Category: 2022

 14:20, 5 January, 2022

YEREVAN, JANUARY 5, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian government ratified the Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Cooperation between the Eurasian Economic Union (and its member states) and Singapore.

The agreement aims at boosting trade of goods and services, enhancement of cooperation and ensuring modern standards for protecting capital investment and founding and activities of companies.

At the same time, the agreement stipulates the parties’ intent to sign agreements on free trade, investments and services in accordance to rules and jurisdiction defined by the parties.

The purpose of the agreement is to create a beneficial environment and conditions for the development of mutual trade relations and boosting economic cooperation in areas of mutual interest.

 15:12, 5 January, 2022

YEREVAN, JANUARY 5, ARMENPRESS. Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan was appointed as the Armenian side’s chairman at the Armenia-Iran Joint Inter-Governmental Commission.

The Armenian side’s composition in the commission was approved by the Prime Minister back in 2019, and then-Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures Suren Papikyan was appointed as chairman.

Papikyan was appointed Defense Minister in 2021.

 16:40, 5 January, 2022

YEREVAN, JANUARY 5, ARMENPRESS. The coronavirus situation is relatively calm in Armenia, with the virus reproduction number being below 1 at 0,9.

The CDC Director of the Department of Epidemiology of Infectious and Non-Infectious Diseases Romella Abovyan told ARMENPRESS that the virus reproduction number dropped 54% in the last 14 days compared to the previous two weeks.

“The share of positive tests is 1,3%. The hospitals aren’t overloaded now. The good news is that now, according to EU standards, Armenia is in the green zone,” Abovyan said.

However, Abovyan warned that they are expecting a rise in the new cases due to what she described as widespread non-compliance with safety guidelines and the active contacts between people during the holidays.

 17:15, 5 January, 2022

YEREVAN, JANUARY 5, ARMENPRESS. Former Minister of Defense Vagharshak Harutyunyan was appointed as the new Armenian Ambassador to Russia, the presidency said.

 17:25, 5 January, 2022

YEREVAN, JANUARY 5, ARMENPRESS. All procedures developed by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Armenia related to coronavirus disease are valid for all variants, Romella Abovyan, Head of the Epidemiology Department of Infectious and Non-Infectious Diseases of the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention of the RA Ministry of Health said at the press conference at ARMENPRESS media hall, referring to the observation that Omicron variant has usually milder course.

"Yes, international organizations say that in countries where there is an Omicron variant, the disease has still mild course. Of course, this does not change anything about coronavirus disease procedures. No matter if it is a Delta or an Omicron variant, all the procedures developed by the ministry related to the coronavirus are in force”, Romella Abovyan said, adding that Omicron variant has not yet been reported in Armenia.

 17:37, 5 January, 2022

YEREVAN, 5 JANUARY, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 5 January, USD exchange rate up by 0.36 drams to 482.55 drams. EUR exchange rate up by 0.60 drams to 545.52 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate down by 0.07 drams to 6.37 drams. GBP exchange rate up by 1.60 drams to 652.94 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price up by 107.01 drams to 28102.68 drams. Silver price down by 2.76 drams to 355.12 drams. Platinum price up by 259.33 drams to 15126.48 drams.

 18:40, 5 January, 2022

YEREVAN, JANUARY 5, ARMENPRESS. The President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev addressed the people for the second time in a day amid mass protests in the country, announcing that he is now the head of the Security Council of Kazakhstan, ARMENPRESS reports, TASS informed.

"The measures taken by me are aimed at the welfare of multinational Kazakhstan. But these measures are not enough yet. The highly organized elements of hooliganism are striking. It speaks about the conspirators' well-thought-out plan, which has financial incentives. Yes, the conspirators," he said.

Tokayev also informed that there are casualties among the law enforcement officers as a result of the clashes. According to the President, the authorities will deal with the offenders as strictly as possible.

The Head of the country noted that he is now in the capital and promised to come up with new proposals for resolving the situation in the coming hours. Tokayev stressed that he still maintains his position that the policy of consistent reforms should be continued, and expressed confidence that the people will support him.

Prior to Tokayev's statement, the President of the Security Council of Kazakhstan was the first President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev.

Earlier, protesters stormed the former president's residence in the former capital, Almaty, as well as the Almaty administration building. Protests in Kazakhstan began on January 2 over the sharp rise in liquefied natural gas prices in the southwestern cities of Zhanaozen and Aktau. Two days later, riots broke out in Almaty, where police used light and sound grenades to disperse the crowd, as in other cities.

President Tokayev has declared a two-week state of emergency in Almaty, in the Mangystau and Almaty regions until January 19, a curfew from 23:00 to 07:00, and on January 5 he signed the resignation of the government. The members of the government continue to perform their duties until the new Cabinet is approved.

 19:59, 5 January, 2022

YEREVAN, JANUARY 5, ARMENPRESS. On Christmas Eve, Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan congratulated all Armenians on Christmas. As ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Prime Minister, Nikol Pashinyan citied the Psalms of David, asking the Lord to save Armenia and Artsakh from all hardships.

“Dear compatriots, it’s Christmas Eve, and I want to congratulate Christmas with the Psalms. In you, Lord my God, I put my trust. I trust in you; do not let me be put to shame,

nor let my enemies triumph over me. No one who hopes in you will ever be put to shame,

but shame will come on those who are treacherous without cause. Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old. Do not remember the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you, Lord, are good. Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways. He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful toward those who keep the demands of his covenant. For the sake of your name, Lord, forgive my iniquity, though it is great. Who, then, are those who fear the Lord? He will instruct them in the ways they should choose. They will spend their days in prosperity, and their descendants will inherit the land. The Lord confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them. My eyes are ever on the Lord, for only he will release my feet from the snare. Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. Relieve the troubles of my heart and free me from my anguish. Look on my affliction and my distress and take away all my sins. See how numerous are my enemies and how fiercely they hate me! Guard my life and rescue me; do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you. May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope, Lord, is in you. Deliver Armenia and Artsakh, O God, from all their troubles!

Merry Christmas”, Pashinyan said in his congratulatory message.

 20:38, 5 January, 2022

YEREVAN, JANUARY 5, ARMENPRESS. The first meeting of the special envoys of Armenia and Turkey will take place on January 14 in Moscow, ARMENPRESS reports the spokesperson of the Foreign Ministry of Armenia Vahan Hunanyan wrote on his Facebook page.

Deputy President of the National Assembly of Armenia Ruben Rubinyan will represent Armenia, while former Ambassador of Turkey to the USA Serdar Kılıç will represent Turkey.

Protesters set fire to Almaty's Branch of National TV Channel of Kazakhstan

 20:46, 5 January, 2022

YEREVAN, JANUARY 5, ARMENPRESS. Protesters have set fire to Almaty's Branch of National TV Channel of Kazakhstan, ARMENPRESS reports "RIA Novosti" agency informed, citing "Mir 24" TV company.

Earlier, protesters stormed the former president's residence in the former capital, Almaty, as well as the Almaty administration building. Protests in Kazakhstan began on January 2 over the sharp rise in liquefied natural gas prices in the southwestern cities of Zhanaozen and Aktau. Two days later, riots broke out in Almaty, where police used light and sound grenades to disperse the crowd, as in other cities.

President Tokayev has declared a two-week state of emergency in Almaty, in the Mangystau and Almaty regions until January 19, a curfew from 23:00 to 07:00, and on January 5 he signed the resignation of the government. The members of the government continue to perform their duties until the new Cabinet is approved.