Expert column

by David Stepanyan

As anticipated, the authorities in power made an unpleasant surprise for us, ordinary citizens, immediately after elections. This time, they surprised us with news on upcoming gas price hike for Armenia. Given the heavy social and economic situation in the country that has been deteriorating over the last years, the upcoming gas price hike will affect all the sectors of public life, starting from economy up to environment.

Newsfeed

Ameriabank awarded a status of the most active issuer by EBRD

Hovanes Igityan: Today’s Armenia reminds me of the last years USSR

Parents protesting against murder of serviceman attempt to break into Government building

Relatives of killed soldier are back home after meeting with Seyran Ohanyan

Coffin of killed soldier to be carried to Yerevan

Free Democrats: Russia uses gas tariff to exert pressure on Armenia over progressing negotiations for EU Association Agreement

Coffin of killed soldier to be carried to Yerevan

Exchange rate of dram against US dollar and EUR

Ameribank first Armenian bank to receive status of EBRD confirming bank-partner

Back to forest to collect firewood

Road Police trying to obstruct entry of cortege carrying body of killed soldier to Yerevan - police car damaged in clashes

Head of Azerbaijani Armenians Assembly to run for president in Azerbaijan

Communist: Rise in gas price will affect people's social security

One of members of Electoral Commission charged with organizing multiple voting during Yerevan Council of Elders election

Armenia abstains from voting on UN resolution on Syria

Azerbaijan considers legislatively prohibiting foreigners to enter Nagorno-Karabakh

Newspaper: Ruling Republican Party encourages best falsifiers with $20,000-25,000 "bonuses"

Armenian Genocide Truth and Justice Act introduced in U.S. Congress

One more fire at Spayka put out

Armenia qualifies for Eurovision 2013 final

Asian Development Bank to deliver $25 mln for upgrading of Sevan-Razdan Cascade power plant

Akhtala mining and concentration complex's activity spells an environmental disaster

Anahit Bakhshyan: Raising of prices for food products in Armenia is conditioned by striving of oligarchs to return expenses at the past election

Stepan Demirchyan: Establishment of Armenian Pan-National Movement public organization and Armenian National Congress Party creates chaos in political field

RPA Vice Chairman: Government of Armenia to soften consequences of rising gas price for population

Fire at Spayka Company building damages 10,000 tons of goods and refrigeration block

Action of protest against gas price hike continues in Yerevan

Marat Terterov: Armenia’s long term security will be better served by strengthening economic security, rather than defining national security on the basis of the Tsarist Russian catch-cry “armiya i flot”

Public Services Regulatory Committee (PSRC) of Armenia initiates revision of electric power tariffs

Eduard Sharmazanov recommends Prosperous Armenia to wait for elections of 2017-2018 calm and quiet

Heritage: Armenian authorities hit below the belt of the people when they sank the fact of gas tariff growth

Areximbank-Gazprombank Group: E-commerce has big potential in Armenia

EBRD forecasts slowdown of Armenia's economic growth rates

Union of Armenian Banks presented Arminfo news agency with a certificate of appreciation for active and highly professional coverage of the work of financial and banking industry

Robert Kocharyan and Mikael Minasyan smile journalists off

Gagik Tsarukyan: Prosperous Armenia will not become opposition

Scuffle in front of St. John the Baptist Church

Defense Ministry of Armenia refutes reports on Azerbaijani snipers disarming Russian instructor

Newspaper: President of Armenia displeased with prosecutor general

Former head of Yerevan Police refutes his involvement in 'economic bubble'

Armenian Foreign Minister: Armenia interested in French investments

Exclusive

Hovanes Igityan: Today’s Armenia reminds me of the last years USSR

Marat Terterov: Armenia’s long term security will be better served by strengthening economic security, rather than defining national security on the basis of the Tsarist Russian catch-cry “armiya i flot”

Avigdor Eskin : Armenia may play an important role in establishing a dialogue between Israel and Iran

Vahan Shirkhanyan: Armenia’s economic development and integration prospects may be connected with the European Union only virtually

Mikayel Hayrapetyan: The West cannot change power in Armenia yet

Andrey Areshev: There are objective restraints to the United States’ policy in Armenia

Bulgarian Ambassador to Armenia is pleased with cooperation between two countries

Tigran Khzmalyan: Only civil society can save Armenia from turning into an appendage of neo-colonial, imperialistic system

Mateusz Piskorski: Armenia will shortly start negotiations on joining Eurasian Union in 2014

George Tarkhan-Mouravi: Armenia simply has no alternative to being part of CSTO and is no less eager to be part of the West

Head of “MIKA PROGRASSTECH”: Hi-tech companies of Armenia - a basis of the export-oriented economy

Russia needs to learn how to work with communities of other countries and not treat them like unreasonable children

Ashot Manucharyan: By removing all its forces from the presidential race the Kremlin made it clear that it wanted the ruling regime to stay in power

Ambassador of Brazil: Distance is not an obstacle if there is mutual interest

Ishkhan Mkhitaryan: Armenian Card: Good news coming soon!

Stepan Grigoryan: Russia cannot impose pressure upon Armenia because of the Customs Union as it scares to lose its only ally in the South Caucasus

Aram Karapertyan: Serzh Sargsyan's legitimacy is on Raffi Hovannisian's head

Ernst & Young: We do not compromise in the quality of our services or our independence

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Talk of the day

18/05 17:40 Parents protesting against murder of serviceman attempt to break into Government building

A group of people have gathered in front of the government building to protest against the murder of serviceman Luks Stepanyan. His parents tried today to bring his body from Verin Vernashen to Yerevan and to put it in front of the Government building.

Hovanes Igityan: Today’s Armenia reminds me of the last years USSR

Interview of the head of the parliamentary commission on foreign affairs in 1995-99, Hovanes Igityan, with ArmInfo news agency

Relatives of killed soldier are back home after meeting with Seyran Ohanyan

Relatives of the killed soldier Luks Stepanyan agreed to return home after their meeting with Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan. The soldier was killed by his comrade on May 15 at Noyemberyan army unit.

RPA Vice Chairman: Government of Armenia to soften consequences of rising gas price for population

Government of Armenia will soften consequences of possible rise of the gas price for the population and envisages rise of salaries and pensions, Head of the Republican Party of Armenia Faction in the Parliament, Vice Chairman of RPA, Galust Sahakyan told ArmInfo. He recommends not turning the problem into a subject for political speculations, as the authorities are not guilty that Russia has revised the tariff.

Fire at Spayka Company building damages 10,000 tons of goods and refrigeration block

Fire at Spayka Company building has damaged 10,000 tons of goods and refrigeration block occupying a 15,000 sq m area, Karen Baghdasaryan, Director of the company, told ArmInfo.

Coffin of killed soldier to be carried to Yerevan

Coffin of Luks Stepanyan, a soldier who was killed by his comrade on May 15 at Noyemberyan army unit, will be carried to Yerevan, as the Police, Military Police and Defense Ministry officers have stopped the catafalque driving to the capital city.

Road Police trying to obstruct entry of cortege carrying body of killed soldier to Yerevan - police car damaged in clashes

A funny road incident took place in the center of Yerevan today.

Road Police and officers of the Defense Ministry of Armenia are trying to obstruct entry of a cortege carrying body of the killed soldier Luks Stepanyan to Yerevan. The soldier was killed by his comrade in army in Noyemberyan on May 15.

Ameriabank awarded a status of the most active issuer by EBRD

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has awarded a status of the most active issuer in Armenia in 2012 to Ameriabank. The press service of Ameriabank told ArmInfo that the official award ceremony took place in Istanbul during the event organized by the EBRD within the Trade Finance Program.

Exchange rate of dram against US dollar and EUR

Today, the maximum buying rates at commercial banks of Yerevan were 416,5 drams for 1 dollar

Head of Azerbaijani Armenians Assembly to run for president in Azerbaijan

The Head of the Azerbaijani Armenians Assembly, Grigoriy Ayvazyan, said at today's press-conference in Yerevan that he is going to run for president in Azerbaijan in autumn of the current year.

Azerbaijan considers legislatively prohibiting foreigners to enter Nagorno-Karabakh

The Azeri Parliament is discussing a bill "On Occupied Territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan," saying that citizens from countries having visa-free agreements with Azerbaijan and people that are not Azeri citizens may enter the "occupied territories" only after obtaining a visa from the Azeri Foreign Ministry or Azeri embassies abroad and permits from the Azeri interior and defense ministries.

Armenia qualifies for Eurovision 2013 final

Dorians, a rock band from Armenia, has qualified for Eurovision 2013 final.

Montserrat Caballe to give a concert in Yerevan

Famous opera singer Montserrat Caballe and the Youth Orchestra of Armenia will give a concert in Yerevan. The press service of the Orchestra told ArmInfo that the concert will take place on June 9.

Rostelecom's services available in Kapan

Rostelecom company has started rendering high speed Internet (television soon) in Kapan town of Syunik region of Armenia, press-service of Rostelecom reported.

Rostelecom to contribute to ICT development in Kapan

Rostelecom will contribute to development of information and communication technologies in Kapan. The relevant Memorandum on Cooperation was signed between the Municipality of Kapan and Rostelecom, the company's press release says.

Akhtala mining and concentration complex's activity spells an environmental disaster

The activity of the Akhtala mining and concentration complex owned by Metal Prince spells a real environmental disaster. Recently environmentalists and journalists have visited Lori region of Armenia and saw the waste from the development of Shamlugh complex deposit falling right into the gorge, on the trees and bushes. The development of the Ayrum tailing dump also triggers questions: its territory is not fenced and the local residents tend the cattle a few meters from the tailing dump and pick culinary herbs. Both the residents and local administrations point out the release of tailings into the rivers, which are used for irrigation.

Armenia's Nature Protection Ministry defends Tukhmanuk deposit

The press service of the Ministry reports that the matter concerns Mega Gold's project on construction of the third tailing dump of Tukhmanuk deposit; Gegamet Plus's project on development of the magnesium- silicate and chromite mine in Shorzha; as well as the project on development of the andesite and basalt pit in Voghjaberd. In addition, the Ministry turned down the design documents on gold mining in Meghradzor to Meghradzor Gold.