Day: February 12, 2007

High TV Fees for Political Campaigning, David Harutyunyan, Oskanyan and Globalization, Envirnoment and Labour Exploitation

Armenia blog has a full range of topics today, including: High TV Advertisement Fees Angers Politicians, “An example that should be followed by others” – Russian-Armenian Businessmen Help Nagorno-Karabakh, Pollution in Yerevan, Labor Exploitation in Armenia.

In the post “David Haroutyunyan to Participate in Parliamentary Elections” Rhyne sounds apalled:
“If he seems familiar, that’s because you’ve seen him before on Armenia’s Richest Men list. It really is a Who’s Who of corrupt businessmen and politicians.”
As to the points made by the RA Foreign Minister on Armenia and Globalization, the position of Armenia Blog is clear:

“I’ve always maintained that Armenia needs to become part of the global village, so to speak.

Armenia should not yield to anti-globalization motions, since taking into account country’s size and abilities, it is quite out of sense, stated Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian…
In his words, the little Armenia and the large Armenian Diaspora must use the chances given by globalization. If official Yerevan sensibly uses these opportunities, globalization can become a discovery for Armenia. If the country does not use the chances given by globalization, it can become a state that nobody pays attention to. (Panarmenian.Net)

True enough.”

More on oligarkh houses

Martuni or Bust repuplishes extracts from the Hetq article about the Member of Armenian Parliament Aleksandr Sargsyan (brother of Armenian presidential hopeful Serge Sargsyan), who happens to be selling a $3, 395,000 US house in Los Angeles.
” …interested buyers can learn more about the house, including its asking price—$3, 395,000—by visiting www.realestate123.com/Nav.aspx/Page=/ListNow/Default.aspx…In the tax returns presented to the State Tax Department he never mentioned that he had made that kind of money. ”
Check out Hetq.am or Martuin or Bust for more.

Election Blogging Guide

CRD / TI Election Monitor 2007 blog introduces a number of useful guides and handbooks for bloggers, including the Demologue’s Election Blogging Guide (which it promises will be soon translated also into Armenian), Reporters Without Borders’ Handbook for Bloggers and Cyber-dissidents available in English and Russian, as well as the New Eurasia featuring a  a number of guides such as An Easy Guide to Blogging which is available in English, Russian.

20% increase in traffic accidents due to corruption

Martuni or Bust criticizes the Armenpress article “TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS KILLS 332 PEOPLE LAST YEAR” issued on Feb 08 2007, saying it doesn’t disclose the fact fully and neglects serious issues, for example, the fact that “You can just pay the [driving]school fees, pay off the doctors that “examined” you and give a gift (bribe) to the head of the [driving license] licensing department.“

Journalism matters – not just to journalists but to everyone

What Democracy Means urges the public to protect the journalists in Armenia, asking the rhetoric question – “who will ask the questions when they’re gone?”, after laying out “…a troubling list of some of the recent events:

  1. “…The three-and-a-half year jail sentence handed to the editor of “Zhamanak Yerevan” – Arman Babajanian…” RFE/RL.
  2. “…The Toyota Prado belonging to Suren Baghdasarian of the “Football Plus” weekly and parked in a garage outside his central Yerevan apartment was completely destroyed by fire…” RFE/RL.
  3. “…Arson attack on an expensive SUV belonging to Ara Saghatelian, the owner and editor of the “Im Iravunke” weekly…“…” RFE/RL

Parliamentary Election Monitor

CRD / TI Election Monitor 2007 blog had another post of the 2007 Parliamanetary Election Monitor roundups which were traditionally done on the Oneworld Multimedia blog. The monitor lookes at important media reports and posts in the Armenian blogosphere, related to the 2007 Parliamentary elecitons. This time round the Monitor looks at the Internet media and what it has to offer to the voters as a means of information about the upcoming elections.

If the 2003 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections were defined by the role of the broadcast media, it looks as though the Internet will play a crucial role in covering and disseminating news, views and opinions on this year’s Parliamentary Election.

The Monitor then looks at the new features introduced by: A1plus, ArmeniaNow, articles by the RFE/RL as well as the efforts of the Blogosphere: Anoush Rima, Armenian Blog Review, Blogrel.
Visit the CRD / TI Election Monitor 2007 for more.

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