Category: 2021

 20:05,

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 15, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian Government is making all possible efforts for repatriating the Armenian war prisoners, ARMENPRESS reports PM Pashinyan announced at the National Assembly, answering the question of MP Elinar Vardanyan from ‘’Armenia’’ bloc.

‘’Practically, during all the international meetings with the participation of the representatives of Armenia, from parliamentary platforms to the government level, the issue of captives and missing in action is always the key topic. All possible efforts are taken, but this is not the issue that we should discuss here’’, Pashinyan said.

He added that the works done cannot be considered satisfactory unless all the Armenian POWs return home. ‘’I am also a citizen of the Republic of Armenia and maybe I am the most unsatisfied citizen over the results of the works in that direction’’, the PM said.

 22:59,

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 15, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has arrived in the Republic of Tajikistan on a working visit. PM Pashinyan was met at Dushanbe International Airport by Prime Minister of Tajikistan Kokhir Rasulzoda and Deputy Foreign Minister Farhod Salim, ARMENPRESS reports. 

On September 16-17, PM Pashinyan will participate in the sitting of the CSTO Collective Security Council in Dushanbe, as well as in the joint sitting of the Collective Security Treaty Organization and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

PM Pashinyan is also scheduled to meet with President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon.

 09:22,

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 16, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had a meeting with the President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon to discuss issues related to bilateral relations and partnership in the CSTO.

Pashinyan arrived in Tajikistan in the evening of September 15 for the CSTO summit due Thursday.

On September 17, the Armenian PM will participate in a joint session of the CSTO and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 10:18,

DUSHANBE, SEPTEMBER 16, ARMENPRESS. Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmon said at the CSTO summit in Dushanbe that his country’s chairmanship of the military bloc coincided with a period of emergency challenges and threats facing the region.

The Tajik leader said that the member states of the organization were generally able to maintain high level of political partnership and ensure coordination of foreign political positions, and that inter-parliamentary partnership was expanded and the practice of adopting joint declarations on pressing issues continued. 

“We were able to complete the work of adopting the re-equipment program of the CSTO collective rapid reaction forces. This is a very important achievement. The respective decision will be adopted today. In terms of fulfilling objectives, the high level of readiness of the Collective Security Forces was maintained, which is extremely important, given the tense situation in neighboring Afghanistan,” President Rahmon said.

He added that during his country’s chairmanship the CSTO expanded contacts with international organizations. The organization has also advanced in developing its peacemaking potential, he said.

President Rahmon thanked CSTO member states for joint work and added that the CSTO Secretary General Stanislav Zas has a big role in all achievements.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 10:30,

DUSHANBE, SEPTEMBER 16, ARMENPRESS. The narrow-format meeting of leaders of the CSTO member states has kicked off in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.

The Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is also in attendance.

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin is taking part online.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 11:08,

DUSHANBE, SEPTEMBER 16, ARMENPRESS. The expanded-format meeting of the CSTO Collective Security Council has kicked off in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.

The Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is taking part in the meeting. His delegation includes Defense Minister Arshak Karapetyan, Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and Secretary of the Security Council Armen Grigoryan.

After the session the President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon will host the CSTO leaders for a luncheon.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 11:47,

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 16, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian healthcare minister Anahit Avanesyan has warned that the COVID-19 delta variant is causing a sharp increase in hospitalizations and deaths.

On September 15, the Armenian CDC reported 764 new cases and 19 deaths.

Commenting on the figures, Avensyan said: “I’ve to say that for example when we were having 764 positive cases last year, the hospitalization rate was a lot lower than now. This means that in case of the same numbers we are using more hospital beds and the total number of available beds is running out faster,” she warned.

Right now, 1860 out of 2044 beds are occupied, she said.

In addition, only 30 ICU beds are now available out of 319.

Avanesyan says 98% of COVID-19 hospitalizations are people who are either unvaccinated or haven’t gotten their second jab yet.

Warning that the situation could worsen in autumn, Avanesyan called on Armenians to not hesitate and get vaccinated.

From October 1, a vaccine mandate requiring all public or private employees across the country to either get vaccinated or provide a PCR test twice a month will take effect.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 12:02,

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 16, ARMENPRESS.  The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative has announced the adjustment of the structure of its flagship program, the Aurora Prize.

From 2022 onwards, half of the Prize award will be directed by the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative to combat one of the worst humanitarian crises where human suffering requires urgent intervention. In addition, this year, considering the acute needs of the people of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) affected by the 2020 war, Aurora will recommend the 2021 Aurora Prize Laureate to direct $250,000 (or 25%) of the award funds to addressing urgent humanitarian issues in Artsakh. The Aurora Co-Founders are committed to matching this contribution to bring the total amount to $500,000, IDeA Foundation said in a news release.

Since its inception in 2016, the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative has awarded an annual Aurora Prize of $1M to outstanding individuals in recognition of their humanitarian work. The Prize is a unique form of Gratitude in Action: its recipients continue the cycle of giving by donating 90% of the award to the organizations that help people in need.

Five years on, the Committee that oversees the Prize has, in consultation with the Aurora Laureates, decided to adjust its structure to better reflect the reality of ongoing global humanitarian crises. The decision on where to direct the funding will be made by the Aurora Laureates together with the Aurora Prize Committee and the Initiative’s Co-Founders.

“As someone who has spent many years working in the midst of an ongoing humanitarian crisis in a conflict zone, I am aware of how badly help is needed there. That is why I am fully supportive of the decision to prioritize addressing such issues and supporting the people who fight them,” noted Dr. Tom Catena, 2017 Aurora Prize Laureate and Chair of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative.

At the final stage, the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative will work with the most recent Laureate to choose or develop up to three projects to be supported or launched with the $500,000 share of the Aurora Prize award in the selected crisis area. The remaining $500,000 of the Aurora Prize award will be distributed in accordance with the Gratitude in Action principle – the next Aurora Prize Laureate will receive a grant and the rest of the funding is to be divided between up to three humanitarian organizations that help people in need in proportions proposed by the Laureate.

The 2021 Aurora Prize Ceremony and accompanying events will take place in Venice, Italy, on October 8-10, 2021, whereas nominations are currently open for the 2022 Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity. Until October 31, 2021, any person can submit a nomination for candidates they believe have overcome great personal challenges to help others.

 12:35,

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 16, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian government approved amendments to the law on national holidays on cutting the New Year holidays.

Before, Armenians had a week-long holiday starting December 31^st (New Year holidays until January 2^nd, then until January 5^th pre-Christmas holidays, January 6^th Christmas, and the 7^th of January was observed as Merelots (Day of Commemorating the Dead).

By the new law, only December 31^st and January 1^st, as well the January 6^th will be non-working days.

The recommendation was brought forward by Economy Minister Vahan Kerobyan, who says that the week-long holidays negatively impact the GDP and production volumes in different branches of the economy, as well as foreign economic activities and the implementation of contract relations with domestic and foreign organizations.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 13:25,

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 16, ARMENPRESS. The chairmanship of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) passes to Armenia, and on this occasion the Armenian side would like to propose its partners to focus on the joint consistent work aimed at dynamically developing the organization and raising the efficiency of its mechanisms, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said in his speech during the extended-format meeting of the CSTO Collective Security Council in Dushanbe.

He emphasized the need for continuing the work on foreign policy coordination and deepening of mutual support.

“For this purpose we give a major importance to the regular holding of multi-level consultations, including in the format of a high-level group, which the deputy foreign and defense ministers are member of. We believe that the practice of adopting joint statements has justified itself, and it should expand”, the PM said. “The necessity for monitoring, forecast and prevention mechanisms of crisis situations is obvious. This will be formed in practice, including through ensuring the full operation of the Crisis Response Center”, he said.

Pashinyan said Armenia plans to closely cooperate with CSTO member states to raise the combat preparedness, harmony and mobility of the CSTO forces.

“There is no doubt that it is necessary to upgrade and develop the potential of the CSTO collective forces, supplement them with modern and new, including drone formations, arm them with latest means and improve their management”, he stated.

Armenia is also proposing to strengthen the CSTO reputation in the international arena, also through the expansion of the cooperation with other interested international organizations, the PM said.

“In this sense it’s important to maximally use and develop the existing joint working experience with the UN, OSCE and other organizations. We believe that while solving such issues we could have relied on the support of our parliamentarians”, Nikol Pashinyan said.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan