11:25,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 10, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has congratulated Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang on the Chinese New Year.

The letter addressed to President Xi Jinping, published by the Prime Minister's Office, reads as follows,

"On behalf of the Armenian people and myself, I send warm congratulations and best wishes to you and the friendly people of China on the occasion of the Chinese New Year, the Spring Festival. The Spring Festival is the most popular family holiday in China, coming from the depths of history, which is at the same time modern. May it bring health, new achievements and joy to all families. The Armenian-Chinese traditional friendly ties have a rich history and are characterized by mutual trust and great respect. The Armenian government attaches great importance to the Armenian-Chinese relations, considering the development of cooperation with the People's Republic of China in multi-faceted, including in regional initiatives among its foreign policy priorities. I sincerely hope that in the near future there will be an opportunity to further expand and deepen the collegial relations achieved during the previous years, including through the activation of high-level visits. Congratulating you again on this beautiful holiday, I wish you good health and well-being, and peace and prosperity to the friendly people of China."

The letter addressed to Premier Li Qiang reads as follows,

"On behalf of the Armenian government and myself, I warmly congratulate you and the friendly people of China on the occasion of the Chinese New Year, the Spring Festival. I wish that this beautiful holiday embodies the cherished dream of bringing the nationwide goals and aspirations of the friendly Chinese people to life. The Armenian-Chinese friendly relations, based on close traditional ties, mutual respect and trust, have steadily developed and strengthened since the establishment of diplomatic relations. Armenia is ready to make all efforts to further deepen them. Please accept, Your Excellency, my sincere wishes for prosperity, peace and harmony."

 11:45,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 10, ARMENPRESS. A group of United States congressmen have introduced the Armenian Protection Act (H.R.7288) –  a bipartisan bill that will restrict U.S. aid to Azerbaijan by removing the Presidential authority to waive Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act. Its Senate counterpart (S.3000), spearheaded by Senator Gary Peters (D-MI), was adopted unanimously last year.

Representative Michael Lawler co-authored this legislation with Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and fellow first-term legislator Gabe Amo (D-RI).

If and when adopted and enacted into law, the Lawler-Pallone-Bilirakis-Amo Bill will tighten the existing statute restricting U.S. aid to Azerbaijan – Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act – substantively limiting the authority of the President to waive its full enforcement, the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) reported.

Rep. Lawler, who serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, was adamant about the need for clear Biden Administration action to stop bolstering Azerbaijan’s anti-Armenian attacks. “Over 100,000 Armenians were targeted, abused, and displaced by the Government of Azerbaijan when they fled Nagorno-Karabakh in recent months,” explained Rep. Lawler. “There is no question of Azerbaijan’s aggression, yet President Biden continues to turn a blind eye.” He continued to note that “It’s simply unacceptable for the U.S. to be funding Azerbaijan’s campaign against the Armenian people. The Armenian Protection Act will put a stop to the Biden Administration’s funding of Azerbaijan’s authoritarian regime and desire for regional dominance.”

Rep. Pallone stressed the need for Azerbaijani accountability for the genocide against NK's Armenian population. “President Aliyev broke international law when he ordered his deadly assault of Artsakh last September and still has not faced any meaningful consequences from the international community. World leaders failed to stop his genocidal campaign that has displaced 120,000 Armenians from their historic homeland even though his belligerent rhetoric and troop movements made it clear an attack was imminent,” stated Rep. Pallone. “It’s far past time for the United States and our allies to take serious actions that will prevent even more death and destruction at the hands of Aliyev and provide the safety and security in the region that Armenia needs to thrive as a democracy. The Armenian Protection Act will finally hold the Aliyev regime accountable, halt any further U.S. security assistance until they end their destabilizing actions in the region, and require proof that they can be a trustworthy party in peace negotiations moving forward. I call upon House leadership to take up this commonsense legislation and pass it immediately.”

Rep. Bilirakis stressed the importance of passing the measure. “Given the political and humanitarian crisis that has resulted from Azerbaijan’s recent aggression toward neighboring Armenia, it is unconscionable that U.S. tax dollars are going to support this brutal regime. Those dollars could better be used here at home,” said Rep. Bilirakis.

“We must send a clear message to the Government of Azerbaijan and our partners around the globe that the United States will not stand for unprovoked attacks on the Armenian people,” said Congressman Amo, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. “We cannot allow the Government of Azerbaijan to get a free pass for their brutal military aggression and blockades against the ethnic Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh. I am proud to support this bipartisan legislation to show that the United States stands with the people of Armenia and will not accept Azerbaijan’s assault on Nagorno-Karabakh.”

 12:51,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 10, ARMENPRESS. Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia Mher Grigoryan attended on February 9 the official reception dedicated to the 45th anniversary of the Iranian Islamic Revolution, the country’s national day.

In his speech, Grigoryan congratulated the friendly people of Iran and noted that the age-old relations between Armenia and Iran are based on mutual trust, respect and sincere friendship.

“The governments of our countries are displaying the necessary political will and are making all efforts in the direction of expanding the high-level political ties and interstate cooperation. The rich agenda of bilateral ties is a vivid testament to this,” he said.

He welcomed the interest and involvement of Iranian companies in the implementation of strategic projects for Armenia. “We attach great importance to the close contacts and constructive cooperation between the leaders of Armenia and Iran , as well as our executive and legislative authorities,” Grigoryan said.

Grigoryan said that together with Iranian Vice President Davoud Manzour he will co-chair the meeting of the Armenia-Iran Intergovernmental Commission in Tehran next week.

“Iran is an important partner for us, with whom our friendly and constructive relations not only bring good for our peoples, but are also a serious factor for ensuring stability and development in the entire region. In this context, I’d like to emphasize that our government highly appreciates the Iranian top leadership’s unambiguous stance on the inviolability of the territorial integrity and borders of the Republic of Armenia,” Grigoryan said, adding that there is a historic chance to make joint efforts to further strengthen the friendly relations between Armenia and Iran.

 13:25,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 10, ARMENPRESS. Granatus Ventures, the leading venture capital firm in Armenia, has recently backed yet another deep tech company, Modicus Prime which is an AI-powered computer vision company that specializes in cutting edge quality control systems for the pharmaceutical industry.

Granatus Ventures did not disclose the amount of the investment.

Modicus Prime develops proprietary software solutions that provide real-time visual analysis of biologic imagery and alert on identified contamination, thereby acting as a custom. continuous quality control tool in pharmaceutical R&D and manufacturing that is highly accurate and cost-efficient, Granatus Ventures said in a press release.

“Founded and led by Taylor Chartier, a pharmaceutical data scientist with extensive experience in biologics design, quality control and AI applications within the field. She is excited about the partnership with Granatus Ventures, and believes that Granatus’ international reach spanning Armenia to USA and Europe will give Modicus Prime additional footing in the pharmaceutical industry across the globe. The technical team is led by David Vardanyan, a highly experienced in software engineer, with roles at several Big Pharma companies prior to Modicus Prime. The company already has a team of Armenia-based software engineers. Modicus Prime currently runs partnerships with some of the biggest pharmaceutical companies in the world, and was also part of Techstars Class of 2022. Manuk Hergnyan, the Managing Partner at Granatus Ventures, believes that Modicus Prime tackles the sanctum sanctorum of pharmaceutical production – quality, and its solution will grow to become an indispensable part of the pharmaceutical industry in the near future. The investment from Granatus Ventures will help the company to accelerate the development of its flagship solution and hire additional talent to support its further growth and expanding pipeline,” the venture capital firm said.

 14:10,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 10, ARMENPRESS. Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan has congratulated President of China Xi Jinping on the Chinese New Year, the Spring Festival.

“Let this beautiful family holiday bring peace and harmony to your country and people,” Khachaturyan said in a letter to Xi Jinping published by his office.  “Bilateral cooperation has been developing in all directions since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Armenia and China. I am sure that through joint efforts we will continue to strengthen and expand the traditional friendly ties based on mutual respect and trust to the benefit of our peoples.”

 16:36,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 10, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian Foreign Ministry has congratulated China on Spring Festival.  

“We extend our warm congratulations on the occasion of the Spring Festival & wish our Chinese friends & colleagues the best of success & well-being in the Year of Dragon,” the Armenian foreign ministry said on X.

 16:42,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 10, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian Embassy in Greece on February 9 hosted a reception on the occasion of the 32nd anniversary of the establishment of the Armed Forces of Armenia.

In his remarks, Ambassador of Armenia to Greece Tigran Mkrtchyan underscored that the Armenian military’s modernization and reformation are unavoidable. He said that the purpose of the military reforms is to ensure the security of Armenia. The Ambassador attached great importance to the defense cooperation with Greece and Cyprus because “Armenia needs reliable partners,” the embassy said in a press release.

Lieutenant Colonel Armen Mirzabekyan, the Armenian Ministry of Defense representative in Greece and Cyprus, also delivered remarks at the event. Noting the inevitability of military reforms in the context of current security developments, the military official attached importance to international cooperation, including in the Armenia-Greece and Armenia-Greece-Cyprus formats. Mirzabekyan underscored the presence of Armenian cadets in Greek military academies in the context of their mission in the Armenian military reforms.

 17:58,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 10, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Saturday in Ashtarak chaired a steering group meeting of the Civil Contract party.

Civil Contract legislators and local officials participated in the meeting, the party said in a press release.

Prime Minister Pashinyan delivered a speech and held a Q&A with the party members.

 21:47,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 10, ARMENPRESS. Hungarian President Katalin Novak has resigned after coming under mounting pressure for pardoning a man convicted for helping to cover up sexual abuse in a children’s home, Reuters reports.

President Novak pardoned some two dozen people in April 2023 – among them the deputy director of the children’s home, who helped the institution’s former director hide crimes.

For the last time addressing the nation as president, Katalin Novak admitted she “made a mistake”.

“I issued a pardon that caused bewilderment and unrest for many people,” Novák said on February 10. “I made a mistake.” 

This week, Hungarian opposition parties had demanded Novak’s resignation over the case and on February 9 a thousand demonstrators rallied at Novak’s office calling for her to quit.

In a bid to contain the political damage, Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban submitted a constitutional amendment to parliament on February 8, depriving the president of the right to pardon crimes committed against children.

46-year-old Katalin Novak – the first female president in Hungary’s history, has held the position of president since 2022.

Besides the president, Orban’s former Justice Minister Judit Varga who also signed off on the pardon – said on Facebook she would step down as the ruling Fidesz party MP, taking responsibility for the decision.

 11:22, 6 February 2024

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 6, ARMENPRESS. Today the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports of Armenia, “Olympionic” sports charitable foundation and Fastex have signed a memorandum of cooperation. The purpose of this cooperation is to promote the growth and development of sports in the Republic of Armenia, to improve the competitiveness and the living conditions of athletes, and to encourage the growth of victories recorded in the field of domestic sports.

According to the agreement, Fastex will be providing up to 5 million to support the athletes and coaches who won from the 1st to the 3rd places in the Olympic, Paralympic, Sword Olympic Games, sports included in the program of the Olympic Games, as well as international tournaments not included in the Olympic Games, such as sambo wrestling, international checkers, wushu and chess. The 5 million $FTNs have been segregated from the total supply and securely frozen on the blockchain until 2030. The 5 million $FTNs will be methodically unblocked in accordance with a predefined pattern, as detailed in the smart contracts. This strategy encourages a controlled and transparent allocation of funds to beneficiaries' digital wallets.

“The Government of Armenia pays a great attention to the sports these days, but like the whole world, the sports need additional funding and curation. It is a world-known practice to involve diverse sponsors who will solve issues that are not included in the scope of issues under the state’s care. We already have a preliminary agreement with Fastex and our negotiations are at a very practical stage. In the very near future, we will sign a memorandum, after which a tripartite agreement will be signed between RA MoESCS, "Fastex" and "Olympionic" foundation. Subsequently, we will have the opportunity to provide very quick and specific solutions to many problems," said Karen Giloyan, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of the Republic of Armenia.

“We realize the importance of encouraging the development of domestic sports and by encouraging the victories of our athletes, we aim to further emphasize their achievements and awards for the development and history of sports of the Republic of Armenia," said Vigen Badalyan, co-founder of Fastex.

“Valuing the role and function of corporate social responsibility, Fastex has come up with an initiative to encourage the development of sports in Armenia, namely by co-financing a number of programs and projects. At the current stage, we are completing the negotiations and the preparations of relevant documents. The partnership will have a long-term and strategic nature, within which Fastex will finance various sports directions, encouraging both existing athletes and the training of the new generation," said Vakhtang Abrahamyan, the chief executive officer of Fastex.

The Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports and the "Olympionic" sports charitable foundation have committed to make all efforts to achieve the goals defined in the memorandum.