Author: Nahapetian Samvel

Etchmiatsin mayor asks citizens to stay home, avoid non-essential travel from city

Nahapetian Samvel

Save

Share

 13:57,

YEREVAN, MARCH 14, ARMENPRESS. Diana Gasparyan, the Mayor of Etchmiatsin city, officially known as Vagharshapat, has called on citizens to stay in their homes and travel outside the city only in highly essential cases following the latest COVID19 cases.

“Dear fellow citizens,

Given the growth of confirmed novel coronavirus cases and their epidemiological connection with Etchmiatsin city, I am urging you to avoid using private taxi cab services operating the Etchmiatsin-Yerevan roundtrip route.

Overall, I am asking you to stay at home, leave the city only when highly essential and in your own vehicles, if that’s not possible then use public transport because it is regularly being disinfected,” Mayor of Etchmiatsin Diana Gasparyan said in a statement, calling on the general public to avoid shared taxi rides.

Some of the latest confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infection in Armenia have been diagnosed in residents from Etchmiatsin.

The total number of infections in Armenia is 15 as of March 14.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

228 Iranian drivers placed under medical control in Armenia amid coronavirus fears

Nahapetian Samvel
Panorama, Armenia

To date, a total of 211 coronavirus tests have been performed in Armenia with only one positive result, the Ministry of Health said in a statement.

The border checkpoints continue to be under toughened control, the ministry said. Currently, passengers arriving from Iran, Italy, China, Japan and South Korea are staying for 14 days under medical supervision regardless of their citizenship (France, Germany and Spain will be added to the list).

According to a government decision restricting Iran-Armenia border crossings, all trucks coming from the Meghri checkpoint have been escorted by police and regularly monitored by the ministry’s specialists.

According to the Health Ministry, a total of 857 drivers, including 228 Iranians, have been placed under medical control throughout Armenia, including at the State Revenue Committee’s customs warehouses before their return home, while Armenian drivers have been placed under supervision according to their places of residence.

World Health Organization regional experts have arrived in Yerevan to carry out an assessment of hospital preparedness and laboratory research in the fight against the novel coronavirus.

The National Center for Disease Control and Prevention has established an “Operational Call Center” at the following phone number: 060 83 83 00, which operates around the clock.

The death toll due to the deadly disease in China mounted to 3,123 on Monday. A total of 80,904 confirmed cases of the virus were reported in the country, China’s National Health Commission (NHC) reported. 

Pashinyan, CoE Director General of Human Rights and Rule of Law discuss judicial reforms

Nahapetian Samvel

Pashinyan, CoE Director General of Human Rights and Rule of Law discuss judicial reforms

Save

Share

 18:38, 2 March, 2020

YEREVAN, MARCH 2, ARMENPRESS.  Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan received on March 2 Director General of Human Rights and Rule of Law of the Council of Europe Christos Giakoumopoulos and his delegation.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Prime Minister of Armenia, the PM noted that the visit of the high-level Council of Europe delegation is a good opportunity for discussing the cooperation agenda and spoke about the democratic changes taking place in Armenia. Nikol Pashinyan noted that following the velvet revolution of 2018 Armenia pursues the path of strengthening democratic institutions and emphasized the importance of cooperation with international partners, including the Council of Europe.

According to Christos Giakoumopoulos, the Council of Europe highlights the strengthening of partnership with Armenia and is ready to assist Armenia in the process of reform implementation.

The interlocutors discussed issues referring to Armenia-CoE cooperation in the sphere of reform implementation. The sides reaffirmed the readiness to continue and deepen cooperation.

Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan

Artsakh’s President receives Armenia’s Central Bank chief

Nahapetian Samvel

Save

Share

 13:04, 3 March, 2020

STEPANAKERT, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. President of Artsakh Bako Sahakyan received today President of the Central Bank of Armenia Artur Javadyan, the Presidential Office told Armenpress.

Various issues relating to the cooperation of Armenia and Artsakh in the banking sector were discussed.

The meeting was also attended by Artsakh’s State Minister Grigory Martirosyan and other officials.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan




Head of PAP Gagik Tsarukyan believes that a judge should be at least 35 years old

Nahapetian Samvel
Arminfo, Armenia
March 6 2020

ArmInfo.Head of the Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP), Gagik Tsarukyan, believes that a judge should be at least 35 years old. He said this on March 6 in an interview with  reporters, referring to the initiative to reduce the age limit for judges from 28 to 25 years.

He noted that he advocated the active participation of young  personnel in the life of the country, but this participation should  have limitations. “25 year-old young people can be judges on economic  issues, but when it comes to the fate of people, then you need a  person with experience.

Therefore, in my opinion, a judge should be at least 35 years old,  “the MP emphasized. Tsarukyan urged his colleagues to study  international experience, where the age limit for judges is also  quite high.” This is an objective reality. If they want to make  changes, then this should be done with the study of the experience of  other countries. You can study the experience of the United States or  England,” he stressed.

It should be noted that today a draft law on reducing the age limit  for judges from 28 to 25 years was discussed in the Armenian  parliament.

Lawyer: Former Prime Ministers of Armenia are ready to act as guarantors regarding Robert Kocharian

Nahapetian Samvel
Arminfo, Armenia
March 6 2020

ArmInfo.Former Prime Ministers of Armenia are ready to act as guarantors regarding the second President of the Republic of Armenia Robert Kocharian. As lawyer Aram  Vardevanyan noted in a conversation with reporters on March 6, the  corresponding application will most likely be submitted in March.

Earlier it was reported that former Prime Ministers of Armenia Vazgen  Manukyan, Khosrov Harutyunyan and Karen Karapetyan, as well as  ex-Prime Minister of Artsakh Anushavan Danielyan declared their  readiness to give personal guarantees to change Kocharyan’s  preventive measure.

Robert Kocharian is being accused in the March 1, 2008 case. Recall  that the Constitutional Court of Armenia appealed to the ECHR to  provide an advisory opinion regarding compliance with the  Constitution of the Republic of Armenia with Article 300.1 of the  Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia. Under this article  (Overthrow of the constitutional order), Robert Kocharian is charged. 

Outpouring of condolences and sympathies from officials over Yervand Manaryan’s passing

Nahapetian Samvel

Save

Share

 10:22,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 20, ARMENPRESS. Government officials are expressing condolences and sympathy over the death of Yervand Manaryan, the renowned actor and filmmaker who passed away February 20 at the age of 96.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan shared on social media a 2018 photo of himself with Manaryan and wrote “May God rest your soul, dear maestro”. The photo was made in October 2018, when Pashinyan was caretaker prime minister and visited Manaryan in his apartment.

Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinyan also offered condolences, saying “Yervand Manaryan the artist, the scholar, the citizen will always be in our hearts and minds”.

Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Arayik Harutyunyan said Manaryan was “an example of a free mind and unconstrained scholar…” “…..literally a people’s artist”.  “A luminous presence left us”, he said.

Speaker of Parliament Ararat Mirzoyan had also earlier offered condolences and sympathies over Manaryan’s passing.

Manaryan was born in 1924 in Arak, Iran. He immigrated to Armenia in 1946 and enrolled in the Yerevan Theatrical Art Institute, graduating the filmmaking faculty in 1952. Besides acting, he was also directing and scriptwriting.

In 2003, he was awarded the title of Merited Artist.

In October 2018, PM Pashinyan awarded Manaryan the title of People’s Artist of Armenia. A year later Yerevan Mayor Hayk Marutyan awarded the artist the title of Honorary Citizen of Yerevan.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

Sports: Gevorg Gharibyan: I am proud to raise Armenian flag

Nahapetian Samvel
News.am, Armenia
Feb 13 2020

Greco-Roman wrestler, newly crowned European champion Gevorg Gharibyan dedicated his victory to Armenian soldiers and the Armenian people.

Talking to NEWS.am Sport after his win over Turkey’s Kerem Kamal in the finals of the European Championships, Gharibyan said he prepared for the tournament.

“I was very well prepared for the European Championship. We did an excellent job with the national team coaches and my personal coaches. I am happy that I managed to win a gold medal. It was not an easy task, and I am happy I could overcome the difficulties,” he said.

Gharibyan said it was hard to beat the Turkish wrestler psychologically, because he had no right to lose.

“I am proud to raise our flag. I dedicate my victory to our soldiers and the entire Armenian nation. I would fight to qualify to the Olympics,” he added.

Armenian president felicitates Iranian Leader, president on Islamic Revolution anniv.

Nahapetian Samvel
Mehr News Agency, Iran
Feb 11 2020

TEHRAN, Feb. 11 (MNA) – President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian sent congratulatory letters to Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani and Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei on the 41st anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution.

“The close political and economic cooperation between Armenia and Iran continues also today thanks to the deep friendly traditions. I am confident that the Armenian-Iranian relations will steadily strengthen and develop. Today, when the world is facing numerous challenges, the preservation and development of stable and mutually beneficial relations between Armenia and Iran are important”, the Armenian President said in his letter addressed to his Iranian counterpart.

In the letter addressed to Ayatollah Khamenei, the Armenian President said, “I believe that the respect towards each other’s religion and culture, accompanied with a political dialogue, contributes to the establishment of peace and stability in the region.”

President Armen Sarkissian praised the Armenia-Iran developing cooperation in numerous areas. He wished the Leader good health and success, and peace and prosperity to the good people of Iran.

MNA/PR

Armenia Parliament to consider laws on referendum and Constitutional Court during special session

Nahapetian Samvel
News.am, Armenia
Jan 30 2020

21:25, 30.01.2020
                  

The National Assembly of Armenia will convene an extraordinary session, as reported on the official website of the National Assembly, according to Armenpress.

“Upon the decision of Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan, pursuant to Article 100 of the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia and Article 41 of the Constitutional Law of the Republic of Armenia “Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly”, at the initiative of the deputies of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, on February 6 at 11:00 the National Assembly will convene an extraordinary session with the following agenda:

“Package of bills on making amendments and supplements to the Constitutional Law of the Republic of Armenia “Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly”, on making amendments and supplements to the Constitutional Law of the Republic of Armenia “On referendum” and on making supplements and amendments to the Constitutional Law of the Republic of Armenia “On the Constitutional Court” (in the first and second readings),” as the statement reads.