Леонид Коник
FALLING STAR. CO-OWNER OF ZAO "OSS-ZVEZDA" HAS EVACUATED FROM ARMENIA.
AGHASI YESAYAN, CHAIRMAN OF SHAREHOLDERS' BOARD OF ARMENIAN TELECOMMUNICATION COMPANY "OSS-ZVEZDA" (JOINT-STOCK COMPANY "OSS-STAR") HAS HASTILY LEFT ARMENIA BECAUSE OF THREATS OF PUNISHMENT. THE REASON OF IT BECAME THE COMPANY'S STRUGGLE FOR THE SECOND CELLULAR LICENSE IN THIS COUNTRY.
"OSS-ZVEZDA" PREPARED AND HAD ALL CHANCES TO RECEIVE THE SECOND CELLULAR LICENSE FOR TERRITORY OF ARMENIA, HOWEVER AS A RESULT IN NOVEMBER, 2004 THE LICENSE HAS BEEN GIVEN OUT TO COMPANY "K TELECOM" CREATED LITERALLY ONE WEEK PRIOR TO IT. IN SPITE OF THE FACT THAT THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE WINNER HAS OCCURRED ON BEHALF OF THE TENDER COMMISSION, TENDER AS THOSE WAS NOT - NEITHER DATES, NOR CRITERIA OF A CHOICE WAS NOT INFORMED. "K TELECOM" GENERAL DIRECTOR RALF YIRIKYAN IN REPLY TO A QUESTION OF COMNEWS.RU REPORTER ON THE REASONS OF A VICTORY HAS TOLD: "ONLY DO NOT ASK ME HOW WELL AS WHY WE HAVE WON!". SINCE JULY, 2005 "K TELECOM" HAS STARTED TO RENDER COMMERCIAL SERVICES IN GSM-900 STANDARD UNDER TRADE MARK VIVACELL.
IN AUGUST, 2005 IN INTERVIEW TO RUSSIAN TELECOMS BUSINESS MAGAZINE "STANDARD" AGHASI YESAYAN (THEN STILL WAS ARMENIAN CAPITAL - YEREVAN) HAS DECLARED: "THE DECISION ON ISSUE OF THE SECOND MOBILE LICENSE OF "K TELECOM" COMPANY WAS NOT ECONOMIC, BUT POLITICAL. IT HAS RECOGNIZED ALSO THE MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATION OF ARMENIA". "OSS-ZVEZDA" HAS NOT RECONCILED TO DEFEAT, AND HAS DECLARED INTENTIONS TO ACHIEVE TRUTHS IN COURTS OF ARMENIA AND THE EU COUNTRIES. IN THE ANSWER THE STATE OFFICIALS HAVE BEGUN PRESSURE UPON "OSS-ZVEZDA" MANAGEMENT. "IN MY ADDRESS AND TO ADDRESS OF MY FAMILY REAL THREATS BEGAN TO SOUND. THE PREVENTION TO ME HAS BEEN MADE SEVERAL TIMES BY RATHER INFLUENTIAL AND POWERFUL OFFICIALS. THE SITUATION WAS SERIOUS, AND I HAD TO LEAVE ARMENIA TOGETHER WITH FAMILY", - AGHASI YESAYAN STRESSED TALKING WITH COMNEWS.RU REPORTER.
HAVING LOCATED IN ONE OF THE EU COUNTRIES, AGHASI YESAYAN IS MEASURED TO CONTINUE STRUGGLE. "DESPITE OF THREATS, BLACKMAIL AND FRAUDS OF SOME INFLUENTIAL OFFICIALS OF ARMENIA, I CONTINUE TO REMAIN THE SHAREHOLDER OF JOINT-STOCK COMPANY "OSS-ZVEZDA", - SPEAKS YESAYAN. - I SHALL ACHIEVE RESTORATION OF VALIDITY BY ALL LEGAL METHODS. I HAVE ALREADY EMPLOYED THE LAWYER, ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS AND MATERIALS ARE COLLECTED. FIRST WE SHALL SUBMIT THE CLAIM TO THE ARMENIAN COURT AND IF IT WILL NOT BRING RESULT WE SHALL SEARCH FOR THE TRUTH IN THE INTERNATIONAL COURTS". HE EMPHASIZES, THAT OPERATES INDEPENDENTLY, WITHOUT PARTICIPATION OF OTHER SHAREHOLDERS OF "OSS-ZVEZDA". "SUBSEQUENTLY, WHEN HARD TIMES WILL BE BEHIND, LET'S EACH SHAREHOLDER SPECIFIES A MEASURE OF THE PARTICIPATION IN A COMMON CAUSE. I AM PERSONALLY READY TO INVEST IN START-UP OF CELLULAR BUSINESS AS MUCH, AS IT IS REQUIRED", - HAVE DECLARED YESAYAN. HO DOESN'T PLAN TO COME BACK TO ARMENIA BEFORE CHANGE OF THE CURRENT AUTHORITIES.
LEONID KONIKCOMNEWS.RU
© ComNews
10.10.2005
Агаси Есаян, председатель совета акционеров армянской телекоммуникационной компании "ОСС-Звезда", спешно покинул Армению из-за угроз расправы. Причиной этого стала борьба за вторую сотовую лицензию в этой стране.
"ОСС-Звезда" готовилась и имела все шансы получить вторую сотовую лицензию на территорию Армении, однако в итоге в ноябре 2004 года она была выдана компании K Telecom, созданной буквально за неделю до этого. Несмотря на то, что объявление победителя произошло от имени конкурсной комиссии, конкурса как такового не было - ни даты, ни критериев выбора не сообщалось. Гендиректор K Telecom Ральф Ирикян в ответ на вопрос репортера ComNews.ru о причинах победы сказал: "Только не спрашивайте меня, как и почему мы выиграли!". С июля 2005 года K Telecom начала предоставлять коммерческие услуги GSM-900 под торговой маркой VivaCell. Подробнее об этом см. в обзоре рынка связи Армении, который был опубликован в журнале "Стандарт" в №7 (31).
В августе 2005 года в интервью "Стандарту" Агаси Есаян (тогда еще находившийся в Ереване) заявил: "Решение о выдаче второй лицензии компании K Telecom было не экономическим, а политическим. Это признало и само Министерство транспорта и связи Армении". "ОСС-Звезда" не смирилась с поражением, и заявила о намерениях добиваться правды в судах Армении и стран ЕС. В ответ государственные власти начали давление на топ-менеджмент компании. "В мой адрес и в адрес моей семьи стали звучать реальные угрозы. Предупреждение мне было сделано несколько раз, причем весьма влиятельными чиновниками. Ситуация была серьезной, и мне пришлось покинуть Армению вместе с семьей", - сообщил репортеру ComNews.ru Агаси Есаян.
Обосновавшись в одной из стран ЕС, Агаси Есаян намерен продолжить борьбу. "Несмотря на угрозы, шантаж и махинации некоторых влиятельных должностных лиц Армении, я продолжаю оставаться акционером ЗАО "ОСС-Звезда", - говорит Есаян. - Я буду добиваться восстановления справедливости всеми легальными методами. Я уже нанял адвоката, все необходимые документы и материалы собраны. Сначала мы подадим иск в армянский суд, а если это не принесет результата, то будем искать правду в международных судах". При этом он подчеркивает, что действует самостоятельно, без участия других акционеров "ОСС-Звезда". "Впоследствии, когда все будет позади, пускай каждый акционер уточняет меру своего участия в общем деле. Я лично готов вложить в запуск сотового бизнеса столько, сколько потребуется", - заявил ComNews.ru Агаси Есаян. Возвращаться в Армению до смены там власти он не планирует.
Interesno!
Chto, sdes interesnogo!
Deistvitelno, chto zdes interesnogo! lyudei i konkretnuyu stranu kinuli. Interesno kinuvshie perevariat vse eto?
A CALL TO COMPATRIOTS,Or the Courts and the WinnersBy Ashot GareginyanThe leader of Armenian Monarchists Party, shareholder of the “OSS-Zvezda” telecommunication company Aghasy Yesayan appeared with a call to all Armenian citizens to speak against the draft of Constitutional reforms during coming referendum on it. According to him, some persons that illegally have usurped the power in Armenia are wanting to put these reforms into effect. Ў§I call you, as a mark of remonstrance against Constitutional arbitrariness being impeded by illegitimate and corrupted authorities, to say firm `no` to this draft”, Yesayan says in his declaration.Till recent times, Yesayan has headed “OSS-Zvezda” CJSC that was aspiring to the position of second mobile network operator, after “Armentel” was deprived of its monopoly in this area. However, finally, “K-Telecom” company created literally several days before this event has got this license on November, 2004. “The winner was announced on behalf of tender commission, but there were no any tender as such”, Yesayan emphasizes. “Please, don’t ask me how and why we have won!”- as I remember, Ralf Eyrikyan, “K-Telecom” General Director, responded in such way to journalists’ questions regarding the reasons that have caused the victory of his company. Heads of Armenian state structures gave a little more definite declarations. Thus, Andranik Manoukian, RA Minister of Transport and Communications, welcomed coming of Nagorno-Karabakh mobile network in Armenia (“K-Telecom” is “Karabakh Telecom” CJSC’s daughter company). And David Haroutyunyan, RA Justice Minister, declared: “Azerbaijan wanted to deprive us of the connection with external world. But we did not allow it. We became winners”. Haroutyunyan made this declaration this summer – on the day of presentation of “VivaCell” brand that has been started up in Armenia. Thus, Armenian government also admitted that second operator was selected not for economic but for political reasons. Particularly, governmental officials gave it to understand to Roger Robinson, head of the World Bank office in Armenia. Nevertheless, WB considered imperfect the way of demonopolization of cellular network system, selected by Armenian authorities. After the tender, Yesayan faced some problems with state bodies. According to him, state bodies have undertaken pressure on him, made hints about possibility of a reprisal: if he doesn’t `calm down`. And Yesayan, with his family, was forced to leave Armenia. At present, he settled in one of European countries. But he still is trying to restore the justice. “I shall strive for it by any legal method, right up to applying to European court instances”, businessman underlines. Healso mentions that he ia making such steps independently, and he does not insist that other “OSS-Zvezda” also would join him. “It becomes extremely dangerous to resist state machine and to stand up for the truth, - he says, - when the statesmen, using administrative and bureaucratic resources that they have, disguise themselves as `people servants` but in reality they strive after their own profit. A threat for my and my family’s security emerged here, that is why I considered it better to leave. I still sincerely wish development and prosperity for my native land. But, excuse me – we are not going the same way with these authorities”.So, that’s that. Now already two mobile operators are working in Armenia, namely “ArmenTel” and “VivaCell”. Perhaps it seems to be better: two players are always preferable that one monopolist (three and more are more better). However, the circumstances that accompanied coming of second operator compel to doubt that it really has been made in the interests of the whole society in Armenia. And the longer executive authorities will show a preference for `extraordinary cases`, the longer Armenian economy will come into collision with different problems. P.S. Mobile communication’s quality that has get worse last time, despite numeral increase of the number of operators, seems an evidence of the same.