2021 December 21

Daily news wrap-up

Dec/21/2021: Pashinyan in Georgia to discuss railway projects | North-South | Gulf-Sea | Cargo to use ferry vs Upper Lars __ Stable gas price for 10 years __ Amulsar investigation over __ Turkey: imports, lira, polls __ Brain research __ Sports projects & events __ Center for Repatriate __ Chernobyl
by ar_david_hh

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This is your 12-minute Tuesday report in 3014 words.

government wants to find alternatives to Georgia's problematic Upper Lars cargo route

It's the only land route Armenia currently has to its main trade partner Russia. It's closed "half of the year" because of bad weather, bad traffic, or bad politics between Georgia and Russia. Armenian exporters face the consequences.

Economy Ministry: we drafted a bill that offers to reimburse Armenian companies if they use the Poti-Caucasus Port-Poti ferry.

The proposal is necessary because our only land route to Russia is routinely closed, causing problems for Armenian cargo. Since ferry is more expensive than land, and can reduce Armenian product's competitiveness in foreign markets, we are willing to compensate.

Our trade is growing with EAEU member states, yet Upper Lars remains our only land connection to them.

Upper Lars can only handle 170 cargo and 200 passenger vehicles per day in two directions. The traffic exceeds this capacity by orders of magnitude during certain periods. Armenian vehicles cross it 10,000 times a year.

The approval of the bill will help Armenian cargo companies during the seasonal high-fee periods. This can greatly increase cargo exports and make Armenian products more competitive. //

The subsidy for one-way ferry transfer is ֏0.5M, or ֏1M for two-way.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1071267.html

Pashinyan discussed the Persian Gulf-Black Sea railway project during Georgia trip

Pashinyan: I believe the launch of the Gulf-Sea international route can boost regional cooperation.

Bilateral cooperation in the field of transport is a priority for us. We view relations with Georgia not only in the sphere of bilateral but also in the sphere of regional cooperation. We can help each other.

We have two Gulf-Sea route projects: vehicle and railway.

Vehicle: we are developing the North-South highway network in Armenia. It connects the Georgian border to the Iran border. We're working with Georgian and Iranian colleagues to make the road more efficient. If we are also able to come to an agreement with Azerbaijan, this project could expand and become North-South and East-West.

The Sochi and Brussels meetings created the opportunity to possibly come to an agreement with Azerbaijan over restoring vehicle routes. As for railway connection, we already have an agreement with Aliyev over principles. It's about the restoration of the Yeraskh-Nakhijevan-[Iran]-Meghri-Azerbaijan railway. We hope this will be done within 2-3 years.

Some analysts claim the restoration of the railway won't be beneficial for Georgia. I strongly disagree with that. If the Armenia-Nakhijevan-Iran railway opens, we will have a very efficient Gulf-Sea connection. It will pass through Iran, Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia. It will be an economic and security project for the region. //

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1071271.html https://youtu.be/lM9APJpRYZQ

Tags: #communication #blockade #TradeRoute

Pashinyan discussed other cooperation topics during the Georgia trip

They spoke about digitization, pharma, and industry cooperation. They want to build new electric stations in northern Armenia.

Pashinyan offered Georgia to study Armenia's TUMO innovation center and open branches in Georgia.

There will be education cooperation programs. Under the advice of Georgia, Armenia launched a program to help Armenian Language teachers in Georgia to go through a certification process. In return, Armenia is considering teaching Georgian in some Armenian schools.

Pashinyan: it is also important for us that ethnic Armenians in Georgia speak Georgian fluently. The Armenian community of Georgia must continue to be a factor contributing to stability, unity, and solidarity in Georgia.

[talks about cultural exchange programs] I'd like to thank our Georgian colleagues for renovating Petros Adamian Tbilisi State Armenian Drama 🍿 Theatre.

[talks about tourism cooperation and developing travel packages together] We need more travel packages where the time is spent in both countries, instead of only in one. Armenia saw record tourism in 2019.

[offeres to train Armenian and Georgian athletes together]

[offeres to "decentralize" Armenia-Georgia ties so more provincial officials will make trips across the border]. //

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1071273.html

Macron

Macron and Putin held a phone conversation and expressed satisfaction with the stabilization of the situation in the region and the ongoing efforts to lift the transport blockade. Today is Macron's birthday.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1071345.html

authorities end the criminal investigation of the Amulsar gold mine project

Investigative Committee: the investigation was over possible abuses [by some former officials] in the process of the mining permit. There were reports about crimes committed by individuals involved in the permit process.

There were numerous interrogations, confiscation of evidence from state and private entities, ecological and land examinations, involvement of foreign auditors.

In 2019 we received the audit results that uncovered inaccuracies and shortcomings of the document that Lydian had presented to nature agencies [which ended up approving it, which led to this investigation].

We studied the laws that were in force at that time.

The investigation has revealed that the conflicting reports about the same environmental phenomena were a result of the use of different measuring methodologies, scientific disputes, and a lack of clear laws in Armenia.

To eliminate existing legal shortcomings, we prepared documents with suggestions for Nature Ministry

The investigation did not find evidence that a crime was committed while drafting the environmental impact assessment report, examining the report, and issuing the permit. //

https://factor.am/456429.html

Tag: #Amulsar #Lydian

some Armenian businesses are importing Turkish goods disguised as [insert a country name]

Water is wet. $5 is still cheaper than $6. Turkey has not disappeared.

A resident was looking for a fabric that wasn't made in Turkey. She finally found a seller who claimed the material was from Uzbekistan and sewed in Armenia. After about a year of use, the "Made in Armenia" tag got washed away, revealing the "Made in Turkey" writing.

The seller claims they had informed the buyer that it was a Turkish product. "90% of these products in Armenia are made in Turkey," said the seller.

The government recently "banned" the import of most Turkish products, citing the country's hostile policies. Raw materials and certain types of products were exempt in order not to harm Armenian manufacturers.

https://youtu.be/ormvkBEVoZ8 https://factor.am/456528.html

Turkish lira & public polls

The Turkish lira strengthened yesterday (1=13) after an intervention to stop the sharp devaluation.

The interest rates were not "raised", but the former Central Bank chief believes that the new policies that led to the strengthening are essentially the same as raising the interest rate, but Erdogan is doing it in a concealed way to save face.

____

57% of Turkish residents dislike Erdogan's policies.

That includes 11% of his AKP party voters, 19% of his ally MHP voters.

57% also disagree with the view that foreign powers are attacking the Turkish economy.

https://factor.am/456650.html https://ahvalnews.com/turkey-economy/over-half-turks-disagree-erdogans-new-economic-model-survey https://factor.am/456659.html

Economy Minister hosted UN Development Programme representative to discuss joint projects

The discussions were related to water and land reforms, tourism in villages, and small business aid.

... for women

The Ministry and UNDP discussed the formation of the joint project Women's Entrepreneurship Accelerator "Accelerator #5". The government will invest ֏155M. The goal is to increase the level of demand for women in the labor market.

... for electric vehicles

The green industry was another topic of discussion. The government is analyzing the possibilities of producing electric vehicles in Armenia, in addition to the 2022-2025 tax waiver to boost EV imports.

Ministry is also discussing a production of green hydrogen in Armenia that can create wide opportunities for a "green" economy.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1071278.html

Armenia will soon have a new modern brain research center

From January 26 news post: Medical University will have a new facility with European standards for brain research.

The lower floor will have a library, and a presentation room to hold discussions about research. Students will have research rooms. Rector Muradyan says this will be the university's first but not last modern research center.

Stroke, Alzheimer's, autism, and brain function will be researched. "Young and best scientists don't have to leave Armenia to have access to the best equipment." //

Education Ministry today: the project is co-financed by the World Bank. It's almost done. It will be competitive among some of the best similar labs in Europe.

Scientists will experiment with active substances and medicine to study the brain's function and various diseases. It should raise Armenia's place on the international scientific map. //

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1071323.html

what exactly is the Center for Integration of Repatriates?

You may recall from yesterday's news that the Diaspora Office plans to create a new center to help repatriates with paperwork and other stuff, so they won't have to deal with a million different agencies.

Head of program Margarita Baghdasaryan: Repatriation is a very important strategic point for the government. Today, when moving to Armenia, repatriates face a number of issues relating to paperwork and integration. Our office is already dealing with these issues, but we realized that this work ought to be done more coordinated and on a broader scale. The persons going through this process will receive support from the very beginning to the end.

I came from the U.S. but I didn't face as many difficulties because I was born in Armenia and knew the environment. Nevertheless, I encountered problems with understanding how Armenia's healthcare system works, getting passport stamps, bureaucratic issues, etc. We want to help those who have never been here and don't have friends here.

The Center will also digitize data to analyze the repatriation information.

There are thousands of people who are considering repatriation, especially from Lebanon, Russia, France, the United States, and lately Argentina. //

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1071255.html

conference Modern Challenges and Opportunities for the Development of the Armenian Military Industry

... was held in MOD's National Defense Research University on Monday. Members of private military industry and defense agencies were invited to discuss modern warfare and weapons, and ways to help the mil. industry in Armenia.

https://factor.am/456480.html

Parliamentary Security Committee still doesn't have a deputy chief

Kocharyan-ARF alliance had nominated HD MP Ghazinyan 14 times. They did not go through the official nomination process again last week, arguing that his nomination is "still active". Committee chief Andranik K. disagreed and gave the opposition one more week to nominate an MP, otherwise, the ruling party could gain the right to nominate its candidate.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1071275.html

🤡🍿 Garnik Isagulyan is arrested over "false reports" 🍿🤡

You may remember Garnik (Armenia's Alex Jones), an opposition political figure who circulated conspiracy theories after the war about an alleged elaborate scheme by the ruling party members to help Azerbaijan by spying for them and helping them by other means during the war.

He also claimed Pashinyan took $48M from Turkey to organize the 2018 revolution. He also called for Pashinyan to be assassinated and the assassin to be awarded $1M.

The authorities arrested Isagulyan and charged him with "false report" after he recently made similar claims. This time it was something about Armenia's Ukraine ambassador (QP member) allegedly working with Azerbaijan, and Nikol asking for cash from Turkey to pay the pensions in Armenia.

[Isagulyan and General Samvel Babayan had a public spat earlier this year, which ended with Babayan calling Isagulyan a "clown", hence the clown emojis. Popcorn emojis are a byproduct of opportunism... you know how much yours truly likes 🍿🍿🍿.]

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1071284.html

Public Regulator: the price for Russian gas for Armenia will likely remain the same for 10 years

Regulator: [many years ago] Armenia made commitments to return the investments made by Russian Gazprom in Hrazdan Thermal Power Plant and ensure the internal rate of return. But the investments have not been returned; moreover, the credit obligations raised for the reconstruction of the plant have increased. To solve the problem, the Armenian and Russian governments reached an agreement according to which the Armenian side will annually provide $31.79 million to the company for 10 years - starting from February 1, 2022 - to ensure the stable operation of the Hrazdan-5 power plant.

It will make it possible to have a stable price of Russian gas at the rate of $165 per 1 thousand cubic meters for the next 10 years. //

>Gazprom’s subsidiary Gazprom-Armenia that acquired the 5th power unit of Hrazdan Thermal Power Plant in 2006 is said to have invested as many as $465.2 million to complete its construction and modernization.

The public regulator will soon discuss a possible electricity price increase of 4.7 drams for non-low-income families and those who use excessive amounts of electricity.

https://arka.am/en/news/economy/the_price_for_russian_natural_gas_for_armenia_to_be_preserved_at_its_current_level_for_next_10_years/

new online platform designed for selling Armenian wines in the EU

www.winesofarmenia.store

The platform was created by the Vine and Wine Foundation of Armenia and the German GIZ together with the ACBA.

https://arka.am/en/news/business/online_platform_designed_for_selling_armenian_wines_in_european_union_launched_/

another large-scale drug smuggling attempt is busted by authorities

IRS: our agents stopped a Brasilian citizen who arrived at Zvartnots airport from Sao Paulo. His luggage contained carefully-hidden bags with cocaine worth $600,000 (1.7 kilos). The suspect is under arrest. //

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1071290.html

medical cooperation between Armenian and Russian institutes

Healthcare Minister Avanesyan went to Moscow for an AM-RU conference. Next year it will be held in Yerevan. Russia's Healthcare Minister Murashko will visit Armenia.

During the conference, they signed a cooperation memorandum between Russia's Blokhin Urology Center and Armenia's national urology and hematology centers.

https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/227931

voting begins for best soccer player of the year

Armenia's football federation website has a link about who can vote, and a list of candidate players and coaches.

https://www.ffa.am/hy/1640070048 https://www.ffa.am/uploaded/2018/Տարվա լավագույն ֆուտբոլիստ 2021 կարգ.pdf

VIDEO: Junior Eurovision winner Malena returned home

https://youtu.be/ZiyXR3bHm2k

Armenia could host the 2023 European Weightlifting Championship

Deputy Education Minister Giloyan: I met the international federation representatives during the recent Taskent trip. We want to hold a large event in Armenia. It could be the European championship. We're still clarifying it. //

... Armenian athletes won shitton of medals this year

Armenia's weightlifting coach: as always, weightlifting is where we performed the best. Armenians won 185 medals, from which 97 were in weightlifting.

The international federation has changed the weight categories. Now the highest is 102kg+ [instead of 110kg AFAIK]. That means Simon Martirosyan is now a super heavyweight. //

More: https://youtu.be/FSHV-I_B-Fw https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1071293.html https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1071281.html

2021 in sports, and what lies ahead

Deputy Education Minister Giloyan: we won 199 various medals this year. It's an excellent result. It's gratifying that the generational change is going very well. The budget for athlete and coach wages also saw an increase, going from ֏157M to ֏652M.

Next year we plan to have հավաքովի (prefabricated) sports centers in all provinces of Armenia.

Albert Azaryan sports center construction will begin next year.

Arthur Alexanyan sports center will likely open in 2024. It's 20% complete. It's a ֏4.8B project.

European Boxing Championship will be held in Armenia next year. //

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1071304.html https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/227926

New Year = Nutracker (everyone knows it)

Yerevan Opera building will present Tchaikovsky's Մարդուկ-Ջարդուկը (Shelkunchik) on December 23-24, with the help of renowned Russian artist Georgy Kovtun.

Theater director: the Ministry intervened to make this children's project possible. It was available everywhere except in Armenia. The performance will be available in provinces, too.

Kovtun: A little boy once asked me why others have it and we do not. This question is one of the biggest reasons I came to Armenia. I think Armenian children should have this fairy tale, which is in great demand all over the world. //

Kovtun presents the Nutcracker in many countries, but the performance in Armenia will differ from the rest.

More: https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1071294.html

today in history

1913: the first crossword is printed in an American magazine under the "mental exercises" section

1937: the premiere of Walt Disney's Snowhite and the Seven Dwarves

1968: Apollo 8 is the first spacecraft to fly to the Moon and return safely.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1071247.html https://airandspace.si.edu/explore-and-learn/topics/apollo/apollo-program/orbital-missions/apollo8.cfm

winter solstice begins in Northern Hemisphere

Winter officially begins today. It's also the shortest day. Days are going to get longer starting tomorrow, until June 21.

https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/winter-solstice.html https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2021/12/21/when-is-winter-solstice-december-2021/8969586002/

heavy snows across Armenia

Dozens of stranded vehicles had to be removed from snowy roads across the country. The drivers were given aid.

https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/227857

it's been 35 years since Chernobyl liquidators risked their lives to prevent a larger catastrophe

3,000 Armenians took part in the operation. Over half of them would later die from various diseases, mainly cancer. If Metsamor NPP employees could get 5 roentgen per year, the Chernobyl liquidators were supposed to be sent home after being exposed to 22 roentgen.

Liquidator Hambardzum Hovhannisyan has developed many health problems. He knew where he was going and what the consequences would be, but "he had no other choice".

They gave his group special suits and took them to the blast site in special vehicles with lead shields. Some groups were given hundreds of liters of vodka spirit for comfort.

The blast had scattered the radioactive cesium all over the site, often in unreachable places. Nearby fields and forests were evacuated. Hambardzum Hovhannisyan and his team worked there for 33 days. He was told he had only received 15 roentgen, but he later learned it was 45.

Liquidators have been receiving compensation from the government for many years. They could get free service and even food at a medical facility. The national burn center is where they normally go, but it was partially closed because of the pandemic. The center says the liquidators can receive hospital care at any hospital under պետպատվեր.

Liquidator recalls: Some soldiers willingly wanted to serve in high-radiation zones so they could receive their 22R limit quickly so they could go home quickly. Anyone who hit 22R was sent straight home, not even to their military station, but home.

A helicopter would hover in the air with a giant bucket. Liquidators, with the help of a special device, would locate the scattered radioactive pieces and dump them in the bucket. That soldier would be instantly sent home. Do you know how many of them died after doing that?

We were sent home to Armenia after 33 days. We thought that was it. Then our director came from Yerevan four days later and said we needed to undergo a medical examination. They took our bloods and injected them into mice as an experiment. //

https://youtu.be/L_pxwpke1Q0 https://factor.am/455376.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.

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Link to original report and comments: https://www.reddit.com/r/armenia/comments/rlnw2g/dec212021_pashinyan_in_georgia_to_discuss_railway/