11:30, 17 June 2022
YEREVAN, JUNE 17, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan signed a decision on setting up an inter-agency commission to coordinate the organization works of the STARMUS VI Festival which will take place in Yerevan this year on September 5-11.
The commission will be co-chaired by Chief of Staff at the Prime Minister’s Office Arayik Harutyunyan and Vice Speaker of Parliament Hakob Arshakyan.
Officials from other agencies are also involved in the commission.
Opposition figure Edgar Ghazaryan, a former chief of the Armenian Constitutional Court staff and an ex-ambassador to Poland, has posted a photo of the protest against Nikol Pashinyan held in Yerevan on this day last year.
A similar opposition rally is scheduled to be in city center this evening.
“A rally is planned in Yerevan's France Square on ,” Ghazaryan wrote on Facebook.
“We must unite and kick this nation-destroying scourge out of our public life. It is a vital necessity, which stems from the interests of our country and people,” he said.
14:57,
YEREVAN, JUNE 15, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan received FIFA President Gianni Infantino, the PM’s Office said.
The FIFA President arrived in Armenia to attend the celebrations dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the Football Federation of Armenia.
Welcoming Gianni Infantino’s visit to Armenia and participation to the FFA’s 30th anniversary celebrations, the Armenian PM said this shows the productive cooperation between the FFA and FIFA. Pashinyan praised the fact that around 90 small football fields have been built in Armenia in recent years with the support of FIFA and the government’s programs.
“The development of football infrastructures not only has a sports, but also a great educational, social and cultural importance. The government has initiated radical reforms in the field of healthy lifestyle and attaches importance to the cooperation with FIFA and other international partners”, PM Pashinyan said.
The FIFA President thanked for the appreciation and stated that he is visiting Armenia for the first time and is impressed with the country, its rich history and culture. Gianni Infantino highlighted the importance of sport-education ties and stated that FIFA will continue supporting Armenia in the programs of developing football infrastructure.
The sides exchanged ideas about the cooperation agenda. They, particularly, discussed the issue of building a national stadium. PM Pashinyan said that the construction of the national stadium meeting the international standards is one of the priorities of the government, and certain works are being done on this direction. The FIFA President emphasized the importance of such an infrastructure from the perspective of the country’s sports reputation and stated that FIFA will support this process with all possible tools. In this context FFA President Armen Melikbekyan presented the activities done so far.
Both sides reaffirmed the readiness to strengthen the partnership and highlighted the key role of FIFA Foundation’s Executive Chairman, famous ethnic-Armenian retired football player Youri Djorkaeff in this process.
On behalf of FIFA, Gianni Infantino gifted a T-Shirt to the Armenian PM with his name and a 2022 World Cup Ball.
At the moment a huge amount of work is carried out on the arrangement of the border, this work is under my direct supervision, Defense Minister Suren Papikyan said in an interview with the Public Television.
"Now we are building roads with about 13 companies, mainly road construction companies. These are the roads that lead to the front line. We face the task of fully providing both the road network and the front line in the summer period. In parallel, engineering work is being carried out on the front line," he said, assuring that the state of the border equipment, which was before the war, "will change by the end of the year."
Speaking about the situation on the border, the minister noted that there is some tension on the border, although there are times when Azerbaijan spreads misinformation about ceasefire violations by the Armenian Armed Forces.
"As a rule, the Armenian Armed Forces prevent the violation of the ceasefire by silencing the enemy. That is, when there is an exchange of fire, it is not on our initiative. And I hope that the representatives of the armed forces of the neighboring country will act in the same way and we will be able to ensure the current peaceful situation and achieve lasting peace," he said.
"I cannot make such assessments now; in any case, Armenian armed forces must be ready to secure our borders. At this stage, we see no danger," Suren Papikyan said.
https://news.am/eng/news/705981.html
09:50, 9 June 2022
YEREVAN, JUNE 9, ARMENPRESS. Member of the German Bundestag Till Mansmann, who is also the President of the German-Armenian Forum, highlights the good relations between Armenia and Germany.
In an interview to ARMENPRESS, the Bundestag MP said “Armenia is in a difficult situation as it suffers from multiple stress factors in the light of the current geopolitical developments”.
“Germany is supporting Armenia as it promotes common values”, the MP said.
When asked to comment on how he assesses the current state of the relations between Armenia and Germany, Till Mansmann said: “Germany’s cultural relations and education policy in Armenia aim to promote German as a foreign language at both school and university level. The German Academic Exchange Service and the Federal Office of Administration – Central Agency for Schools Abroad have their own German staff in Armenia. A Goethe-Zentrum opened in Yerevan in 2017, with the Language Training Centre based in the same building. There are many cooperation arrangements between German and Armenian higher education institutions. Additionally, we have the TUMO Centre in Berlin which aims to educate in the broad field of digitalization and software for foreigners and citizens completely free of charge. The political foundations Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung e. V., Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom and Heinrich Böll Foundation, as well as the German Adult Education Association (DVV) and the German Foundation for International Legal Cooperation, have offices in Yerevan staffed by local employees”.
Asked how he sees the role of the German-Armenian Forum in strengthening the relations between the two countries, Till Mansmann said “the current path in the mutual relationship is already a notably positive one”. “I plan to keep engaged with my commitment for the German-Armenia friendship”, he noted.
PM Pashinyan visits Ararat Province to get acquainted with the process of subvention programs
16:50,
YEREVAN, JUNE 11, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan paid a working visit to Ararat Province. The Prime Minister was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Hambardzum Matevosyan, Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Gnel Sanosyan, Deputy Minister of Economy Arman Khojoyan, Chairman of the Urban Development Committee Armen Ghularyan, Governor of Ararat Province Sedrak Tyonyan, ARMENPRESS was infomred from the Offic eof the Prime Minister.
Within the framework of the visit, the Prime Minister got acquainted with the implementation of projects under subsidy programs in several communities.
Nikol Pashinyan first visited Deghdzut community, where a modular school is being built under the program "Construction of modular buildings for secondary schools with a small number of students". The Prime Minister toured the construction site to get acquainted with the course of the works.
It was reported that the school is being built in a model jointly developed by the Ministry of Education and Science, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the Urban Development Committee, the UNICEF, as well as other concerned international and local organizations. It is based on modern standards of safety, inclusivness and energy saving. The school is designed for 120 students. Construction began in 2020 and will be completed this year. The cost of the program is 799 million AMD.
The Prime Minister spoke to the school teachers, who thanked the Prime Minister for implementing the program of establishing a modern school in the community and providing students with the best conditions. Nikol Pashinyan urged them to participate in the certification process, to increase their professional qualification, as a result of which teachers' salaries will increase significantly.
Nikol Pashinyan also talked to the locals, listened to their problems and urged them to participate in all the Government’s programs to establish modern agriculture, including the drip irrigation program. The Deputy Minister of Economy also provided information to those present.
The next stop of the Prime Minister was at the Berdik-Aygestan road section, where he got acquainted with the reconstruction works. Drainage and asphalting works are being carried out within the framework of the capital repair program of roads of state significance of the Republic of Armenia. The works are expected to be completed in November this year. The cost of the program is 360 million AMD.
Afterwards, Prime Minister Pashinyan visited Verin Dvin community, where he toured the territory of a refrigerated warehouse for agricultural storage established by the private sector with state support, got acquainted with the latter's activities. It has a capacity of about 5,000 tons, the construction of which was supported by the Government under agri-food leasing program. The total cost of the program was 400 million AMD, of which 300 million AMD was provided by the state through the above-mentioned program. Prime Minister Pashinyan welcomed the establishment of the facility, emphasizing that the Government will continue to support farms through various programs to establish modern farms.
In this community, the Prime Minister also got acquainted with the construction of a leisure center carried out by the private sector. $1.2 million has already been invested in the project. It will also have a modern swimming pool.
The next stop of the Prime Minister was in Aygezard community. Here Nikol Pashinyan got acquainted with the conditions created in the community park renovated under a subsidy program, near which modern football, tennis and basketball courts have been built. The total cost of the project was 44 million AMD, 65% was provided by the community and 35% by the Government.
Here again the Prime Minister talked to the locals, got acquainted with their problems, answered a number of questions. Nikol Pashinyan also visited the shooting range established by the private sector in the community, got acquainted with the created conditions.
Prime Minister Pashinyan also got acquainted with the process of capital repairs of the sections of the Ayntap-Mkhchyan-Artashat-Aygavan national highway. The work carried out within the framework of the state budget program for the reconstruction of state roads is expected to be completed in November this year. The cost of the program is 1 billion 699 million AMD.
The Prime Minister was also introduced to the process of reconstruction of the Yeghegnavan-Aygavan road, which is planned to be completed in November this year. The cost of the program is 259 million AMD.
Nikol Pashinyan's last stop was in the city of Ararat, where the Prime Minister got acquainted with the conditions created in the park reconstructed under the subsidy program. Within the framework of the project, the whole area of the park was tiled, the fountain and the amphitheater were repaired, the benches were changed, an irrigation network and a lighting system are being installed. The cost of the park improvement is 100 million AMD, of which 70% was allocated from the city budget and 30% from the state budget.
PanARMENIAN.Net - The German Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church has condemned the incident in which a motorist, who has both German and Armenian citizenship, rammed his vehicle into a crowd of people in Berlin, killing one and leaving six in critical condition.
"We reject any act of this nature, regardless of the national-religious affiliation of the person who committed it," the Diocese said in a statement, according to the Orer Armenian European Magazine.
Berlin Interior Affairs Minister Iris Spranger has said the car-ramming was a deliberate act by a person who likely was suffering from mental illness.
As part of their investigation, police have already searched the driver’s home and also are investigating his sister, who is the owner of the car used in the attack, EFE reported.
https://www.panarmenian.net/eng/news/300847/Armenian_Diocese_of_Germany_condemns_Berlin_carramming_incident
Applications are open for the second annual ANCA Haroutioun and Elizabeth Kasparian Summer Academy set for August 1st to 5th, 2022
WASHINGTON, DC – Armenian American high schoolers and rising university first-year students are invited to apply for the second annual Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) Haroutioun & Elizabeth Kasparian Summer Academy, a week-long program introducing future leaders to advocacy and career opportunities in the nation’s capital.
The week-long program will take place from August 1 to 5, 2022. Applications are available online and must be submitted by June 30th.
“The ANCA is thrilled to welcome the best and brightest Armenian American high schoolers to Washington, DC for an intensive one-week session to learn pro-Artsakh/Armenia federal advocacy best practices, explore future career opportunities, and make friends for life,” said ANCA Programs director Alex Manoukian. “The Haroutioun and Elizabeth Kasparian Summer Academy’s innovative program will open up exciting new academic and professional horizons for these students.”
The determined participants of the 2021 ANCA Haroutioun and Elizabeth Kasparian Summer Academy on Capitol Hill.
Summer Academy participants, ages 17 to 19, are chosen based on a rigorous application process focusing on academic excellence and proven pro-Artsakh/Armenia efforts through groups, including the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF), Armenian churches and organizations, schools, student groups and individual initiatives.
ANCA Summer Academy participants will stay at the ANCA Aramian House, a landmark property in downtown Washington, DC which serves as the home and permanent headquarters of the ANCA’s signature youth programs. The Aramian House is named in honor of the late community leader and philanthropist Martha Aramian of Providence, Rhode Island.
During the inaugural session of the program in 2021, Summer Academy participants explored Armenia and Artsakh’s diplomatic challenges and opportunities in discussions with former US Ambassador to Armenia John Evans and Artsakh Representative to the US Robert Avetisyan. Big Whig Media founders Ken and Keith Nahigian discussed the broader Washington, DC political media scene and effective communication strategies during a tour of their state-of-the-art multi-media studio located just blocks from the White House. Battling Armenian Genocide denial in academic and community settings took center stage during a discussion with Dr. Khatchig Mouradian, the Armenia and Georgia Area Specialist at the Library of Congress.
During the 2021 program, the ANCA’s Washington, DC team focused on teaching best practices in Armenian American grassroots advocacy, with interactive sessions on the organization’s 360-degree agenda to defend Artsakh safety and security, promote stronger US-Armenia ties, secure justice for the Armenian Genocide and support at-risk diasporan Armenian communities in the Middle East and around the world. Summer academy participants were also introduced to a wide range of career opportunities on Capitol Hill, international development, advocacy, and consulting by accomplished Armenian Americans in each of the areas.
Vana Dakarian, a 2021 Summer Academy alumna from Elgin, IL, explained, “It was an honor to participate in the ANCA Haroutioun and Elizabeth Kasparian Summer Academy. In just five short days, we spoke with professionals, learned about advocating for the Armenian Cause, and explored careers in politics, policy, and media. I encourage all Armenian youth to participate in this one-of-a-kind opportunity, to learn, explore the nation’s capital and form great friendships.”
Garni Khanzadian, who was an incoming freshman at University of California, Riverside, concurred. “After the Artsakh War in 2020, many Armenian youth were left feeling helpless, and this program opened my eyes to all the things we can do to help our brothers and sisters. The guests who spoke to us during this trip came from all different backgrounds, and we got a chance to listen to so many stories about them helping to spread the Armenian Cause. Thanks to the Haroutioun & Elizabeth Kasparian Summer Academy, I met lifelong friends from all over the country, and made memories that will last forever.”
Video introductions to the 2021 Summer Academy alumni are available on the ANCA YouTube channel.
The ANCA Summer Academy is named in honor of Haroutioun and Elizabeth Kasparian in recognition of their lifetime of selfless service and sacrifice for the Armenian community and cause, through a generous grant by their daughter and son-in-law, Arsho and Adour Aghjayan and grandson Nareg. It is the latest in the series of youth empowerment and career development programs including the Leo Sarkisian Internship Program, Hovig Apo Saghdejian Capital Gateway Program, Maral Melkonian Avetisyan Fellowship, and the ANCA Rising Leaders Program – which features the Lucine Kouchakdjian Capitol Hill Day.
Members of inaugural 2021 ANCA Haroutioun and Elizabeth Kasparian Summer Academy
Artsakh plays a key role in maintaining the geopolitical balance, Artsakh’s Foreign Minister David Babayan said on Tuesday.
“Artsakh, its very existence, is among the most important factors in maintaining the regional and even global geopolitical balance. If there was no Artsakh, the geopolitical landscape of Transcaucasia would radically change, and after that the same would take place also in the adjacent regions,” he wrote on Facebook.
“This would lead to the situation where maintaining the geopolitical balance by traditional means (a system of geostrategic checks and balances, etc.) will be practically impossible. This will lead to an open, tough and direct confrontation between the centers of power. And what can happen when it is impossible to maintain the geopolitical balance by traditional means and when the great global and regional powers will openly clash with each other? I think the answer is very clear. The world may even be on the brink of nuclear war,” the minister said.