Author: Janet Ekmekjian

Artsakh’s President receives Chief of General Staff of Armenian Armed Forces

21:19, 5 September, 2019

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 5, ARMENPRESS. President of Artsakh Bako Sahakyan received on September 5 Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Armenia Artak Davtyan.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of Artsakh President’s Office, issues related to army building and cooperation between the two Armenian republics in that sphere were discussed. Defense Minister of Artsakh Karen Abrahamyan was also present at the meeting.

Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan

3 of Armenian citizens injured in Georgia passenger van crash will be transported to Yerevan

14:27,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 31, ARMENPRESS. 3 of the Armenian citizens injured in a passenger van crash in Georgia will be transported to Yerevan from Tbilisi on August 31, Armenia’s healthcare minister Arsen Torosyan said on Facebook.

“After consulting with our Georgian partners we made a decision to transport 3 of the injured to Yerevan today. For this purpose three medical teams will depart for Georgia. We will provide additional information on the future health condition of the injured citizens”, the minister said.

On August 31 a passenger van traveling from Yerevan to Georgia’s Batumi crashed near Tbilisi, killing 2 and injuring 18 citizens of Armenia. All injured people were taken to Tbilisi hospitals. Currently there are 4 Armenian citizens in hospitals, the rest were discharged after receiving relevant medical aid.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan

PM Pashinyan awards best performers at “Kangaroo”, “Meghu” and “Russian bear” contests

18:48,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 30, ARMENPRESS. The medalists of “Kangaroo” mathematics contest, “Meghu” contest of the Armenian language and “Russian bear” contest of the Russian language, as well as the medal winners at international Olympiads and gold medal graduates of educational institutions were awarded by PM Pashinyan at the Presidential Residency. ARMENPRESS reports the students were awarded by medals, certificates and other prizes.  

“In today’s Armenia and for our Government education is a key priority. We highlight education so much, since the Republic of Armenia is a democratic country, a country of free and proud citizens, and this is directly linked with the statehood. The link is that Armenia is already a country, where citizens control, but are not controlled. And being a citizen first of all means being able to make decisions and being able to be responsible for those decisions”, Pashinyan said, noting that education is the key component for doing all that.

Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan

Artsakh’s President receives Defense Minister of Armenia

20:47,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 30, ARMENPRESS. President of Artsakh Bako Sahakyan received on August 30 the Defense Minister of Armenia Davit Tonoyan, ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of Artsakh President’s Office.

Defense Minister of Artsakh Karen Abrahamyan also participated in the meeting. Issues related to army building and cooperation between the two Armenian republics were discussed during the meeting.

Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan

Court denies bail for jailed Sasna Tsrer member

15:23, 21 August, 2019

YEREVAN, AUGUST 21, ARMENPRESS. A Yerevan court denied to release a jailed gunman who was among the perpetrators of the 2016 police station ambush in the Armenian capital.

Smbat Barseghyan, one of the two suspects who are jailed amid the ongoing trial, was denied to be released on bail. The other jailed suspect is Armen Bilyan. Both are charged with gunning down the 3 police officers during the events which became known as the 2016 Yerevan hostage crisis.

Judge Mesrop Makyan adjourned the trial until August 28th.

In the summer of 2016, a group of 10 men identifying themselves as Sasna Tsrer (Daredevils of Sassoun) stormed a police station and took hostages, demanding the resignation of the then-government and the release of political prisoners.

The group subsequently surrendered and the court proceedings are underway since then. 8 suspects have been later released on bail amid the trial.

The Sasna Tsrer group went on to transform into a political party and unsuccessfully ran for parliament in 2018.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

Independent audit concludes minimal probability of Amulsar mine impacting Jermuk springs

17:25,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 14, ARMENPRESS. The Investigative Committee of Armenia has released the full report of the audit in the Amulsar Gold Mine which was carried out by Advanced Resources Development (ELARD).

The studies concluded that there are very low risks that the Amulsar mine’s polluted waters can impact Jermuk springs, because “groundwater flow and contaminant transport pathways between the Project Area and the Jermuk thermal springs do not exist”.

“Due to the hydraulic and physical setting, the Mine water will not impact Jermuk springs.”

The 190-page “Independent 3rd Party Assessment of the Impacts on Water Resources and Geology, Biodiversity and Air Quality” audit of the Amulsar Mine has been posted online by the Investigative Committee.