Tag Archives: Armenia

Tesco to expand in Kazakhstan and the Caucasus

MAY 20 2013 (The Conway Bulletin) — Consumer markets in Central Asia and the South Caucasus region are maturing, as Tesco, the British supermarket chain, has realised.

Or at least, consumer markets in some of the region’s countries are maturing.

Tesco’s clothing department, which trades under the brand name F&F, announced that it planned to open various franchise stores across the Middle East, Central Asia and the South Caucasus.

Specifically it said that F&F would open a store in Astana, the Kazakh capital by the end of June, to be followed by stores in Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia.

These will be opened through franchise agreements with Saudi Arabia-based Al Hokair and Dubai-based Futtaim.

The deal and Tesco’s intention to expand across Central Asia and the South Caucasus is important as it acts as further evidence that consumer demand in these markets is changing.

Long associated with the luxury market, Western high street brands have moved into Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia, over the past couple of years and now, with the arrival of Tesco, it appears that discount brands are following.

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Copyright ©The Conway Bulletin — all rights reserved

(News report from Issue No. 136, published on May 27 2013)

Street politics change in Armenia

YEREVAN/Armenia, APRIL 29 2013 (The Conway Bulletin) — The result of Armenia’s presidential election on Feb. 18 was disputed, just like it was five years ago. And, just like in 2008, the opposition staged regular demonstrations.

This year, though, the urbane Raffi Hovhannisyan, leader of the Heritage Party, led the demonstrations against President Serzh Sarksyan. In 2008, Levon Ter-Petrosyan, the firebrand former president led demonstrations.

The two men took a very different approach. Instead of whiping up the crowd in increasingly antagonistic speeches, as Ter-Petrosyan did, a tactic that eventually lead to clashes that killed 10 people, Hovhannisyan has taken a calmer approach.

And has impressed people on the streets of Armenia’s capital.

“What the opposition leader does today is a new style for Armenia, maybe it’s a more Western style campaign,” said Laura Gevorgyan, a young activist who has followed most of the protests.

Hovhannisyan has dubbed his approach a Barevolution after the Armenian word for hello — barev. Despite Hovhannisyan’s efforts, Sarksyan took the presidential oath for his second five-year term on April 9. This disappointed some of Hovhannisyan’s supporters. For many, though, avoiding violence meant that progress has been made.

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Copyright ©The Conway Bulletin — all rights reserved

(News report from Issue No. 133, published on April 29 2013)

Sargsyan assumes Armenian presidency for a second term

APRIL 9 2013 (The Conway Bulletin) – Serzh Sargsyan was sworn in as president of Armenia for a second consecutive five year term. An estimated 12,000 supporters of Mr Sargsyan’s main rival, Raffi Hovannisyan, protested only a few kilometres from the inauguration ceremony. They say the presidential election of Feb. 18 was fixed.

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(News report from Issue No. 131, published on April 12 2013)

Election monitor threatened in Armenia

APRIL 3 2013 (The Conway Bulletin) — A monitor from the Feb. 18 presidential election in Armenia said she is being blackmailed for alleging vote fraud against supporters of president Serzh Sarksyan, media reported. Narine Esmaeli said she received phone calls telling her to drop the allegations or intimate photos of her would be released.

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Copyright ©The Conway Bulletin — all rights reserved

(News report from Issue No. 130, published on April 5 2013)

Turkey cancels flights to Armenia

APRIL 1 2013 (The Conway Bulletin) — Turkish Airlines cancelled its first flight to Armenia, a transport link that had been designed to ease tension between the two neighbours. Turkish Airlines had been due to fly twice weekly from Van in eastern Turkey to Yerevan. Azerbaijan, still officially at war with Armenia, persuaded Turkey, its long-term ally, to scrap the flights.

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Copyright ©The Conway Bulletin — all rights reserved

(News report from Issue No. 130, published on April 5 2013)

Armenian airline declares bancruptcy

MARCH 27 2013 (The Conway Bulletin) – Armenia’s national airline, Armavia, declared itself bankrupt after failing to find a buyer. AP quoted Armavia’s owner, Mikhail Bagdasarov, as saying that the economic downturn and problems with the Russia-made Sukhoi passenger jet had lead to the debt. Armavia operates 14 aircraft to 20 destinations.

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(News report from Issue No. 129, published on March 29 2013)

Armenian runner-up ends hunger strike

MARCH 29 2013 (The Conway Bulletin) – Raffi Hovannisian, the runner-up in a presidential election in Armenia in February, said he would end a hunger strike on April 1, media reported. He had started the hunger strike to protest against what he described as a rigged vote. Mr Hovannisian promised to continue street protests.

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(News report from Issue No. 129, published on March 29 2013)

Armenian opposition leader begins hunger strike

MARCH 10 2013 (The Conway Bulletin) – Armenian opposition leader Raffi Hovannisian began a hunger strike to protest against what he claims was a rigged Feb. 18 presidential election. Mr Hovannisian, a former foreign minister, came second in the election with 37% of the vote. Incumbent president Serzh Sarksyan won the election with 59%.

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(News report from Issue No. 127, published on March 15 2013)

Post-vote protests rise in Armenia

MARCH 4 2013 (The Conway Bulletin) – Armenia’s main opposition leaders lodged a complaint that the Feb. 18 presidential election won by the incumbent Serzh Sarksyan was rigged. Since the result hundreds of people, lead by Raffi Hovannisian who came second in the election with 37% of the vote, have demonstrated in central Yerevan.

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(News report from Issue No. 126, published on March 8 2013)

Armenian police arrests assisination organiser

MARCH 6 2013 (The Conway Bulletin) – Police in Yerevan arrested Vardan Sedrakyan, a candidate in Armenia’s presidential election last month, for organising the attempted assassination of Paruyr Hayrikyan, who also stood in the vote, media reported. A gunman shot Mr Hayrikyan in the shoulder outside his home shortly before the election. Prosecutors did not suggest a motive for the apparent murder attempt.

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(News report from Issue No. 126, published on March 8 2013)