Author: Emil Lazarian

 19:25,

YEREVAN, MARCH 27, ARMENPRESS. On March 27, the Chair of the RA NA Standing Committee on Foreign Relations Sargis Khandanyan met with the Director General for European Issues of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic Jaroslav Kurfürst, ARMENPRESS was informed from the National Assembly of Armenia.

Welcoming the delegation in parliament of Armenia, Sargis Khandanyan noted that the relations of Armenia with the Czech Republic are based on the ties of friendship and solidarity.

According to him, now Armenia is in the continuous processes of democratic reforms and is consistent to the succeeded experience of the Czech Republic.

The Committee Chair noted that this year the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Armenia and the Czech Republic. According to him, during the past three decades, inter-state warm relations were succeeded to develop and at present, Armenia is ready to deepen the cooperation in all possible spheres of mutual interest with the Czech Republic.

As Sargis Khandanyan observed, the inter-parliamentary cooperation is rather active. He expressed conviction that the mutual interests will promote the strengthening of cooperation between the parliaments of two countries.

Armenia highlights the effective cooperation with the Czech Republic on the bilateral, as well as multilateral platforms, in the EU and multilateral formats, including the UN, the OSCE, the Council of Europe and other formats.

Jaroslav Kurfürst thanked Sargis Khandanyan for warm reception and words. He also emphasized the deepening of cooperation between the two countries, noting that on the occasion of the establishment of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, a number of events and mutual visits are scheduled.

According to the Director General for European Issues of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, the cooperation in parliamentary format has an important role for enriching the agenda of inter-state relations and deepening of the existing friendly ties.

The Committee Chair presented the situation in Armenia and in Nagorno Karabakh, spoke about the illegal blockade of the Lachin Corridor, underlining that as a consequence of closing of the only road connecting with the outside world, 120.000 residents of Nagorno Karabakh is in full blockade.

Issues of regional security were also discussed.

Yerevan /Mediamax/. Moscow attaches great importance to the upcoming talks today between the Russian and Armenian foreign ministers “against the backdrop of shameless attempts by Western countries to embroil our states and undermine the security architecture that is being built in the region.”

This is stated in the news release issued by the Russian Foreign Ministry ahead of the visit of the Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan to Moscow today.

The document states that “one of Russia’s foreign policy priorities in the South Caucasus is to promote the normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan in accordance with trilateral agreements at the highest level.”

“The most important direction of Russian efforts is the unblocking of transport communications in the region. Together with the Armenian and Azerbaijani partners, within the framework of the trilateral working group co-chaired by the vice-premiers, a package of specific infrastructure projects is being agreed upon, which will allow establishing rail and road communications and will also contribute to the resumption of economic ties.

We stand for the continuation of the work of the bilateral commission on the delimitation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani state border. The launch of the delimitation process is intended to contribute to the cessation of border incidents. Russia will provide the necessary advisory assistance at the request of the parties.

The preparation of a peace treaty between Yerevan and Baku is designed to reinforce the basic principles of relations, lay the foundations for mutually beneficial cooperation in the long term. Moscow is ready to contribute in every possible way to this extremely important process in the interests of regional stability,” the news release reads.

 13:11, 20 March 2023

YEREVAN, MARCH 20, ARMENPRESS. The ongoing peace treaty process with Azerbaijan is no guarantee that it will suppress a possible new provocation by Baku, therefore Armenia is increasing its defense capabilities every day, Speaker of Parliament Alen Simonyan told reporters when asked whether or not the talks have entered a deadlock.

Simonyan said there is a “high threat” of new provocations and attacks by Azerbaijan. “But I don’t think it’d be right to say that it’s in a deadlock. Nonetheless there is a process, it hasn’t stopped. I think calling it a deadlock would be wrong. But this doesn’t mean that it can be in a sense a suppressive tool against a new provocation by Azerbaijan. On the contrary, the reality in the talks could’ve been created intentionally to use it for some provocation,” Simonyan warned.

The Speaker added that regardless of anything, Armenia is constantly increasing its defense capabilities. 

“Even if we were to have the best, the most optimistic talks, we’d still be dealing with increasing our defense capabilities.”

 09:46, 21 March 2023

STEPANAKERT, MARCH 21, ARMENPRESS. 782 businesses were forced to shut down and 1,170 people lost their jobs in Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) as a result of the ongoing Azerbaijani blockade.

It has now been 100 days since the Azerbaijani blockade of Nagorno Karabakh began.

The blockade has led to significant economic impact and reduced tax revenues.

Manush Hovhannisyan, the Director of the Department of Revenue Registration and Organization at the Artsakh State Revenue Committee presented the situation to ARMENPRESS.

ARMENPRESS: What’s been the impact of the blockade on the tax revenues in Artsakh?

Hovhannisyan: During January-February of 2023, 4 billion 23,9 million drams in tax revenues and duties was collected to the state budget, which amounted to 75,9% of the projected 5 billion 300 million or 1 billion 276,1 million less. The collected revenues underperformed by 18,6% or 922,2 million less compared to the same period of the previous year. The decreased figures are a result of the partial of complete closure of businesses due to the situation in the economy resulting from the ongoing blockade of Artsakh by Azerbaijan.

ARMENPRESS: How many businesses have either partially or completely shut down operations?

Hovhannisyan: During the blockade 782 businesses, or 18,3% of the total, shut down operations, as a result 1,170 people became unemployed. 317 businesses, or 7,5%, are still open but were forced to lay off 1,502 employees, while the remaining businesses are working either partially or with government support. The closures pertain to nearly all sectors.

ARMENPRESS: Are there any tax privileges for businesses during the blockade?

Hovhannisyan: We have three relief programs for mitigating the socio-economic consequences of the blockade, the first one is being implemented by the State Revenue Committee, while the remaining two – which pertain to the unemployed persons – are implemented by the Ministry of Social Development and Migration. Given the three-year tax privileges instituted after the 2020 war, we don’t have the need to provide individual privileges at this stage. In 2023, businesses are still exempt from fixed and patent payments, while taxes for trade and general tax regime is determined by turnover.

ARMENPRESS: Who is eligible for the one-time grants and financial support?

Hovhannisyan: The government designated the 41 sectors of the economy that have been affected the most, such as retail and wholesale trade, construction, interstate passenger transportation, cargo transportation, restaurant businesses, mining industry – excluding the iron ore mining and some other areas. Private entrepreneurs in these sectors, with the exception of patent tariff payers, receive a 136,000-dram support, while the patent tariff payers receive 68,000. Under the one-time grant program, the support is in the size of taxes and social payments calculated by maximum of 136,000 drams per each employee, or the factual amount of revenue in case of the revenues being less. The support and grant payments began from February 21, 2023.

ARMENPRESS:  How much money has been paid in support in total?

Hovhannisyan: As of March 17, 2023, a total of 555,6 million drams in support and grants was paid to 1,959 businesses.

The official added that the program’s application deadline was extended from the original February 28 to March 15 and the provision of payments is still ongoing. Applications from 400 other businesses are still being processed.