State Control Service officials detained

On 5 February in mass media there was disseminated information according to which 4 officials of the State Control Service were detained. Later that evening SCS made an announcement according to which not 4 officials but 2 were detained. They are suspected of abusing their official position, but do not accept the charge.

According to the National Security Service, SCS officials illegally interfered the purchase procedures of the medical equipments for several medical centers for the win of their favorite company. Earlier one of the dialysis equipment supplying companies raised the issue of interference in the purchase procedures by the SCS officials, which served as a reason for the Ministry of Health to appeal to the SCS.

In the footsteps of the Municipality notice

The Municipality of Yerevan has notified the companies operating at 1/3 Buzand Street, to which the municipality have granted a gratis access to these territories. In the notification it was mentioned that those companies should vacate the premises within 35 days.

Among the companies that have been notified, there are also a number of media outlets, such as “Hraparak” daily, “Hayeli” club, “ARKA” and “Nyut” news Agency, “Andin” literary magazine and others. Leaders of the mentioned claim that they are required to vacate the premises within five days. David Khazhakyan- leader of the “Luys” faction of Yerevan’s Elders considers the notice illegal, as, according to him, the previous Council of Elders has decided to grant gratis access to these territories to the mentioned media outlets and the notice circumvents the decision of Elders.

The mayor’s spokesman explained that this process has started to understand according to what criteria the former municipal authorities have leased the premises to some organizations, for example, the “Hetaqnnogh lragroghner” NGO, and to some have granted a gratis access whereas they all are  at same address. In parallel with the clarification given by the municipality, a number of journalistic organizations encourage the leaders of media outlets to submit their own proposals to the municipality.

PM’s official visit to Iran

On 27 February RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on an official visit left for Iran. The Armenian delegation was welcomed at the Royal Sa’dabad Palace, after which the talks between Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Iranian President Hassan Rohani were launched. Nikol Pashinyan stated that Armenia is ready to serve as an energy corridor to deliver Iranian gas to a third country. In his turn, Rouhani expressed readiness to increase the volume of gas supplied to Armenia and noted that Iran wants to be involved in the construction of the North-South highway.

Summing up the results of the Iran-Armenia talks, the leaders of the two countries noted the importance of programs aimed at deepening the economic cooperation, especially in IT sector, and in the fields of agriculture and energy. On the same day, Prime Minister Pashinyan also met with the Supreme leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei. Within the framework of the visit, the Prime Minister also met with representatives of the Armenian community in Iran.

Rector’s resignation removed from agenda

The facts of abuses at the Yerevan State University, published by the Police last week, provided the basis for discussions over YSU Rector Aram Simonyan’s resignation this week.

However, the issue of rector’s resignation was not discussed at YSU Board of Trustees as only 12 members of the Board of Trustees voted “for”, whereas 15 members voted “against” it. After the session YSU Rector announced that he would not voluntarily resign. It means that Aram Simonyan will continue to hold office until the next elections. The last election was in 2015. The Board of Trustees was full of bizarre cases.

RA citizen sentenced to 20 years in prison in Azerbaijan

The court in Ganja (Gandzak), Azerbaijan, sentenced Karen Ghazaryan, a resident of the border village of Berdavan, Tavush province, to 20 years in prison. Last Summer Karen Ghazaryan was found on the territory of Azerbaijan in the mysterious circumstances and was captured. Karen Ghazaryan, who has health problems, was presented as a saboteur by Azerbaijan, when he hasn’t served in the RA army at all. The court made a decision based on the evidence of the owner of the Kazakh market, according to which Ghazaryan was preparing an attack in the market.

Condemning this decision of the Azerbaijani court, in its statement the RA foreign Ministry notes that Armenia will do everything to ensure that the sentence imposed in violation of humanitarian international rights is reversed and the unjustly convicted Karen Ghazaryan is released.

11 years since March 1 events

RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan addressed to citizens of Armenia and Artsakh and the Diaspora on the events of March 1 in Yerevan. Considering the events of that day as a result of the accumulated illicit, arbitrariness, electoral fraud and political killings over the years, the Prime Minister emphasized the importance of giving a political assessment to the events. Bringing apologies to the March 1 victims and the Armenian citizens subjected to political persecution, the Prime Minister assured that from now on there will be no such thing in Armenia.

Armenian President Armen Sargsyan, NA Speaker Ararat Mirzoyan, and all factions of the National Assembly paid tribute to the memory of the events of March 1,2008. In the evening, at about 6:30 pm, the citizens marched from Yerevan’s Liberty Square to a symbolic place near Myasnikyan statue to pay tribute to the memory of the victims.

 Ampop Media

Translated by Mery Gevorgyan

For Armenian original CLICK HERE

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First Published: 03/03/2019