Category: 2020

 11:49,

YEREVAN, APRIL 23, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan sent a letter of condolences over the death of famous ethnic Armenian philanthropist and scientist Aso Tavitian, the PM’s Office told Armenpress.

“With a deep sorrow I learnt about the death of Aso Tavitian. I express my deepest condolences to his relatives and friends.

Aso Tavitian’s death was a great loss for all of us. He was one of the most significant figures of the contemporary Armenian Diaspora and the US-Armenian community, who was famous not only as a talented scientist and entrepreneur, but also as a patron and philanthropist.

His long-term support to Armenia especially deserves great praise and gratitude. During Armenia’s independence years nearly 300 public servants and civil society representatives studied and trained at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University thanks to his funds and efforts.

Aso Tavitian lived a meaningful life. His past path and high values are exemplary for our society and especially the young generation.

Rest In Peace”, reads the Armenian PM’s condolence letter.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 11:10,

YEREVAN, APRIL 23, ARMENPRESS. The National Center for Disease Control said it has diagnosed 50 coronavirus cases in Armenia in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number to 1523.

26 people recovered from the COVID-19 in the past day, raising the total number of recoveries to 659.

The number of active cases stood at 840 as of 11:00, April 23.

24 people have died from coronavirus complications since the outbreak began in Armenia.

Reporting by Lilit Demuryan; Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 12:11,

YEREVAN, APRIL 23, ARMENPRESS. The Yerevan State College of Culture and the Yerevan State College of Pop and Jazz Art (both functioning under the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports) are being merged and re-launched as the Yerevan Charles Aznavour State College of Culture.

The government of Armenia approved the decision today at a Cabinet meeting.

The new college is named after the late Charles Aznavour, the legendary French-Armenian crooner who passed away aged 94 in 2018.

Editing and translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 12:14,

YEREVAN, APRIL 23, ARMENPRESS. The Yerevan City Council’s agenda in the upcoming sitting includes the bill on installing the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Yerevan.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs requested the Yerevan Mayor to approve the installation of the statue on the occasion of Gandhi’s 150th anniversary of birth.

Once approved, the statue will be erected in a park between Halabyan St. and Margaryan St.

The foreign ministry told the mayor that installing the statue will “further strengthen and deepen the friendly relations between Armenia and India”.

The statue will be provided by the Indian side.

Yerevan’s Chief Architect and the City Hall Department of Urban Development and Architecture have approved the bill.

Editing and translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 12:39,

YEREVAN, APRIL 23, ARMENPRESS. As part of coronavirus relief programs, the government of Armenia has approved its 14^th Act aimed at eliminating the economic consequences of the pandemic. This measure will provide support to university students.

Earlier the government had also initiated various relief programs for supporting unemployed citizens, pregnant women, businesses, vulnerable families and others.

Editing and translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 12:45,

YEREVAN, APRIL 23, ARMENPRESS. Any option for the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, which doesn’t envisage the exercise of Artsakh’s right to self-determination without any restriction and can endanger the security of the people of Artsakh, is not acceptable for the Armenian sides, Armenian foreign ministry spokesperson Anna Naghdalyan said in response to the question of Kommersant newspaper.

Armenpress presents the MFA spokesperson’s response:

Question: In recent days various statements were made on the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict which mentioned the stage-by-stage approach for the settlement. Please, can you clarify whether any documents supposing a stage-by-stage option for the conflict settlement were discussed during the April 15, 2019 meeting? What was the position of the Armenian side on this? What is Armenia’s current position on the peaceful settlement process of the NK conflict?

Answer: The results of the April 15, 2019 meeting were formulated in the joint statement of the Armenian, Russian, Azerbaijani FMs and the OCSE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, which is outlining the framework of negotiations and doesn’t include any reference or even a hint on the stage-by-stage option of the settlement.

Any option which doesn’t envisage exercise of Artsakh’s right to self-determination without any restriction and can endanger the security of the people of Artsakh, is not acceptable for the Armenian sides.

The proposals made still before 2018 and supposing a stage-by-stage option for the peaceful settlement are not acceptable for Armenia. Moreover, since 2018 Armenia is not holding negotiations which will be based on the stage-by-stage settlement.

Armenia has a clear vision on the balanced approaches, based on mutual concessions and equivalent commitments, which will make the fair and lasting settlement of the NK conflict possible.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 13:18,

YEREVAN, APRIL 23, ARMENPRESS. The number of novel coronavirus cases in Russia has grown over the past day by 4,774 to 62,773 in all regions, TASS reports citing the anti-coronavirus crisis center.

Some 4,891 patients have recovered and 555 others have died.

“Russia has registered a rise in coronavirus infection cases to 62,773 (+8.2%) in 85 regions. Some 471 people have recovered over the past day and 4,891 over the entire period. Over the past day, 42 coronavirus patients have died. The total death toll in Russia has reached 555”, the crisis center reported today.

Some 47.8% of new coronavirus patients (2,282) confirmed in Russia over the past 24 hours 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.

 13:40,

YEREVAN, APRIL 23, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian government eliminated numerous monopolistic, corrupt, privileged mechanisms, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said, adding that the digital figures even prove this.

“Compared to the first quarter of 2019, 11,3% growth was recorded, but compared to 2018 the growth comprised 37,4%. The first 100 major taxpayers of the list have paid 151 billion AMD in taxes, which is more by 16 billion AMD from the respective figure of the past year and is more from the level of 2018 by nearly 40 billion AMD”, the PM said, adding that, however, while spending money they need to understand whether they are investing that money in the right place.

Pashinyan said the unresolved issues are so much that sometimes it is necessary to make more targeted and a shorter decision with a tendency for more strategic solutions for the future.

According to the data of the first quarter of 2020, the amount of taxes paid by 1000 major taxpayers comprised 246 billion AMD.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 14:26,

YEREVAN, APRIL 23, ARMENPRESS. The Kurdistan Region has evacuated 91 Kurdish students and other nationals from Armenia who were stranded because of the coronavirus pandemic, Kurdistan 24 reported citing the Kurdistan Region’s Department of Foreign Relations (DFR).

“A group of 89 students and two others arrived at Erbil International Airport through a flight from Armenia; 57 of them from Sulaimani province, 21 from Duhok, and 13 from Erbil,” DFR official Halgurd Salaye told Kurdistan 24. “They had been stuck in Armenia due to the suspension of flights as part of the prevention measures against the new coronavirus.” 

“The process of returning the citizens was conducted in coordination with Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) DFR and Iraq’s Foreign Ministry,” Salaye added, thanking the governments of Armenia and Iraq.

He said there are more students currently in Armenia who will be airlifted over the next few days.

Editing by Stepan Kocharyan

 14:46,

YEREVAN, APRIL 23, ARMENPRESS. Suren Galstyan has been appointed chief secretary at the ministry of justice of Armenia.

The respective decision has been signed by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and is posted on e-gov.am.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan