2020 April 5

Anti-Corruption Daily

Apr/5/2020 -- Daily News Summary -- Civil Aviation details -- Lord Voldemort stats -- Stay up to date on Anti-Corruption, COVID, Economy, Politics, Daily Life, and more...
by ar_david_hh

Disclaimer: All the accused are innocent until proven guilty by the court of law, even if they may sound as being guilty. Currency in Armenian Drams ֏ unless specified otherwise.

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Civil Aviation / the story of jets, licenses, fraud, and finger-pointing

To fly to Europe, Armenia (or any country) needs to have a Civil Aviation that complies with international safety standards. These standards require the Civil Aviation to take steps to make sure Armenia's airline companies are following safety standards.

Civil Aviation audits the airline companies registered by Armenia, while the international community audits the Civil Aviation and the airline companies.

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In 2019, the new Civil Aviation chief Tatevik Revazyan contacted law enforcement after discovering airline safety fraud dating back to 2016. Prosecutors said:

In Dec-2018, "Taron Avia" Armenian airlines contacted EU's safety regulator EASA for permission to fly to EU. EASA audited Taron Avia and the Civil Aviation and found 5 serious and 10 small violations.

EASA sent the audit results to Civil Aviation in July-2019 so the latter could fix them, but some Civil Aviation employees broke the rules and didn't enter EASA's findings in Civil Aviation's "Mulberry" database. They also lied to Civil Aviation chief Tatevik Revazyan that nothing serious was found by EASA. As a result, Civil Aviation took no action to fix the problems.

Also, evidence was found that since 2016, similarly, Civil Aviation employees covered up safety issues despite being warned by EASA. As a result, Taron Avia was able to operate unsafe jets since 2016. End of prosecutor report.

A felony case was launched regarding those findings. On one occasion, Pashinyan referred to the aforementioned rank-and-file Civil Aviation employees as "inner-system resistance to revolution".

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After those 2019 findings, EASA and the EU scheduled a meeting with Civil Aviation to talk about safety. EASA reminded Civil Aviation that it needs to have full oversight over airline firms registered in Armenia and that the EU will audit to make sure that's the case.

That second audit by EASA was scheduled for February 2020.

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Yesterday, Robik's media outlet published an article saying that Civil Aviation will lose its licensing ability because the aforementioned February-2020 audit by EASA revealed big problems.

Civil Aviation labeled outlet's report misleading, and said:

On February 7th, EASA audited Civil Aviation and 2 Armenian airline companies and published the results on March 6th.

EASA was waiting for Civil Aviation's opinion before they can finalize their audit. Civil Aviation was supposed to submit its opinion on April 6th, but EASA decided to revoke 2 airline companies in a hurry, perhaps due to the COVID rush. Coming May, the EU will hold a safety hearing and discuss EASA's findings.

Civil Aviation has long acknowledged major problems dating back for years. It requires time and resources to fix. Meanwhile, these 2 airline companies temporarily won't be able to fly to Europe. They can fly elsewhere.

These 2 airline firms are registered within Armenia and are small. The major airlines aren't affected. Civil Aviation is working with them to find a solution.

End of Civil Aviation's report.

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The names of the 2 affected airlines aren't officially published yet, but Hetq outlet speculates that the 1st affected airline is apparently "Atlantis European Airways" which was found to have issues in 2019 along with Taron Avia. Their jets conduct flights for Moldova.

Hetq speculates that the 2nd airline might be the "Armenia Aircompany".

"Armenia Aircompany"'s deputy-director Gevorg Khachatryan claims their airline passed the tests. He also incorrectly claimed that the Civil Aviation was EASA's only target, perhaps in an attempt to shift the blame away from the troubled airline industry. In reality, the Civil Aviation wasn't the only subject of the February-2020 audit, per EU documents.

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Former Regime Manipulates the Story

Robik's media mentioned a 2015 audit (predating the 2016-onward problems) done by another inspector agency called ICAO, which found no problems at Civil Aviation. The media then cited ICAO's audit to suggest Tatevik Revazyan inherited a Civil Aviation in perfect shape and ruined it.

In response to these allegations, ICAO officials published a letter in which they criticized Robik's media for "lack of editorial research" and for spreading fake news. ICAO also defended Revazyan by saying the media outlet incorrectly attributed these new problems to her work, and that the problems are long-standing.

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No Armenian airline companies are in EASA's blacklist at the moment. If in the event EASA finds that Civil Aviation, as a whole, is incapable of ensuring that all Armenian airlines comply with safety, then all airlines registered by Armenia could lose their ability to fly to Europe for 1 year. To fly to Europe within that year, they'd need to pass a secondary safety test at another international agency.

We will find out more details about who exactly is losing what in May, when the EU holds its safety hearing. In 2019 it was Taron Avia that lost the license. They're doing flights in Africa now.

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Civil Aviation chief Ratevik Revazyan gave an interview:

We were expecting the results about the issues in the 2 airlines. We spoke about the problems in 2019. Overall, the EU found that Armenian airlines who wanted to fly to the EU in 2019 had increased their տեսական safety.

2019 audit and bust https://factor.am/216792.html

license revocation rumor https://www.aravot.am/2020/04/03/1104252/

Civil Aviation response https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/184842

https://www.facebook.com/118681645240747/photos/pcb.898201663955404/898199317288972/?type=3&theater

https://hetq.am/hy/article/115560

REvazyan https://youtu.be/tMl-KMvFMXU

1 year http://www.panarmenian.net/arm/news/279862/

Taron exist https://hetq.am/hy/article/110981

Tag: #CivilAviation

a doctor talks about the history of COVID family

A doc from the European Academy of Natural Sciences explains"

There are a few million viruses. Humans have only seen 6,000 of them, out of which 40 belong to COVID family. Out of those 40, only 7 are known to infect humans, with COVID19 being the 7th one.

First COVID was discovered in 1937 in birds, and by 1965 in humans.

The first COVID outbreak, featuring SARS COVID, happened in 2003-2003 in China. It spread to 30 countries.

The new COVID19 kills ~3%, which is lower than many other popular viruses.

COVID dies within 15 minutes under a 56c temperature. Summer heat won't kill it.

Very high risk of being infected if you spend 15 minutes in a closed-door area without a wind. Smartphones, wallets, handbags, cash are common carriers. It doesn't help that avg person touches face 100 times a day.

COVID survives 48 hours on wood and plastic, 12 hours on clothing, 24 hours on metals.

https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/184814

how fast is it spreading?

Healthcare Minister Torosyan says:

The number of COVID patients double every 2-10 days around the world. In Armenia, it's 7 days. It hasn't slowed yet.

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Scientists have good news. Each infected person now infects 1.4 others, instead of 2. If it reaches to 1, its spread will be manageable, it won't overload the hospitals, and the lockdown will be slowly lifted.

"The lockdown is helping. Stay home," said Emergency coordinator Tigran Avinyan.

https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/184863

https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/184871

https://factor.am/237848.html

2,000 apply for a 220-seat flight

Earlier, Russia suspended all international flights due to COVID. 50 Armenians got stuck in Moscow airport and couldn't fly to Yerevan. Russian govt decided to schedule a special flight for the group.

Upon learning the news, 2000 people applied to fly on the 220-seat jet. Those with urgent medical needs, children or financial hardship will be prioritized.

https://factor.am/237721.html

no tomatoes for u

SPAYKA import-export giant, which buys agricultural products from farmers and exports abroad, has suffered $1.5mln in damages after 40 trucks got stuck for 15 days in the border.

Video of spoiled products being purged: https://youtu.be/gUGQFzjCb34

Fitch downgrades / COVID

Because of COVID's economic impact, Armenia's long-term forecast of default rating was lowered to BB- by Fitch Ratings. In November-2019 they had increased it to B+.

http://www.panarmenian.net/arm/news/279859/

Artsakh is preparing for COVID

No confirmed infections in Artsakh. The hospitals are separating beds to be prepared when it arrives.

Presidential candidate underdog Masis Mayilyan urged voters not to vote in the upcoming 2nd round April 14th elections. He also criticized the quality of the 1st round elections. Last month he supported the idea of postponing elections entirely.

A group of anti-Bako protesters gathered and called for Bako to cancel the elections and to resign.

https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/184851

https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/184868

https://factor.am/237825.html

Latest COVID stats / more labs

"4000 tested. 822 all-time infected. 25 heavy condition. 1 critical. 7 deaths."

500 don't need medical care. 57 healed.

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~400 people were tested since yesterday. 57 tested positive. Testing is "targeted".

"We're gradually increasing the number of facilities licensed to do COVID tests using the complicated/accurate RNA method. This will allow us to increase daily testing," said Healthcare Minister Torosyan.

822 https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/184848

500 https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/184823

25 https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/184841

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1011242.html

it plugs like a USB flash drive

COVID.exe plugs itself into a human cell by damaging a protein needed to regulate the blood pressure. This is why people with hypertension are at a greater risk.

Once plugged in, it instructs the body to duplicate the virus' parts. It likes to hang out and party in the throat and in the lung liquid that's normally used to make breathing easier.

Big damage is done when the immune system panics and kills good tissue instead of the virus.

COVID19 has the same basics as the 2003 SARS, but with 6,000 mutations.

SAME, BUT DIFFERENT. (insert James DeFranco meme)

More details https://www.zerohedge.com/health/what-covid-19-does-your-body-makes-it-so-deadly

HERE IS HAYKO?

Nowadays people expect politicians to go live and report what they're doing. The communication bar is set high, thanks to Pashinyan being an attention wh*** on social media.

Some users began wondering where Yerevan Mayor Hayko Marutyan is.

"I'm here, working. Just finished helping to distribute food to 1,300 elderly residents so they won't have to leave their homes. A few important decisions were made about the new Metro station. Just because I didn't go live yesterday doesn't mean I wasn't working," said the drag queen Mayor.

He uploaded a video from the new facility that'll be used by the city's new-ish garbage and sanitation truck fleet.

"It's true that COVID is causing problems, but our cleaning crew members heroically work every day while placing their health at risk. We're all thankful to them," said Marutyan.

https://youtu.be/AVjofyMqQ9A

Sarkissian's article

President Sarkissian wrote a tech article at TheNational.ae titled: "AI and humans will co-exist, not compete, and AI will serve us, not the other way round"

“

Armenia is one of the start-ups of the 21st Century. Our Advanced Tomorrow initiative will help us to leverage science and technology and deliver a better future for all – men and women together

”

Full: https://www.thenational.ae/opinion/comment/ai-and-humans-will-co-exist-not-compete-and-ai-will-serve-us-not-the-other-way-round-1.995444

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Link to original report and comments: https://www.reddit.com/r/armenia/comments/fvogn7/apr52020_daily_news_summary_civil_aviation/