Armenian News - NEWS.am presents a daily digest of Armenia-related top news as of 11.06.2020:
· Armenia recorded 566 COVID-19 new cases on Thursday, bringing the total number to 14,669 cases.
In total, 245 patients—an increase by 18—have died thus far. 5,466 people have recovered thus far.
According to health minister Arsen Torosyan, we have 500 patients in severe, critical conditions.
The number of patients in need of hospitalization has reached 32 people, he added.
· Armenia will receive help in the COVID-19 fight from neighboring Georgia.
Georgian PM Giorgi Gakharia noted that the health ministry has already been instructed to prepare the help that Georgia can provide to Armenia. And at first, Georgia will provide Armenia with medical personnel.
In the meantime, Alina Nikoghosyan, Armenian health ministry spokesperson told NEWS.am that the ministry has petitioned to the MFA so that the latter discuss with the country’s embassies abroad the possibility of providing additional aid to Armenia in the COVID-19 fight.
· 4 COVID-19 new cases have been confirmed in Karabakh.
Work is underway to determine the circle of contact of these infected people. At the moment, 79 citizens are isolated.
In the meantime, Artsakh president Arayik Haroutyunyan on Thursday signed a decree according to which the term of the current emergency situation that was declared in the republic.
· At Thursday’s Cabinet meeting, the government of Armenia decided to provide a loan from the state budget to extend the duration of the operation of the second power unit of the country’s nuclear plant. Thus, Armenia will turn down part of the Russian loan.
According to Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan, the Russian loan "is not very convenient in terms of amount and conditions to organize the further operation of the nuclear power plant."
· Debates on the 2019 state budget performance report were held Thursday with Armenian FM Zohrab Mnatsakanyan briefing on the results of the last year.
According to him, the US aid provided to Armenia in 2019 was increased by about 40%.
As he noted, it is also very important for Armenia to develop relations and cooperation with its two closest neighbors - Georgia and Iran.
The minister also added that in 2019, Armenia continued to develop value cooperation with the EU, as well as mutually beneficial cooperation with the EU member states, and with all countries of the European continent, in general.
According to Mnatsakanyan, an active dialogue has been established between Armenia and Iran.
Speaking about Armenia-Russia relations, the FM added that allied cooperation with Russia continued in all areas in 2019.
According to the statement, "the decision to build this highway has been taken without the consent of the competent authorities of Azerbaijan –in violation of international law."
"In addition, it could symbolically entrench the illegal occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and of its surrounding districts," the statement added.
· The head of Armenia’s Hydrometeorology and Monitoring Service Gagik Surenyan took to his Facebook to share a photo of a tornado noticed in Armenia's Gavar.
According to him, this is "a rare meteorological phenomenon in Armenia."
