Author: Manouk Vasilian

Following 13th death, Armenia may strengthen state of emergency regs ahead of Easter Sunday

Manouk Vasilian
JAM News
11.04.2020
    JAMnews, Yerevan

The Armenian government is considering strengthening and extending the state of emergency regulations announced in mid-March ahead of Easter Sunday and following the country’s 13th death from coronavirus.

On April 10, two other patients died from coronavirus as well, while several remain in critical condition. The total number of cases stands at 977, after an additional 40 were reported earlier today. 173 have recovered from the infection.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has instructed the government to prepare a decision to extend the state of emergency, which ends on April 14.

Through April 12, there are restrictions on movement within the country.

The decision of the government will have to be considered by parliament at an extraordinary session, which will likely be held on Monday, April 13.

Since March 16, everything has been closed in Armenia, except for grocery stores and pharmacies. All public transport has been stopped, including the metro. Since March 25, a strict restriction on the movement of people has been introduced. Citizens can leave the house only in case of emergency – with a passport and a “travel profile”. Violations are monitored by the police.

On April 10, Health Minister Arsen Torosyan made a proposal to extend the state of emergency.

“We can’t assume that the proliferation of the virus will stop or that it is 100 percent fading. Earlier, for example, we had 50 cases, but from a single source of infection, for example, from a large industrial enterprise. Now we have 16, 20, 30 cases, but from 10 or 20 different people. Therefore, the coronavirus infection process has gotten out of control,” the minister said.

Easter is coming to Armenia. The Armenian Apostolic Church decided for the first time to celebrate on April 12 the feast of the Resurrection of Christ without believers in temples, as a precaution in connection with the coronavirus pandemic.

Most actively support this decision. But there are those who on social media write that they are not going to sit at home and will still go to listen to the Easter service.

On Easter in Armenia, it is customary to set a table with painted eggs, festive rice dishes, fish, herbs and wine. There are a lot of people in the markets in Yerevan. And not all of them are keeping their distance from one another  or wearing masks and gloves. There are debates in the country as to the usefulness of masks for the general public – even the Ministry of Health has his doubts.


https://jam-news.net/following-13th-death-armenia-may-strengthen-state-of-emergency-regs-ahead-of-easter-sunday/







Istanbul-Armenian workers returning to Armenia

Manouk Vasilian
News.am, Armenia
April 8 2020

20:11, 08.04.2020
                  

About 100 Armenians of Istanbul are returning to Armenia in four buses. Naira Harutyunyan, one of the returnees, told Armenian News-NEWS.am that the Government of Armenia has solved her and the other Armenians’ financial issues.

“I have worked in Istanbul for six years. I wasn’t a registered worker, and when my workplace was closed, I didn’t receive a salary. I stayed home for 27 days and decided to address the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia. I was provided with the contacts of volunteers in Istanbul who also helped us come together and return to Armenia,” she said, adding that she and the others know that they will be quarantined as soon as they arrive in Armenia and that they have been provided with face masks, gloves and dry and wet napkins.

Karabakh presidential candidate: Elections are going well so far

Manouk Vasilian
News.am, Armenia
March 31 2020

18:41, 31.03.2020
                  

After voting today, presidential candidate of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh Republic) Davit Babayan said he had voted for a better Artsakh.

“We truly want a better Artsakh. Let’s maintain all that is good, try to eliminate the issues and be able to resist the challenges more effectively,” he said.

Asked how he would assess the course of the elections, Babayan stated that, overall, the elections are going well so far.

Touching upon his expectations from the elections, Babayan said he expects that the elections will be held normally. “I wouldn’t like to state formal slogans. Our votes will determine the kind of Artsakh we want to see, and the government will be a reflection of the people,” he said.

Congressman Pallone calls for expanded US military assistance to Armenia

Manouk Vasilian
News.am, Armenia
April 1 2020

10:50, 01.04.2020
                  

Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Frank Pallone on Tuesday called for expanded U.S. military assistance to Armenia and the immediate suspension in military assistance to Azerbaijan, citing the Aliyev regime’s ongoing attacks against Armenia and Artsakh, the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) reported.

“The United States should immediately suspend military aid to Azerbaijan until its government ceases its attacks against Armenia and Artsakh, agrees to the peaceful resolution of regional conflicts, and proves it has halted all human rights abuses,” Pallone stated in his testimony to the House Armed Services Committee. “We must also strive to send a more supportive signal to our regional partners currently undergoing positive, democratic transitions like Armenia by increasing security assistance and bolstering strategic cooperation between our countries.”

Monday’s cross-border sniper fire by Azerbaijan injured two Armenian servicemen and hospitalized a child who was shot in the chest while playing on his apartment balcony.

Soldier dies in Artsakh

Manouk Vasilian

Save

Share

 12:19, 3 April, 2020

YEREVAN, APRIL 3, ARMENPRESS. Soldier of Artsakh’s Defense Army Garegin Babakekhyan, born in 2000, received a fatal gunshot wound at a military position located in the south-eastern direction of the Army on April 3, the defense ministry of Artsakh told Armenpress, adding that the circumstances around the incident are yet to be determined.

Investigation is underway.

In a statement, the Defense Ministry expressed condolences to the family, relatives and fellow servicemen of the soldier.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan




Embassy in Georgia: 140 Armenia citizens stuck at Upper Lars have been transported home

Manouk Vasilian
News.am, Armenia

12:22, 22.03.2020
                  

TBILISI. – As a result of negotiations with the Georgian authorities, it was possible to provide a corridor via Georgia for 140 Armenian citizens who were at the Russian sector of the Upper Lars border check point for several days, and transport them to Armenia by 5 buses and 4 minibuses. The Armenian embassy in Georgia informed about this on Facebook.

“The Embassy of the RA [Republic of Armenia] in Georgia coordinated the activities of welcoming the RA citizens in the territory of Georgia and transporting [them] to Bagratashen [border] checkpoint [of Armenia], providing them with food and essentials, as well as ensuring the disinfection activities of the one-time stopover of the RA citizens in the territory of Georgia,” it added. “Let us emphasize that this transfer was carried out as an exception.”

3 patients with coronavirus arrive in Armenia from Italy via different flights, one has transit flight, minister says

Manouk Vasilian
News.am, Armenia
March 12 2020
March 12, 2020  14:37

Three patients diagnosed with coronavirus have arrived in Armenia from Italy via different flights. And one has a transit flight, Armenian health minister Arsen Torosyan told reporters on Thursday.

According to him, one of the patients returned to Armenia 2-3 days ago, the other two – about 10 days ago. Upon arrival, none of them had a fever or any other symptoms. As soon as symptoms appeared, they were hospitalized and tested positive.

All people who were in contact with these people have been identified, the minister said.

According to Torosyan, there are 41 people in Tsaghkadzor. And 31 people may return home in the next two days if their coronavirus tests are negative. Another 10-20 people may be transferred to Tsaghkadzor in the near future.

Two quarantined people test positive for coronavirus in Armenia, bringing total of cases to 6

Manouk Vasilian

Save

Share

 20:33,

YEREVAN, MARCH 12, ARMENPRESS. Two new cases of the novel coronavirus have been diagnosed in Armenia, bringing the total number to 6, Healthcare Minister Arsen Torosyan said.

He said the two persons are among the 57 people who were quarantined after coming in contact with a citizen of Ejmiatsin who tested positive for the virus earlier.

They tested positive after showing symptoms, namely fever.

“At this moment they are feeling well, they don’t have fever”, Torosyan said, adding that the patients are at an infectious diseases hospital. 

 

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

Yerevan’s Matenadaran publishes book on memoirs of 14th-century Armenian manuscripts

Manouk Vasilian
Panorama, Armenia
March 9 2020

Yerevan’s Matenadaran, officially called the Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts, has published a book on memoirs of 14th-century Armenian manuscripts.

The book, compiled by L. Khachikyan, A. Matevosyan and A. Ghazarosyan, features memoirs of Armenian manuscripts dating from 1326- 1350, some of which were published by Levon Khachikyan in his book entitled “Memoirs of Armenian Manuscripts of the 14th century” (1950), while other materials were added by Artashes Matevosyan. 

The book was completed and published by Candidate of Historical Sciences Arpenik Ghazaryan, the Matenadaran said in a Facebook post.

The editor of the book is Doctor of Historical Sciences Karen Matevosyan.

The book is an important source for historical, philological and generally archeological studies.