Author: Emil Lazarian

“I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS

New industrial greenhouse complex worth €48m to be built in Armenia

February 18, 2022March 12, 2026 Emil Lazarian

Feb 18 2022

– 10:43 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The Armenian government on Thursday, February 17 approved the sale of land plots for a new industrial greenhouse complex in the Gegharkunik province. The investment project is set to cost €48 million.

According to Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Gnel Sanosyan, these are agricultural land plots in Lchashen and Varser communities, with a total area of 51.4 hectares.

Sanosyan noted that as a result of this transaction, AMD 22 million (some €40,000) will be transferred to the community budget.

“The program for the construction of a greenhouse complex will be implemented on the territory of 125 hectares and will cover the lands of the communities of Lchashen and Varser. A large production greenhouse complex and a plant nursery will be built on 45 hectares, while infrastructure will be located on the remaining plot of land,” the minister said.

According to him, the project will be implemented within 60 months, during which 350-400 temporary jobs will be created, but once the complex is fully launched, 400-450 people – 70% of them women – will be employed there on a permanent basis.

Chess: FIDE Grand Prix: Nakamura beats Aronian in tiebreaks

February 18, 2022February 18, 2022 Emil Lazarian

panorama.am

Armenia – Feb 18 2022

Hikaru Nakamura defeated Levon Aronian in tiebreaks to win the first leg of the FIDE Grand Prix in Berlin on Thursday, ChessBase reported.

The hard-fought final match had seen two draws in the classical games. In the two rapid encounters that broke the tie, Nakamura showed better nerves in the last stage of the games to take home the title, 13 Grand Prix points and €24,000.

This victory has propelled Hikaru to 1st place in the FIDE Grand Prix Series 2022. The next stages will take place in Belgrade (Serbia) and Berlin (Germany), FIDE said.

After the three tournaments, the two best players of the series will qualify for the Candidates Tournament. The winner of that event will challenge current Champion Magnus Carlsen in the next World Championship match.

Congressman Adam Schiff visits Armenian American Museum construction site

February 17, 2022March 12, 2026 Emil Lazarian

Public Radio of Armenia

Feb 17 2022

, 11:46

The Armenian American Museum and Cultural Center of California welcomed Congressman Adam Schiff for a special tour of the construction site of the landmark center. The museum is slated to complete the Foundation Phase of construction in Summer 2022.

“I was thrilled to see all of the great progress being made at the Armenian American Museum and Cultural Center of California. When finished, the museum will draw people from all over the country and the world to learn from and appreciate the Armenian experience,” said Schiff.

“The Armenian story is an American story, one of hope in the face of hardship, of perseverance, and of new beginnings, and the Museum will help ensure that story gets told for generations to come. It is an honor to work alongside my Armenian American constituents for recognition and justice, and I’ll keep working to make certain that this museum gets the support it deserves,” he noted.

In Summer 2021, Congressman Schiff announced that $950,000 was secured in the fiscal year 2022 federal government funding legislation in support of the construction and development of the landmark center. When passed through Congress, the funding will support the ongoing construction and the development of the museum’s permanent exhibition and programming. The funds would represent the federal government’s first investment in the landmark center.

The Armenian American Museum is a world class cultural and educational institution that is currently under construction in the museum campus at Glendale Central Park. The museum will offer a wide range of public programming through the Permanent Exhibition, Temporary Exhibitions, Auditorium, Learning Center, Demonstration Kitchen, Archives Center, and more.

The mission of the museum is to promote understanding and appreciation of America’s ethnic and cultural diversity by sharing the Armenian American experience. The vision is a cultural campus that enriches the community, educates the public on the Armenian American story, and empowers individuals to embrace cultural diversity and speak out against prejudice.

Kocharyan: Lukashenko said what others think about Armenia

February 17, 2022March 12, 2026 Emil Lazarian

panorama.am

Armenia – Feb 17 2022

Armenia’s second President Robert Kocharyan says that President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko had to stay within the limits of political correctness in his statements about Armenia. Nevertheless, he said what others think about Armenia.

“You can have different opinions about Lukashenko, but one thing is clear: he always speaks his mind,” he told a news conference on Thursday.

“Naturally, the head of state does not always have to say what he thinks, but he does. However, I don’t understand the tough reactions caused by Lukashenko’s remarks,” Kocharyan said.

According to him, Lukashenka’s remarks can by no means be compared to the Azerbaijani president’s statements, which have received no response from Armenia.

“Of course, the Belarusian president should not have spoken in such a tone and had to stay within the limits of correctness. But we also have to realize that he has said what others think about Armenia. In the meantime, the authorities are doing everything possible to make such an attitude towards Armenia even more entrenched, or they are doing nothing to make the leaders of other countries to change their opinion,” he noted.

In a recent interview with Russian journalist Vladimir Solovyov, Lukashenko said the Union State of Russia and Belarus should expand and include most of the ex-Soviet states, including Armenia.

“Armenia has nowhere to run. Do you think anyone needs them? They have already seen it,” he said.

Prosecutor-General files motion to court asking to overturn Pashinyan’s 2010 guilty verdict over March 1 events

February 17, 2022March 12, 2026 Emil Lazarian

16:18,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 16, ARMENPRESS. The Prosecutor-General of Armenia Artur Davtyan filed a motion to court requesting to overturn the 2010 guilty verdict of Nikol Pashinyan and acquit him.

Davtyan’s advisor Gor Abrahamyan confirmed to ARMENPRESS that the cessation complaint has been filed.

In January of 2010 the Yerevan Court of General Jurisdiction found Nikol Pashinyan guilty of organizing mass disturbances during the 2008 March 1 events. He was sentenced to 7 years in prison but served a little less than 2 years and was released under a general pardon.

On January 18, 2022, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) issued a judgment over the case of Pashinyan v. Armenia, which Pashinyan had filed when he was an opposition politician. The ECHR recognized that Pashinyan’s right to freedom, personal immunity, as well as the right to freedom of peaceful assembly were violated.

Ukraine-Armenia Business Council convenes founding meeting

February 17, 2022March 12, 2026 Emil Lazarian

16:50,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 16, ARMENPRESS. The founding meeting of the Ukraine-Armenia Business Council was held today, AnalitikaUA.net reported.

The meeting was attended by heads of the Unions of Manufacturers and Entrepreneurs of Ukraine and Armenia, Anatoly Kinakh and Arsen Ghazaryan, Chargé d’ Affairs of Ukraine in Armenia Denys Avtonomov, Armenia’s Ambassador to Ukraine Vladimir Karapetyan, etc.

During the session Chargé d’ Affairs of Ukraine in Armenia Denys Avtonomov highlighted the readiness of the diplomatic service to contribute to the development of the Ukrainian-Armenian economic relations, bilateral trade and mutual investments with all means.

According to AnalitikaUA.net, a social program of Union of Armenians of Ukraine is being implemented in Armenia, aimed at opening charging stations for electric vehicles. The Ukrainian-Armenians have already opened 24 such stations in the country. In autumn 2021, a delegation including Ukraine’s political and public figures visited Yerevan. The visit was organized by the Union of Armenians of Ukraine. “Our goal is to give a new impetus to the relations of Yerevan and Kiev”, Chairman of the Union of Armenians of Ukraine Vilen Shatvoryan said.

PM Pashinyan chairs sitting of the Anti-Corruption Policy Council

February 17, 2022March 12, 2026 Emil Lazarian

19:50,

YEREVAN, 16 FEBRUARY, ARMENPRESS. Chaired by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, the regular sitting of the Anti-Corruption Policy Council took place at the Government, ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Prime Minister.

The first issue on the agenda referred to the recommendations of the GRECO and Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) on the results of the 2021 evaluation of the Republic of Armenia. These are about the activities of the Corruption Prevention Commission, the Prosecutor’s Office, investigative bodies, the National Assembly and the implementation of certain functions. A discussion took place in connection with the proposals, during which various observations and opinions were presented.

Prime Minister Pashinyan highlighted the continuous increase of Armenia’s rating in the reports of reputable international organizations, noting that in this context it is necessary to acknowledge the received signals. The Prime Minister stressed that these recommendations should be considered in view of the need to increase the efficiency of state institutions. According to the Prime Minister, institutional reforms, including in the anti-corruption and judicial spheres, are of key importance for the Government. In this regard, Nikol Pashinyan particularly stressed that as a result of these reforms, for example, public confidence in court decisions should increase significantly. “Our task is to continuously raise the image of Armenia in the rankings given by reputable international organizations, so we must be as consistent as possible in this issue,” Nikol Pashinyan stressed.

PM Pashinyan instructed to evaluate the above-mentioned recomendations and make appropriate changes based on their results.

Next, the report on the activities of the Corruption Precention Commission in 2021 was presented to the Council. It was noted that during the reporting period, the declarations of more than 210 officials were checked and analyzed, 139 of which were judges. The declarations of the family members of the above-mentioned officials were also additionally checked. As a result, both disciplinary proceedings were initiated and some cases were sent to the Prosecutor’s Office.

It was noted that starting from June 2021 the system that includes the declaration of expenses was re-launched, and a new form was developed to fill in the declaration.

Last year, the Corruption Precention Commission investigated 45 cases of incompatible requirements and conflicts of interest, 15 of which were based on media reports. 3 proceedings were initiated on the above-mentioned grounds. At the same time, the ethics of 103 candidates for state position was examined and relevant conclusions were given.

The Council assessed the activity of the Corruption Precention Commission in 2021 as positive. Prime Minister Pashinyan stressed the importance for continuously developing the mechanisms of the Commission, including their improvement through digitalization.

The meeting also addressed the problems arising during the selection of investigators and Neighborhood Police Officers of the Anti-Corruption Committee, the proposals aimed at their solution, as well as the “Draft Law on Making Amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code of Armenia” submitted by the Anti-Corruption Committee.

Azerbaijani press: French reporter’s provocative remarks utter failure

February 16, 2022February 16, 2022 Emil Lazarian

12:27 (UTC+04:00)

944

By Ayya Lmahamad

The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Iran has increased by 30 percent in 2021, despite the negative consequences of the coronavirus pandemic.

The remarks were made during the online meeting between Azerbaijan’s Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev with Iran’s Roads and Urban Development Minister Rostam Ghasemi, Day.az has reported.

During the meeting, the parties noted the successful cooperation in the transit-transport sphere, stressing that the volume of road transport between the two countries increased by 70 percent in 2021.

They underlined that the North-South international transport corridor remains a priority in terms of the development of trade and transit-transport links between the two countries.

The sides also expressed satisfaction with the development of cooperation between Azerbaijan and Iran in various fields, particularly in the economy, trade, transport and transit, energy, industry, agriculture and other areas.

The historical significance of the meeting between Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Iranian President Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi that was held in Ashgabat on November 28 last year within the Economic Cooperation Organization summit was emphasized. The parties noted that this meeting marked the beginning of a new stage of Azerbaijani-Iranian relations.

It was noted that 2022 will mark the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Azerbaijan and Iran.

The issues of holding the next meeting of the commission as well as the ways of further expansion of mutually beneficial cooperation between Azerbaijan and Iran in various fields were also discussed at the meeting.

After liberating its lands from Armenian occupation in the 44-day war in 2020, Azerbaijan regained control over a 132-km section of the Azerbaijan-Iran border. The re-establishment of control over the state border opened up new prospects for deeper cooperation between the two countries.

The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Iran in 2021 was $440.8 million.

Armenpress: Bill on occupied territories of Artsakh to be an important document – FM Babayan

February 16, 2022March 12, 2026 Emil Lazarian

Bill on occupied territories of Artsakh to be an important document – FM Babayan

09:35,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 15, ARMENPRESS. The bill on the Occupied Territories of Artsakh, which has been recently put into circulation in the Parliament, is going to be an important document and is a very significant step in terms of settling the Artsakh issue and clarifying the approaches on determining the international status of Artsakh, Foreign Minister of Artsakh Davit Babayan told Armenpress, highlighting the importance of the draft law from political, historical and moral perspectives.

“It, of course, is going to be a very important document. And this is our vision, it’s important both from political, historical and moral perspectives. It’s an important step in general, and this process itself is very important. Therefore, these discussions will take place in the National Assembly of Artsakh, and we are preparing that active discussions are going to happen. Of course, that will be a comprehensive law involving different aspects”, the Artsakh FM said.

According to him, the law is highly likely to be adopted, and this view is shared also by all parliamentary factions and political forces of Artsakh.

All factions represented in the parliament of Artsakh put into circulation a draft law on the Occupied Territories of Artsakh, according to which there will be a ban on those foreign companies which will want to carry out activity in the territories of Artsakh occupied by Azerbaijan, without the permission of the Artsakh government.

Acting President Alen Simonyan holds meeting with United States Ambassador

February 16, 2022March 12, 2026 Emil Lazarian

13:03,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 15, ARMENPRESS. Acting President Alen Simonyan received the United States Ambassador to Armenia Lynne Tracy on February 15.

Simonyan and Tracy congratulated each other on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between Armenia and the United States.

Simonyan’s visit to Washington D.C. in January as Speaker of Parliament was discussed at the meeting, the presidency said in a press release. Attaching importance to the visit, Simonyan touched upon his meeting with Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi. He presented details to the Ambassador from his visit, stressing the productivity of a number of meetings with US colleagues and readiness to develop continuous programs.

Views were exchanged over organizing joint projects within the framework of the 30th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between Armenia and the United States.