Today my wife Anushik attended a protest held opposing the plans for a massive copper mining project. It was held in front of the Government Building on Republic Square in late morning, then the protesters marched to the Presidential Palace. I covered the controversy surrounding this project in my two previous posts, so read [...]
This video depicts a confrontation between environmental activists and Syunik governor Surik Khachatryan in Kajaran (the video is in Armenian).
Basically they are saying what I wrote in my previous post, emphasizing that the extracted copper and the profits associated with its sale on the market will go to Germany, where the parent mining company is [...]
ON Friday December 9, Nareg Hartounian, the founder of the Naregatsi Art Institute, was arrested on suspicions of tax fraud. This arrest marks yet another circumstance of an Armenian from the diaspora being harassed or swindled by the authorities or people with ties to the government. On the same day of his arrest he was [...]
Yesterday just over a month after the government revealed its $2.5 million budget plan for 2012 Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian explained just where the $268 million in tax revenues was to be generated. There are three primary sources it seems: from a tax on luxury automobiles, a tax hike on the upper class, and high [...]
Twenty years ago when Armenia declared itself independent from Soviet rule it was not only claiming statehood, it was calling for a restoration of values. The Armenian people would be able to think and create freely in a fledgling democracy that was both naïve yet highly optimistic. Many people believed that prosperity was on the [...]
Dismantling a Yerevan kiosk
About three days ago while driving down Papazian Street in the Arabkir district I noticed a lot of commotion beside the kiosks that are situated along the sidewalk near the intersection with Komitas Street. There were several police officers while other citizens seemed to have been irate and agitated. Yesterday there [...]
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