieces of Avetisyan in the large cities of Italy. He made a lecture for the students of the YSU. He also held a class with the school children by speaking about the links between the state and the art. Gallo is a great expert of fine arts (as perhaps many Italians). He is fashionable, genuine, lives in the art and for the art in his copyright articles, being released every week, in the Genaro magazine. Prior to the death of Gianni Versace he was the art advisor and friend of the well-known modeler. He is sure that in our rushing century the modern art has found its expression in high fashion. Having visited the...
Leisure
Margarita Sarukhanyan to win “Miss Armenia-2007”
“Miss Armenia-2007” competition was held in the national opera and ballet theatre after Al. Spendaryan on October 16. The winner of “Miss Armenia-2007” is Margarita Sarukhanyan. This year, for the first time in Armenia, a transferable crown was granted, which had 425 diamonds on it worth of $7000. The second place was granted to Arpine Atoyan, and the third place - Sveta Mirzoyan. Aprine Atoyan was granted a title of “Miss Media”, who were selected by Media representatives, Hripsime Karapetyan was given a title of “Miss Gracefulness”, Margarita Sarukhanyan was given a title of “Miss Charm”, who were selected by TV viewers through sms-voting. Ashkhen Karavardyan was given a title of “Miss Fascination”, Nazlu Baroyan was given a title of “Miss Peace”, who were selected by the girls. The competition had 18 participants, who appeared in national dresses, swimsuits and dresses of famous fashion designers. The winners of “Miss...
Sports
Armenian chess players returned to Armenia
Yesterday evening twice champion of the World Chess Olympic Games, the Armenian representative team of male players returned to Yerevan. Right after the airport arrival the champions together with the RA president went to the Sports and Concert Complex of Yerevan, where a ceremony was organized for them. “We definitely showed a great game, better than in Turin and gained our deserved victory. We are glad that we were able to grant so much gladness to our people and strengthened our reputation in chess,” yesterday at Zvartnots airport said Levon Aronyan. Gabriel Sargsyan said, “This was really a worthy victory and all the chess players conduced to that.” Tigran Petrosyan was also extremely happy. “This was the first time for me. I don’t hide that I was really trying to maintain the top position of our team and I am glad that I was able to do that. This is also dedicated to the memory of our comrade Karen Asryan, who passed away at early age,” he said. “Thanks to...
Pressing
Russian capital in Armenia: political or economic presence?
The “Pressing” club adjacent to “168 Zham” newspaper held a discussion on the topic of the presence of the Russian capital in Armenia. Namely, the discussion was focused on the issue whether the presence of the Russian capital has political reasons or no. The conductor of the discussion, economic analyst Ara Galoyan said that there had been many facts proving both the political presence and the economic presence and asked the participants whether such big share of presence of the Russian capital in Armenia is not dangerous. “I have the latest publication concerning the foreign investments in Armenia. The share of direct investments on the part of Russia during the period of January-June, 2007, grew by 3,8 times, and the indirect investments - by 24,4 times. How is such great growth possible in the Armenian economy just from the economic point of view? Is the reason the fact that our economy is small?” he asked. The president and general director of “ArmRusGazard”...
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