The team at the First News and Analyses wishes all its readers excellent evening this New Year’s Eve. We wish you new achievements and endeavors in the coming year.
And as the analyst Eghiazar Aintaptsi wished, let this year citizens of Armenia have freedom to express their will and stand up for their rights.
Happy New Year!!
According to the deputy of the NA “Armenian National Congress” party Nikol Pashinyan, they allowed two bloomers in the ANC’s activities.
The first was the dialogue with the authorities, and the second mistake, which led to the current political situation, is the political line, which exists today. “As a result of consultations with the Prosperous Armenia party an explosion took place in Armenia’s opposition field, which never happened before,” he said.
According to him, the government is responsible for its activities before the public, and the opposition has a lot to explain to the public as well, opposition leaders are also answerable to the public. “We just have to apologize for failing to actualize the public’s hopes.”
Yerevan Mayor Taron Margaryan met with newly appointed Ambassador of Greece to Armenia Ioannis Taghis.
Welcoming the Ambassador, Margaryan congratulated him on his new appointment and expressed hope that friendly and partner relations between the Armenian and Greek cities will develop to a new level.
“The City Hall is always open and willing to discuss any proposal for cooperation that will contribute to the development of partnership relations between the two cities,” said Taron Margaryan.
The Ambassador thanked for the warm reception and noted that historical past and great friendship of two nations is a good basis and an opportunity for seeking new directions for cooperation and bilateral development. The sides discussed various issues of mutual interest.
Azerbaijani sources report that Turkish Ambassador Ismail Alper Coskun congratulated Azerbaijani people on the Day of Solidarity of World Azerbaijanis and the New Year.
In his message the ambassador wished all Azerbaijani citizens and the Turkic world peace and prosperity.
On December 28, political analyst Andreas Ghukasyan submitted to the Central Electoral Commission (CEC) of Armeni, his formal nomination for the presidential elections to be held in the country on February 18, 2013. He is the 6th candidate for the post of the RA president. Ghukasyan is not affiliated with any party.
Recall that, according to the Electoral Code, the formal nominations can be submitted to the CEC until January 4, 2013.
Non-party affiliate Mher Hayrapetyan, epos specialist Vardan Sedrakyan, leader of National Self-Determination Union Paruyr Hayrikyan, and incumbent President Serzh Sargsyan have already submitted their formal nominations to the Central Electoral Commission.
Serzh Sargsyan recently received the Vice-Chairpersons of the “National Congress of Western Armenians” international non-governmental organization. Note that the company is engaged in the protection of the rights of heirs of the Genocide victims and is registered in the United Nations Economic and Social Council.
Reporter of “First News and Analyses” Eghiazar Ayntaptsi notes in his political analyses that the period of this meeting is very interesting, which is a few days before the start of the presidential election campaign.
“Serzh Sargsyan is delivering a specific review of claims, indicating a certain shade of foreign policy after being re-elected, which isn’t surprising, as the 100th anniversary of the Genocide is approaching and we should be stricter with our demands. Apparently, Serzh Sargsyan is trying to receive special gestures from Turkey, to get post-election agreement, which may be needed this time to distract the public’s attention. So the Turkish trend might be needed in case of inaction of internal reforms. Serzh Sargsyan, of course, will not be against their implementation, because it is beneficial in all respects, but there is a problem, oligarchy and opposition.” writes the reporter.
Aytaptsi also notes that Turkey will not be the only viable option for Serzh Sargsyan, and he will try to arrange other options, but in all cases he keeps ready the option of Turkey, using rougher tone and waiting for Ankara’s response.
On the other hand, the reporter notes that the activation of emphasizing demands may itself be one of the distracting instruments, a way of national pseudo-consolidation that the President may use to conceal the inefficiency of internal reforms.
Central Election Commission of the Republic of Armenia passed to the representative of the RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs the envelope, containing the individual codes of online voters, who are undergoing RA diplomatic and consular missions in diplomatic services abroad and their family members, entitled to vote.
Chairman of the RA Central Election Commission Tigran Mukuchyan informed that total number of voters passing diplomatic mission in 35 countries and their families living abroad is 243.
Chairman of the RACentral Election Commission also introduced electronic voting guide published in terms of order and deadlines for implementation of the voting.
Georgian Finance Minister Nodar Khaduri said at the final conference of the year that the new Georgian government does not intend to borrow anymore to cover its current expenses.
“When we say that the budget deficit must hit 2.8% of GDP, this means that we must not borrow any more, especially at high interest rates. We will take loans from international organizations such as the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in 2013. But these will be only for investment projects, which will focus on the development of roads, water supply and other infrastructure. We will not take loans to cover the current expenses.” Khaduri said.
He also emphasized that the government aims to return the IMF’s debt in the future.
According to official sources leader of “Prosperous Armenia” party Gagik Tsarukyan will be in Armenia on New Year’s Eve. However, as the PAP sources report, Tsarukyan will leave Armenia on January 1, but, where, it is still not known.
Tsarukyan likes to spend his New Year in Dubai, where there are also his family members, as well as a number of representatives of the oligarchic circles. It is still not known, whether they will also join Tsarukyan this year, or he will celebrate the New Year in Dubai alone.
President Serzh Sargsyan visited the Central Bank and participated in the reception on the occasion of New Year and Christmas holidays.
The President expressed his gratitude to the staff of the Central Bank and the commercial banks for their work in 2012, congratulated on the upcoming holidays and wished success.
