Asbarez: ANCA’s New FrontRunner Program Scales Up Pro-Armenian Social Media Advocacy

July 14,  2020

Visit Frontrunner.anca.org/register to sign up to be an ANCA FrontRunner and advance ANCA advocacy priorities on social media

Frontrunner.anca.org is the newest ANCA online action tool to advance shared community priorities

WASHINGTON—The Armenian National Committee of America has launched the innovative FrontRunner program, making it easier than ever for advocates to share timely, high-impact pro-Armenian messages among their friends and supporters on their favorite social media platforms.

“Today’s social media landscape is a modern-day battleground for the Armenian Cause, a dynamic arena in which a small, devoted core of on-line voices can drive the constructive pro-Armenian conversations that we need to see if we’re to win new hearts and minds for Armenia and Artsakh,” said ANCA Information Technologies Director Nerses Semerjian, who designed the unique program.  “FrontRunner scales up the ANCA’s online presence by making it easier than ever to ensure friends and family learn about our latest initiatives, take action to advance community priorities, and help expand the ANCA’s presence across social media.”

ANCA FrontRunner members serve as the organization’s online ambassadors, sharing spotlighted ANCA social media posts.  Registered participants receive an ANCA text on the weekdays of their choice, which will direct them to the highest-priority ANCA posts of the day on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  Participants can choose to like, share, or comment on the posts or explore other ANCA targeted materials.

ANCA Leo Sarkisian Program alumna Victoria Messikian (Class of 2018) offers this helpful video to assist in the ANCA FrontRunner sign up process.

Signing up takes less than 60 seconds, helping out each week involves just a few minutes, and participants can opt-out at any time.  Register now.

The ANCA FrontRunner Program is the latest in a growing suite of ANCA online activism tools launched under Semerjian’s direction since 2015, starting with the March to Justice platform, which serves as the ANCA’s primary online outreach portal to elected officials, decision-makers, and media. The ANCA Rapid Responder Program was launched soon thereafter, offering advocates a simple way to ensure their voices are the first to the heard on vital issues from Artsakh security to Armenia development and Armenian Genocide justice. Now, over 10,000 strong, the Rapid Responder Program has made an impact on the federal, state, and local levels ensuring the speedy delivery of millions of messages, and leading to the passage of landmark legislation. In 2017, the ANCA launched its Quick Connect system, which directly connects community members by phone with their U.S. legislators to advance Armenian American advocacy priorities.

Karen Sedrakyan elected member of State Commission for Protection of Economic Competition

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 13:55, 8 July, 2020

YEREVAN, JULY 8, ARMENPRESS. Karen Sedrakyan has been elected member of the State Commission for the Protection of Economic Competition as a result of the closed-format voting held in the Parliament.

80 MPs voted in favor of Sedrakyan’s candidacy, 6 voted against.

Karen Sedrakyan’s candidacy for the SCPEC member has been nominated by the government.

 

Reporting by Norayr Shoghikyan; Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Potential for expanding Belarus-Armenia cooperation noted

BelTA, Belarus

MINSK, 10 July (BelTA) – Armenian Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan received a farewell courtesy call from outgoing Belarusian Ambassador to Armenia Igor Nazaruk on 9 July, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

During the meeting, the parties reviewed the state of Belarusian-Armenian trade and economic cooperation welcoming the positive dynamics of the mutual trade growth.

The parties highlighted a significant potential for deepening trade and cooperation ties between Belarus and Armenia, including within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).

Central Bank of Armenia: exchange rates and prices of precious metals – 26-06-20

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 17:20, 26 June, 2020

YEREVAN, 26 JUNE, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 26 June, USD exchange rate up by 0.64 drams to 481.94 drams. EUR exchange rate up by 0.33 drams to 540.69 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate up by 0.01 drams to 6.95 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 1.90 drams to 596.98 drams.

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

Gold price down by 110.86 drams to 27217.27 drams. Silver price down by 4.67 drams to 271.62 drams. Platinum price down by 200.24 drams to 12349.3 drams.

Central Bank of Armenia: exchange rates and prices of precious metals – 22-06-20

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 17:40,

YEREVAN, 22 JUNE, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 22 June, USD exchange rate down by 0.68 drams to 478.99 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 0.72 drams to 537.09 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate down by 0.01 drams to 6.90 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 1.47 drams to 594.04 drams.

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

Gold price up by 197.26 drams to 26714.95 drams. Silver price down by 1.77 drams to 269.88 drams. Platinum price up by 74.61 drams to 12627.91 drams.

Prosecutor’s office will appeal court decision on releasing Kocharyan from jail on bail

Prosecutor's office will appeal court decision on releasing Kocharyan from jail on bail

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 19:07,

YEREVAN, JUNE 18, ARMENPRESS. The Prosecutor’s Office of Armenia will submit a cassation appeal against the decision of the Criminal Court of Appeal, according to which 2nd President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan will be released from jail on bail, a press service official of the Prosecutor General’s Office told ARMENPRESS.

‘’The Prosecutor’s Office has repeatedly emphasized that the criminal case is in such a stage where there are very high risks that the defendant, in case of being in freedom, can impede the investigation of the case by exerting illegal influence on the individuals participating in the trial and there are no other preventive measure except detention that can neutralize the risks of improper behavior of the defendant.

Moreover, ever since the criminal case was submitted to the court, the stage of the judicial investigation has not changed (it’s in pre-trial stage – edited) and the court, including the same Court of Appeal had accepted the mentioned risks.

Therefore, we can say that a cassation appeal will; be filed against the judicial act’’, the official said.

The Criminal Court of Appeal approved the appeal of attorneys of Robert Kocharyan on changing the precautionary measure selected against the ex-President.

Kocharyan will be released on bail in the amount of 2 billion drams.

Robert Kocharyan has been remanded into custody on June 25, 2019. Kocharyan is charged with overthrowing the Constitutional Order during the 2008 March protests in Yerevan.

Editing and translating by Tigran Sirekanyan

Armenian parliament approves motion on depriving Gagik Tsarukyan of liberty

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 18:03,

YEREVAN, JUNE 16, ARMENPRESS. The National Assembly of Armenia approved the motion filed by the Prosecutor General to deprive head of ''Prosperous Armenia' Party, MP Gagik Tsarukyan of liberty. ARMENPRESS reports 87 MPs votes in favor of the motion in a secret ballot.

87 MPs participated in the ballot.

Earlier today Tsarukyan was stripped of parliamentary immunity. Again 87 MPs voted in favor. ''Prosperous Armenia'' and ''Bright Armenia'' Parties did not participate in the voting.

On June 14 leader of the opposition Prosperous Armenia party Gagik Tsarukyan was taken to the National Security Service for questioning. He stayed there until 23:30. Tsarukyan’s supporters organized a rally outside the NSS demanding to stop the actions against the lawmaker.

Earlier the NSS issued a statement according to which a company, that is included Gagik Tsarukyan’s Multi Group Concern, has caused tens of billions of drams in damage to the state.

In another statement, the NSS said it revealed numerous cases on giving bribes to voters by the Prosperous Armenia party members, as well as candidates to vote in favor of the party during the April 2, 2017 parliamentary elections.

On June 16 he National Security Service of Armenia issued another statement announcing about new discoveries about the activity of the Prosperous Armenia party.

According to the information collected by the NSS, during the May 14, 2017 Yerevan City Council elections, state officials persuaded illegally nearly 100-120 thousand eligible voters in Armenia  to formally move from their actual places of registration and register temporarily in different addresses of Yerevan’ administrative districts in order to include these persons to the voters lists of local self-government bodies, thus providing the necessary number of “in favor” votes during the elections.

In addition, it was also revealed that the members of the Prosperous Armenia political party, founded in 2004, distributed bribes during various elections for voting in favor of their party, candidate in order to receive their desired result.

Reporting by Norayr Shoghikyan, Editing and Translating by Tigran Sirekanyan

Tsarukyan: Situation in all sectors is ‘extremely grave’

Panorama, Armenia

The opposition Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) leader, lawmaker Gagik Tsarukyan claims the accusations against him came after his harsh criticism of the Armenian government at the June 5 meeting of the PAP Governing Board.

Speaking at the National Assembly which is debating stripping him of his immunity from prosecution on Tuesday, Tsarukyan again voiced concerns over the persisting problems in agriculture, industry, economy, social, healthcare and all other sectors, stating the situation has not changed since the 2018 revolution.

He called for making real-life reforms, instead of creating “fake Facebook accounts which spread offensive remarks.”

He recalled his promise to stand by the new authorities two years ago. “Yes, I have signed a memorandum with [Prime Minister] Pashinyan. I have done everything possible to help make people’s expectations come true. But they were all empty and made-up promises,” he said, stressing a country cannot be ruled by “Facebook and fakes”.

“The situation in all sectors is extremely grave. You have failed the fight against the pandemic,” the opposition MP stated.

He again dismissed the allegations of vote buying by his party during the 2017 parliamentary elections.

“I have told you, I won’t step back from my principles. Are you afraid now when you have opened a case against Tsarukyan? You have shut down the highways in the regions to prevent people from coming here,” he said.

Armenian healthcare minister comments on effectiveness of wearing face mask

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 12:46,

YEREVAN, JUNE 12, ARMENPRESS. Wearing a right medical mask in a right way can lead to a major decline in the number of new cases of the novel coronavirus after 7 days, Minister of healthcare of Armenia Arsen Torosyan told reporters today in the Parliament.

“If we suppose that all wear a right face mask in a right way, 7 days later we will have a major decline in the number of coronavirus cases. The right face masks are the ones which are three-layered and fluid resistant”, he said.

Armenia made mandatory wearing a face mask in all public places.

According to the latest data, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Armenia has reached 15,281, out of which 5,639 patients have already recovered. The number of active cases stands at 9,298. The death toll has risen to 258.

The government today extended the coronavirus-related state of emergency for another month, until July 13, 17:00.

Reporting by Norayr Shoghikyan; Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

5 new cases of coronavirus confirmed in Artsakh

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 12:29, 9 June, 2020

YEREVAN, JUNE 9, ARMENPRESS. 5 more citizens have been infected with the novel coronavirus in the Republic of Artsakh, raising the total number of confirmed cases to 64, the healthcare ministry said.

10 more patients have recovered, bringing the total number of recoveries to 41.

At the moment 77 citizens are under quarantine.

No death case has been registered so far.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan