Author: Boris Nahapetian

YEREVAN. – Past daily of Armenia writes: For a long time, the situation in the Armenian financial market has been quite volatile; day by day we witness the devaluation of the [US] dollar and the euro.

Among specialists, there is an opinion that some circles of the authorities are quite skillfully “warming [their] hands” in this market. Such opinions among the public have started to worry the authorities, and, as it seems, no matter how strange it sounds, they are attempting to use this currency situation for another bluff.

According to Past newspaper’s information, in recent weeks the authorities are assigning special “emissaries” to spread information among the population in the provinces that the devaluation of the dollar and the stabilization of the [Armenian currency] dram, against its background, will lead to a decrease in the prices of [natural] gas and electricity.

Moreover, we also have information that during the past one month, some satellites serving the authorities are spreading and circulating this topic on virtually all possible internet platforms. Our source conveys that the said “emissaries” are also attempting to convince the population that the authorities are already taking concrete steps in this direction, as if even a delegation went to Moscow to negotiate in connection with the topic.

However, a number of specialists in this domain emphasize that this is another bluff, as in this matter, an important circumstance is how long the strengthening of the dram will continue; after all, in the short term, that effect cannot be large, which can have no effect whatsoever on the price of [natural] gas, in particular.

https://news.am/eng/news/711087.html

The Yerevan-Istanbul flight of FlyOne Armenia airline was canceled Friday, its passengers were taken off the plane, and no information was provided for three hours.

This flight was canceled by the aircraft commander’s decision. Aram Ananyan, the chairman of the board of FlyOne Armenia, stated about this on Facebook live.

“The commander of the aircraft, seeing certain differences in the data sensors of the aircraft, decided to abort the flight. We believe it is a correct and justified decision. The RA [(Republic of Armenia)] aviation authorities have been informed about what happened, and after a few hours the flight will take place, all our passengers will reach the places where they had planned to leave,” Ananyan said.

The US administration has again reaffirmed the waiver of Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act, which bans direct military aid to Azerbaijan. In an interview with Voice of America, Brad Sherman, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and of the Congressional Armenian Caucus, expressed his disagreement with this decision

We should not abandon Section 907 and provide any assistance to oil-rich Azerbaijan, which has unleashed an aggressive war. The aid we provide is not large, but I believe it is important diplomatically; so, it should be stopped, said the US congressman.

In his opinion, American aid for humanitarian projects in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) should be increased, and Armenia should be given the opportunity to be included in the Millennium Challenge program.

The World Bank ranked Armenia among those with above-average income. I would like it to be so, but we have to take into account the economic consequences of the terrible war, the coronavirus pandemic, Sherman said.

The opposition “With Honor” and “Armenia” Factions of the National Assembly (NA) of Armenia on Friday issued a joint statement. It reads as follows, in particular:

“(…) the authorities of the day adopted decisions to recall NA vice president [and opposition member] Ishkhan Saghatelyan and NA Standing Committee on Economic Affairs chairman [and opposition member] Vahe Hakobyan from the [aforesaid] positions.

The situation is absurd in that it is being done to distract the public from the existing security challenges, the possible threat of war which they themselves have declared, the Berdzor [(Lachin)] issue, new concessions [to Azerbaijan], and the issue of not returning the [Armenian] prisoners of war [in Azerbaijan] to the homeland to this day.

The international community, despite the obvious retreat of parliamentarism, persistently tries not to notice the current situation, whereas such behavior by the [Armenian] authorities should have been followed by a sharp and immediate reaction [by the international community].

With this behavior, the authorities of the day once again confirm that they are concerned only with positions, busy with persecutions, lacking any opportunity to face the challenges facing the country, have no legitimacy, do not represent the interests of Armenia and Artsakh [(Nagorno-Karabakh)]. And under these conditions, [their] removal [from power] is inevitable.”