Category: 2020

Slovak FM visits Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan

Emil Lazarian

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 11:00,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 24, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Slovakia Miroslav Lajčák visited today the Armenian Genocide Memorial on the sidelines of his official visit to pay tribute to the memory of the innocent victims, the Armenian Foreign Ministry told Armenpress.

Miroslav Lajčák arrived in Armenia on February 24 on an official visit. The Slovak FM is scheduled to meet with his Armenian counterpart Zohrab Mnatsakanyan. The meeting will be followed by a joint press conference.

Meetings with Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and President Armen Sarkissian are also expected.

During the visit the Slovak FM will attend the official opening ceremony of the Embassy of Slovakia in Armenia.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan




Armenia to impose emergency shutdown of Iran border in latest covid-2019 countermeasure

Lara Antonian

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 19:32,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 23, ARMENPRESS. Armenia will shut down its border with neighboring Iran for two weeks in a latest countermeasure to prevent the novel coronavirus outbreak from entering Armenia.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said in a statement that the emergency decision will be made in pursuance of Article 16 of the Law on State Border.

“Particularly, the Iran-Armenia air communication and the entry of people to Armenia through the Meghri Border Crossing Point will be suspended”, he said.

The ban will be effective for two weeks.

Pashinyan said that the Commission on Preventing the Spread of Coronavirus, the government’s task force operating since January 31, will convene a session on Monday to discuss further measures, possible scenarios and related actions.

“In any case I find it necessary to underscore that there are no reasons to spread panic. Such actions are harmful in all cases,” the PM said.

 

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

Italy is in “national emergency situation”, PM Conte on coronavirus outbreak

Ara Felekian

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 10:03,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 24, ARMENPRESS. Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has admitted that the Italian authorities were not expecting such a drastic increase of the novel coronavirus cases in the country, but he at the same time said that the countermeasures to contain the outbreak will give results within the coming two weeks.

“We are carrying out thousands of tests,” he told Canale 5.

PM Conte said Italy has found itself in “a national emergency situation”.

As of February 23, Italy has confirmed 152 novel coronavirus cases. 3 people died from the disease.

The outbreak has been recorded mostly in Lombardy and Veneto. Schools and universities in the regions are shut down.

All public events, including cultural, sports and religious ones, have been suspended.  In Venice, the fames Carnival was stopped two days ahead of schedule. The Milan Cathedral is also closed.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

Armenia says will close border with Iran over virus

Liana Toganian

Turkey, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Armenia close Iran borders for coronavirus

Lara Antonian
Jerusalem Post
Feb 23 2020
By JERUSALEM POST STAFF  

FEBRUARY 23, 2020 18:24
Turkey, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Armenia announced on Sunday that they would close their borders with Iran as a precautionary measure to halt the potential spread of coronavirus after the neighboring country reported 43 cases of the disease.
All highways and railways will be closed as of 5 p.m. (14:00 GMT) on Sunday and flights from Iran suspended, Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca told reporters. Eight people have died in Iran, the highest death toll from the new coronavirus outside of China.
The Office of the National Security Council in Afghanistan announced on Sunday that it would suspend all passenger movement by air and ground to and from Iran. The import of poultry products from its neighbor has been suspended as well. The Afghani ministries of Finance and Interior will work to prevent the smuggling of masks outside of the country and set aside resources for public health.
Pakistani authorities closed the border crossing with Iran in Taftan on Sunday as well, according to Radio Pakistan. The transit gate and joint markets at the border have been closed, and trade and travel have been suspended. Precautionary and protective measures are being taken in Taftan, including a 100-bed tent hospital that is being established to deal with the emergency situation along the Pakistan-Iran border.
In addition, Armenia is also closing its border with Iran for two weeks and suspending air traffic after reports of coronavirus cases there, Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said in a Facebook post on Sunday.
Iran has confirmed 15 new cases of the novel coronavirus, bringing the total to 43 with a death toll of eight. Most of the infections have been in the Shi'ite Muslim holy city of Qom.
https://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/Turkey-closes-Iran-border-due-to-coronavirus-outbreak-report-618495

Armenia to suspend air and land communication with Iran

Emil Lazarian
Public Radio of Armenia
Feb 23 2020


The Armenian Government is expected to make a decision on suspending communication with Iran for two weeks, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said in a Facebook post.

“Based on Article 16 of the Law on State Border of the Republic of Armenia, which deals with the temporary cessation of communication across the state border in the event of the spread of infectious diseases, the Government will make an extraordinary decision to suspend communication with the Islamic Republic of Iran for two weeks,” the Prime Minister said.

In particular, Iran-Armenia air communication and the entry of people through the Meghri border crossing to Armenia will be suspended.

The Coronavirus Prevention Commission will meet on Monday morning to discuss the  next steps, possible scenarios and measures to follow.

Iran’s health ministry raised the death toll from the new coronavirus to eight Sunday.

There were now 43 confirmed cases of the illness in Iran, health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour told state TV. That’s a jump from a Saturday’s total of 28 confirmed cases and six fatalities.

Armenia closes border with Iran for 2 weeks to prevent spread of coronavirus: Armenia’s PM

Alex Nanijanian
Aysor, Armenia
Feb 23 2020

To prevent the spread of coronavirus Armenia will stop communication with Iran for two weeks, Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan wrote on Facebook.

Armenia will make a decision at the extraordinary government sitting on closing border with Iran for two weeks.

“In particular Iran-Armenia air communication and entrance of people from Meghri border check-point will be stopped,” he wrote, adding that Monday morning the special commission will convene session to discuss the further steps.

Armenia's PM urged not to spread panic, stressing that it will not do any good.


Armenian Embassy in Iran suspends registration and reception of citizens

Markos Nalchajian
Public Radio of Armenia
Feb 23 2020


Starting from , the Armenian Embassy in Iran is temporarily suspending the activity of its Consular Department, i.e. registration and reception of citizens.

The Embassy is apologizing to citizens for inconvenience.

The Embassy of the Republic of Armenia will provide additional information on the resumption of the activity of the Consular Department.

Court decides to hear lawsuit filed by Armenia National Security Service ex-director against daily newspaper

Varazdat Torgomian
News.am,  Armenia
Feb 23 2020

14:30, 23.02.2020
                  

YEREVAN. – The Yerevan court of general jurisdiction has decided to hear the lawsuit filed by Armenia’s former National Security Service (NSS) director Artur Vanetsyan against Haykakan Zhamanak daily, the DataLex judicial information system informs.

The reason for the lawsuit is an article published in Haykakan Zhamanak, in which it was written, in particular, that the "propaganda campaign, which a number of specific media outlets are carrying out against Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's family members—in particular his wife Anna Hakobyan and his daughter Mariam Pashinyan, is being coordinated and inspired by NSS former director Artur Vanetsyan. At the same time, there are grounds to believe that this anti-propaganda is also paid for by Vanetsyan.”

Before applying to the court, Artur Vanetsyan's legal representatives had demanded that the newspaper refute this report and publish the text of this refutation, but Haykakan Zhamanak failed to do so.