Category: 2020

Armenian PM congratulates Iranian Leader, President on Nowruz

Emil Lazarian
Mehr News Agency, Iran

TEHRAN, Mar. 21 (MNA) – Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan sent separate messages to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani to congratulate them on Nowruz.

“I cordially congratulate you and the friendly people of Iran on Nowruz – the Iranian New Year. May the coming year be a year of achievements, peace, and prosperity for Iran in all areas. I am convinced that the bonds of friendship and cooperation between our countries will be further strengthened for the benefit of our peoples’ progress and regional stability and peace. I also wish the friendly people of Iran good health and patience to withstand the epidemic that has afflicted us all with the help of God and to quickly recover from the damage it has caused,” Armenian PM wrote in his message to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.

He also extended his Nowruz felicitations to President Rouhani and Iranian people, saying, “In these days of calamity, I wish to express the support of the Armenian people to the friendly people of Iran and wish everyone good health. I am sorry that due to the current situation Armenia was not able to host our friendly Iranians during the days of Nowruz. But I am hopeful that next year our doors will be open to all Iranian citizens again.”

“I am confident that through joint efforts we will be able to implement the agreements reached during my visit to Iran for the benefit of our two peoples,” he added.

MNA/FNA 13990102000110

Ameriabank donates AMD 20 million to encourage medical staff of Nork Infectious Diseases Clinical Hospital

Jirair Kafian
Arminfo, Armenia

ArmInfo. Ameriabank, within the framework of measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), donated 20 million drams to encourage the medical staff  of the Nork Infectious Diseases Clinical Hospital. ArmInfo was  informed about this in the press service of the bank.  

Ameriabank, as an organization with high corporate responsibility, decided to  provide the amount to more than 200 health workers, who these days  work in conditions of overload and frequent risk.  The report notes:  “The Bank, guided solely by the priority of having a healthy society,  believes that with joint efforts and support we can together overcome  new challenges.”

These days, Ameriabank has carried out and continues to carry out a  number of activities aimed at facilitating steps to prevent the  spread of coronavirus infection, as well as maintaining the health  and safety of employees and customers. The Bank provides “credit  holidays” (for a period of 2 months, from March 13 to May 13 – Ed.  note) to individuals and legal entities, as well as preferential  conditions for financial transactions through remote service systems.

To recall, Ameriabank CJSC is a universal bank providing investment,  corporate and retail banking services in the form of a comprehensive  package of banking solutions. The bank has been operating in the  Armenian market since October 31, 1996. The shareholders of  Ameriabank on January 1, 2020 are Ameria Group CY Ltd. – 56.47%, EBRD  – 17.76%, Asian Development Bank – 13.94%, ESPS Holding Limited –  11.83%.

Armenia`s Parliament in the first reading adopted a bill on criminal liability for violation of self-isolation

Boris Nahapetian
Arminfo, Armenia

ArmInfo.By the decision of the Chairman of the National Assembly Mirzoyan, in accordance with Article 100 of the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia and  Article 41 of the RA Constitutional Law “Rules of Procedure of the  National Assembly” on March 20, an extraordinary sitting of the  National Assembly was convened on the agenda “Package of draft laws  on introducing amendments to the RA Criminal Code and the RA Code of  Administrative Offenses (first, second reading)”.

The parliament adopted a draft decision of the National Assembly “On  a special procedure for discussing the issue of an extraordinary  sitting of the National Assembly convened on “,  according to which the second reading of the issue will be organized  on March 23, at 11:00am.

Deputy Minister of Justice of Armenia Vahe Danielyan, head of the  Bright Armenia faction Edmon Marukyan spoke on the agenda of the  meeting.

In the closing statement, the Deputy Minister of Justice of the  Republic of Armenia Danielyan addressed the issues of concern to the  MPs and emphasized that, based on the situation, the requirements are  changing every minute. 102 MPs voted in favor of the draft law.

To note, according to the government’s initiative for violating the  requirements of the isolation regime, a citizen faces a fine of 300  to 500-fold of the minimum wage.

Thus, during a state of emergency, violation by individuals and legal  entities of restrictions on the publication or dissemination of  information regarding information on coronavirus will be punished by  a fine in the amount of 50 to 300 times the minimum wage. Moreover,  in the event that a violation of the requirements of isolation or  self-isolation leads to a mass illness of the population, a citizen  will be punished by arrest for up to 3 months or imprisonment for up  to 5 years.

The parliament will continue the work of the extraordinary meeting on  March 23, at 11:00am. 

4041 lonely elderly people in Armenia will be provided with food baskets for one month

Karakhanian Suren
Arminfo, Armenia

ArmInfo.With the support of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs of the Republic of Armenia, 4041 lonely elderly people will be provided with food baskets for one  month.  This was reported by the press service of the government.

According to the source, the Mission Armenia and the German Red Cross  organizations launched a program to provide older people with  necessary foodstuffs on March 20.

Thus, the Mission Armenia organization will provide food to 1934  people in Yerevan and another 1892 to lonely elderly people in the  regions.  The German Red Cross will provide food to 215 single  elderly people.

It should be noted that on March 16, in connection with the spread of  coronavirus infection in Armenia, a state of emergency was introduced  in the country, which will last until April 14. According to the  latest data, 160 people are infected with coronavirus in Armenia. 

Ambassador Lacôte thanks the staff at Yerevan hospital for taking care of French patients

Adrine Hakobian
Panorama, Armenia
Health 17:30 21/03/2020 Armenia

Ambassador of France to Armenia Jonathan Lacôte thanked on Facebook the Nork Infection Clinic Hospital which serves the coronavirus-infected patients in Armenia.

The Ambassador posted a photo of the hospital staff along with a message that the hospital has taken care of French nationals this week. “Heroes of our time,” the Ambassador wrote in an accompanying message.

Artsakh reports over 250 Azerbaijani ceasefire violations over past week

Kanayan Tamar
Panorama, Armenia

The Azerbaijani armed forces violated the ceasefire along the Artsakh-Azerbaijan Line of Contact over 250 times in the past week.

In the period from March 15 to 21, the adversary fired around 1,900 shots towards the Armenian defense positions from firearms of different calibres, the Artsakh Defense Ministry told Panorama.am.

The Defense Army’s frontline troops fully control the situation on the frontline, and continue confidently fulfilling their combat tasks.

Armenia’s ice cream production up in January

Hambik Zargarian
Panorama, Armenia

A total of 85.3 thousand liters of ice cream were produced in Armenia in January 2020, up by 21.9 times over the previous year data, the National Statistical Committee (NSS) reports. As the source said, in January 2019 3.9 thousand liters of ice cream were produced in the country.

According to the figures released by the Committee, Armenia’s cream production volumes also recorded a 19.8% growth this year.

A total of 9.1 housand liters of cream were produced in the country in 2019, while the production stood at 10.9 thousand liters in January 2020.

Travel: Start dreaming of and planning a trip to Armenia and Georgia – The Daily Mail

Kanayan Tamar
Public Radio of Armenia
 
 
Start dreaming of and planning a trip to Armenia and Georgia – The Daily Mail
 
Britons have been advised against all non-essential travel overseas for a period of 30 days, meaning it’s time to give up thinking about travelling abroad at all for a while.
 
However, that doesn’t mean there isn’t time to plan the perfect trip you’ve always dreamed of, T.D. Isacke writes in an article for The Daily Mail.
 
“These days of self-isolation and social distancing could turn out to be ideal for masterminding a big adventure. So why not put your feet up, start dreaming — and planning too,” the author writes
 
First, the article recommends planning a trip to Georgia and Armenia.  
 
“Georgia is hidden away in the high mountains of the Caucasus with remote villages, monasteries, ancient churches and the lively capital of Tbilisi. The tour continues to Yerevan, Armenia’s intriguing capital, moving onwards into rugged countryside with medieval castles before stopping at Gori, the birthplace of Joseph Stalin,” the author notes.
 
Other options worth thinking about include a trip from Peru’s capital Lima to La Paz, a journey around Albania, Montenegro and Serbia, wildlife cruise along the northern coastlines of Norwegian island Spitsbergen, self-isolation on the Fanjove Private Island off the coast of Tanzania, a trip around the Dodecanese beginning in Bodrum and ending in Marmaris, a four-night stay in Jamaica, hiking in Ethiopia’s Simien Mountains and a visit to Victoria Falls.

Arsen Torosyan: We must carry out prevention methods through self-quarantine

Vanyan Gary
Aravot, Armenia

                                                       
March 21,2020 20:04 35

The Minister of Health, Arsen Torosyan, said during a Facebook live video on March 21st that there has been an increase in the number of confirmed coronavirus cases over the past few days. These cases mostly came from two sources. 

According to Torosyan, if the incidents in Ejmiatsin and at the manufacturing plant in Yerevan did not occur, the number of those infected would be much less- around 20-25. However, thanks to people quarantining themselves, there has not been a severe outbreak. 

“However, it is not possible for this to continue endlessly. We have more than 600 people in quarantine in five regions of Armenia. But we believe that this reserve is about to be depleted. So, we must carry out prevention methods through self-quarantine, which, of course, we have already started. But experience shows us that our citizens have not always realized or understood the danger at hand and isolated themselves, which is necessary for them, their relatives, and all Armenians,” the minister said, noting that this is the reason why the National Assembly took part in a special session where they voted on a law to subject those who violate quarantine to criminal prosecution. 

According to Arsen Torosyan, this is a necessary demand because there is a public health crisis, and if someone does something to put the public’s health in danger, they need to be held responsible for their actions. “This challenge that the whole world is facing can only be overcome through united efforts. This issue does not only have to do with the healthcare sector. All resources are being mobilized across the world, including intellectual, human, financial, and other resources.”

Ami Chichakyan


PM Pashinyan convenes consultation on economic anti-crisis measures

Hagop Kamalian

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 21:07,

YEREVAN, MARCH 20, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan convened a consultation on March 20 to discuss economic anti-crisis measures conditioned by the situation resulted by coronavirus pandemic.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Prime Minister of Armenia, PM Pashinyan noted that their works will be divided into 3 main directions – urgent economic measures, urgent social measures and strategic economic measures.

Expressing confidence that Armenia will be able to find new economic prospects after this situation, Pashinyan said, ‘’In this stage our task should be not only supporting our businessmen and raising the competitiveness of our economy, but making it visible for the world that after overcoming the crisis Armenia is one of the best countries in the world for doing business. This will definitely be not an easy task but I am confident we will be able to carry it our’’, PM Pashinyan said, once again emphasizing that Armenia must overcome the crisis, becoming stronger and economically more competitive.

Referring to the program of social assistance, PM Pashinyan emphasized the importance of making targeted assistance, so as people who really need the assistance can get it.

‘’Today we will discuss our activities in the sphere of agriculture and there are already some preliminary understandings of our future activities’’, Pashinyan said, adding that after public discussions they will become decisions of the Government.

The anti-crisis measures in the sphere of agriculture were discussed at the consultation. The possible mechanisms and tools for assisting farmers and agricultural corporatives were discussed, including the possibility of micro-credits.

Chairman of the State Revenue Committee of Armenia Davit Ananyan presented some economic indexes, showing the impact of coronavirus on a number of separate spheres. Referring to the idea of tax holiday, PM Pashinyan noted that the Government will not give a tax holiday. ‘’People must be ready to pay their taxes and considering the crisis situation, the Government will also take measures to help the citizens pay the taxes’’, Pashinyan said.

Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan