Month: February 2021

Indeed, the situation is very complicated, and our main goal is to do everything possible to strengthen the security environment around Armenia and Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), which isn’t easy because this is an overall reflection of the geopolitical situation. This is what Armenia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Ara Aivazian said during today’s question-and-answer session with government officials in parliament, touching upon MP Gor Gevorgyan’s question on Armenia’s strategy and tactics with regard to the current situation.

“As a state, Armenia obviously needs to aspire to make all efforts to de-escalate the situation, and this will help strengthen the security environment,” he emphasized.

Touching upon the February 1-12 Turkish-Azerbaijani military exercises in Kars, the minister said the following:

“Any military exercise is a cause for concern. We see that Turkey is delivering messages. In diplomacy, it is accepted to deliver messages, but taking into consideration the fact that Turkey is the one delivering messages, I believe the time has come for Armenia to be guided by actions, not messages. I’m certain that Turkey will gradually return to normalcy under the pressure of the international community, and this first and foremost means that there is no reason for Turkey to keep Armenia in a blockade anymore. As you know, the closure of the borders was conditioned by the status-quo in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) which changed through the use of force, and now Turkey has no reason to keep the border with Armenia closed,” the minister stated.

Gevorgyan responded by saying that Armenia might face another problem after the de-blockage of borders since the country is dealing with Turkey. The deputy was expecting a different answer from the minister, but the minister said there is no problem in this regard. The MP countered by saying that the military exercises that the neighboring countries are holding with the rhetoric of hostility pose a direct threat.

YEREVAN. – For three months, we have been proposing to set up a fact-finding group and examine the pre-war period, the war management process, the armament in the pre-war period, the course of negotiations, and present a relevant report to the people. Edmon Marukyan, chairman of the opposition Bright Armenia Party and head of its parliamentary faction, said this at Wednesday’s National Assembly (NA) question and answer session with the government.

He addressed Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan regarding this draft. And Pashinyan responded that, according to this draft, a parity committee would set up, which he had studied and seen that according to that draft, the committee would be formed by 70% from the political forces that have already given all the answers—from various tribunes—to those questions. "That is, if there is a need for an investigation for those forces, why have they already published the conclusions? Last time we also tried to invite you to a discussion on that topic, but you did not consider it necessary to come and for that discussion to take place. You say there is a collision, a criminal case is initiated. At the moment, there are more than a thousand criminal cases under investigation related to the war, which are being investigated. The political mechanism of the investigation is clearly set in the current legislation, and that mechanism is the NA inquiry committee, which can be formed in accordance with the relevant regulations of the legislation.”

And referring to the disclosure of the truth about the recent Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) war, PM Pashinyan said: "I believe at least the truth about the war has been discussed sufficiently, and I unequivocally agree with you that it must be clarified to the last detail. It is not that those criminal cases have given the answers to the necessary questions, but everything must be done to give the answers to those questions.”

Leader of the opposition Bright Armenia faction of the National Assembly of Armenia Edmon Marukyan took to his Facebook to report the following:

“The parents and relatives of missing servicemen and prisoners of war have shut down all roads to Gyumri. There are big traffic jams, and the situation is tense.

However, there is almost no information about this. Citizens have been expressing their protest by shutting down roads for a few hours already.

There is news that the mentioned roads will be shut down all night long.”

During today’s question-and-answer session with government officials in parliament, Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia Mher Grigoryan said the funds transferred to Hayastan All-Armenian Fund in October-November have been transferred to the state budget.

According to him, during martial law, this allowed to make all expenses quickly and on time, and there were also large expenses.

“There will be report on the expenses during the parliamentary hearings in May,” Grigoryan stated.

Nearly $170,000,000 was transferred to the Fund during the entire period of the war in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh).

The Armenian authorities don’t rule out operation of the Amulsar gold mine. This is what Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure of Armenia Suren Papikyan said in response to deputies’ questions during today’s question-and-answer session with government officials in parliament.

According to him, the current goal of the authorities is to create conditions for additional investments, particularly in the mining industry.

“The government needs to revisit the opportunities for solving the current problems and make the necessary decisions. If those decisions are in Armenia’s interests, they will also imply an opportunity for operation of the Amulsar gold mine,” Papikyan explained.

Touching upon ecology, the minister stated that the government will make only balanced decisions that will be in the interests of Armenia.

During today’s question and answer session with government officials in parliament, Armenia’s Minister of Economy Vahan Kerobyan said Armenia has banned the import of 2,250 brand name products from Turkey and added that the ban had entered into force on January 1, 2021.

“The ban will be in effect for six months, but the Ministry of Economy intends to make a proposal to extend the period,” Kerobyan said. 

The Government of Armenia will consider the possibility of cutting expenses for maintenance of the state apparatus. This is what Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan said in response to deputies’ questions during today’s question and answer session with government officials in parliament.

According to him, the government has data on the specific sectors in which shortcomings were recorded last year.

Grigoryan didn’t rule out layoffs of 10% of employees of state institutions, but failed to state the specific sectors. He also admitted that things were different when the parliament was considering the draft of the 2021 State Budget a few months ago.

If some political groups picture the formation of a new government through agreements reached in closed offices, I say that this will not happen. This is what Armenia’s Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinyan said during today’s question and answer session with government officials in parliament.

“Let’s set the record straight once and for all — our government won’t let this happen. If a new government will be formed in Armenia, it will be formed through elections,” Avinyan said.