Author: Alex Jidarian

EU to provide €92million to Armenia to support immediate and short-term needs

Alex Jidarian

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 21:14, 8 April, 2020

YEREVAN, APRIL 8, ARMENPRESS. The EU will provide overall €92million to Armenia to support immediate and short-term needs. The funds will be directed towards supplying medical devices and equipment, training for medical and laboratory staff, support to SMEs and business community, as well as social and humanitarian assistance to those affected by the coronavirus outbreak, ARMENPRESS was informed from the office of the EU Delegation to Armenia.

“Further to our announcement last week on the support of the European Union to Armenia to fight against COVID-19 outbreak and after further restructuring of the existing programmes with the Armenian Government, we are proud to announce that the EU will provide overall €92million to Armenia to support immediate and short-term needs.

The funds will be directed towards supplying medical devices and equipment, training for medical and laboratory staff, support to SMEs and business community, as well as social and humanitarian assistance to those affected by the coronavirus outbreak. The EU’s response follows a Team Europe approach. It draws contributions from all EU institutions and combines the resources mobilised by EU Member States and financial institutions, in particular the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). Working together, Team Europe can muster a critical mass that few others can match’’.

PM compares police reforms in Armenia and Georgia

Alex Jidarian
News.am, Armenia
April 6 2020

22:16, 06.04.2020
                  

Police reforms were made more quickly in, for instance, Georgia after the Revolution of Roses. This is what Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan said in response to citizens’ questions today.

“Why were police reforms made more quickly in Georgia? One of the major reasons is that the revolution was made in the geopolitical context. There was no geopolitical context during the revolution that took place in Armenia, and the government still goes against the geopolitical context.

Yes, Armenia has partners, but doesn’t have sponsors. This is how we wanted it to be. Yes, this makes the process difficult, but there are also advantages,” Pashinyan said. He recalled the rally that the Civil Contract Party had held at Liberty Square in Yerevan on September 10, 2016 and his speech in which he had stated that there must not be pro-European, pro-Western or pro-Russian forces in Armenia since that means anti-Armenianism and that there also shouldn’t be anti-Russian, anti-American or anti-European forces.

Situation in border is under control, says Artsakh Defense Army’s Commander

Alex Jidarian

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 16:27, 31 March, 2020

YEREVAN, MARCH 31, ARMENPRESS. Commander of the Defense Army of Artsakh Jalal Harutyunyan says the situation in the border is under control.

“The border situation in the Defense Army’s territory is under control. Today everything is being done to further raise the vigilance in order to stay away from provocations”, he told reporters.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan




Alexis Ohanian, Serena Williams drink Armenian brandy during home isolation

Alex Jidarian
Public Radio of Armenia
April 1 2020

23-time Grand Slam winner Serena Williams has shared a video in Instagram stories, showing her and husband Alexis Ohanian drinking Armenian brandy during home isolation.

“Guys, I’m not a big fan of drink, but my husband came home with this 23- year-old Armenian brandy, so we’ll drink a glass. Can’t remember when I last drank, that was a long time ago,” said Serena.

Reddit and Initialized Capital co-founder Alexis Ohanian unveiled the Armenian Shakmat brandy in collaboration with Flaviar in 2018.

“The time has come for Armenian brandy to reclaim its rightful place on the World Spirits map. A hidden gem of flavor and tradition, its recognition is long overdue,” Ohanian then said. 

Shakmat (or shakhmat) is the Armenian word for chess.

“But our Shakmat is so much more than a game. It is a symbol. A symbol of life, persistence, patience, and wisdom of a people that do not fall, even when held in check,” Alexis says. 

Shakmat 23 Year Old is a premium brandy originating from the birthplace of winemaking. It is an embodiment of Armenia’s two national treasures – Chess and Konyak.

System of a Down’s Serj Tankian teams up with fellow Armenian artists Sebu & Misho for new song

Alex Jidarian
ABC News Radio
April 3 2020
System of a Down’s Serj Tankian teams up with fellow Armenian artists Sebu & Misho for new son

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Carlos Tischler/Getty ImagesSystem of a Down frontman Serj Tankian has teamed up with a pair of fellow Armenian artists for a new song.

The track, called “Introvert (Call Me Crazy),” was recorded with Sebu Simonian of the band Capital Cities, and rapper poet Misho.

“‘Introvert (Call Me Crazy)’ is a collaboration between three close friends who couldn’t be further apart geographically or artistically,” Sebu says. “The song is about introversion, desperation and psychosis.”

You can listen to the collaboration streaming on .

140 Armenians stranded at Russian-Georgian border allowed to head home

Alex Jidarian
Public Radio of Armenia


About 140 Armenian nationals stranded at the Upper Lars checkpoint at Russian-Georgian border were allowed to head to Armenia through the Georgian territory, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs informs.

This one-time transfer of the citizens of Armenia was carried out by 5 buses and 4 minibuses. Thanks to the efforts of the Consulate General of Armenia in Rostov-on-Don, the cars of the Armenia citizens were deployed in a special parking area with 24-hours surveillance.

The arrangement became possible as a result of negotiations with Russian and Georgian counterparts and thanks to their good will, the Foreign Ministry says

“We reiterate that according to the decision of the Government of Georgia, foreign nationals, including the citizens of Armenia, cannot enter the territory of Georgia, including through the Upper Lars checkpoint. The Upper Lars checkpoint is open exclusively for cargo transport, as well as to Russian and Georgian citizens returning to their homeland from the Russian Federation and Georgia respectively,” the Ministry reminds.

Cristiano Ronaldo in quarantine following teammate Daniele Rugani’s positive test for COVID-19

Alex Jidarian

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 15:40, 12 March, 2020

YEREVAN, MARCH 12, ARMENPRESS. Portuguese professional footballer Cristiano Ronaldo is currently in quarantine in his Madeira home after Juventus teammate Daniele Rugani tested positive for the novel coronavirus, Daily Mail reported.

Ronaldo will not return back to the coronavirus-hit Italy and will stay in quarantine in his home.

Last week Ronaldo and Rugani participated in the match against Inter Milan.

A pneumonia outbreak caused by the COVID-19 virus (previously known as 2019-nCoV) was reported in China’s city of Wuhan, a large trade and industrial center with a population of 12 million, in late December. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the coronavirus outbreak in China a global health emergency, characterizing it as an epidemic with multiple foci. Cases of the new coronavirus have also been reported in over 70 other countries. Currently the number of people infected with COVID-19 around the globe is over 120,000, with more than 4,000 deaths.




NATO Advisory Group in Armenia

Alex Jidarian
News.am, Armenia
March 13 2020

18:59, 13.03.2020
                  

From March 9 to 13, the Advisory Group of the NATO Defense Education Enhancement Programme (the Programme was created to assist the needs in Armenia’s sector of military education) was on a regular visit to Armenia, reports the news service of the Ministry of Defense.

The aim of the visit was to sum up the cooperation programs of the year 2019 and agree upon the paths for future cooperation along with the personnel of the Ministry of Defense and the Military Education Department and military educational institutions.

During the meeting hosted by the Ministry of Defense, the Armenian party presented the reforms made in military education and within military educational institutions.

The Advisory Group paid visits to military educational institutions where it had meetings with the administration and the organizers of education. The Advisory Group was provided with briefings regarding the revision of the educational institutions’ curricula, training of the professors, the new teaching methodology and certain projects being implemented with the support of the advisory group.

The members of the Advisory Group were also received by Deputy Minister of Defense Gabriel Balayan. During the meeting, they summed up the results of the visit, discussed issues on the agenda of reforms in the military education sector and earmarked the paths for future cooperation.

Central Bank of Armenia: exchange rates and prices of precious metals – 13-03-20

Alex Jidarian

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 18:11,

YEREVAN, 13 MARCH, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 13 March, USD exchange rate is up by 3.52 drams to 487.85 drams. EUR exchange rate is up by 0.11 drams to 544.59 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate is up by 0.21 drams to 6.71 drams. GBP exchange rate is down by 3.37 drams to 613.91 drams.

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

Gold price is down by 1,115.46 drams to 24636.02 drams. Silver price is down by 5.84 drams to 259.19 drams. Platinum price is down by 998.46 drams to 12688.95 drams.

We will make an announcement within half an hour – Pashinyan

Alex Jidarian

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 20:20,

YEREVAN, MARCH 12, ARMENPRESS. Following the session of the Civil Cointract Party held a while ago, PM Pashinyan informed that there will be an announcement within half an hour. “Dear reporters, we will make an announcement within half an hour”, ARMENPRESS reports Pashinyan as saying.

The situation over coronavirus was also discussed at the session.

Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan