Category: 2018

Artsakh reports over 200 Azerbaijani ceasefire violations over past week

Emil Lazarian
Panorama, Armenia
Dec 22 2018

The Azerbaijani armed forces violated the ceasefire along the Artsakh-Azerbaijan Line of Contact over 200 times in the past week. In the period from December 16-22, the adversary fired around 2,000 shots towards the Armenian defense positions from firearms of different calibres, the Artsakh Defense Ministry told Panorama.am.

The Defense Army’s frontline troops mainly refrained from response actions and took necessary measures to reliable protect the combat positions, the source said. 

Armenia’s Etchmiadzin residents block motorway to Yerevan

Antranik Varosian
News.am, Armenia
Dec 22 2018
Armenia’s Etchmiadzin residents block motorway to Yerevan (VIDEO) Armenia’s Etchmiadzin residents block motorway to Yerevan (VIDEO)

12:28, 22.12.2018
                  

VAGHARSHAPAT. – Armenia’s Vagharshapat (Etchmiadzin) city residents, who are staging a protest against the release of MP and Yerkrapah (Defender of the Land) Volunteer Union Board ex-Chairman, retired General Manvel Grigoryan—who is a resident of this city, have closed off the Vagharshapat-Yerevan motorway.

The Armenian News-NEWS.am correspondent reported that those assembled demand that Grigoryan be remanded in custody again.

There is a large number of police officers at the scene of the demonstration.

On late Friday evening, the capital city Yerevan Court of General Jurisdiction set Manvel Grigoryan free on an AMD 25mn (approx. US$51,600) bail.

Grigoryan was arrested on June 19. He is charged with unlawfully keeping weapons and ammunition, and committing large-scale embezzlement. In particular, it is about the embezzlement of the aid that was sent during the days of the four-day war in Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh), in April 2016. 

https://news.am/eng/news/487555.html

Newspaper: Armenia acting PM instructs subordinates to keep maximum silence on Russian natural gas matter

Parkev Tvankchian
News.am, Armenia
Dec 22 2018
Newspaper: Armenia acting PM instructs subordinates to keep maximum silence on Russian natural gas matter Newspaper: Armenia acting PM instructs subordinates to keep maximum silence on Russian natural gas matter

10:39, 22.12.2018
                  

YEREVAN. – Considerable information was disseminated in recent days regarding the possible increase in the Russian natural gas prices in Armenia, Past (Fact) newspaper reported.

“The formal [respective] responses are extremely sparse; in principle, one can say they are absent.

“According to the reliable data that we have, a strict instruction has been given on behalf of the [acting] prime minister to the energy ministry officials, as well as to the government officials who are in any way related to the topic, not to give interviews on the gas tariff matter, to keep silent to the maximum, [and] only in case of severe necessity, to formally limit [themselves] to solely one sentence: ‘The negotiations are in progress.’

“There is a viewpoint that the [Armenian] authorities themselves also do not fully picture what is expected in the near future; that’s why, on the one hand, they work not to allow panic moods; on the other hand, to avoid artificial expectations,” Past wrote.

Rally in support of Armenia’s ex-President Kocharyan held in Artsakh

Shushan Frangulian
Panorama, Armenia
Dec 22 2018

A rally demanding the release of Armenia’s former President Robert Kocharyan currently placed in detention was held on December 22 in the capital city Stepanakert of the Artsakh Republic. The protest was organized by the initiative group named “Union of Robert Kocharyan’s supporters”, Yerevan Today reported.

During the rally, physicist Grigory Afanasyan addressed the protestants: “Today, after 30 years we have gathered again and this time in protection of the former president of Armenia and Artsakh Robert Kocharyan. Karabakh people are ready to stand by their leader. Kocharyan was the one who stood by us during the demonstrations [of the Karabakh movement] and we are now demanding his immediate release,” Afanasyan said, recalling the former president’s role in the Karabakh movement and the subsequent war.

One of the participants of the gathering noted in case of a need they are ready to march from Stepanakert to Yerevan and stage demonstrations demanding Kocharyan’s freedom.

To remind, Kocharyan was arrested in July on charges of overthrowing Armenia’s constitutional order during the March 1-2, 2008 post-election events. On December 7, Armenia’s Court of Appeals upheld the first instance court’s ruling to arrest Robert Kocharyan.

 The ex-president and his lawyers strongly deny the charges as ‘politically motivated’ and are set to file lawsuit with ECHR. 

Armenia acting PM surprised by ruling on retired General Manvel Grigoryan’s release

Mike Maghakian
News.am, Armenia
Dec 22 2018
Armenia acting PM surprised by ruling on retired General Manvel Grigoryan’s release Armenia acting PM surprised by ruling on retired General Manvel Grigoryan’s release

14:48, 22.12.2018

Armenia’s Acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan does not know on what grounds the court has released MP and Yerkrapah (Defender of the Land) Volunteer Union Board ex-Chairman, retired General Manvel Grigoryan, on bail.

Speaking with reporters in Vanadzor, Pashinyan said he understands the dissatisfaction of the people who are protesting against the court decision on releasing Grigoryan from custody.

“I don’t know on what grounds the court made that decision,” the acting PM said. “When that decision will be available, I will get familiarized [with it], but, again, I will not express a view.”

Pashinyan added that staging protests is people’s right.

Nikol Pashinyan noted, however, that the court decision was a surprise to him. In his words, nonetheless, this yet again shows that he does not interfere in the independence of the courts.

Armenia’s acting PM said the important thing is that the criminal investigation be completed soon and the trial begins—with all the consequences coming from it.

On late Friday evening, the capital city Yerevan Court of General Jurisdiction released Manvel Grigoryan from custody on an AMD 25mn (approx. US$51,600) bail.

Grigoryan was arrested on June 19. He is charged with unlawfully keeping weapons and ammunition, and committing large-scale embezzlement. In particular, it is about the embezzlement of the aid that was sent during the days of the four-day war in Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh), in April 2016. 

https://news.am/eng/news/487576.html

Elderly woman, who set self on fire at Yerevan Republic Square, in critical but stable condition

Manouk Vasilian
News.am, Armenia
Dec 22 2018
Elderly woman, who set self on fire at Yerevan Republic Square, in critical but stable condition Elderly woman, who set self on fire at Yerevan Republic Square, in critical but stable condition

12:55, 22.12.2018
                  

YEREVAN. – The elderly woman, who on Thursday had set herself on fire at Republic Square of Armenia’s capital city of Yerevan, is in critical but stable condition.

Karine Babayan, head of the Department of Burns at Yerevan Research Center of Radiation Medicine and Burns, told about the aforesaid to Armenian News-NEWS.am.

“The burned surface in the 86-year-old woman is 15 percent; also, the respiratory tract is 10-percent burned; a total of 25-percent burned surface,” the specialist said. “[But] overall, there is no negative dynamics. It can be said her life is not at risk.”

As reported earlier, an elderly woman on Thursday attempted to commit suicide in downtown Yerevan.

https://news.am/eng/news/487552.html

Naira Badalian

Toneyan Mark
Arminfo, Armenia
Dec 22 2018
Naira Badalian

ArmInfo. An interdepartmental commission on questions of prisoners, hostages and missing persons has been created in Armenia.According to the press service of the  Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia, pursuant to the Prime  Minister's decision of November 19, 2018 "On the establishment of the  Interdepartmental Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages and  Missing Persons, approval of its composition and regulations", an  interdepartmental commission was created. 

The commission may include 4 representatives from public  organizations dealing with the issues of prisoners, hostages and the  missing.NGOs who wish to participate in the Commission's work can  submit an application for inclusion in the Interdepartmental  Commission until January 15, 2019, by clicking on the  link.

http://mil.am/files/LIBRARY/_AYL/%D5%80%D5%A1%D6%80%D6%81%D5%A1%D5%A9%D5%A5 % D6% 80% D5% A9.pdf.

 

ARF Dashnaktsutyun calls for a review of the "concern" bill on the "Structure and Functioning of the Government"

Arbi Tashjian
Arminfo, Armenia
Dec 22 2018
Naira Badalian

ArmInfo. Having considered the draft law on amending and supplementing the law on the "Structure and Functioning of the Government," the ARF Dashnaktsutyun Supreme  Body expresses deep concern about a number of proposed amendments.The  ARFD report received by ArmInfo, in particular, states: "The  Government's initiative to unite ministries, reorganize and dissolve  a number of government bodies without developing a concept, proper  justification and public discussion does not stand up to criticism. 

Such a controversial decision is fraught with serious  consequences."Without denying the need to improve the effectiveness  of the public administration system through optimization, the party  simultaneously considers unacceptable any hasty and hasty actions.  Particularly unacceptable for ARF is that the feasibility of the  existence of the Ministry of Diaspora and the Ministry of Culture as  separate state bodies is questioned."It would seem that the  Government's goal of raising relations with the diaspora to a new  level and organizing a major repatriation should have led to the  adoption of new conceptual approaches.  However, instead of  reassessing the activities of the Ministry of Diaspora, it was  decided to dissolve the Ministry without wide, comprehensive public  and expert discussion. the closure of the Ministry of Diaspora,  partially covering the gap of the lack of an all-Armenian  organization, will certainly find its negative reaction from our  compatriots for rubles pulp "- said in a statement.

 According to the authors of the statement, regardless of whether the  aforementioned Ministry succeeded in accomplishing the tasks, it "was  intended to become not only the main link between the state and  Armenians living abroad, but also a manifestation of the ideological  approach to perceiving Armenians as ONE and WHOLE." "Strengthening  the diaspora is a strategically important issue and one of the key  guarantees of security and progress of the motherland," they  noted.The ARF Supreme Body Dashnaktsutyun calls for a review of the  draft law "On the Structure and Functioning of the Government" and,  in particular, to return the true mission of the Ministry of Diaspora  on the basis of a revised and reformed agenda. It should be noted  that employees of the disbanded ministries of culture and the  Diaspora held a protest rally the day before, demanding that the  government not liquidate these departments.  Meanwhile, the Armenian  government plans to liquidate the Ministry of Culture, and one part  of its departments to merge with the Ministry of Education and  Science, the other – with the City Planning Committee. What will  happen to the functions of the Mindiaspore is not yet known, but as  the other day noted. 

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, in the functions of almost all  Armenian ministries there is a component of working with the  Diaspora. As pointed out the other day. head of the government, as a  result of reforming the structure of the Government in Armenia,  instead of 17 ministries,12. Note that months earlier one of  Pashinyan's advisers announced the government's intention to reduce  about 100 thousand public sector employees, of about 240 thousand  employees employed in the state apparatus. 

Poroshenko called on Baku to combine efforts "to restore the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and Ukraine"

Alex Jidarian
Arminfo, Armenia
Dec 22 2018
Naira Badalian

ArmInfo.President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko is convinced that the unification of Baku and Kiev efforts in the framework of multilateral initiatives will affect "the  restoration of the territorial integrity of both Azerbaijan and  Ukraine," Interfax-Azerbaijan reports.

"I believe that the two countries' joint efforts in the framework of multilateral initiatives  and projects will affect the restoration of the sovereignty and  territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and Ukraine, "Poroshenko's  congratulatory message to Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev said  on the occasion of his birthday. 

The Ukrainian president noted that "as a result of the far-sighted  policy pursued by Aliyev, defending his national interests,  Azerbaijan" has become a regional leader on a global scale and  occupied an important place on the international arena. "" I would  like to note that Azerbaijan remains a reliable strategic partner for  Ukraine. I am sure that the cooperation between Azerbaijan and  Ukraine will be characterized by high dynamics in the future ", the  President of Ukraine noted.