Author: Elizabeth Jabejian

World Bank provides Armenia with $7.4 million to improve hospitals’ capacity

Elizabeth Jabejian
ArmBanks.am, Armenia
Feb 5 2021
World Bank provides Armenia with $7.4 million to improve hospitals’ capacity
05.02.2021 14:49

YEREVAN, February 5. /ARKA/.Armenia’s health system response to COVID-19 and potential future pandemics, including hospitals’ capacity for case management and intensive care, will benefit from $7.4 million in Additional Financing for the Disease Prevention and Control Project, approved today by the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors, World Bank reported today.

It said the project will support the Government of Armenia in closing financing gaps for the construction and equipment of Martuni Medical Center in Gegharkunik region, and for the construction and equipment of a new medical center in Vayots Dzor region.

The challenges experienced in providing hospital care are acute, especially in Vayots Dzor region, which has not received investments to upgrade the hospital infrastructure for several decades. Due to limitations in hospital capacity during the pandemic for clinical management of COVID-19 cases in Vayots Dzor region, cases requiring intensive care were transferred to hospitals in surrounding regions, introducing delays in accessing services and increasing the risk of mortality.“Strengthening the supply of quality health care services has been at the heart of our support to Armenia’s health reforms,” said Sylvie Bossoutrot, World Bank Country Manager for Armenia.
“I am particularly pleased that this project will allow over 137,000 people in the Gegharkunik and Vayots Dzor regions to access quality medical care. I am also very proud of the number of regional medical centers we helped construct and equip: 18 in total, as a result of the longstanding collaboration between the World Bank and the Republic of Armenia.”

These investments, which benefit from lessons learned during the pandemic about building more inclusive health systems, will contribute to strengthening Armenia’s health resilience going forward.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has illustrated the critical importance of universal access to high-quality health care at the hospital and primary health care levels to respond to non-communicable diseases, detect the spread of infectious diseases, and prevent premature mortality,” said Dr. Adanna Chukwuma, World Bank Task Team Leader of the project. 

“Support provided through this project will reduce the time and monetary cost of accessing essential services, especially in the underserved region of Vayots Dzor.”

The $7.4 million in Additional Financing is an IBRD loan of variable-spread, with a 14.5-year grace period and a total repayment term of 25.5 years.

Since joining the World Bank in 1992, and IDA in 1993, commitments to Armenia have totaled approximately $2,434,734 million. -0-

Criminal case filed on committing murder attempt against Lt. General Jalal Harutyunyan

Elizabeth Jabejian

Save

Share

 15:04,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 30, ARMENPRESS. Criminal case has been filed for committing murder attempt against former defense minister of Artsakh, former commander of the Defense Army, Lieutenant-General Jalal Harutyunyan, Head of the PR department at the Office of the Prosecutor General of Armenia Arevik Khachatryan told Armenpress.

She added that the investigation continues. Jalal Harutyunyan has been questioned.

Spokesperson of the Investigative Committee of Armenia Rima Yeganyan stated that according to the aforementioned criminal case Jalal Harutyunyan has been recognized as a victim and has been questioned.

“As for the claim according to which Azerbaijan could not have known about his movement on its own, the victim didn’t provide such information to the body conducting the proceedings during the questioning”, she said.

Jalal Harutyunyan has been wounded in action in a military position.

On October 27, 2020, he was relieved from the position of Defense Minister of Artsakh.

President of Artsakh Arayik Harutyunyan awarded Jalal Harutyunyan with the Hero of Artsakh title.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Colonel-General Sergey Istrakov presents results of negotiations to Armenian Defense Minister

Elizabeth Jabejian

Save

Share

 18:30,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 29, ARMENPRESS. Defense Minister of Armenia Vagharshak Harutyunyan received on January 29 the head of the Russian delegation led by  Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, Colonel-General Sergey Istrakov, who visisted Armenia to participate in negotiations over Armenian-Russian defense cooperation.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the Defense Ministry of Armenia, Sergey Istrakov presented to the Armenian Defense Minister the results of the works done during the negotiations and informed about future joint programs.

Mikayel Minasyan: Lilit Makunts set to be appointed Armenian ambassador to US

Elizabeth Jabejian
Panorama, Armenia
Jan 23 2021

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has decided to appoint his My Step bloc’s leader Lilit Makunts Armenian Ambassador to the US for her “special merits”, Armenia’s former Ambassador to the Vatican Mikayel Minasyan said on Telegram on Saturday.

“Even if we assume that Makunts is not a bad person, there is no doubt that Makunts is an incompetent politician, furthermore, an incompetent diplomat,” Minasyan noted.

“Evidence of her ignorance is her foreign policy failures at various levels, including in inter-parliamentary relations. But it was Makunts whom Nikol Pashinyan entrusted to head first the Ministry of Culture, and then his faction. Makunts, known for being Nikol’s English teacher, has only one merit – Nikol believes in her unconditionally. That is why, sending her to the United States, he decided to kill two birds with one stone: to rescue her from a sinking ship and use her in a dirty game between the two superpowers [Russia and the US].

“Nikol’s political team managed to stray in power before Biden’s inauguration. It was decided to send Lilit Makunts after the State Department “cookies”, which the velvet revolutionaries dreamed of so much. It seems to them that dilettante Makunts will be able to save Armenia in the wake of the conflict of superpowers’ interests. Her expected appointment is a blow not only to the Armenian-US, Armenian-Russian relations and Armenia’s image, but also to our existence as an independent country…

“Two days ago, the Soros circles were ordered to step up anti-Russian rhetoric and start flirting with the United States. The decision to appoint Makunts will be the formalization and institutionalization of the geopolitical chaos which Nikol is drawing Armenia into.

P.S. Incidentally, Nikol Pashinyan has pledged to reconsider the practice of appointing individuals who are not considered career diplomats to the posts of ambassadors,” the ex-ambassador wrote. 

Armenian opposition leader calls for global pressure on Azerbaijan to achieve release of prisoners

Elizabeth Jabejian

Save

Share

 13:14,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 21, ARMENPRESS. The leader of the Bright Armenia (LHK) opposition party of the Armenian parliament Edmon Marukyan has called on the international community to ramp up pressure on Azerbaijan to release the Artsakh War PoWs that are held in captivity months after the war ended.

Marukyan says that France and the United States should join the efforts of their OSCE Minsk Group partner Russia, as well as Armenia, in achieving the repatriation of the captives – one of the terms of the Nagorno Karabakh armistice.

The opposition leader says the entire international community should be consolidated in order to increase pressure on Baku, even achieve sanctions so that Azerbaijan returns the Armenian captives.

“In terms of humanitarian law they are wrong, they are wrong in terms of wartime rules of engagement, they are wrong even in terms of the rules by which the ceasefire was signed – Azerbaijan is wrong under all rules,” Marukyan said.

“I believe that the United States and France – as two Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – should join the efforts of Russia and Armenia, and on top of that the EU and other countries should also join. The civilized world must unite around this issue and pressure Azerbaijan into returning the Artsakh prisoners of war and civilian captives to Armenia,” he said.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

Armenpress: Quarantine regime extended until July 11 in Armenia

Elizabeth Jabejian

Quarantine regime extended until July 11 in Armenia

Save

Share

 18:41, 11 January, 2021

YEREVAN, JANUARY 11, ARMENPRESS. According to the Government decision of January 11, the quarantine regime has been prolonged until July 11 aimed at diminishing the risks of spreading COVID-19.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the Ministry of Health, the adoption of the decision is conditioned by the fact that situation of the COVID-19 pandemic remains tense and the WHO warns of the 3rd wave of the rise of pandemic (given the experience of a number of countries like the UK, Spain, Germany, France, Russia).

At the same time, considering the existing situation over the pandemic in Armenia, some limitations have been lifted or mitigated, particularly,

  • Foreign citizens can enter Armenia also through land border, if at the check point they present document on negative COVID-19 test dating back 72 hours or less. If there are no relevant documents, the visitors can be tested at the checkpoint and be self-isolated until a negative result is received ( in the past this rule was applied only at the airports).
  • All limitations for public events have been lifted

Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan




Putin discusses NK conflict settlement with Security Council members

Elizabeth Jabejian

Save

Share

 16:12,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 15, ARMENPRESS. Russian President Vladimir Putin held a consultation today in a video-conference mode with the permanent members of the Security Council, the Kremlin press service reports.

Putin informed the Security Council members about the results of the January 11 talks held with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Moscow over the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

The Russian leader and the Security Council members also discussed relevant issues of the country’s domestic and foreign policy.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Second shipment of Greek aid for Armenians of Artsakh arrives in Yerevan

Elizabeth Jabejian
Greek News Times
Jan 9 2021
 
 
 
by Paul Antonopoulos
 
A shipment of humanitarian aid for the residents of war torn Artsakh arrived in Yerevan from Greece today.
  
This is the second shipment after an initial arrived in Yerevan from Greece on December 13.
 
The second shipment was delivered by the Greek Ministry of National Defense in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Armenian Blue Cross.
Accompanying the delivery of aid were delegates from of the Armenian Relief Society in Greece, as well as members of the Armenian National Committee and the Armenian Youth of Greece.
The delivery of aid was made to local government bodies and the local branch of the Armenian Relief Society.
On September 27, Turkey-sponsored the Azerbaijani military and Syrian mercenaries to invade Artsakh, culminating in a bitter ceasefire agreement in November that although ended the war, resulted in a massive loss of territory for the indigenous peoples.
 
This is the second shipment of Greek aid and it is expected that there will be more in the future with cooperation from the Greek Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
 

Today marks renowned Armenian filmmaker Sergei Parajanov’s 97th birthday

Elizabeth Jabejian
Panorama, Armenia

Jan 9 2021
Today marks renowned Armenian filmmaker Sergei Parajanov’s 97th birthday
 
 
Today, 9 January marks the 97th birthday anniversary of prominent Soviet Armenian filmmaker Sergei Parajanov.
 
Sergei Parajanov or Paradjanov (born Sarkis Paradjanian) was one of the 20th century’s greatest film directors, who made significant contribution to Ukrainian, Armenian and Georgian cinema. Born in 1924 in Tbilisi, Georgia, to an Armenian family, his work reflected the ethnic diversity of the Caucusus where he was raised.
 
His first major work was Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors (1964), which earned him an international reputation for its rich use of costume and color, and its whimsical portrayal of rural life. Possibly his greatest work, The Color of Pomegranates (1969), described the life of the Armenian poet Sayat Nova. The film angered the Soviet authorities, who claimed that it evoked nationalist sentiment.
 
Claiming that Parajanov promoted homosexuality, the government arrested him in 1973 and sentenced him to five years in a labor camp. A large number of prominent artists, writers and filmmakers protested his sentence, but Parajanov was only released four years later, in large part due to the efforts of French surrealist Louis Aragon. He was banned for making films for many years afterwards, when he was living in Tbilisi, but he was allowed to make The Legend of Suram Fortress (1984), which captured much of the color of his earlier work.
 
He managed to direct three more films before he died of cancer in Yerevan on 20 July 1990, aged 66. A house was built for him in Yerevan which was completed shortly after his death, but which now houses all his belongings and has been turned into the Parajanov Museum.