Armenian News... A Topalian 9 editorials

News.am, Armenia
Sept 10 2019
6-7 point earthquake recorded in Armenia's Bavra village, felt in Yerevan and provinces 

Today, at 20:22 local time (16:22 Greenwich time), the Seismological Network of the Seismic Protection Territorial Service of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Armenia recorded an earthquake with a 4.8 magnitude, 10 km depth of the hearth, with 41.080 northern latitude and 43.940 eastern longitude (Armenia-Georgia border zone — 13 km northeast from Bavra village), as reported the news service of the Ministry of Emergency Situations.

The underground magnitude was 6-7 points in the epicenter.

According to preliminary data, the earthquake was felt in the Shirak, Lori, Tavush, Aragatsotn and Armavir Provinces of Armenia and the city of Yerevan.



AsiaTimes, HongKong
Sept 10 2019
Middle East’s Armenians in retreat
By NEIL HAUER

The Middle East’s history has been one of ethnic and cultural diversity. As the birthplace of civilization in the Fertile Crescent, and then of the three Abrahamic religions, it has naturally seen the ebb and flow of a vast number of distinct peoples and communities. Yet these days, that legacy’s continued status appears more in jeopardy than ever. With decades of war, instability and religious extremism worsening conditions, another of the region’s ancient communities is increasingly flowing outwards: the Armenians.

Armenians have been long present in the Levant and elsewhere in the region. With a rich history of mercantilism, small-scale migrations from their mountainous homeland in eastern Anatolia established the first communities in the region long ago. Most contemporary Middle Eastern Armenians, however, came to the region as a result of the 1915 Armenian genocide that saw Ottoman troops disperse them from their territories into the rest of the empire and beyond.
The communities established a century ago have since been whittled down, by a process that has drastically accelerated in the past 10 years and then even more so in the last 12 months. The long-term survival of Armenians as a distinct community across the region now is more in question than at any time before.

Of the three largest communities, the most severely reduced is that in Syria. Home to perhaps 80,000 Armenians before the war, the Syrian Armenians had the distinct misfortune of being concentrated in Aleppo, which suffered massively as the center of a four-year struggle between government and opposition forces. Even more shocking was the 2014 sacking of Kesab, an exclusively Armenian village in the country’s northwest, that transfixed Armenians across the world as anti-government jihadists ransacked the town. Their homes destroyed, more than 20,000 Syrian Armenians repatriated to Armenia with the help of that country’s government, while more went elsewhere. Some accounts place the number of Armenians remaining in Syria to be as low as 15,000.

Iran and Lebanon, the other two centers, have each shed many of their own Armenians in the past few years. Lebanon’s Armenian population, once perhaps a quarter of a million strong, saw its share of emigration during the 1975-1990 civil war there. More have left recently for more mundane reasons: economic stagnation and unemployment. This same factor has also played a key role in outflows from Iran, whose Armenian population dates back to a 17th-century resettlement program by the then-shah.

The ‘Velvet Revolution,’ as commentators have dubbed the peaceful uprising that toppled the Republic of Armenia’s authoritarian government last spring, has delivered an air of hope to the country

While these two countries have seen severe economic difficulties, the homeland has become much more attractive. The “Velvet Revolution,” as commentators have dubbed the peaceful uprising that toppled the Republic of Armenia’s authoritarian government last spring, has delivered an air of hope to the country. While it was once viewed in dour terms by the diaspora, this perception has been turned on its head, with immigration numbers (most of which are of ethnic Armenians) reaching their highest point in more than a decade.

Exact statistics are hard to come by, but repatriation organizations active in the republic note that the largest increase has been from Lebanon and Iran. Should successful economic and political reforms follow, further Armenian migration from these two countries would almost certainly ensue.
Another region-wide trend has played a major role: Christian persecution. Across the Middle East, Christian communities have suffered killings and other attacks with increasing regularity. Perhaps the two most severely affected have been Iraq, where anti-Christian violence since 2003 peaked with the rise of ISIS, and Egypt, whose Coptic Christians have suffered immensely. Both countries also play host to Armenian communities, the vast majority of whom, however, have since fled. Even in Israel, home to a few thousand Armenians, notably in Jerusalem’s 2,000-year old Armenian quarter, discrimination against the community has occurred on a sustained, if much less violent, level.

The trend has played out on a massive scale: whereas Christians were estimated to form more than 13% of the Middle East’s population in 1910, that number is expected to fall to barely 3% by 2025. A seismic shift in the region’s demographics is occurring, one in which the Armenians are caught up.

Unlike Arab Christians, however, Armenians do have a homeland state, one where the population shares their language, faith and customs. The mere existence of the Republic of Armenia is thus a major blessing for many Middle Eastern Armenians.
But there are still many challenges. Armenia is a developing country, with an average monthly wage of only US$300. Unlike locals, who mostly live in houses and apartments long owned by their families, repatriates must spend half their salary or more on rent alone. Two centuries of Russian and then Soviet domination have naturally affected local culture and mindsets as well, creating difficult-to-bridge cultural and linguistic gaps. Still, they are lucky to have this refuge.
The Armenian retreat stretches from Alexandria to Aleppo to Esfahan, and shows few signs of stopping. Most of the smaller communities, like those in Iraq, are already nearly gone. Those in Iran and Lebanon are likely to survive, albeit in truncated form, and possibly even thrive: Forming their own enclaves in each country, they are large enough to be self-sustaining, and also enjoy special privileges afforded to them under the respective national governments. The United Arab Emirates has also remained a rare hub, its financial opportunities and stability encouraging a still-vibrant Armenian presence.

The second half of the 20th century saw the vanishing of the Middle East’s Jews from the lands where they had lived for centuries; the first half of the 21st is witnessing the phenomenon repeated among Christians. For the Armenians, driven there by force a century ago, their fate now, again, seems to lie elsewhere.

This article was provided to Asia Times by Syndication Bureau, which holds copyright.



JAM News
Sept 10 2019
Armenian PM says Amulsar gold mine exploitation will proceed – regardless of environmental concerns

Pashinyan said that he has taken into consideration the opinions of protesters against the exploitation of the mine and economists who are worried about the country's international image

There are currently no legal grounds for a ban on the exploitation of the Amulsar gold mine,  Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has stated during a live broadcast on his Facebook page.
Back in mid-August, the Investigative Committee of Armenia published the results of a comprehensive, which claimed examination that the development of the field does not harm the environment.

The Prime Minister then spoke for more than an hour in a live feed, assuring the public that the Amulsar mine would be exploited in accordance with environmental standards unprecedented for Armenia.

But environmentalists and residents of nearby settlements demanded exploitation of the mine be abandoned.

The fact is that approximately 100 tonnes of sodium cyanide per year will be used for gold mining operations in the area.

Opponents of the development of the mine believe that the case has a clear political context – they suggest that the government is turning a blind eye to environmental issues in order to avoid litigation with the company that obtained the rights to develop the field under the former government.

On September 9, Prime Minister Pashinyan again called for calm concerning the issue. He asked residents of the region of Jermuk to unblock the roads leading to Amulsar.
He explained his position as follows: the Lydian company, which received a license to operate the mine, will resume construction work no earlier than April 2020, therefore, there is no need to obstruct passage to the mine at the moment.

And the exploitation of the field itself can begin only at the end of 2020 or the beginning of 2021.
Meanwhile, having granted a license for the development of the Lydian mine, the country has undertaken obligations, and now cannot fail to fulfill them without damaging its reputation.
Nikol Pashinyan said that he has taken into account the opinion of concerned residents of the country, but has also considered the opinion of economists who argue the need to maintain a positive image of the country in international economic organizations.

In addition, the Prime Minister has assured the public they have no reason to protest, since his government does not accept any corruption deals and is concerned about the future of his country and its inhabitants.

What else did the prime minister say?
The main issue is that the government can not prohibit the development of the Amulsar mine.
“But at the same time, we can’t not take into account the anxiety of the public,” Pashinyan noted.
PM Pashinyan said the Armenian government is obliged to systematically monitor all work in the Amulsar mine.

To this end, the Armenian Ministry of the Environment is going to acquire appropriate equipment by May 2020, which will make it possible to detect violations during the operation of the mine.
And since the Lydian company will not continue to work on the territory of the mine until that time, there is no need to rush the government.

Nikol Pashinyan spoke of some details of the last meeting with representatives of Lydian Armenia which took place on September 6.

According to Pashinyan, the company has committed itself to operating the mine in a safe manner.
“This means that not a single liter of polluted water will enter the rivers, the air will not be polluted, the groundwater will not be polluted, and there will be no problems with biodiversity. Representatives of the company strongly assure that there will be no negative changes in the environment.”

And most importantly: if any violations are detected, the mine will be closed for 90 days.

What Pashinyan presented 
The Armenian Prime Minister voiced a number of proposals of how to solve the current situation.
To begin with, he asked the locals of Jermuk to unblock the roads leading to Amulsar.  They blocked them after the revolution of 2018, hoping that the new government would support them and prohibit the development of the field.

 “I officially ask the residents of Jermuk to open roads to the mine. I repeat. I’m asking you to open the roads,”, the phrase more than once appeared in the prime minister’s direct appeal.
Then Pashinyan said that the inspection body was instructed to start checks at Amulsar on a number of issues that were voiced at a recent video conference with ELARD – the consultations company  which conducted a comprehensive safety review of the mine’s exploitation:
“A new investigation team has been formed, which will not only double-check the facts, but will also investigate new ones.”

How environmentalists reacted
Pashinyan’s arguments again did not seem convincing to environmentalists and activists of the SaveAmulsar movement.

Ecologist Shirak Buniatyan has already answered Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan about the possible operation of the Amulsar mine.

On his Facebook page, he wrote that the road to Amulsar will open only in two cases:
either government will abide by the unshakable decision of the Armenian people, adopted a year ago [ed. A speech given by Pashinyan that the mine will not be exploited];
or the authorities will use the methods of their predecessors [ed. Implying the use of force].
“But if they resort to this vicious practice of the former, then they will kill the popularity of the revolution.  Amulsar is our homeland and that’s it”, wrote Buniatyan.

Reactions of government officials 
Among the first, one of the richest people in Armenia, the head of the Prosperous Armenia party Gagik Tsarukyan, reacted to Pashinyan’s statements.

According to him, the fate of the Amulsar field should be decided by the people.  Moreover, he said he himself is ready to go out to a protest against the operation of the mine and join the people:
“You need to hear the people.  If there is consent, open the mine.  If this consent does not exist, let it not be worked out.  The people live there and will continue living there.  How can one ignore their opinion?”

The MP from the ruling parliamentary faction My Step, the head of the commission on economic issues, Babken Tunyan, agrees that there are currently no legal grounds to ban the operation of the Amulsar mine:
“At the moment, this decision has been made: there is no need to impede construction work on the mine.  I adhered to this point of view from the very beginning … If during the year additional reasons appear that will allow us to stop the development of the mine, then certain measures will be taken.”

Social media reaction 
The topic of the exploitation of the Amulsar mine has become one of the most discussed in the Armenian Facebook segment for quite some time.

Social media users are divided into two camps: some are categorically against the resumption of Amulsar’s development, while others completely trust Pashinyan’s opinion and are of the opinion “he knows better”.

Here are some of the comments:
 “We trust our prime minister!”
 “Mr. Prime Minister, you are the leader of our country, and we, your people, unconditionally trust you!”
 “We will protest and go to the end! Even at the cost of our lives! ”
 “Stop your manipulations!  The tourism sector can bring us much more money than the 10% of Lydian!”
 “The larger half of the population is against it!”
 “Is this how we are entering the second stage of the revolution?”

On the Amulsar gold mine
Amulsar mine is the second largest gold deposit in Armenia, and contains about 31 tonnes of ore and 40 tonnes of pure gold.

Lydian Armenia discovered the gold mine back in 2005.

Up until 2012, the company was looking for investors and was developing a mine development programme.

The same year Lydian Armenia and the Armenian government signed an agreement to develop and exploit the mine, and the company received the right to proceed with the project.
Protests against the development of the mine began in 2011.

They were attended by residents of surrounding settlements and environmentalists, who said that gold mining in the area could have a negative impact on the environment of the city of Jermuk, Lake Sevan and local rivers.

The initiative group ‘Jermuk will not become a mine’ was created at the time.
In 2012, the collection of signatures against the development of the mine began.
Activists repeatedly blocked the attempts of the mining company to approach the mine with heavy equipment. In 2018, they were able to have work at the mine suspended.

The Investigative Committee of Armenia then opened a case looking into environmental damage, for which an international assessment carried out by Elard was commissioned.
Several days ago after the release of Elard’s report, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that mining would continue, given the report’s findings.

 “If it is true that operating the mine is safe for Sevan and the Jermuk water system, then the project will be implemented. However, if there is a threat, I, as the Prime Minister, will not be able to permit its operation regardless of anything.”

As a result, the examination concluded that the development of the mine does not contain “uncontrolled risks”.  That is, the government had the go ahead to allow gold mining at Amulsar to resume

Why is the Amulsar mine so important?
The Lydian company received the right to exploit the Amulsar mine after signing one of the largest investment packages in the history of independent Armenia.

The structure announced a figure of 325 million dollars, and said 1,300 people would be involved in construction work, and that 770 jobs would be available during the operation stage.
The development of the mine, according to the company’s estimates, should provide an annual growth rate of 1.4% or $185 million for Armenia’s GDP.

Export figures, according to preliminary estimates, could reach up to $286 million per year.


RFE/RL Report
Kim Kardashian To Attend Global IT Forum In Armenia
September 10, 2019
Marine Khachatrian

Kim Kardashian, the world-famous U.S. reality TV star of Armenian descent, will 
participate in the upcoming World Congress on Information Technology (WCIT) in 
Yerevan, organizers of the global forum announced on Tuesday.

The forum scheduled for October 6-9 will bring together 2,500 tech 
professionals from more than 70 countries. It will be held under the aegis of 
World Information Technology and Services Alliance, a worldwide consortium of 
national IT associations.

The WCIT organizing committee in Armenia said Kardashian will be a “special 
keynote speaker” and panelist at the forum. She will talk about “how 
decentralized technologies have democratized the worlds of entertainment, 
media, and journalism.”

“Kim Kardashian West is one of the most followed people on social media with 
nearly 240 million followers. She is one of the most influential voices in the 
world today,” the statement quoted the committee chairman, Alexander Yesayan, 
as saying.

Yesayan also described her as “an extraordinarily savvy and successful 
businesswoman” who has “something important and interesting to say about the 
world of social media entrepreneurship.” “In our opinion, a serious 
conversation about this subject matter is not possible without her 
participation,” he declared.

It will be Kardashian’s second trip to Armenia. The 38-year-old first visited 
her ancestral homeland in April 2015 together with her husband, American rapper 
Kanye West, and sister Khloe. She filmed several episodes of the reality series 
“Keeping Up With The Kardashians” in Yerevan and other parts of the country.

Armenia hopes to use the upcoming WCIT conference to showcase its burgeoning IT 
industry that employs some 15,000 engineers and generates more than 6 percent 
of the country’s Gross Domestic Product. The sector is dominated by local 
subsidiaries of U.S. tech giants like Synopsys, Mentor Graphics and National 
Instruments and a growing number of homegrown software firms.

“From all over the world IT specialists, startup owners and investors 
interested in the IT sector are already showing a strong interest in Armenia’s 
potential,” Armine Udumian, a spokeswoman for the WCIT organizing committee, 
told RFE/RL’s Armenian service. “We can already say that it’s a fact.”

“We will be hosting very important figures at the conference,” Udumian said, 
adding that they will raise Armenia’s international profile.


News.am, Armenia
Sept 9 2019
Armenia Wine’s gold victory at Grand International Wine Award MUNDUS VINI                

Tariri is told to be the queen of wines, and the best of Armenian wines. This was announced during the Grand International Wine Award MUNDUS VINI – a wine competition which was founded 18 years ago.

One hundred seventy international wine experts from 45 countries have been tasting, evaluating and choosing world’s best wines at Grand International Wine Award MUNDUS VINI for several weeks, and Armenia Wine was named one of the gold medalists.

Tariri Dry White 2017 won the Best of Show gold medal. It was the first time when white Armenian wine received such a high and prestigious award.

However, this was not the last medal of Armenia Wine at this prestigious Wine Award MUNDUS VINI Summer Tasting 2019. Takar Extra Brut Rose and Takar Red won silver medals.

“The peculiarity of Armenian wine is that you feel what you cannot express in words,” an international jury member from France said quoting Charles Aznavour. He praised Tariri and expressing his willingness to visit Armenia Wine winery.

“Dreams come true at Armenia Wine ... We have awards from various international competitions, but this is the first time when Armenian white wine receives such a high assessment. We are very proud of this, as there was heated cooperation, and wines from all over the world were presented,” said Jean-Baptiste Soula, chief consultant to Armenia Wine company from Bordeaux, France.
The guests were interested in the secret of Tariri, and what is written on wine label.

Chief winemaker Grigor Aleksanyan says said super-premium class Tariri wine looks like a real journey to the origins of Armenian winemaking.

“The ancient Urartian cuneiform tell about the luxurious gardens of King Menua's daughter, Tariri. There was a tradition in the Kingdom of Urartu that grape orchards were given to princesses and future queens as a gift. Those who flourish the gardens would also be able to care about their family and the whole kingdom,” Aleksanyan said.

Jean Baptiste Sula hastens to add that this wine is truly unique and is made with a unique combination of grape varieties: France’s Chenin, Aligoté and Armenia’s Kangun grapes were aged in French oak barrels.

“This victory not only brings great honor to our company but also to our homeland, which has a centuries-old history of winemaking and returned the title of ‘wine cradle’”, Aleksanyan concluded.


News.am, Armenia
Sept 9 2019
History Museum of Armenia celebrates its 100th anniversary 

The History Museum of Armenia celebrates Monday its 100th anniversary.
On the occasion of the centenary anniversary, a conference was held at the Matenadaran Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts Research.

The opening ceremony was attended by representatives of prestigious museums abroad.
On behalf of Minister Arayik Harutyunyan, Secretary General of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Armenia Nairi Harutyunyan welcomed the participants of the conference, noting that the History Museum of Armenia is one of the important structures representing the most important facts and events of our country's past and events.

Representatives of Armenian State Hermitage, French Louvre, US Metropolitan Museum of Art, Russian History Museum, Arles Museum of French History, The State Russian Museum and Exhibition Centre ROSPHOTO, as well as Armenian historians and Armenian experts were present at the conference dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Museum of Armenian History.

The conference was chaired by the Director of the History Museum of Armenia Grigor Grigoryan.


ARKA, Armenia
Sept 9 2019
Investments in Armenia's greenhouses bear fruit

Growing strawberries and raspberries might seem like an endeavor that’s far removed from the realm of politics. But in Armenia, one of the first countries to privatize land after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the fledgling market economy has offered greenhouse growers new opportunities to compete.  

Increased demand for Armenia’s greenhouse products—not just berries, but vegetables and flowers as well—has presented farmers with fresh possibilities for export, Ameriabank and the International Financial Corporation (IFC) said in a joint press release today.

'To meet export conditions—especially in brand-new markets throughout the Middle East and Europe, in addition to Russia—Armenia’s greenhouse sector needed to modernize. For example, its compliance with food safety requirements didn’t meet other nations’ regulations; there was no standard packaging; and classification and sorting of products by size, color, ripeness, firmness, or softness couldn’t be ensured. Limited labor market skills, poor infrastructure, and legal and regulatory obstacles also blocked Armenian agribusinesses from linking into global supply chains. 

The World Bank Group began working with Armenia’s government in 2016 through its Armenia Investment Policy and Promotion/Agri Project, implemented by IFC, to prepare the ground for the greenhouse sector’s expansion.  The project, implemented by IFC, has been supported by the Facility for Investment Climate Advisory Services (FIAS), funded by Austria’s Ministry of Finance.

IFC’s work in Armenia supports companies aiming to expand their exports or increase their share in international markets, and our advisory work has helped diversify Armenia’s agri-food exports. It includes guidance on diversifying the country’s agri-food exports.

Since this project began, more Armenian companies now export berries to the European Union, and last year two companies entered markets other than the Eurasian Economic Union and European Union. Another three medium-sized companies are now exporting flowers, and the overall export volume of flowers has increased by more than 1.5 times from around 755 tons in 2016 to almost 1300 tons in 2018. We have also helped the greenhouse sector build capacity by devising training for its local labor force—a process that prepares the next generation of agri specialists to offer their home-grown harvests to even more consumers. 

An Appetite for Growth
The greenhouse industry—especially vegetable and flower greenhouses—has long been a significant contributor to Armenia’s agriculture sector.  Industrial agricultural projects drive the progress of the country’s food processing and beverages sector, connecting them to larger agribusiness supply chains. According to the World Bank data, during the past seven years, the agribusiness sector contributed on average 16.6 percent of GDP and its workers comprise 34.8 percent of Armenia’s total employment.

Despite the promise of the greenhouse sector, however, exports were lagging. IFC’s advisory support began with a review of the export potential of Armenia’s greenhouse sector, and we then mapped the export supply chain of greenhouse production and devised the appropriate interventions. IFC helped facilitate discussions with supply chain participants, including public and private stakeholders. 

As IFC made targeted recommendations, we also assessed the potential for foreign direct investment in agriculture and agribusiness and strategized to capitalize on opportunities in the area.  The assessment found that only greenhouse products and flowers are attractive for FDI and have a chance to be exported to the European Union. Plans to expand the export market followed.  

The need for qualified labor within Armenia led IFC to support the development of the Greenhouse Crop Production and Management course in 2017. After a research on skills gaps and study of programs of the leading universities across the world, IFC then helped establish an eight-month study program with the International Center for Agribusiness Research and Education (ICARE). 

Now, 50 students each year receive instruction on modern greenhouse structures, advanced technologies used in greenhouses, resources and materials applied in production, greenhouse microclimate control systems, plant physiology, and plant protection. 

Yielding Local Benefits
IFC’s support to the greenhouse sector yielded another sort of harvest.  Our Global Trade Finance Program engaged with Ameriabank, a long-term IFC client in Armenia, to provide a unique medium-term trade finance solution to Greenfood, a local greenhouse company. This helped the company extend the terms of financing of energy efficient greenhouse equipment, and facilitate importing of that equipment. These efforts will triple Greenfood’s current greenhouse capacity and allow the company to diversify production 

While the company is looking at possibilities to export its products to European Union markets, it has also participated in an IFC-led dialogue on exporting agriproducts.

Greenfood’s growth strengthens the economy of the Shirak region, a rural area where the company employs a workforce comprised of nearly 85 percent women.  The number of jobs is expected to increase by 20 percent. 

Greenfood anticipates that the next phase of its growth will also benefit the environment. Its new, modern agro-tech equipment reduces carbon monoxide emission and builds capacity for new agro-production.  Together, these enhancements will “greatly improve the quality of our production,” says Andranik Ignatosyan, Greenfood LLC director. “As a result, our products will be more competitive and will secure higher profitability.” For more information: https://www.ifc.org/wps/wcm/connect/news_ext_content/ifc_external_corporate_site/news+and+events/new... 

Ameriabank is a dynamically developing bank in Armenia, one of the largest and most stable financial institutions in the country. Today, Ameriabank is a universal bank providing the full package of corporate, investment and retail banking services, and is the leading bank in Armenia in terms of all major indicators (assets, liabilities, loan portfolio, net profit and capital). The bank has repeatedly won international financial awards of Euromoney, Global Finance and The Banker. -


Armenpress.am
9 September, 2019
Inflation maintained at low, manageable level – Armenian PM

The average inflation in Armenia comprised 1.9% in January-July 2019, and the 12-month inflation in July was 1.7%, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Facebook.
“Currently inflation in Armenia is maintained at a low, manageable level, and the important is that it is less fluctuating. In January-July 2019 the average inflation was 1.9%, but the 12-month inflation in July was 1.7%. All this is ensured by the constant increase of trust towards the national currency in the recent period, which is also reflected in the declining inflationary expectations of households”, the PM said.

According to the polls conducted by the Central Bank of Armenia, currently almost all of the respondents (more than 95% based on the data of the third quarter of 2019) expect that the price stability will be maintained also in the future (in 1-5-year horizon), which is very important for the macroeconomic stability.

The PM said this means that households and organizations can better plan their economic activity, ongoing savings and investments.

“The increase of trust towards the national currency has also been reflected in the constant cut of dollarization level which has declined in the past one year (by nearly 4 percentage points), reaching 48.6% in July. This means that most of the Armenian citizens, 51.4%, prefer to keep their money in banks in drams, which is also very important, because it reduces the currency risks of economic entities and contributes to the additional improvement of the stability of financial system. By the way, I also did the same. I recently sold my Hyundai and keep the money in bank in drams”, he said.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan



Armenpress.am
9 September, 2019
Criminal investigation underway over September 5 prison riots

The Investigative Committee has launched an investigation to determine the circumstances of the September 5 prison riots at the Nubarashen and Hrazdan correctional facilities.

The Investigative Committee’s preliminary version of events is that two inmates at Nubarashen organized the riots at 15:30, September 5 by “ordering” other inmates in charge of food distribution to cease working and called on the prison population to carry out mass disorders.

Inmates began destroying property and even threw burning items through the cell windows, which resulted in a fire outside the prison. Moreover, during the events certain people gathered outside the prison, with over 30 vehicles amassing.

Police intervened and prevented further accumulations, the Investigative Committee said in a news release without elaborating.

Law enforcement agencies brought the situation back under control at 21:00 in all prisons.
A task force has been set up to investigate the riots.

In Nubarashen prison a total of 115 inmates (both convicted criminals and suspects remanded in custody) participated in the prison riot.

In Hrazdan prison the rioting inmates even broke a cell door and resisted officers.
No injuries were reported during the events.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan