Armenian expert: It is hard to imagine bigger threat to Artsakh than uncertainty surrounding its status

Panorama, Armenia
May 7 2021

It is hard to imagine a bigger threat to Artsakh than the uncertainty surrounding its status, according to Armenian military expert Tigran Abrahamyan, head of the analytical center Henaket. 

"This is directly linked to the security of Artsakh. If we take into account the provisions of the November 9 trilateral statement, in particular, the 5-year term of arrangements, it becomes clear that in every five years, we will face a threat of renewed war due to the unresolved status,” Abrahamyan wrote on Facebook on Friday.

“It is yet unclear at what cost the trilateral agreements will be extended every five years, but unfortunately, the constant risks will most certainly accompany us for decades.

“The current authorities not only failed to include this issue in the trilateral statement, but today they are not taking any practical steps to put this matter on the priority agenda.

“In such conditions the Russian side, in turn, will take a path and priorities that, first of all, fit into the framework of its regional agenda.

“Armenia, as one of the parties, is absent even from matters related to it, and after November 9, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Iran and the other countries have been discussing all issues concerning us with Russia,” the expert wrote. 

Authorities trying to silence opposition figures through courts – Artur Vanetsyan

Panorama, Armenia
May 7 2021

"Authorities have recently started actions aimed at silencing the opposition representatives through courts," Armenia's former Chief of the National Security Service, the leader of 'Homeland' party Artur Vanetsyan has said. 

Venstayn commented on the charges brought against Ruben Vardazaryan, the Chairman of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), a state body overseeing the country’s judiciary. To remind, following the criminal prosecution, Vardazaryan's powers were terminated  as chairman of SJC and a court judge, pending the investigation into a criminal case. 

"Mr Vardazaryan's guilt, as I see, was that he tried to exercise his constitutional rights and capacities and the authorities didn't like that. As you know, the authorities have recently started actions to silence all members of the opposition through courts," said Vanetsyan. 

Parliament adopted changes to Electoral Code lowering minimum threshold for parties to enter parliament

Panorama, Armenia
May 7 2021

Armenia's National Assembly adopted in the second and final reading the legislative package on Making Amendments and Addenda to the country's Electoral Code ahead of just several weeks before snap parliamentary elections slated for June. The legislative changes were approved by 81 votes in favor cast by the lawmakers from the ruling "My Step" faction. 

The legislative changes envisage lowering the required minimum threshold to enter parliament for parties from 5% to 4%, increasing the threshold from 7% to 8% for blocs comprising of up to three parties and 10% for blocs comprising of 4 and more parties to gain seats within a legislature.

Parliament approves pardoning draft evaders

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 10:09, 6 May, 2021

YEREVAN, MAY 6, ARMENPRESS. The government-backed bill on granting pardon to draft evaders was adopted by parliament at the second reading with 83 votes in favor.

The pardon will be granted to those who evaded service before September 27, 2020 – the day when the 2020 Artsakh War began, and who are above the age of 27 (35 for reserve officers).

Justice Minister Rustam Badasyan had earlier said the government made the decision in order to enable draft evaders to “contribute to the economic, social, spiritual and cultural development” of the country. He said the decision was made upon the principle of solidarity.

Those who are fugitives under the respective article of the penal code will also be granted pardon.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

Private meeting of Armenian, Russian FMs kicks off in Yerevan

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 10:42, 6 May, 2021

YEREVAN, MAY 6, ARMENPRESS. The private meeting of Armenia’s caretaker foreign minister Ara Aivazian and Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov kicked off in the Armenian foreign ministry on May 6, the Armenian MFA spokesperson said on Facebook.

Russian FM Sergei Lavrov has arrived in Armenia on May 5 on a two-day visit.

He is scheduled to meet with Armenia’s caretaker prime minister Nikol Pashinyan on May 6.

Lavrov will also pay a working visit to Baku on May 9-10.

 

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Russian FM pays tribute to memory of Armenian Genocide victims in Yerevan memorial

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 10:54, 6 May, 2021

YEREVAN, MAY 6, ARMENPRESS. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov visited today the Tsitsernakaberd Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan on the sidelines of his working visit in Armenia.

He was accompanied by Armenia’s caretaker foreign minister Ara Aivazian.

FM Lavrov laid a wreath at the Memorial, flowers at the Eternal Flame, honoring the memory of the Armenian Genocide victims.

Thereafter, the Russian FM watered the tree he had planted in the park of the Memorial back in 2007.

 

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Armenia’s caretaker FM raises POW issue during meeting with Russian counterpart in Yerevan

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 11:49, 6 May, 2021

YEREVAN, MAY 6, ARMENPRESS. During an extended-format meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Yerevan, Armenia’s caretaker foreign minister Ara Aivazian has raised the issue of ensuring the return of all prisoners of war and hostage-taken civilians from Azerbaijan, the Armenian MFA told Armenpress.

Armenpress presents Mr. Aivazian’s remarks at the meeting:

“Dear Mr. Lavrov,

Dear friends,

I am happy to welcome you in Yerevan. Your visit is a good occasion to continue discussing broad range of issues relating to the Armenian-Russian inter-state dialogue. I hope we will discuss more relevant issues of the bilateral agenda, which are of strategic direction.

The allied nature of mutual partnership between Armenia and Russia predicts the framework of matters which we address jointly for the benefit of further strengthening of the friendship between our peoples and the development of our countries under the conditions of security, peace and stability.

The active political dialogue and the broad foreign political coordination, the large-scale legal framework, which regulates the partnership of our countries in all areas, including in the defense field, create all the necessary conditions for the success of joint efforts. We are interested in promoting the bilateral relations through the comprehensive activity of mechanisms such as the inter-governmental commission for economic cooperation, the inter-parliamentary committee and the military-technical cooperation commission.

During your visit we started the discussions on the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and will continue those discussions during the day. In this context the creation of conditions for the resumption of the peace process under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, in the person of Russia, France and the US, which have a mediation mandate, is important.

The most important issue is to ensure the return of all prisoners of war and hostage-taken civilians by Azerbaijan. And this issue must be solved as quickly as possible, which is evidenced by numerous facts of continuous mass violations of international humanitarian law. The creation of elementary conditions for the return of displaced persons to their settlements, the provision of humanitarian aid to the population and the restoration of Artsakh’s economy are also an urgent matter. The preservation of the historical and cultural heritage which has come under the Azerbaijani control is also a very relevant issue. I am sure today we will exchange views on our future actions, including the unblocking of transportation communications as envisaged by the January 11 statement.

We will also touch upon the latest regional developments, also in the context of pushing forward the interests and countering the common threats.

We will also discuss the cooperation in the format of multilateral and integration unions. Being a key sector for inter-state cooperation, it also includes additional opportunities and advantages for the development of the Armenian-Russian relations. As you see, the topics for discussions are quite broad and substantial. Therefore, I once again welcome you in Yerevan”.

 

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Government’s debt to businesses reaches historic low, says Pashinyan

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 11:50, 6 May, 2021

YEREVAN, MAY 6, ARMENPRESS. In the last three years the government returned 200 billion drams to businesses, according to caretaker PM Nikol Pashinyan.

“The process of VAT return has always been historically problematic in Armenia. Hundreds of billions of drams in debts were accumulated and I want to say that as of April we have a historic minimum in terms of tax returns to businesses, meaning as of April the debt stood at 67,4 billion drams, and moreover we’ve surpassed our own record,” he said at the Cabinet meeting.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

Armenia lifts PCR test requirement for fully vaccinated travelers

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 12:16, 6 May, 2021

YEREVAN, MAY 6, ARMENPRESS. Travelers having certificates of being fully vaccinated (green pass) against COVID-19 won’t have to take an additional PCR test upon entering Armenia.

The decision was made today at the Cabinet meeting.

Caretaker Healthcare Minister Avanesyan said many countries are now changing their policies. “We see that some countries already have such policy that a vaccination certificate is facilitating the process, and then the time will come when vaccination will be the only way to cross the border,” she said.

The government also cancelled an earlier decision requiring children below the age of 1 to undergo a PCR test.

Caretaker PM Nikol Pashinyan said that the tourism sector is showing very little signs of recovery. “And from this perspective I find it important to enable travelers who’ve been vaccinated to enter our country without any additional examinations,” he said.

Editing and translating by Stepan Kocharyan

Third wave of COVID-19 shows stabilization signs in Armenia, Caretaker PM says

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 12:19, 6 May, 2021

YEREVAN, MAY 6, ARMENPRESS. The third wave of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Armenia is showing some signs of stabilization, Caretaker Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said at the Cabinet meeting, adding that the government has managed and manages the pandemic quite well.

“To put it mildly, some storms were being created around our steps in fighting coronavirus. I advise to all those people to see what has taken place in the countries which were shown to us to date, to see the dynamics, the number of cases and the situation of the healthcare system, the information is open. We had up to 2000 daily cases during the most crisis period, but the situation has never gone out of control”, he said.

Caretaker minister of healthcare Anahit Avanesyan reported that as of yesterday the number of people who have been vaccinated in Armenia against COVID-19 has reached 7,100.

Pashinyan praised this fact and recalled that most of the Cabinet members have been vaccinated.

 

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan