2021 April 21

Daily news wrap-up

Apr/21/2021: (1) Pashinyan reads 2010 law that defined Syunik borders; "not just internal" (2) Pashinyan visits Syunik; ex-regime's attack (3) Vision Zero: Armenia to reduce traffic deaths (4) Azerb. backtracks Aliyev's Zangezur words (5) Chemical weapons in Hague (6) Disability care (7) Mayor bust
by ar_david_hh

---

Your 11-minute Wednesday report in 2771 words.

national campaign to reduce traffic fatalities / "Vision Zero" reaches Armenia

Annual traffic deaths increased from 294 to 348 in the past decade.

Infrastructure Ministry launched the 3-month-long "Security is in your hands" national campaign supported by the EU.

There will be new pedestrian paths, traffic regulations, infrastructure upgrades, street markings and signs. This is in line with the new CEPA (comprehensive AM-EU agreement).

Minister Papikyan: we are reviewing our road safety policies to focus on reducing serious injuries and deaths. Specifically, the Vision Zero and Safe System Approach programs will be approved as part of our 2021-2040 strategy. The European bank will finance it.

EU ambassador Wiktorin: too many people get injured or die in Armenia. We plan to implement the EU standards as part of the CEPA agreement. //

There will be safety classes in all schools. TV, radio, and other media will be used to promote safe roads.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1049784.html

Tags: #VisionZero

Pashinyan visited Syunik's Shurnukh border village yesterday

It was an unannounced visit, presumably to prevent activists from closing the road like last time. He visited several houses and met residents before traveling through the village.

Photos: https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/211888

Pashinyan visits Meghri / bodyguard and car attacked by activists

Today he continued the Syunik trip by visiting Meghri. While meeting the locals, a group of 40-50 protesters arrived and expressed displeasure with his visit and began chanting "traitor leave". One of them jumped on Pashinyan's vehicle. The bodyguard was attacked and had his https://youtu.be/fGzOVGh3Ht4 clothes ripped]. Threats were made.

One of the organizers was identified as Mkhitar Zakaryan, Meghri's former HHK mayor, who was recently charged with embezzlement and is facing 2-6 years in prison.

His brother Mher Zakaryan was also reportedly in the group. He brought the local "ML Hotel" workers to the protest, including a waitress named Armine, who gave interviews to outlets about Pashinyan being a traitor.

One of the protesters was against giving Azerbaijan a railway access in Syunik in exchange for Armenia receiving railway access to Iran through Nakhijevan.

After the attack, Pashinyan apologized to the rest of the gathered residents "for the scene", and said it will be investigated. Prosecutors asked the local police to investigate the attack; a felony case was launched over "hooliganism and attack on state official". No arrests were made as of the afternoon.

Premier's spokeswoman later said, "the incident was organized by circles familiar to you and have nothing to do with the people of Agarak and Meghri."

https://youtu.be/9G0ZnnXYsYI https://www.facebook.com/100000453356168/videos/5945702322121487/ https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/211899 https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/211905 https://www.azatutyun.am/a/31111605.html https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/211915 https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/211916 https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/211918 https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/211924 https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/211925 https://youtu.be/GeWBbqvicsI?t=53 https://youtu.be/fGzOVGh3Ht4 https://youtu.be/SzJeGYV0vpQ

https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/211969

Pashinyan continued the Syunik trip in Kapan

He met a group of residents "without provocateurs".

Video: https://www.facebook.com/100003511952042/videos/3682602775200085/

He paid a visit to a local military station and "thanked the soldiers for their service."

https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/211923

Pashinyan concludes the trip with a meeting with local officials

... during which he criticized Ilham Aliyev's recent "contradictory" and militaristic rhetoric about the "Zangezur corridor", saying there should be a response to it.

Pashinyan: Our MFA responded yesterday. It is a provocation that needs to be countered on various platforms. As I've said again, there is no word of any 'corridor' in the November 9 statement. It's about unblocking regional communications. January 11's Moscow meeting clarified what exactly should happen with the regional communication routes.

If Azerbaijan talks about Zangezur Corridor, then we can talk about Nakhijevan Corridor and North-Azerbaijan Corridor. Azerbaijan can only receive a 'corridor' similar to the one that Armenia can receive.

My assessment is that the Azerbaijani government wants to intentionally suspend the [trade unblocking] process with these provocative messages and to keep the blockade on Armenia.

https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/211930 https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=489337522216157

Pashinyan reads Serj's 2010 law that defines Syunik borders

Context: the former regime passed a law in 2010 that defined Syunik's borders. They claim it was only about internal borders and should not have been used by Pashinyan today to clarify the new Armenia-Azerbaijan borders. Pashinyan, in turn, insisted that the law also defined international borders. Today he cited the 2010 bill.

Pashinyan: Regarding Syunik borders. A decision was made to bring the border line in line with the CSTO military bloc's definition of the international border so we could install Russian troops. The Armenian-Russian military-political alliance only applies to Armenian state borders.

These borders were defined by Armenia, as I've said before. The law passed in 2010 defined the Syunik administrative borders. It directly describes where Shurnukh village is.

Let me read part of the 2010 law: "The description of RA Syunik province's Shunukh village administrative borders. Shurnukh is located in the province's eastern part. In north's A-B section it borders the state borders (Republic of Azerbaijan)." [the emphasis is the Republic of Azerbaijan]

The next paragraph, "Shurnukh state borders (Republic of Azerbaijan), borderline A-B. In A-B section the border is the state border between the Republic of Armenia and Republic of Azerbaijan."

Next paragraph of the law, about Syunik's Vorotan village, "In B-G section the border is the state border between Republic of Armenia and Republic of Azerbaijan."

This is very important to emphasize because, in 2010, Armenia passed a law to describe its own territories. This is where the CSTO military law applies.

Please note that the law does not mention that this border matches the border between Armenia and Artakh, it says Armenia and Azerbaijan. This is what lead to today's status quo in Syunik.

Large-scale army reforms have already begun in cooperation with Russia. We must have a strong army that can be a worthy ally and be capable of protecting the borders. No one can stop us on this journey. Armenia also has obligations as part of the alliance.

We are launching housing construction in Shurnukh. Since our independence, no new houses had been built in Shurnukh and Tavush's Chinari.

We will also discuss mining industry reforms to ensure that Armenian citizens can feel that part of that national wealth goes to them.

https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/211930 https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=489337522216157

Tags: #Shurnukh #Vorotan #AdministrativeLaw #2010law

ARF is back with protests

ARF activists organized a protest in front of the Premier's residence "to continue what the Meghri protesters started". They want Premier's resignation. A confrontation ensued between the activists and police after Premier's vehicle reached the residence.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1049804.html https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/211966

Azerbaijani MFA "backtracks" on land claims against Armenia

Every now and then, after sniffing a bad batch, the shipman makes territorial claims against Armenia's southern region, regarding a "century-old dream" of connecting Azerbaijan to Turkey via Zangezur.

Armenian MFA criticized Aliyev for one such remark. Azeri MFA responded saying Aliyev did not threaten the territorial integrity of Armenia, but rather it was "a response in the event Armenia threatens Azerbaijan's territorial integrity."

Aliyev's concern is Armenia strengthening its army "to the point it can become a threat." He said he won't let that happen.

https://factor.am/361503.html https://www.panarmenian.net/arm/news/292261/

ceasefire violation: bullet hits the roof of a residential house

Azerbaijan fired a shot towards Stepanakert yesterday. It struck a roof. The Russian peacekeepers came to investigate and took the bullet with them. The incident happened yesterday after 20 minutes of non-targeted shots in the air.

https://factor.am/361802.html

Armenia complains about Azerbaijan's use of chemical weapons / Hague conference

A conference was organized by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in Hague. CSTO alliance countries presented a joint report.

It does not mention Azerbaijan by name, but Armenia lobbied to include a paragraph that criticizes the OPCW secretariat for "ignoring the use of chemical weapons in the region."

https://www.opcw.org/sites/default/files/documents/2021/04/CSP-25%20part%202%20CSTO%20Statement%20eng_0.pdf https://factor.am/361758.html

rotation of Armenian peacekeepers in Lebanon continues

A new group was sent to Lebanon. Armenia has been a member of the UN-led initiative since 2014, under the Italian command.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1049780.html

anti-corruption: NSS busts the former mayor of Bagravan

The report says: ex-mayor of Shirak's Bagravan settlement abused his powers and falsified documents to embezzle ֏17.3m.

In 2012-2013, he embezzled ֏2m worth of farming materials.

In 2010-2014, he embezzled ֏1.5m by claiming the deducted funds were for low-income families.

In 2015-2017, he conspired with several residents to register them as fake employees to withdraw ֏6m in salary funds.

He also conspired with relatives to register their personal vehicles as municipality service vehicles to gave them ֏7.8m, while the vehicles were never used by the municipality.

The ex-mayor is facing six felony counts.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1049769.html

prosecutors launch a felony case against ex-High Tech Minister Arshakyan

Context: a reporter found the High Tech Minister Arshakyan dining and began persistently asking why he was there. The ex-Minister became agitated and threw a punch. SIS decided not to charge him, finding the incident didn't meet the criteria for a felony case.

Prosecutors launched a felony case today regarding an attempt to damage property (camera).

https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/211961

update: Education Ministry creates a job database to address the rural teacher shortage

Read for context. The ministry will use kadrer.emis.am as a "matchmaker" website to close the teacher gap in border and mountainous regions. Teachers who travel there will receive an additional salary, rent, travel, vacation, and other benefits, which were recently increased.

Rural schools have submitted requests for 189 vacant positions so far.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1049706.html

video: science budget was recently increased by ֏2.7b

Scientists talk about the need for more investments. Some of them have to use equipment from the 1970s. Lately, there have been some purchases, such as an electronic microscope that zooms a 1mm material millions of times. It costed $200,000.

More about Armenian science here.

https://youtu.be/gK915Wwv1pA

extra ֏500m for ongoing military expenditures

The government will provide additional funds to the army to finance ongoing projects.

https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/211956

Bentley, but for farmers

Farmers in Syunik's bordering villages Nerqin Hand and Kaghnut received dozens of "mini-tractors" that can cultivate small lands. The aid was distributed by USAID (Աջակցություն Հայաստանին նախաձեռն.) and a newly formed government taskforce that identifies problems in Syunik border regions.

Farmers also received walnut baby trees. They oranges, too.

Photos: https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1049735.html

Turkey-Russia-United States-Ukraine-Armenia kerfuffle

Turkey plans to sell drones to Ukraine. The president of Ukraine recently visited Turkey for discussions about eastern Ukraine.

In turn, Russia sanctioned Turkey by severely restricting the flow of Russian tourists to the country.

Turkish MFA responded saying the sale of drones to Ukraine "is not directed against Russia." He offered Russia to also purchase the drones. "We have good relations with both and we continue the purchase of Russian S-400 missile systems."

The U.S. criticized Turkey for the purchase of Russian S-400 missiles. There are concerns that their installation, which would also mean the placement of Russian agents in the area, could be used to monitor American F-35 jets to find their weak spots in stealth technology. The U.S. suspended the sale of jets to Turkey a year ago.

Turkey pushed back on U.S. criticism over the purchase of Russian weapons, saying "Turkey will make independent decisions."

Joe Biden is expected to make an announcement on April 24th, regarding the Armenian Genocide. Turkish MFA said the recognition of the Genocide would further damage the TR-US relations.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1049717.html https://www.defenseone.com/technology/2019/07/why-s-400-and-f-35-cant-get-along/158504/ https://factor.am/361567.html

Genocide Museum to examine the treatment of Armenians in Nakhijevan and Artsakh

The taskforce will examine the history in the 20-21st centuries.

The Museum decided to improve their work in foreign languages to make info accessible, "especially after the 44-day war." It prompted them to form a new taskforce to examine the violence in the region and make the findings available in foreign languages.

During the war, the Museum contacted 160 international bodies with calls to condemn the Azeri-Turkish aggression. The Museum director referred to the events as "genocidal violence." They will present details to international colleagues.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1049734.html https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1049740.html https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1049746.html

Genocide Museum launches an expo dedicated to families of survivors

These are stories that are being presented for the first time, and include family photos, documents, household items, and audio recordings of Genocide survivors themselves. Three dozens families are featured.

The survivors' descendants arrived from the U.S. and elsewhere to take part in the opening ceremony. The organizer is Seda Parsamyan. "These are rare accounts of events before, during, and after the Genocide," she said.

Photos: https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1049762.html

Genocide Museum attendance in 2020

There were 26 Turkish citizens. Approximately 5K visitors with 75% being foreigners. The museum was only open for three months.

https://factor.am/361508.html

prominent Turkish author's book about Genocide is translated in Armenian

Taner Akcam's "Shameful Act" is now available in Armenian. The book details the Genocide and is critical of the Turkish government.

More: https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1049811.html

acting Supreme Court president Jhangiryan

... met ruling party leader Lilith Makunts to discuss a law about increasing financial compensations for judges. Judges have been recently suing to get the expected pensions because the Constitutional Court recently struck down a relevant law, causing the judges to receive the same [low] pensions as other workers do. The top Court instructed the Parliament to rewrite the judicial pension law.

Jhangiryan also met MOD Vagharshak about the judicial system overload and ways to ensure army-related trials do not get stuck for years.

Jhangiryan, being the eldest member of the Supreme Court, recently became the acting president after President Ruben Vardazaryan was suspended pending felony charges.

Some media outlets reported that Jhangiryan "broke into" the suspended president's office. The Supreme Court council denied the report, saying it was them (judges) who received permission and unsealed the room because "acting president Jhangiryan has the right to use the president's office."

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1049738.html , https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/211895 https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/211847 https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/211808

update: Artashat's new athletics runway and pitch construction begins

Years ago the Athletics Federation received $170,000 to build a new athletics runway but it went unused for unknown reasons. The Education & Sports Ministry recently launched a process to build one, with international standards.

It'll replace the existing runway built in the 1980s. The dismantling process has begun. "The new runway will allow us to hold international games."

The Soccer Federation chimed in and decided to renovate the stadium stands and the grass for soccer matches.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1049732.html https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1042976.html https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1042944.html

Artsakh public radio expands operations

It went from 5 hours to an all-day broadcast in 2020. The official website received 1 million visits. Artsakh parliament will discuss its improvement during a session. Its annual budget is $709,000.

https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/211891

Artsakh will build new kindergartens

... to supplement the loss during the war. The number of kindergartens went from 53 to 36. Half of the 4,000 children currently do not attend one in Artsakh.

New buildings will be built in Stepanakert in addition to renovating existing ones. Aurora charity plans to help.

https://factor.am/361765.html

proposed: reduce the number of holidays to boost the economy

Here is the context in case you missed the news. There is talk about possibly reducing holidays. How many do other countries have?

Armenian 16 (proposed 11)

Georgia 14

Russia 14

Estonia 13

Ukraine 12

Germany 9

Belarus 9 (Lukashenko 365)

https://fip.am/15241

proposed: National Committee for the Simplification of Air Transport Procedures

Its creation is on the government agenda. It aims to simplify the customs process. It will work with Civil Aviation to monitor the existing flights to draw conclusions.

The president will be the Infrastructure Minister with the deputy being the Civil Aviation chief. The High Tech Ministry and others will be part of the board.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1049801.html

proposed: in-home care for disabled children until they turn 18

Labor and Social Ministry drafted a proposal to provide a daily 8-hour (weekly 40) assistance to disabled children to alleviate the burden on parents.

The caregiver, who must undergo certification by the Ministry, must visit the child's house and cannot be a household member. The caregiver will sign a monthly contract worth ֏150,000 (taxes and fees included).

https://factor.am/361715.html

IRS stats for the number of income-generating jobs in March YoY:

2018: 537,000

2019: 584,000

2020: 620,000

2021: 622,500

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1049733.html

IRS stats for generated income in March YoY:

2018: ֏93b

2019: ֏107b

2020: ֏123b

2021: ֏131b

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1049733.html

IRS stats for income per job position in March YoY:

2018: ֏174,100

2019: ֏183,900

2020: ֏199,500

2021: ֏211,300

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1049733.html

Armenian wine is presented during Russian expo

The Armenian Wine Fund presented a booth during Moscow's ExpoCenter center's ProdExpo expo. (echo... echo... ECHO... ECHO)

It's the largest international food and drink expo in Russia and Eastern Europe. Thousands of companies came from 44 states, including 17 from Armenia, who were accompanied by Economy Ministry and the Armenian ambassador.

75% of Armenian wine exports are consumed in Russia.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1049790.html

COVID stats

4641 tested. 1033 infected. 583 healed. 25 deaths. 15316 active (up).

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1049713.html

today in history

-753: city of Rome is founded

1926: Queen Elizabeth is born

1960: Brazil's capital moves from Rio to Brasilia

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1049689.html

end of report

The accused are innocent unless proven guilty in the court of law, even if they "appear" guilty.

News archive: http://www.armeniapedia.org/wiki/Daily_Anti-Corruption_Reports

Donations: soldiers' families, humanitarian aid, US tax-deductible donation.

---

Link to original report and comments: https://www.reddit.com/r/armenia/comments/mvnpm4/apr212021_1_pashinyan_reads_2010_law_that_defined/