Month: February 2021

YEREVAN. – Contact [Gevorg] Altunyan, [Head of the Information and Public Relations Department of the Ministry of Defense of Armenia] for all questions, and I will answer all those questions. Minister of Defense Vagharshak Harutyunyan stated this Friday in response to the reporters' questions in the National Assembly.

The minister did not respond when he was asked his view on the statements that Armenia had not had a true army for 30 years.

Harutyunyan also did not answer the question as to whether he considers it normal that Shushi city of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) is called "Shusha."

The minister also did not respond to the question about the Armenian captives in Azerbaijan, as well as the rumors about the dissolution of the Artsakh Defense Army.

The Ararat provincial hall has issued a statement noting that the report, according to which the matter of handing Armenia’s Tigranashen village over to Azerbaijan in the near future was discussed during Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's visit to Ararat Province on Wednesday, is not true.

"During the visit, the scope of issues related solely to the programs implemented and to be implemented in the province was discussed, which was presented earlier in an official statement," the aforesaid statement reads.

The oldest recorded Armenian cross-stone dating back to the year 866 is located in Vaghuhas village of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh). This is what Deputy Director of the Research on Armenian Architecture Foundation Raffi Kortoshian told reporters today.

According to him, one of the major findings of the research was that, in spite of the hardships of the past year, the Foundation continued to work in different directions, conducting field research beyond the borders of Armenia, exploring archival materials, writing a book and preparing for its publication.

“During the recent war in Artsakh, I spent four days in Berdzor to record the traces of Armenian culture for the last time. Overall, I had planned to conduct comprehensive activities in Kashatagh and Karvachar, but the war stood in the way,” he added.

The analyst stressed the fact that there have also been studies abroad, including in Istanbul and Tehran where the Foundation held two scientific expeditions and added another 30,000 photos and architectural drawings of 17th century Armenian monuments to the collection of photos and drawings. He also said the Foundation has released a book devoted to Armenian cultural heritage in the 17th century in Syria.

Whoever agrees to assume office during the administration of this government shares the blame for state treason, and I don’t care if it is Jalal Harutyunyan or anyone else, for that matter. This is what deputy of the opposition Prosperous Armenia faction of the National Assembly of Armenia Gevorg Petrosyan said during today’s press conference.

“Jalal Harutyunyan has been appointed Head of the Military Oversight Service at the Ministry of Defense. I ask him to state his vision right now and to present his concept paper on military security. He is a citizen of Artsakh. So, who gave him the right to be appointed to a public service position in Armenia?” he added.

The Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) Ministry of Foreign Affairs has commented on the resolution adopted by the Australian State of South Australia. The comment reads as follows:

“The process of international recognition of the Republic of Artsakh at the level of administrative-territorial units of different foreign countries continues. The latest achievement in this process has been the adoption of a resolution recognizing the Republic of Artsakh and supporting the right of the people of Artsakh to self-determination by the legislature of the Australian State of South Australia.

We consider it important that the resolution condemns the Turkish-Azerbaijani armed aggression launched against the Republic of Artsakh on September 27, 2020, the policy of hatred against Armenians pursued by the Turkish and Azerbaijani authorities and the consistent destruction of the Armenian cultural heritage in the occupied territories of Artsakh, as well as calls upon the federal authorities of Australia to recognize the independence of the Republic of Artsakh.

We are convinced that the international recognition of the independence of the Republic of Artsakh is of key importance towards creating the necessary conditions for its people to live freely, safely, and decently in its homeland. It will also be an additional impetus for a just and lasting settlement of the Azerbaijan-Karabakh conflict, which should be based on the recognition of the right to self-determination exercised by the people of Artsakh and the cessation of the occupation of the territories of the Republic of Artsakh.

We express our gratitude to all those who made a decisive contribution to the adoption of this resolution and appreciate the resolute stance of the legislature of the State of South Australia, which affirms its commitment to the ideas of human rights, freedom and justice.”

Today at 7:36 p.m. local time (3:36 p.m. Greenwich time) the Seismological Network of the Territorial Seismic Protection Service at the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Armenia recorded an earthquake with the geographical coordinates of 40.53o northern latitude and 45.32o eastern longitude (in Armenia, 5 km northeast from Shorzha village), 10 km deep from the center and with a 4.7 magnitude, the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Armenia reported.

The force of the underground shock in the epicenter zone was 6-7 points.

The earthquake was felt with a 5-6 point magnitude in Gegharkunik Province, with a 4-6 point magnitude in several settlements of the Kotayk, Tavush, Lori and Ararat Provinces and with a 3-4 point magnitude in the city of Yerevan.

As of 8:10 p.m. no alarms about destruction, victims and injured in the territory of Armenia were recorded.

I can’t state the whole volume of devastations yet, but some buildings have collapsed in certain communities, especially old buildings. This is what Governor of Gegharkunik Province of Armenia Gnel Sanosyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

“There are a few records of collapse of old barns. There are some damages. Currently, there is a problem with restoration of power, but it was solved minutes ago. There was no power for about an hour-and-a-half,” the regional governor said.

Today Armenia recorded an earthquake with the epicenter in Gegharkunik Province (with a 6-7-point magnitude).

People’s Artist of the Republic of Armenia, opera singer Hasmik Papyan and painter, public figure Zaruhi Muradyan have submitted their personal pledges for changing the arrest pre-trial measure against former deputy of the National Assembly of Armenia, freedom fighter Vahan Badasyan. This is what Badasyan’s attorney Arayik Papikyan wrote on his Facebook page.

On January 29, the Yerevan court of general jurisdiction satisfied the motion of the investigator of the National Security Service of Armenia to choose arrest as a pre-trial measure against Vahan Badasyan.

The attorney will apply to the Court of Appeal to appeal the court’s decision.

On January 28, the National Security Service detained Vahan Badasyan for the statements he made during a conversation with reporters at Yerablur Military Pantheon. Badasyan had declared that Nikol Pashinyan needs to be removed from power and that if he doesn’t leave, he must be physically eliminated. “There are different ways to remove, even physically removing him. This assumes elimination of the enemy, even with weapons. Yes, I am consciously making calls for threats, let the National Security Service detain me,” he said.

Vahan Badasyan is charged with making public calls to seize power, violate territorial integrity or forcefully overthrow the constitutional order.