Author: Christine Harutyunian

Pashinyan congratulates Johnson on 30th anniversary of establishment of Armenia-UK diplomatic relations

Christine Harutyunian

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 12:23, 20 January, 2022

YEREVAN, JANUARY 20, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan sent a congratulatory message to Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Boris Johnson on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The message reads as follows,

“Your Excellency,

I cordially congratulate on the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Armenia and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

30 years ago, on January 20, our countries launched the process of strengthening the Armenian-British interstate partnership and the close contacts between the friendly peoples, based on historical interactions, common values, practical interests, mutual respect.

This jubilee is an important milestone to evaluate the relations between the two countries, to reassess the path passed together, to outline the new perspectives for cooperation.

The United Kingdom has been a strong partner on the path of state-building of the newly independent Republic of Armenia, and today it contributes to the democratic reforms taking place in our country, to the protection of human rights and the strengthening of the rule of law.

I am convinced that the rich experience gained during these years provides ample opportunities to discover and use the full potential of the Armenian-British cooperation, giving a new impetus to the bilateral relations, including the economic partnership, and raising them to a qualitatively new level. In this context, I consider symbolic the summarization of the forthcoming Armenia-UK Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement, which will give a new quality to bilateral relations.

I am full of hope that with joint efforts we will be able to enrich the Armenian-British bilateral agenda with new initiatives and programs in the coming years for the benefit of our countries and friendly peoples.

Your Excellency, I once again congratulate all of us on the occasion of the 30-year anniversary, wishing our countries fruitful cooperation full of jubilees.”

Decommissioned Power Plant in Armenia to Host Crypto Mining Farms

Christine Harutyunian
CFX Magazine
Jan 23 2022
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Armenia will invite cryptocurrency miners in order to set up their hardware at an outdated thermal power station. TPP will be retired and it is planned that the government rents it to mining companies as well as other industrial businesses.

Hrazdan TPP equipment was deemed inefficient and obsolete. It produces high-priced electricity. Armenian authorities have taken the decision to close down the plant. Other, more profitable companies will have access to its premises and infrastructure (including power lines and pipelines).

Sputnik Armenia reports that the plan to lease out the former thermal station was approved by the Commission for Regulation of Public Services at its Wednesday meeting. According to Sputnik Armenia, a company that makes refrigeration units had already made arrangements for the transfer of some production to the TPP.

A free economic zone, Ecos, has been created in another area of the plant and it is currently open. This area will allow crypto farmers to be established by entities involved in digital currency extraction. In 2018, Armenia passed a law that legalizes crypto mining.

The mining sites will still have enough electricity even after the Hrazdan TPP has been decommissioned. Gazprom, a Russian company, built a new thermal power station with four power-generating units called Hrazdan-5. In November 2021, another TPP was completed by the Italian company Renco and Germany’s Siemens.

Armenia now boasts three new thermal power stations thanks to its state-run Yerevan TPP. According to the report, the electricity generated by these stations is much more costly than that produced by the Armenian hydroelectric power plant and the Armenian nuclear power station west.

The tiny nation of Caucasus, however, exports approximately 75% to Iran. Iran supplies Armenia with low-cost natural gas that is used for power generation. After the 2023 construction of the new transmission line connecting Armenia to the Islamic Republic, this cooperation will grow.

Iran has recognized cryptocurrency mining in 2019 as legal industry activity. The sector’s energy needs have also increased and both licensed and illegal miners were blamed for the country’s growing power deficit last year.

After rising demand, insufficient electricity supply and extremely hot weather caused by droughts and other extreme conditions, Hassan Rouhani declared a temporary ban against crypto mining. Tehran lifted restrictions on September as power consumption declined with cooler weather, but they were reintroduced in December to avoid blackouts in winter.

This story contains tags
Armenia, Armenian, Crypto, cryptocurrency farms, crypto miners,, crypto mining, Cryptocurrencies, Currency, decommissioned, Demand, Electricity, Energy, Hrazdan TPP, Iran, Mineers, mining, mine farms, power, supply, thermal power plants, TPP

What do you think Armenia’s plans are to provide favorable conditions for cryptocurrency mining? Please share your thoughts in the comment section.

Lubomir Tassav

Lubomir Tassev is a journalist from tech-savvy Eastern Europe who likes Hitchens’s quote: “Being a writer is what I am, rather than what I do.” Besides crypto, blockchain and fintech, international politics and economics are two other sources of inspiration.

CCAF calls on France to demand explanation and apology from Azerbaijan over Aliyev’s threats

Christine Harutyunian
panorama.am
Armenia – Jan 15 2022

The Coordination Council of Armenian Organizations of France (CCAF) called on the leadership of France to demand explanations and apology from Azerbaijan over president Ilham Aliyev’s recent remarks and threats to the  presidential candidate Valérie Pécresse. In a statement released on Friday the Organisaztion  suggested even to recall French Ambassador from Baku and ask the Azerbaijani Ambassador to leave France. 

To remind, in a recent interview Ilham Aliyev expressed frustration about Valérie Pécresse’s recent trip to Artsakh and stressed that the Azerbaijani side did not know about the visit, otherwise they would have detained them in the Lachin corridor. 

According to the CCAF statement, Valérie Pécresse has herself voiced concern over the threats and the rhetoric used by Aliyev. In her words, she was not afraid of those threats, yet was surprised at the lack of reaction from French leadership when a head of a foreign state threatened a presidential candidate. 

To remind, Valérie Pécresse from the conservative Les Républicains party visited Armenia and Artsakh in December were she had meetings with officials and locals. 

Opposition MP: Armenian authorities’ defeatist stance has made country a ‘weak link’ in region

Christine Harutyunian
panorama.am
Armenia – Jan 12 2022

Nikol Pashinyan is a “symbol of defeat” and his continued rule will lead to more and more defeats, MP Tigran Abrahamyan from Armenia’s opposition With Honor faction said on Wednesday.

His comments came after Azerbaijani forces freshly attacked Armenian combat positions in the eastern border area on Tuesday, killing three Armenian servicemen and wounding two others.

“The situation along Armenia’s eastern border and the likelihood of its possible expansion will be clarified if it becomes known what kind of preparatory work Azerbaijan is carrying out in different border areas, whether there is movement of troops or deployment of military equipment,” he wrote on Facebook.

“This morning, the Armenian Defense Ministry confirmed the death of our third serviceman, also reporting two wounded. The Armenian authorities’ defeatist stance and willingness to make concessions has made our country a weak link in the region. As a result, Armenia is always a victim even in issues that do not concern us.

“Nikol Pashinyan is a symbol of defeat and humiliation, and his stay in the current status will bring more and more defeats,” Abrahamyan said.

“Illegal and morally distorted system” – Armenian law enforcement agencies target syndicate running Ponzi scheme

Christine Harutyunian

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 10:40,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 12, ARMENPRESS. 11 people face criminal charges for launching and operating what Armenian authorities described as a “Ponzi scheme”.

The members of the organization began operating in 2016 in Armenia together with a number of foreign citizens, namely nationals of Iran and Canada. The scheme used the UK-registered Vodanet British LTD company name as its cover. It was launched in 2013 in Iran, the Investigative Committee said in a press release.

Authorities said the members of the criminal syndicate calling themselves VODA planned and operated an “illegal and morally distorted system” of recruiting new members and assets. As a result, the syndicate started recruiting many people under the pretext of “phased training courses” to obtain the opportunity to engage in business operations as an “internationally reputed company”. The recruited members were told to get registered at voda.net and vodanet.io online platforms and make fake hotel package bookings ranging from 450 to 21,000 USD, which was presented to them as a guaranteed investment and condition for joining their company.

Criminal investigations launched by Iranian law enforcement agencies in June 2018 led to Vodanet British LTD ceasing operations, and the voda.net and vodanet.io websites were shut down, and this in turn led to the fraud mechanism being disbanded and divided among several syndicates.

Then, several members of the syndicate re-organized and registered a company called Onyxum in Canada, launching an eponymous website and recruiting the main coordinators of Vodanet British LTD and re-launched operations in Armenia already with improved methods with intent to gain more assets from new investors. Onyxum then opened offices in Yerevan and other cities to recruit numerous citizens who were made to believe that they’ll be able to make money with the condition of recruiting new members.

Authorities said they continue investigating the scheme to reveal all potential criminals.

The Investigative Committee called on everyone to refrain from using Onyxum.com website or services rendered by its offices.

Armenpress: Kazakhstan declares state of emergency throughout of the country

Christine Harutyunian

Kazakhstan declares state of emergency throughout of the country

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 21:30, 5 January, 2022

YEREVAN, 5 JANUARY, ARMENPRESS. A state of emergency has been declared throughout Kazakhstan, ARMENPRESS reports “Mir 24” TV channel informed, citing “Sputnik Kazakhstan”.

According to TASS, eyewitnesses reported that protesters in Almaty seized the building of the local headquarters of the National Security Committee.

Earlier, the protesters set fire to Almaty’s Branch of National TV Channel of Kazakhstan. They also stormed the former president’s residence in the former capital, Almaty, as well as the Almaty administration building. Protests in Kazakhstan began on January 2 over the sharp rise in liquefied natural gas prices in the southwestern cities of Zhanaozen and Aktau. Two days later, riots broke out in Almaty, where police used light and sound grenades to disperse the crowd, as in other cities.




Azerbaijani border guard arrested in occupied Artsakh village after killing three fellow servicemen

Christine Harutyunian
panorama.am
Armenia – Jan 4 2022

An Azerbaijani border guard was arrested in a village in the occupied Berdzor district of Artsakh after killing three military staff members at a border outpost on Sunday, Gazeta.ru reported, citing the Azerbaijani Military Prosecutor’s Office.

The reasons for the incident remain unclear.

The man, identified as Sergeant Elkhan Avazly, opened fire on his fellow servicemen “for no apparent reason” and killed a first lieutenant and two noncommissioned officers, who were at that time at the border outpost. The suspect then dropped his weapon and fled, RT reported.

He was apprehended on January 3, shortly after midnight.

All the circumstances of the incident are being established, the military said.

Armenian representative gets acquainted with detention conditions of Istanbul-Armenian intellectual Sevan Nishanian

Christine Harutyunian

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 18:13, 3 January, 2022

YEREVAN, JANUARY 3, ARMENPRESS. The representative of the Embassy of Armenia in Greece got acquainted with the detention conditions of Istanbul-Armenian intellectual Sevan Nishanian, ARMENPRESS reports the Embassy said on its Facebook page.

“Today, the representative of the Armenian Embassy in Greece visited the police department of Samos island where Istanbul-Armenian intellectual Sevan Nishanyan is located, got acquainted with the conditions”, the Embassy said.

Earlier, the embassy reported that it was aware of the process taking place around the Armenian intellectual from Istanbul, citizen of the Republic of Armenia Sevan Nishanian, and was taking all possible steps to resolve the issue.

Sevan Nishanian was sentenced to 17 years in prison in Turkey in 2014, but escaped from prison in 2017. On July 25, 2017, Nishanian applied to the Greek authorities for asylum. The Greek government has not extended the residence permit for Nishanian on the occasion of her marriage to a Greek citizen, which expired on December 29. According to the media reports, Nishanian was arrested on December 30 due to the expiration of his residence status. It is mentioned that a decision will be made to deport Nishanian.

Nishanian was arrested for allegedly some “construction frauds”. However, the media had stated that he was imprisoned because of publicly criticizing the Turkish Government. He always raised the issue of the Armenian Genocide in Turkey.




Aliyev ‘Azerbaijanizes’ Yerevan Teachers’ Seminary

Christine Harutyunian
 News.am 
Dec 30 2021
Aliyev ‘Azerbaijanizes’ Yerevan Teachers’ Seminary
11:41, 30.12.2021

The president of Azerbaijan has come up with a new initiative which aims to create a “basis” for territorial claims against Armenia.

This time Ilham Aliyev has “Azerbaijanized” the Yerevan Teachers’ Seminary.

According to Azerbaijani media, Aliyev signed an order Wednesday to prepare the events for the 140th anniversary of the “Irevan Teachers’ Seminary.”

The Ministry of Education of Azerbaijan has prepared a respective program, and the Cabinet of Ministers has been instructed to resolve the matters arising from this order.

The decision, in particular, states that the seminary, which was established in 1881—that is, half a century before the emergence of Azerbaijan—”has made a commendable contribution to the preservation of the Irevan mahal where Azerbaijanis formed a majority in the preservation of the traditional content and activities of social, literary, scientific, and cultural life. They have written memorable pages in the annals of pedagogical thought.”

But the obvious fact that this education institution was called a “seminary” and, accordingly, it presupposes Christian education, does not seem to bother the Azerbaijani authorities.

To note, the aforesaid is not the first declaration by Ilham Aliyev about Yerevan “belonging to Azerbaijan.” Previously, he had claimed that the Armenian capital was “the homeland of his ancestors.”

Artsakh sappers destroyed 859,029 explosives and ammunition since September 2020

Christine Harutyunian
panorama
Armenia – Dec 30 2021

The officers of the Artsakh Republic Humanitarian Demining Center have detected 173 remnants of weapons of different calibre in Martuni, Martakert and Askeran regions in the past week, the Artsakh Republic State Service for Emergency Situations. According to the source, 215 weapons of large calibre were detected and neutralized and more than 92,400 sq. m territory has been cleared of unexploded ordnance. 

In total, since September 2020, 859,029 explosives and ammunition have been detected and destroyed in the territory of the Republic.