12:30, 8 February, 2021
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 8, ARMENPRESS. Member of Parliament of Armenia Viktor Yengibaryan from the ruling My Step faction will be appointed Head of Armenia’s Delegation to the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly, replacing MP Gayane Abrahamyan who stepped down.
The respective issue is on the agenda of the Armenian Parliament’s Council session scheduled on February 8.
Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
Armenian grandmaster Levon Aronian defeated Russia's Ian Nepomniachtchi, drew with Anush Giri, Hikaru Nakamura, Vidit Gujrathi, Azrbaijan's Teymur Rajapov at the second day of the preliminary stage of Opera Euro Rapid.
The Armenian player scored 8,5 points and moved on to quarterfinals. The reigning world champion Magnus Carlsen, Anish Giri, Wesley So, Maxim-Vashi Lagrave, Jan-Krzysztof Duda and Daniil Dubov have all secured their places in the knockout stage of the online tournament.
To note, the Opera Euro Rapid tournament, which is the third event of the Meltwater Champions Chess Tour.The tournament features a $100,000 prize fund, with $30,000 for first place.
YEREVAN. – Zhoghovurd newspaper of the Republic of Armenia (RA) writes: Zhoghovurd daily has learned new details from the [parliamentary majority] My Step faction’s meeting, which was also attended by RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
That meeting took place in Aghveran (…).
It is noteworthy that the Council of Europe funded, on the initiative of one of the MPs (…), the two-day rest and gathering in Aghveran.
(…) many members of the ruling faction (…) discussed the need to establish an Ethics Committee in the NA [National Assembly].
According to Zhoghovurd daily’s information, when the next day, Sunday, the prime minister joined the MPs, he was asked most various questions (…).
It is interesting that when they voiced the need to deepen the Armenian-Russian relations, the prime minister opened brackets and said that in that case, issues may be raised and conditions may be set before them that they will not be able to fulfill. (…).
(…) those present [also] inquired how the homeland would be defended with a broken army.
And here, after these various questions, Nikol Pashinyan asked those present and inquired whether or not their government is now respected. And after that question, for example, MPs Hayk Sargsyan, Arusyak Julhakyan, Suren Grigoryan, and others stated that the authorities have no problem, and moreover, there is no demand for early parliamentary elections, and they may not go for it. From those present, only NA Deputy Speaker Alen Simonyan said that they need a restart, and early elections are a necessity.
According to Zhoghovurd daily’s information, the situation in the [NA] offices of the [My Step] faction MPs was very heated yesterday, and many people were saying “behind the scenes” that early elections are really necessary.
Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan has spoken about a strong quake that hit Yerevan on Saturday.
He noted that one house was damaged in the Erebuni community, and one citizen was slightly injured.
Pashinyan noted that there is no destruction.
"One house in the Erebuni community of Yerevan was damaged, one citizen was slightly injured. Tiles fell off in several places," he said noting that no victims have been reported yet.
The epicenter of the earthquake, according to preliminary data, was near the village of Parakar, Armavir region.
Music of Remembrance (MOR), a music organization dedicated to remembering the Holocaust through music, will present “Return to Amasia” on February 28 at 5:00 P.M. PST. The concert will be available for one week following the premiere.
The online presentation features the world premiere of a new work by composer Eric Hachikian, the grandson of survivors of the Armenian genocide. Ottoman authorities murdered or expelled 1.5 million ethnic Armenians in Turkey and surrounding regions during and after World war I. Hachikian’s composition presents a musical and visual account of his journey to the city of Amasia in search of his ancestral roots.
Also on the program are three works by composers who fled the Nazi regime. Michel Michelet, born Mikhail Isaakovich Levin in Kiev, became a pioneering film composer in France during the 1930s. Michelet left the country after the Nazi invasion and worked in Hollywood, where he wrote the scores for several important film noirs. Paul Ben Haim, born Paul Frankenburger in Munich, influenced the musical life of the burgeoning Israeli state after emigrating to Palestine at the onset of Nazi rule. And Géza Frid, a native Hungarian, fled his home country and lived in the Netherlands during the 1920s, where he established himself as a composer and pianist. Frid was also a member of the Dutch underground.
Seattle Symphony musicians Mikhail Schmidt and Natasha Bazhanov (violin), Susan Gulkis Assadi (viola), Sarah Rommel (cello), Jessica Choe (piano), and Valerie Muzzolini Gordon (harp) bring the composers’ journeys to life.
"The ruling regime in Armenia is well trained and instructed in line with the most primitive formulas," Armenia's former Human Rights Defender Larisa Alaverdyan told a press conference on Thursday. In her words, the ruling force comprises of a group of people, a fifth column, which has obtained some knowledge over the time.
"Today, we have that group of people in power, which is not only ashamed of its deeds, but is proud of own achievements since they are not accountable to people who are concerned with preservation of national values, but to those who have brought them to power," said Alaverdyan.
In the words of the former Ombudswoman, efforts to improve Armenian-Turkish relations were on the agenda of all leaders of Armenia.
"During the tenure of both the second and third presidents there were discussions on the topic. The Armenian people never opposed to the idea of having normal relations with neighbors. However, because of Turkey[s policy to dictate its rules, we have never agreed to that," said Alaverdyan, adding: "There is an agreement now. I am confident there are circles in the Armenian public who are serving to that fifth column. Others do not fully perceive the existing reality. The level of civic conscious we have today does not comply to the complexity of problems we are facing."
Alaverdyan suggested centers with the most vicious geopolitical ideas are extremely active in Armenia.
"We have descended the zero level of internal resistance. We have lost our ideological, health and physiological immune. When we repeatedly voice about the need for the authorities be held responsible, they are scared of the changes. The think about the responsibility they may face in the future which makes them not to leave."
In Alaverdyan's words, there is another reason for the authorities not to leave. "They have a plan to sign two more agreements, one with Turkey, the other – with Azerbaijan. I suppose the plan is there. It means Azerbaijan wants to sing peace pact with Artsakh within its borders. Apart from that, they have chosen Syunik province as another target. Azerbaijan's appetite for Zangezur is well-known. By the way, Azerbaijan has territorial claims to all of its neighbors, including Turkey," said Alaverdyan.
She also blamed Pashinyan for the fact of having numerous captives in Azerbaijan. "Aliyev also knows about Pashinyan's guilt and will always make use of that fact. One may only guess what Aliyev may demand against the prisoners. It could be territories and agreements. We see only the top of the iceberg," said Alaverdyan.
As to unblocking of communication routes, the speaker pointed to the complexity of the process which has a direct impact on security. "Imagine what citizen Pashinyan may concede to satisfy Aliyev's appetite," Alaverdyan concluded.
A group of deputies of the My Step faction of the National Assembly of Armenia recommend making amendments to the law on mass media in order to ban references to anonymous sources, hetq.am reported.
According to the proposed amendments, the requirement for submitting data for release will also be set for online mass media outlets, based on which the latter need to show the name of the particular media outlet on their websites, the full name and organizational and legal form of the legal entity carrying out media activities, and if the implementer of media activities is a natural person — its name and last name and address, if the implementer is an individual entrepreneur, then the number and date of issuance of the state registration certificate, as well as the contact number and e-mail address.
In the draft amendments, the deputies state that, in the context of restriction on freedom of speech, it is necessary to state that the dissemination of unknown sources by way of referencing may entail risks posing a threat to national security.
12:49,
YEREVAN, JANUARY 29, ARMENPRESS. Police Chief of Armenia Vahe Ghazaryan received Ambassador of Belarus to Armenia Alexander Konyuk, the Armenia Police told Armenpress.
Vahe Ghazaryan congratulated the Ambassador on appointment. He highly appreciated the cooperation between the Police of Armenia and the Belarusian Ministry of Interior.
The Police Chief expressed readiness to continue and expand the partnership between the two respective structures.
In turn the Belarusian Ambassador thanked for the warm welcome and attached importance to the current relations between the law enforcement agencies of the two countries both at the bilateral level and within the international organizations.
Various issues of mutual interest were discussed during the meeting.
Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
10:15,
YEREVAN, JANUARY 28, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian has addressed a message on the occasion of the 29th anniversary of the foundation of the Armenian Armed Forces, the Presidential Office told Armenpress.
The message says:
“Dear compatriots,
This year, the Army Day is of particular importance. We are marking it in a state of emergency for our country and nation: a difficult post-war situation, various crises and heaviest losses.
Once again, I bow my head to the ever-living memory of all our martyrs who died defending our Homeland and freedom.
I wish recovery to all our injured heroes.
I extend my support to all the families, waiting day and night for their captive or missing sons and relatives.
Today, more than ever, we must use our minds and deeds first of all to strengthen and support our army.
We need programmatic-conceptual approaches and radical steps from reorganization to re-equipment, taking into account the advancement of modern military art and technologies, also geopolitical tendencies.
However, even the most modern weapons cannot bring forth the wished result
if we have no courage to admit the mistakes made and be ready for fundamental changes,
if we do not recover the honour of the officers and the respect towards military service,
if we do not have a program and the will to carry it out,
if we do not stop looking for enemies among us, having left the external ones aside,
if we are not united and consolidated as a state and society, as one nation in Armenia, Artsakh and the Diaspora.
We are indebted to our heroic martyrs.
Our army, like our state and the entire nation, is going through trials. But we have more than once been able to turn the ordeal into a victory. And that, first of all, owing to our army.
Long live the Armenian army!
Glory to our heroes!”