2022 February 8

Daily news wrap-up

News recap - Feb/8/2022: Forty drivers charged w/buying license __ Regulator analyzed fertilizer & poultry markets __ Fake news & rumors __ Yerevan to reform social services __ New emergency response code __ Covid & vax stats __ IRI pollster __ How many Turkish tourists? __ Parliament debates __More
by ar_david_hh

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This is your 11-minute Tuesday digest in 2878 words.

today in history

1834: scientist Dmitri Mendeleev is born

1828: French poet Jules Verne is born, the author of around the world in 80 days

1879: railway engineer Sanford Fleming developed a system to divide the planet into 24 time zones so you travel the world in less than 80 days

1963: coup in Iraq

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1074962.html

ACC investigating forty people accused of buying/selling driver's license

Anti-Corruption Committee: In 2020-2021, Spitak resident Vachagan Shiroyan conspired with police official Adam Sarukhanyan to help dozens of residents obtain a license without exams. They split the $6,000 bribe. Both are charged with crimes.

37 bribe givers are also charged with criminal bribery and forgery. The case has reached the court. //

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1074990.html

two cops were busted by NSS for ignoring crime reports to boost their clearance rate

Prosecutors report: Tavush resident visited a police station to report a burglary that led to a theft of household items and a rifle. Two police officials, knowing that the chance of solving the crime was small and it would harm their performance stats, convinced the victim to change his report to claim he lost the rifle in a forest.

The victim later reported two similar burglaries. The cops didn't file reports in the database.

The senior cop has confessed, regretted, and testified against his colleague. He was fired without criminal charges.

The accomplice refused to confess. The court found him guilty. He unsuccessfully appealed the verdicts up to the Cassations court. //

Prosecutors urged the residents to report such incidents.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1075037.html

mother and child survive a carbon monoxide poisoning after cops rush to a hospital

Yerevan's Police Patrol officers provided emergency care to a 7yo boy with CO poisoning while rushing him to St. Grigor Illuminator hospital, where the doctors were able to save his life.

Driving behind the police car was an ambulance transporting the mother with similar symptoms. Doctors saved her, too. Both were in critical condition. They're feeling better now.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1075047.html

Yerevan will reform its social protection institute

The Council discussed the final draft of the reform package. It'll establish social protection departments in Yerevan's districts, consisting of social workers and psychologists. The reform will lead to the establishment of a community social worker institute and the effective implementation of new social programs, said the Council.

Mayor Hrachya: We studied the current system with the help of our international partners. I couldn't figure out what the social worker was doing from 9 am to 6 pm. The staff will be retrained and there will be serious changes to how departments operate.

UNISEF program rep.: Yerevan, being a large city, has multiple services that deal with social problems. This field was neglected and uncoordinated for years. The residents' needs were ignored.

In 2019, UNICEF and Yerevan conducted an unprecedented study to prepare a reform plan. We analyzed 7 fields: policies, budget, legal, etc. It uncovered the problems.

For example, Yerevan has a Department of Social Security, as well as a Department of Family/Women/Children Rights Protection. We learned that the latter was providing similar services. We will create a Department of Child & Social Protection that will coordinate all the work.

Yerevan's 12 districts have social security and healthcare divisions, yet they don't have social workers. Instead, they do only administrative work. This is improper use of resources. They will join the aforementioned unified system and will provide new services.

The recipients will be socially vulnerable families and residents, and families with multiple children. The system will target those who need help, and provide it at an early stage to prevent the problems from worsening.

Since the new system will be better organized and have more data, it could analyze a specific location and decide to launch new services if there are many disabled residents in that particular area. //

Full: https://www.unicef.org/armenia/պատմություններ/երևանում-սոցիալական-պաշտպանության-նոր-համակարգ-կներդրվի https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1075062.html

Competition Protection Committee analyzed Armenia's poultry market:

The market has a medium degree of concentration. There is significant competition despite import and production fields having distinct leaders.

From 2014 to 2020, the share of imports belonging to large companies had reduced from 68% to 37%.

The number of sellers in the primary market has gone from 60 to 66 in the past few years.

Local poultry production increased 2.5 times in 2015-2020. However, the self-sufficiency level is still low, at 30%.

There are opportunities to expand local production because the world has increased the consumption of poultry in recent years. There are reasons to believe that by 2030, over 40% of meat protein will come from poultry. //

Full study: http://www.competition.am/uploads/resources/Trchnamis.pdf https://factor.am/473355.html

Competition Protection Committee investigated the high fertilizer prices

The price of agricultural goods has recently increased because of global trends and raw materials and fuel becoming more expensive. Fertilizer prices are up 3x, while there isn't enough natural cow manure to fully substitute it. Farmer Tornik says the margins are small so the fertilizer price hike left no choice but to raise the fruit prices. He wants the government to establish local fertilizer factories and provide more aid.

The Competition Protection Commission has investigated the domestic fertilizer market and found that the price increase was a result of higher import prices.

That, in turn, was a result of high gas prices and fertilizer deficit [in the world](https://farmpolicynews.illinois.edu/2021/11/world-fertilizer-prices-continue-to-soar-as-2022-u-s-acreage-considerations-underway/). Several large European fertilizer producers had suspended the production amid skyrocketing gas prices, causing a deficit in the market.

The Armenian government has been negotiating with partners (Turkmenistan, Russia, Iran, etc.) to import fertilizer with special quotas. Today, most of the imports come from Russia and Georgia. The opposition wants the government to subsidize fertilizer.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1074991.html www.civilnet.am/news/649296/պարարտանյութը-շեշտակի-թանկացել-է․-գյուղացիները-պետության-աջակցությունն-են-ակնկալում/ http://arka.am/en/news/economy/opposition_mp_calls_on_government_to_subsidize_purchase_of_fertilizers_by_farmers/ https://www.agriculture.com/news/crops/skyrocketing-fertilizer-market-has-farmers-analysts-and-companies-weighing-in

IRI analyzes the recent poll results from Armenia

Is Armenia headed in the right direction? 46% no, 34% yes

IRI's Stephen Nix: This is largely due to the COVID pandemic and its effect on the economy. This isn't unique to Armenia. We see the trend in the whole region and former Soviet republics.

Premier's job approval was 49%, against 48% disapproval. Here the pandemic and the war had an impact as well.

Turkey and Azerbaijan were viewed as the biggest threats, which is expected.

These results reflect the moods that were present at the time when the survey was taken [in late November to early December 2021]. They can change tomorrow.

Over 70% of Armenians believe that Armenia should launch a dialogue with Turkey to restore the relations while promoting the genocide recognition or Karabakh agenda. 35% believe that opening the roads with Turkey will help the economy.

Some of these findings were surprising and interesting. We'll conduct more surveys in the future. Overall, the public wants to restore regional peace while preserving territorial integrity. //

https://www.amerikayidzayn.com/a/6431959.html

Pashinyan and Japanese ambassador discussed student exchange programs and high-tech cooperation

The premier thanked ambassador Fukushima for the aid in the medical and emergency fields last year. They discussed cooperation in education, tech, and Armenia's participation in World Expo 2025 Osaka.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1075000.html

Armenia wants to reform its emergency response law

Government: The law was adopted in 1998 and needs a refresh because it doesn't meet the international standards, in particular the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030. Another reason is that the Emergency Ministry underwent structural reforms in 2018-2019. It's necessary to urgently work on disaster risks and response. //

The bill is about defining each agency's responsibilities and giving broader authorization to some entities, establishing new emergency management levels (federal, province, community), clarifying laws about liability in the event person or businesses take certain actions, etc.

https://www.e-draft.am/projects/3964/justification https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1074974.html

Vardenis clinic has been equipped with the latest lab & diagnostics equipment

Director: Locals no longer have to travel to Yerevan for many services. The appointments have increased. Donors from Japan, Armenia, etc. helped us with echo and eye diagnostics equipment. We installed a new water heater system. Ultrasound is next. //

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1075006.html

COVID stats

6.8k tested. 2.5k infected. 3.2k healed. 5 deaths.

vax stats

29% are fully vaxed. If we do not vaccinate at a higher rate we could get stuck in this Covid cycle, said ex-Minister Arsen Torosyan.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1074984.html https://www.panarmenian.net/arm/news/298326/

your daily fake news & rumor report

Red scare episode #3. Last year Serj-era deputy Justice Minister Ruben Melikyan claimed he had been "receiving many reports" about a large number of Turks visiting Yerevan as tourists. He uploaded a photo of Turkish passports, allegedly taken at a Yerevan hotel.

The reports of an abnormally large number of Turks visiting last year were proven false by a fact-checker who studied the border entry data. Here are the number of visits by Turkish nationals (no ethnicity specified):

2017: 6000

2018: 6500

2019: 7000

2020: 2000

2021: 1900

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In other news. MOD denied rumors that claimed an Azeri unit infiltrated in Gegharkunik.

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In other news. Turkish MFA denied reports about sending an official invitation to Pashinyan to join the Antalya diplomacy forum in March. "Only the President can invite head of states." He sent an invitation to Armenian MFA and special envoy Rubinyan. Over 60 delegates will participate and Turkey hopes Armenia will join the forum.

https://www.panarmenian.net/arm/news/298342/ https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/230815 https://www.civilnet.am/news/649317/թուրքիայից-հայաստան-այցելություննե-2/

ruling party rejected two proposals from the opposition during a parliament session

The first one, [as you may recall](https://www.reddit.com/r/armenia/comments/sn256t/feb72022_what_do_yogurt_gates_statue_have_in/), was the idea to sharply raise the minimum wage. The ruling party said a sharp hike from 68k to 100k will be a significant burden on business and would harm employment and exports. The opposition lowered it to 85k, instead of 100k. The ruling party rejected that as well. The ruling party's plan is to raise the minimum to 85k at a slower pace. The ruling party accused the opposition of throwing numbers around to increase their popularity without first analyzing the microeconomic impact: "You might as well suggest 200k.". The opposition believes a sharp increase is necessary amid inflation. A ruling MP believes a sharp hike in minimum wage could increase inflation and have the opposite effect. The opposition's bill was rejected.

 

The second was the [point system](https://www.reddit.com/r/armenia/comments/sjujj4/feb32022_deal_reached_for_60m_ski_resort_track/) for driving. Two years ago the ruling party adopted a law to establish a point-based system. Each driver can waste 9 points per year before the license is suspended. The goal is to discourage bad behavior and to prevent the "rich" from getting away by paying small fines.

HD MP Vardevanyan: We should remove the point system because it's unconstitutional. The driver is punished twice for the same offense when you deduct a point and issue a monetary fine.

QP MP Hayk Sargsyan: It's not unconstitutional and the driver is not being punished twice. No monetary fines are envisaged for the last traffic violation that deducts the final 9th point. The removal of [first 8] points in itself is [not a double punishment].

HD MP Gegham Manukyan: I'll present the stats. Since I'm not a driver and don't know how to drive, I guess you could say I'm impartial. There were fewer traffic fatalities before the law was enacted: 279 in 2017, 343 in 2018, 341 in 2019, 368 in 2021.

QP MP Armen Khachatryan: More people died because the number of vehicles has increased by 50% over the past 2-3 years. Besides that, the point system only works in Yerevan at the moment, at a 40% capacity, and only with the use of cameras. It hasn't been implemented broadly yet. Before this law, but not necessarily because of this law, the share of incidents involving injuries/deaths was 45-60%. Today it's only 20%. //

Here is more before and after data from Yerevan:

2019: 4.8k incidents / 6.8k injured / 341 deaths

2021: 4.6k incidents / 6.7k injured / 368 deaths

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1074992.html https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1075001.html https://factor.am/472980.html https://factor.am/473023.html https://youtu.be/4mRydAzqQn8 https://factor.am/473115.html https://factor.am/473141.html https://factor.am/473154.html

Kocharyan's trial about $4m mining bribery is delayed again (guess why)

Kocharyan and co-defendant HD MP Armen Gevorgyan (the former aide) are accused of taking millions of dollars in bribes from mining businesswoman Silva Hambardzumyan.

The trial had to be postponed again because Gevorgyan's lawyer was a no-show and didn't respond to calls. They later learned that the lawyer's car malfunctioned on its way to Yerevan. Kocharyan was also not present when the trial began, complained the prosecutor, who didn't want to comment whether it's a concerted effort to delay the trial.

https://www.taxi.yandex.com https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1075011.html https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/230783

ruling party MPs condemned Belarus leader Lukashenko over remarks about Armenia and "Union State" | ambassador summoned

Lukashenko gave an interview to a Russian TV host Vladimir Solovyov and reassured his support for Putin in the event of "Ukrainian provocations".

Lukashenko called for Ukraine to join Belarus and Russia to form a Union State (a new USSR that could use EAEU trade bloc and other tools). He believes Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan will voluntarily join due to "economic necessity".

While speaking about Armenia, Lukashenko said it has "nowhere to run" because "nobody needs it" and that only the Union State will provide what Armenia needs. The remarks received a harsh response from Armenian lawmakers during the Parliament session today:

QP MP Rustam Bakoyan: And who needs Lukashenko? His people have answered that question. [The 2020-2021 Belarus mass protests] were a clear assessment of his tenure and the condition he kept the country in.

QP MP Vagharshak Hakobyan: He made inadmissible and condemnable comments unfitting to a head of state. The leader of a partner country has no right to voice such views about its partners.

QP MP Hovik Aghazaryan: The likes of Lukashenko and Margarita Simonyan (RT outlet chief) are serving the Russian government and state interests. Before making such statements, it would be better for Lukashenko to enter and see his Minsk airport, which resembles a pig barn.

Parliament Speaker Arshakyan: Armenians and Belarusians are brotherly people and no statement can affect that friendship. We have heard statements about the "Union State" for many years. These are statements relating to their domestic political situation, their country. No such topic is being discussed here.

Foreign Ministry: The Belarusian president's unique geopolitical analyses are aimed first of all at serving domestic political agenda and have nothing to do with Armenia and its foreign policy. //

Belarus ambassador Konyuk was presumably summoned to the Foreign Ministry because his visit was later confirmed.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1074981.html https://eng.belta.by/president/view/lukashenko-on-the-future-of-union-state-ukraine-147536-2022/ http://arka.am/en/news/politics/armenian_mps_lash_out_at_lukashenko_for_anti_armenian_statement/ www.1lurer.am/en/2022/02/08/Rustam-Bakoyan-condemned-Alexander-Lukashenko-s-statement-on-Armenia/658192 https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1074998.html https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1075022.html https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1075055.html https://youtu.be/cRAr8o74oVg

Armenia condemns Azerbaijan's policy of destroying Armenian cultural and historical heritage on occupied territories

The Azeri government has been distorting history in an attempt to erase Armenian cultural heritage from the region. The Foreign Ministry condemned the formation of an Azeri commission that will coordinate this process. "Unimpeded involvement on UNESCO is becoming more urgent for the preservation of the monuments."

QP MP Sona Ghazaryan: Azerbaijan is going against the December 7 ruling by the UN World Court. We'd like to remind our EU partners that they are sending $2.3b aid to an authoritarian regime engaged in acts of vandalism against neighbors. PACE has adopted resolutions that touch upon the issue of cultural heritage in the region.

U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom: We are deeply concerned by Azerbaijan's plans to remove Armenian Apostolic inscriptions from churches. We urge the government to preserve and protect places of worship and other religious and cultural sites.

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1074987.html https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1075025.html https://twitter.com/USCIRF/status/1490783591168716802 https://eurasianet.org/azerbaijan-announces-plans-to-erase-armenian-traces-from-churches

VIDEO: Russian peacekeepers visited Dadivank monastery in Artsakh

They learned about its history dating back to the 11-12th centuries. It's named after St. Dadi who preached Christianity in eastern Armenia. He was a student of the apostle Thaddeus.

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=609237726844976

VIDEO: FC Noah will train in a newly built soccer pitch in Armavir

Hobelyanakan stadium was built in 1980 with a 10k capacity. It was the third-largest in Armenia after Hrazdan and Republic stadiums. It needed repairs.

The newly rebuilt and designed pitch opened a few months ago, with a 3.1k capacity. French club Lens and French-Armenian soccer agent Sevan Karian helped the municipality with the project.

Two other stadiums will open this year in Vanadzor and Abovyan.

https://youtu.be/h2ZqNUTWWos https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1074972.html

government bond auction was held, the demand was 2x

Official: Today the placement and buyback auctions of government bonds totaling ֏28b have taken place on the Armenian Securities Exchange.

The volume of government bonds amounted to ֏25b. The demand surpassed ֏64b. The maturity period is 5 years. The weighted average yield of the auction is 9.84%, and the annual yield of the coupon is 7%.

This testifies to the stability of the financial market, its attractiveness, and the confidence in the bonds. //

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1075046.html

update: Kanye Just Deleted His Photos of Kim & Their Kids After Claims She Accused Him of ‘Putting a Hit’ Out on Her

Read [Monday report](https://www.reddit.com/r/armenia/comments/sn256t/feb72022_what_do_yogurt_gates_statue_have_in/) if you missed the drama. Kanye West has since scrubbed his Instagram of all posts pertaining to Kim Kardashian and their children after accusing Kim of character assassination.

Another drama unfolded simultaneously. Kanye's new girlfriend Julia Fox deleted her photos with Kanye from social media, so everyone assumed they were breaking up. Fox would later "calm down" the media by saying she deleted a bunch of photos because she isn't having fun on social media amid remarks about her appearance.

https://pagesix.com/2022/02/07/kanye-west-deletes-instagram-posts-about-kim-kardashian-kids/ https://stylecaster.com/kanye-west-kim-kardashian-kids-photos/ https://people.com/movies/julia-fox-denies-kanye-west-breakup-rumors/

more

The news in русский (by Impossible-Ad-).

News archive: http://www.armeniapedia.org/wiki/Daily_Anti-Corruption_Reports Donations: soldiers' families, humanitarian aid, US tax-deductible donation.

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

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Link to original report and comments: https://www.reddit.com/r/armenia/comments/snv95t/news_recap_feb82022_forty_drivers_charged_wbuying/