The situation with coronavirus in Armenia is under control, Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said in live video on Facebook.
“We must overcome the situation with dignity. You will learn information from us. Don’t search for any other source,” he said, adding that coronavirus is not a big thing to create problems in our lives.
“But of course, it is necessary to treat it seriously and win,” he stressed.
ArmInfo.The Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense has signed a preliminary agreement on the acquisition of Italian combat training aircraft Leonardo M-346 Master.
According to Turan, citing the Military Review publication, during the visit of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to Italy on February 20, Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov signed an agreement with the director of the Italian company Leonardo, Alessandro Profumo.
Azerbaijan plans to acquire 10-15 M-346 aircraft. This aircraft is used to train pilots in many countries. The machine is capable of speeds up to 1060 km / h and rise to a height of 13.7 km. The crew is two people.
On the eve of the 28th anniversary of the events in Khojaly, Azeri affairs expert Anzhela Elibegova emphasized at the Zarkerak press club was one of the towns used to bombard Stepanakert. It was clear to Azerbaijan that the town needed to be neutralized, but they deliberately did not warn the citizens so that it could continue to play the role of the protector and continue firing upon Armenians. It is notable that, during this time, people who had nothing to do with Azerbaijan began to live in Khojaly, which is why the number of residents had greatly increased.
According to Elibegova, the Azeri side is using this as propaganda to try and prove that the Armenian side carried this out. They are trying to convince people that Armenia committed genocide, but the Armenian side is working on revealing the fallacies contained in Azeri propaganda films and websites. “Lots of people were saved when the city was turned over to the Armenians. Around 700 civil residents of Khojaly were able to safely move to Azerbaijan thanks to the Armenians. Due to the blockade in Stepanakert, there was a food shortage, and there was no way for these people to live there,” the expert said.
Elibegova also said that it was not only one group that was saved by the Armenians. “It’s interesting that the other part went to Aghdam via the evacuation corridor opened by the Armenians. Aghdam was under Azeri control. The civilians did not reach Aghdam because the Azeris made an announcement that caused them to panic. This is when the gunfire began, and that’s when those people were killed.”
Regarding the distortion of facts, Elibegova noted that the Azeri journalist photographed the dead bodies on the 28th and in the days following. It became clear from those photos that the people had been tortured and their bodies were defiled in order to blame the Armenians. “Azerbaijan has falsified lists of dead people many times by writing the same names multiple times or by including the names of people who have nothing to do with Azeris. They did this in the hope that Armenians would not check these lists. Azerbaijan is using fake photos that have nothing to do with what happened in Khojaly.”
Nona Ghazaryan
To find out more about what happened in Khojaly, check out this brochure. [ ]
11:02,
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 20, ARMENPRESS. The Human Rights Defender (Ombudsman) of Armenia Arman Tatoyan has launched an independent monitoring of the constitutional amendments referendum process.
“Given the limits of jurisdictions of the Ombudsman, this statement doesn’t seek to give an assessment to the issue of the constitutionality of holding the referendum, or the expediency or related positions. The process of the referendum is a reality and is directly associated with the citizens’ rights. Therefore the necessity of applying the Ombudsman’s powers arises with the purpose of protecting these rights”, the statement reads in part.
It said that the monitoring of the organization and holding of the referendum will relate to the campaigning process, the voting day and the possible related developments afterwards.
Voters are expected to decide in the April 5 referendum whether or not the incumbent Chairman of the Constitutional Court Hrayr Tovmasyan, as well as most other justices appointed under the previous constitution, should remain in office.
Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
11:02,
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 20, ARMENPRESS. The Human Rights Defender (Ombudsman) of Armenia Arman Tatoyan has launched an independent monitoring of the constitutional amendments referendum process.
“Given the limits of jurisdictions of the Ombudsman, this statement doesn’t seek to give an assessment to the issue of the constitutionality of holding the referendum, or the expediency or related positions. The process of the referendum is a reality and is directly associated with the citizens’ rights. Therefore the necessity of applying the Ombudsman’s powers arises with the purpose of protecting these rights”, the statement reads in part.
It said that the monitoring of the organization and holding of the referendum will relate to the campaigning process, the voting day and the possible related developments afterwards.
Voters are expected to decide in the April 5 referendum whether or not the incumbent Chairman of the Constitutional Court Hrayr Tovmasyan, as well as most other justices appointed under the previous constitution, should remain in office.
Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
13:38,
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 14, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan visited the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce on February 14th where he had a luncheon with Thomas Bareiß, the Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy of Germany; Volker Treier, the Chief Executive of Foreign Trade and Member of the Executive Board of the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce and other members of the organization.
Bareiß thanked the Armenian PM for the meeting and noted that the German side is eager to further develop and expand trade-economic ties with Armenia. He expressed certainty that the Armenian PM’s visit will boost the enhancement of bilateral business relations and implementation of new joint programs in different branches of the economy.
PM Nikol Pashinyan addressed the ongoing developments in the Armenian economy and the government’s actions for improving the business climate. The Armenian PM spoke in detail about the ongoing programs and the government’s priorities in industry, tourism, agriculture and IT.
Pashinyan noted that the Armenian Government is interested in developing economic partnership with Germany and the enhancement of the involvement of German businesses and capital in the Armenian market.
During the meeting the sides discussed possible steps and programs in the direction of implementing joint projects that will boost the Armenia-Germany commercial ties. They also highlighted the organization of business forums and deepening of ties and cooperation between businessmen.
Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
ArmInfo.Due to the fact that we do not agree with the position of the authorities in the referendum, persecution began against us. This was announced on February 14 during a briefing at the National Assembly of Armenia by the head of the Enlightened Armenia faction Edmond Marukyan.
He noted that everyone who does not agree with the point of view of the authorities is immediately labeled. “They immediately begin to say that this person is corrupt, is a representative of the interests of the previous regime, etc. After all, in fact, there were no significant contradictions or quarrels between us, we simply did not agree with them on the issue of holding a referendum,” stressed the deputy.
Marukyan stated that the policy of dividing the society into “blacks” and “whites” continues. “I don’t like the fact that hate propaganda is very active in the country. I believe that labeling another person is very low only because their positions diverge,” he said.
The head of the PA also emphasized that constant statements that people are trying to take away the achievements of the revolution are not true. “The achievements of the revolution belong to the people, and no one can take them away. But constantly calling people to the streets if something goes wrong you want is simply absurd. Some kind of kindergarten,” the deputy said.
It should be noted that on February 6, the parliament decided on a referendum, at which the citizens of Armenia will decide whether they agree to amend the Constitution of the country. On April 5, a constitutional referendum will be held in Armenia, at which the issue of judges of the Constitutional Court will be decided. Many deputies (including those from the Enlightened Armenia – Ed. Party) and human rights activists said that this decision was unconstitutional, since initially the deputies had to send their proposal to the Constitutional Court.
According to the decision adopted on February 11 at the CEC meeting, the campaign will be held from February 17 to April 3.
ArmInfo. Of course, the adoption by the House of Representatives and the US Congress of a resolution recognizing the Armenian Genocide played a significant role in this process. Director of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia, turkologist Ruben Safrastyan stated this at a press conference on February 7.
He emphasized that close to April 24 we will finally see the work of the Armenian lobby on the issue of recognition of the Armenian Genocide. “Our specialists should prepare, as the events taking place in the Middle East are similar to the events that took place at the beginning of the 20th century, when the Treaty of Sevres was signed, aimed at creating a Christian state in northern Turkey,” the expert emphasized.
Safrastyan noted that it is possible that we are on the verge of big changes. In his opinion, the Armenian issue may again be on the agenda, but it will have a slightly different nature, since today there is already an Armenian state in the world. “I think that Armenia, using “soft power”, can push its agenda in public and political circles of many countries of the world,” the expert said. He also noted that the United States began to reckon with Russia’s position on strategic issues. “The developments in the Middle East are clearly signaling that we should prepare for any, even very unexpected scenarios,” Safrastyan emphasized.
It should be noted that according to the Treaty of Sevres, Turkey was supposed to transfer to Armenia a territory of 103. 599 sq. M. km: two-thirds of the Van and Bitlis vilayets, almost the entire Erzurum vilayet, most of the Trebizond vilayet, including the port. Having united with the Republic of Armenia existing in the Transcaucasus, an independent united Armenian state would have a territory with an area of more than 150 thousand sq. M. km, with access to the Black Sea. However, Turkey has not complied with the terms of this agreement.
ArmInfo.Armenia’s Television and Radio Commission issued a statement in connection with the scandalous television piece about Hrayr Tovmsyan, released on the Public Television Channel on January 29 in the “News” program.
Given the criticism of the Commission, its representatives examined this report and decided to make a statement. In particular, the statement notes: “The Commission reiterates that it is not authorized to intervene in the content policy of the public broadcaster, as well as other private broadcasters.
At the same time, the commission shares the position of the Ombudsman that this television piece violated the principle of the presumption of innocence, the requirement of which applies to everyone, including the media. However, we consider it necessary to state that in this case the SIS bears the primary responsibility for violation of the above principle, “the statement emphasizes.
It is also noted that the violation of the principle of the presumption of innocence is not regulated by the Television and Radio Law and does not provide for the imposition of a fine or other punishment. “We would like to remind you that the Commission has repeatedly drawn the attention of executive and legislative bodies and the public to the fact that these and similar gaps in the legislation (in many other countries these issues are regulated by law) reduce the Commission’s ability to regulate and limit the right of citizens to obtaining objective and impartial information, “the statement says.
The Commission also regretted that violations of the presumption of innocence, as well as the principles of impartiality of information, diversity of opinion, right of reply, and journalistic behavior are more common among private broadcasters, however, such behavior does not receive political or public attention.
“We express concern that the Council of Public Television and Radio refused to provide its explanations to the public in connection with the above mentioned video. Since, according to the law, it is the Council that is responsible for the program policy, as well as for observing the rules of professional conduct for journalists. Thus, the Council was obliged to investigate cases of violation of the rules of professional conduct of journalists on the basis of complaints or on their own initiative.
Therefore, in cases of public appeal, the Council is obliged to respond, maintain constant communication with the public, “the statement of the commission notes. Regarding the allegations of some persons, including the adviser to the Presidentof the Constitutional Court of Armenia, to the Commission, its representatives stated:” The Commission notes that it is an independent state body, and the adviser to the President of the Constitutional Court should know that before such public statements as “the Commission performs its functions poorly” walk was to compare the current work of the Commission to the fact that it was before. Or, clearly articulate the norms stipulated by the Commission, according to which it was obliged to bring to responsibility the program of the Public Television Company. Moreover, the adviser is obliged to comply with the standards of conduct of a public servant provided for by law, ” the statement notes.
It should be noted that on January 29 a broadcast about the new details revealed by the SIS regarding the head of the Constitutional Court Hrayr Tovmasyan was broadcast on the Public TV channel on the News program. In turn, on the same evening, Tovmasyan’s lawyers circulated a statement accusing the country’s television channel of disseminating investigation materials, as well as of flagrant violation of the presumption of innocence.
In turn, the Media Defender initiative also condemned the unilateral propaganda information policy of the state-owned television channel, existing at the expense of taxpayers. Representatives of the initiative demanded that the Commission on Television and Radio of RA “immediately stop its disgraceful information policy.”
19:13,
YEREVAN, JANUARY 30, ARMENPRESS. Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan, Zohrab Mnatsakanyan and Elmar Mammadyarovmet in Geneva on January 29 and 30. OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs Igor Popov (Russia), Stéphane Visconti (France), Andrew Schoffer (USA) and Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Andrzej Kasprzyk also participated in the meeting. Before the meeting, the Armenian FM had already met with the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs and the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Andrzej Kasprzyk.
ARMENPRESS reports spokesperson of the foreign ministry of Armenia Anna Naghdalyan informs that a broad scope of issues related to the peaceful settlement of NK conflict were discussed during the 2-day meetings. Particularly, the sides referred to the implementation of the agreements reached in 2019 and the possible future steps aimed at the preparation of the peoples to peace, the principles and elements that are the basis for the future settlement.
FM Mnatsakanyan has emphasized the importance of involving the elected representatives of the people of Artsakh in the peace talks.
The foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed to meet again in the near future under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs.
Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan