Category: 2019

Lydian assumes obligation that Amulsar’s contaminated waters will not be released into environment

13:22, 21 August, 2019

YEREVAN, AUGUST 21, ARMENPRESS. Lydian Armenia is assuming an obligation that contaminated waters will not be released into the environment from the Amulsar mine’s territory, the Investgiative Committee said in a news release.

The Investigative Committee said that “generally the company is accepting ELARD international expert group’s conclusions which refer to the absence of impact of the Amulsar project on various water resources of Lake Sevan and Jermuk area”.

Lydian has reiterated to the Armenian authorities that the possible environmental risks will be fully controlled.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

Armenian PM convenes another meeting on Amulsar gold mine

13:37, 21 August, 2019

YEREVAN, AUGUST 21, ARMENPRESS. Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan has chaired a new consultation on the Amulsar gold mine.

“Lydian’s representative was also participating”, the PM said on Facebook.

“I was interested in the substantial potential phases of the planned project, the potential management methods for the potential risks and the tools that the government has. We continue working on this highly important topic,” the PM said.

On August 19th, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced that the Government intends to allow Lydian International to continue the Amulsar project. The decision was based on the conclusion of an environmental audit. Pashinyan emphasized that the project will be operated strictly in adherence to high environmental standards.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

Amulsar: Government scrutinizes possible need for another environmental audit

14:02, 21 August, 2019

YEREVAN, AUGUST 21, ARMENPRESS. The Government of Armenia will forward the environmental audit conclusion on Amulsar gold mine to the Ministry of Environment, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Facebook.

He said the environment ministry is tasked to determine “whether or not the conclusion contains information which according to Armenian legislation require the need for a new Environmental Impact Assessment for the operation of the Amulsar mine”.

On August 19th, however, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced that the Government intends to allow Lydian International to continue the Amulsar project. The decision was based on the conclusion of an environmental audit conducted by ELARD. Pashinyan emphasized that the project will be operated strictly in adherence to high environmental standards.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

OSCE conducts monitoring at Artsakh-Azerbaijan Line of Contact

14:31, 21 August, 2019

YEREVAN, AUGUST 21, ARMENPRESS. (Press Release, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Artsakh) On August 21, in accordance with the arrangement reached with the authorities of the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh Republic), the OSCE Mission conducted a planned monitoring of the ceasefire regime on the Line of Contact between the armed forces of Artsakh and Azerbaijan, at the Omar pass.   

From the positions of the Defense Army of the Republic of Artsakh, the monitoring was conducted by Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in Office Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk, Field Assistant to the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office (CiO) Ghenadie Petrica (Moldova) and Personal Assistant to the CiO Personal Representative Simon Tiller (Great Britain) .  

 From the opposite side of the Line of Contact, the monitoring was conducted by Field Assistant to the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office (CiO) Mihail Olaru (Moldova) and staff member of the Office of the CiO Personal Representative Martin Schuster (Germany).

The monitoring passed in accordance with the agreed schedule.  

From the Artsakh side, the monitoring mission was accompanied by representatives of the Republic of Artsakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Defense.

RyanAir plans to enter Armenian aviation market soon

14:58, 21 August, 2019

YEREVAN, AUGUST 21, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has held a meeting with the Irish RyanAir airline’s Chief Commercial Officer David O’Brien and Director of Route Development Kate Sherry in Yerevan. 

During the meeting Pashinyan noted that the Armenian Government has declared tourism as a priority and the sector has great potential for development and in this context the development of civil aviation is one of the important steps, the Armenian PM’s Office said in a news release.

PM Pashinyan said that the Armenian Government attaches importance to the inclusion of leading airlines in the Armenian aviation market and noted that the meeting is a good chance to discuss possibilities for cooperation.

David O’Brien told the PM that RyanAir is planning to enter the Armenian aviation market soon and that discussions are currently underway with the Civil Aviation Committee and Yerevan’s Zvartnots Airport.

The RyanAir CCO presented the vision of activities in Armenia, planned new directions from Armenia, pricing policy and other issues.

Welcoming RyanAir’s intention to enter the Armenian market, PM Nikol Pashinyan expressed the Government’s willingness to maximally assist the procedure. Pashinyan suggested to continue joint work over a concrete option of mutually beneficial cooperation.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

Court denies bail for jailed Sasna Tsrer member

15:23, 21 August, 2019

YEREVAN, AUGUST 21, ARMENPRESS. A Yerevan court denied to release a jailed gunman who was among the perpetrators of the 2016 police station ambush in the Armenian capital.

Smbat Barseghyan, one of the two suspects who are jailed amid the ongoing trial, was denied to be released on bail. The other jailed suspect is Armen Bilyan. Both are charged with gunning down the 3 police officers during the events which became known as the 2016 Yerevan hostage crisis.

Judge Mesrop Makyan adjourned the trial until August 28th.

In the summer of 2016, a group of 10 men identifying themselves as Sasna Tsrer (Daredevils of Sassoun) stormed a police station and took hostages, demanding the resignation of the then-government and the release of political prisoners.

The group subsequently surrendered and the court proceedings are underway since then. 8 suspects have been later released on bail amid the trial.

The Sasna Tsrer group went on to transform into a political party and unsuccessfully ran for parliament in 2018.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

Chief meteorologist warns of fire weather

15:27, 21 August, 2019

YEREVAN, AUGUST 21, ARMENPRESS. No rain is forecast in Armenia for the next 5 days and a nationwide fire weather has been declared, chief meteorologist Gagik Surenyan warned.

Surenyan, the Head of the Hydromet Service’s Meteorology Center said on Facebook that it almost hasn’t rained across the country for the last 20 days and the summer heat will continue for the next five days. “Air temperature is 4-5 degrees higher than the norm for this time of the year and it won’t significantly drop in the coming days,” he said, noting that the high temperatures have created a fire weather.

“We therefore urge everyone to maintain fire safety rules, any carless action while dealing with fire can cause disastrous fires,” Surenyan warned.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

Sarkissian appoints protocol chief to serve as advisor

16:00, 21 August, 2019

YEREVAN, AUGUST 21, ARMENPRESS. President Armen Sarkissian has appointed his protocol chief Armen Gichyan to serve as his advisor, the Sarkissian Administration said in a news release.

It wasn’t immediately clear who will succeed Gichyan as head of the protocol service of the presidential administration.

Gichyan is a longtime protocol executive and served in the same position even during the Serzh Sargsyan Administration.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

PM offers birthday greetings to Garegin II

16:44, 21 August, 2019

YEREVAN, AUGUST 21, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has extended birthday congratulations to Armenian Apostolic Church leader Catholicos Garegin II who turned 68 today, the PM’s Office said in a news release.

In a letter sent to the Catholicos, the PM said that he values Garegin II’s role in strengthening the cooperation between the government and the church.

“The Armenian Apostolic Church has great importance and role in our people’s life in terms of strengthening spiritual values and preservation of national identity. I am sure you will continue your productive activities in this direction,” the PM told Garegin II, wishing good health and good luck in his mission.

Earlier today President of Artsakh Bako Sahakyan had also extended congratulations to the Catholicos.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

PM clarifies why another audit for Amulsar is under consideration

17:03, 21 August, 2019

YEREVAN, AUGUST 21, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has clarified why he has decided to forward the environmental audit conclusion over the Amulsar mine to the Ministry of Environment to determine if another environmental impact assessment is needed.

Pashinyan said that during the most recent discussion over the matter – where Lydian’s representative and representatives from all concerned ministries were present – he asked everyone “whether there is any information in the ELARD conclusion which implies that the Amulsar project should undergo a new environmental impact assessment”.

“All those in attendance, including the representative of the Ministry of Environment, gave a negative answer, just like during the August 19th meeting. I was already about to end the consultation when the representative of the Ministry of Environment said that he nevertheless believes that the question should be answered after a more deeper study. After that I tasked the staff to forward the ELARD conclusion to the Ministry of Environment with a respective task,” the PM said on Facebook.

The environment ministry is tasked to determine “whether or not the conclusion contains information which according to Armenian legislation requires the need for a new Environmental Impact Assessment for the operation of the Amulsar mine”.

On August 19th, however, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced that the Government intends to allow Lydian International to continue the Amulsar project. The decision was based on the conclusion of an environmental audit conducted by ELARD. Pashinyan emphasized that the project will be operated strictly in adherence to high environmental standards. Pashinyan said that he is 99,9% certain over the issue but the 0,1% doubt is the reason why he asked if another study is needed.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan