Author: Hambik Zargarian

 17:24,

YEREVAN, MAY 18, ARMENPRESS. Vice Speaker of Parliament of Armenia Hakob Arshakyan received the delegation led by the First Vice President of the Senate of the Czech Republic Jiří Růžička, the Parliament’s press service said.

The delegation included the members of the Standing Senate Commission on Media.

The Chair of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science, Education, Culture, Diaspora, Youth and Sport Sisak Gabrielyan and the Head of Armenia-Czech Republic Friendship Group Artur Hovhannisyan attended the meeting.

Hakob Arshakyan underlined with satisfaction that at the level of Friendship Groups and on the international different platforms the Armenian-Czech cooperation effectively develops. In this context the Vice Speaker has noted that Armenia expects the political support of the Czech Republic in the visa liberalization, taking into consideration the fact that in the second half of the current year the Czech Republic will assume the presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Touching upon the role of the free press in our country and the steps being undertaken in strengthening democracy, Hakob Arshakyan assured that after 2018 revolution Armenia recorded progress in those issues. According to him, the opposition press prevails in the field, and the opposition voice is completely audible.

Speaking about the regional and humanitarian problems created because of 44-day war, Hakob Arshakyan voiced the issue of the release of Armenian prisoners of war and other held persons being Azerbaijan. It was noted that in the last report of the Human Rights Watch organization there are facts on the inhuman conditions and tortures of holding Armenian prisoners of war.

“We expect our Czech colleagues’ practical support in urgently returning Armenian prisoners of war to the homeland, as well as our efforts being made in saving the Armenian historical-cultural and the religious heritage on the territories of Artsakh appeared under the Azerbaijani control,” Hakob Arshakyan said.

The First Vice President of the Senate of the Czech Republic has noted that his country is also interested in the release of the persons being under captive in Azerbaijan. According to him, as an EU member and a Christian country, the Czech Republic highlights the preservation of the Armenian Christian values. The necessity of the regulation of the problems through peaceful means was stressed.

Emphasizing the stability and peace in the region, the Vice Speaker of Parliament reaffirmed the freedom and security of Artsakh, the determination of the self-determination of the people living in Artsakh and the Armenian side protecting the right to live in its historical Motherland. To his assessment, the issue of the security and status of Nagorno Karabakh can be solved only through negotiations with the mediation of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship.

Hakob Arshakyan expressed his gratitude to his colleague for recognizing and condemning the Armenian Genocide by the two chambers of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, noting that the condemnation of crimes against humankind has no alternative.

“Your aspirations and steps in the spheres of media, democracy and the democratization of the legislative field are welcomed for us,” Jiří Růžička stressed.

Hakob Arshakyan also related to the efforts of the Armenian side aimed at the normalization process of the Armenian-Turkish relations and the establishment of peace in the region. Issues on the internal political situation of the country were presented.

The sides discussed the problems of the media sphere, referred to the legislative steps and measures being taken for the unbiased work of the mass media. The Armenian-Czech cooperation was highlighted in this field.

 17:02,

YEREVAN, MAY 17, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan received Robin van Puyenbroeck, Executive Director-Business Development at the World Trade Centers Association (WTCA), founder of Renshin construction company Eduard Marutyan and company director Levon Kasparov, the PM’s office said.

The project on building a global trade center in Yerevan, which was approved by the World Trade Organization, was introduced to the Armenian PM. The advantages of the project, the conditions and opportunities to be created for the business were presented in detail.

PM Pashinyan said that the government is interested in the project and proposed to continue the discussions in the future with the concerned agencies to assess the implementation opportunities of the project and develop a “roadmap” for respective actions.

 

 17:22,

YEREVAN, MAY 17, ARMENPRESS. Ameriabank’s project on saving water and energy resources, implemented jointly with Banca Popolare di Sondrio (Italy), has been recognized as the Deal of the Year 2021: Green Trade by The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).  The announcement was made during the EBRD’s 2022 Annual Meeting and Business Forum held in Marrakech, Moroccowhere in a separate award ceremony a special tribute was made to banks most active in Green Trade Facilitation Program (TFP).

TFP facilitates and promotes the foreign trade in goods necessary for energy efficiency improvements and low-carbon transition.As part of this joint project, a modern bottling line was imported and installed in Armenia with a water-savings impact equivalent to the annual fresh water consumption of 440 Armenian households.

Suren Kocharyan, Head of Trade Finance Center at Ameriabank, commented: “This isa much- valued recognition by EBRD of Ameriabank’s active and efficient trade finance operations. Trade Facilitation Programme fosterssuccessful international collaborations, like the one with Banca Popolare di Sondrio, andbrings the most direct impact on the lives of people and communities. We will step up our active work in trade finance activities which is also in alignment with our responsible business model to contribute to a resource-efficient and environmentally sustainable future for Armenia.”

Ameriabank has a long-term commitment to creating a sustainable environment and supporting customers’ transition towards a carbon neutral economy. To this end, the Bank has embedded green and environmentally friendly approach in its project financing rationale and applies in its everyday operations. 

Since 2009, Ameriabankhas financed more than USD 225 million worth energy efficiency and renewable energy projects with the support of various international financial institutions and impact investors.

In 2020, Ameriabank became the first Bank in Armenia to issue Green Bonds and has a commitment to become a leading regional issuer of Green Bonds.

 17:59,

YEREVAN, MAY 17, ARMENPRESS. At 17:03 local time (13:03 Greenwich Mean Time) on May 17, the seismological network of the Territorial Seismic Protection Service of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Armenia recorded a 2.5 magnitude earthquake 3 km west of Khashtarak village, 10 km deep epicenter.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the earthquake was felt in a number of villages in Tavush Province.

Issue of final status of Nagorno Karabakh fundamental for Armenia: Marukyan releases 6 points presented by Armenian side

 01:05,

YEREVAN, MAY 14, ARMENPRESS. Armenia’s Ambassador-at-large Edmon Marukyan released the 6-point proposal made by Armenia for the settlement of the relations with Azerbaijan.

In an interview to the Public TV, Mr. Marukyan said that the 1st point says that the Armenian side responds to the letter of the Azerbaijani side dated February 21, which was handed over to the Armenian side on March 11.

In the 2nd point the Armenian side says that the Republic of Armenia has never had and does not have territorial claims to Azerbaijan. “As you remember, Azerbaijan says there that you should not have territorial claims to us. We say that listen, we haven’t had territorial claims to you. And from the very beginning, all leaderships of Armenia have always announced that we do not have a territorial claim. It says here that on December 8, 1991, by jointly signing with Azerbaijan the treaty on the establishment of the CIS, Armenia ratified that treaty on February 18, 1992. That is, at that time when we signed it, we mutually recognized each other’s territorial integrity and borders by joining that organization”, Marukyan said.

According to the 3rd point, the issues on guaranteeing the security of Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh, respecting their rights and freedoms, as well as determining the final status of Nagorno Karabakh are fundamental for the Armenian side.

Marukyan said that in the 4th point the Armenian side considers important the commitments enshrined in the 2020 November 9, 2021 January 11 and November 26 statements signed by the Armenian Prime Minister, the President of Russia and the Azerbaijani President. “And what are those commitments? The return of the prisoners of war, which has not been done till today, the opening of communications which Azerbaijan delays”, Marukyan said, adding that with this point the Armenian side makes it clear that it continues remaining committed to its obligations, but Azerbaijan does not.

The 5th point states that the Armenian side is ready to start negotiations for the settlement of the relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, for the establishment of inter-state relations based on the UN Charter, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the Helsinki Final Act. “These are the basic principles that have existed from the beginning. In other words, the nations’ right to self-determination and other important rights and freedoms are enshrined here”, he said.

Edmon Marukyan added that with the 6th point the Armenian side states that Armenia applied to the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs for the respective negotiations.

 14:53,

YEREVAN, MAY 13, ARMENPRESS. The Kazakh FlyArystan airline announced starting flights from Almaty to Yerevan.

The roundtrip flights will be carried out on Mondays and Thursdays starting June 2.

Finland's accession to NATO can be resolved within a month

 19:57, 6 May, 2022

YEREVAN, MAY 6, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Finland Sanna Marin stated that the issue of his country's accession to NATO can be resolved this month, ARMENPRESS reports the Prime Minister of Finland said in an interview with the Japanese "Nikkei" newspaper.

"The decision on that will be made this month. The decision to join NATO will be made in the near future," said the Prime Minister of Finland.

Earlier, Finland and Sweden discussed the possibility of renouncing long-term neutrality and joining NATO amid hostilities in Ukraine.

 12:37, 5 May, 2022

YEREVAN, MAY 5, ARMENPRESS. Trade turnover in Armenia amounted to more than 1 billion dollars from January to April 20 of 2022, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said at the Cabinet meeting.

“Of course the inflation has some role here, but all our studies show that the role of inflation here can be 15 to 20 percent, not more. This means that we’ve had more than one billion dollars in trade turnover in the three months of this year, plus the 20 days of April. This is very important and it conveys some optimism,” Pashinyan said.

 17:26, 4 May, 2022

YEREVAN, 4 MAY, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 4 May, USD exchange rate up by 3.84 drams to 454.63 drams. EUR exchange rate up by 5.08 drams to 478.59 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate up by 0.10 drams to 6.61 drams. GBP exchange rate up by 5.66 drams to 569.06 drams.

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

Gold price down by 372.09 drams to 27328.83 drams. Silver price down by 9.01 drams to 330.78 drams. Platinum price stood at 16414.1 drams.