Category: 2020

Union of Armenians of Russia supports initiative to establish “Hay Park” in Tsitsernakaberd Memorial

Ekmekjian Janet

Union of Armenians of Russia supports initiative to establish “Hay Park” in Tsitsernakaberd Memorial

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 13:53,

YEREVAN, APRIL 29, ARMENPRESS. Chairman of the Union of Armenians of Russia Ara Abrahamyan reacted to the idea and initiative of Armenian President Armen Sarkissian to establish a “Hay Park”, an all-Armenian park of solidarity and memory in the territory of the Tsitsernakaberd Armenian Genocide Memorial, the Armenian President’s Office told Armenpress.

In his letter sent to the Armenian President, the Chairman of the Union of Armenians of Russia stated that the implementation of this initiative has an important idea and best responds to the historical and state-public agenda of the Armenian people.

“Dear Mr. President,

Both I and the members of the largest national union in Russia – the Union of Armenians of Russia, are ready to support your initiative and will be glad to invest our capacities, knowledge and efforts for implementing it. Undoubtedly, the united work and joint efforts will serve for the further unity of our nation”, Ara Abrahamyan said in the letter.

President Armen Sarkissian recently spoke of his idea to establish a “Hay Park” on the territory of Tsitsernakaberd.

The President said that parks and gardens of Yerevan are its “lungs” and to be able to provide a healthy lifestyle for the public, Armenia needs to have parks, “healthy public lungs.” In this context, President Sarkissian presented his idea of creating a “Hay Park” all-Armenian park. It will begin on the territory of Tsitsernakaberd and stretch for approximately 103 hectares.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Russia coronavirus cases surpass 99,000

Ani Kharatian

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 12:27,

YEREVAN, APRIL 29, ARMENPRESS. The number of coronavirus cases in Russia rose by 5,841 to 99,399 in the past 24 hours, TASS reports citing the anti-coronavirus crisis center.

“A total of 99,399 coronavirus cases have so far been recorded in 85 Russian regions (up by 6.2%). As many as 1,830 people were discharged from hospitals in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of recoveries to 10,286. As many as 972 people have died”, the statement reads.

According to the center, 44.9% of new cases (2,624) have no symptoms.

In late December 2019, Chinese authorities notified the World Health Organization (WHO) about an outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan, central China. WHO declared the outbreak of the novel coronavirus a global pandemic and named the virus COVID-19. 

According to the data of the World Health Organization, coronavirus cases have been confirmed in more than 210 countries and territories.




Armenian deputy PM participates in EEC Council session in video conference mode

Alex Nanijanian

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 14:01,

YEREVAN, APRIL 29, ARMENPRESS. Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia Mher Grigoryan is taking part in the session of the Council of the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) via a video conference mode, his Office told Armenpress.

The session agenda includes issues relating to the process of actions aimed at eliminating the barriers in the domestic market of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), the fulfillment of main directions of the Union’s international activity, as well as the implementation of the plan to form a single electricity market. The session participants will also discuss approving the agenda of the upcoming session of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council.

The session will also cover the issue on raising the role of the Eurasian Development Bank in the development and implementation of anti-crisis and stabilization measures.

 

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Armenian Parliament adopts bill on clarifying role of Commandant and status of adopted acts

Emma Nadirian

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 15:21,

YEREVAN, APRIL 29, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian Parliament adopted today the package of bills on making changes and amendments to the Law on the Legal Regime of the State of Emergency according to which it is proposed to clarify the role, status of the Commandant and his Office, as well as the nature of acts adopted by the Commandant.

87 MPs voted in favor of the package, 16 voted against and 16 abstained.

The package defined that in case of a decision to declare a state of emergency the prime minister or the deputy PM can act as a Commandant. It also defined that the Commandant, while fulfilling his powers, can adopt acts, as an act adopted respectively by the PM or the deputy PM, including also sub-legislative normative acts. The package also set an opportunity to restrict the person’s right to personal freedom during the state of emergency declared over the epidemic with the goal to prevent it.

According to the package of bills, the Commandant’s Office is created by the decision of the government.

Reporting by Anna Grigoryan; Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

‘Effective implementation of capital expenditures is our key tool to overcome crisis’ – Armenian PM

Emil Lazarian

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 16:08,

YEREVAN, APRIL 29, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan today chaired a consultation in the government discussing the implementation process of capital programs in the fields of infrastructures and house-building, the PM’s Office told Armenpress.

Pashinyan said this year the capital programs are of special importance. “Why it is specifically important this year and what practice we have from the previous years regarding the capital expenditures? The experience of the past years shows that traditionally the capital expenditures in Armenia are under-fulfilled. But if in 2019 we had an unprecedented economic activity, compared to the under-fulfillment of the capital expenditures, this year we are in crisis, and therefore, our main tool to overcome the crisis is the effective implementation of the capital expenditures. We find that this year each under-fulfilled percent of the capital expenditures means non-created jobs, means families which didn’t get salaries, means businessmen who should have got a profit, operated in the context of state expenditures, which in its turn further intensifies the difficult social situation. In this respect we really need to carry out capital expenditures with a special quality and volume”, he said, reminding that most of the capital expenditures is carried out by the ministry of territorial administration and infrastructures.

Minister of territorial administration and infrastructures Suren Papikyan reported that the ministry has been provided with 22 billion 380 million drams from the 2020 state budget for its capital expenditures, 21 billion drams out of which is directed for road construction. It is expected to renovate 250 km long road in the Republic within the frames of these funds. The preparation works are in process and will start on March 5.

Thereafter, deputy chair of the Urban Development Committee Armen Ghularyan reported the process of the house-building program in the disaster zone – in Spitak, Vanadzor and Gyumri.

PM Pashinyan tasked to implement all these programs with a large scale and within the set timeframes.

 

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Iran confirms 1,073 new cases of coronavirus over past day

Tatoyan Vazgen

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 14:15,

YEREVAN, APRIL 29, ARMENPRESS. According to the latest data, the number of people infected with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Iran has increased by 1,073, bringing the total number of cases to 93,657, the Armenian Embassy in Iran said on Facebook.

80 more deaths have been registered in the past one day. The death toll has reached 5,957.

2,965 coronavirus infected patients are in serious condition.

The number of recovered people increased by 1,352, raising the total number of recoveries to 73,791.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Coronavirus: Armenia economy minister forecasts low economic indicators in second quarter of 2020

Alex Jidarian

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 16:01,

YEREVAN, APRIL 29, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Economy of Armenia Tigran Khachatryan is forecasting low economic indicators from the beginning of the second quarter of 2020.

“We need to take into account that only two weeks of March 2020 faced a major negative economic affect due to the novel coronavirus. The fact that we had a positive economic activity in the first quarter was more due to the high economic activity in the first two months and the high economic activity in 2019. Unfortunately, starting from the beginning of the second quarter we will have low economic indicators, but we hope that the restoration will start in the third quarter”, the minister said at a press conference today.

Armenia’s economic activity index grew by 4% in January-March 2020 compared to January-March 2019, according to the data released by the National Statistical Committee.

In particular, the industrial production volume rose by 8.7%, that of the gross agricultural output – by 4.5%. Construction volume declined by 9.4% compared to January-March 2019. The trade turnover also registered a growth, 0.2%, and the volume of services increased by 5.5%. Consumer price index and the industrial production price index decreased by 0.1%. Electricity production grew by 14.8%.

Average nominal monthly salary increased by 9.2%, comprising 190,136 drams.

Foreign trade turnover declined by nearly 4%. But the export grew by 0.2%, the import decreased by 6.2%.

Due to the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) Armenia’s government on March 16 declared a state of emergency which was effective until April 14. But the state of emergency was extended until May 14 to further tackle the disease.

 

Reporting by Norayr Shoghikyan; Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Central Bank of Armenia: exchange rates and prices of precious metals – 29-04-20

Emil Lazarian

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 17:22,

YEREVAN, 29 APRIL, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 29 April, USD exchange rate down by 0.11 drams to 479.52 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 1.17 drams to 520.57 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate up by 0.02 drams to 6.51 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 3.64 drams to 595.47 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price down by 366.82 drams to 26078.5 drams. Silver price down by 0.98 drams to 233.49 drams. Platinum price up by 166.89 drams to 11948.12 drams.

President-elect of Artsakh meets with Chairman of United Homeland party

Edgar Tavakalian

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 16:55,

YEREVAN, APRIL 29, ARMENPRESS. Newly-elected President of the Republic of Artsakh, leader of the Free Fatherland party, Arayik Harutyunyan met with Chairman of the United Homeland party Samvel Babyan on the sidelines of his political consultation.

“We had a constructive discussion on the possible political cooperation and in this context on the combination of our program provisions. We both highlighted the domestic unity and joint resistance to the current challenges for the peaceful and stable development of Artsakh. We reached an agreement to continue the consultations in the future”, the President-elect of Artsakh said on Facebook.

 

 

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Armenians protest premier for failing to stand up to Gazprom

Garo Vardanian
EurasiaNet.org
Ani Mejlumyan Apr 29, 2020

(Photo: Gazprom Armenia)

Last month, Nikol Pashinyan made a promise he couldn’t keep. The prime minister told Armenians that they would not be forced to pay the Russian-owned companies that provide their gas and electricity during the ongoing coronavirus state of emergency, which is strangling the economy. “We have an understanding, including with Gazprom, that there won’t be any cuts,” he said.

This week, ignoring the state of emergency ban on rallies, a small group of people protested outside the government headquarters, complaining that their gas and electricity had been suspended after they hadn’t paid the bills. They want the government to stop the companies from collecting fees during the economic crisis.

“We have gathered here to ask the prime minister we elected why he broke his promise,” said one protester quoted by local media.

The government regulator, the Public Services Regulatory Commission, had announced on April 22 that it had ended “force majeure” provisions and residents would have to pay their utility bills within three days.

A stimulus had covered some utility bills in February, but authorities have said residents will be responsible for fees in March and April. Residents have complained that the growing number of stimulus plans is not doing enough to help.

During the April 28 protest, several protestors were detained and fined for violating quarantine.

“Under the state of emergency, I have been left without gas and electricity. We have come here to make the problem known to the prime minister,” another protestor told local media outlet Panorama.am, promising to continue protests despite police threats of fines.

“I’m not going to pay the fines,” said the man. “We don’t have a penny to pay,” said another protestor quoted by News.am.

The day before, opposition party Sasna Tsrer, which was behind a bloody confrontation with police in 2016, organized another protest outside the Public Services Regulatory Commission. “It is immoral to ask a non-working person to pay for utilities,” said another man who did not give his name.

Another protestor, songwriter Mikayel Margaryan, was dragged away to the police station while filming himself on Facebook Live.

Pashinyan has tried to explain the need for residents to pay their bills. If people do not pay, the utilities do not pay taxes to the government, and the government cannot distribute pensions, he said during a Facebook Live broadcast on April 28. For now, he said, forcing people to pay had worked: “About 7 billion drams [about $14.5 million] were collected. We saved the system from collapsing.” Pashinyan said that over 4,300 people had had their electricity suspended and 736 people saw their gas cut.

Few are sympathetic to the utilities.

Gazprom, the Russian energy behemoth, earlier this month said it would seek to increase the price it charges Armenian consumers, even as international gas prices crater. And the electricity supplier, Electric Networks of Armenia, is majority owned by billionaire Samvel Karapetyan, one of the wealthiest people in Russia.

According to the most recent data from the State Revenue Committee, Gazprom is indeed the country’s largest taxpayer. In the first quarter of 2020, it paid 17.8 billion drams into state coffers, a 30 percent increase year-on-year. Electric Networks of Armenia is eighth, paying about 3.4 billion drams, a 25.5 percent decrease.

Few have forgotten the cold 1990s, during the war with Azerbaijan and the economic crisis that accompanied independence, when gas and electricity supplies were chronically short and Yerevan residents stole park benches and cut down trees to burn for heat. Parallels are beginning to appear.

News website Factor.am on April 28 interviewed the mother of a soldier killed during the brief “April War” with Azerbaijan in 2016. Unable to pay her utilities, she is forced to sell her apartment. “They [the utility] came yesterday and warned me that if I didn’t pay, they would have to cut off my electricity. I have to pay 23,000 drams [about $50] but I don’t have it. I also have a 100,000 dram debt for food in the store. I don’t know how to pay,” said the mother, Anahit Harutyunyan. “We are selling our apartment to pay the debts.” Harutyunyan said she had tried to reach Yerevan’s mayor to ask for assistance: “I can’t meet with the mayor, he doesn’t accept me for five minutes. I applied for admission, but they [his staff] don’t call me in. I said, “Say she’s a hero’s mother.” They said it doesn’t matter.”

 

Ani Mejlumyan is a reporter based in Yerevan.