Arsen Shoyan, Armenia’s Ambassador to Bulgaria since January 2011, declared a whopping 63,230 Euros in revenue for the year.
Armenia’s Central Electoral Commission (CEC) has certified eight candidates out of the fifteen who originally registered, as eligible to appear on the ballot for the presidential election slated for February 18.
The analyst argued that voters don’t know what to make of the situation where many leading opposition candidates have decided not to run, thus paving the way for the easy re-election of President Sargsyan.
Armen Sargsyan, who has been Armenia’s ambassador to China since 2008, is the brother of Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan. And he’s a wealthy diplomat to boot.
“Tragically, what is taking place regionally, around Armenia, does not inspire any optimism,” Karapetyan said.
Before his diplomatic posting, Manoukyan served as Armenia’s Minister of Transport and Communications from 2001 to 2008, and then as a presidential adviser. He also served as a MP in the 1990s.
The seven candidates in the running are: RA President Serzh Sargsyan, Hrant Bagratyan (Freedom Party), Raffi Hovannisian (Heritage), Arman Melikyan (former Artsakh Foreign Minister), Paruyr Hayrikyan (leader of National Self-Determination Union), Vardan Sedrakyan (epic tale specialist) and Andreas Ghoukasyan (Director of Radio Hay).
“We have nothing to be proud about, either in foreign affairs or the domestic political scene. Despite certain statements that the socio-economic situation has improved, it is clear that that even if there is a slight increase in economic growth, it has had no real impact on the life of average citizens,” Zohrabyan told Hetq.
Currently, six MPs receive the allowance – Karineh Poghosyan and Hayk Grigoryan from the Republican Party, Grigor Grigoryan from Prosperous Armenia, Ishkhan Khachatryan and Khachik Harutyunyan from Country of Law, and independent MP Edmon Maroukyan.
By a vote of 70 to 0, the National Assembly adopted a bill that would modify the make-up of the body’s ad-hoc ethics committee.
The Armenian government allocated 2,739,493 AMD ($6,765) to “maintain” the National Assembly and MPs; 9,344,060 AMD ($23,000) for “household and public food items”; and 23,580,000 AMD ($58,222) for social assistance in the form of money.
Many MPs expressed their displeasure that their proposals made during committee sessions hadn’t been incorporated in the government’s bills, even though the government had stated that most of the proposals were acceptable.
Republican Party MP Artak Davtyan is an unassuming politician who heads the parliament’s Standing Committee on Education, Science, Youth Affairs and Sports.
Right now, there are six members on the committee – three from the opposition and one each from the Republican Party, Prosperous Armenian Party and the Country of Law Party. ANC MP Nikol Pashinyan heads the committee.
But that’s not it. You see, the holidays are around the corner and people are in need of loans in order to celebrate in traditional Armenian style; i.e., tables sagging under the weight of trays of food and drink.
National Assembly President Hovik Abrahamyan labelled the bill anti-constitutional since it would be retroactive, advising that it be modified or sent back to committee.
A special session of the Armenian National Assembly has been scheduled to debate a new package of taxes for commercial enterprises and individual proprietors in the country.
By a vote of 71 to 37, Armenia’s parliament today passed the 2013 state budget bill.
Today the opposition HAK (Armenian National Congress) was able to gather the number of signatures needed to take the matter of a calling for a special session to discuss a draft bill to make modifications and amendments to the country’s electoral code to the Constitutional Court.
Hetq has learnt that Shaboyan is constantly bestowing his buddies with various monetary awards. So we wrote to Shaboyan and asked him to provide us with a list of the recipients of such largesse during 2012 and the amounts awarded. We also wanted to know the reasons for the awards.
It’s a well known fact that the President of Armenia’s State Revenue Committee (SRC), Gagik Khachatryan has deep pockets and is considered a savvy businessman both in Armenia and overseas.
His wife Elmira declared 4.740 million AMD and $1,000 in revenues. 2.340 million AMD was rental income and the rest birthday gifts
Sahakyan can always be spotted in front of the press cameras, espousing the government’s position on this or that issue. Lately, he’s been busy defending the government’s proposal to raise the minimum wage by 2,500 AMD per month.
Simple proof of this is the decreasing enrollment of area schools. Families just don’t see a future for themselves in the province. Local school principals have voiced their concerns that if the trends continue this section of Armenia’s border with Azerbaijan will be empty of Armenians altogether.
MPs of the ruling Republican Party and its junior coalition partner Country of Law, walked out of the parliament today in a move designed to declare the session null and void.
In 2011, RA First Deputy Police Chief Hounan Poghosyan received an annual salary of 4,552,080 AMD ($11,270). Compare that to what he had in the bank – 72 million AMD and $40,000 at year’s end.
Prosperous Armenia Party MP Nayira Zohrabyan took the floor and stated that the proposed budget would do little to raise Armenians from the grip of poverty.
Sure, there have been some serious opposition speeches but most are artificially motivated for show. Sometimes they accuse us of acting in preparation for the upcoming presidential election. If we had the opportunity to do just that, we would have increased the minimum wage even more.
Bagratyan said that the government isn't focusing on revenues because it will be revealed that the large taxpayers aren't paying any taxes and that the dying small and middle business sector is bearing the full tax burden.
By a vote of 58 to 37, Armenia’s parliament today rejected a bill proposed by the ARF to raise the monthly minimum wage from 32,500 AMD to 45,000.
Even though Armenia’s parliament today passed a government bill regarding the minimum wage in Armenia, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) has introduced a proposal to make additions and amendments to the new law.
Taking the podium, Heritage Party MO Zarouhie Postanjyan said that as she entered the parliament earlier in the morning an old woman approached, berating the fact that some MPs had complained that their 240,000 AMD monthly wage didn’t allow them to buy new suits or sports coats.
By a vote of 75 to 35, Armenia’s National Assembly rejected an opposition proposal to create an ad- hoc committee to look into the Harsnakar restaurant incident in which a military physician was beaten to death.
During the debate in Armenia’s parliament regarding the proposed bill to raise the minimum wage from 32,500 AMD to 35,000, ruling Republican Party MP Mkrtich Minasyan told Hetq that while the increase wasn't sufficient, he could get by on 35,000 for one month.
In Hetq’s continuing series highlighting the financial status of various Armenian government big- wigs, we now turn our attention on the country’s government ministers. (Please note-the below figures are culled from their official financial disclosures. We leave the rest to your imagination)
Former RA Police Chief Alik Sargsyan, a presidential advisor since 2011, declared 5.157 million in revenues made up solely from wages. He had 120 million AMD and $70,000 in the bank.
Earlier today RA National Assembly President Hovik Abrahamyan hinted that there might be a referendum to make changes to the constitution parallel with the presidential election next February.
According to Javadyan’s 2011 financial disclosure, he had overall revenues of just over 39 million AMD, $76,267, and 1,514 Euros.
Armenia’s opposition MPs continued to deride the government’s draft bill raising the monthly minimum wage by a scant 2,500 AMD to 35,000.
RA Finance Minister Vache Gabrielyan today introduced a bill in parliament that would raise the monthly minimum wage in Armenia by 2,500 AMD to 35,000 AMD ($86.19).
Armenia’s Minister of Education and Science Armen Ashotyan told reporters today that his phone was besieged with calls from high-ranking parents of 12th graders last year after he issued a warning to ten school principals about pupils not attending classes but being marked as present.
After three years of construction, the Saint Anna Armenian Apostolic Church, financed by former village resident Vahan Avagyan who now lives in Russia, was consecrated in the village of Aghavnatoun
Minister Yeritsyan’s wife, Mary, declared no revenue at all last year but did have 199 million AMD in the bank by year’s end.
Here’s a rundown of the finances of some of Armenia’s Marzpets (Provincial Governors) according to their 2011 disclosures.
The trial of Artak Gevorgyan, accused of a car hijacking in June, was suspended even before it was scheduled to start at the Armavir Regional Court.
Today nearly nothing remains from the once-prosperous village of Geghakar, one of the most neglected in the province of Gegharkunik. Situated in the mountain slopes, it is cut off from the outside world for 2–3 months, particularly during the winter season, as the road is closed from the snowstorms.
During discussion of the 2011 state budget performance on Thursday, Armenian National Congress (HAK) MP Nikol Pashinyan began his address to the National Assembly with a joke: a man standing in Yerevan's Republic Square was making odd movements when a police officer approached him and asked what he's doing. The man responds that he's fending away crocodiles. The officer remarks that there are no crocodiles, to which the man replies: "That's...
By a vote of 64 to 6, Armenian legislators have stripped MP Vardan Oskanian of his parliamentary immunity, thus allowing him to be charged with money laundering.
Vardan Oskanian, the Prosperous Party MP facing charges of embezzlement, rose in parliament today and charged Prosecutor General Aghvan Hovsepyan with fabricating evidence against him based purely on political motivations.
Videos
Photos
