9 replies to this topic

[alpha]

Interesting article and a little degrading to "Lilliputian" Armenia in today's Moscow Times.

Armenian Oligarchs: Goldfish in a Puddle

http://www.themoscow.../02/19/008.html


By Kim Iskyan To Our Readers

Russia has many oligarchs -- not least the 17 Russians who made it onto Forbes magazine's list of the world's 500 richest people. No Armenian national, however, made the grade.

The threshold of wealth to qualify for oligarch status in Armenia is a rounding error for the Russian counterparts of Armenia's moguls. Armenia's annual GDP (which is a lot larger than any individual's fortune in the country) is equivalent to two months' revenue for LUKoil, or the total wealth (as of March 2003) of oil baron Viktor Vekselberg, the fourth-richest Russian on the Forbes list.

But in Lilliputian Armenia, local oligarchs -- who would barely merit a nod from the maitre d' at Cafe Pushkin -- are veritable Gullivers.

Armenia's oligarchs are easy to spot. They're the guys swaggering down Yerevan's main drag, Abovyan Street (shrink Tverskaya by a factor of 10 and you're getting close), flanked by a bevy of flathead thugs who look like genetically engineered, black-turtleneck-clad KamAZ trucks on legs. The local moguls join the corrupt Nagorny Artsax generals in building mansions gaudy enough to make palatial New Russian dachas look like modest middle-class suburban pads by comparison.

They're piloted about town in a Hummer, Bentley or maybe a tinted-window Mercedes sport utility vehicle -- chase car optional.

As in Russia, Armenia's oligarchs have their fingers in a lot of pies. There's the Armenian mini-mogul who, according to the Commission to Protect Economic Competition, in 2002 controlled 96 percent of all sugar imports and 78 percent of all alcohol and spirits imports. Another has a bank, an airline that is perpetually on the verge of bankruptcy, and an offshore company that accounted for more than three-quarters of all gasoline imports. He's often linked to Defense Minister Serzh Sarkisyan, Armenia's gray cardinal, who headed up the president's re-election campaign last year. (It was probably just a coincidence that the quality of gasoline deteriorated -- perhaps because it was being diluted -- right around the time that the campaign needed extra cash.)

Then there's the bank-and-real-estate tycoon, the candy-and-tobacco baron, the beer-and-natural gas magnate, the power-and-media industrialist, the my-wife-is-friends-with-Putin's-wife power broker and so on. Some of Armenia's oligarchs are giving something back as parliamentary deputies. (Immunity from prosecution has nothing to do with their desire to serve their country, of course.)

If Russia's oligarchs are sharks in a pond, Armenia's are goldfish in a puddle. But if the puddle is your universe, it's not such a bad life.


Kim Iskyan, a freelance journalist and consultant based in Yerevan, Armenia, contributed this comment to The Moscow Times.

[gamavor]

flanked by a bevy of flathead thugs who look like genetically engineered, black-turtleneck-clad KamAZ trucks on legs.

HA-HA-HA-HA, Heee-heee, ha!!!

This is the most colourful and accurate description of the said 'bodyguards'!!

[Accelerated]

True enough gams, but unfortunatelly we should be crying not laughing

[phantom22]

This confirms what I have always stated, that the ROA needs Westerners as her leaders. This is, if they can survive in this environment. Armenia and Russia are going through the same stage that the US and England went through after the Industrial Revolution.

[Boghos]

On the issue of Armenian oligarchs, however irritating their presence may be. However sad do we feel about the sad status of the ROA (ven if it has been improving) we have to understand that the transition from socialism to capitalism, or the transition from any closed, repressive systame to a more open one has very often passed through the hands of criminals. They were called pirates in the case of Britain and were often commissioned officers, they were mafiosi in the US, or if you want some more glamour, Robber Barons. The issue is not whether this stage is undesirable but if we´ll remain on it for a long time.

[gamavor]

I was slightly undecided whether to open a new thread or add something to this one, because what I'm about to write has little to do with business.
It seems to me that almost entirely the charity work in Armenia is carried out either by Diaspora organizations or foreign governments and NGOs. Friend of mine recently came back from Armenia and said that he was struck by the number of luxury cars on the streets of Yerevan that few can afford even in USA.
He saw 6-7 years old kids running around dressed hair to toe in Ralph Lauren and holding in their little hands expensive cell phones. All of these in sheer contrast with the majority of kids and elderly that wander on the streets of Yerevan wondering where the next meal will come from. We all know how these Nuevo rich got their money. Those are the ones that stole the lion share of the decommissioned soviet industry and the collapse of the financial system. It happened everywhere. Nothing unique, but what pisses me off is that those Nuevo rich do NOTHING for the betterment of the situation of their compatriots. Nothing. They are stinky parasites.
On top of it, they have the nerve to tell Diasporans that they own Armenia and they are the only "true" Armenians. There are quite a few Armenian billionaires in Russia and many more millioners and if you look at their very "patriotic" activities in Armenia, all they do is just continue milking the system. I had the displeasure to meet one of those assholes long time ago, whose name I will not mention (but it starts with S and ends with - tepanian) whose main purpose in life was to be liked. Years later I heard rumors that driven by noble intentions, he stole 3 million dollars from the earthquake relief effort. I wish I can meet him again so that I can spit in his face.

Is this just communist mentality or it has to do with national or personal character?

[Shahan Araradian]

Is this just communist mentality or it has to do with national or personal character?

National spirit seems to have been nearly destroyed in Armenia after the expelling of the last Dashnaks (founders of the republic) in the early 1920s...

You find pockets of national spirit in Armenia; these oligarchs/traitors/դաւաճաններ can each be "made an offer he can't refuse" in one day with less than $1 million USD investment to set an example.

Edited by Shahan Araradian, 13 June 2007 - 12:04 AM.

[Armenak]

Is it true that Gagik Tsarukyan (of the "Prosperous Armenia" party) has somewhere between 300-500 million dollars?

[ED]

I just came back from Armenia, and I would agree with Gamavor, but! these parasites are dying bread, new generation is totally deferent, in 10-15 years eider these scums with rot or kill each other for 1 drum, when you will go to Armenia you'll see it for yourself

I would mention another name it starts with sh and ends with ahnazarian, a womanizer, a drunk and compulsive gambler who even had the nerves at one time to run for president.

but go out of Yerevan to Talin, Sasun and just say Barev Hayrik! they wouldn't let you go without there salt and bread.
go yo yeghengandzor, Vayq, Gexarquniq, etc.....People are natural just like the air they breath, i loved the young generation, they will prevail

[Accelerated]

Is this just communist mentality or it has to do with national or personal character?

Id say its the combination of both.