Category: 2020

Playrix enters Armenian game development market

Karagyozian Lena
iTel.am, Armenia
March 5 2020

Global game development leader Playrix has acquired a new studio in Yerevan. The branch is called Playrix Armenia.

The company has said that the Armenian team of the local mobile game company Plexonic has become Playrix Armenia, which will join the Playrix Group of companies, and Plexonic’s founder and CEO Gevorg Sargsyan will lead the new studio.

The Armenian team has already started developing a new casual mobile game.

“Being one of the largest mobile game developers in Armenia, we are very excited to open new perspectives for the local game development industry, this time via Playrix’s enormous scale and capacity,”” said Gevorg Sargsyan,

“Together with the talented Plexonic team, we will broaden our recruitment efforts, attract the best talent on the market, and create mobile games of the highest quality that we’re very excited about. Playrix Armenia is already on its way to becoming the largest gaming company in the region,” said Dmitri Bukhman, co-founder of Playrix.

Plexonic was founded in 2008 as the first Armenia-based game development studio and developed more than 60 casual titles since then, such as Panda Jam, Pet Savers and Stretch.

Founded by Igor and Dmitri Bukhman in 2004 in Russia, Dublin-based Playrix is one of the world’s top 5 mobile game publishers. The company has studios in over 10 cities, which employ 1000 people in total. In 2018, Playrix was recognized as one of 10 highest-earning mobile game publishers in the world.



NO campaign in Armenia constitutional referendum appoints members to almost all precinct election commissions

Chakhmakhchian Vatche
News.am, Armenia
March 5 2020

12:32, 05.03.2020
                  

YEREVAN. – The NO campaign headquarters has filled 99.5 percent of its seats in precinct election commissions. Ruben Melikyan, co-founder of the “Path of Law” NGO of Armenia and representative of the NO campaign in the forthcoming referendum on amending one article of the Constitution, told this to Armenian News-NEWS.am.

He explained that out of 2,008 election commissions throughout the country, 1,975 will be represented by two members, each, from the NO headquarters, and by one, each, in 31 electoral commissions. “We have the opportunity to involve proxies who will ensure our presence in all precincts,” Melikyan said, in particular.

The aforesaid constitutional referendum is scheduled for April 5. Authorities have suggested early termination of the powers of seven members of the nine-member Constitutional Court, including of its president, calling them the representatives of the former “regime.”

Airlines reduce number of flights to Armenia

Emil Lazarian
JAM News
March 5 2020
JAMnews, Yerevan
Artur Xachatryan
March 5, 2020

This measure is to prevent the spread of coronavirus, and on top of that, there are now few people wishing to leave the country

Some airlines have reduced the number of flights to Armenia in order to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

“Airlines have informed and continue to inform passengers about the reduction in the number of flights and compensation for losses through email or SMS. You must periodically check your email,” states the Armenian Civil Aviation Committee report.

The discount Irish airline Ryanair has already informed its passengers on March 2 that it will reduce the number of flights because of the coronavirus. In this case, we are talking about flights to Italy, where there are numerous reports of infected people. So far, the restriction will be in effect from March 17 to April 8.

Armenian Facebook users have also been posting about the fact that Ryanair planes have been flying half empty:

“We’ve already boarded the second plane and it’s half empty. #CoronavirusInItaly”

Brawl erupts in Turkish parliament over military action in Syria

Hovhannisian John
Panorama, Armenia
March 5 2020
Politics 12:39 05/03/2020Region

A brawl broke out in Turkey’s parliament on Wednesday during tense discussions over Turkey’s military involvement in northwest Syria, Euronews reported. 

Video images showed dozens of legislators from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s party and from the main opposition party pushing each other.

In the footage, some are seen throwing punches while others try to pull the legislators apart.

The clash on Wednesday started when Engin Ozkoc of the opposition Republican People’s Party took the rostrum. During a news conference shortly before, Ozkoc called Erdogan “dishonourable, ignoble, low and treacherous”.

He also accused the president of sending the children of Turkey’s people to fight while Erdogan’s own offspring allegedly avoided long-term military service.

During a speech to members of his party, Erdogan himself had accused the opposition earlier of being “dishonourable, ignoble, low and treacherous” for questioning Turkey’s military involvement in Syria’s northwest Idlib province.

Armenian army chief pays tribute to late Sparapet Vazgen Sargsyan on birthday

Arpi Talalian
Panorama, Armenia
March 5 2020

Politics 14:46 05/03/2020Armenia

Chief of the General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces, Lieutenant-General Artak Davtyan has issued a message on late Sparapet (Chief Commander) Vazgen Sargsyan’s birthday, the Defense Ministry reported. 

A national hero of Armenia and Artsakh, the great commander would have turned 61 today if alive.

“Every year on Vazgen Sargsyan’s birthday, we once again value his role in the establishment of our statehood, remembering his heroism as an Armenian, as a national and political figure.

The first minister of defense of Armenia believed that every nation must fight to the end at least once in its history. Unfortunately, his struggle stopped untimely, but today we continue to move forward, build a much stronger army and a powerful state, with Vazgen Sargsyan’s vision in mind.

Vazgen Sargsyan was an intellectual, a man with bright mind, who at the same time proved his truth with his deeds, cultivated patriotism by serving as an example. We can safely say that several generations have been brought up with his very image in mind.

‘This is a country of universal love, the capital of which starts right from a trench.’ Sparapet, this message is always in our mind, and we are working every day to make the foundation of our country, the trenches, invulnerable.

Dear Compatriots, I congratulate us all on the birthday of National Hero of Armenia Vazgen Sargsyan. Glory to you, great Armenian!” the message read.

Armenian Army taking preventive measures against coronavirus

Anna Tamamian
Public Radio of Armenia
March 5 2020


A number of measures are being taken in the Armenian Armed Forces to prevent the spread of coronavirus, the Ministry of Defense reports.

Control has been tightened in military medical establishments, visitors allowed to enter only after fever screening at checkpoints and only with medical protective masks;

Military medical facilities have suspended scheduled examination and medical assistance to family members of military servicemen in need.

Medical services have been halted for long-term former military servicemen.

Compulsory military servants are granted leave only on the grounds provided for in Article 28.6.2. and 28.6.3 of the RA Law on Military Service and the Status of Servicemen.


Georgian and Armenian citizens to cross the border via ID cards

Talar Tumanian
Agenda.ge, Georgia
March 5 2020
 
 
 Agenda.ge, 5 Mar 2020 – 11:00, Tbilisi,Georgia            

Georgian and Armenian citizens will be able to cross the border between the two states with the use of ID cards only as per of the agreement signed during the visit of Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan in Georgia earlier this week. 

  • Armenian PM at meeting with Georgian PM in Tbilisi:“Our relationship with Georgia is special”

It has not been announced so far when the agreement will come into play. 

As of now Georgian and Armenian citizens are able to cross the border with the use of passports. 

While in Tbilisi on March 3-4 Pashinyan met with top Georgian officials and ethnic Armenians living in the country. 

  • President Zurabishvili, Armenian PM Pashinyan discuss “stability and peace” in region

to the question asked by one of ethnic Armenian students in Georgia concerning the ‘repatriation of Armenians living in Georgia,” Pashinyan responded that using the word  repatriation towards the Armenians living in Georgia ‘seems strange to me.’ 

I believe that Armenians living in Georgia live in their homeland and they should be proud of the citizenship of Georgia. It is a very important status  and we should be interested in Georgia to be a strong and a developed country. For its part Georgia should also be interested in Armenia to be strong and developed,” Pashinyan said. 

Pashinyan was invited to Georgia by Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Armenia Charges Former Defense Minister With Embezzlement

David Nargizian
The New York Times
March 4 2020

By Reuters

  • March 4, 2020

YEREVAN — Armenian investigators have charged a former defense minister with the embezzlement of more than $2 million in state funds, the spokeswoman for the state investigation service said on Wednesday.

Seyran Ohanyan, who was the ex-Soviet republic’s defense minister from 2008 to 2016, was under investigation for alleged squandering of state property and has been banned from leaving the country while awaiting trial, Marina Ohanjanyan told Reuters.

Ohanyan is also being investigated on suspicion of acting unlawfully during the events of March 2008, when 10 people were killed in clashes between police and protesters following a disputed presidential election.

Ohanyan and his representatives were not reachable by Reuters for comment on the charges and the ongoing investigations.

Dozens of former Armenian officials, including former president Robert Kocharyan, have previously been arrested on different charges and are awaiting trial. Kocharyan denies wrongdoing.

Kocharyan’s successor, Serzh Sarksyan, is also under investigation on suspicion of exceeding his authority and embezzling of around $1 million in state funds.

Sarksyan stepped down in April 2018 following protests over him going back on a promise not to become prime minister of the South Caucasus country of around 3 million after two terms as the president.

Critics have accused Sarksyan and his former allies of cracking down on democracy, corruption and mismanagement during their time in power Armenia, a country that depends heavily on Russian aid and investment. They deny those allegations.

(Reporting by Nvard Hovhannisyan; writing by Margarita Antidze; Editing by Toby Chopra)

Armenia Constitutional Court President receives OSCE/ODIHR delegation

Tambiyan Samvel
News.am, Armenia
March 5 2020

15:30, 05.03.2020
                  

President of the Constitutional Court of Armenia Hrayr Tovmasyan today received members of the delegation of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), as reported the Staff of the Constitutional Court.

The interlocutors touched upon the reforms that Armenia is implementing in the judicial and legal sectors, legislative processes and the current problems in the legislative sector. Hrayr Tovmasyan answered the guests’ questions and provided details about the activities of the Constitutional Court and the recent events regarding the Constitutional Court.

The interlocutors also touched upon the amendments to be made to the Constitution, the constitutional regulations for the participation of the Constitutional Court in those relations and the ensuring of regular activities of the Constitutional Court.

French-Armenians report close ties between Paris mayoral candidate and Azerbaijani authorities

Jane Topchian
News.am, Armenia
March 5 2020

22:29, 05.03.2020
                  

Rachida Dati, who is running in the mayoral elections in Paris, has close ties with the Azerbaijani government. This is what President of the Coordinating Council of Armenian Organizations of France Mourad Papazian, Editor-in-Chief of Nouvelles d’Arménie magazine Ara Toranian and member of the City Council of Ile-de-France Patrick Karam reported in an article published on Marianne online.

The article states that Dati is known for her close ties with the authoritarian authorities of Azerbaijan and has served as a member of the Association of Friends of Azerbaijan, which has been considered the key tool for “caviar diplomacy” in France.

Rachida’s close ties with Aliyev’s regime were brilliantly expressed during the grand feast that she organized in honor of First Lady of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva in 2011. The mayoral candidate of Paris has made statements against the Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh, especially after the war that Azerbaijan unleashed in 2016.

The authors of the article voiced hope that Rachida Dati will put an end to her special relations with the Azerbaijani authorities.