Contract serviceman Gor Hovhannisyan, born in 1993, was killed as a result of ceasefire violation by the Azerbaijani side at about 2:45 p.m. today, Artsakh Defense Ministry reports.
Investigation into the details of the case is under way.
The Artsakh Defense Ministry said it shares the sorrow of the heavy loss and offers condolences to Hovhannisyan’s family and friends.
The Azerbaijani side used firearms of different calibers as it violated the ceasefire about 55 times at the line of contact with the Artsakh forces last night.
The rival fired over 550 shots in the direction of the Armenian positions, Artsakh Defense Ministry reported.
The Azeri forces also used an anti-tank grenade launcher in the southern direction.
The front divisions of the NKR Defense Army keep the situation under control and confidently continue with their military duty.
Today marks the 25th anniversary of the founding of the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund. On March 3, 1992, as decreed by the first president of the Republic of Armenia, there came into being an organization which was entrusted with a pan-national mission of foremost importance and named HAYASTAN ALL-ARMENIAN FUND.
On May 16, 1992, the fund’s 24-member Board of Trustees issued a statement, which said, “A devastating earthquake, thousands of homeless refugees, a dire situation faced by the Armenian population of Artsakh, an economy in shambles, and unrelenting blockades of the homeland: these and many other difficulties can be overcome only through the synergistic mobilization of the resources and efforts of the entire Armenian nation, and through united and harmonious work. Actively supporting the development and strengthening of Armenian statehood, which is the main prerequisite for the survival and prosperity of the Armenian people, and contributing to the economic, scientific, educational, spiritual, and cultural development of the homeland must be an honor and a matter of duty for each and every Armenian.”
Today, in the 25th year of its existence, the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund encompasses affiliates across the globe, legions of volunteers devoted to its patriotic mission, benefactors and grassroots donors who view the development of the homeland as a sacred duty, and a wide range of vitally important projects that have been implemented through collaborative work. In the past quarter century, thanks to the powerful unity of Armenians throughout the world, the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund has carried out a long string of projects, including roads, hospitals, schools and kindergartens, water and gas pipelines, and initiatives fostering excellence in the arts, sciences, and culture. Our each accomplishment is a message to the international community that despite facing a myriad of challenges, independent Armenian statehood perseveres, and that we must and will do everything it takes to defend and bolster it.
The achievements of the newest chapter of our history are the legacy we must leave to the new generation, to which we must also pass on a strong belief in collective strength and unwavering dedication to the homeland.
The NKR Defense Ministry reports 44 ceasefire violations by the Azeri side at the line of contact with the Karabakh forces overnight.
The rival used firearms of different calibers as it fired over 500 shots in the direction of the Armenian positions.
The Azeri forces used a 60 mm mortar and an antitank grenade launcher in the eastern direction of the frontline, the Ministry aid.
The front divisions of the NKR Defense Army keep the situation under control and confidently continue with their military duty all along the line of contact.
On January 27 in Vienna, Edward Nalbandian, Foreign Minister of Armenia, had a meeting with Sebastian Kurz, the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Austrian Federal Minister for Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs.
During the meeting a number of issues of the Armenian-Austrian cooperation were discussed.
The Ministers noted, that it is symbolic that their meeting takes place on the days, when Armenia and Austria mark the 25th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations, and expressed satisfaction over the dynamic development of bilateral cooperation in different fields.
The interlocutors touched upon the issues concerning the different dimensions of the OSCE activity.
Edward Nalbandian and Sebastian Kurz praised the activity of the OSCE Office in Yerevan.
Foreign Minister of Armenia and the OSCE CiO exchanged views on the importance of the implementation of agreements reached at Summits on Nagorno-Karabakh, held in Vienna and St. Petersburg.
“The Council of Europe does not have a direct role in the negotiations, and always refers to, and supports the role of, the OSCE Minsk-Group. However, we are concerned about the humanitarian aspects of the conflict,” CoE Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland said in a statement.
“I am aware that the violations of the ceasefire on 29 December resulted in casualties, and that the Armenian Armed Forces are still holding the body of an Azerbaijani serviceman killed in the fighting,” he said.
“I urge the parties to respect the ceasefire, and I fully support the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group’s call for the return, without delay, of human remains – in accordance with the agreements of the Astrakhan Summit of 2010 – bearing in mind the humanitarian nature of this issue,” the Secretary General added.
Photo: AP
Turkish Public Prosecutor’s office released six relatives of Mevlut Mert Altintas who killed the Russian ambassador to the country, Sputnik reports.
On Monday, Andrey Karlov was killed by Turkish off-duty police officer Mevlut Mert Altintas at an art gallery exhibition opening in Ankara. Three more people were also injured in the attack. The Russian Foreign Ministry said it considered the attack a terrorist act.
Mevlut Mert Altintas’ father, mother, sister, two uncles and one of their wives have been released after testimony, the CNN Turk broadcaster cited law enforcement sources as saying. A farewell ceremony for the Russian ambassador is expected to take place on Thursday in the Russian capital, with President Vladimir Putin is expected to attend.
Germany’s highest court has rejected a string of complaints against a decision by the country’s parliament to label the killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks a century ago as genocide, the Associated Press reports.
The Federal Constitutional Court threw out eight complaints against the resolution approved by lawmakers in June.
It published one of the decisions Monday, in which judges said the plaintiff had failed to provide sufficient evidence that his fundamental rights had been violated and that no such violation was obvious.
The parliamentary vote infuriated the Turkish government and prompted it to withdraw its ambassador from Berlin for a few months.
Ankara also refused to let German lawmakers visit German military personnel stationed at Turkey’s Incirlik air base, but relented after the German government stressed the resolution isn’t legally binding.
Ambassador Piotr Antoni Świtalski, the Head of the European Union Delegation to Armenia launched today the Next Generation Anti-Corruption Game at the Tumo Center for Creative Technologies, which was created by Tumo and funded by the EU. This event was an opportunity to get acquainted with the demo version of the Next Generation Anti-Corruption Game.
This interactive and fun game aims to raise awareness about the risks of the corruption especially among the youth. It also aims to inform them about the prises they will get if they confront corruption, as they must know that this is a long term investment in personal and social prosperity.
16-20-year-old Tumo students work on creating EU-Tumo joint project’s anti-corruption game with the help of the centre’s experts.
The launching of the game was held under the slogan “Stop the Flow of Corruption”. The aim of “Stop the Flow of Corruption” entitled event is to reaffirm that the EU supports Armenia’s government and civil society in their efforts to fight against corruption.
Speaking to the guests, Ambassador Świtalski said “Education of corruption prevention and awareness-raising of the youth play an important role in the fight against corruption. Developing and educating a new generation in the values of integrity, democracy and transparency is one of the most powerful tools for ensuring a future where corrupt practices are not part of the normal way of life”.
The Hayastan All-Armenian Fund’s 17th annual Pan-European Phoneathon, held during November 16-20, has raised 1.34 million euros in donations and pledges exceeding the last year’s result by 1%.
The large-scale campaign mobilized the Armenian communities of France, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Greece.
In the course of the four-day Phoneathon, around 700 volunteers have called some 46,000 households, businesses, and organizations to request their support. This year’s phoneathon involved 1700 new donors.
Proceeds from the large-scale fundraising campaign will be used to rebuild Artsakh communities that have sustained heavy damage as a result of the four-day war this year, to support the continued growth of agricultural-development projects in Armenia’s Tavush Region, and to provide assistance to the Syrian-Armenian and Iraqi-Armenian communities. Proceeds from the Greek affiliate will be contributed to the construction of the kindergarten, now underway, in Artsakh’s Karin Tak village.
The Hayastan Fund’s European affiliates will continue to accept donations and pledges till January 15, 2017.