Author: Vatche Chakhmakhchian

Russia registers 13,721 coronavirus cases in past 24 hours

Vatche Chakhmakhchian

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 15:05,

YEREVAN, JUNE 14, ARMENPRESS. The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Russia grew by 13,721 in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of infected to 5,222,408, TASS reports citing the federal anti-coronavirus crisis center.

On the previous day, Russia registered a new high of 14,723 coronavirus cases since February 13. The number of cases recorded on one day was down for the first time in 11 days. The increase in new cases totaled 0.26% in relative terms.

As many as 8,312 coronavirus patients recovered in Russia over the past day, while the total number of recoveries has reached 4,809,647, the anti-coronavirus crisis center reported on Monday. The number of recoveries has decreased to 92.1% of the total number of infected, according to the crisis center.

The number of fatalities related to the coronavirus increased by 371 in Russia in the past 24 hours compared to 357 on the previous day, bringing the total number of coronavirus deaths in the country to 126,801, the anti-coronavirus crisis center reported on Monday.


Swedish Bombardier Executive Charged For Azerbaijan Bribery

Vatche Chakhmakhchian



A Bombardier-produced train (Photo by Bengt from wikimedia)

A former manager at the Swedish branch of Bombardier Transportation, a major engineering company, was indicted  Wednesday on charges of aggravated bribery in what is one of Sweden’s biggest ever corruption scandals, the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project reported Wednesday.

Thomas Bimer, a former business area manager at Bombardier in Sweden, will now face trial for his role in the allegedly corrupt tender that Bombardier won in Azerbaijan in 2013.
Prosecutors argue the $350 million contract to install signaling systems for a section of Azeri railway involved Bombardier paying a $100 million bribe to at least one mid-ranking railway executive.

“[Bimer] was the head of the department in charge of this project. We believe that he was aware that Bombardier colluded with the customer in Azerbaijan,” Prosecutor Staffan Edlund, of the National Anti-Corruption Unit, told OCCRP.

The allegedly bribed Azeri railway executive also represented a local business, Trans-Signal-Rabita (TSR), which won the tender together with the Swedish company. TSR and Bombardier Sweden rigged the tender so that Bombardier Sweden would win it, according to the indictment now being filed in the Stockholm District Court.

Both Mr Bimer and Bombardier deny any wrongdoing, as does the Azeri railway executive, says the prosecutor, although Swedish investigators have not been able to question the latter.
Furthermore, it is likely that there were other employees at the railway authority in Azerbaijan who received a cut of the payments.

The prosecutor notes that Swedish Bombardier’s former CEO was previously also suspected of bribery, along with several others, yet the insufficiency of evidence means there is not enough to prove any guilt in his case.

Bombardier Sweden has since been sold to the French company Alstom, but it still risks being excluded from any future World Bank-financed projects. The financial institution has reportedly not made any final decisions.

Our efforts for returning Armenian POWs from Azerbaijan will be continuous – President of French Senate

Vatche Chakhmakhchian

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 20:22, 1 June, 2021

YEREVAN, JUNE 1, ARMENPRESS. Caretaker Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who is paying a working visit to France, later today met with President of the Senate of the French Republic Gérard Larcher, ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Prime Minister.

Welcoming Nikol Pashinyan’s delegation to France, Mr. Larcher congratulated Armenia’s Acting Prime Minister on his birthday. The Senate President stressed the importance of Nikol Pashinyan’s visit, considering it another opportunity to discuss issues high on the bilateral agenda and outline steps to counteract the processes unfolding around Armenia.

Gérard Larcher advised that the French Senate is taking steps in this direction. He appreciated the fact the OSCE Minsk Group has intensified its efforts aimed at finding a comprehensive resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. “We raised the issue of Armenian prisoners of war with the President of the European Parliament, which resulted in the European Parliament passing a resolution that we assess as quite a positive step. We are not satisfied with this, our efforts will be continued,” Mr. Larcher said, stressing that Azerbaijan’s latest offensive move raises concerns about Armenia’s territorial integrity.

Taking the opportunity, Nikol Pashinyan once again thanked the authors of Senate’s resolution on the need to recognize Nagorno-Karabakh’s independence and everyone who supported the passage of such a document. “The document was of great importance in this difficult situation. The people of Karabakh saw that they were not left alone in their struggle. We hope that France will continue to play an important role in the processes initiated by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, and the Minsk Group will be more active in dealing with the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,” Nikol Pashinyan said, noting that he had discussed this issue with President Macron.

The Acting Prime Minister introduced the steps taken to resolve the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, and in this context, touched upon the latest regional developments.

State Revenue Committee signs memorandum of cooperation with Drug Enforcement Administration of US Department of Justice

Vatche Chakhmakhchian

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 12:54,

YEREVAN, MAY 31, ARMENPRESS. Armenia’s State Revenue Committee has signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) of the United States Department of Justice, the SRC told Armenpress.

The memorandum aims at deepening the cooperation between the two agencies for fighting against drug trafficking, money laundering-related crimes, etc.

The document has been signed by SRC Chairman Edward Hovhannisyan and Regional Director of the DEA Middle East Region William Warren.

 

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

ARF-D member on Nikol Pashinyan: 103 years ago Armenia’s founding fathers would have executed him for treason

Vatche Chakhmakhchian
News.am, Armenia
ARF-D member on Nikol Pashinyan: 103 years ago Armenia's founding fathers would have executed him for treason
21:29, 28.05.2021

Those who crushed the dreams of our people, the person who is leading our state to the brink of elimination and the person claiming himself as head of state dares to blame Aram Manukyan, Hovhannes Kajaznuni, Dro and Nzhdeh for delivering our lands and treason. This is what representative of the Supreme Body of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation-Dashnaktsutyun political party Ishkhan Saghatelyan stated near the statue of Aram Manukyan in Yerevan today.

“On this day 103 years ago, after a century-long interval, there was a light of hope in the darkness, the people who were saved from Armenian Genocide, stood up again and battled for survival, and they not only lived and were saved, but also established statehood. We Armenians established a parliament, ministries, a university, schools and an army. We also had a national anthem, a national flag and a coat-of-arms. Famine, an epidemic and the constantly advancing enemy were threatening to eliminate the new statehood, but we established a state, and 70 years later, our country regained independence. The new and brilliant generation of Armenians added to the heritage of the founding fathers, and our people became closer to their dream. Those who crushed the dreams of our people, the person who is leading our state to the brink of elimination and the person claiming himself as head of state dares to blame Aram Manukyan, Hovhannes Kajaznuni, Dro and Nzhdeh for delivering our lands and treason. He [Nikol Pashinyan] dares to blame those who established statehood. This is the worst type of a person who has come to power and whom our founding fathers would have executed or imprisoned 103 years ago for desertion and treason. This person is currently doing away with our achievements. He talks about peace, yet imposes capitulation on us Armenians. He talks about the future, yet he is destroying the future of the Armenians and is trying to kill us and our dreams,” Saghatelyan stated, adding that the Armenian nation didn’t die, contrary to the enemy’s plan.

“Just like we gathered here on September 27, 2020 and swore to go to the border and defended our homeland, here, in front of the statue of Aram Manukyan, we must promise to protect our statehood, our country and drive out the government of evil through combined efforts,” he said.

Putin, Biden to meet in Geneva on June 15-16, sources say

Vatche Chakhmakhchian

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 17:04,

YEREVAN, MAY 25, ARMENPRESS. A meeting of Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Joe Biden is expected to take place on June 15-16 in Geneva, Switzerland, CNN said citing sources in the Biden administration on Tuesday, reports TASS.

“The officials said Geneva has emerged as the final contender as a host city for the long-discussed meeting between the two leaders, who are expected to come together on June 15-16 at the conclusion of Biden's first international trip since taking office”, the TV channel reported.

Armenian Catholic Catholicos-Patriarch passes away

Vatche Chakhmakhchian
News.am, Armenia
17:36, 25.05.2021

Krikor Bedros XX Gabroyan the Catholicos-Patriarch of Cilicia of the Armenian Catholic Church,  passed away Tuesday morning in Beirut, Lebanon, as reported on the Facebook page of the Levonian Pontifical Armenian College.

Gabroyan was born on November 15, 1934 in Aleppo, Syria.

Bishop Gabroyan became the Catholicos-Patriarch of Cilicia of the Armenian Catholic Church on July 25, 2015, replacing the dear departed Nerses Bedros XIX Tarmouni.

Lavrov comments on situation in South Caucasus

Vatche Chakhmakhchian

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 18:58,

YEREVAN, MAY 21, ARMENPRESS.  Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov positively assessed the works of Russia in South Caucasus in terms of the settlement of Nagorno Karaakh conflict, ARMENPRESS reports, citing TASS, Lavrov said during ‘’New knowledge’’ marathon.  

‘’Now we help to normalize the Armenian-Azerbaijani relations and the general situation in South Caucasus, where an opportunity has been created 9including due to our mediation) to open all the economic and transport communications that had been closed since early 1990s due to Karabakh conflict’’, the Russian FM said.