Category: 2020

 11:43,

YEREVAN, MAY 19, ARMENPRESS. The State Commission for the Protection of Economic Competition has dropped the administrative proceedings which was launched on December 30, 2019 regarding the applications of Veon Armenia (Beeline) and Ucom’s potential merger.

The commission said that Veon Armenia itself retracted its application on May 6 and requested to cancel the proceedings.

Earlier in March, the commission had suspended the process due to the coronavirus-related state of emergency.

In December 2019, Ucom and Veon Armenia asked the commission to allow the merger.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 12:48,

YEREVAN, MAY 19, ARMENPRESS. The number of coronavirus cases in Russia has risen by 9,263 over the past day and the daily growth in cases has not exceeded 10,000 for the fourth day in a row, TASS reports citing the anti-coronavirus crisis center.

To date, 299,941 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in all Russian regions.

According to the crisis center, the daily growth rate stood at a record low level of 3.2% like the day earlier.

A total of 3,988 (43.1%) people diagnosed with the virus over the past day have not shown any symptoms.

A record high number of 5,921 patients with COVID-19 have recovered in Russia over the past day, taking the total number of recoveries in the country to 76,130.

The death toll has climbed by 115 over the past day to 2,837.

 13:45,

YEREVAN, MAY 19, ARMENPRESS. Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, who had been admitted to hospital with COVID-19, has resumed his duties, according to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decree published on the Kremlin website, reports TASS.

Mishustin held several meetings in the format of a video conference while he was in hospital.

On April 30, Mishustin announced that he had been diagnosed with the coronavirus infection. After that, the prime minister was admitted to hospital for treatment, while his duties were assumed by First Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov. The presidential decree has canceled an earlier decree that appointed Belousov as the acting head of government.

 14:12,

YEREVAN, MAY 19, ARMENPRESS. Head of the Investigation Department at the National Security Service of Armenia Artur Aghajanyan has been relieved from the position upon his application, the NSS told Armenpress.

Reporting by Karen Khachatryan; Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 14:42,

YEREVAN, MAY 19, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan hopes that the cooperation sectors mentioned in the document on “2025 Strategic Directions of the Eurasian Integration Development” will contribute to raising the investment and innovative attractiveness of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), increasing its competitiveness and scientific, productive potential, the PM said during a video conference of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council.

In this context he touched upon the necessity of the formation of a single gas market in the EAEU. “Today, in the context of the global economic challenges facing us, the necessity of forming a single gas market is especially vital for Armenia. As I have stated for many times, the single energy market operating on non-discriminatory principles must become one of the bases of our integration. Without it it’s impossible to achieve qualitative progress in the integration processes. Without it it’s impossible to ensure equal conditions for the economic activity for all member states of the Union. We believe that the principles on applying common pricing approaches in the EAEU single gas market, as well as the united tariffs for gas transportation and transit services by a company having a national monopoly must be enshrined in the 2025 Strategic Directions of the Eurasian Integration Development”, Pashinyan said.

According to him, the EAEU should strive to achieve this goal step by step, which in turn will create favorable conditions for a deeper qualitative economic integration within the Union.

“Dear colleagues, summing up my speech, I want to use this occasion and once again congratulate all of us on the 75^th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War. Our people sacredly respect this day, and we do everything for the generations to remember the heroic deeds of our fathers and grandfathers”, the Armenian PM said.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 15:06,

YEREVAN, MAY 19, ARMENPRESS. Healthcare Minister Arsen Torosyan said that asymptomatic or very mild COVID-19 patients will no longer be isolated or hospitalized “in a few days”.

He said the patients will be sent to their homes and new cases will not be taken to hotels or hospitals for isolation.

Torosyan said doctors will home-supervise the patients.

He said the change of strategy has two reasons, first being the growth of new cases and second the need for optimal utilization of hospital beds and other resources.

Remote trainings for health workers for home supervision of COVID-19 patients will be organized by the National Institute of Health. A call center for medics will also be set up.

“The effectiveness of fighting this global challenge will depend on your devotion and responsibility. We must together overcome this. Thank you for your work,” Torosyan said, addressing health workers in Armenia.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 15:41,

YEREVAN, MAY 19, ARMENPRESS. Artur Poghosyan has been appointed Head of the Investigation Department at the National Security Service of Armenia, the NSS told Armenpress.

Previously, Artur Poghosyan was serving as deputy prosecutor of Shirak province.

Earlier today Artur Aghajanyan has been relieved from the position of head of the NSS Investigation Department upon his own application.

Reporting by Karen Khachatryan; Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 14:28,

YEREVAN, MAY 19, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan briefed EEU leaders on the coronavirus response of the Armenian government during a video-conference of the Supreme Eurasian Council.

Pashinyan said in his speech that although the growth of new cases wasn’t possible to be prevented, the government has practically ended the phase of strict restrictions and has been implementing a de-centralized strategy of fighting the coronavirus since May 4.

“Since yesterday, virtually all economic restrictions in Armenia have been lifted. However, restrictions in education, culture, entertainment, leisure and public events are maintained. The state sector is working on a hybrid method by combining office and remote work,” Pashinyan said.

He said that the lockdown has been fully lifted and it has led to a certain growth of new cases. “Instead, however, strict social and economic safety rules have been introduced, mandatory protocols and rules have been approved for all citizens, businesses and state institutions. The concept of strict restrictions has been transformed into a concept of maintaining strict norms and rules of behavior. Certainly, its effectiveness will depend from the level of responsibility of the entire society. During the time period of the strict lockdown we were able to take all necessary measures to increase the transitioning capacity of the country’s healthcare system. We will monitor the situation during the next two weeks. We hope that we won’t have to return to the implementation of strict lockdown measures and that conditions will develop for the full activities of the society during the continuous epidemic and namely for economic activities,” Pashinyan said.

The PM also told the EEU leaders about the Armenian government’s relief packages for mitigating the social-economic consequences of the lockdown. He said that these actions, aside from social significance, were aimed at the economy coming out of the shutdown quickly and creating conditions for its development in the post-crisis period.

“We also succeeded in organizing effective supervision in the retail sector, prevent a potential shortage of goods and not allowing inflation of consumer prices. Thanks to the tactical interference of the Central Bank, abrupt fluctuations of national currency exchange were prevented and its stability was ensured. Dear friends, I have mentioned on numerous occasions that we attach special importance to the development of our cooperation in conditions of the epidemic and the growing recession. I am more than convinced that we must strengthen our union and perfect the fundamental institutions of integration. We must prove their vitality in conditions of crisis and be ready to mutually utilize all economic possibilities which will obviously appear in the post-crisis period,” Pashinyan said.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 15:10,

YEREVAN, MAY 19, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan will attend the inauguration ceremony of newly elected President of the Republic of Artsakh Arayik Harutyunyan, the PM’s Office said in response to ARMENPRESS inquiry.

The Parliament of Artsakh will hold a special session dedicated to Arayik Harutyunyan’s swearing-in ceremony on May 21, at 18:00. The ceremony will be broadcast live.

Arayik Harutyunyan, chairman of the Free Fatherland party, has been elected President of Artsakh based on the results of the voting in the second round of the presidential election on April 15. The first round took place on March 31.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 14:50,

MOSCOW, MAY 19, ARMENPRESS. Armenia and Belarus do not accept the common formula of the gas price formation proposed to EEU member countries, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a videoconference with leaders of the union.

The formula has been proposed in the EEU 2025 Development Strategy draft.

“The draft is almost agreed upon, with the exception of one item, which refers to the gas transportation tariffs,” Putin said.

He said the formula is endorsed by Russia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

“Armenia and Belarus aren’t yet accepting this formula. They have their view over the matter,” the Russian president added.

Putin said if the item was agreed upon then the strategy could be adopted.

He said that Belarus and Armenia are proposing to define a common price of gas. However, Putin said such a move is only possible in the event of having a single market with a single budget and a single tax system.

“We haven’t reached such a deep level of integration yet; we all know it. I think the gas price should be formed in market conditions for now”, he added.

Putin said that if Belarus and Armenia continue maintaining their stance then the item should be withdrawn from the draft in order for it to be adopted today.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan