THE ARMENIAN Mirror-Spectator Annual Summer Vacation c The Armenian Mirror- Specta- tor will close for its annual two- week vacation in early July. MIRROR The last issue for the Mirror will be that of July 3. Publica- tion will resume with the July SPECTATOR 24 issue. Since 1932 Volume LXXXXI, NO. 49, Issue 4691 JUNE 26, 2021 $2.00 NAASR Virtual Pashinyan Holds on to Power after Bruising Election Gala Honors By Raffi Elliott Vartan Gregorian Special to the Mirror-Spectator By Harry Kezelian YEREVAN––With 100 percent Mirror-Spectator Staff of ballots being counted as of the morning of Monday, June 21, in- BELMONT, Mass. — For the cumbent Prime Minister Nikol first time, the National Associ- Pashinyan is projected to retain ation for Armenian Studies and a reduced parliamentary majori- Research (NAASR) held its gala ty following a bitterly contested virtually due to the ongoing pan- electoral campaign. The election, demic and restrictions on gather- which took place on Sunday, June ings in the country and in Massa- 20, was triggered in May when chusetts in particular. Pashinyan resigned as part of an The venerable institution, agreement with opposition parties which since the 1950s has helped in a bid to end months of political found many of the Armenian tension rocking the country in the studies professorial chairs at uni- wake of last autumn’s Azerbaijani versities around the US — start- invasion of Artsakh. ing with Harvard — was slated to According to preliminary re- celebrate the legacies of legend- sults announced by the Central ary public intellectual Dr. Var- Election Committee, the prime Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is congratulated on his win. minister’s Civil Contract par- ty received 53.92 percent of the ation, finished a distant second Artur Vanetsyan, received just Assembly remains to be decided. vote, enough to form a work- with 21 percent. The third force, over 5 percent. However, elector- None of the other 23 other parties ing majority government. His “I Have Honor,” another elector- al rules require alliances to pass a and alliances contesting the vote main rival, an electoral alliance al alliance which includes for- 7-percent threshold to enter par- crossed the threshold. led by former President Robert mer President Serzh Sargsyan’s liament, but also necessitates a Declaring victory at his cam- Kocharyan, which includes the Republican Party and former minimum of three parties, so the paign headquarters late on Sunday Armenian Revolutionary Feder- National Security Service Chief final composition of the National see ELECTION, page 2 Edward Avedisian speaks at the NASSR building, before a plaque dedicated to the late Four-Time Grammy tan Gregorian and philanthropist Most of the Ills Afflicting Armenia May Be Corrected by Nominee Constantine Edward Avedisian this year. The theme of this year was “Building Changing the Constitution:’ President Armen Sarkissian Orbelian Excited to Take for Eternity,” in reference to the By Edmond Y. Azadian national trade and business. Along the way, he Helm of NYC Opera construction of the organization’s Senior Mirror-Spectator Editorial Columnist has been in contact with world leaders, relations By Alin K. Gregorian new headquarters, plans for the with whom can lead to substantial benefits to Mirror-Spectator Staff future, and the symbol of Arme- YEREVAN — On June 19, on the eve of the the country. NEW YORK — Constantine nian culture, the “eternity sign,” a parliamentary elections, President Armen Sark- One gets the impression that by confining the Orbelian is a man with a plan; representation of which there is in issian agreed to an interview with me, repre- president to his constitutional role, and defining he is fully immersed in his plans front of the building in the form senting the Mirror-Spectator, on issues plaguing that role very narrowly, the Armenian govern- as the new conductor and music of a Michael Aram creation. Armenia these ment has been director of New York City Opera Avedisian is the primary bene- days. This vis- denying itself a (NYCO). He is also happy that he factor of the new NAASR head- it proved what powerhouse of is finally back home in New York. quarters. When it was suggested was very obvi- resources which As with the rest of humanity, by NAASR Board Chair Yervant ous from outside are so very need- all the plans and programs for the Chekijian that the building be — that there is a ed by Armenia. past year have been affected by named after him, Avedisian re- disconnect be- During the the worldwide COVID pandemic. plied “Who am I? The building tween the pres- entire course of see ORBELIAN, page 16 should be named for a scholar, idential office the conversa- like Vartan Gregorian.” and the execu- tion, the pres- Gregorian had accepted the tive branch of ident seldom honor, as well as the invitation to the government. Edmond Azadian, left, and President Armen Sarkissian employed any speak at this year’s event, before No matter how diplomatic am- his untimely passing. ceremonial the office of the president may be, it biguity or evasiveness. He was direct and as ob- The gala, like so many other still has a function and a role in the workings of jective as possible. events of the past year, was held the entire country. President Sarkissian was one of the prominent “virtually” — that is, it was lives- Beyond the strictly constitutional definition leaders of the country who had called for the treamed as a Zoom meeting to a of the president’s role, the personality of the lat- resignation of the prime minister after the de- group of viewers who signed up ter matters. Sarkissian was a prominent scientist bacle of the war, and recommended the forma- beforehand. The program con- before engaging in statesmanship and diploma- tion of a government of technocrats. Referring sisted of speeches, video footage cy. In addition to his knowledge of state-of-the- to that matter, and to the notion that he might of the new building, and montag- art science, over the years he has accumulated preside over such a government, Sarkissian es of past NAASR events and of tremendous experience on a large scale in inter- see CHANGES, page 3 see NAASR, page 7 Conductor Constantine Orbelian in action KARABAGH ARMENIA CALIFORNIA The faithful Folk Singer Sevana Ani Hovannisian’s in Karabakh Tchakerian’s New ‘Hidden Map’ Up for visit Amaras, Direction with ‘Jinj’ Three Emmy Awards Gandzasar Duo Page 3 Page 12 Page 12 2 SATURDAY, JUNE 26, 2021 ARMENIAN MIRROR-SPECTATOR ARMENIA NEWS from ARMENIA Mother See Welcomes Pashinyan Holds on to Power Pashinyan’s Dialogue ELECTION, from page 1 handing out bribes and threatening workers which deployed more than 200 internation- Overture night, Pashinyan spoke of the need to “re- to attend rallies, virtually all of the crimi- al observers across the country. YEREVAN (Armenpress) — store public and national unity” after what nal charges regarding vote buying were laid At a press conference held in Yerevan on The Mother See of Holy Echmi- many critics have described as a deeply di- against representatives of the Armenia Alli- Monday, Kari Henrisken, who heads the adzin issued a statement over the visive campaign. “The people have given ance, as well as the “I have Honor” alliance Parliamentary Assembly, hailed the vote as snap parliamentary elections held me the mandate to continue to lead this cri- and the Prosperous Armenia party. “competitive and generally well-managed,” in Armenia on June 20. sis,” the Prime Minister continued, prom- The election itself seems to have gone despite a polarizing campaign atmosphere “The parliamentary elections, ising to restore peace, secure sovereignty through without major incidents accord- and inflammatory rhetoric. George Katrou- despite the pre-election tension, while continuing more aggressive reforms ing to various independent observers. Po- galos, of the Council of Europe’s Parlia- contradictions and some viola- in business, culture and STEM research. lice reported receiving a total of 87 calls mentary Assembly, also concluded that the tions recorded, have had a relative- While not out-right rejecting the results, involving electoral violations while the elections “respected the democratic char- ly peaceful course and were held Kocharyan’s Armenia Alliance cast doubt polling stations were open, five of which acter and the constitutional order,” despite without serious incidents. on the preliminary figures, calling them were considered criminal offenses. The what he called “minor technical irregulari- “It’s highly important for the “highly controversial.” In their official Early Election Working Group of Arme- ties” such as lack of access for people with Church that the political force, statement, the alliance insisted that the re- nia’s Prosecutor General’s Office received disabilities in certain polling stations. which is taking office, will be able sult did not reflect the “manifestations of 338 reports from across the country’s 2008 Nikol Pashinyan had been under pressure to ensure and guarantee pro-na- public life” which the alliance’s leadership polling stations, including 26 which merit to resign since signing the November 9 tional solutions to such vital is- believes had been demonstrated in several criminal investigations. The Human Rights ceasefire agreement with Russia and Azer- sues which relate to the security polls and in particular, the large pre-elec- Defender’s Office, for its part, received 145 baijan, which his critics consider an act of of Armenia, Artsakh and our be- tion rally held in Yerevan on the eve of the calls. Most of these consisted of technical capitulation. Pashinyan has in turn defend- liever people, the preservation of election. They also called for an “ in-depth violations during the voting process. A to- ed his conduct of the war, insisting that con- national identity and value system, and substantiated investigation into all reg- tal of 11 arrests were made on suspicion of tinuing the forty four day conflict would put education, culture, public solidar- istered and alleged violations.” vote buying by the Special Investigative the lives of tens of thousands of soldiers in ity and other pan-national issues.