Author: Varazdat Torgomian

 21:23,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 19, ARMENPRESS. The “Foreign Policy” has published an extended Article about Armenia, headlining it “Make Armenia Green Again”.  ARMENPRESS reports the author of the article visited one of the villages in Ararat Province, talked with its residents, who told about their living conditions, the regular shooting coming from the Azerbaijani side, as well as about making their country green again.

“Riding high on the heels of a peaceful revolution that swept out years of corrupt oligarchy, Armenia’s new reformist government, led by the former journalist Nikol Pashinyan, has pledged to double the country’s tree cover by 2050 as part of Armenia’s commitment to the Paris climate agreement goals.

Since 1994, the Armenia Tree Project (ATP), a Massachusetts-headquartered nonprofit staffed by Armenians and Armenian Americans, has led the country’s reforestation efforts. ATP nurseries, greenhouses, community forests, and planting sites dot virtually every corner of Armenia, from the lush, leafy Georgian border down to disputed Nagorno-Karabakh. Their forests often memorialize; they’re named for genocide survivors or are dedicated to patriotic themes. In 2001, ATP planted the poplar and fruit trees skirting the roads around the 13th-century Noravank monastery to honor Armenia’s 1,700-year anniversary as the world’s first Christian nation.

Scaling up that model, in October at the country’s inaugural forest summit—Forest Summit: Global Action and Armenia, convened by ATP and the American University of Armenia—Pashinyan announced that doubling the tree cover would begin with 10 million trees planted by Oct. 10, 2020—representing the global population of Armenians. To put that number into perspective, after 25 years on the ground, ATP celebrated its 6 millionth tree planting only late last year”, reads the article.

ArmInfo.The criminal case of theft of ATMs committed by a group of people has been sent to court. It is reported by the Investigative Committee of Armenia.

According to the source, in August 2018, a message was received that  a theft had been committed using computer technology on the Kievyan  street in Kievyan, and a criminal case was opened, which was then  added by several more cases related to thefts from other ATMs , as  well as committing theft in one of the apartments and attempted theft  from another.

As a result of the operational-search measures undertaken, two  persons were identified who were suspected of having committed these  crimes – residents of Yerevan, born in 1986 and 1976. Using a  malicious program, they illegally were able to withdraw significant  sums of 34.8 million drams from ATMs, involving a group of persons  that had not yet been identified, with which a preliminary agreement  had been reached, in illegal actions.

In addition, it turned out that one of the attackers had stolen in  one of the Yerevan apartments in the Nor- Nork quarter, from where he  took out 2.4 million drams, $ 120, as well as watches and jewelry  worth 700 thousand drams. Thus, the total amount stolen amounted to  3.158 million drams. Then, using technical means, he managed to open  the electronic lock of another apartment – on Komitas Street, but he  was forced to leave on his own, because there was neither money nor  valuables in it.

Cases against both suspects were sent to court. Actions are being  taken to identify other individuals not yet identified.

 15:47,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 27, ARMENPRESS. Hendrik Daems, a Belgian Senator, has been elected as the new President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) for a one-year term, PACE said on Twitter.

He was the only candidate running for the position.

“I want to sincerely thank you for your trust”, he said at the PACE session, expressing hope that during his tenure he will manage to visit all member states of PACE.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan

ArmInfo.Armenian MP Arman Babajanyan met with Nairi Hunanyan. He announced this on his Facebook page.

''For the first time in 20 years, at Yerevan-Kentron Penitentiary  Institution, I had an almost two-hour conversation with the head of  the terrorist group in the case of October 27, 1999, Nairi Hunanyan.  Along with numerous answers, many questions have arisen that need a  long analysis. However, the main beneficiaries of October 27, that  is, the leaders of the revenge-taking camps of the  counter-revolutionary forces, should always remember: there is no  forgiveness for the damage caused to the state and statehood of  Armenia by the brutal murder of Vazgen Sargsyan, Karen Demirchyan,  Yura Bakhshyan, Ruben Miroyan, Heinrich Abrahamyan, Armenak  Armenakyan, Leonard Petrosyan and Michael Kotanyan. No one will go  unpunished'', the MP noted.

On October 27, 1999, a group of terrorists burst into parliament and  shot and killed the Prime Minister of Armenia Vazgen Sargsyan, the  Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, Karen  Demirchyan, Deputy Speakers Yuri Bakhshyan and Ruben Miroyan, the  Minister of Operational Affairs Leonard Petrosyan and MPs Armenak  Armenakyan, Mikael Kostanyan and Henrikh Abrahamyan..

The terrorist group included former journalist Nairi Hunanyan, who  worked for some time on television in Armenia, his brother Karen  Hunanyan, their uncle Vram Galstyan, as well as Derenik Bejanyan and  Ashot Knyazyan. Their trial began on February 15, 2001. On December  2, 2003, the Center-Nork-Marash trial court sentenced Nairi and Karen  Hunanyan brothers, Edik Grigoryan, Vram Galstyan (in 2004, according  to the official version, committed suicide), Derenik Bejanyan and  Ashot Knyazyan to life imprisonment.  Hamlet Stepanyan was sentenced  to 14 years in prison (in May 2010 his body was found in his bed at  the Nubarashen detention center). All seven were found guilty of  treason and terrorism. Nairi Hunanyan sentenced to life imprisonment.

It should be added that according to the statement of Arman  Babajanyan, a criminal case was instituted on the basis of usurpation  of power by a group of persons. The statement of Babajanyan concerns  the chairman of the Constitutional Court Hrayr Tovmasyan, whose  legality is disputed by the MP.