Category: 2022

 13:25,

YEREVAN, MARCH 14, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijan continues to spread disinformation with the purpose of causing panic among the population of Artsakh, the Office of the Security Council of Artsakh warned in a statement.

“We inform that the Defense Army of the Republic of Artsakh is fulfilling its objectives in accordance with the previously approved plans. The Defense Army is closely following all movements of the Azerbaijani side, and the reports on buildups at the entire length of the line of contact are false. We are again urging the public to refrain from spreading disinformation and follow only official news,” the Office of the Security Council said.

 14:13,

YEREVAN, MARCH 14, ARMENPRESS. Armenia applied to the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship to organize negotiations for the signing of peace agreement with Azerbaijan, the foreign ministry said in a statement.

“The Republic of Armenia responded to the proposals of the Republic of Azerbaijan and applied to the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship to organize negotiations for the signing of peace agreement between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan on the basis of the UN Charter, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Helsinki Final Act.”

 14:48,

YEREVAN, MARCH 14, ARMENPRESS. Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen Grigoryan met today with the European Union’s Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the Crisis in Georgia Toivo Klaar, the Office of the Secretary of the Security Council said in a press release.

The sides discussed the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and the steps being taken to raise the level of security and stability on the border. In this context the necessity of launching the demarcation and delimitation process of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border was emphasized.

Armen Grigoryan presented both the humanitarian crisis and security situation in Nagorno Karabakh. The sides highlighted the importance of the comprehensive and lasting settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict under the mandate of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship.

 15:12,

YEREVAN, MARCH 14, ARMENPRESS. All relevant governmental structures are focused on food security issues and there won’t be any food problems for at least the next 2-3 months, the Director of the Food Safety Inspection Agency Georgy Avetisyan said at a press conference.

“We maintain contact with our colleagues in Russia and other countries. There is no need for panic, there is no need to buy so much food,” Avetisyan said, calling on citizens to avoid panic buying. “All relevant structures are dealing with all food security issues. Negotiations are underway to be able to ensure it in the future as well,” he added.

Avetisyan said Armenia comprises a very small percentage in Russian exports volumes. He further noted that he believes that food products exported to Armenia will not harm food security in Russia.

Asked whether or not prices will grow in the event of importing grain from countries other than Russia, Avetisyan said prices will indeed grow. Other major grain producing countries are far from Armenia, one being Canada and the other Australia. Importing from these countries will be expensive, he said. Avetisyan noted that all possible risks are being taken into account.

Speaking about the possible problems with seeds, Avetisyan said there are no problems from seed importers.

 15:32,

YEREVAN, MARCH 14, ARMENPRESS. A court of appeals granted arms dealer Davit Galstyan 50,000,000 dram bail for his release from pre-trial detention, his lawyer Armen Andrikyan said.

Andrikyan added that they are now dealing with procedural matters and then Galstyan will be released from jail.

Davit Galstyan, dubbed by the media as Patron Davo (meaning Bullet Davo), is an arms dealer who previously served as advisor to the Minister of Defense Davit Tonoyan during the latter’s tenure.

Galstyan was jailed in February 2021.

Galstyan is accused in supplying the Armenian military with poor-quality artillery shells unfit for combat, and embezzling 1 million dollars. The deal in question was made between Galstyan’s Mosston Engineering and the Armenian Defense Ministry in 2018.

Back in February, Galstyan denied wrongdoing and claimed that the supplies were actually done as required by the contract.

 15:35,

YEREVAN, MARCH 14, ARMENPRESS. The Investment Committee of Armenia held its first session today chaired by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, the PM’s Office said.

The session was attended by the deputy prime ministers, the chief of staff at the PM’s Office, the ministers of Economy, Finance, the deputy ministers of Justice, Emergency Situations, Economy and other officials.

“Dear colleagues, we are starting the first session of the Investment Committee on the management of public investments. I would like to remind that this Committee has been created in order to assess the priorities of public and capital investments and while making decisions to be able to be guided by the maximum efficiency factor, as well as to place this work in the context of budget planning”, the PM said.

A number of issues on the agenda were discussed during the session of the Committee.

 17:08,

YEREVAN, MARCH 14, ARMENPRESS. President of the Republic of Artsakh Arayik Harutyunyan received today several members of the Union of Artsakh Reserve Officers NGO, the Presidential Office said.

The current security and humanitarian problems and the ways of overcoming them were discussed at the meeting.

The meeting participants also discussed issues relating to solving the social and housing problems of officers of the military reserve and their families.

President Harutyunyan assured that all the issues and problems will be properly solved within the existing opportunities.

 17:25,

YEREVAN, 14 MARCH, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 14 March, USD exchange rate down by 3.31 drams to 514.97 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 4.51 drams to 564.56 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate up by 0.11 drams to 4.66 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 6.60 drams to 671.52 drams.

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

Gold price down by 508.84 drams to 32760.68 drams. Silver price down by 7.56 drams to 424.76 drams. Platinum price stood at 16414.1 drams.

 17:41,

YEREVAN, MARCH 14, ARMENPRESS. President of the Bright Armenia party Edmon Marukyan has been appointed Ambassador-at-Large according to the decision of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

The respective decision is posted on e-gov.am.

Marukyan said in a statement on social media that at the proposal of the Prime Minister he will be involved in Armenia’s foreign policy sector with a status of Ambassador-at-Large.

“In this difficult period for our state and region I will continue serving the Republic of Armenia and the national-state interests with high responsibility”, Marukyan said.

 19:25,

YEREVAN, 14 MARCH, ARMENPRESS. Vice President of the National Assembly of Armenia Ruben Rubinyan on March 14 received Ambassadors of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, Norway and Sweden.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the National Assembly of Armenia, Ruben Rubinyan presented the regional security situation. The Vice President of the National Assembly talked about the  provocative actions by Azerbaijani armed forces being carried out in Nagorno-Karabakh and the facts of creating artificial obstacles for the restoration of vital infrastructure and highlighted the proper assessment of the international community in that issue.

Ruben Rubinyan emphasized the necessity of comprehensive and lasting resolution under the mandate of the OSCE Minsk Group.

The sides also exchanged thoughts about the process of normalization of Armenia-Turkey relations.