Category: 2023

 15:29,

YEREVAN, JUNE 15, ARMENPRESS. As a result of this year’s first quarter the export-GDP ratio amounted to 62,6%, surpassing the target for 2026, Minister of Economy Vahan Kerobyan has said.

In 2000, the ratio was 29,4%, while import-GDP ratio was 46,6%.

In 2007, the share of exports in the GDP dropped twice, amounting to 15,5%, while the exports remained nearly the same at 43%. “And our trade deficit was approximately 30% against the GDP. In other words, we had a huge gap against exports and imports,” Kerobyan said.

A historic record was set in 2022 with a 48,3% exports-GDP ratio, when imports amounted to 51,3%, he said.

In 2023 Q1 the exports-GDP ratio surpassed the target set by the government for 2026, amounting to 62,6%, Kerobyan added, adding that this a new record.

 16:28,

YEREVAN, JUNE 15, ARMENPRESS. The Azerbaijani Armed Forces targeted an Armenian military position in the section of Kapan with a UAV at 15:10, June 15.

The Ministry of Defense of Armenia released photos showing the wreckage of the drone.

The Armenian side did not suffer casualties.

 18:02,

YEREVAN, JUNE 15, ARMENPRESS. The Office of the Human Rights Defender of Artsakh has issued a statement regarding the banning of all humanitarian transportation in and out of Artsakh through the Lachin corridor.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Human Rights Defender of Artsakh, the statement reads as follows,

“Following its military provocation at the Hakari bridge in the morning of June 15, Azerbaijan has banned all kinds of humanitarian transportation in both ways, including people and cargo, through its illegal checkpoint installed on April 23. By this, Azerbaijan once again blatantly violates its international obligations towards ensuring the safe and unhindered passage through the Lachin corridor under the Trilateral Statement of November 9, 2020 and disregards the implementation of the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) decision of February 22, 2023.

25 patients and their accompanying relatives which were to be transported from Artsakh to Armenia by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) today were not allowed to pass through the illegal checkpoint over the Hakari bridge by the Azerbaijani side, being forced to return back to Stepanakert. In addition, the scheduled transportation of people with urgent humanitarian needs, as well as the trucks with humanitarian supplies, which were to be carried out by the Russian peacekeeping forces through the Goris-Stepanakert Highway, was also cancelled.

Azerbaijan uses the already limited scale of humanitarian transportation and assistance to Artsakh, carried out only by the ICRC and Russian peacekeepers, as an advantage to create unbearable living conditions, terrorize, intimidate and exert psychological pressure on the peaceful population of Artsakh, in full accordance and consistency with its systematic policy of ethnic cleansing against Artsakh.

The humanitarian nature and vital importance of the Lachin corridor for the people of Artsakh has been clearly reflected in the Trilateral Statement of November 9, 2020, which granted a special regime to the corridor. By cutting the corridor of life of Artsakh, Azerbaijan not only grossly violates its international obligations, but also reaffirms its true intentions with regard to Artsakh – the destruction of its indigenous Armenian population.

The Human Rights Defender of Artsakh has numerously warned the international community about the existential threats and danger for the people of Artsakh in connection with the installation of the illegal checkpoint in the Lachin corridor. Today’s incident once again reaffirms our concerns and highlights the persistent and increasing nature of these threats, since the deliberate and criminal blocking of humanitarian transportation by Azerbaijan further deepens the humanitarian crisis caused by the blockade of Artsakh”.

 17:26,

YEREVAN, 15 JUNE, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 15 June, USD exchange rate down by 0.06 drams to 386.54 drams. EUR exchange rate up by 1.37 drams to 419.13 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate up by 0.02 drams to 4.62 drams. GBP exchange rate up by 0.93 drams to 489.67 drams.

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

Gold price up by 13.63 drams to 24305.80 drams. Silver price down by 4.58 drams to 296.09 drams.

 18:06,

YEREVAN, JUNE 15, ARMENPRESS. The Ministry of Defense of Armenia denied the information spread by the Azerbaijani telegram channels about the heavy fighting in the southeastern part of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.

"Azerbaijani telegram channels are spreading misinformation about heavy battles allegedly taking place in the southeastern part of the border zone. Thus, the Azerbaijani propaganda machine is trying to create an information base for another provocation. As of 5:50 p.m., the situation on the front line is relatively stable," ARMENPRESS reports, reads the statement issued by the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia.

 18:45,

YEREVAN, JUNE 15, ARMENPRESS. In 2022, the banking system of Armenia had the largest profit in its history, ARMENPRESS reports, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced at the session of the National Assembly.

"In 2022, the banking system had the largest profit in history. Do we have a role here or not? Of course, we have, because since 2018, the banks of the Republic of Armenia operate only and only on commercial logic. Since 2018, no one can say that he gave a loan to someone or did not give a loan to someone, because he was told by the Government to give a loan to this person, not to give a loan to that person. There cannot be such a case," stressed the Prime Minister.

According to Pashinyan, all this has increased the attractiveness of the banking system.

"The banking system is aggressively developing services in the best sense of the word, and these services are becoming attractive, including in the context of the Government's decisions," concluded Pashinyan.

 18:33,

YEREVAN, JUNE 15, ARMENPRESS. The United States of America will welcome any dialogue that will contribute to the protection of the rights and security of the people of Nagorno Karabakh.

ARMENPRESS sent an inquiry to the US State Department regarding the information published in one of the Russian media that the US is forcing the representatives of Nagorno Karabakh to meet with the representatives of Azerbaijan in the territory of a third country.

The US Embassy in Armenia answered the question, which we present below.

“We have consistently maintained that peace in the region must include protections for the rights and securities of the people of NK. We would welcome any dialogue that furthers this”.

 18:47,

YEREVAN, JUNE 15, ARMENPRESS. There is a construction boom in Armenia and it will continue for a long time, because the government is making a new decision, ARMENPRESS reports, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said during the discussion of the bill on approving the annual report on the implementation of the 2022 state budget of the Republic of Armenia in the National Assembly.

The Prime Minister noted that the opposition thinks what the Armenian government has to do with the 12 percent economic growth of 2022.

"I have to disappoint, don't I? There is a big construction boom in Armenia today. How did that happen? It is related to a very specific program of the government, when we decided that we will continue to return the income tax for the mortgage loan and after January 1, 2025, this system will not work in Yerevan. And all those investors, who knew that there is a huge demand for housing in Yerevan, rushed to invest, because in 2022, the 35 billion drams were not going to be invested in that project. That construction boom will continue for a long time, because we are now making the next decision," said Pashinyan.

“In 2025, the program will leave Yerevan, in the next phase, most likely, from January 1, 2028, it will be closed for regions near Yerevan. And the program will be available for all other regions.

And this construction boom, saturating Yerevan and the regions near Yerevan, will reach the most remote settlements of Armenia. Today we see its phenomena. We have newly built buildings in Kapan, we also support with state programs to increase purchasing power and competitiveness in the market," said the Prime Minister.

According to him, in those constructions, equipment is being used that has not been in Armenia for 30 years. According to the Prime Minister, it was also due to the state program for the modernization of the economy, by which the state subsidizes the interest on the loans taken by the companies for purchasing equipment.

 19:12,

YEREVAN, JUNE 15, ARMENPRESS. The National Assembly of Armenia adopted the draft decision on approving the annual report on the implementation of the 2022 state budget of the Republic of Armenia.

ARMENPRESS reports, 65 MPs voted in favor of the decision on approving the report, 11 voted against it.

Seyran Ohanyan, head of the "Armenia" faction, announced that the faction will vote against it. The other opposition faction, "I have honor" did not participate in the vote.

The parliament started discussing the budget implementation report in the plenary session from June 14. On June 15, after the speeches of the ministers and deputies, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan made a final speech.

A revenue forecast of 1 trillion 947 billion AMD had been made for 2022, revenues increased by 110 billion AMD during the year. And the planned expenses were 2 trillion 184 billion, increased by 103 billion AMD. As a result, the planned deficit decreased by 6.5 billion AMD.

 21:02,

YEREVAN, JUNE 15, ARMENPRESS. The National Assembly of Armenia adopted in the first reading the legislative initiative submitted by the Government, which introduces a system of mandatory military service for females on a voluntary basis.

ARMENPRESS reports, the package of bills on making additions and amendments to the Law of the Republic of Armenia "On Military Service and the Status of Servicemen" and on making additions to the Law of the Republic of Armenia "On Defense" received 62 votes in favor and 26 abstentions at the National Assembly session.

"A system of mandatory military service for female citizens on a voluntary basis is introduced. Armenian female citizens aged 18-27, whose mandatory military service period is 6 months, can submit an application," said Defense Minister Suren Papikyan.