Author: Vatche Chakhmakhchian

 10:01, 25 August 2022

YEREVAN, AUGUST 25, ARMENPRESS. The residents of Berdzor town, Aghavno and Sus villages of Artsakh’s Kashatagh region had until August 25 to leave their settlements as these settlements come under the control of Azerbaijan connected with the launch of a new corridor linking Artsakh to Armenia.

The residents of these settlements are taking out their last belongings from their homes, the cultural monuments are being evacuated.

Commenting on the settlement of these people, spokesperson to the Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure of Artsakh, Viktoria Petrosyan, told ARMENPRESS that most of the residents of these settlements wished to settle in different settlements of Armenia. “The number of families settling in Artsakh is not clear yet. Certificates for evacuated families of acquiring apartments will be ready in late August. Accordingly, they will be settled in the settlements where they wish”, she said.

Many of the residents of Berdzor and Agavno have settled in Armenia’s Syunik province, others moved to the settlements where they have relatives. Armine Avagyan, assistant to the Governor of Syunik, said that 20 families from Berdzor and Aghavno expressed a wish to settle in the province. “The last family moved to the province yesterday. So far, the Governorate of Syunik assisted with cargo transportation and finding a shelter. They mostly settled in Goris and Sisian towns. Tomorrow, the staffers of the Governorate will visit these people to assess the needs and understand who has settled and how”, she said, adding that the Governorate will keep in its spotlight the issues of these families, by trying to give a respective solution.

Zara Manucharyan, spokesperson to the Minister of Labor and Social Affairs of Armenia, told ARMENPRESS that there are no concrete programs for Aghavno and Berdzor, but added that there is a mortgage program of state support for providing people displaced from different regions of Artsakh with apartment. “If they meet the criteria, they can apply, like other beneficiaries and can use the program”, she said.

Asked whether families from Aghavno and Berdzor have applied for settling in Yerevan, the Yerevan City Hall said that no one has applied to them on this matter.

Ani Danielyan

Van Novikov

 13:04, 25 August 2022

YEREVAN, AUGUST 25, ARMENPRESS. Amid an ongoing investigation into the explosion at the Surmalu trade center, the Prosecutor of Yerevan Sevak Hovhannisyan filed motions to the Urban Development, Technical and Fire Safety Inspection Agency to determine and eliminate the circumstances which contributed to the crime.

The investigations into the 2021 fire at Surmalu and the 2022 explosion revealed that the Urban Development, Technical and Fire Safety Inspection Agency’s Director ordered inspections in 2021 in the Yerevan Canning Factory CJSC (Surmalu trade center). 16 technical and fire safety violations were registered and the company was given deadlines to eliminate the risks.

The probe also revealed that some businesses at the Surmalu trade center were illegally storing and selling pyrotechnics.

Documents confiscated from the Urban Development, Technical and Fire Safety Inspection Agency showed that no inspections or preventive measures were taken by the agency at the Yerevan Canning Factory CJSC after the deadline of eliminating the violations registered earlier. Numerous fire safety violations were recorded in Surmaly trade center, which caused the fire.

The Yerevan prosecutor recommended authorities to swiftly launch inspections at all major trade centers, especially where the buildings are reconstructed on premises that were used for other purposes in the past, to enforce the ban on trade of pyrotechnics in trade centers and crowded areas, and to cease the operations of the Yerevan Canning Factory CJSC until the company eliminates the fire safety violations.

The August 14 explosion in Surmalu trade center killed 16 people and injured over 60 others. One person is presumed missing in the blast.

The criminal case is opened on Violation of Fire Safety Rules Causing Deaths and Violating of Safety Rules for Storing, Transporting, Using or Supplying Flammable or Incendiary Materials Causing Death.

 18:53,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 23, ARMENPRESS. Armenian citizens residing in the Russian Federation must undergo fingerprint registration and photographing by January 10, 2023, ARMENPRESS reports the migration service of Armenia informed on its "Facebook" page.

It is noted that detailed information about fingerprint registration and photographing procedures is available at https://migration.am/news/467.

The mentioned requirement was established by the federal law of July 14, 2022 "On the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens in the Russian Federation" and separate legislative acts of the Russian Federation.

 11:31,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 16, ARMENPRESS. 13 of the 16 victims who were killed in the Surmalu market explosion are identified, the Ministry of Emergency Situations spokesperson Hayk Kostanyan told reporters. 

He said that those identified include the pregnant woman and the child.

“Now the number of those missing is 10,” Kostanyan added.

 14:33,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 13, ARMENPRESS. Temperature will rise by 5-7 degrees starting Saturday, bringing up to +40-42 degrees Celsius amid an incoming heat wave from Iraq, the Hydrometeorology and Monitoring Center said.

From August 13 to 17 temperature will reach up to 42 degrees Celsius in the Ararat Valley, in Aragatsotn and Vayots Dzor provinces, as well as in Yerevan city.

Meteorologists advise to avoid direct sunlight at afternoon hours from August 13 to 17 due to intense UV levels.

 09:37, 8 August 2022

YEREVAN, AUGUST 4, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian national carrier Fly Arna is in the process of acquiring its second aircraft and seeks to expand its destinations.

“In June of this year our airline launched its first commercial flights in two directions – Yerevan-Hurgada and Yerevan-Sharm El-Sheikh. Since these two destinations are especially in demand during the summer season in Armenia, we were very excited to launch the flights to these resort towns,” Fly Arna spokesperson Gayane Antonyan said.

Fly Arna received its first flight permits from Egypt. “And we decided to enable our compatriots to discover the seaside Egyptian towns with our airline until our team is working on acquiring new destinations,” she said.

Asked why Fly Arna chose Hurgada and Sharm El-Sheikh – two destinations served by other airlines in Armenia – instead of launching new directions, Antonyan said: “As the new national carrier of Armenia, from the very beginning we had the goal of connecting Armenia with various countries and cities across the world and we are committed to this path. Hurgada and Sharm El-Sheikh are maiden flights. We will not be limited with these destinations and with clear steps we will connect Armenia with all other in-demand directions. Very soon the results of our team’s work will be visible.”

Getting the flight permit for other countries’ airspace is a time-consuming process, Antonyan says. “When Fly Arna was launched we announced about 4 upcoming destinations, and in addition to the Egyptian destinations the two others were Beirut and Kuwait. We are now negotiating with all stakeholder parties to swiftly acquire the flight permits for Beirut and Kuwait and finalize our preparations for flying in these directions.”

“Since 2020, all Armenian airlines are barred from entering the EU airspace due to being blacklisted by the EU aviation authorities. We, being a joint enterprise of ANIF and Air Arabia, are closely cooperating with the Armenian civil aviation committee and attempting to introduce its international experience in improving flight standards and aviation safety,” the spokesperson said.

Until the fleet is supplemented with the second aircraft, Fly Arna is now flying with its Airbus A320. It is a 174-seat plane. The distance between the seats is 81cm – which gives passengers comfort. “Other advantages include for example that our passengers have the chance to choose the food, luggage and seats options, thus balancing comfort and affordable prices,” Antonyan said.

Fly Arna offers free SkyTime streaming services for passengers. The streaming service will be expanded together with expanding destinations, by offering videos and information on Armenia’s history, sightseeing, etc.

Most of the menu is comprised of Armenian-made food and drinks. The pilots and crew also speak Armenian.

One of the frequently asked questions coming from passengers is the meaning of the name Fly Arna. Antonyan said Fly Arna is simply the abbreviation of “Armenian National Airlines”.

Fly Arna now employs 70 people but plans to expand the team. More than 80% are Armenians.

Both Armenian and foreign maintenance specialists work at Fly Arna.

Passengers have expressed satisfaction over the schedule, with most of the flights scheduled in the mornings. The airline also worked to cut the duration of its Hurgada flight.

“Motivated with the excitement and happiness of our passengers, we will work with even greater vigor to expand the geography of our flights and keep the quality of services high. We have no other option than to ensure the success of the national airline and kick off the beginning of a new era of Armenia’s aviation history.”

Anna Grigoryan

Photos by Hayk Manukyan

 13:05, 9 August 2022

YEREVAN, AUGUST 9, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian men’s team defeated Spain in the last round of the 44^th FIDE Chess Olympiad 2,5-1,5.

Manuel Petrosyan, Robert Hovhannisyan and Hrant Melkumyan all ended their sessions in draws, with only Gabriel Sargsyan winning.

The final results will be reported after the Uzbek team finishes the game because the Armenian and Uzbek teams have equal ranking.