Today, the maximum buying rates at commercial banks of Yerevan were 409,5 drams for 1 dollar, 542drams for 1 EUR and 12,45 drams for 1 Russian ruble. The minimum selling rates stood at 410,9 drams for 1 dollar, 545 drams for 1 EUR and 12,6 drams for 1 Russian ruble .

 Second president of Armenia Robert Kocharyan has met with the political leadership of Artsakh. Kocharyan's Spokesperson Victor Soghomonyan confirmed the information to ArmInfo.

Asked what issues were discussed at the meeting, Soghomonyan just said that Kocharyan regularly visits Artsakh and there is nothing strange in it.

"Everyone knows that Kocharyan is a special guest in NKR. I think that his visit is not sensational given at least the given fact," Soghomonyan said.

He recalled that the second president has already arrived back to Armenia.

 In 2013 Spayka LLC started exporting young potatoes and beet from Armenia to the CIS, Karen Baghdasaryan, Head of the Project Management Division of Spayka LLC, said at today's press conference in Yerevan. 

He said that potato export from Armenia is not so profitable. "For instance, our company's profit from the export of 1 kg of potatoes is only 2-3 AMD, however, we have started exporting potatoes to prevent the market from glutting. As of 19 June, 3 thsd tons were exported for 60-80 AMD per kg of old potatoes and 100-120 AMD per kg of young potatoes", he said. 

He added that unlike other exporters, Spayka LLC has no problems with the quarantine policy in Georgia.  Before exporting the products, the company examines the products and only after that it starts the procurement and export processes.

Collection of note manuscripts and film music of renowned Armenian composer Aram Khachaturian has been included in the Memory of the World International Register.

As press-service of Armenia's Foreign Ministry reported, the decision was made during the Tuesday meeting of the UNESCO International Advisory Committee being held in South Korean city of Gwangju.

From now on, Aram Khachaturian's name will be listed among the world famous composers such as Beethoven, Brahms and Chopin.

Aram Khachaturian is a world renowned Armenian composer and musician of genuinely universal stature who has left a comprehensive musical legacy embracing almost all genres and forms. Making extensive use of the Armenian rural and urban folklore, Khachaturian raised Armenian composition school to a new classical level, ensuring its place in the world culture. His works influenced the formation of the composition schools in South Caucasus and Central Asian Republics.

Armenia and Gazprom OJSC are negotiating on the sale of Armenian Government's 20% of ArmRusgasprom's shares to Gazprom, Armenian Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Armen Movsisyan said in Parliament on June 19. 

"The issue of the sale of the 20% is on the negotiation table. No deal has been made yet", the minister said when replying to opposition MP Aram Manukyan's question. Movsisyan said the talks also cover possible achievement of mutual arrangements on a number of other important issues for the republic. Earlier the Armenian mass media reported that the Armenian authorities were ready to sell the 20% of Government's shares in ArmRusgasprom's capital to curb the gas price. On 1 April 2013 Gazprom raised the gas price for Armenia from 180 USD to 270 USD per 1 thsd cu m. The Armenian Government is trying to attract a grant from Russia to compensate for the gas price by 30%.

To note, the sole gas supplier to Armenia is ArmRusgasprom CJSC, whose 80% of shares belong to Gazprom OJSC and the other 20% - to the Government of Armenia. In 2012 natural gas deliveries from Russia to Armenia increased by 22.3% to 1967.2 mln against 1609.1 mln cu m in 2011, the press service of ArmRusgasprom says. As of late 2011 the company's authorized capital amounted to 312.072 bln AMD, net loss grew by 43% to 15.425 bln AMD. The report for 2012 has not been published yet.

 Armenia would be a calmer and safer country without some peculiarities of the national mentality, Head of Armenian Police Vladimir Gasparyan told journalists on Wednesday, when commenting on the recent tragic incident in Goris. He added that his recent statement on the shootouts in Gyumri is also relevant for the incident in Goris.   

To recall, in late April 2013 Gasparyan said that all the culprits in the Gyumri incident would be punished with all the rigor of the law and the no one should look for mediators to mitigate the punishment.  

At today's meeting the journalists Gasparyan said that relevant measures are being taken throughout the republic to prevent such incidents. In the meantime, he refused to assess the criminal case on the shootouts in Goris.

To recall, shootouts in front of Syunik Governor Suren Khachatryan's house at 00:10am on June 2 killed former candidate for Goris mayor Avo Budaghyan and wounded his brother Artak Budaghyan, a commander at a military unit in the NKR.  There was another wounded, Nikolay Abrahamyan, a relative and bodyguard of Governor Suren Khachartyan.  A criminal case has been initiated on the basis of Article 103.1 (murder) and Article 235 (illegal use, storage and bearing weapons) of the Criminal Code of Armenia. Syunik Governor Suren Khachatryan's son, Tigran Khachatryan, has been arrested over latest shootouts in Syunik. Earlier, the governor's bodyguard Zarzand Nikoghosyan was arrested over the case. On June 3 Suren Khachatryan sent in his resignation declaring that everyone must answer for their mistakes. He regretted for failing to prevent the tragic incident near his house.

The OSCE Minsk Group's statement on the Karabakh conflict has demonstrated that Azerbaijan's policy on oil and gas blackmailing has failed, Armen Ashotyan, Armenian Minister of Education and Science, Deputy Head of the Republican Party of Armenia, told journalists on Wednesday.   

He pointed out that the stability in the region is of great significance and that the OSCE Minsk Group's statement is a signal on the threshold of the presidential elections in Azerbaijan, especially given the Freedom House's disappointing conclusions on the situation in Azerbaijan.    

The joint statement by the Presidents of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries says: "We, the Presidents of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries - France, the Russian Federation, and the United States of America - remain committed to helping the parties to the Nagorno- Karabakh conflict reach a lasting and peaceful settlement.  We express our deep regret that, rather than trying to find a solution based upon mutual interests, the parties have continued to seek one-sided advantage in the negotiation process. We continue to firmly believe that the elements outlined in the statements of our countries over the last four years must be the foundation of any fair and lasting settlement to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.  These elements should be seen as an integrated whole, as any attempt to select some elements over others would make it impossible to achieve a balanced solution".

VTB Bank (Armenia) has joined the AVERS international instant money transfer system. The press service of the Bank told ArmInfo that private persons can remit money in the national and foreign currencies to 81 countries without opening any account. The commission fee for the transfer is 1.3% and is levied from the remitter in Armenian drams.       

The source says that the money can be transferred from Armenia through the AVERS system in US dollars, Euros and Russian rubles to Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, and Tajikistan. Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan will shortly join the system.    

"The democratic tariff policy of the AVERS system, the constant expansion of the money transfer network, as well as the short interval between the moment of remittance and possible reception at the destination point meet the customer policy of VTB Bank (Armenia)", said Yuri Gusev, Director General, Chairman of Directorate of VTB Bank (Armenia).

VTB Bank (Armenia) also works through UniStream, Bystraya Pochta, InterExpress, Anelik, RIA Money Transfer, MoneyGram, and this ensures the Bank's high competitiveness in the market of banking services.  The Bank also provides the VTB Transfer service, which allows the customers to receive the money without leaving home or the office. The customers are only to dial 87-87.

To note, VTB Bank (Armenia) CJSC became a member of VTB Group in April 2004. VTB Bank OJSC, the second largest bank of Russia, is the sole owner of VTB Bank (Armenia). At the moment VTB Bank (Armenia) has the largest branch network in the country - 67 branches.

 "We welcome the interest of the heads of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair states, reflected in their June 18 Joint Statement, in achieving a sustainable and peaceful settlement of the conflict between Azerbaijan and Nagorno Karabakh," says NKR Minister of Foreign Affairs Karen Mirzoyan when commenting on the Joint Statement on Nagorno-Karabakh by the Heads of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair States, the NKR Foreign Ministry reported.

"This statement is another proof that the co-chairs are determined to exclude the possibility of resumption of hostilities and to contribute to the peaceful settlement of the conflict.At the same time, we consider it necessary to reiterate our position that the restoration of full-fledged negotiations with the immediate and direct participation of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic in all its stages is a sin qua non for achieving real progress in the settlement
process, which is strongly hampered by Azerbaijan.

We hope that the call to intensify the efforts for a peaceful settlement will be heard in Azerbaijan and its leadership will refrain from attempts of a selective interpretation of the norms and principles of international law, escalation of tension and mistrust, as well as ignoring the existing realities.

Since the Nagorno Karabakh Republic is the most interested party in finding a way out of the current situation in the negotiation process and reaching decisions on the issues directly related to the future of the country and its people, it is ready to further exert efforts to establish lasting peace and stability," the statement reads.

Spayka LLC has exported over 3 thsd tons of apricots over a week, Karen Baghdasaryan, Head of the Project Management Division of Spayka LLC, said at today's press conference in Yerevan.

He said that 99.9% of the exported Armenian fruit and vegetables are delivered to the CIS countries; however, active work is currently being done to enter the markets of Europe and Iran.  "France and Italy are interested in the horticultural products from Armenia, however, we do not hurry to enter those markets, because there are problems with quality certification", he said.  Baghdasaryan pointed out that last year the company exported over 13 thsd tons of apricots, but this year the exports will be increased. "This year apricots are purchased for 400-500 AMD per kg, and the export price is 750-800 AMD per kg, whereas last year the procurement price was 300-350 AMD, and the export price was a little higher than the current one, however, international markets experience a price reduction trend", he said.

He also said that the company has no problems with the farmers, because this year the yield payment is made along with the purchase. "There was a problem with the private procurers, who promised a high price for the apricots, and when the procurement season came they wound up their activity and stopped the procurement. Spayka LLC did not announce the prices before the procurement, consequently, it is as clean as a whistle", stressed Baghdasaryan. He added that the company repaid its previous debts to the farmers.  "This year 65% of fruit and vegetable exports from Armenia fall on Spayka LLC, and we have already estimated all the potential risks during the export, restored the cold storage facilities which had been damaged during
the fire", he said.

To note, the average apricot price in the Armenian market is nearly 500 AMD per kg, and the wholesale price is nearly 400 AMD. Though the major part of the crop in Armavir region suffered from the strong hailstorm, there is no shortage of apricots in the market.  

Founded in 2001, at present Spayka is one of the leading transportation companies in Armenia, it charters vehicles that are compliant with international standards and equipped with cutting edge systems of control and communication.

 Freedom House human rights organization's report on Armenia is objective, but it is a political instrument for the world power centers, Aram Karapetyan, Leader of New Times opposition party, told ArmInfo.

He said that blaming such organizations as Freedom House or Amnesty International for impartiality - except some insignificant faults - is wrong. Western democracies rely on them when making decisions.  The politician believes that Freedom House's data on Armenia fully reflect the situation in the country.  Armenia is truly a country with semi-authoritarian regime.

"Over the last 5-6 years the authorities have been applying to the so-called soft force, soft dictatorship. The authorities do not make demonstrative repressions, do not fire at people or attack them with batons.  Nevertheless, there is overall soft pressure on opponents. The public and political life is under control of the ruling regime. Television is in the hands of the authorities. Unnecessary elements are gradually being ousted from the political and public life,"  Karapetyan said.

Freedom House's rating will be used against Yerevan, if necessary, for instance, when providing foreign loans or other financial aid, he said.

Armenia proved in the category of the countries with semi-consolidated authoritarian regime in the Nations in Transit 2013 - Freedom House's comprehensive, comparative study of democratic development in 29 countries from Central Europe to Eurasia. This edition covers the period from January 1 through December 31, 2012 and measures progress according to the following indicators:  electoral process, civil society, independent media, national democratic governance, local democratic governance, judicial framework and independence, and corruption.

The democracy score of Armenia is 5.36 in the ratings based on a scale of 1 to 7, with 1 representing the highest level of democratic progress and 7 the lowest. The Democracy Score is an average of ratings for the categories tracked in a given year. 

Along with Ukraine (4.86), Georgia (4.75) and Kyrghyzstan (5.96) proved in the transitional category where the leaderships of Ukraine and Georgia are qualified as 'transitional governor or hybrid regime' and the leaderships of Armenia and Kyrghyzstan as 'semi-consolidated authoritarian regime.'

Today, the maximum buying rates at commercial banks of Yerevan were 410 drams for 1 dollar, 548,5drams for 1 EUR and 12,7 drams for 1 Russian ruble. The minimum selling rates stood at 410,7 drams for 1 dollar, 553 drams for 1 EUR and 12,8 drams for 1 Russian ruble .
                                                   

 Armenia proved in the category of the countries with semi-consolidated authoritarian regime in the Nations in Transit 2013 - Freedom House's comprehensive, comparative study of democratic development in 29 countries from Central Europe to Eurasia. This edition covers the period from January 1 through December 31, 2012 and measures progress according to the following indicators:  electoral process, civil society, independent media,
national democratic governance, local democratic governance, judicial framework and independence, and corruption.

The democracy score of Armenia is 5.36 in the ratings based on a scale of 1 to 7, with 1 representing the highest level of democratic progress and 7 the lowest. The Democracy Score is an average of ratings for the categories tracked in a given year. 

Along with Ukraine (4.86), Georgia (4.75) and Kyrghyzstan (5.96) proved in the transitional category where the leaderships of Ukraine and Georgia are qualified as 'transitional governor or hybrid regime' and the leaderships of Armenia and Kyrghyzstan as 'semi-consolidated authoritarian regime.'

In 2012 Russia proved in the categories of authoritarian regimes with 6.21 democracy score. Democracy score of Azerbaijan is 6.64. Belarus received 6.71, Kazakhstan - 6.57, Tajikistan - 6.25, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan by 6.93. The governments of the given countries are qualified as consolidated authoritarian regime. 

*Starting with the 2005 edition, Freedom House introduced separate analysis and ratings for national democratic governance and local democratic governance, to provide readers with more detailed and nuanced analysis of these two important subjects.

 Businessman Ashot Sukiasyan says he registered an offshore company in the name of Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan and Leader of Ararat Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church Archbishop Navasard Kchoyan without their consent. Sukiasyan confessed in his letter addressed to the Prosecutor General. The person involved in the case over offshore scandal provided a copy of the letter to Hetq.am, a website that disseminated the reports on the offshore company belonging to the prime minister.  Sukiasyan says he founded "WLISPERA HOLDINGS LIMITED" registering the shares in the name of Sargsyan and Kchoyan without their consent.

"I did it to insure my business against encroachments. I did not realize that it will have such consequences," Sukiasyan says.

The Armenian Police put Sukiasyan on the wanted list on June 17.  Head of the Public Relations and Information Office of the Police Ashot Aharonyan told ArmInfo that a criminal case was initiated on the basis of businessman Paylak Hayrapetyan's application yet a year ago. A decision was adopted overnight to bring Sukiasyan responsible for fraud, damage to property, and money laundering.  

To recall Prime Minister of Armenia Tigran Sargsyan appealed to the Prosecutor General's Office for verification of the damaging information against him published by Hetq.am. The prime minister is discontented at the recent publication on hetq.am saying that WLISPERA HOLDINGS LIMITED, an offshore company registered in Cyprus has three equal shareholders - RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan, Primate of the Ararat Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church Archbishop Navasard Kjoyan and Ashot Sukiasyan. WLISPERA (WHL) is directly connected to a case businessman Paylak Hayrapetyan's bankruptcy. The source published also a copy of the document allegedly confirming the given information.

The authorities in Armenia are stuck in corruption at the same time fighting it. The authorities are inherently illegitimate, but they fight illegality. They boost migration allegedly trying to stop it, Nikol Pashinyan, parliamentarian from the Armenian National Congress, said in the parliament, Tuesday. 

The oppositionist said that he is not going to dispute the ruling party's statement that total fraud in the country started yet in 1990s.  "We can remember that Serzh Sarhsyan then headed one of the key structures fighting corruption - Ministry for the State Security and then the Interior Ministry. It is not
surprising that his brother Alexander Sargsyan who started as a driver easily became a multimillionaire. All the statements that Alexander Sargsyan became wealthy through joint 'fraud' and seizure of others business is 'dirty slander.' The Armenian public does not believe in that 'slander', as the authorities used to say," Pashinyan said. 

The oppositionists recalled also another person who, as he says, gathered wealth after becoming the president's son- in-law - Mikael Minasyan.  Pashinyan is bewildered with the fact that Armenia has two diplomatic offices in one city, in fact.  He means the embassies in Rome and Vatican.  "What issues must the Embassy in Vatican settle?  The Embassy operates on the funds of Armenian taxpayers.  Probably, it has been opened for the president's family to have an opportunity to take photos with the Pope and hold noble talks with him," Pashinyan said recalling that Mikael Minasyan is the Ambassador to Vatican.

 At today's session of the parliament, its speaker Hovik Abrahamyan suggested sending the report of the Audit Chamber of the Republic of Armenia for 2012 to the General Prosecutor's Office of Armenia. He said that it is unacceptable to keep silence after the Audit Chamber presented facts on violations.

He also offered discussing the report of the Audit Chamber for 2012 at the relevant committees of the National Assembly. Hovik Abrahamyan added that the key to the eradication of the abuses is the cooperation of the National Assembly, the Audit Chamber, the Government and the Prosecutor General's Office.

"I suggest the Government and the Audit Chamber to discuss together and submit a package of legislative initiatives, which will exclude the violations", - Hovik Abrahamyan said.

The presidential elections in Iran have made a surprise for the international community, Vardan Voskanyan, expert in Iranian studies, said at a press conference in Yerevan on Tuesday.

"As regards the political platform, it will keep on meeting the standards outlined by the country's spiritual leader", the expert stressed. He said that most of the voters made their choice 2 or 3 days prior to the voting. The women and youth, who supported reformist Hassan Rouhani, played the crucial role, he added.    

Voskanyan pointed out that the past elections in Iran considerably ave raised the country's image in the international arena. Moreover, Iran has demonstrated to the whole world that it can organize and hold honest and transparent elections meeting the Constitution of the country.

He added that Rouhani has already announced his willingness to hold direct talks with official Washington if the latter does not interfere in Iran's domestic policy and declares Iran's right to work out its peaceful nuclear program. 

The hospitals in Armenia cut costs of the state-guaranteed order and cash in on the patients. This is the conclusion of the Financial Control Inspection of the Armenian Finance Ministry for 2012.    

At today'spress conference the head of the Inspection, Sona Gharibyan, said that violations were registered in almost all hospitals of the republic.    

She said that state-guaranteed treatment in all hospitals include food, whereas only 2 or 3 hospitals give food to the patients. The hospitals also reduce the period of the state-guaranteed treatment. For instance, TBC patients are to undergo 50-day treatment, but they stay in hospital no longer than 40 days, she said.

If those engaged in the abuse and flaws registered by the Control Chamber of Armenia are not brought to responsibility, the parliamentary hearings will become a simple show, Artsvik Minasyan, MP from ARF Dashnaktsutyun Faction, said in Parliament.   

He pointed out that in its report the Control Chamber clearly accused the executive power of crimes. The Government admits that there were flaws in its activity but does not consider them to be crimes. "It is unacceptable that on the one hand they say that the state funds were misappropriated, but on the other hand nobody is made accountable. It turns out that either the Control Chamber or the Government is telling a lie.  Someone must be responsible for that. And that someone is not a common official", said Minasyan.

During the presidency of Hassan Rouhani, the cooperation between Tehran and Yerevan will continue strengthening along with further deterioration of the Iranian-Azeri relations, Andrey Areshev, researcher at the Institute of Political and Social Studies of the Black Sea and Caspian Region, told ArmInfo.  

To note, during the presidential race, Rouhani said in an interview to the Iranian mass media that Azerbaijan threatened the security of Iran. 

In this context, Areshev said that Rouhani's statement was well-considered. There are numerous serious politicians and statesmen in Iran, whose rhetoric against Azerbaijan is rather sharp. In the meantime, Areshev thinks that the relations between Iran and Azerbaijan were tainted long ago, consequently, it will not be easy to regain the mutual confidence an return the relations to an acceptable level.

"Against this background, I think Rouhani's presidency will have a positive effect on the dialogue between Yerevan and Tehran if, of course, Armenia shows significant interest in it", said the expert.