18:32,
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 29, ARMENPRESS. 5 Armenian prisoners of war returned to Armenia through the mediation of the Hungarian government, ARMENPRESS reports the spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Vahan Hunanyan said.
The prisoners of war who returned to Armenia are Sargis Abrahamyan, Arman Khachatryan, Vahe Aghajanyan, Suren Khachatryan, Aram Avetyan.
18:48,
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 29, ARMENPRESS. Hungary has sent a 100,000 dose coronavirus vaccine to Armenia, ARMENPRESS reports the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Hungary Peter Siarto said, without specifying which company produced the vaccine.
He said that Hungary has enough vaccines to vaccinate its citizens with the first, second and third doses.
On August 31, 2012, by the decision of the National Security Council of the Republic of Armenia, the diplomatic relations between Armenia and Hungary were suspended. The reason was the extradition of Ramil Safarov, an Azeri officer sentenced to life imprisonment by a Hungarian court for axing Armenian sleeping officer Gurgen Margaryan in Budapest in 2004, to the Azerbaijani authorities, where the criminal was immediately pardoned by President Ilham Aliyev.
20:18,
YEREVAN, 29 DECEMBER, ARMENPRESS. The graduation ceremony of young diplomats from Iraqi Kurdistan was held at the Diplomatic School of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia. The correspondent of ARMENPRESS reports that Director of the Diplomatic School Vahe Gabrielyan congratulated the diplomats from Kurdistan and handed them the certificates of the two-week training. Gabrielyan noted with satisfaction that the first program in that format for foreign young diplomats has successfully completed.
According to the Director, the school staff did their best to make sure that this program meets the professional requirements and expectations of foreign students.
“It is with satisfaction and pleasure that we mark this successful completion of this program. As you know, this was the first attempt of cooperation between us in such a format, and our staff did their best to ensure that the program meets your needs and expectation and also delivers the goals that we’ve defined for us. Judging by our earlier conversations with you, it seems that we’ve reached these goals. It has been a privilege to host you for last two weeks in Armenia, we enjoyed your company. We also gained from you insides into matters related with the history and culture of Kurdish people, to the policies of Kurdistan regional government. We gained from this program, as we hope you did”, Vahe Gabrielyan said.
Classes at the Diplomatic School lasted 12 days for 12 young diplomats from Iraqi Kurdistan. During the ceremony of awarding the certificates, the Director of the Diplomatic School Vahe Gabrielyan also presented them with the recently published "Diplomatic School of Armenia. Testimonies" book. The Kurdish diplomats, in turn, handed over books about Kurdistan, other gifts to the Director and other school staff.
The Consulate General of the Republic of Armenia was opened in Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan on February 24, 2021. The Consul General of Armenia in Erbil is Arshak Manukyan.
20:46,
YEREVAN, 29 DECEMBER, ARMENPRESS. The Director General of the WHO Tedros Ghebreyesus warned that it is possible that a “new tsunami of cases” will occur because of appearing of “Delta” and “Omicron” new strains in the world, ARMENPRESS reports he told the reporters at the briefing.
Ghebreyesus mentioned that the cases increase because of “Delta” and “Omicron” strains, and cases of hospitalization and death increase with it. He named particularly worrisome the fact that “Omicron” strain is more infectious. “It can create tsunami of cases, which will significantly strengthen the pressure on the healthcare systems” he said.
Ghebreyesus mentioned that the situation in the world improved related to the supply of vaccines. “But paying a lot of attention to booster vaccinations by rich countries can again become a reason of lack of vaccines among poor countries.” said the Director General of the WHO by urging the rich countries and manufacturers of vaccines to work together to reach the implementation of the goal of achieving vaccination of 70 percent of the population of every country.
21:07,
YEREVAN, 29 DECEMBER, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan participated in a reception organized for the representatives of the public administration system on the occasion of the New Year and Christmas holidays.
In his speech, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan particularly said,
“Honorable President of the National Assembly,
Distinguished representatives of the Government, the legislative and the judicial branches,
First of all, I would like to thank all of you for the work done in 2021, because people usually complain about the work of the public system, citing bureaucracy, hassles, delays. But I want to remind you that 2021 was not an ordinary year, in fact, we felt, saw and faced a significant part of the consequences of the 44-day war in 2021. Our statehood was facing huge, dangerous challenges, and it should be stated that we were able to manage those challenges.
Of course, it was not easy, the work done by all those present, all our state bodies, local self-government bodies is of essential and key importance for the management of those challenges. I am really thankful to you for that work. Moreover, by overcoming those challenges, we not only did not damage Armenia's international reputation as a democratic country, but, on the contrary, strengthened it even more.
Early parliamentary elections were held in the country in 2021. With them, we were able to reveal a new function of the electoral process, when the atmosphere of internal political unrest was finally overcome by the elections, and not the contrary. During those elections and before that, our entire state system, legal system and judiciary worked around the clock. Moreover, they worked trying not to yield to emotions, trying to stay loyal to the service, mission, state order. And it is obvious that in 2021 this service of addressing these challenges was a success, which does not mean that our work is perfect, on the contrary, in 2020-2021 we identified a number of systemic problems that exist in our public administration system. And an agenda has been formed, which, of course, we must consistently implement.
Our greatest challenge is ensuring external security, but I want to emphasize again that ensuring external security is not, has not been and should not be the function of only the army, the Armed Forces. It is equally the function of our diplomatic service, our other public administration bodies. I would also like to mention here the work of our special services, the important mission and work of our parliamentary diplomacy. And I want to emphasize that we have also overcome significant challenges in the field of internal security in 2021, moreover, we have overcome those challenges without any shocks. And in this regard, I want to emphasize again the work of our law enforcement agencies.
Dear attendees,
Dear colleagues,
I want to wish Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all you, your families. I want to believe that 2022 will really be a year of renascence for Armenia. I hope the shocks that took place in 2020-2021, our capability to pass that road full of those shocks, which was demonstrated, will really help and strengthen us in building a state worthy of all our martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the Motherland during the 44-day war, the four-day war that took place before it, also our victims of the previous Artsakh war. This is probably the biggest motivation we have. And this is probably the biggest motivation, which should never allow us to waver or shake under any circumstances. We must take firm steps towards the Armenia that our ancestors dreamed of, that our martyrs dreamed of, that we dream of for our generations.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!"
Charges pressed against Israeli company and its senior employees which used drones against Armenian positions
21:48,
YEREVAN, 29 DECEMBER, ARMENPRESS. Israeli drone-maker Aeronautics and three of its senior employees were charged on Wednesday with violating the law regulating defense exports in its dealing with one of its most prominent clients, ARMENPRESS reports, citing Haaretz.
A gag order issued by the Rishon Letzion Magistrate’s Court prevents the publication of further details.
The firm has been under investigation for the past several years. In 2018 the Justice Ministry said prosecutors intended to press charges against its employees for aggravated fraud and violations of the defense export law.
In an unusual announcement in August 2017, the Defense Ministry said that it had suspended the marketing and export license for one of the firm’s attack drones to a significant customer in a foreign country. Police later launched an investigation into the matter.
That same month it was reported that the Defense Ministry’s Security Agency opened a probe into a complaint alleging that Aeronautics representatives demonstrated the use of a kamikaze drone in Azerbaijan by attacking a manned position of the Armenian army.
The company denied the claim at the time and said that any operational use of the aircraft was only carried out by the buyer of the drone. Aeronautics Defense added that it never carries out demonstrations against live targets, as was the case in this instance.
Wednesday,
More Armenian POWs Freed
Armenia - A road sign in Syunik near the scene of deadly fighting between
Armenian and Azerbaijani forces, November 17, 2021.
Azerbaijan set free on Wednesday another group of Armenian soldiers captured
during deadly fighting on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border last month.
An Azerbaijani government commission said the five soldiers were repatriated
“with Hungary’s mediation” but gave no other details.
The Armenian Foreign Ministry confirmed their release. A ministry spokesman also
identified them.
It was not clear whether the handover followed a direct contact between Armenian
and Hungarian authorities.
Armenia froze diplomatic relations with the central European nation in 2012
after the Hungarian government extradited to Azerbaijan an Azerbaijani army
officer who hacked to death a sleeping Armenian colleague in Budapest in 2004.
The officer whom a Hungarian court sentenced to life imprisonment in 2006 was
pardoned, rewarded and promoted by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.
Unlike other European Union member states, Hungary has openly supported
Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The Hungarian Foreign Ministry
reaffirmed that support three days after the outbreak of last year’s
Armenian-Azerbaijani war.
A total of 32 Armenian soldiers were taken prisoner during the November 16
fighting on the border which left at least 13 troops from both sides dead.
Azerbaijan freed eleven POWs on December 4 and ten others on December 19.
For its part, the Armenian military detained two Azerbaijani servicemen on
December 18. They both were freed two days later.
Iran To Open Consulate In Strategic Armenian Region
Armenia - Mount Khustup overlooking the town of Kapan, June 4, 2018. (Photo
courtesy of Kapan.am)
Iran announced on Wednesday that it will open a consulate in Kapan, the
administrative center of Armenia’s southeastern Syunik province bordering the
Islamic Republic.
The Iranian Embassy in Yerevan said on its Twitter page that Iran’s government
approved a relevant proposal made by the Foreign Ministry in Tehran. It gave no
reasons for the decision.
The embassy posted several photographs of Syunik’s historic monuments and other
landmarks.
Reacting to the development, an Armenian Foreign Ministry spokesman told the
Armenpress news agency that Yerevan is planning to open a consulate in an
unspecified Iranian city. He did not comment further.
Sandwiched between Azerbaijan and its Nakhichevan exclave, Syunik connects the
rest of Armenia to Iran through mountainous roads used not only for
Armenian-Iranian trade but also cargo shipments to and from other parts of the
world.
Armenia lost control over one of those roads after a controversial troop
withdrawal ordered by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian following last year’s war
over Nagorno-Karabakh. In September this year, Azerbaijan set up checkpoints
there to tax Iranian trucks and other vehicles. The move triggered unprecedented
tensions between Tehran and Baku.
An influential Iranian cleric accused Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in
October of trying to “cut Iran’s access to Armenia” with Turkey’s help. More
than 160 members of Iran’s parliament likewise issued a joint statement warning
against “any geopolitical change and alteration of the borders of neighboring
countries.”
Visiting Yerevan last week, a conservative Iranian lawmaker, Mahmoud
Ahmadi-Bighash, reportedly warned that Tehran is strongly opposed to any
redrawing of borders in the South Caucasus. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein
Amir-Abdollahian made similar statements this fall.
Aliyev has repeatedly threatened to forcibly open a “corridor” to Nakhichevan,
drawing strong condemnation from Armenia.
Yerevan says that Azerbaijani troops advanced a few kilometers into Syunik in
May and November. The Azerbaijani side denies crossing the Armenian-Azerbaijani
border.
Minister Noncommittal About Resignation Pledge
• Sargis Harutyunyan
Armenia - Economy Minister Vahan Kerobian speaks with journalists during a
Russian-Armenian business forum in Yerevan, September 20, 2021.
Economy Minister Vahan Kerobian signaled on Wednesday that he has no plans to
step down despite Armenia’s failure to achieve double-digit economic growth
promised by him earlier this year.
Kerobian offered a rosy outlook for the Armenian economy in April as it began
recovering from last year’s deep recession primarily caused by the coronavirus
pandemic.
“I’m not quite happy with month-on-month economic growth in March,” he told
reporters at the time. “Instead of 7-7.5 percent projected by us, only 3.8
percent [growth] was registered, according to preliminary data. But that will
still be enough to ensure our double-digit economic growth by the end of this
year.”
He declared that he will resign if the Armenian economy does not expand at a
double-digit rate in 2021.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian said in July that the economy is on course to
grow by 6 percent. Earlier this month, the Central Bank of Armenia forecast a
GDP growth rate of just 4.2 percent.
Kerobian was asked about his resignation pledge when he spoke with journalists
on Wednesday.
“Clearly, if the prime minister or his political team is unhappy with my work
they won’t wait for my resignation,” he replied.
Pashinian appointed the 45-year-old businessman as economy minister in a cabinet
reshuffle in November 2020. Kerobian was the chief executive of Armenia’s
largest food delivery company until then.
Kerobian has repeatedly put an optimistic spin on economic developments in the
country over the past year, prompting criticism from opposition members and
media commentators. He claimed on December 16 that economic growth this year has
been “faster than expected” and that Armenians are now “better off than one or
two years ago” despite a significant increase in the cost of living.
According to government data, annual inflation in Armenia rose to 9.6 percent in
November, the highest rate in many years.
Electricity Prices In Armenia Raised
• Robert Zargarian
Armenia - A newly constructed electrical substation, October 24, 2019.
Public utility regulators raised electricity prices in Armenia by an average of
about 10 percent on Wednesday amid higher-than-expected inflation.
The Public Services Regulatory Commission (PSRC) signaled the impending price
hikes earlier this month. It warned that the Armenian energy sector will operate
at an annual combined loss of 23.8 billion drams ($49 million) if the existing
tariffs are not revised upwards.
In a December 20 statement, the PSRC cited the need to repay $270 million in
loans used for the recently completed modernization of the Metsamor nuclear
plant. It also pointed to Armenia’s contractual obligation to enable Russia’s
Gazprom energy giant to recoup investments made in a large thermal-power plant
located in the central town of Hrazdan.
The statement revealed that the Armenian and Russian governments have reached an
agreement that commits Yerevan to providing the Hrazdan plant with $31.8 million
annually for the next ten years.
“Those obligations must be fulfilled,” Ashot Urikhanian, a senior PSRC official,
said on Wednesday. “Or else, we will have very serious problems.”
Urikhanian also stressed that in exchange for this subsidy Russia’s Gazprom
giant will keep the wholesale price of its natural gas for Armenia “stable” for
the next ten years. The gas price currently stands at $165 per thousand cubic
meters, which is well below the international levels.
Armenia -- A thermal power plant in Hrazdan.
The PSRC’s decision means that electricity tariffs will rise by 4.7 drams (about
1 U.S. cent) per kilowatt/hour on average on February 1. The daytime price paid
by most Armenian households currently stands at almost 45 drams (9 cents) per
kilowatt/hour.
The regulatory body said low-income families making up 11 percent of the
population will not pay more for electricity. Other individual consumers will
see their electricity bills rise by between 3 and 7 percent depending on the
monthly amount of energy use. The steepest price rise was set for businesses.
The new tariffs and their knock-on effects could further push up the cost of
living in the country. According to government data, consumer price inflation
there rose to 9.6 percent in November, the highest rate in many years.
Little wonder then that many Armenians are reacting angrily to the PSRC’s
decision.
“They should just hand out ropes to people and tell them to hang themselves,”
said one woman in Yerevan. “We can barely afford food, and they are now making
electricity more expensive.”
“We should hope for the better but there is no future,” said another.
Reprinted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
Copyright (c) 2021 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.
A multilateral approach to the Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict presents an opportunity for the United States and Russia to work together on a regional challenge where their interests overlap.
YEREVAN. – Hraparak daily of Armenia writes: We were informed from police sources that a fourth battalion is being formed within the Internal Troops [(IT)], which, according to preliminary information, shall carry out service in the so-called block posts. It will be a border service at the new customs checkpoints that have been stationed at the transport junctions after the [regional communications’] unblocking process.
According to our sources, the staff list will not change, they will not hire new employees, and they will complement the new regiment as a result of reorganization inside.
In fact, in addition to the SRC [(State Revenue Committee)] customs officers, the boys of the IT special trained regiment will be engaged in this work, whereas this means that the authorities also realize that the so-called era of peace [stated by PM Nikol Pashinyan] is a myth.
YEREVAN. – The statements by the prime minister of Armenia, capitulator Nikol Pashinyan, about handing over Karabakh were absolutely predictable. It is quite expected that one day he will make an argument on handing over Karabakh to the enemy. Military analyst Davit Jamalyan told this to a press conference Wednesday.
At the same time, the analyst stated that the notion of handing over Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) had appeared in Armenia’s information field much earlier, and it was generated by Pashinyan's supporters, as well as members of his political team.
"This notion has been voiced by people who had neither a[n] [approval] rating nor a reputation. They simply had nothing to lose. They threw that notion into the public masses, and after a while, Pashinyan himself started to develop it through various kinds of manipulations," Jamalyan said.
Also, he strongly criticized PM Pashinyan's statements regarding the inevitability of Karabakh being included in Azerbaijan.
"All this is a lie. Who do you have to be to lie so brazenly?" the military analyst asked.