Another Diasporan Disillusioned With Armenia/artsakh

[rostom]

Yet another corruption story similar to the one with the the Najarians in Yerevan (http://hyeforum.com/index.php?showtopic=10496). This time it centers around a French-Armenian named Oliver Rakedjian who relocated to Sushi to start a business there.

 

http://www.hetq.am/eng/karabakh/7439/

 

-------------------

 

A French-Armenian Entrepreneur Petitions the President for Help

 

[January 07, 2008]

 

Dear Mr. President,

 

“I came to Karabakh from France with the best of intentions and to pursue a number of patriotic objectives.

 

I was deeply convinced that by relocating to Karabakh, in the historical-cultural capital of Shushi, my work to assist Karabakh would see increased results and that I would serve as an example to other Armenian young people that it is possible to come and live here and that so much more can be achieved by working here on the ground than by working from the Diaspora. I was truly dedicated when I arrived, but today I really don’t comprehend what is happening to me.”

 

This is how the letter of Oliver Rakedjian, a French-Armenian, addressed to Bako Sahakyan, the President of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, begins. (In Shushi, Oliver goes by the name of Armen).

 

It was in 2004 that Armen moved to Shushi from Paris. He relocated with a number of plans in mind - to establish businesses, to provide jobs for the people and to develop Shushi’s tourism and service sectors. Naturally, he expected to make a profit from these endeavors as well.

 

With the permission of Shushi’s administrative board and the Mayor’s Office he purchased three pieces of property and opened a computer services center, a real estate agency and a souvenir shop.

 

After some time had passed the provocations began and he gradually found himself being squeezed against the wall. They began to illegally take back all of his properties. At first he tried to cut a deal with certain ‘influential’ people but realized that this route was a dead-end as he didn’t possess the means to pay the expected bribes. Soon after he took the matter to the courts.

 

In his letter to President Sahakyan Armen writes, “Sadly, the experiences of the past year have convinced me that even the highest officials of the land remain indifferent to my two issues and that they seek to extricate themselves through a process of deception. I have shown a great deal of patience in the matter and have done all I can to reach a settlement, but just the opposite has happened. I now longer hold out any type of hope, I am a broken man. I ask that you assist in finding g a solution to these issues, issues that no one else has been able to solve or been willing to. I really don’t know what else to do.”

 

“After investing $50,000 in Shushi I’m still $15,000 in debt to my friends back in France, Armen states. It’s been a year now that I’ve been entangled in this mess. Tourists have visited Karabakh as a result of my encouragement and I have assisted journalists. In order to develop the tourist sector here I have recently published a book about Karabakh in French. It’s now being translated in English as well. All I want to do is work for the good of Karabakh but there are so many obstacles placed in the way that I can no longer continue. A month ago I was forced to shut done all my operations here.”

 

To date no one from the President’s office has replied to Armen’s letter. According to our sources however the head of the government has directed all appropriate state departments to clarify the circumstances surrounding the matter. They are still looking.

 

Armen says that in this country the powerful aren’t subject to the rule of law. The powerful however, as self-styled representatives of the law, demand that others subject themselves to their rule.

 

In his letter Armen writes that, “I slowly learned that without paying bribes and high salaries it would be impossible to achieve my aims solely working within the confines of the law. I have been subjected both to the rule of law, in the guise of an inane and non-functioning system, and to the absence of any law, according to how my presence might be best exploited. In the end, the inevitable happened. My company went bankrupt.

 

On April 6, 2005 Armen purchased a piece of property measuring 121 square meters located on the first floor of P. Proshyan Street #1 in Shushi for the sum $12,000 from the ‘Antaram’ cooperative. He has paid out $8,500. To date he still hasn’t been able to have his property rights duly registered at the Shushi kadastr(property registrar) since the wrong contract was signed at the notary’s office. On December 18, 2007 the court declared the sale agreement to be invalid and that the property in question remain under the ownership of the seller. The court said nothing about returning any money to Armen. After reviewing the matter, the Supreme Court did find that the decision of the Court of First Instance was groundless and illegal. It was revealed during the court proceedings that the notary had lied and had allowed errors to be made; that the seller sought advantage through the use of bribes and that indeed the property in question was sold to Armen for the sum in question. The judge found that the law had been violated but handed down no decision as to punishment or monetary compensation. Armen declares, “I bought the building. It’s mine and I won’t give it up.”

 

In 2004 the “Shushi Group” Ltd was registered. Armen recounts, “At the time my Armenian wasn’t that great and I wasn’t too familiar with the way companies worked. For this reason I put all my trust into my accountant Gohar Mamoulyan and the staff at the Tax Administration. My only wish was to properly report all my operations, to see that all appropriate taxes due should be paid and not avoided and that nothing be hidden in the figures given to the tax authorities. By June 2006 my company declared bankruptcy. To date I haven’t been able to officially dissolve the company.” He underlines the fact that no one has been held accountable for what has transpired.

 

In 2005, under the name of the “Shushi Group” he obtained a piece of property located at Azryan Street # 6A in Shushi and signed a 99 year rental lease with the Mayor’s Office.

 

Armen recounts that, “Mayor Felix Hakobyan of Shushi says to me that I have to write two applications to get reregistered. The first must state that the “Shushi Group” rejects the contract and the second, signed by me, to reregister. The next day I’m called to his office where he says that the first application has been accepted but he returns the second one to me. What it boils down to is that based on a “narrow application” of the law the Mayor’s Office has reclaimed the property based on my application. I appealed to Vardan Gabrielyan, the Regional Head of Shushi who sent me back to the Mayor’s Office. After all this run-around, and after finding out that the Mayor of Shushi is the husband of the city’s notary, how much longer must I wait for the Mayor to properly reregister my property? I kept a copy of the 99 year lease and started repair work on the building. I will not give it back. To tell you the truth, I don’t know who to turn to next.”

 

They also hit the company to be dissolved with tax penalties and uncovered what supposedly amount to some 4 million Drams in violations. Armen angrily recounts that, “They knew I didn’t have the means to pay so they probably decided to also snatch the last two remaining properties I owned in Shushi located on the first floor of Ghazanchetsots Street #72. The kadastr appraised these properties to be worth the same as the amount above. It’s understood that these two properties for which I have the ownership deeds are not subject to being returned even if the law is “narrowly applied.” He also stated that the notary ‘mistakenly’ put down another name when drawing up the ownership deed for the apartment.

 

Armen concluded his story to us by saying, “I live in an apartment that I received on October 27, 2004 through the intercession of Ashot Ghulyan (the President of the NKR National Assembly) after receiving one month’s worth of refusals from the Mayor’s Office. The apartment was in ruins when I got it. To date, thanks to the Mayor’s Office of Shushi, I haven’t been able to get the place registered as my private property. I’ve appealed to officials in Shushi, but they don’t know what to do or how to handle the matter since I’m not a locally registered citizen.”

 

The following is the conclusion of Armen’s letter to NKR President Bako Sahakyan:

 

I am letting you know that if I do not see real progress in this matter very shortly I will publish this letter together with all corresponding documentation on the internet in Armenian, Russian, English and French. I will also have the letter forwarded to hundreds of media outlets and thousands of individuals in Karabakh, Armenia and throughout the world. It has already been a year since I’ve attempted to obtain a solution to these problems and deceit through the mediation of the highest institutions of the land. All the promises of assistance have, in practice, resulted in exactly the opposite. There is no more time for idle banter and meaningless discussion of the matter - my rights must be reinstituted. I have come to the realization that this is something that can be achieved only through your personal intercession.

 

Respectfully,

 

O.M. Rakedjian

City of Shushi

December 25, 2007

 

Stepanakert

 

Nayira Hayrumyan

Edited January 9, 2008 by rostom

[Arpa]

Yes, I had already seen that sad story under another cover.

Some time ago there was a big “boogie man” scare in America that the Japanese were sinking their Yens buying, American real estate and companies. Then came the other boogie-man scare that Arabs were investing their Dinars, buying out American real estate and companies.

Did any of those real estate, the likes of the Empire State Building move to Tokyo or Abu Dhabi?

Some time ago, about the time of the “collapse of the SU” I wrote an article titled “Armenia is a Foreign Country” . It was printed in the media and was shot down as “naïve”. There I pointed out that in Yerevan they speak that “funny” russkharn Armenian, that their sense of democratic civilization was still based on the doctrines of Marx and Engels., that their view of the diaspora was none other than a “cash cow” , sorry Caroline Najarian , that their judiciary and their real estate contracts are not even worth the paper, or whatever papyrus it is written on.

Yet, we still have idiots who think that legal documents written by American and French lawyers will supersede those written by datavor /judge Armen and Armenouhi..

We know. "Haykakan e patvakan e/Armenian is always Honorble". When will we learn that Haykakan is not always Patvakan/Honorable?

Please understand!

ARMENIA IS A FOREIGN COUNTRY.

It is not a suburb of Boston, Paris, or Glendale.

They speak a ”FOREIGN” language, not the legalese language of Mark Geragos or Armand Arabian*.

Inchou nrants makanounner@ Geragos/Գերագոս/Kirakos/Կիրակոս, Arabian/Արաբ-եան e ew v-och Aramian/Կիրակոս-եան?

When did Arab and Kirakos become Armenian terms?

When did Kar-Len/ Կարլեն, Karl (Marx) and Len(Lenin), abbreviated to Kar-en/Կար -են** become an Armenian name?

**We know what "կարեն" means. We will set that aside. I have written about it somewhere, where it shows that "kar'" as in "karogh" means "mighty", as in "garegin"/weighty/mighty-value.

Edited January 13, 2008 by Arpa

[MosJan]

Tsavali e !!! tsavali e qani wor, yeritsasard@ chimanalov te um het e "k@epel" chimanalov gortsarqi jisht motetsman dzev@ - yerevi te inchwortegh vstahelov v@jarel e, hima el qatsov talis en hetevin, iyspes asats g@nal@t yeghni gal@t chlini, Hajord@ ov e ??

 

k@than kov - spyurqaHav - espes asats vajarogh@ k@pts@rel e / k@pav Aper / q@tsets aper - k@spasi hajord SpyurqaHavin

 

tsavali e/ sa menak HAyastanum chen amen tegh el sa patahum e, USA , Francia karevor che tegh@ - sakayn yerb Hayastanum kam Artsaxum e patahum aveli tsavali e

[Ashot]

Avelatsnem vor minchev or@s bolornel zgushatsvumen te inch karoghe patahel yete hayastanum kamel artsaxum "business" drvi, mart petqe aynqan hzor lini vor vochinchits ch@vaxena, bayts anqam zgusatsumits heto martiq der portsumen irents@ apatsutsen... indzelen zgushetsrel vorosh baner vor@ patchare dartsel Hayastanum mets drumner ch@katarelu!!!

[gamavor]

Unfortunately Hayastantsis reputation in business is infamous. Corruption is just side effect. It will take some time to recover from ill communist practises...I hope.

[Eurocentric]

There are ways to successfully invest in Armenia and this guy might even had a chance there, but in Artsakh?

[Ashot]

Number one investment is to buy a property, rent it out... no one can do or say anything to you!!! buy as many as you want!!!

[Boghos]

I am sorry but not surprised to read this.Even though I can understand the historical roots of such matters, I wonder what hay tad really is.

[Ashot]

hay tad?

what does that mean Boghos jan?

[MosJan]

There are ways to successfully invest in Armenia and this guy might even had a chance there, but in Artsakh?

 

you can invest in Artsax - you need to know people

 

2 years a go wan Ashot was going to Armenia i'v asked him to look for some property in Artsax - will he did not !!!! but it's ok this year i will do it my self, my wife is an Citizen of Armenia i can buy most anything in Armenia

[Ashot]

sorry Mos Jan I was so bussy getting merried I didn't find the time to go to Artsakh to look at the properties!!!

[Anoushik]

sorry Mos Jan I was so bussy getting merried I didn't find the time to go to Artsakh to look at the properties!!!

You're married??

[Ashot]

no... I was for a short time.

[Aratta-Kingdom]

Hradadaric minchev esor 14 tari a ancel. Jamanakn a es brinneri het iranc haskanali lezvov xosal u mi aptak tal- vor poxaren@ alan talan anelu, yerkir karucelu gortsov zbagven. Edited January 13, 2008 by Aratta-Kingdom

[Ashot]

bayts mihat lurj harts tam bolorit... Bolor@sel shat lav gitenq, vor Hayastanum yete uzumes mi ban anes kam petqa lav hayeren imana u lavel pogh unenas, kamel teche petqa mart unenas vor entegh iranits voreve mi ban nerkayatsnuma... ches kara hents enents verkanas u gnas hayastan, kamel gharabagh pogh ner dnes u portses mianqamits pogh ashxatel... da parz bana, vor es mer paron@ friansiaits vor gnats Hayastan petqa mart unenar entegh... ba kxapen ba chen xapi... anqam hayastani mechi bnakichnerinen xapum ur mnats fransiaits ekatsnerin ch@xapen... incheq kartsum, dzez chen ani nuyn ban@ yete tsanot chunenaq?

 

miak dzev@ kirk krikoryan darnalna!!!

Edited January 13, 2008 by Ashot

[Aratta-Kingdom]

Ashot jan, mardkanc vrdhohvats linel@ ays harcum ardaracvats a. Karavarutyun@ orinakan dasht petq a stegtsi yerkrum kargu u kanon hastatelu hamar. Hakarak depqum, kataghi kapitalizmi darashrjanum menq aprelu enq fyodalakan kargerin bnorosh orenqnerov. Esorva hayastan@ ljacats vijakum a u da paymanavorvats chi porci pakasi kam nor hamakarg stegtselu [porceri] het.

Mardun talanel@ vochinchov chi ardarcvum orenqnerin u shukayin dzanot chlinelu pastov.

 

 

[Anoushik]

Please stay away from personal insults.

[Ashot]

Anoushik jan, bayts Personal Insult ova arel!!!

 

Aratta jan, petqa stextsi - bayts vor chi stextsum menq ovenq u inch karanq anenq? axr tsav@t tanem, petqayov chi, hele vor vaxt@ chi, bayts gitem vor shat shutov arten vaxt@ kga vor etel klini, vor kariq@ chenq unena asenq petqa sents lini nents lini - et hartsum!!!

[hosank]

this is quite obviously upsetting, but as fore-mentionned, not a surprise. Armenia must understand that it's only chance at survival comes from the diaspora's money, and they cannot simply play around with the diasporan temper. likewise, the diaspora must come aware of it's enormous lever in the armenian game. one thing for sure is that people like this should not abandon, but continue to hold on. this sort of mentality cannot last forever.

[AK-47]

Here's another story from a diasporan who moved to Artsakh, this one ain't too bad http://www.hetq.am/eng/karabakh/7497/

 

-----------------------------------------

 

Jirayr Shahichanyan considers himself to be a successful businessman in Karabakh although he confesses his earnings aren’t that great. Jirayr, a 34 year-old Armenian from the Iranian city of Isphahan, first set foot in Karabakh in 1996 after completing his compulsory military service.

 

After spending a few months in Karabakh he returned to Iran. In 1999 he moved to Karabakh with the intent to permanently resettle there.

 

He belonged to various ARF youth groups in Isphahan and this upbringing probably led him to Artsakh in the first place. Jirayr himself confirms that he came to Karabakh motivated by a sense of patriotism.

 

From the outset he began work to more effectively organize the running of ARF youth and student groups in Artsakh and later on was employed at the ARF political office in Stepanakert.

 

This Iranian-Armenian repatriate started to raise a family in Artsakh and still works in the city of Stepanakert, keeping busy with political party and social matters. At the same time he began to take steps to start a small business as well.

 

Jirayr and a few friends opened the “Khariskh” (Anchor) coffeehouse and bar on Azatamardikneri Street in the center of Stepanakert. Jirayr states, “We began construction of the building in 2002 and in May 2006 the doors opened for business. My partners and I do receive some profit from the business. True, you can say it’s not much but at least we’re not operating at a loss.”

 

According to Jirayr, there is no comparison when it comes to the conditions that exist for starting a business in Iran and Karabakh. Unlike Karabakh, in Iran the preconditions necessary to develop small and medium size business exist. In Iran, for example, there is much less bureaucratic red tape since they’re mainly keeping a close watch on large-scale enterprises. In his estimation there is much too much red tape to deal with in Karabakh, while at the same time confessing that a certain degree of official oversight of business is needed.

 

Jirayr notes that, “When it comes to the legal statutes in Karabakh, matters are gradually improving even though I confess that shortcomings still exist. In general, conditions to start a business here are normal. If you operate within the parameters of the law then you won’t encounter any difficulties. Personally, I’ve never felt the necessity to have someone ‘backing’ me up, which they say one must have to do business here.”

 

Continuing his discussion about the people of Karabakh, Jirayr also made mention of their hospitality, a factor that can motivate more Armenians from the Diaspora to harbor the desire to resettle here. However the government must do its part to facilitate resettlement from the Diaspora. Jirayr says that when he talks about the governement granting certain allowances to Diaspora-Armenians, “I’m not at all talking about tax allowances. I believe there should be equal conditions for all. What I’m referring to the necessity of special citizenship and residency regulations for those from the Diaspora.” Jirayr himself doesn’t have Karabakh citizenship but rather the status of an immigrant and that on a temporary basis.

 

Jirayr believes that special citizenship allowances, coupled with the warm hospitality with which the people of Karabakh welcome those from abroad, will motivate more young Diaspora-Armenians to resettle here. As Jirayr stresses, “Passport registration and citizenship are like a honorary diploma for me. What’s important is how you are received by the people her. Due to their welcoming behavior one becomes more deeply attached to the land and to the people. You start to walk proudly, with your head held high, as if you too are a guardian of the country. As for all other issues, in time, they too will be resolved.”

 

Jirayr’s wife, Yerazik, confirms that they’ve never talked about relocating to Iran. “ We had already decided to return to Karabakh even before our wedding in Isphahan. I remember well how uneasy I felt until we purchased our tickets. At the time we didn’t yet have a business here and Jirayr was unemployed. It felt like we just might wind up staying there. But I was frightened at the prospect of leaving Karabakh behind. I still was serving in the army and some feeling of duty prompted me to stay. After that the matter has never again come up.”

 

Stepanakert

[DominO123]

this is quite obviously upsetting, but as fore-mentionned, not a surprise. Armenia must understand that it's only chance at survival comes from the diaspora's money, and they cannot simply play around with the diasporan temper. likewise, the diaspora must come aware of it's enormous lever in the armenian game. one thing for sure is that people like this should not abandon, but continue to hold on. this sort of mentality cannot last forever.

 

That is BS, it's by such unilateral statments that Armenian will suffer of inferiority complex in regards to the Diaspora, thinking that it can't do anything without the Diaspora.

[MosJan]

New home, new challenges: Diaspora Armenians fight with bureaucracy and set up businesses in Karabakh By Naira Hayrumyan

ArmeniaNow Karabakh reporter

Carrying water from the spring to home became usual for Iranian Armenian Armond Tahmazian, who has made his home in Stepanakert, Nagorno Karabakh. In summer because of the drought water supply sometimes is stopped and these days the water pipes are frozen in his home and so Tahmazian carries water like thousands of others in Karabakh and Armenia. http://armenianow.com/images/uploadedimages/ai276901.jpgThe Tahmazyans say life is hard in Karabakh but advantages of living there prevail.Tahmazian moved to Karabakh from Iran in 2000, a year after his first visit to the country.

 

“I was wishing to visit Karabakh long ago, but there were some problems. When I eventually came I found here were many things to do,” says 43 year old Tahmazian.

 

In 2000 Tahmazian met Artemis Grigorian, an Armenian from Australia in Karabakh, who also was wishing to live in Karabakh. They married, had children and now design plans for the future in the country which they chose to be home for them and their children.

 

A jeweler by profession, in 2001 Tahmazian together with some friends opened “Nreni” (pomegranate tree) souvenir shop in Stepanakert. Now he wants to enhance the business as well as build a house.

 

“I do not possess large sums, but my friends have promised to make investments,” Tahmazian says. “We’ve purchased the plot of land to put up a new building for a tourist information center.”

 

Tahmazian plans that his family will occupy the first floor (they are renting an apartment now) while the other flours will be designed as a hotel.

 

“In summer my friends, who’ve made investments, will be residing there. The rest of the time we will use the rooms for a hotel, and the revenue from that will go to charity projects,” says Tahmazian.

 

“Things in Karabakh indeed are changing, but a bit slowly. Life is hard here. Working people come here, and they should be given an opportunity to work and live,” says Tahmazian.

 

“True, it’s tough, but our two sons are growing up as Armenians here,” adds his wife.

 

Tahmazian is one of the dozens from Diaspora who decided to reside in Karabakh. Despite the hardships they say that the advantages of living in Karabakh prevail over the problems which they say they are ready to overcome with the rest of Karabakh residents.

 

In the post-Soviet, post-war and new-building Karabakh many things seem unusual to Diaspora Armenians. Besides essential problems, which stand out for being extra difficult to solve, Armenians from abroad sometimes are surprised by the bureaucratic system. Some left, unable to adjust to the realities; others are still in Karabakh facing the challenges of the transition to democracy.

 

http://armenianow.com/images/uploadedimages/ai276902.jpgShahijanyan thinks the sense of belonging to the land is what matters most, “the rest is just a matter of time.”Zhirayr Shahijanian, another Iranian Armenian has lived in Karabakh for 8 years. He considers himself a successful businessman in Karabakh, although he says that his income is not impressive yet.

 

Shahijanian first came to Karabakh from his native city of Isfahan in 1996. After spending a few months here he returned back home but in 1999 he moved to Karabakh for a permanent residence.

 

Shahijanian, 34, married a Karabakhi girl and now lives and works in Stepanakert. In 2002 he and his friends started the construction of a cafe in the center of Stepanakert which opened its doors in 2006.

 

“Today that business gives me and my friends’ some revenue. We can not regard it as a good profit, nonetheless we do not operate at a loss,” Shahijanian says.

 

He says the conditions for starting a business in Karabakh and in Iran are incomparable. In Iran, as opposed to Karabakh, there are grounds for developing small and medium businesses, and in terms of bureaucracy the situation is much easier there.

 

“Nonetheless, Karabakh’s legislative field keeps improving, although I have to admit that there are some shortcomings yet. In general, there are normal conditions for starting a business here,” he says.

 

http://armenianow.com/images/uploadedimages/ai276903.jpgLife in Karabakh turned out not so exciting for Rakijian.“Permanent residency and citizenship, I think, are something like a certificate of distinction. What matters is the residents’ attitude thanks to which you start developing bonds with the land, with people; you start walking on this soil feeling proud and strong, feeling that you belong here, you are the master. The rest is just a matter of time,” Shahijanian stresses.

 

French-Armenian Oliver Rakijian business story in Karabakh turned out not be as successful.

 

Rakijian moved to Shushi from Paris in 2004. With the permission of the Shushi town administration and municipality he bought 3 premises and opened a center offering computer services, a real estate agency and a souvenir shop. Everything seemed to be running its course, until authorities started to take back his premises.

 

Rakijian applied to the court, which ruled in favor of him keeping the property, saying that state authorities had been wrong. However the court did not level any punishment nor restitution for about $8,000 that Rakijian paid for one of the properties that was later confiscated (from a total of three for which no restitution was offered).

 

Rakijian wrote letters to the president and prime minister, and he was promised he would get only $8,000 back, but not the property.

 

“Often in Karabakh the law is wrongly applied. There is too much bureaucracy. Perhaps, it’s a remnant of the soviet time. As well as the fact that people are used to cheating the state. Bureaucracy generates bribery. Probably people’s mentality will change, once the state is rich,” Artemis Grigoryan says with hope.

 

 

[hosank]

That is BS, it's by such unilateral statments that Armenian will suffer of inferiority complex in regards to the Diaspora, thinking that it can't do anything without the Diaspora.

i must disagree here, armenia's great edge over the turkic republics is our diaspora. while turkic oligarchs can allow their countries to sink ever more into the depths of corruption and tair themselves appart, armenia's diaspora acts as a check for those who may want to take advantage in the country. it is also instrumental in it's revitalisation.

i think that the RA and teh AD mutually support each other, as they both need eachother to survive.