Tigran Abrahamyan: Army incidents continue amid lack of appropriate measures

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Armenia – Feb 4 2022

MP Tigran Abrahamyan from the opposition With Honor faction on Friday expressed serious concern over the recent incident in a military unit in the town of Kapan, in which one of the soldiers was mistreated and suffered injuries.

“As far as I understand, the serviceman is still out of the military unit and his family refuses to send him back,” he wrote on Facebook.

Given that the details of the incident are not known yet, the lawmaker refrained from making further comments on its possible reasons and those responsible for it, but he raised a number of key issues related to the military.

“First, incidents caused by non-statutory relationships continue in the army, while the leadership of the Defense Ministry and the army’s General Staff do not take tangible and appropriate measures in this regard,” Abrahamyan said.

“Second, the dominance of negative phenomena affecting the army and passed from the society lies at the basis of such incidents. At different stages various mechanisms have been used to contain them, but at present they fail badly.

“Regardless of the circumstances of the involvement of individual servicemen, officers or the serviceman identified as a victim in the case, this is a systemic problem, which cannot be resolved in an episodic or intermediate form.

“Third, the balance in relationships between commanders and soldiers is upset, making such incidents inevitable,” the MP noted.

Central Bank expects food prices will increase at slower rates this year

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 16:09, 1 February, 2022

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 1, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia expects that this year, compared to 2021, the prices of food products will increase at slower rates. The Bank has also calculated the inflation expected as a result of the increase in electricity, water tariffs, CBA President Martin Galstyan said at a press conference.

“The prices of food products have increased by nearly 12%. And it is mainly caused by two sources: the first one is the inflation coming from external markets which is a global phenomenon. For instance, at this moment the inflation in Armenia is 7.7%, meanwhile the United States ended the year with nearly 7% inflation, the country hasn’t seen such inflation since 1982. If I am not mistaken, the inflation in Russia is 8.4%”, the CBA Governor said, recalling that the inflation in Armenia has decreased to 7.7% from 9.6%.

The second source of inflation is the increase in prices of several seasonal goods. “To expect that this year inflation in terms of food products will repeat its behavior of 2021, I think it is not so according to our base scenario. We expect that the food prices will increase at slower rates”, he said.

The Central Bank has also calculated the expected inflation as a result of the change in prices of water and electricity. Accordingly, it will comprise nearly 0.6%.

The Central Bank assesses its work in terms of restraining the prices as positive. “Our calculations show that if last year we haven’t taken actions, and if those actions haven’t been directed for the future, our inflation would have been 15%, not 11% for the food products, which supposes that the food inflation would have been more than 20%. We expect that we will approach our targeted figure by the end of the year”, Martin Galstyan said.

The price of electricity increased in Armenia by 4.7 drams starting February 1, 2022.

Hamazkayin W.R.L.G. Armenian Book Club Paruyr Sevak by Mr. Saro Nazarian 1/27/22

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Hamazkayin Western Region Literary Group presents Armenian Book Club presents Paruyr Sevak Lectured by Mr. Saro Nazarian on Thursday, January 27, 2022 at 8pm (PDT) on Zoom. Contact Anna Seferian for details (818) 631-7611.


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Artur Vanetsyan: Army Day should be celebrated alongside soldiers

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Armenia – Jan 28 2022

MP Artur Vanetsyan, head of the opposition With Honor faction and Homeland Party, along with MP Tigran Abrahamyan from the same faction headed to border positions on the Army Day to study the security issues and support servicemen.

“The Army Day should be celebrated alongside soldiers. With Tigran Abrahamyan we will visit a number of positions to study the security issues, support soldiers and officers. Let’s go,” he said, sharing a photo.

Armenia today celebrates the 30th anniversary of the creation of its armed forces.

EBRD to provide US$25 million to Ameriabank for private sector lending

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 16:12,

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is providing a US$25 million financial support to Ameriabank in Armenia for on-lending to private businesses in the country.

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As part of the financing package Ameriabank will receive US$ 10 million under the Women in Business (WiB) programme for on-lending in local currency to women-led small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs). The programme combines financing, technical assistance, risk mitigation in the form of first-loss cover for local financial institutions, supported by the Small Business Impact Fund,and business advisory services to support women-led SMEs. Technical assistance and advisory services are jointly funded by the European Union (EU),and Sweden.

Additional US$ 10 million will be to support the development of the local micro, small and medium size enterprises (MSMEs).

Ameriabank will also receive US$ 5 million under the EU4Business-EBRD credit line, supported by the EU, for on-lending to local SMEs with export potential for investments in upgrading technologies and services to the EU standards while promoting the use of green technologies.

The EU4Business-EBRD Credit Line is a flagship initiative helping local companies increase their competitiveness at home and abroad by upgrading their production facilities and processes to the EU standards. At least 70 per cent of the loan proceeds will be used to finance investments in green technologies in accordance with the EBRD Green Economy Transition (GET) approach. Borrowers are eligible to receive incentive grants and technical advice, both funded by the EU under the EU4Business initiative.

Ameriabank is one of the leading banks in Armenia and ranked first by assets, loan portfolio and clients accounts and deposits. It is a major contributor to the Armenian economy, with assets exceeding AMD 1 trillion. Being a dynamically developing universal bank, Ameriabank provides a large package of innovative banking services through its omni-channel distribution platform and with clear focus on digital products. Ameriabank is committed to doing business responsibly and advancing Armenia’s transition towards a sustainable future. Since 2015 the EBRD is also a shareholder in the bank holding a 17.8per cent stake.

The EBRD is a leading institutional investor in Armenia. The Bank has invested more than €1.51 billion in 189 projects in the country’s financial, corporate, infrastructure and energy sectors, with 88 per cent of those investments in the private sector.

Central Bank of Armenia: exchange rates and prices of precious metals – 20-01-22

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 17:26,

YEREVAN, 20 JANUARY, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 20 January, USD exchange rate up by 0.01 drams to 481.66 drams. EUR exchange rate up by 0.40 drams to 546.54 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate down by 0.01 drams to 6.29 drams. GBP exchange rate up by 0.64 drams to 656.31 drams.

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

Gold price up by 150.80 drams to 28291.65 drams. Silver price up by 13.32 drams to 368.17 drams. Platinum price up by 495.86 drams to 15702.53 drams.

We will continue to fight for justice – 15th anniversary of Dink’s assassination commemorated in Istanbul

We will continue to fight for justice – 15th anniversary of Dink’s assassination commemorated in Istanbul

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 19:00,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 19, ARMENPRESS. A commemoration event was held on January 19 near the former editorial office of the Armenian newspaper Agos in Turkey, right where Hrant Dink, the late editor-in-chief of the newspaper, Istanbul-Armenian intellectual, was assassinated 15 years ago.

ARMENPRESS reports like every year, this year the intellectual’s wife, Rakel Dink, made a speech, saying, “It has been 15 years since the shots fired from behind took you away from us. I can still hear you. Every time you told what they did to your people, you were accused of betrayal, of hitting from behind… You always said: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, do good to those who curse you, pray for those who offend you.” I pray.”

In her speech, Rakel Dink referred to the human rights violations that have intensified in Turkey in recent years, the attempts to silence non-governmental opposition figures, and their arrests.

“When you were buried, the voice of rebellion and rejection rising from here was not silenced, it will not be silenced. Workers, women, students, peasants are struggling again. One day they will unite again and become a torrent,” the intellectual’s wife said.

The ceremony was attended by Armenian MP Garo Paylan, Dink’s friends and ideologues, intellectuals and activists. “We are here and we will continue to fight for justice,” Dink’s friends said.

Hrant Dink, an Armenian intellectual from Istanbul, was shot dead on January 19, 2007, in front of the editorial office of his own Agos newspaper. The shooter was Turkish nationalist Ogun Samast, who was only 17 years old at the time of the crime. The court sentenced him to 22 years in prison. The organizer of the murder, Yasin Hayal, was sentenced to life in prison on January 17, 2012. The real motives and those standing behind the crime are still unknown.

How many tourists from which countries visit Armenia ahead of New Year holidays?

  NEWS.am  
Armenia – Jan 15 2022

The number of tourist visits to Armenia in December 2021 was 66,738, the Tourism Committee informed in response to a written inquiry by Armenian News-NEWS.am.

Most of these tourists came to Armenia from Russia (24,048), Georgia (10,946), Iran (5,965), the Philippines (1,912), Ukraine (1,454), India (1,451), USA (1,193), United Arab Emirates (1,077), Kazakhstan (680), France (658), and Turkey (620).

“Not too tense” – Deputy Defense Minister on situation at Armenian-Azerbaijani border

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 13:32,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 11, ARMENPRESS. The situation at the Armenian-Azerbaijani border remains “not too tense” in the recent period, but authorities don’t rule out that tensions might happen at any moment, according to the Deputy Minister of Defense Arman Sargsyan.

“I can’t go into details,” he said, calling on reporters to follow official news.

“Overall, provocations and incidents have taken place and could happen again,” Sargsyan added.

He said that the Ministry of Defense has never concealed anything and all information is being regularly communicated to the public.

Baroness Cox urges UK to aid thousands of displaced Armenians

Jan 8 2022

PanARMENIAN.Net – The United Kingdom should ensure the provision of urgent humanitarian assistance to thousands of Armenians displaced by war, Baroness Caroline Cox told a parliament debate on mass displacement on Thursday, January 6.

Baroness Cox said weighed in on the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh and said that 80% of the historically Armenian enclave is now occupied by Azerbaijan.

“In 2020, more than 91,000 people fled to Armenia from Nagorno-Karabakh; 88% of them were women and children. More than 40,000 people were deprived of their homes in areas such as the Shushi and Hadrut regions, which are still under the occupation of the Azerbaijani armed forces,” the Baroness said.

“I have had the painful privilege of visiting the region more than 85 times, during the wars in the 1990s and in 2020. Last September, I visited Syunik region in Armenia to witness the suffering caused by Azeri military incursions into Armenian territory, causing displacement of local villagers within Armenia itself. Countless refugees describe the anguish of the loss of loved ones, and Azerbaijan still violates the conditions of the 2020 ceasefire by detaining Armenian prisoners of war and civilians, and perpetrating atrocities, sometimes taking a prisoner’s phone to film horrendous activities, then sending the pictures back to their families.”

Cox remembered refugees describing the loss of livelihoods, agricultural lands, water resources, and other vital infrastructure.

“Yet the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh have received almost no support from the British Government. The UN Secretary-General’s official spokesperson in May last year unequivocally indicated that it is Azerbaijan that, despite the calls of the international community, and the UN in particular, has not provided permission for unhindered humanitarian access in Nagorno-Karabakh, and that situation remains the same,” she said.

“In conclusion, can Minister [Zac Goldsmith] confirm that the UK will no longer turn a deaf ear to this cry for help, and will ensure the provision of urgent humanitarian assistance to the thousands of Armenians displaced by war? In both Nigeria’s Middle Belt and Nagorno-Karabakh, the UK has failed to acknowledge, let alone address, the root causes of mass displacement. Perpetrators have carried out atrocities with impunity. There has been no justice or support for victims and their families. I urge the Minister to give greater priority to the problems I have identified and to many others suffering in similar situations.”