Category: 2023

 15:14,

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. The government of Armenia will allocate 555 billion drams in 2024 to the Ministry of Defense, 37,7 billion drams or 7,3% more than in 2023, finance minister Vahe Hovhannisyan said at the Cabinet meeting while presenting the 2024 budget plan.

The 2024 budget of the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures will comprise 311,6 billion drams. Hundreds of kilometers of roads, small and medium sized water reservoirs will be constructed, among other works.

The Ministry of Economy’s 2024 budget will be 92 billion drams, which is 41,9% more than in 2023.

745 billion will be allocated to the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (14% increase).

The Ministry of Healthcare budget in 2024 will be 18,4% higher, at 168 billion.

345 billion drams will be allocated to the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport (38% increase).

The draft budget was approved at the Cabinet meeting.

 15:11,

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. Representatives of Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijani authorities will hold their third meeting in Yevlakh in the coming days, according to Azerbaijani media. 
The first meeting took place last week, again in Yevlakh, followed by another meeting on Monday in Ivanyan (Khojaly). 

 15:35,

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. United States Congressman Brad Sherman has called on the Biden Administration to sanction Azerbaijan amid its ongoing ethnic cleansing of Nagorno-Karabakh.

“The ethnic cleansing of Artsakh [Nagorno-Karabakh] is unfolding before our eyes as Armenians flee their home of +2000 years. Azerbaijan’s arrest of Artsakh’s leaders sends a message to Armenian residents – you're next. Ruben Vardanyan & all who have been unjustly arrested must be released.

“The Biden Admin. must publicly tell Azerbaijan: end this now or face sanctions. Last week Rep. Chris Smith & I introduced H.R.5686 to sanction Azerbaijan for its war crimes in Artsakh. This is the 21st century – the U.S. cannot turn a blind eye to ethnic cleansing,” Sherman said on X.

 16:31,

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. The Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention has warned that Ruben Vardanyan’s detention by Azerbaijani authorities poses a very high risk of torture and extrajudicial execution or a show trial.

The detention, killing, and disappearance of elites is a common act of genocide, the Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention said in a statement on X.

It called on Russia, the US and other world leaders to demand Vardanyan’s safe passage out of Azerbaijan.

“The Lemkin Institute is deeply concerned about the breaking news of the arrest and detention of former Artsakh [Nagorno-Karabakh] State Minister Ruben Vardanyan by Azerbaijan’s State Border Service. Vardanyan, an outspoken advocate for Artsakh’s right to self-determination, is particularly hated by Azerbaijan. His detention poses a very high risk of torture and extrajudicial execution or a show trial. He and other current and former members of the Artsakh government and self-defense army have been branded as “separatists” and “terrorists,” categories that states use to justify illegal detention and murder. Concern for the life and safety of Vardanyan is especially warranted given the treatment that Armenian POWs have received in Azerbaijani captivity since 2020. They have been tortured, humiliated, murdered, disappeared, and subjected to show trials. This is well documented. Russia and the United States as well as all other world leaders must demand Vardanyan’s safe passage out of Azerbaijan and must ensure that other members of the Artsakh government, as well as members of the Artsakh Defense Army, are also allowed to leave. We remind the world that the detention, killing, and disappearance of elites is a common act of genocide,” the Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention said in the statement.

 16:02,

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. United States Congressman Adam Schiff on September 28 said he’s introducing a new resolution that seeks suspension of U.S. aid to Azerbaijan amid its ‘horrific aggression’ against Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia.

“Amid Azerbaijan's horrific aggression against Artsakh [NK] & Armenia, and the ethnic cleansing taking place, I'm introducing another resolution that I hope will lead to the suspension of U.S. aid to Baku. No matter what our diplomats say, if the money to the regime continues, so will its violence,” Schiff said on X.

 16:37,

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. The number of forcibly displaced persons from Nagorno-Karabakh who have crossed into Armenia reached 70,500 as of 14:00, September 28.

The intensity of the influx hasn’t decreased, the Prime Minister’s spokesperson Nazeli Baghdasaryan said at a press conference.

50,866 of the 70,500 have already been registered, while the registration process of the rest is in process.

Approximately 1000 people are registered and taken care of every hour.

 17:01,

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. President of the Cypriot House of Representatives Annita Demetriou has called on Council of Europe member states to support the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh like they are resolutely supporting the people of Ukraine.

“Dear colleagues, as we speak, there’s an unspeakable humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh for already ten months,” Demetriou said at the European Conference of Presidents of Parliament in Dublin.

“Thousands of people, malnourished, frightened and exhausted, are queued up for mass exodus to Armenia, to be saved from ethnic cleansing. What have we done to stop this humanitarian disaster, which is bringing memories of the traumatic past of the Armenian people? Obviously not enough, overall, we can say nothing. We must support the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh just the way we resolutely support the people of Ukraine,” she said.

She added that countries must be resolute towards principles of international law and human rights, without double standards and unconditionally, regardless of who the aggressor is. “In this case Azerbaijan, like Russia in the case of Ukraine, like Turkey in the case of Cyprus. The international community must continue to support the efforts to restore Ukraine. At the same time, we must direct our entire energy for a speedy end to the war in Ukraine. We must also end Azerbaijan’s aggression in Armenia and Turkey’s unlawful and maximalist aspirations in Cyprus, and return to the negotiations table as soon as possible,” Demetriou said.

 17:15,

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. Eleven countries have been newly elected to serve on the 35-member IAEA Board of Governors for the 2023–2024 period. The election took place on Thursday, 28 September, at the plenary session of the 67th IAEA General Conference.

Armenia, Ukraine and Azerbaijan had nominated their candidacies from the Eastern European group. Only Armenia and Ukraine were elected from the group, with 94 and 79 votes in favor.

The newly elected Board members of the International Atomic Energy Agency are the following: Algeria, Armenia, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Ecuador, Indonesia, Republic of Korea, Netherlands, Paraguay, Spain, and Ukraine. 

For the 2023–2024 period, the new composition of the 35-member IAEA Board will be as follows: Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Canada, China, Costa Rica, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kenya, Republic of Korea, Namibia, Netherlands, Paraguay, Qatar, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Türkiye, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America, Uruguay, and Ukraine.

The Board of Governors is one of the two policy-making bodies of the IAEA, along with the annual General Conference of IAEA Member States.

 17:32,

YEREVAN, 28 SEPTEMBER, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 28 September, USD exchange rate up by 2.29 drams to 390.88 drams. EUR exchange rate up by 1.95 drams to 411.99 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate stood at 4.03 drams. GBP exchange rate up by 5.12 drams to 476.83 drams.

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

Gold price down by 107.80 drams to 23717.85 drams. Silver price down by 1.14 drams to 286.40 drams.

 19:19,

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. The government of Armenia will provide financial support to the forcibly displaced persons from Nagorno-Karabakh, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced Thursday.

“We will provide a one-time 100,000 drams from the state budget to every one of our forcibly displaced brothers and sisters from Nagorno-Karabakh, regardless of age, for urgent needs,” PM Pashinyan said in a statement on Facebook.