Reforms in Army
Working week started with the events devoted to the 27th anniversary of the Army Day of Armenia. On the occasion of the holiday high-ranking officials from Armenia and Artsakh visited Yerablur, and the journalists visited the central food bases of the Armed Forces. Representatives of the RA Armed Forces informed the journalists that in 2019 there will be additional healthy food to increase the immune system of the soldiers. It is planned to provide natural honey, lard as well as increase the portion of garlic. Among the improvements in the army are the new clothes and footwear, which, according to industry officials, in terms of quality, are better than the previous ones.
The number of crimes increased
The total number of crimes registered in Armenia in 2018 increased by 11.2% or 2267 cases compared to the previous year. The Police report that the growth is conditioned mainly by an increase in the number of crimes against property and corruption. Traffic accidents, as well as the number of casualties have also increased compared to 2017. According to the police colonel, after the amnesty, re-offenses were also disclosed. 30 out of 581 released citizens again have committed crimes.
Oath of the Government members
The inauguration ceremony of the newly appointed ministers took place at the President’s Residence in the presence of the RA President Armen Sarkissian. First Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, then two vice prime ministers and 11 ministers (Minister of Health Arsen Torosyan was missing) swore to fulfill their commitments to the people faithfully, to keep the Constitution and laws of the Republic of Armenia, to promote the sovereignty and interests of the Republic of Armenia, to remain loyal to the honour of high ranking member of the Government. This was not the full staff of the Government, as five of the 17 ministries were not yet appointed. They are Ministries of Culture, Sport and Youth, Diaspora, Agriculture, Energy Infrastructure and Natural Resources. It is possible that these ministries will be included in the government’s structural change program soon.
The Municipal premium list available
The noise raised over non publishing of the municipal officials’ bonuses gave its results. This week the City Hall of Yerevan announced the list of the prizes, according to which 402 municipal officials received 102.9 million AMD in general for the 13th salary and 111.9 million AMD bonus. Five heads of departments also received 7-digit bonuses within the range of 1.4-2.2 million drams.
PM’s German visit
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan departed an official visit to Germany this week. On the first day of the visit, after the meeting with the mayor of Cologne and technical university management the prime minister met with members of the German-South Caucasus Parliamentary Friendship Group of the FRG Bundestag, as well as with representatives of the Armenian community. At the meeting with the latter, the Prime Minister touched upon the structural changes of the Ministry of Diaspora, nothing that Armena will have noting that Armenia will have an ambassador for special missions on Diaspora. Regarding the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Pashinyan noted that Azerbaijan should first answer the question of compromises, after which the new Armenia will express its position. On the same day, Pashinyan arrived in Berlin from Cologne, where he met with German top officials, particularly Chancellor Angela Merkel, President Frank Wolfer Steinmeier, Bundestag President Wolfgang Schoeble.
Shirak TV was dissolved
The public television and radio company Shirak, operating since 1993, was dissolved. The relevant decision was taken at a government sitting on January 31. The reasoning of the decision states that analogue broadcasting has been disconnected in Armenia since 2016 and the transition to digital broadcasting has been completely eliminated and the analogue broadcasting company “Shirak” is not able to provide a wide audience. To carry out digital broadcasting, according to justification, the relevant legislative regulation and significant financial investments will be needed, which is unrealistic at the moment.
This decision of the Government has caused discontent among the employees of the company, as about 55 employees have faced the fact of becoming unemployed. It is not clear yet how the property for 94 million drams will be alienated from the television and radio company, but it has been decided that the liquidation commission will be created within 15 days.
The decision to dissolve the television company caused dissatisfaction of journalistic organizations as well. The latter call: “Review the dissolution decision and elaborate a radical reform program in the light of international experience and recommendations from specialized journalistic organizations.”
Ampop media
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First Published: 02/02/2019
