Category: 2020

Armenpress: Ucom to pay coupons of USD and AMD bonds on time

Emil Lazarian

Ucom to pay coupons of USD and AMD bonds on time

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 16:17, 7 May, 2020

YEREVAN, MAY 7, ARMENPRESS. Ucom will pay the coupons of Ucom corporate bonds on time, specifically on May 16, 2020. These bonds are the first ones by Ucom, issued within the framework of the public offer registered in 2019. In May, 2019 Ucom with the support of “Armenbrok” investment company placed AMD bonds with an annual coupon yield of 11% and USD bonds with an annual coupon yield of 7.5%. The first corporate bonds of Ucom were allowed to trade on AMX Armenia stock exchange, Ucom told Armenpress.

“Ucom makes continuous efforts to return to normal operations mode and fulfill all obligations towards our partners, investors, employees and customers,” said Ara Sergei Khachatryan, Director General at Ucom.

“Let us remind, that the maturity period of nominal coupon bonds is 36 months, the frequency of coupon repayment is quarterly.

It should be added that the announcement of the bonds’ public offer was registered with the Central Bank of the RA and is available at https://www.ucom.am/hy/personal/best-deals/bond”, the company said in a statement.

Armenpress: We continue working as two equivalent partners – Armenian FM about relations with Russia

Albert Nalbandian

We continue working as two equivalent partners – Armenian FM about relations with Russia

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 18:41, 6 May, 2020

YEREVAN, MAY 6, ARMENPRESS. Foreign Minister of Armenia Zohrab Mnatsakanyan reaffirms that relations with Russia were and remain one of the priority foreign policy directions of Armenia, ARMENPRESS reports Mnatsakanyan said during parliament-Cabinet Q&A session, answering the question of an MP from ‘’Luminous Armenia’’ Party about the recent announcement of Russian FM Sergey Lavrov.

‘’We have Armenian-Russian relations, which are quite saturated, and we have history based on all the principles of allied relations, which are reflected in many legal documents and have very concrete applications. These relations are about numerous spheres, starting from security sphere. Our Government has announced numerous times that these relations were and remain one of the key foreign policy directions of Armenia. And in this spirit we continue working with our Russian partners”, he said.

The Minister noted that naturally, there are different questions from the Armenian side, Russian side, but there is no need to make drama out of that. ”We are speaking about relations, which are not necessarily to start and end with toasts, each side has its questions and priorities. But all these are relations of partners and allies.  And we worked and will work in that way, as two equivalent partners, friends and allied countries”, he said.

The MP noted that no one questions the strategic relations with Russia, but the question is who were the announcements of Lavrov addressed to.

”The question came from an Azerbaijani source, as long as I remember, and the answer was addressed to the Azerbaijani source”, Mnatsakanyan responded.

Sergey Lavrov particularly said in his announcement that they actively discuss the proposals presented at the meeting between the foreign ministers of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia in Moscow, which are about ”step-by-step” solution.

Reporting by Anna grigoryan, Editing and translating by Tigran Sirekanyan

Armenpress: Trump announces intent to nominate Patrick Hovakimian to key administration post

Antranik Varosian

Trump announces intent to nominate Patrick Hovakimian to key administration post

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 15:46, 7 May, 2020

YEREVAN, MAY 7, ARMENPRESS. US President Donald Trump on May 4 announced his intent to nominate Patrick Hovakimian, of California, to be General Counsel of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the White House said.

Hovakimian is currently the Associate Deputy Attorney General and Chief of Staff to Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey A. Rosen at the Department of Justice.  He also served as the Department’s Director of Counter-Transnational Organized Crime and as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of California.  As a Federal prosecutor, Hovakimian prosecuted public corruption and white-collar crime, including multinational bribery and fraud conspiracies.

In addition, Hovakimian is a Commissioner of the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission of the United States, having been nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate in 2018.

Earlier in his career, Hovakimian practiced law with Latham & Watkins, LLP, and was a law clerk for the Honorable J.L. Edmondson of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.

CIVILNET.Arevik: A Catholic Village in Armenia

Aram Torosian
CIVILNET.AM

7 May, 2020 19:10

The small village of Arevik is located in Armenia’s Shirak Province. The majority of the residents in this village do not belong to the Armenian Apostolic Church, but the Catholic one. Catholics in Armenia are a very small minority. According to National Statistics, they represent less than one percent of the population.

CIVILNET.Who Donated What to Armenia’s Coronavirus Response?

Vorskanian Yeghisabet
CIVILNET.AM

8 May, 2020 16:43

By Emilio Luciano Cricchio

A number of international organizations, foreign nations, and philanthropists have donated, lent funds, or sent resources to assist Armenia’s response to the pandemic. 

1. International Monetary Fund

The IMF announced that it would increase its financial support to Armenia by $175 million in the form of a loan.

The increase will be used to mitigate short-term economic and social risks caused by the pandemic, as well as to assist the business community. 

2. The European Union

The EU will donate $99.9 million to Armenia. Contributions will come from member states, EU institutions, the European Investment Bank, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. 

The money will be used to supply medical equipment, train medical staff, support businesses, and provide humanitarian assistance for vulnerable social groups. 

3. United States

The U.S. State Department has confirmed that $25 million dollars of pledged aid will be redirected to Armenia’s coronavirus response.

$1.1 million of aid had already been promised by the State Department, in addition to $600,000 by USAID. The money will be used to improve laboratories and support technical experts who are tracking infected people and conducting surveillance. 

4. World Bank

Three million dollars has been promised by the World Bank, which will be used to acquire medical equipment, including 50 ventilators and protective gear for medical staff. 

5. China

In early April, China delivered shipments to Armenia that included 120 ventilators, two oxygen supply stations, 60,000 test kits, 60,000 facial masks, 280,000 protective masks, 20,000 protective gloves and 100,000 protective gowns. 

6. Russia

Russia has sent military medical specialists, as well as a mobile laboratory, which is capable of conducting 100 tests a day. 

Russia also promised to provide 20,000 test kits to Armenia. 

7. UN World Food Program

Following a meeting with President Armen Sarkissian, the United Nations WFP Country Director in Armenia said the organization would work to deliver a large number of ventilators to Armenia. 

8. United Arab Emirates

The UAE has sent a cargo plane to Armenia with seven tons of medical supplies. These supplies will be distributed amongst 7,000 health workers in Armenia. 

9. Eduardo Eurnekian

Argentine-Armenian billionaire, businessman, and philanthropist Eduardo Eurnekian has pledged to donate $250,000 to the coronavirus response. 

10. My Step Foundation

The Armenia-based My Step Foundation has donated $200,000 for the purchase of medical supplies and equipment. 

11. Aurora Humanitarian Initiative 

Aurora’s Ararat Challenge Initiative, a crowdfunding campaign initiative, has donated $120,000 to Armenia’s Health Ministry. The money will be used to purchase ten ventilators. 

12. Izmirlian Foundation

The Izmirlian Foundation, which funds philanthropic initiatives, donated $100,000 to purchase protective gear for medical staff. 

13. All Armenian Fund 

The Hayastan All-Armenian Fund has raised $63,000 for Armenia’s coronavirus response after setting up an online fundraiser. On top of this, the organization already delivered seven respirators, 1,000 facial masks, oxygen concentrators and other medical supplies to the Armenian Health Ministry. 

Pashinyan says Gazprom should change its approaches in the light of collapse of energy market

Eduard Nalbandian

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 20:12, 6 May, 2020

YEREVAN, MAY 6, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan thinks that Russian ”Gazprom” company should change its approaches in the light of the global crisis and collapse of the energy market, ARMENPRESS reports Pashinyan said at the National Assembly, answering the question of an MP from ‘’My step” faction if there are any worries over teh possible fluctuations of gas price.

According to Pashinyan, the aspiration of the partners from Russian Gazprom to make their company economically more competitive is normal and acceptable. ”Gas reaches to the consumer through pipes and if these pipes are not serviced, they will go wrong in 1-2 years and gas will not reach its destination.  The company has to have adequate income to be able to ensure the maintenance of this infrastructure. But we think that the company from our strategically partner country should change its approaches in the light of this global crisis and collapse of energy market. And we will try to talk with our partners about this”, he said.

Pashinyan noted that the establishment of a common energy market is one of the key issues on the agenda of the EAEU. ”And we think that starting from now we should move forward with that logic”, he said.

Reporting by Anna Grigoryan, Editing and translating by Tigran Sirekanyan

102 new cases of COVID19 in Armenia

Karagyozian Lena

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 11:09, 7 May, 2020

YEREVAN, MAY 7, ARMENPRESS. 102 new coronavirus cases, 50 recoveries and 2 deaths have been recorded in Armenia in the past 24 hours, the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention said.

The total cumulative number of infections reached 2884, of which 1185 have recovered.

The number of active cases stands at 1648.

The latest fatalities were 78- and 66-year-old patients with underlying health conditions, healthcare authorities said.

The total number of fatalities has reached 42.

Reporting by Lilit Demuryan; Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

Armenian government approves 17th anti-crisis measure

Kalashian Nyrie

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 12:14, 7 May, 2020

YEREVAN, MAY 7, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian government approved today the 17th program aimed at eliminating the economic consequences of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

The 17th anti-crisis measure concerns the field of information technologies.

“The measure aims at assisting economic entities operating in high technologies to keep efficient jobs, as well as implement innovative ideas and promote commercialization”, Minister of High Technological Industry Hakob Arshakyan said at the Cabinet meeting, adding that the assistance will be in the form of grants.

The program beneficiaries are those high-tech businesses which meet the criteria mentioned in the Law on State Assistance to IT Field, do not have delays in payments to taxes and credits in the past 12 months and have not received a grant by the ministry in the past 12 months as of the date of submitting the application.

 

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Artsakh President awards group of servicemen, public administration representatives

Ekmekjian Janet

 

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 10:54, 7 May, 2020

STEPANAKERT, MAY 7, ARMENPRESS. In connection with the Victory Holiday, the 28th anniversary of the Artsakh Republic Defense Army and the Liberation of Shoushi, President of Artsakh Bako Sahakyan signed a number of decrees, the Presidential Office told Armenpress.

A group of Defense Army servicemen and veterans of the Artsakh Liberation Fight were awarded with high state awards for bravery and courage shown during the battles for the defense of the Homeland and substantial contribution to the defense of the Motherland.

For active and fruitful work, significant contribution to ensuring the development and security of the Artsakh Republic, a group of devotees of the state system and various spheres were awarded with high state awards and titles.