“Zhoghovurd” daily writes: “Tomorrow, April 29, is Citizen’s Day declared a holiday by the current authorities. Back in 2019, the National Assembly adopted the government’s proposed bill “On Amendments to the Law on Holidays and Remembrance Days”,

which designated the last Saturday of April as Citizen’s Day. It is interesting that Citizen’s Day was celebrated only once in 2019 during these years. that day, Nikol Pashinyan and other officials closed a number of central streets of Yerevan and organized a barbecue party. After 2019, Nikol Pashinyan’s teammates themselves forgot about the holiday they declared and allow themselves to spit in the face of a citizen in the center of Yerevan or threaten to cut off people’s ears and tongues, like CP faction secretary Artur Hovhannisyan. Let’s remind that in 2020, the Citizen’s Day was not celebrated due to the pandemic, and in 2021, the “Zhoghovurd” daily was informed that this year it will be celebrated again with great pomp. Thus, we learned from the Ministry of Education and Culture that on that day events will be organized in all marzes and in different administrative regions of the city of Yerevan, in total 66 communities. The events consist of 2 parts: a speech and a cultural event. “Zhoghovurd” daily newspaper learned from the CP faction deputies that the deputies will personally participate in these events, travel to regions or be in Yerevan, as they wish. We were informed that Nikol Pashinyan will also participate in the events dedicated to the Citizen’s Day, but where, the government said, has not yet been specified. Perhaps, to avoid incidents, Pashinyan’s whereabouts are not announced in advance.” Full article in today’s issue of the newspaper.

Nikol Pashinyan, who took over the position of RA Prime Minister, has decided to remove the post of the previous three years. And on April 29, celebrate the day of the citizen founded by him in a “grandiose” way.

To organize speeches and cultural events not only in Yerevan (in different parts of the city), but also in 66 enlarged regional communities. So that both Armenians and especially the whole world can see what a happy and joyful life he has given us. So that Armenians in particular can see and believe with their own eyes that the “velvet, non-violent (etc.) revolution” was really much more important than the first victorious Artsakh liberation war. Of course, that idea is nonsense, especially in the sense that we had not won a victory over the Turks for centuries. However, in the case of “Nicolism” affecting our society, what can not be nonsense…

It is not absurd, is it, to organize holidays even in the case of officially 4 thousand victims and the surrender of huge territories to the enemy? It is not nonsense, is it, to seize power by using the potential of the proud Armenians from the victorious liberation war and to level that pride to the ground? It is not absurd, is it, to make the judicial system do one’s will under the name of democracy? It’s not nonsense, is it, that the wolf’s flock is like a fallen lamb, constantly spreading the idea of ​​peace? It’s not nonsense, isn’t it, to consider Artsakh, no, I’m sorry, Nagorno Karabakh as the territory of a savage enemy state, speaking about it, and then complaining about the enemy’s policy of ethnic cleansing or genocide. The enemy with whom he steadfastly and consistently seeks peace. It’s not nonsense, is it? handing over the Armenian territories conquered from the enemy at the cost of the blood of Armenians to the enemy piece by piece and then putting the responsibility on another country. The country, which was our friend during the previous days, but turned into almost an enemy without finding a new friend. It is not nonsense, is it, to glorify the Armenian army in Sardarapat before the 44-day war, and then to not consider that same army to be Armenian, etc., etc.

Երբեմնի ժողովրդի «փրկիչ» Նիկոլից անցնենք նրա կամակատարներին և մնացածներին, որ անտարբեր մնացին երկրի ճակատագրի նկատմամբ: Անհեթեթություն չէ, արդյո՞ք, ժողովրդավարության անվան ներքո երկրի Սահմանադրություն «բռնաբարելը», որին մասնակցեց նիկոլական «ազգընտիրների» խումբը: Անհեթեթություն չէ, արդյո՞ք, պատերազմում խայտառակ պարտություն կրելուց հետո շուրջ 80 հոգանոց պատգամավորական կորպուսից ընդամենը մի քանի հոգու հրաժարական ներկայացնելը: Անհեթեթություն չէ, արդյո՞ք, գիտակցված կամ ապաշնորհության պատճառով (կամ՝ երկուսը միասին) պարտված գլխավոր հրամանատարին ընտրությունների միջոցով կրկին իշխանության բերելը: Անհեթեթություն չէ, արդյո՞ք, մարդկային այդքան ողբերգություններից, թշնամու կողմից Արցախն ու ՀՀ տարածքները օկուպացնելուց հետո ոչ թե նրան Ազգային ժողովի կողմից անցնցում հրաժարական պարտադրելը, այլ նրա շուրջն ավելի համախմբվելը: Անհեթեթություն չէ, արդյո՞ք, խայտառակ պարտությունից հետո, հանուն պետության ու հասարակության անվտանգության ապահովման ոչ թե բանակն ու նրա ոգին վերականգնելը, այլ ճանապարհաշինությամբ մարդկանց զարմացնելը: Անհեթեթություն չէ, արդյո՞ք, գոնե խայտառակ պարտությունից հետո ոչ թե նվիրյալների վերածվելը, այլ գերբարձր աշխատավարձեր ու պարգևավճարներ ստանալն ու ճոխ կյանք վայելելը:

Tell me, please, what is in our country that is not nonsense.

Vakhtang Siradeghyan

What were the changes in the number of foreign diplomats serving in Armenia in January-April of this year?

A few days ago it became known that the European Union will have a new ambassador to Armenia. According to the report of the EU diplomatic service, the EU mission in Armenia will be headed by Vasilis Maragos. He currently works in the European Commission’s General Directorate of Neighborhood and Enlargement Negotiations as the head of the Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo department, and before that he was the head of the Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus and Eastern Partnership department in the same structure. In the year, if we follow the official news, it was quite interesting regarding the “traffic” of the ambassadors. On February 21 of this year, the new US Ambassador Christina Quinn started her diplomatic mission in Armenia. The change of the two leaders representing the West, the ambassadors of the EU and the USA carrying out a mission in Armenia, as well as the commander of the Russian peacekeepers in Artsakh, seems to coincide chronologically with a small difference. Maybe it’s just a coincidence or a coincidence, maybe it contains a certain “advice” and “message”. It is not possible to say unequivocally. However, considering the kind of turn Armenia and especially Artsakh is facing, perhaps such coincidences are not mere rotational coincidences at all. as well as the change of the commander of the Russian peacekeepers in Artsakh seems to coincide chronologically with a small difference. Maybe it’s just a coincidence or a coincidence, maybe it contains a certain “advice” and “message”. It is not possible to say unequivocally. However, considering the kind of turn Armenia and especially Artsakh is facing, perhaps such coincidences are not mere rotational coincidences at all. as well as the change of the commander of the Russian peacekeepers in Artsakh seems to coincide chronologically with a small difference. Maybe it’s just a coincidence or a coincidence, maybe it contains a certain “advice” and “message”. It is not possible to say unequivocally. However, considering the kind of turn Armenia and especially Artsakh is facing, perhaps such coincidences are not mere rotational coincidences at all.

By the way, using the messages published on the official website of the RA President, we studied which countries’ ambassadors in Armenia have changed in recent months. And so: On December 8 and 14 of last year, the newly appointed ambassadors of Algeria, Smail Benamara, and Ambassador of Mauritania, Mohammed Mahmoud Dahi, presented their credentials to the President of Armenia, respectively. On January 24 and 26 of this year, the newly appointed ambassadors of the Czech Republic and Denmark, Piotr Pirunchik and Anne Toft Sorensen, presented their credentials to the President of Armenia, respectively. From February of this year, Portugal has a new ambassador to Armenia in the form of Madalena Fisher (she presented her credentials to the President of Armenia on February 8), Latvia in the form of Edite Mednen (she presented her credentials to the President of Armenia on February 14).

In March of this year, the Ambassador of Mexico Eduardo Villegas Mejias presented his credentials to the President of Armenia on March 1, and the Ambassador of Venezuela Jesus Rafael Salasar Velasquez on March 17. In April, Cuban ambassador Oscar Santana Leo (handed over his credentials on April 5), newly appointed Indian ambassador Nilakshi Saha Sinha (handed over his credentials on April 10), Moldovan ambassador Valeriu Kiver (handed over his credentials on April 13) started his mission in Armenia. , Austrian Ambassador Thomas Mühlmann (he handed over credentials on April 26).

In the near future, Poland will have a new ambassador to Armenia, as ambassador Pavel Czeplak had a farewell meeting with Vahagn Khachaturyan on April 25.

Serob Marutyan

Los Angeles, California – The Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region (ANCA-WR) is proud to announce its endorsement of John Harabedian for California State Senate District 25. Harabedian is a former elected official, an attorney, and an advocate for the Armenian-American community.

Harabedian was born and raised in the small town of Sierra Madre, in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains. His post-secondary education saw John graduate from the prestigious schools of Yale, Oxford, and Stanford Law School. John Harabedian is a former Councilmember and Mayor of Sierra Madre, California, where he served from 2012 to 2020. He carries a diverse background in law, business, and public service. Harabedian is currently an attorney and investment manager at Omni Bridgeway. He also serves as a Regional Vice Chair of the Los Angeles County Democratic Party and a California State Commissioner. 

“John Harabedian is a son of the Armenian-American community, and we are confident that he will be a strong voice for our issues in the California State Senate, as he follows in the footsteps of Senator Anthony Portantino who has been our close friend and ally for many years,” said Nora Hovsepian, Esq., Chair of the ANCA-Western Region. “We look forward to working with him on the issues that matter to our community and ensuring Armenian-Americans are well represented in the State Legislature,” she continued.

Harabedian expressed gratitude for the endorsement and admiration for the ANCA-WR’s work. “I’m extremely honored to receive the endorsement of the Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region.  The ANCA-WR’s endorsement is deeply personal for me and the 25th Senate District, which is home to the largest population of Armenians in the United States.  I share the ANCA-WR’s mission of supporting a free, united, and independent Armenia and Artsakh.  The ANCA-WR’s grassroots work to represent the interests of Armenian Americans is second to none, and I look forward to working with them to attain our shared goal of having more robust Armenian representation in Sacramento,” concluded Harabedian.

Senate District 25 includes the cities of Burbank, Glendale, Pasadena, La Cañada Flintridge, South Pasadena, San Marino, Sierra Madre, Monrovia, Duarte, Glendora, San Dimas, La Verne, Claremont, Upland, and Rancho Cucamonga. It also is home to the core of the Armenian-American population centered in Glendale, Burbank, and Pasadena. The primary election in California will take place on March 4th, 2024. 

The Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region is the largest and most influential Armenian-American grassroots advocacy organization in the Western United States. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the Western United States and affiliated organizations around the country, the ANCA-WR advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues.

It is undeniable that since 2020 the affairs of Azerbaijan are going “unprecedentedly” well. And as long as there are people at the helm of power in Armenia who perceive and represent defeat and defeat as an achievement, they will continue to be good. The Azerbaijani side enters and occupies new territories not only in Artsakh but also in Armenia.

With all these successes, official Azerbaijan is quite sensitive to many external realities and reacts to them quite nervously. And people become irritable mainly because of fear. Aliyev, along with his today’s successes and victories, is in obvious fear and anxiety. And what is the leader of the victorious country afraid of?

For example, the statement of Oleg Matveichev, a deputy of the Russian State Duma, can make the Azerbaijani side hysterical. And the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan immediately sent a long-winded note of protest, which specifically states: “Those statements aimed at destabilizing the situation in the region and attempts to provoke revanchist forces in the Armenian society to revive the conflict left in the past are unacceptable.” With this, Azerbaijan unintentionally shows its fear of Armenia’s prospect of “revenge”.

The Azerbaijani press has repeatedly expressed “concern” that there may be guerrilla wars in the “liberated” territories. Guerrilla wars of Armenians are also one of the fears of Azerbaijan and Aliyev. The dirty propaganda, provocations and threats against the European structure of Hay Dat and its leader Gaspar Karapetyan gained momentum again. They are also the work of Azerbaijan. And why does victorious Azerbaijan need to accuse Gaspar Karapetyan of diamond smuggling and other “secular” sins? It turns out that it should. Gaspar Karapetyan and the structure he leads are able to convey to the members of the European Parliament the reality of what is happening in Artsakh and the Berdzor corridor. And the European Parliament comes out with statements condemning Azerbaijan, demanding to open the corridor. The other day, Lucas Fourkas, head of the friendship group of the European Parliament with Armenia, visited Armenia. The delegation led by him visited the Syunik Marz, the beginning of the Lachin Corridor, where the Azerbaijani illegal checkpoint is located, met with the members of the ARF bureau, the mayor of Goris, exchanged ideas on the need for effective protection of Armenian interests in the European Union, and the need to hold urgent discussions on Armenian issues.

And, finally, the source of Aliyev’s main fears are the Armenian diaspora and the rapidly changing world. Diaspora has been like a piercing thorn in the throat of Turkey and Azerbaijan for years. Today, the fourth generation of the diaspora is growing and fighting, not only for the recognition of the genocide and slaughter of 1915, but also of 2020. Armenians all over the world are making noise, demonstrating, reminding and demanding. In a changing world, the diaspora is able to maintain its weight and influence.

Therefore, Aliyev, who today still feels like Alexander the Macedonian, is afraid that one day he will lose his victory and the “horse” of the Macedonian. The world and the region are changing very quickly, every day the region faces new challenges, different maps are being drawn “hanging in the air”. And those changes can suddenly turn against Azerbaijan and Turkey. Presidential elections are expected in Turkey on May 14. And if suddenly Erdogan is not elected, but someone is elected who will not continue to provide military aid to Azerbaijan or change the foreign policy line? What if Russia wins the war against Ukraine and starts dealing with our region? All these are issues that concern and worry Aliyev. So he’s in a hurry… in a big hurry.
After all, he has before his eyes the example of Armenia, when we did not secure our victory in the first war properly, as a result of which we lost it decades later. Maybe one day the wheel of history will turn back again…

Naira Vanyan

“The problem of rebellion is to take power. his political goal will be clear after taking power”. A few days after the October Revolution of 1917, Vladimir Lenin, the leader of that revolution, wrote sincerely. April 23 marked the fifth anniversary of the Velvet Revolution or, more precisely, the anti-constitutional coup, whose goal was also to seize power. And what the political goal became clear during the five years following the seizure of power.
The goal of the anti-constitutional coup was declared to be the creation of “New Armenia” as opposed to the existing “Old Armenia”. The new one should be different from the old one by its loyalty to democratic values, absence of corruption and patronage, transparency in state administration, freedom, fraternity and equality should prevail in the country. The overwhelming majority of the public, especially those who were not personally acquainted with the initiators of the coup, were not aware of their real value system and exploits before the revolution, believed that everything should be as it should be. After a very short time, hope was replaced by disappointment, faith in tomorrow’s bright future was transformed into anxiety and uncertainty about the future.

The leader of the revolution, who declared himself Che Guevara, who initially spoke about love and tolerance, only days later began to divide society into blacks and whites, past and present, revolutionaries and anti-revolutionaries. Only, unlike Che Guevara, the revolutionary Pashinyan preferred not to shoot his political opponents, but to spread them on the asphalt and plaster the walls. Being a dictator by nature and intolerant of dissent, the first step to establish a dictatorship in the country was the usurpation of the judicial system, including filling the highest court, the Constitutional Court, with subordinates. The blockade of the courts, the labeling of the independent judges who issue judicial acts that are not desirable to them, “grieving under the walls” showed that those in power will not tolerate any manifestation of independence, or impartiality.

In order to finally legitimize the seizure of power, extraordinary parliamentary elections were held, through which Pashinyan formed a body composed of obedient, self-serving individuals, in which the representatives of the Pashinyan family clan played a significant role. After carrying out the usurpation of legislative and judicial power, Pashinyan moved on to occupy local self-government bodies. Having the support of the courts and other structures called law enforcement, Pashinyan seized the local governments as well. In addition, this occupation was carried out by mass execution of illegalities and other illegal actions. Where possible, candidates opposed to the government were forced to refuse to participate in the elections, where necessary, a non-government candidate was allowed to win, but the power was taken away from him. In Gyumri, Armenia’s second largest city, the Pashinyan CP was defeated, the people of Gyumri voted for other parties, and a non-CP member was elected as mayor, but the city government actually ended up in the hands of CP members after the election. Mamikon Aslanyan, the elected mayor of Armenia’s third largest city, has been in prison for nearly two years without trial, and the people of Vanadzor are deprived of their elected government. The mayor of Berdi won the elections, but under the threat of criminal prosecution, he declared that he did not want to work as a mayor. Mamikon Aslanyan, the elected mayor of Armenia’s third largest city, has been in prison for nearly two years without trial, and the people of Vanadzor are deprived of their elected government. The mayor of Berdi won the elections, but under the threat of criminal prosecution, he declared that he did not want to work as a mayor. Mamikon Aslanyan, the elected mayor of Armenia’s third largest city, has been in prison for nearly two years without trial, and the people of Vanadzor are deprived of their elected government. The mayor of Berdi won the elections, but under the threat of criminal prosecution, he declared that he did not want to work as a mayor.

Along with the usurpation of the courts, Pashinyan began the systematic disintegration and discrediting of the army. Announcing the so-called reforms of the army, the most visible of which was the introduction of strawberries in the soldiers’ rations for one day, after which they were no longer seen in the army, Pashinyan changed the plan to modernize the army and equip it with the latest weapons, directing the budget funds to the purchase of morally and physically useless weapons or the acquisition of such military equipment. which was not used in the theater of hostilities. Fake cases were made against experienced military figures who had rendered services to the motherland, the destruction of the Yerkhapah Volunteers Union, which unites war veterans and is considered the reserve of the army, began. The anti-constitutional coup was declared a higher value than the Artsakh liberation struggle and its actual achievements. With his provocative and provocative statements, Pashinyan brought the negotiation process of the settlement of the Artsakh issue to a dead end, giving Azerbaijan a legitimate opportunity to start a war against Armenia and Artsakh on September 27, 2020. The consequence of not preparing the country for war, of deliberately or incompetently defeating military operations was the occupation of three quarters of the territory of the Artsakh Republic, the death of more than 4 thousand Armenian soldiers, the material loss of billions of dollars, and the moral and psychological decline of the Armenian society. The war ended with the act of capitulation on November 9, but the creeping aggression of Azerbaijan did not stop. During the following two and a half years, Azerbaijan continues to occupy territories both from Artsakh and from Armenia. If Pashinyan declares the Russian peacekeeping troops responsible for Artsakh’s losses, then the military and border guards, spies and agents are to blame for Armenia’s territorial losses. Pashinyan released himself and the government from any responsibility towards Armenia.

The country’s financial resources are used mainly to cover the costs of ensuring the well-being and safety of its own team. New facts are becoming known about large acquisitions of property by state officials, disproportionate increases in officials’ salaries and bonuses, and the inflation of the state apparatus. As a result, Pashinyan, who had 70 percent support just a few years ago, walks around Yerevan accompanied by thousands of policemen, he does not even dare to be in the parliament hall without the presence of a bodyguard. An unprecedented thing, which has not happened in the entire history of Armenia, and which is an insult to the members of the parliament.

During the past 5 years, the government managed to spoil relations with Armenia’s main allies. Russia, the main guarantor of Armenia’s security, and its army were declared a threat to Armenia’s security, Armenia did nothing to establish closer and multifaceted military-political relations with neighboring Iran. The main line of Armenia’s foreign policy has become wooing the enemy Turkey and Azerbaijan, meeting their demands and preconditions, in the hope that it will be possible to avoid big losses as a result of small concessions, while the parable “The end of evil” shows that the villain is not satisfied with eating one cow’s milk. , his target is the entire mountain and forest, and the only effective way to deal with it is to respond adequately to the enemy.

Having lost public support and realizing that his government and himself are perceived by the Armenian society as a group of renegades, traitors and capitulators, Pashinyan is intensifying repressions more and more. Its only support remains the power structures, and the only means of protection is violence. The group that came to power 5 years ago with the slogans of democracy and freedom has turned into a cornered wounded beast, which is ready to ravage anyone, if not to save its own political existence, then at least to some extent in the hope of prolonging it. And the prolongation of the existence of the Pashinyan government became possible only because of the lack of systematic and united resistance. The instinct of self-defense will eventually force the Armenian society to unite and remove the regime that threatens its physical and species existence. Rubber has the ability to stretch, but eventually snaps when it reaches its stretch limit.

Avetis Babajanyan

By Israel Ojoko,

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was hospitalized after suffering a heart attack on April 26, 2023.

According to the statement issued by the presidency, Erdogan was taken to the hospital in critical condition and received treatment for myocardial infarction, commonly known as a heart attack.

The President’s office also announced that all of Erdogan’s pre-election speeches and public events have been canceled until May 3rd, two weeks before the election. The announcement has caused uncertainty in the political sphere, as Erdogan’s re-election campaign was already facing significant opposition from other political parties.

Erdogan has been in power since 2003, serving as Prime Minister until 2014 and then as President. He has been a controversial figure, with his administration facing criticism from various groups and individuals over issues such as freedom of speech and human rights violations.