Following the reports earlier by Ahousekeeper and Echannel blogs about the murder of the Armenian citizen Ashot Tigranyan (30), living in Moscow, Ahousekeeper and Kevork reported today, that the killer of another Armenian: 19-year-old Artur Sardaryan has been acquitted
SevanoDC has posted a video on Youtube of an attempt to get pulled over a give a bribe of 1000 drams to a police man:
Alex and I driving in Yerevan. Alex was trying to get pulled over so I can record him giving a 1,ooo Dram bribe (about $2.50). Usually the cops pull him over for nothing, but this time he was running red lights and everything. We did not get pulled over but he explains how to deliver a bribe in Armenia.
Although the attempt is failed, the issue of police bribes is longstanding and a difficult one.
The blogosphere is full of speculations about the seven regions in Azerbaijan currently under the control of Armenian and Karabakh forces, which are referred to as the “Liberated Territories”. This issue was also discussed by Onnik Krikoryan and Anaid1708 earlier.
The new wave of discussions seem to have started at OpenArmenia forum, after which Kornelij Glas posted about the petition signed by a number of internet resources against the surrender of the liberated territories, saying, that the negotiations currently in progress are based on “the readiness of Armenia to surrender already all seven (!) liberated territories around NKR, living only the Lachin corridor (not the region).” In exchange Karabakh would gain the right to conduct a referendum on its status after about 5-15 years. Kornelij Glas says his opinion, that this will definitely lead to a new war, in which we will be on the loosing side, is only shared by a few people, and of those few, most think, that Robert Sedrakovich (president of Armenia) is from Karabakh and would never make concession on the issue.
Even though the republic was short lived, I am immensely proud for it, and I wish to join all and everybody celebrating May 28th – the Republic Day! Wish you all a proud holiday.
Unlike the Armenian Genocide Commemoration day the Armenian blogosphere (or at least the part I’m following) is not very active remembering this key event in the history of modern Armenia. Something wrong with my list? I don’t know…
Now that the parliamentary elections are behind us the international community is once again turning to what is perpaps the number one problem in the regions – unresolved frozen conflicts and in particular, Nagorno Karabakh, says Onnik Krikoryan looking at the latest developments on way of conflict resolution examining RFE / RL, Today.az and Eurasia Daily Monitor.
No surprise to discover that mediators from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) were in Yerevan earlier in the week before moving on to Baku. According to RFE/RL’s report posted on the day of their departure, the OSCE Minsk Group mediators have said they hope that the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents will meet on the sidelines of a summit to be held in St. Petersburg on 10 June.
Levon at Life in the Armenian Diaspora writes about coming to Yerevan and finding a jump in housing prices:
What really amazes me is that the housing market is growing like crazy! Prices range from $50/day to $70/day. When I was in Yerevan during the summer of 05 I remember hearing that people were getting apartments for $35/day and even renting two room salons for $200/mth… two years have gone by and the prices have skyrocketed!
Levon supposes this is a good thing, but he says, “add this to the continual appreciation of the dram, the rising prices of goods, and the construction of Northern Avenue, I wonder where/when/if this will end.” Indeed! I can’t help but wonder myself!
Following the article in the AGBU magazine Onnik Krikoryan wonders about GDP Per Capita in the South Caucasus:
Reporter_arm reports about this new product in Yerevan souvenir shops: “Air of Armenia” on sale, sold for 1500 AMD, which is roughly equal to $4 US! I hope the RA government doesn’t take the hint 🙂
The product is available on sale online as well 🙂
Details at Kornelij Glas.
A voter reads her ballot before going to the booth to mark it at a polling station in Arabkir © Onnik Krikorian for EurasiaNet 2007
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