Author: Khondkarian Raffi

Council of Europe’s declaration on damages to Ukraine unsigned by six countries — official

Khondkarian Raffi
 TASS 
Russia –
Some 43 countries have already joined the mechanism, including the Netherlands and Ukraine

MOSCOW, May 18. /TASS/. Six countries – Azerbaijan, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary, Serbia and Turkey – have not signed a declaration on creating a register of damage incurred to Ukraine at a summit of the Council of Europe in Reykjavik, Ukrainian Deputy Justice Minister Irina Mudra said on Wednesday.

“In Reykjavik, at the summit of the heads of states and governments of the Council of Europe, 43 countries and the European Union signed an agreement on the register of damage,” she wrote on her page on Facebook (prohibited in Russia due to its ownership by Meta, which has been designated as extremist). Among others, she listed Georgia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova and Estonia. “Not signed (6): Azerbaijan, Armenia, Bosnia, Hungary, Serbia, Turkey,” she added. According to the Ukrainian official, three other countries, Andorra, Bulgaria and Switzerland, are getting ready to join the register while undergoing “internal procedures.”

Earlier, Dutch Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra said that at its Reykjavik meeting, the Council of Europe had officially approved the creation of a register of damage inflicted on Ukraine as a result of hostilities. According to him, “the register will be headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands.” It is being developed in close cooperation with Ukraine and “will receive, process and record claims.”

Some 43 countries have already joined the mechanism, including the Netherlands and Ukraine. It is expected that it will become fully operational in 2024.

Armenian Prime Minister extends condolences to Serbian President on mass shootings

Khondkarian Raffi

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 13:19, 5 May 2023

YEREVAN, MAY 5 , ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Friday extended condolences to Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić on the two mass shootings in the Balkan nation this week.

“I am deeply shocked by the news of the tragic events that claimed numerous lives in the Vladislav Ribnikar school in Belgrade, as well as in Mladenovac,” PM Pashinyan said in a telegram sent to President Vučić. “On behalf of the Armenian people, at this difficult time I express sincere condolences and support to you, the families and friends of the victims, wishing resilience and patience, and speedy recovery to all those wounded,” he added.

Serbian law enforcement agencies have arrested the suspected gunman in the second mass shooting this week when eight people were killed and at least 14 were injured.

The gunman fired an automatic weapon from a moving vehicle near a village 60km (37 miles) south of Belgrade.

The interior ministry said the suspect was arrested after “an extensive search”.

Police announced the latest arrest around 08:40 local time (07:40 BST) on Friday. The suspect – who has only been identified by his initials UB – was detained near the city of Kragujevac, the BBC reported citing the Serbian interior ministry.

Reports on local media say the suspect – who the interior ministry said was born in 2002 – started firing at people with an automatic weapon after having an argument with a police officer in a park in Dubona on Thursday evening.

On Wednesday, a thirteen-year-old boy shot dead eight fellow pupils at his school in Belgrade, as well as a security guard. It prompted the Serbian government to propose tighter restrictions of gun ownership.




Pashinyan points to lingering Armenia-Azerbaijan differences

Khondkarian Raffi
MEHR News Agency
Iran – May 6 2023

TEHRAN, May 06 (MNA) – Armenian Prime Minister still sees a “huge difference” between the wording of a draft peace agreement for Armenia and Azerbaijan and the two sides’ positions despite reported progress in bilateral talks hosted by US this week.

In an interview with Radio Free Europe on Friday, Pashinian said the key differences concern not only Nagorno-Karabakh but also territorial and security guarantees.

“We are still unable to reach agreement in the draft peace agreement on the wording that will give us confidence that Azerbaijan recognizes 29,800 square kilometers of Armenia” within its Soviet-era borders, he said.

Pashinian also highlighted the need for guarantees as “any agreement, even the most unambiguously written one, allows for interpretations.”

Despite US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s optimism that “with additional goodwill, flexibility, and compromise, an agreement is within reach,” Pashinian assessed the progress as minimal.

“While the difference between the sides was one kilometer before, now it is 990 meters. It is progress, but there is still a huge difference,” he said.

Pashinian reiterated Armenia’s position that the issue of the rights and security of Nagorno-Karabakh’s Armenians should be discussed in a dialogue between Baku and Stepanakert with international engagement.

“Otherwise, this topic and agenda can simply be forgotten by Azerbaijan,” he said, adding that there are different interpretations in Yerevan and Baku on how to address the rights of Nagorno-Karabakh’s Armenians.

He also said that both international and local mechanisms should be applied to such matters as the withdrawal of troops and the establishment of a demilitarized zone.

Pashinian said the discussion that started in Washington can continue in Moscow, denying claims there are differing “Western” and “Russian” drafts.

The six-week war in which Azerbaijan regained all the Armenian-controlled areas outside of Nagorno-Karabakh as well as chunks of territory inside the Soviet-era autonomous region ended with a Russian-brokered cease-fire under which Moscow deployed about 2,000 troops to serve as peacekeepers.

Tensions along the restive Armenian-Azerbaijani border and around Nagorno-Karabakh leading to sporadic fighting and loss of life have persisted despite the cease-fire and the presence of Russian troops.

They flared anew last month when Azerbaijan installed a road checkpoint at the start of the Lachin Corridor, the only route linking Armenia to Nagorno-Karabakh.

Armenia says the checkpoint, set up on April 23, is a violation of the cease-fire. Azerbaijan insists it established it in response to what it says were Armenian military supplies to Nagorno-Karabakh. Armenia denies that accusation.

SKH/PR

U.S. reiterates commitment to promoting peaceful future for South Caucasus, says that there is no military solution

Khondkarian Raffi

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 11:55, 4 May 2023

YEREVAN, MAY 4, ARMENPRESS. The United States believes that there is no military solution to the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict and that direct dialogue through diplomacy is an integral path forward, State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said at a press briefing.

“We believe that there is not a military solution to this; we believe that direct dialogue through diplomacy is an integral path forward. And that’s why we’re very pleased to host these two foreign ministers at the Foreign Service Institute to participate and take on these very important discussions,” Patel said.

“What I will reiterate again is that we remain committed to promoting a peaceful future for the South Caucasus region. We believe that direct dialogue is key to reaching a lasting peace, and we believe that that is possible between these two countries,” Patel added.

 “It’s something that the Secretary has been deeply engaged on – is that we believe that peace between these two countries is possible,” he further said.

United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken will join Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov during their last day of the talks in Washington D.C.




“Armenia is among the countries with a small public debt” – Pashinyan

Khondkarian Raffi
May 2 2023
  • JAMnews
  • Yerevan

Armenian public debt

Armenia’s public debt was more than $10 billion last year, but the Prime Minister stated that it was “a light debt burden”. Economist Narek Karapetyan, commenting on Nikol Pashinyan’s statement, agreed that in 2022 there were indeed “good dynamics”.

“True, we have exceeded 10 billion, but over the past year the country’s debt-to-GDP ratio has decreased from 60.3% to 46.7%,” Karapetyan said. According to him, in developing countries this figure is on average 60%.

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The Prime Minister stated that the country’s debt burden compared to the country’s gross domestic product is considered “light”. Nikol Pashinyan also stressed that the ratio of public debt to GDP in 2022 has significantly decreased to 46.7%.

“Countries are divided into those with light, medium and heavy debt. Thanks to economic growth, Armenia has again found itself among the countries with a small debt,” the prime minister said.

According to him, by reducing the long burden, the country has gained economic stability:

“But it’s not about debt, it’s about how we use debt to increase the country’s economic growth potential.”

Pashinyan believes that the amounts raised as debt should be directed to capital expenditures.

According to the Central Bank, the deposits of foreign citizens increased by more than 96%, and citizens by almost 30%.

Economist Narek Karapetyan, an expert at the Amberd Analytical Center, considers the amount of debt to be “acceptable”, including in the context of the country’s legislation, and says that there are fiscal rules that determine the debt acceptable for the country and what is beyond acceptable limits.

According to him, three versions of the response to the debt/GDP ratio have been established — in the case of 40, 50 and 60%. And for each case, the appropriate measures that the state needs to take are indicated. The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank consider debt above 70% high risk.

“When the debt exceeds 40%, we must have a certain spending policy, at least make as much capital expenditure as we attract new debt. It is assumed that in this way the debt will create assets of the appropriate volume, which will allow financing the same debt in the future,” Karapetyan believes.

After 50%, the government must contain current spending. This means that wages and pensions should rise in proportion to GDP growth in recent years. The rules get tougher after the 60% line. Then the government is obliged to develop a debt reduction program for the next five years.

According to Karapetyan, the relief of Armenia’s long burden is the result of more positive than expected economic changes and the strengthening of the national currency.

He notes that in addition to the debt burden, risk indicators are the interest rate and maturity, the conditions for attracting debt in general, and the comparability of the interest rate of debt and economic growth:

“The interest rate of debt must be below the rate of economic growth in order for it to be manageable in the medium and long term. When the interest rate of debt is lower than economic growth, it will decrease automatically.”

Commenting on the positive developments in the Armenian economy against the backdrop of the Russian-Ukrainian war, Karapetyan said that there has been a huge influx of funds — about $1 billion — but believes it was spent inefficiently.

“The money came, but the capital was not created. Banks transferred part of this amount to their foreign accounts. The other part remained in the Armenian economy as additional liquidity for banks. Part was invested in the government bond market. Most of these funds did not go directly to the real sector of the economy. We have not been able to fully realize these funds.”

According to Karapetyan, both the appropriate infrastructure and the capabilities of the economy, the ability to absorb investments, are important:

“Our economy does not have enough capacity to absorb significant investment, although the financial capacity may be the same as last year.”


RFE/RL Armenian Report – 05/01/2023

Khondkarian Raffi 
                                        Monday, May 1, 2023
Armenia-Azerbaijan Talks In Washington To Last ‘A Few Days’
        • Siranuysh Gevorgian
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and Armenian Foreign Minister 
Ararat Mirzoyan during their meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, October 2, 2022.
Bilateral talks between the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan in 
Washington will be held over the course of “a few days”, according to a senior 
official in the United States privy to details of the negotiations schedule.
“Both parties have acknowledged that this is the first time that they will be 
able to meet over the course of a few days,” the official said. “We expect 
discussions throughout the week. Our goal is to make sure that the ministers are 
able to sit down and talk to each other.”
The first bilateral meeting between Ararat Mirzoyan, of Armenia, and Jeyhun 
Bayramov, of Azerbaijan, took place on Monday and followed their separate 
meetings with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken as well as their trilateral 
meeting in Washington.
Prior to the meetings Blinken said in phone calls with the leaders of Armenia 
and Azerbaijan – Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian and President Ilham Aliyev – 
that the United States remained committed to supporting the peace efforts of the 
two countries.
The official at the State Department said that the Washington talks between 
Mirzoyan and Bayramov were focused on trying to hammer out an agreement on 
“normalization of relations.”
“It is for both parties to normalize their relations to be able to live together 
[…], to strengthen their economic ties and perhaps even to reinforce their 
collective security in the region,” he said, adding that all issues, including 
issues of how ethnic minorities are treated in both countries in terms of their 
rights and security, are “being discussed.”
Another senior U.S. official familiar with the negotiations said that “rights 
and security are something that we believe is very important in terms of what 
the future of the region looks like, is something that we have continually 
engaged with throughout the region, and we will continue to be engaged on.”
The official also reiterated the importance of ensuring free movement of 
commercial and private vehicles along the Lachin Corridor between Armenia and 
Nagorno-Karabakh that was completely blocked by Azerbaijan on April 23 when it 
established a checkpoint at the entrance to the five-kilometer-wide corridor.
Armenian, Azerbaijani FMs In U.S.-Hosted Talks
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken hosting a meeting between Armenian 
Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun 
Bayramov, Washington, May 1, 2023.
The foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan met in Washington on Monday for 
another round of talks hosted by the United States that are aimed at hammering 
out a peace agreement between the two South Caucasus nations locked in a 
protracted conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh.
Before their meeting Armenia’s Ararat Mirzoyan and Azerbaijan’s Jeyhun Bayramov 
met separately with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who had earlier 
expressed Washington’s continued support for the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace 
efforts.
Blinken then met the two visiting ministers together before what was expected to 
be their bilateral peace negotiations.
In a brief statement on the Blinken-Mirzoyan-Bayramov meeting Armenia’s Foreign 
Ministry said late on May 1 that “issues of the security situation in the region 
and the process of normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan 
were discussed.”
“The humanitarian situation resulting from the illegal blockade of the Lachin 
corridor by Azerbaijan was addressed,” the ministry added.
The readout on the meeting released by the Azerbaijani side did not have any 
mention of the Lachin corridor issue.
In weekend phone calls with the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan Blinken 
reportedly pledged Washington’s continued support for the two countries’ peace 
efforts.
In his phone call with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian he reiterated 
that “direct dialogue and diplomacy are the only path to a durable peace in the 
South Caucasus” and “expressed his appreciation for the Prime Minister’s 
continued commitment to the peace process.”
Talking to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Blinken “shared his belief that 
peace was possible” and “expressed the United States’ deep concern that 
Azerbaijan’s establishment of a checkpoint on the Lachin corridor undermines 
efforts to establish confidence in the peace process, and emphasized the 
importance of reopening the Lachin corridor to commercial and private vehicles 
as soon as possible.”
Azerbaijan installed the checkpoint at the only road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh 
with Armenia on April 23. The move tightened the already existing blockade of 
the mostly ethnic Armenian-populated region that was effectively imposed by 
government-backed Azerbaijani protesters back in December.
Yerevan and Stepanakert view the roadblock as illegal and contradicting the 
Moscow-brokered ceasefire agreement that put an end to a six-week 
Armenian-Azerbaijani war over Nagorno-Karabakh and placed solely Russian 
peacekeepers in charge of providing security for Nagorno-Karabakh and ensuring 
free movement for its people along the five-kilometer-wide corridor.
Official Baku denies blockading Nagorno-Karabakh, pledging to ensure, “in 
cooperation with Russian peacekeepers” deployed in the region, all “necessary 
conditions” for “a transparent and orderly passage of Armenian residents living 
in the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan” in both directions. It stresses that the 
checkpoint was installed in Azerbaijan’s sovereign territory and calls Armenia’s 
interference with the affair “unacceptable.”
A senior U.S. Department of State official told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service on May 
1 that Mirzoyan-Bayramov negotiations in Washington will last for “several days.”
Armenia and Azerbaijan have been locked in a conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh for 
decades. Some 30,000 people were killed in a war in the early 1990s that left 
ethnic Armenians in control of the predominantly Armenian-populated region and 
seven adjacent districts of Azerbaijan proper.
Decades of internationally mediated talks failed to result in a diplomatic 
solution and the simmering conflict led to another war in 2020 in which nearly 
7,000 soldiers were killed on both sides.
The six-week war in which Azerbaijan regained all of the Armenian-controlled 
areas outside of Nagorno-Karabakh as well as chunks of territory inside the 
Soviet-era autonomous oblast proper ended with a Russia-brokered ceasefire under 
which Moscow deployed about 2,000 troops to the region to serve as peacekeepers.
Tensions along the restive Armenian-Azerbaijani border and around 
Nagorno-Karabakh leading to sporadic fighting and loss of life have persisted 
despite the ceasefire. At least three Azerbaijani and four Armenian soldiers 
were killed in the most recent border skirmish on April 11.
Armenian Airline Barred From Turkish Airspace
        • Nane Sahakian
A FlyOne Armenia plane taking off from Yerevan’s Zvartnots Airport (file photo).
An Armenian airline has been prohibited from operating commercial flights 
through Turkish airspace for yet unclear reasons, its representative said on 
Monday.
On April 29, a Flyone Armenia plane operating a flight from Paris to Yerevan had 
to land in Chisinau, Moldova, after Turkey’s aviation authorities banned it from 
entering the country’s airspace. Flyone Armenia said it had not been informed 
about the decision in advance.
The Armenian airline’s representative told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service that they 
still did not know why Turkey had revised its permission.
“Some of our flights to Europe that are operated through Turkish airspace cannot 
be carried out using Turkish airspace for the time being. We have no information 
about the reasons,” Aram Ananian, chairman of Flyone Armenia’s board, said.
He said that the Armenian airline had received all the permissions to operate 
flights through Turkish airspace during the 2023 summer season in advance. “We 
do not see any reason related to any aviation activity that would lead to this 
decision,” Ananian added.
Flights operated from Armenia to Europe have few alternatives to transit through 
Turkish airspace because of the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war as a result of 
which much of the region’s airspace is declared a no-fly zone.
But Flyone Armenia’s official has pledged that the airline will carry out all 
its flights as scheduled in cooperation with European partners and that no 
ticket holder will face any problems. He did not elaborate.
Flyone Armenia, which was founded in 2021 and operates flights to several 
destinations in Europe and Russia, since last year has also operated 
Yerevan-Istanbul-Yerevan flights. Meanwhile, the Turkish Pegasus airline has 
been operating Istanbul-Yerevan-Istanbul flights.
The resumption of air flights between Armenia and Turkey in 2022 was touted by 
both countries as progress in their efforts to achieve normalization after 
decades of feud over historical issues.
Flyone Armenia said it assumed that the ban concerned transit through Turkish 
airspace and not flights to and from Istanbul, as the Turkish side has not 
informed the Armenian airline about any obstacles to these flights yet.
Armenia’s General Department of Civil Aviation did not comment immediately on 
whether the Turkish ban applies only to Flyone Armenia or in general to all 
Armenia-registered airlines. It promised to answer questions on May 2 when its 
officials return to work after the holiday.
U.S. Vows Support For Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace Efforts Ahead Of Fresh Talks
A trilateral meeting of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian, Azerbaijani 
President Ilham Aliyev, and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Munich, 
Germany, February 18, 2023.
United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken pledged Washington’s continued 
support for peace efforts by Armenia and Azerbaijan as he spoke over the phone 
separately with the leaders of the two countries during the weekend.
The phone calls came as Yerevan and Baku announced that their foreign ministers 
were heading to Washington for a fresh round of talks this week.
The readout of Blinken’s phone call with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian released 
by a Department of State spokesperson on April 29 said that the U.S. secretary 
of state spoke with the Armenian leader “to underscore the importance of 
Armenia-Azerbaijan peace discussions and pledged continued U.S. support.”
“Secretary Blinken reiterated that direct dialogue and diplomacy are the only 
path to a durable peace in the South Caucasus. He expressed his appreciation for 
the Prime Minister’s continued commitment to the peace process,” it added.
The next day Blinken repeated the message of the importance of peace discussions 
and continued U.S. support in his phone call with Azerbaijani President Ilham 
Aliyev during which he also “shared his belief that peace was possible.”
The phone calls came amid heightened tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan 
after Baku on April 23 set up a checkpoint at the entrance to the Lachin 
Corridor, the only road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia.
Azerbaijan’s roadblock tightened what already was an effective blockade of the 
region by government-backed Azerbaijani protesters since December.
Armenia described the move as “illegal” and “unacceptable”, stressing that it 
contradicted the Moscow-brokered 2020 ceasefire agreement that placed solely 
Russian peacekeepers in charge of providing security for Nagorno-Karabakh and 
ensuring free movement for its people along the five-kilometer-wide corridor. 
Yerevan also ruled out any new negotiations regarding the Lachin corridor that 
it said Baku must unblock.
According to a spokesperson in Washington, during his April 30 phone call with 
Aliyev Blinken also “expressed the United States’ deep concern that Azerbaijan’s 
establishment of a checkpoint on the Lachin corridor undermines efforts to 
establish confidence in the peace process, and emphasized the importance of 
reopening the Lachin corridor to commercial and private vehicles as soon as 
possible.”
According to his press office, Pashinian also raised the issue of the Lachin 
corridor in his phone call with Blinken. In particular, he reportedly emphasized 
that “the steps taken by the Azerbaijani side in the Lachin corridor are aimed 
at the consistent implementation of its policy of ethnic cleansing in 
Nagorno-Karabakh and the complete eviction of Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh.”
The Armenian prime minister also “emphasized the importance of the adequate 
response of the international community to Azerbaijan’s actions, which undermine 
regional security, and taking active steps towards the unconditional 
implementation of the order of the International Court of Justice.”
The Hague-based court ruled on February 22 that the Azerbaijani government must 
“take all measures at its disposal to ensure unimpeded movement of persons, 
vehicles and cargo along the Lachin corridor in both directions.”
Official Baku denies blockading Nagorno-Karabakh, pledging to ensure, in 
cooperation with Russian peacekeepers deployed in the region, all “necessary 
conditions” for “a transparent and orderly passage of Armenian residents living 
in the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan” in both directions.
Armenia and Azerbaijan have been locked in a conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh for 
decades. Some 30,000 people were killed in a war in the early 1990s that left 
ethnic Armenians in control of the predominantly Armenian-populated region and 
seven adjacent districts of Azerbaijan proper.
Decades of internationally mediated talks failed to result in a diplomatic 
solution and the simmering conflict led to another war in 2020 in which nearly 
7,000 soldiers were killed on both sides.
The six-week war in which Azerbaijan regained all of the Armenian-controlled 
areas outside of Nagorno-Karabakh as well as chunks of territory inside the 
Soviet-era autonomous oblast proper ended with a Russia-brokered ceasefire under 
which Moscow deployed about 2,000 troops to the region to serve as peacekeepers.
Tensions along the restive Armenian-Azerbaijani border and around 
Nagorno-Karabakh leading to sporadic fighting and loss of life have persisted 
despite the ceasefire. At least three Azerbaijani and four Armenian soldiers 
were killed in the most recent border skirmish on April 11.
Reposted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
Copyright (c) 2023 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

MP Taguhi Tovmasyan presents aggravation of security situation to MEP Marina Kaljurand

Khondkarian Raffi

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 12:36, 1 May 2023

YEREVAN, MAY 1, ARMENPRESS. The Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights and Public Affairs, MP Taguhi Tovmasyan has held a meeting Member of the European Parliament Marina Kaljurand.

In a statement posted on social media, Tovmasyan described the meeting as “a warm and friendly conversation.”

“I presented the threats that continue to plague Armenia striving for peace. I mentioned that the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia is shrinking since 2020 the Artsakh war, however, the international community only makes statements of concern, with which we do not help our homeland and the citizens.

I emphasized that Artsakh has been completely blockaded for 138 days, and despite the decision of the UN International Court of Justice regarding the Lachin Corridor, the road remains closed.

Ms. Marina Kaljurand condemned the actions of Azerbaijan, which endanger the peace process. She and her colleagues issued a Statement regarding the Lachin Corridor, calling on Baku to commit to the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and to respect international obligations and norms (http://bitly.ws/DKgA).

I spoke about the aggravation of the security situation in Armenia and its consequences, mentioning, among other things, the shootings by Azerbaijanis in the direction of Sotk, as a result of which 800 employees of Sotk [mine] were forced to be idle for more than one week.

We touched on all the most important topics, on which our team of the Standing Committee on Protection of Human Rights and Public Affairs of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia regularly prepares reports and sends them to all International partners,” Tovmasyan said in the statement.

Red Cross facilitates transfer of 12 patients from blockaded Nagorno Karabakh

Khondkarian Raffi

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 13:16,

YEREVAN, APRIL 27, ARMENPRESS. 12 patients from Nagorno Karabakh requiring urgent surgical interventions were transported today by the International Committee of the Red Cross mediation to Armenia for treatment, the Ministry of Healthcare of Nagorno Karabakh said in a statement.

6 others returned after receiving treatment.

Five children are in neonatal and intensive care in the Arevik clinic in Nagorno Karabakh. Another 7 patients are hospitalized in the Republican Medical Center in Stepanakert. Two of them are in critical condition.

The ICRC facilitated the transfer of 365 patients since the blockade began.

The Lachin Corridor – the only road connecting Nagorno Karabakh with Armenia and the rest of the world – has been blocked by Azerbaijan since 12 December 2022. 

The United Nations’ highest court – the International Court of Justice (ICJ) – ordered Azerbaijan on February 22 to “take all steps at its disposal” to ensure unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin Corridor in both directions. Azerbaijan has so far ignored the ruling.

‘Worse than coronavirus,’ lawmaker calls for crackdown on drug trafficking citing national security threat

Khondkarian Raffi

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 12:31,

YEREVAN, APRIL 25, ARMENPRESS. A senior Member of Parliament of Armenia is calling for stronger measures in combating drug trafficking which he described to be a national security threat.

“Perhaps we don’t fully understand the present-day situation in Armenia. We don’t realize that a very serious percentage of teenagers are drug addicts,” MP Armen Khachatryan, the Deputy Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Defense and Security Affairs warned at a parliament session.

“We don’t realize that this poses a serious national security risk. And our reforms, laws, words about the bright future would be in vain if drugs were to continue spreading at this rate. We don’t realize that this is a lot more dangerous and worse than the coronavirus [pandemic],” he said.

He called for stronger measures in combating drug trafficking.

The lawmaker even suggested introducing a new employment regulation in the public sector, requiring employees to pass a drug test once or twice a year or face termination in case of refusing to do so.

Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Arpine Sargsyan told lawmaker that 2023 is a year of combating drug trafficking.

Austrian team’s head coach praises Yerevan EWF championships as weightlifting celebration

Khondkarian Raffi

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 14:57, 21 April 2023

YEREVAN, APRIL 21, ARMENPRESS. Austrian Weightlifting Team head coach Sargis Martirosyan praised the 2023 European Weightlifting Championships in Yerevan as a true sports celebration.

“I’ve been receiving only positive reactions about this championship in Yerevan, not just from my team but from participants of all the other countries as well. This European championship is a weightlifting celebration ,” Martirosyan told ARMENPRESS.

He added that the participants are impressed with the training and competition halls and that the organization is on the highest level. The work of the volunteers is also on the highest level, he said.