Author: Emil Lazarian

 14:58, 6 June 2023

YEREVAN, JUNE 6, ARMENPRESS. Water levels in Armenia’s reservoirs, especially large ones, are low and the authorities could authorize additional drainage from Lake Sevan for irrigation purposes, a senior government official said Tuesday.

Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures Vache Terteryan told lawmakers at a joint committee hearing on the 2022 budget report that in 2022 the government authorized the drainage of 170 million cubic meters of water from Lake Sevan, but only 165,1 was used.

“This year we have rather little water accumulated in especially large reservoirs, especially in Akhuryan, Azat and Aparan. And it’s going to be a difficult year. We must do everything to mitigate the [consequences] of low water levels, but at a given time, together with the parliament we will be forced to discuss draining additional volume of water from Sevan,” Terteryan said.

Terteryan said authorities will do everything to try to avoid additional drainage, but a realistic assessment of the situation shows that it will be necessary.

For comparison, Terteryan noted that in 2021 the water level in reservoirs was 20-30% more than this year.

 20:20, 6 June 2023

YEREVAN, JUNE 6, ARMENPRESS. On June 6, between 11:00 and 17:30, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces violated the ceasefire in the central, eastern and southeastern directions of the contact line by using small firearms.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Artsakh, the Armenian side has no losses.

The ceasefire violations were reported to the command of the Russian peacekeeping troops.

 11:17, 6 June 2023

YEREVAN, JUNE 6, ARMENPRESS.  Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople Sahak II Mashalian will travel to Armenia to participate in the upcoming sessions of the Supreme Spiritual Council chaired by Catholicos Karekin II of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

In a statement, the Patriarchate said that Sahak II will be in Armenia until June 13.

 11:20, 6 June 2023

YEREVAN, JUNE 6, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has signed a decree on setting up an inter-departmental working group charged with the construction of a new nuclear power reactor.

The task force will deal with conducting studies on the construction of a new nuclear power reactor, the expediency of small modular reactors and the selection of required technologies.

 12:52, 6 June 2023

YEREVAN, JUNE 6, ARMENPRESS.  The Sotk Gold Mine has ceased operations in the open section of the mine due to safety concerns but continues to work in the closed part, Governor of Gegharkunik Karen Sargsyan told reporters.

“Overall, the intensity of gunfire in border towns of the province has decreased. Regarding the Sotk mine, the work in the mine’s open section is suspended due to safety precautions, but the work continues in the closed section. The Sotk mine is working partially,” he said.

 13:14, 6 June 2023

YEREVAN, JUNE 6, ARMENPRESS. The restoration work in the towns and villages in Gegharkunik Province that suffered damages in the 2022 September attack by Azerbaijani armed forces are nearing completion, Gegharkunik Governor Karen Sargsyan said at a press briefing.

He said that authorities are now assessing the resources required for dealing with the four partially collapsed homes that are unfit for restoration. Furthermore, farmers who lost livestock have received assistance and their damages have been almost completely restored.

 16:52, 5 June 2023

YEREVAN, JUNE 5, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian Government has set up a commission on nuclear energy which studies the global market to find the most appropriate offers, the Director of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) Movses Vardanyan said at a June 5 panel discussion on Armenia’s nuclear energy.

He said that Armenia should begin considering the construction of a new power plant today.

“In this regard Armenia is a specific country and has several demands,” Vardanyan said at the Nuclear Energy as One of the Mechanisms Ensuring Armenia’s Energy Security and Independence discussion. “First of all, the issues related to safety and seismic resistance are important to us, we also consider financial and logistic issues and many other aspects. As you know, in February 2023 our partners at the Rosatom Energy Projects submitted the preliminary technical-economic substantiation of building two 1200 MW reactors in Armenia. They take into consideration all our demands and issues, and we already have that project on hand. We are also working with our South Korean partners who have offered 1000 and 1400MW reactors, as well as modular nuclear reactors. We are also studying the French variant. We are also studying American modular reactors. I once again emphasize that we will prioritize safety, financial expediency and logistics,” Vardanyan said.

 17:20, 5 June 2023

YEREVAN, 5 JUNE, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 5 June, USD exchange rate up by 0.06 drams to 387.28 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 2.80 drams to 414.12 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate down by 0.02 drams to 4.76 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 5.47 drams to 479.72 drams.

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

Gold price down by 134.40 drams to 24445.09 drams. Silver price up by 4.96 drams to 297.40 drams.

 14:25, 29 May 2023

YEREVAN, MAY 29, ARMENPRESS. The Artsakh/Nagorno Karabakh presidency has responded to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s latest statement demanding the elected officials of Nagorno Karabakh to surrender.

Presidential spokesperson Lusine Avanesyan issued a statement in response to Aliyev’s speech.

“Just a few days ago, the President of the Artsakh Republic called on the people and authorities of Azerbaijan to end the hatred and genocidal policy towards the people of Artsakh, to truly accept the principle of equality of people established by international law, the title and rights of the indigenous Armenian people to Artsakh.

At the same time, President Harutyunyan expressed his willingness to start a dialogue in an international format, based on the norms and principles of international law, especially on the principles of equality and self-determination of people, non-use of force and threat of force, peaceful settlement of disputes and principles of territorial integrity.

It is not the first time that Azerbaijan has spoken threateningly to the people of Artsakh after the Tripartite Declaration of a ceasefire, we have seen and continue to see manifestations of aggression in the form of local combat operations, blockade, energy and other pressures. This time, the President of Azerbaijan has added illegal demands to the elected authorities of the people of Artsakh.

The President and the National Assembly hold the primary mandate of the people of Artsakh, elected on democratic principles and on the basis of the Constitution of the Artsakh Republic. And the president of Azerbaijan is well aware that the main source of the subjectivity of Artsakh is those state institutions, and, in fact, with such demands, he recognizes the legitimacy and importance of those institutions.

Along with the active international efforts aimed at ensuring lasting peace in the South Caucasus, the repeated threats of the Azerbaijani President to the people and statehood of Artsakh are aimed at undermining the perspective of the effectiveness of these efforts. Emphasizing once again that Azerbaijan does not respect any international principles and obligations, President Harutyunyan reaffirms the provisions of his May 23 message addressed to the parties of the Tripartite Declaration and the UN Security Council," Avanesyan said.