Improvements were seen in Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Georgia, as well as in the disputed territories of Abkhazia and Nagorno-Karabakh, the latter of which moved from Not Free to Partly Free.

Manvel Badeyan, another Republican lawmaker, liked the idea of paying politicians for their interviews and said the practice is accepted all over the world and was applied in the Soviet Union as well.

"Though I had a Diploma with Honour, I worked as a loader and was a law-abiding citizen. Unlike you, I did not receive my mandate immediately," the Republican MP said.

Obama also said the election of moderate cleric Hassan Rowhani to be Iran's next president shows the Iranian people "want to move in a different direction" and engage the international community in a more positive way.

"Nine months ago, Ishkhan Zakaryan was giving a report in the parliament about the abuses of others and today, nine months later, he is doing the same," Pashinyan said.

Armenians may make use of the ongoing protests in Turkey against a government plan to redevelop Istanbul's Gezi Park adjoining Taksim, says Turkologist Artak Shakaryan

The Turkish government has threatened to send in the army to quell protests that have swept Turkish cities in the last two weeks.

The National Assembly is continuing the special sitting.

The Council of Elders demonstrates a discriminatory approach to the factions," said in her letter.

"Everyone should understand that the recent hailstorms, murders, gas price hike which, at first glance, seem to have no connection, are due to the rigged elections," said the Heritage leader.

Two candidates are vying for the seat of the community head -RPA member Karo Karapetyan and PAP member Vazgen Ghazaryan.

If the emigration continues at the same pace, the country will face a demographic crisis, says Heritage Party Leader Raffi Hovannisian

On June 14 the Armenian National Congress held a republic council meeting chaired by ANC Leader Levon Ter-Petrosyan.

The unrest was sparked by government plans to redevelop a park in central Istanbul.

Keeping opposition activist Tigran Arakelyan in prison does not bring honour to Armenia, says Vladimir Karapetyan

The Pre-parliament initiative is starting its two-week discussions at Yerevan's Liberty Square at 7:00 p.m. June 14.

Parliament speaker's reaction to the report of Control Chamber President Ishkhan Zakaryan presented at yesterday's parliament session was "confession without repentance," says Armen Rustamyan

"Post-Scriptum" will be webcast at 3:20 pm.

Heritage Party Leader Rraffi Hovannisian has addressed a letter to Wilfried Martens, President of the European People's Party (EPP).

Abraham Manukyan, a lawmaker from the Prosperous Armenia Party, is pleased with the work of the Armenian government and Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan.

The U.N. human rights office says the latest toll, which accounted for deaths until the end of April, is most likely a minimum figure.

The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has received a complaint filed by the legal successors of Gurgen Margaryan and Hayk Makuchyan, says lawyer Nazeni Vardanyan

In its June 13 session the Armenian government discussed the resignation letter of Hovakim Sargsyan, Head of Bayandur community in Shirak province

"Firing a journalist for his/her viewpoint is the same as firing a doctor for treating a patient or a fireman for rescuing a person," says Petros Ghazaryan.