Migration issues discussed in YerevanJune 30, 2011 - 13:30 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The colloquy, “Migration: challenges for local and regional authorities”, kicked off in Yerevan as part of the meeting of the Current Affairs Committee of the Council of Europe Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe. Emin Yeritsyan, Chair of the Current Affairs Committee, acting as moderator, said, “Today migration remains a serious political problem in Europe. On the one hand, Europe needs constant inflow of migrants for economic reasons; on the other hand, our continent continues to attract people seeking for accommodation and better opportunities, offered by European democracy, freedom and economic prosperity.” Yeritsyan also noted that currently migration acquires various forms and migrants have different statuses: legal and illegal, regular and irregular, ordinary and political refugees, economic migrants or migrants going to Europe for family reunification. The colloquy will cover the main issues facing local and regional authorities with regard to the accommodation and integration of migrants, as well as to the measures aimed at protecting their rights and guaranteeing their access to public services at local and regional level. The event brought together members of the Congress’s Current Affairs Committee and of the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Population of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, as well as representatives of networks of municipalities, local and regional government associations, international organizations and associations dealing with migration issues. Top stories David Vardanyan is the son of former Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan who who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has met with Stephan Schütz, Executive Partner at Gerkan, Marg and Partners. The number of state universities will be reduced from 23 to 8 by 2030, Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Zhanna Andreasyan has said. From September 21 to November 11, a total of 2,820 Russians registered at a place of residence in Armenia, the police has said. Partner news | Ucom Celebrates Telecommunication Day May 17 commemorates the founding of the International Telecommunication Union on May 17, 1865. Armenian, Azerbaijani heads of parliament meet in Switzerland President of the Armenian parliament Alen Simonyan met with the Speaker of the Azerbaijani Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova. Azerbaijan extends Rune Vardanyan’s arrest by 5 months A court in Azerbaijan has extended the arrest of former Nagorno-Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan by five months. Armenia border residents dissatisfied with delimitation Residents Kirants are dissatisfied with the results of the delimitation of the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. |