Friday,
Armenia Criminalizes Violation Of Isolation, Self-Isolation Requirements
• Naira Bulghadarian
The Armenian National Assembly building in Yerevan
Armenian parliamentarians on Friday voted unanimously in favor of amendments
envisaging administrative and criminal liability for violating the requirements
of isolation and self-isolation during epidemic-conditioned national emergencies
as well as for spreading “panic-mongering” information.
The debate proceeding into late hours and the subsequent vote took place amid a
30-day state of emergency declared in Armenia on March 16 to grapple with the
spread of the novel coronavirus that has already affected 136 people in the
South Caucasus country.
Hundreds of people remain in quarantines in Armenia at present, with the
country’s health authorities not excluding that such measures as isolation and
self-isolation will need to be applied to a larger number of people in the near
future.
According to the government, most of Armenia’s current cases of COVID-19, a
disease caused by the novel coronavirus, are related to just two sources of
infection. In both cases, officials say, people who had arrived from
coronavirus-hit Italy disregarded health warnings and recommendations from
authorities, which resulted in mass infection.
The relevant draft amendments to the country’s code of administrative violations
and criminal code have been presented by the Ministry of Justice. They, in
particular, suggested that fines of up to 500,000 drams (about $1,000) be
imposed on those who break the requirements of isolation or self-isolation and
that violations resulting in mass infection be punishable by up to five years in
prison.
Under the package, dissemination of information that may provoke panic during
state-of-emergency periods is to be subject to a fine of up to 300,000 drams
(about $600).
Several opposition lawmakers raised questions about certain aspects of the
proposed amendments, claiming that they were too vague for proper application
and needed to be specified.
The parliament dominated by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s My Step alliance
voted 102 to 0, with no abstentions, to pass the amendments in the first
reading, leaving the possibility for the bills to be elaborated based on
lawmakers’ proposals before the second-reading debate and vote scheduled for
Monday.
Parties To Karabakh Conflict Urged To Observe Ceasefire Amid Pandemic
Nagorno-Karabakh - Ethnic Armenian soldiers on frontline duty in northeastern
Karabakh, 7May2016.
Armenians and Azerbaijanis have been urged to remain committed to their
ceasefire agreement amid a global coronavirus pandemic that has led to closed
international borders and complicated the mission of international observers.
In a statement issued on March 19, the U.S., Russian and French co-chairs of the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s (OSCE) Minsk Group noted
the current suspension of monitoring exercises by the personal representative of
the OSCE chairperson-in-office “due to the exceptional situation created by the
spread of COVID-19.”
The co-chairs -- Andrew Schofer of the United States, Igor Popov of the Russian
Federation and Stephane Visconti of France -- appealed to the sides “to reaffirm
their commitment to observe the ceasefire strictly and refrain from any
provocative action that could further raise tensions during this period.”
“Recognizing that the region’s medical resources should be dedicated exclusively
to combating the spread of the virus and treating those affected, we urge the
sides to exercise the greatest possible restraint to lessen the risk of
escalation including by making maximum use of the existing direct communication
links,” the international mediators said.
“Despite the heavy restrictions on international travel, the Co-Chairs will
continue their mediation efforts without interruption, remaining in close
contact with each other and with the sides,” the concluded.
Armenia and Azerbaijan have been locked in a conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh
following a three-year war in the early 1990s that killed some 30,000 people.
Despite the 1994 ceasefire, soldiers on both sides continue to be killed in
sporadic border clashes.
Diplomatic efforts on settling the conflict have brought little progress in the
past decades.
Armenia declared a 30-day national emergency over COVID-19 on March 16,
restricting international travel and putting other limitations in place.
So far authorities in Yerevan have confirmed 136 coronavirus cases. Azerbaijan
has reported 44 confirmed coronavirus cases, with one fatality.
Armenian Central Bank Sanguine On Currency Market Situation
• Sargis Harutyunyan
Armenia - Central Bank Board member Artur Stepanian at a press conference in
Yerevan,
Armenia’s Central Bank has a variety of tools and the necessary reserves to keep
the Armenian currency market calm, Artur Stepanian, a member of the Bank’s
Board, told reporters on Friday.
The statement of the official comes after the Armenian national currency – the
dram – has lost about two percent of its value against the U.S. dollar since
international oil prices began to fall last week bringing down the Russian ruble.
The slow depreciation of the dram also proceeded against the backdrop of a novel
coronavirus outbreak in Armenia that led the country’s authorities to declare a
30-day state of emergency on March 16.
At most exchange offices in Yerevan today one U.S. dollar could be purchased for
498 drams.
Asked whether he saw a risk of national currency devaluation in conditions of
the ongoing crisis, the Central Bank Board member said: “In keeping with our
floating exchange rate policy, we have a versatile and diverse set of
instruments and we know what the level of reserves the Central Bank has. When
there are undesirable developments or when volatility increases, we will take
adequate action in the market, and I think we will be able to keep the currency
market very calm as it was in December 2014.”
Despite the fact that six years ago Armenia’s monetary authorities managed to
restrain a deeper fall of the national currency, the Armenian dram still lost 20
percent of its value against the U.S. dollar in that crisis. In a country like
Armenia that heavily depends on imports a depreciating national currency entails
higher prices.
In this regard Stepanian said: “If you look at the inflation statistics for the
past 5-10 years, you will see that we are one of the countries with the lowest
inflation rates, even taking into account the certain currency devaluation in
2014, which did not have a significant impact on inflation, that is, on people’s
purchasing power. As for the exchange rate, I already said that we will adhere
to our floating exchange rate policy, but we are ready to use our toolkit during
every unfavorable development to calm the financial markets.”
Stepanian added that the Central Bank carries out daily monitoring of the
economy and financial markets.
Russia To Extradite Former Armenian Lawmaker, Official Says
Former Armenian lawmaker Levon Sargsian (file photo)
Prosecutors in Russia have agreed to meet the request of their Armenian
counterparts to extradite a former lawmaker, who is wanted on charges of
banditry and participation in a criminal association in Armenia, according to
the Armenian prosecutor-general’s adviser.
Gor Abrahamian said that in this regard the Armenian Prosecutor-General’s Office
has instructed the police to organize the transfer of Levon Sargsian to Armenia.
The 52-year-old former parliamentarian, who is also known in Armenia by his
nickname “Alraghatsi Lyovik”, was put on the international search list in
October 2018. The following month he was found and arrested in the city of
Zelenograd, Moscow Region. Armenia petitioned for his extradition.
Sargsian was a member of the former ruling Republican Party of Armenia and
served as a lawmaker in 1999-2012. He was under investigation in connection with
an alleged 2008 attack on the house of former chief of Armenia’s Customs Service
Armen Avetisian.
After the change of government in Armenia in 2018, the National Security Service
alleged that Sargsian was the real mastermind behind the attack.
If convicted according to his indictment Sargsian faces up to 10 years in prison.
Earlier this week, Russian law-enforcement agencies released, after a brief
arrest, a former senior Armenian investigator wanted in Armenia as part of a
probe into a deadly 2008 crackdown on the opposition.
The Armenian General-Prosecutor’s Office said that the Russian side had
explained the release of the fugitive former deputy chief of Armenia’s Special
Investigation Service (SIS) by the fact that the limitation period for the crime
Vahagn Harutiunian allegedly committed has expired according to Russian laws.
Harutiunian, 47, resigned from his post and left for Russia, ostensibly for
medical treatment, in July 2018, three months after Armenia’s “Velvet
Revolution.”
He was first accused of forging factual evidence to cover up the Armenian army’s
alleged involvement in the post-election violence in which eight civilians and
two security officers were killed. Later, the SIS also charged him with two
counts of abuse of power also stemming from the long-running probe of the 2008
unrest.
Harutiunian rejects all accusations leveled against him as baseless and illegal.
Former Armenian President Robert Kocharian and three retired army generals are
currently on trial on charges of “overthrowing [Armenia’s] constitutional order”
by illegally using the armed forces against protesters. All four men reject the
accusations as politically motivated.
Armenian Government Criticized For ‘Insufficient’ Steps To Support Economy
• Ruzanna Stepanian
The Armenian parliament in session (file photo)
Armenia’s parliamentary opposition parties consider the steps offered by the
government to support the economy to be insufficient and call for substantial
bailouts to help businesses during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The government of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian on Thursday unveiled an aid
package of more than $300 million in social assistance and subsidies on business
loans during what it expects to be a short-term economic downturn amid
unprecedented measures to stop the spread of the highly contagious and
potentially deadly virus in Armenia.
Leader of the Bright Armenia party Edmon Marukian believes that like in the case
with the previous governments acting in times of global recessions, the bank
lobbying has prevailed again. In Marukian’s opinion, instead of subsidizing
interest rates on business loans, the government should directly compensate the
losses incurred by companies because of the coronavirus crisis. The government
approach, Marukian said, will only lead to businesses contracting more debts.
“The state has saved some money for the rainy day and that rainy day is today,”
the opposition lawmaker said.
Marukian believes that besides directly assisting businesses, the government
should also give support to citizens who every year travel to Russia for migrant
work, as at this moment many have no possibility of entering that country
because of the coronavirus pandemic. “The border is closed, but these people
have problems with earning their livelihood on a day-to-day basis, which is
aggravated by the burden of loans that many of them have,” the oppositionist
said.
Mikayel Melkumian, a lawmaker representing the other opposition faction in
parliament, the Prosperous Armenia Party, also considers the steps being taken
by the government to be insufficient.
He pointed to the fact that out of 610,000 workers in Armenia only 180,000 are
employed in the public sector, with the government guaranteeing their salaries
during the downtime. The rest, he said, are private sector workers, with some
250,000 of them depending on their daily incomes – vendors, hairdressers,
waiters, etc.. “It is this group that the government must help,” the lawmaker
said, adding that the state could guarantee to such workers a minimal salary for
a period of two or three months.
Melkumian believes that besides providing the minimum wages for people who lose
their jobs the government should also think about new employment opportunities
for them.
In explaining the economic aid program of the Armenian government on Thursday,
Economy Minister Tigran Khachatrian said that assistance, in particular, is
planned for people who find themselves in difficult conditions because of the
negative consequences of the coronavirus pandemic. “If someone loses their jobs
and finds themselves in difficult economic and social conditions, then the tools
formulated by the government, which are yet to be finalized, will provide them
with opportunities,” the minister said.
Khachatrian said that the falling global markets have already hit Armenia’s
tourism sector and some export-oriented companies.
Armenian government officials have repeatedly warned against populist steps such
as large-scale bailouts that they believe may hurt the country’s macroeconomic
stability and spur inflation.
Armenia declared a 30-day state of emergency on March 16 to slow the spread of
the novel coronavirus. To this end the Armenian government has put restrictions
on international travel and ordered closures of schools and some other public
institutions. All sorts of public gatherings have also been banned in the
country.
Armenia’s health authorities say there are 136 confirmed coronavirus cases in
the country as of Friday morning. One patient is declared recovered.
Minister Expects ‘Significant Short-Term Challenges’ For Armenian Economy
• Artak Khulian
Armenian Economy Minister Tigran Khachatrian (file photo)
The ongoing coronavirus pandemic is likely to pose significant challenges to the
Armenian economic in the short term, Economy Minister Tigran Khachatrian has
said, adding that the possible overall economic impact is yet difficult to
assess.
Still, speaking at a press briefing late on Thursday, Khachatrian sought to put
a brave face on the difficulties, revealing his government’s optimistic approach
to existing economic opportunities.
“These challenges will help us be more responsive to our long-term development
goals and find better opportunities,” the minister said.
Khachatrian said the Armenian government intends to provide what he described as
substantial financial support to those businesses that are likely to find
themselves in difficult conditions due to the pandemic-related crisis.
Earlier, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian announced that his government would
allocate at least 150 billion drams (over $300 million) to support the economy
in the time to come. The aid package, according to Pashinian, will be made
available in the form of subsidizes on loans that businesses borrow from local
commercial banks in the national currency to pay salaries to employees and
fulfill tax and other financial obligations during the downturn.
Part of the state funding will go for the modernization of the economy and
readjustments on the market to be better suited for post-crisis realities, as
well as for social assistance, the government said.
Khachatrian explained that the social aid package will help people who find
themselves in dire straits because of the negative consequences of the pandemic.
“If someone loses their jobs and finds themselves in difficult economic and
social conditions, then the tools formulated by the government, which are yet to
be finalized, will provide them with opportunities," he said.
The minister said that the first blow of the coronavirus pandemic has been
delivered against the country’s tourism sector and some export-oriented
companies.
He assured the public that there are no delayed investment projects in Armenia
because of the current national emergency.
Armenia declared a 30-day state of emergency on March 16 to slow the spread of
the novel coronavirus. To this end the Armenian government has put restrictions
on international travel and ordered closures of schools and some other public
institutions. All sorts of public gatherings have also been banned in the
country.
Armenia’s health authorities say there are 136 confirmed coronavirus cases in
the country as of March 20 morning, with one patient having recovered.
Armenia Suspends Exports Of Medical Items Amid Coronavirus Crisis
Armenian authorities have put temporary restrictions on the export of a number
of medical items and equipment needed for doctors and the general public to
fight the further spread of the novel coronavirus in the South Caucasus country.
Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinian, who coordinates anti-epidemic efforts of
the Armenian government under the 30-day state-of-emergency rule, has published
a list of products subject to restrictions, including protective gear for
medics, equipment for mechanical lung ventilation, COVID-19 test kits,
respirators, medical masks, alcohol-based sanitizers and other items.
Earlier this week Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian visited a number of
pharmacies to verify reports about the shortage of face masks and sanitizers in
the country.
During a live broadcast on Facebook Pashinian, in particular, randomly walked
into three pharmacies located in the center of Yerevan.Only one of them had
medical masks on sale, while all three had no sanitizers in stock.
Armenia declared a state of emergency over the rising number of coronavirus
cases that reached 136 on Friday morning. The country’s health authorities say
one patient has recovered, while the condition of the rest is currently assessed
as satisfactory.
Reprinted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
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