Author: Adrine Hakobian

Central Bank of Armenia: exchange rates and prices of precious metals – 12-05-20

Adrine Hakobian

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 17:47,

YEREVAN, 12 MAY, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 12 May, USD exchange rate up by 1.13 drams to 487.15 drams. EUR exchange rate up by 0.84 drams to 527.05 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate up by 0.04 drams to 6.63 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 0.45 drams to 600.56 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price up by 41.55 drams to 26668.87 drams. Silver price up by 7.82 drams to 241.9 drams. Platinum price up by 11.87 drams to 11856.31 drams.

Armenian PM: I hope that I bear the name of my war veteran grandfather with honor

Adrine Hakobian
News.am, Armenia
May 8 2020

22:56, 08.05.2020

Victory Day is a holiday that unites all civilized humanity. It is important not only for the CIS and post-Soviet countries but also for all states of the world, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan told Mir TV channel.

He said that his grandfather, Nikol Pashinyan, went to the front when his father was only a year old. Only a few photographs and a few stories about him were preserved. It is known about the fighting path of Nikol Pashinyan Sr. He was a sergeant of the 554th infantry regiment of the 138th division.

According to some documents, the PM’s grandfather died in February 1943, according to others, he went missing either near Stalingrad or in the Crimea.

The PM noted they only have several old photos of his grandfather.

“These are very cherished memories for our entire family. I hope that I bear the name of my grandfather, a front-line soldier, with honor,” the PM noted.

He added that the heroes of the Great Patriotic War are not forgotten in Armenian society. The main avenues of the capital are named after them and monuments have been erected in almost all cities. The prime minister noted that on May 9 – despite the COVID-19 pandemic – festive events will take place in the country, a parade of fighters will take place, and 208 veterans will receive honorary prizes of over $ 600.

“The highest degree of human consciousness is to die for the motherland, and the heroes of the Second World War proved that they had reached this degree,” the PM noted.

CIVILNET.Criminal Cases in Limbo at Armenia’s Investigative Bodies

Adrine Hakobian
CIVILNET.AM

5 May, 2020 19:00

Following the Velvet Revolution of 2018, Armenian law enforcement agencies initiated corruption cases against former officials. Most of these cases involving high-level officials have been in the preliminary stage of investigation for a long time, and the bodies conducting the investigation are not sending the cases to court. Here is a recap of what the investigating agencies told CivilNet about these ongoing cases. 

Office of Armenia 3rd President issues statement on Armenian PM’s spokesperson’s Facebook post

Adrine Hakobian
News.am, Armenia
April 28 2020
Office of Armenia 3rd President issues statement on Armenian PM’s spokesperson’s Facebook post Office of Armenia 3rd President issues statement on Armenian PM’s spokesperson’s Facebook post

20:54, 28.04.2020
                  

The Office of 3rd President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan has issued the following statement:

“In response to inquiries from several presses, the Office of 3rd President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan has touched upon the Facebook post of Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan’s spokesperson that was also featured in the newpaper belonging to Nikol Pashinyan’s family.

“The irresponsible statements by a leader suffering from stubbornness to make the entire state and its legal system serve his own whims and personal revenge even amid this difficult socio-economic situation, have been beyond the boundaries of sound judgment and logic of law for a long time and can’t be interpreted.

As a matter of fact, it would be nice, if the spokesperson of the Prime Minister oversaw the meaningless live broadcasts of the Prime Minister on Facebook in order to prevent the deepening disappointment of the society and the dangerous consequences of that disappointment.”

Prosecutor General: No criminal case has been instituted regarding Artur Vanetsyan`s possible work for foreign special services

Adrine Hakobian
Arminfo, Armenia
April 30 2020

ArmInfo. No criminal case has been instituted regarding former NSS head Artur Vanetsyan’s  possible work for foreign special services. On April 30, RA Prosecutor General  Arthur Davtyan stated this in an interview with reporters.

To recall, earlier on Facebook, MP Hrachya Hakobyan turned to  Vanetsyan in the form of a question, noting whether it was possible  that he was recruited by foreign intelligence services, and resigned  as head of the NSS after the Prime Minister made him acknowledge this  putting the available facts . At the same time, the MP noted that  foreign agents are caught and judged only when they want to spoil  relations with a particular country, and Armenia, in his words, does  not want to complicate relations with any state.

Meanwhile, the Prosecutor General refused to comment on this  publication for journalists, noting only that this kind of  information should be confirmed based on the results of operational  activities. Davtyan only noted that no criminal case was opened  regarding Vanetsyan’s possible work for foreign special services. 

Coronavirus cases in Russia grow by 7,933 in one day

Adrine Hakobian

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 13:06, 1 May, 2020

YEREVAN, MAY 1, ARMENPRESS. The number of coronavirus cases in Russia rose by 7,933 to 114,431 in the past 24 hours, TASS reports citing the anti-coronavirus crisis center.

Meanwhile, 13,220 people have recovered, 1,169 people have died.

“In Russia, a total of 114,431 cases (+7.4%) coronavirus cases were detected in 85 regions. Over the past day, 1,601 people recovered and were discharged, for the entire period – 13,220 people. At the same time, 96 deaths were confirmed per day. For the entire period 1,169 people died from coronavirus”, the center said in a statement.

It was noted that 3,534 (44.5%) of the newly found cases were asymptomatic.

In late December 2019, Chinese authorities notified the World Health Organization (WHO) about an outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan, central China. WHO declared the outbreak of the novel coronavirus a global pandemic and named the virus COVID-19. 

According to the data of the World Health Organization, coronavirus cases have been confirmed in more than 210 countries and territories.




Armenian government predicts decline in taxes-GDP ratio due to COVID-19

Adrine Hakobian

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 13:15,

YEREVAN, APRIL 29, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian government predicts a decline in the pre-planned taxes-GDP ratio due to the coronavirus situation in the country, Finance Minister Atom Janjughazyan said during the parliamentary debate of the 2020 state budget law, in response to the question of opposition Prosperous Armenia faction MP Mikayel Melkumyan.

“Based on the results of 2019 the taxes in GDP were 22.6%. When the taxation base is being cut, it’s a negatively affecting factor on the tax-GDP ratio even under the quality of the same administration. In other words, we predict that the tax-GDP ratio will be 22.1% compared to the expected 22.6%”, the minister said.

In other words, 6 trillion 485 billion drams nominal amount in GDP and 1 trillion 433 billion of it in tax revenues are predicted.

According to the bill on making changes in the Law on the 2020 State Budget, in fact it is expected to attract nearly 260 billion AMD additional debt funds to mitigate the economic consequences of the novel coronavirus.

 

Reporting by Anna Grigoryan; Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Armenian leadership stresses the importance of cooperation with Israel

Adrine Hakobian
MediaMax, Armenia
 
 
 
 
Yerevan/Mediamax/. On the occasion of the Independence Day in Israel, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and President Armen Sarkissian have addressed congratulatory letters to their Israeli counterparts Benjamin Netanyahu and Reuven Rivlin, respectively.
 
“We highly appreciate the positive dynamic in the development of Armenian-Israeli relations and we consistently underline the importance of strengthening cooperation with Israel and taking it to a new level in various sectors,” said Nikol Pashinyan.
  
Armen Sarkissian’s letter says in particular:
 
“I attach significant importance to direct dialogue and continuous cooperation between Armenia and Israel during crisis as well, especially now, when the humankind is trying to overcome the challenges of the pandemic through joint efforts.”
 
 
 
 

Bonuses worth AMD 33,400,000 were allocated to Armenia President’s Staff in February

Adrine Hakobian
News.am, Armenia

21:45, 26.04.2020
                  

The last time the employees of the Staff of the President of Armenia received bonuses was in February 2020, as and within the time limit prescribed by law, in the total amount of AMD 33,400,000, which is the equivalent to USD 69,000. This is what the Staff of the President of Armenia said in response to the inquiry of AntiFake.am, adding that no other bonuses have been paid.

In response to the inquiry, the Department of Public Relations of the Staff of the President of Armenia reports that there haven’t been and there are no bonuses or premiums paid on a monthly basis. The Department also reports that President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian hasn’t received bonuses since the day he assumed office and gears his salaries towards the implementation of various programs and projects.

COVID-19: Armenia’s healthcare ministry will propose government to extend state of emergency

Adrine Hakobian

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 16:48,

YEREVAN, APRIL 10, ARMENPRESS. Armenia’s ministry of healthcare will propose the government to extend the current state of emergency over the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), Healthcare Minister Arsen Torosyan said at a press conference.

“Our proposal to the government will be to extend the state of emergency. Of course, the decision will be adopted taking into account many factors, however, in my view, in order to ensure the continuation of our actions, the state of emergency is important”, the minister said.

On March 16 Armenia declared a 30-day state of emergency to battle the spread of COVID-19. The state of emergency is effective until April 14, 17:00.

According to the latest data, the total number of people infected with coronavirus in Armenia is 937. The death toll is 12. 5,144 people tested negative so far. The number of recovered patients has reached 149.

 

Reported by Anna Grigoryan

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan