Author: Albert Nalbandian

“Some 7,000 employees work at the institutions of Armenia’s National Academy of Sciences. How is the issue concerning the status of these institutions going to be resolved now? How are they going to be funded? Not to mention that the average salary in these institutions is low, standing at around 100,000 drams,” MP Mikayel Melkumyan from the opposition Prosperous Armenia Party said at the parliamentary debates on the package of bills on higher education and science on Wednesday.

In addition, the deputy highlighted the need to preserve the academic environment in universities.

“We are losing the academic environment. Which circle will become academic? You are talking about the administrative circle, but what is it? Thus, we will deprive the head of a university chair of the opportunity to exercise full control,” Melkumyan said, addressing Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Vahram Dumanyan.

In response, the minister said he totally shares the concerns over the academic environment in universities.

“As for the National Academy of Sciences, the institutions are becoming more independent in this case. There are no problems with scientific institutions, which is very good. Funding will be provided directly to the institutions. As for the leadership, it essentially remains, it simply does not interfere in administrative and financial matters. The bill allows an academic institution to set up networks. These networks can form a coordination council, which can involve persons holding leadership positions,” the minister said.

Mikayel Melkumyan, in turn, called for an increase in funding for science in the state budget for 2022 to address the challenges facing the country. The education minister also agreed with the deputy.

“Now funding makes up one percent of the expenditures. We should expect up to four percent with the available funds, but it is unrealistic for now,” Dumanyan said.

Russian servicemen at observation posts in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) conduct regular anti-terror training. While practicing actions, the military personnel of the peacekeeping contingent practiced occupying places at shooting positions in order to defend the post, as well as to block the route in order to stop movement, the Russian Defense Ministry reported on Monday.

The observation posts of the Russian peacekeeping contingent in Karabakh are equipped with checkpoint fortifications designed to protect military personnel from small arms and shrapnel, as well as to conduct a circular observation of the nearby territory.

Also, the infrastructure of the posts includes comfortable residential modules for the accommodation of personnel, a block module for cooking and eating, as well as a transport and technological block module equipped with units for supplying constant electricity, the ministry said.

All modules are equipped with the necessary household equipment, dishes, electrical appliances and heating and air conditioning systems.

Foreign Minister Zarif arrived in Nakhijevan Autonomous Republic on Saturday morning and held a meeting with the head of the parliament of the autonomous republic. At a briefing with reporters, the FM said he visited Nakhchivan to discuss the transit facilities and conditions of cooperation after the Karabakh war, IRNA news agency reported. 

In his words, countries should take steps so as the bitter experience of the war in the Caucasus not to be repeated. The only way to do so is through useful cooperation and Nakhijevan Autonomous Republic can have a unique role in this and in creating the transportation routes.

Speaking to the reporters after the meeting with the head of Nakhijevan parliament, Zarif expressed happiness that he started his regional tour in Baku and is bringing it to an end in Nakhchivan, adding that Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic is central to the future of peace in the region.

Based on the talks on his trips to Azerbaijan, Russia, Armenia, Turkey, and Georgia, Zarif hoped that they can create an all-out cooperation for connections in the region – through the South-North and South-West corridors, adding that the corridors will connect the Persian Gulf to Russia and to the Black Sea, in both of which NAkhijevan has an important role.

A new Caucasian Leopard has been identified for the first time in camera trap footage from Armenia’s Caucasus Wildlife Refuge (CWR), the Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets (FPWC) reported. 

According to the source, the latest arrival becomes just the fifth individual leopard to be recorded here since 2013, when our in-country partner, the Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets (FPWC), began tracking the big cats.

It is noted that there is a chance this latest discovery could gain even greater importance, as according to FPWC the new leopard may be a female. However, more footage is needed before their experts can be completely certain, but the prospect of a future breeding population in this vast protected area has caused much excitement in recent weeks.

“If true, this would mean there’s a real hope for leopards in Armenia,” says Ruben Khachatryan, FPWC’s Director. “The existence of a healthy reproductive population of leopards [would be] the cornerstone of the subspecies’ survival.”

The evidence at present is compelling. In the space of a month, this new leopard was spotted in the same area of the CWR as a known male leopard, Neo. According to FPWC, it is unlikely two males would be in such close proximity to each other.

Neo, like the potential female, is a young leopard – raising hopes that cubs may be on the horizon.  Both leopards have also been photographed by WWF Armenia in the Khosrov Forest State Reserve, adjacent to the CWR, said the source.