2019 July 25

Anti-Corruption Daily

News & Anti-Corruption - Jul/25/19::: Wages & economy grow ::: ECHR vs Armenia; reports of judge bribe ::: Mil officer charged with election interference to help a candidate ::: Merit based funding for science ::: Crime down in army ::: Zoo :: MP in hot water ::: Healthcare & Army ::: Tax waivers
by ar_david_hh

Disclaimer: All the accused are innocent until proven guilty by the court of law, even if they may sound as being guilty. Currency in Armenian Drams unless specified otherwise.

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Today we have the breaking news at the top of the list.

Pashinyan wants to make you gay.

In the early 2018, HHK administration signed the Istanbul Convention. It has some social justice clauses. HHK now claims they signed it but didn't really support it, so now they have decided to accuse the Pashinyan administration of supporting it. HHK claims it's against Armenian traditional values.

Cartoon maker Sahakyants also opposes the document and says the current government is showing a weakness and should not adopt it, even thought it appears that the government is required to adopt it.

"We should oppose to any document the content and subtexts of which can put our traditional, national cornerstones at risk. The emergence of the third sex is dangerous. Apparently, the new authorities are demanded to ratify that convention, they indent to do so. I believe it’s a result of both the weakness of the new government and, maybe, its strong desire to implement it", said Sahakyants.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/982852.html --- http://panarmenian.net/m/arm/news/271407 --- http://panarmenian.net/m/arm/news/271292

Facebook wars between a senior BHK MP Gevorg Petrosyan and a QP municipality councilman Grigor Yeritsyan.

The BHK MP earlier made a Facebook post in which he insulted a female journalist...

" ... Էս անտեսված գրչակն ով՞ ա, Տո ա՚յ անմխիթար տիկին, գնա վարսավիրիդ ու կոսմետոլոգիդ հետ հարաբերություններդ պարզի. ..."

...for what he called a bad reporting and unwarranted criticism around his stance over an alleged teacher layoffs. The QP councilman called for the BHK MP to be thrown out of the Parliament.

" ... Պահանջում եմ այս անձնավորությանը դուրս շպրտել Ազգային Ժողովից, քանի որ ամեն մարդ իրեն վայել տեղում պետք է հայտնվի ... "

BHK MP responded...

"... Ես չեմ հակադարձում այն երկոտանիներին, որոնց բնությունն արդեն լուրջ մտորումների տեղիք է տվել..."

https://news.am/arm/news/525758.html

US will name a new military destroyer ship after a 98 year old US-Armenian former Naval Forces Secretary Paul Ignatosyan. His family migrated to US from Western Armenia.

https://armtimes.com/hy/article/167058 --- Bio https://factor.am/170326.html

An Azeri Mig-29A fighter jet has crashed into the Caspian Lake during an exercise. The fate of Lt. Col Atakishiyev, the most experienced pilot in Azerbaijan with a 20 year record, is unknown.

https://fighterjetsworld.com/latest-news/aircraft-crash/azerbaijani-air-force-mig-29-fighter-jet-crashes-into-the-sea-pilot-missing/16066/ --- http://azeridaily.com/news/49584

If you're like me and enjoy watching how idiots drink a piss-filled Sevan water to prove it's safe, here is one... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhh4YgHGeHk

--- https://armtimes.com/hy/article/167085

Some dude got transported to a hospital after he played with an RPG warhead. It blew up. Sappers were dispatched. They found lots of ammo and materials that can be used to make explosives, in a basement.

https://armtimes.com/hy/article/167077 -- https://armenpress.am/arm/news/982871.html

120 Armenian tourists are stuck in Egypt because a scammy tour agency's payment shenanigans. Tour agency was earlier accused of selling fake tickets and not paying the airlines. Protesters gathered near the office.

https://armtimes.com/hy/article/167105 --- https://armtimes.com/hy/article/167104 -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWI6lmoXiBY

Global Innovation Index 2019. Switzerland 1st place, Turkey 41, Russia 46, Georgia 48, Armenia 64, Azerbaijan 84. It's about business sophistication, education spending and creative output.

https://armtimes.com/hy/article/167089 --- https://www.forbes.com/sites/niallmccarthy/2019/07/25/the-worlds-most-innovative-countries-in-2019-infographic/#6b983dce6265

Some say the Russian ruling party is playing with the same fire that brought down HHK. Although they deny the intention of turning Russia into a Parliamentary state, they begun talks about increasing its influence. It is proposed to allow Parliament to have a say on the formation of President's cabinet.

Putin's presidential term ends in 2024 and it's possible he'll try to stay in power as attempted by Serj Sargsyan, thinks the media.

High ranking official Valentina Matvienko (who recently had her name removed from a sports building in Yerevan for pro-Azeri politics) said that they have no intentions to switch to a full Parliamentary system. She brought the Armenian example: "things aren't going so smoothly in Armenia after they adopted the Parliamentary system, but I sincerely wish them success", said Matvienko.

This comes amid the growing pressure on the Russian government by the opposition. Due to a record low popularity, Russian census operator had to change the popularity calculation methodology to hide the ruling party's low ratings.

Recently, the authorities made it illegal to curse Vladimir Putin or other officials. Several Russian citizens have been charged in the past few months for using slurs against Putin.

Yesterday, a major opposition politician was arrested for protesting against the ruling party's document falsification, which prevented the opposition candidates from participating in Moscow elections. The protest gathered 20,000 people, the largest one in a while.

Partial source https://armtimes.com/hy/article/167096

Georgian government wants to give 1.2mln Euro subsidizes to 2 airlines that connect Georgia to Russia through Yerevan. €90 subsidy will be given for each transported passenger.

https://factor.am/170259.html

Railway transportation from Armenia to Georgia has increased by 13% in the past month vs same period of 2018. https://news.am/arm/news/525731.html

Norayr Khachatryan, a commander of a military unit, was charged with abuse of power after he allegedly, by making threats, forced his subordinate soldiers to vote for a BHK candidate Araik Aghababyan in the Dec-2018 Parliamentary elections. He's been charged with 1 felony count.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/982721.html tag: election fraud

Yerevan Zoo director is under an investigation after lengthy protest against him with allegations of embezzlement. The director denied wrongdoing and said 15 things are being investigated. 1 has already been turned down by the investigators after finding no crime. He complained about a witch hunt by "fake accusers".

https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/166987

European Court for Human Rights ECHR has made a €1.6 million verdict against the government of Armenia in favor of Plaintiff Vardanyan family for violating their property rights.

The plaintiff was initially represented by lawyer Vahe Grigoryan, who is now a Constitutional Court Judge.

Plaintiff's new lawyer explains:

Kocharyan government illegally took a house and a land from the plaintiff from Buzand 13 address and gave it to the regime's allies.

The construction company tasked with rebuilding the area later admitted to investigative journalists that the judge in the property ownership hearing case was bribed to authorize the takeover.

ECHR and the construction agency also noted that Cassations Court chief wasn't impartial and was was associated with shady dealings.

Because of a theft by people in power 12 years ago, today the government has to pay €1.6mln from the state budget, says the lawyer. The lawyer urged the authorities to investigate those involved with the property takeover.

End of lawyer report.

https://armtimes.com/hy/article/167073 https://factor.am/170233.html http://panarmenian.net/m/arm/news/271395

Last year the investigators found that Artsakh's former deputy Prime Minister Arthur Aghabekyan "wasted" 63mln in state funds through a foundation mismanagement. The money was recovered. The prosecutors have dropped the remaining abuse of power charges because he qualified for the 2018 mass amnesty.

https://factor.am/170266.html

IRS chief Ananyan says they are still investigating the Serj-linked SPAYKA agricultural export giant. It was caught with tax avoidance twice. He said they've separated some legal cases in a way to allow the firm to continue its work without an interruption, because it has a significant role in agriculture.

https://armtimes.com/hy/article/167065

The IRS recently opened up the cashier device business and invited private companies to import and sell them. Not much activity so far. Only one company has plans for a small scale imports of the devices, says Ananyan.

https://armtimes.com/hy/article/167070

The gov dissolved an anti-corruption committee created by the former HHK PM Hovik Abrahamyan.

PRESS F https://armtimes.com/hy/article/167059

Banks made 4.4% more profits in 1H19 vs 1H18. https://armtimes.com/hy/article/167103

1H19 vs 1H18 industrial production is up 6.9%. Construction up 4.7%. Trade up 8.9%. Services up 15.3%. Agricultural production down 7.4%. External trade up 0.1%.

Consumer price index up 2%. Monthly nominal wages up 5.6%, and is at 176.8k.

Wage increase in the government sector was 6.4%, and 3.9% in the private sector.

Economic activity rose 6.5%.

https://armtimes.com/hy/article/167106 --- https://armenpress.am/arm/news/982828.html

The gov gave Voske Kar Inc. a tax waiver so it can invest 2bln on textile product imports. 60 new jobs with 110k salary. 3.8bln worth products to be made.

Art Global received a tax waiver to make a 250mln investment on importing products for paper cup, plate, etc. production. 20 new jobs with a 150k salary.

in-vi cable producer was given a tax waiver so it can make a 1.2bln investment. 10 new jobs with 155k salary. 5bln worth cables will be made for the Armenian market.

https://armtimes.com/hy/article/167061

The gov gave Nairian Inc. a tax waiver so it can invest 130mln to import products for its organic cosmetics business to create 4 more jobs w/150k salary. 320mln annual production, including exports.

Ay Plast was given a tax waiver to invest 24mln on medical products, 3 new jobs with 120k salary.

https://armtimes.com/hy/article/167061 -- https://armtimes.com/hy/article/167057

Chairman of Science Committee said they've signed a deal with China to build 10 seismic research and evaluation stations in Gyumri and Spitak cities.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/982829.html

Beginning 2020, scientific institutions will be funded based on "work efficiency". A points based rating system will evaluate the institute's work. They think it'll improve competition and make them better manage their budgets, as being done in many countries.

The points can be earned through research papers, cooperation with international institutes, education quality, high tech equipment use, etc.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/982807.html

Healthcare Minister says new reforms will allow 500 medical facilities to better focus on their work and waste less time on filing paperwork, by requiring them to submit a financial report only once a year. By the end of this year they'll also "reduce bureaucracy in the subsidized care paperwork process", said Torosyan.

https://armtimes.com/hy/article/167064

The crime within the army, including heavy body injuries, is down by 16.5% 1H19 vs 1H18. 97.4% of the cases have been solved.

https://armtimes.com/hy/article/167090

Today the government overturned an Apr/4/2018 government decision which allowed the recruitment of slightly mentally disabled men into the army. They found that the conscripts didn't adapt well, so they decided to end the practice. The soldiers will be discharged form the army.

https://factor.am/170178.html --- https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/167120

The government made a decision to include a Healthcare Ministry representative to the medical commission that evaluates conscripts' physical condition during their recruitment process. (մի մարդ ավել ա ձուձուլիտ հետ խաղալու 👍)

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/982792.html

The government approved changes to the pregnancy work leave laws. Women who work in the government and take a pregnancy leave, will qualify for salary bonuses if they worked throughout the year and are missing only at the time of the final work evaluation period.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/982778.html

(notice how much more effective the government works when Pashinyan is on vacation and Tigran Avinyan is in charge?)

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Link to original report: https://www.reddit.com/r/armenia/comments/chsrdu/news_anticorruption_jul2519_wages_economy_grow/