11:11,
YEREVAN, JANUARY 11, ARMENPRESS. 243 new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in the past 24 hours, bringing the cumulative total number of confirmed cases in Armenia to 346,224, the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported.
5906 tests were administered (total 2,614,055).
132 people recovered from the disease (total 333,117).
2 people died, raising the death toll to 8006.
As of January 11 the number of active cases stood at 3589.
11:44,
YEREVAN, JANUARY 11, ARMENPRESS. Armenia’s Minister of Economy Vahan Kerobyan and Minister of Health Anahit Avanesyan received the booster shot against COVID-19 in the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Health Minister received the booster shot by Moderna vaccine. She stated that citizens can also receive the booster shot six months after previous vaccinations.
“There are countries which do not wait for six months, but get the booster shot earlier. For instance, getting the booster shot after 4 months is not dangerous”, she said, adding that getting the booster shots regularly could also become acceptable in Armenia. “Getting a booster shot is still on a voluntary basis in our country. But we don’t know what will happen tomorrow. No one knows how the new Omicron variant will spread in Armenia. All our measures, restrictions are being applied for resisting all the challenges in a flexible way. If we have a certain perception that making a booster shot mandatory would help further protect the health of our citizens, we will apply another tool”, she noted.
In his turn the Minister of Economy said that it’s important for him to get a booster shot. “I received the booster shot by Armenian-made Sputnik Light vaccine. Previously, I got vaccinated with AstraZeneca, but given that we already have a Sputnik Light of Armenian production, I decided to try that vaccine”, he said.
He also commented on the export of the Armenian-made vaccine. “We are now holding discussions with our Russian partners in order to export our product. The consent of the Russian side in the export process is very important as the intellectual property of the trademark is theirs”, he said.
In a multi-part film about the events of World War II, Armenia was shown in its historical borders, including the territory of modern Turkey, ermenihaber.am reported.
The first to draw attention to this fact was the Turkish Maritime and Global Strategy Center (Türk DEGS), which considered this fact an assault on the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Turkey.
The issue was also touched by the pro-government newspaper "Yeni Akit", which refers to the opinion of many unhappy Turkish citizens, demanding that the Supreme Council of the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (RTÜK) to take action and impose the most severe sanctions on Netflix.
10:56, 3 January, 2022
YEREVAN, JANUARY 3, ARMENPRESS. The unblocking of all economic and transport connections in South Caucasus is one of the “important directions” of the work for normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko told TASS in an interview in response to an observation that despite the agreement on unblocking there are disagreements between the sides regarding concrete steps in this direction.
“Basically this is about the chance of the two countries for obtaining concrete practical benefits from peaceful co-existence. Russia is a direct participant of this process. During the 2021 January 11 Moscow summit the leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed to create a trilateral working group co-chaired by the deputy prime ministers of the three countries. Within the framework of this mechanism important preparatory work has been done for both railway and road connection restoration in the region. Right now a package is being refined, this approach will ensure the stability of the decisions made,” Rudenko said.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan took part in a reception organized at the Central Bank on the occasion of the New Year and Christmas. Nikol Pashinyan congratulated the personnel of the Central Bank and the banking sector of Armenia on the coming holidays, wishing them success and all the best.
In his speech the Prime Minister particularly said.
“Distinguished Chairman of the Central Bank,
Dear representatives of the executive power and the banking sector,
Our economy has gone through very difficult times, I hope we can already say it this way, because the coronavirus pandemic hit since 2020, which was a strong blow to the financial and economic system, followed by the second blow in the form of the war, and then the third blow – the domestic political crisis. We should state that during this entire period the banking sector of the Republic of Armenia, which had previously been able to withstand serious trials, successfully overcame this challenge, and this is extremely important not only for economic, but also for political and psychological stability.
In this regard, I think we should express words of appreciation to the banking sector of Armenia, to the Central Bank for its policy during this difficult period. After all, following the war and the coronavirus we needed a great resource of resistance, serious professionalism in order to be able to maintain the stable situation we have. Especially given the next challenge that came after the coronavirus outbreak, the global challenge of inflation which continues to this day.
In contrast to the banking sector of other countries, our banking sector, in fact, went through double, triple shocks. It’s important to record that the banking sector is not only a very important partner for the Government, but also an indicator, because modern economies, especially the banking sector, are the mirror of moods and in many cases this is a guideline for the Government to develop and implement policies.
I think the dialogue that exists between the Government and the Central Bank is very important in terms of developing and implementing our future strategies. Yes, we should admit that, like in many countries, in many cases in Armenia attempts are made to create certain negative moods around the banking sector, because it is clear that people always take money with pleasure, but returning is not always a pleasant process, mostly due to interest rates.
I recently had the opportunity to say during a discussion about banking sectors. In fact, the modern world is the world created by banks, and this should be recorded with all its disadvantages and advantages. There are many projects that characterize modern civilization, which are growing, evolving, changing the world with huge steps. It should be noted that these mega-projects could not exist in the world if the banking system did not exist.
We have seen such effects in Armenia as well, but I hope that we will be able to implement an agenda of cooperation between the political, economic and financial systems, which will allow to make Armenia a country that meets all modern standards. In this regard, I attach importance to the agenda adopted by the Government to open an era of peaceful development for Armenia and the region, which, I must say, is cadjusted by signals coming from the economy and the banking system, which are often not expressed in texts, but are expressed in numbers, digital signs, statistical data. In this context, I would like to hope that the link between the Government policies and the financial and economic system will be more organic, because that system is the most sensitive indicator that senses risks the earliest, sees opportunities the earliest, which helps the Government to be more operative.
Once again, I want to thank you for the resistance shown over the last two years. I hope that at the state and national level we will finally be able to overcome this situation of survival, procrastination, or short-term thinking, and get out into an era of long-term, stable, peaceful strategic development. In this regard, of course, the role of the banking system is extremely difficult to overestimate. I reiterate, the Central Bank and the banking system are key and essential partners for the Government.
In terms of overcoming the problems caused by the coronavirus, the post-war situation, we have been in a very close partnership, I appreciate that partnership.
Congratulations to all of you, to your families on the coming New Year; we hope it will be really possible to create completely new moods in Armenia and Artsakh in 2022, which will be reflected in the reduction of interest rates, prices, exchange rate stability and better moods for investment, working and spending. The Government, of course, is willing to spend, to invest, to point out that strategic perspective by its own example. But all the same, the private sector, the banking system are a very important teammate in this respect, so that we all succeed in that team game and process.”
YEREVAN—On December 12, the finals of the 13th Armenian Robotics Development and Support Program (ArmRobotics) Championship of Autonomous Robots, entitled “Smart City”, took place at the Olympavan Center. Almost 200 teams from all regions of Armenia applied, 46 of which competed in the final.
During the competition, robots designed by children were faced with various tasks: to respond to a gas leak, to put out a fire, to empty a trash can, to notice a pedestrian crossing the road, to stop or proceed depending on the color of the traffic light.
In the 10-13 age group, third place was given to the “Azhdahak” team of Gegharkunik Secondary School (250,000 AMD), and second place was awarded to the team of Aygut Secondary School (350,000 AMD). The winner was the team of Goris Basic School No. 2 (450,000 AMD).
In the 14-17 age group, third place was taken by the team of Etchmiadzin Innovation Ethnic Regional Center (350,000 AMD), the 2nd place – the team of Verin Karmiraghbyur Village Secondary School (450,000 AMD). The team of Gandzak Secondary School No. 1 received the ArmRobotics Championship transfer cup and a 550,000 AMD cash prize.
All the members of the winning teams and their teachers in both age categories received mobile phones from “Team Telecom Armenia.”
The jury included Arman Poghosyan (Instigate Design), Hrachya Khachatryan (Symotec), Hrachya Makaryan (“PUL” Company), Satenik Mnatsakanyan (American University of Armenia), Hayk Aslanyan (Ministry of High-Tech Industry), Sargis Manukyan (Technology Management Center of Yerevan City) and Sedrak Vardanyan (Union of Advanced Technology Enterprises).
The competition was attended by Union of Advanced Technologies Enterprises (UATE) board members, the Ambassadors of India and Romania, a representative of the Russian Embassy, and representatives of UATE partner organizations.
ArmRobotics has been implemented by the UATE since 2008. The general sponsor of the competition was the RA Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports.
13:51,
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 29, ARMENPRESS. The average weighted tariff of electrical energy will increase by 4,7 drams/kWh starting February 1, 2022.
The Public Services Regulatory Commission approved the decision during its December 29 session.
The tariff for socially vulnerable families (11% of consumers) will remain unchanged, while the tariff for consumers using up to 200 kWh per month (55% of consumers) will increase by 1,5 drams/kWh.
Consumers using from 201 to 400 kWh per month (25% of consumers) will pay 3,5 drams more per kWh, while the tariff for consumers using more than that will increase 5,5 drams/kWh.
The tariffs were approved as follows:
Consumers using up to 200 kWh per month – Daytime tariff: 46,48 drams; Nighttime tariff 36,48 drams
Consumers using from 201 to 400 kWh per month – Daytime tariff: 48,48 drams; Nighttime tariff: 38,48 drams
Consumers using more than 400 kWh per month – Daytime tariff: 53,48 drams, Nighttime tariff: 43,48 drams
The daytime and nighttime tariffs for socially vulnerable families remained unchanged at 29,99 and 19,99 drams respectively.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan received Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Alexei Overchuk.
Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan and Russian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Armenia Sergey Kopirkin were present at the meeting. The interdepartmental delegation headed by the Russian Deputy Prime Minister is in Yerevan for the sitting of the Armenian-Russian intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation.
The Russian Deputy Prime Minister thanked for the reception and emphasized that the bilateral contacts were quite intensive this year. A number of business missions, representatives of Russian business, who are very interested in working in Armenia, visited Armenia.
Nikol Pashinyan and Alexei Overchuk discussed issues related to the agenda of Armenian-Russian cooperation and economic ties. The interlocutors referred to the volumes of bilateral trade in 2021 and noted hailed the growth in that direction. The sides attached importance to the efforts to develop trade and economic and investment cooperation, to fully utilize the existing potential in the sphere.
The parties exchanged views on the prospects for the restoration of transport communications in the South Caucasus, the activities of a trilateral working group headed by the Deputy Prime Ministers of Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan.
Turkey, Armenia to appoint envoys in bid to normalize ties
Dec. 14, 2021Updated: Dec. 14, 2021 3:18 a.m.
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey and Armenia will appoint special representatives to discuss steps to normalize their ties, Turkey’s foreign minister said.
Speaking in parliament during a debate over his ministry’s budget late Monday, Mevlut Cavusoglu also said charter flights between Istanbul and Yerevan would restart soon.
“We have consulted with Azerbaijan. Soon, we will mutually appoint special representatives with Armenia for the steps toward normalization and we will act together with Azerbaijan at every step,” Cavusoglu told parliament.
Turkey and Armenia have no diplomatic ties and Turkey shut down their common border in 1993, in a show of solidarity with Azerbaijan which was locked in a conflict with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region.
In 2009, Ankara and Yerevan reached an agreement to establish formal relations and to open their joint border, but Turkey later said it could not ratify the deal until Armenia withdrew from Nagorno-Karabakh. The territory lies within Azerbaijan but was under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia.
Last year, Turkey strongly backed Azerbaijan in the six-week conflict with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh which ended with a Russia-brokered peace deal that saw Azerbaijan gain control of a significant part of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Cavusolgu did not provide further details on the steps to normalize ties but told parliament that Turkey and Azerbaijan were now engaged in “intense diplomatic” efforts to bring peace and prosperity to the Caucasus region.
Turkey and Armenia have a more than a century old hostility over the deaths of an estimated 1.5 million Armenians in massacres, deportations and forced marches that began in 1915 in Ottoman Turkey. Historians widely view the event as genocide.
Turkey vehemently rejects the genocide label, conceding that many died in that era, but insisting that the death toll is inflated and the deaths resulted from civil unrest.
https://www.middletownpress.com/news/article/Turkey-Armenia-to-appoint-envoys-in-bid-to-16699988.php