Reported violence in Turkey involving holidaymakers from Armenia and at least one case of an Armenian citizen gone missing in the neighboring country have raised concerns in Yerevan about possible ethnic motives behind these developments. While it appears that the reports were sensationalized and information not verified, the result, nonetheless, has been that some Armenian tourists are now nervous about going for a Turkish holiday.

Mainline water supply repairs currently underway have some Yerevan center residents recalling the early 1990s, as once again residents are seen carrying buckets of water from drinking fountains for home use.

Water supply is regularly cut in the center community at Parpetsi, Pushkin and adjacent streets, while valves are being installed in the area to regulate flow and reduce waste, according to Yerevan Water Company secretary general Mane Mamyan.

Police used force on Wednesday to break up a protest in Yerevan near a commercial bank that intends to loan a controversial mining project in northern Armenia. Activists were at VTB bank to protest its financing of Armenian Copper Programme’s (ACP) development of a mine in Teghut.

The activists demanded that VTB should stop the funding of the “anti-ecological and illegal Teghut project”, publicize the Bank’s environmental criteria [for loan programs] and the names of those who have developed these criteria. The protesters further called for an end to what they call a contemptuous attitude towards society, for honoring the principles of transparency and accountability and also demanded that clear answers be given to letters of environmental and human rights organizations.

A drought in Russia has led to a 20-25 percent hike in bread prices in Armenia. Economists predict even steeper increases in all wheat-based products, as Russian farmers – who produce nearly 80 percent of Armenia’s wheat supply – suffer their worst drought in 120 years.

Consumer rights activists, however, say that the current increase is unfounded, charging that the stocks of current flour are sufficient to supply demand and that prices should not be affected yet. In fact, prices have not yet been affected in Russia, though officials expect up to a 30 percent increase after the autumn harvest.

Officials are concerned that prisons in Armenia are overcrowded, with double the number of prisoners they were made to hold, and are appealing to authorities to reform the parole system to grant amnesty.

This week a group of public observers held monitoring visits to nine detention centers where they found that in some prisons 20 inmates are kept in cells designed for eight. The overcrowding is believed to be a potential cause of increased violence and suicide.

The Administrative Court of Yerevan has dismissed the action of 7,230 citizens against the rise of natural gas tariffs. The court found on Monday (July 26) that the rise in prices was merited and consistent with the price of imported natural gas. The court also cited as part of its decision, the fact that ArmRosgazprom, an Armenian-Russian gas distributor company made huge investments.

Train tickets are the new breadline in 2010 Yerevan.

Like their komrades of the early 1990s queuing for loaves in the days of scarcity, residents eager to escape to the Black Sea for holiday gather as early as 5 a.m. at the railway station in Yerevan hoping to buy a ride to Batumi, Georgia.

Freedom of Religion in Armenia research revealed a number of legal and public problems which do not allow people to profess this or that religion, or be profess atheism or agnosticism. The research also reflects the attitude of society and mass media towards freedom of conscience and different religious organizations.

“Mass media publications indicate that violation of freedom of conscience and religion comes not so much from the authorities, but rather from mass media.

A live shield appeared yesterday, July 19, on the Yerevan-Sevan highway, when the residents of the Gegharkunik province blocked the road to express their protest against the construction of a hydropower plant on the Gayladzor stream of the Argitchi River.

Since the morning about 500 residents from six villages blocked the Yerevan-Martouni section of the Sevan highway for about five hours paralyzing traffic for more than 1,000 cars. Later on, Gegharkunik marzpetaran (local administration body) employees arrived, and asked for ten days to settle the issue.

A school planned to open in Dilijian and promising to make Armenia a respected center of regional and international study may not ever see a stone laid, due to public reaction over Armenia’s controversial “law on language”, allowing for curriculum to be taught in a foreign language.

The Dilijan International School, the brainchild of Moscow tycoon philanthropist Ruben Vardanyan, broke ground in April with President Serzh Sargsyan planting a “tree of knowledge” to herald the project. Expected to open in 2013, the project now is indefinite, owing to “an atmosphere that rejects” the idea.