The Prosecutor General’s Office of Armenia has forwarded to the Special Investigation Service the report on crime filed by 53 advocates in regard to the fact that President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian has concealed his dual citizenship, Head of the Public Relations Department of the Prosecutor General’s Office Arevik Khachatryan told Armenian News-NEWS.am today.

Earlier, Armenian News-NEWS.am had presented the content of the report on crime filed by the advocates.

Based on the report, between 2003 and 2012, Armen Sarkissian was a citizen of the United Kingdom for at least 10 years and was elected President of Armenia on March 2, 2018, but hadn’t met the requirement to be a citizen of Armenia for the past six years. Sarkissian could only be elected President of Armenia, if his citizenship had been terminated before March 1, 2012 (to March 1, 2018 – 6 years).

With regard to citizenship, the Chief of Staff of the President of Armenia made a reference to the statement of information provided for by the Armenian legislation which was submitted to the National Assembly during the election of the President.

What is interesting is the letter of the Head of the Passport and Visas Department of the Police of Armenia dated 25 March 2021 by which it was reported that the State Population Register didn’t state any information on President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian being a citizen of another country, including as of March 2, 2018.

The statement of information on Armen Sarkissian being a citizen of Armenia in the past six years was issued for his election taking as a basis the information in the State Population Register and the statement that Armen Sarkissian made in his application that he is not a citizen of another country. In this regard, it should also be mentioned that other regulations for verifying Armenian citizenship are not prescribed by any legal act.

Public Radio of Armenia. During the 25th plenary session the National Council of Slovakia unanimously adopted by 120 votes in favor the resolution “On Nagorno Karabakh” submitted by Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee Marián Kéry, (SMER-SD/Social Democrats). The resolution strongly condemns the killings of civilians, the destruction of civilian infrastructure, monuments of cultural and religious heritage, expresses concern over the military involvement of third countries in the conflict and their destabilizing role, and emphasizes that the process of determining the future legal status of Nagorno-Karabakh should be carried out under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, expresses deep concern that prisoners of war and other detainees, including civilians, have not been released in accordance with the provisions of international humanitarian law, in particular the 1949 Geneva Convention.

The resolution calls on the Government of the Slovak Republic, the European Union and international organizations to ensure that all allegations of war crimes, including the use of cluster munitions, are properly investigated, that all prisoners of war and civilians are released immediately, and that international humanitarian organizations enter Nagorno-Karabakh without restrictions. This is the second resolution on the last 44-day war unleashed by Azerbaijan against Nagorno-Karabakh adopted by the Slovak National Council. The first resolution on the ongoing conflict in Nagorno Karabakh was adopted by the National Council of the Slovak Republic on October 22, 2020.

Read more at: https://www.aravot-en.am/2021/04/01/279843/

At the beginning of Thursday’s session of parliament, the deputies held a moment of silence in memory of the legendary Major-General Arkady Ter-Tadevosyan “Komandos.” Then, they discussed issues on the agenda, including the changes to the Electoral Code authored by Sergey Bagratyan, Arman Babajanyan, Vahagn Hovakimyan, and Hamazasp Danielyan. Prosperous Armenia boycotted the session.

Taguhi Tovmasyan, a former deputy of My Step, registered to hold a speech. She approached the podium, but she spoke about a statement made by My Step deputy Hovik Aghazaryan that went viral. He had said, “Karvachar is not ours, is there anyone in Armenia who doubts that? Is there anyone in Armenia who will bravely say in front of the whole world that Karvachar was ours?” Taguhi Tovmasyan showcased her ‘bravery’ from the National Assembly podium. “Der Mr. Aghazaryan, you were the last person I expected to make such a statement. I want to announce from the National Assembly podium that Karvachar is ours, Dadivank is ours. Please, come up to the podium and say that you made a mistake, blame it on the reporters, but please do not let this statement go without a follow-up. We are not speaking solely for our own audience. We are not speaking to prove something to people. We are working with much wider circles. That dissatisfaction had even reached Artsakh. People were coming to conclusions.”

Hripsime Jebejyan

Read more at: https://www.aravot-en.am/2021/04/01/279851/

The US president compared his infrastructure plan to “the space race” and said he would put an end to big companies paying little to nothing in federal taxes.

The US government is set to invest $2 trillion (€1.7 trillion) into rebuilding the nation’s crumbling infrastructure, President Joe Biden said on Wednesday. Biden also pledged to increase taxes on large corporations.

The president said his “Build Back Better” program — projected to last eight years — would create millions of jobs. 

“Today I’m proposing a plan for the nation that rewards work, not just rewards wealth,” Biden said in a trade union hall in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Biden also said the initiative would help bolster the US in the face of China’s rapidly growing economy.

“It’s a once-in-a-generation investment in America, unlike anything we’ve seen or done since we built the interstate highway system and the space race decades ago.”

What does the plan include?

• Upgrade 20,000 miles of roads and repair thousands of bridges
• Double funding for public transport and install thousands of electric vehicle charging stations
• Hike corporate tax rate from 21% to 28% and close tax loopholes
• Replace lead water pipes and upgrade sewers nationwide
• Upgrade power grid for clean electric energy
• Renovate hospitals and schools, and provide training for workers

What about tax hikes?

The plan would be funded by raising taxes on US corporations. The current administration aims to undo the cuts passed under Donald Trump, with the hike covering the costs of the initiative over a span of 15 years.

The US Chamber of Commerce welcomed the plan, but called the tax rate increase “dangerously misguided.” Biden defended the move saying that a 28% corporation tax rate is still lower than it was between the end of World War II and 2017.

“No one — let me say it again, no one — making under $400,000 will see their federal taxes go up, period,” he said.

“This is not about penalizing anyone. I have nothing against millionaires and billionaires,” Biden said. At the same time, he noted that online retail giant Amazon and scores of other giant US-based companies currently pay no income tax.

“A fireman and a teacher paying 22 percent and Amazon and 90 other major corporations paying zero in federal taxes? I am going to put an end to that,” the president said.

How did US lawmakers respond to the plan?

Democrats, who narrowly control Congress, have said they would like Republican support for the deal, but may be forced to push through legislation unilaterally as with Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief fund.

Biden’s transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg, who will be on the front lines to ensure the plan’s implementation, welcomed the deal.

“I think that there’s a tremendous opportunity now to have bipartisan support for a big, bold vision on infrastructure,” Buttigieg said. “Americans don’t need a lot of selling to know that we’ve got to do big things when it comes to our infrastructure.”

Progressive Democrat lawmakers said that the plan fell short. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wrote on Twitter that it “needs to be way bigger.”

Other progressives have also called for much higher spending. Senator Ed Markey wants to see $11 trillion invested over the next decade.

The Armenian government approved the signing of a cooperation agreement with China whereby the latter will donate 100,000,000 yuan. The money will be used for building a new studio of the Armenian Public Television and the implementation of other jointly agreed projects.

350,000 almond trees will be planted in 2021-2022 in a mega-agricultural complex run by the Kuwaiti Al-Abdalyah Group in a $30,000,000 investment project in Armenia’s Armavir Province, the economy ministry said.

Minister of Economy Vahan Kerobyan personally visited the 1100 hectare area on March 31 and toured the facility.

“Preparations are underway at full swing, the first 55,000 trees will be planted in a month,” the minister said.

The investor is Khalife Al-Fadala, a businessman from Kuwait.

Head of the opposition Bright Armenia faction in the Armenian parliament on Thursday deplored changes to the country’s electoral system ahead of the snap parliamentary elections slated for June 20.

The Armenian National Assembly passed in the first reading on Thursday a bill calling for amendments to the Electoral Code of the country. The measure was adopted by 81 votes in favor and no against votes. 23 opposition lawmakers abstained from the vote.

The legislative changes propose switching to the proportional system, removing the current mixed system that allows MPs to be elected via a combination between the proportional and the so-called rating-based system.

MP Edmon Marukyan stated the adoption of proposed changes to the electoral laws without the participation of opposition forces put the legitimacy of the early elections at risk.

He noted that citizens are deprived of the right to elect separate MPs. He mentioned that the problem is not the electoral system, but the practice that existed before.

“There is no consensus on the part of any of the Armenian opposition forces, while a different draft law has been sent to the Venice Commission. I officially announce that the legitimacy of the parliamentary elections is being put at risk,” Marukyan said.

”But you will dig your own political grave with the Electoral Code you have adopted, this will be the end of you, because the political force which has adopted a constitution or electoral legislation for itself, has beheaded itself. So, go ahead with it, but we shall return the right to elect a president, a mayor and an MP to the people,” he added. 

Ara Saghatelyan, the former chief of staff at the parliament neither denies not confirms reports that former Ambassador of Armenia to the Holy See Mikayel Minasyan may participate in the snap parliamentary elections slatedfor June 20.  Saghatelyan’s comments came during an interview with Kenton TV Channel. 

In Saghatelyan’s words, consultations are being held which have started not recently. “Our approach is clear – the current authorities should leave. The time will tell whether we participate in the elections or do our job to present to the public the ignorance of this leadership and the whole damage they caused to our country without participating in elections,” said Saghatelyan. 

The former official noted that political forces should not solely rely on the snap elections as a mean to solve the political crisis in the country. He suggested Pashinyan may create obstacles for the conduct of those elections.  as he doubted the ability of the authorities to organize free and fair elections. 

“No reasonable person can trust Pashinyan, following his and his team’s  behavior and actions in different spheres. The elections of 2018 were held with wide involvement of administrative resources. In reality, Pashinyan and his team falsify everything, they have failed to keep a single electoral promise, while the claims about things they have done has nothing in common with reality. Finally, we should break this long series of lies, as he is a liar by his nature,” Saghatelyan said, adding: ” We witnessed how they forged our expectations during the war, with assurances about victory, yet leading us to a defeat. That is a group of liars, opportunists lacking state mentality and vision. Pashinyan may resort to every fraud and deception to reach his goals. He and his team are thieves who have stolen our reality and the future.”

GLENDALE – On March 29, Consul General of Armenia in Los Angeles Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Armen Baibourtian held a virtual meeting with the Secretary of State of Washington Kim Wyman. The Consul General noted that the establishment of close cooperation with the State of Washington on the U.S. West Coast is considered to be among important priorities for the Consulate General of Armenia, as the State of Washington is one of the leading U.S. states in very many respects. 

Washington is on the top of the list of most prosperous, wealthiest, liberal, and technologically advanced states in the U.S.A.
Ambassador Baibourtian presented Armenia’s scope of interests in connection with the State of Washington. This relates to the business sector, clean and other top-notch technologies, the state legislative field, etc. Washington’s extremely successful experience in developing tech industry and agriculture simultaneously deserves to be studied and applied. Those sectors of the economy in Washington are being developed on the basis of legislation that ensures environmental protection and sustainable development in compliance with the established high standards of nature protection.
The Consul General presented the educational basis and technological progress in Armenia, the huge potential and prospects for the advancement of high and information technologies sector. Washington State is known for its achievements in the field of high-tech and IT. Besides, headquarters of the largest U.S. companies such as Amazon, Microsoft, Starbucks, Costco, Boeing, etc., are located in Washington State.
Ambassador Baibourtian outlined the opportunities for cooperation in the manufacturing sectors of transportation and communication equipment, metals and metal products, chemicals, and machinery.  communication and transport equipment sectors. He also told Secretary Wyman that Armenia, having a dynamically developing sector of agriculture and food processing industry, is interested in cooperation with Washington State in those spheres as well. He mentioned that a conducive bilateral legal framework for cooperation can be forged through a framework agreement on cooperation based on a precedent of such an agreement that Armenia has with California.
Secretary Kim Wyman expressed her satisfaction with the initial steps of cooperation and expressed her interest in the outlined areas of cooperation. She was hopeful that the forthcoming discussions dedicated to developing bilateral cooperation would take place during the visit of the Consul General of Armenia to Washington. The Secretary of State invited the Consul General to visit Olympia, capital of Washington, expressing hope that the lockdown at the Capitol will be removed in the near future with the improvement of pandemic related situation. She also expressed her appreciation of the Armenian-American community, which stands out for its effective involvement in all spheres of American life.
Kim Wyman is the only Republican statewide elected official in Washington She serves in the position of Secretary of State since January 2013. Secretary Wyman supervises state and local elections, oversees the State Corporations and Charities Division, the Washington State Library, Washington Talking Book and Braille Library and State Archives.

ԼՈՍ ԱՆՋԵԼՈՒՍՈՒՄ ՀՀ ԳԼԽԱՎՈՐ ՀՅՈՒՊԱՏՈՍ, ԴԵՍՊԱՆ ԱՐՄԵՆ ԲԱՅԲՈՒՐԴՅԱՆԸ ՀԱՆԴԻՊՈՒՄ ՈՒՆԵՑԱՎ ՎԱՇԻՆԳՏՈՆ ՆԱՀԱՆԳԻ ՔԱՐՏՈՒՂԱՐ ՔԻՄ ՈՒԱՅՄԵՆԻ ՀԵՏ
ԳԼԵՆԴԵՅԼ- Մարտի 29-ին Լոս Անջելեսում ՀՀ գլխավոր հյուպատոս, արտակարգ և լիազոր դեսպան Արմեն Բայբուրդյանը հեռավար հանդիպում ունեցավ Վաշինգտոնի նահանգային քարտուղար Քիմ Ուայմենի հետ։ Գլխավոր հյուպատոսը նշեց, որ ԱՄՆ արևմտյան ափում Հայաստանի համար գերակայություն է համարվում Վաշինգտոն նահանգի հետ սերտ գործակցության հաստատումը՝ որպես երկրի կարևորագույն առաջատար նահանգներից մեկը։ Վաշինգտոնը համարվում է ԱՄՆ-ի ամենաբարեկեցիկ, ամենահարուստ, ազատական և տեխնոլոգիապես առավել զարգացած նահանգների սանդղակի ամենավերևում գտնվողներից մեկը։Գլխավոր հյուպատոսը ներկայցրեց Հայաստանի հետաքրքրությունների շրջանակը` Վաշինգտոն նահանգի հետ կապված: Դա վերաբերում է գործարար որոլտին, մաքուր և այլ գերժամանակակից տեխնոլոգիաներին, նահանգային օրենսդրական դաշտին և այլն։ Վաշինգտոնի չափազանց հաջողված փորձառությունը՝ ուղղված զուգահեռաբար գիտատար արդյունաբերության ու գյուղատնտեսության զարգացմանը, արժանի է ուսումնասիրության և կիրառման։ Եվ դա Վաշինգտոնում իրականացվում է խարսխված այնպիսի օրենսդրության վրա, որն ապահովում է բնության լիակատար պաշտպանությունը և բնապահպանության սահմանված բարձր չափանիշների պահպանումը։Դեսպան Բայբուրդյանը ներկայացրեց Հայաստանում տեխնոլոգիական առաջընթացը, բարձր տեխնոլոգիաների և տեղեկատվական տեխնոլոգիաների ոլորտի ներուժն ու հեռանկարները։Վաշինգտոն նահանգն աչքի է ընկնում բարձր և տեղեկատվական տեխնոլոգիաների ոլորտի զգալի առաջընթացով։ Բացի այդ, այստեղ են տեղակայված խոշորագույն ամերիկյան ընկերությունների կենտրոնական գրասենյակներ, ինչպիսիք են՝ Amazon, Microsoft, Starbucks, Costco, Boing և այլն։ Դեսպան Բայբուրդյանն ուրվագծեց քիմիական արդյունաբերության, մետաղամշակման, հաստոցաշինական, հաղորդակցության և տրանսպորտային սարքավորումների արտադրության ոլորտներում համագործակցության հնարավորությունները։ Նա նաև Քիմ Ուայմենին հայտնեց, որ Հայաստանը, ունենալով գյուղատնտեսության, սննդի վերամշակման դինամիկ զարգացող  ոլորտներ, շահագրգռված է դիտարկել Վաշինգտոնի հետ գործակցությունը նաև այդ ոլորտներում։ Ընդ որում, համագործակցության համար օրենսդրական նպաստավոր դաշտ կարող է ստեղծվել շրջանակային համաձայնագրի համատեքստում, ինչի ստորագրման նախադեպը Հայաստանն ունի Կալիֆորնիա նահանգի հետ։Քիմ Ուայմենը գոհունակություն հայտնեց համագործակցության առաջին քայլերի առիթով և հեռանկարային գնահատեց համագործակցության նշված ոլորտները։ Նա հույս հայտնեց, որ խոր համագործակցություն ծավալելուն նվիրված առաջիկա քննարկումները տեղի կունենան ՀՀ գլխավոր հյուպատոսի՝ Վաշինգտոնի նահանգ կատարելիք այցի ընթացքում։ Նահանգի քարտուղարը հրավիրեց ՀՀ գլխավոր հյուպատոսին այցելել Վաշինգտոնի մայրաքաղաք Օլիմպիա, հույս հայտնելով որ առաջիկայում համավարակից բխող իրավիճակը թույլ կտա գործադիրին աշխատանքները սկսել Կապիտոլիումում։ Նա իր գնահատանքի խոսքն ասաց ամերիկահայ համայնքի վերաբերյալ, որն աչքի է ընկնում ամերիկյան կյանքի և իրողությունների բոլոր ոլորտներում իր արդյունավետ ներգրավվածությամբ։
Կիմ Ուայմենը Վաշինգտոն նահանգի միակ ընտրված հանրապետական պաշտոնյան է։ Նա զբաղեցնում է նահանգի քարտուղարի պաշտոնը 2013 թվականի հունվարից։

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has presented demands related to Zangezur once again, referring to it as ‘an ancient land of Azerbaijan’.

According to him, currently, ‘active efforts are being made with respect to the corridor of Zangezur’. “Zangezur, the ancient land of Azerbaijan, will now link Azerbaijan to the Turkic world since the transport, communication and infrastructure projects passing through Zangezur will consolidate the entire Turkic world and will create additional opportunities for other countries, including Armenia,” Aliyev said during his speech at the non-official summit of the Cooperation Council of Turkic-Speaking States, Interfax-Azerbaijan reports.

Aliyev stated that Armenia doesn’t have railway communication with its ally Russia and declared that ‘the communication can be established through the territory of Azerbaijan’, adding that Armenia also doesn’t have railway communication with its neighboring Iran and that it can be ensured through Nakhchivan.