Tag Archives: Armenia

Armenia to debate status of Nagorno-Karabakh

May 5 2016 (The Conway Bulletin) – Armenia’s government sent a bill proposing the recognition of Nagorno-Karabakh as an independent country to parliament, teeing up another flashpoint with Azerbaijan over the disputed region.

This is the first time that the parliament will formally debate the status of Nagorno-Karabakh even though it has been run by Armenia- backed forces since a UN-brokered ceasefire was imposed in 1994.

Last month the worst fighting in two decades broke out around Nagorno-Karabakh, killing several dozen people and alarming the international community.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 279, published on May 6 2016)

Tourism grows in Armenia

APRIL 30 2016 (The Conway Bulletin) – The National Statistical Service of Armenia said 252,506 tourists arrived in Armenia during the first quarter of 2016. This figure is an 8.6% increase compared to the first quarter of 2015. This may reflect Armenia’s increased attractiveness to Russian tourists, who have been banned from visiting Turkey because of a row between the two neighbours.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 279, published on May 6 2016)

Editorial: Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh

MAY 6 2016 (The Conway Bulletin) – Armenia’s parliament has started to debate whether to recognise Nagorno-Karabakh as an independent state. This is an unnecessary and inflammatory move at a tense time for the disputed region.

Last month the worst fighting in two decades broke out around Nagorno-Karabakh between Armenia-backed separatists and Azerbaijani forces.

Now Armenia, apparently keen to make a point, appears to be goading Azerbaijan by threatening to recognise the region as independent. It may have been controlled by Armenia-backed rebels since a ceasefire was agreed in 1994 but, officially at least, Nagorno-Karabakh is part of Azerbaijan.

If parliament goes all the way and recognises the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh, it will set Armenia apart in the international community. Armenia has sympathisers but few will back it.

It’ll also put its neighbour, Georgia, in a particularly difficult position. Georgia has to contend with two self-declared independent states on its territory — South Ossetia and Abkhazia. By discussing formalising Nagorno- Karabakh as an independent state, Armenia is stirring things up.

ENDS

(Editorial from Issue No. 279, published on May 6 2016)

Armenia adopts electoral reform

APRIL 29 2016 (The Conway Bulletin) – The Armenian parliament adopted a new electoral code, after weeks of debate in parliament (April 29). The new code, which will be used for the next parliamentary elections in 2017, is a mixed proportional-majoritarian system. Critics said the amendments failed to make the code robust and fraud-proof.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 279, published on May 6 2016)

Armenian debt grows

APRIL 29 2016 (The Conway Bulletin) – According to Armenia’s Statistics Committee, foreign debt increased by 1.5% at the end of March, reaching $4.4b. Total debt also grew by 1.5% to $5.2b. The Committee said debt/GDP ratio will measure 49.4% by the end of the year. Debt/GDP ratio is a common measure to assess the health of a country’s economy.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 279, published on May 6 2016)

Armenia gold reserve go up

APRIL 29 2016 (The Conway Bulletin) – Russian gold miner Polymetal said that its Lichkvaz project in Armenia holds 18.1 tonnes of gold, up 17% from a previous assessment. Last November, Polymetal bought the 75% stake it didn’t own in Lichkvaz for $9.7m, gaining full ownership in the project. Outside Russia, Polymetal operates in Armenia and Kazakhstan.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 279, published on May 6 2016)

WB approves loan for Armenian power companies

APRIL 29 2016 (The Conway Bulletin) – The World Bank approved a $30m loan to aid Armenia’s troubled power sector. The aim of the project is to give credit to state- owned power generation companies which have been losing money and rung up millions of dollars in debt. The Armenian Nuclear Power Plant (ANPP) has accumulated a deficit of $104m. Power generation, and how to pay for electricity, are sensitive subjects in the region.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 279, published on May 6 2016)

Gazprom Armenia applies discount

APRIL 27 2016 (The Conway Bulletin) – Gazprom Armenia, the Russian owned gas distributor, said it will apply to the country’s regulator to lower consumer prices by 6%. The discount will be limited to households that consume 10,000 cubic metres of gas a year, the company said. Earlier this month, Gazprom said it would give the Armenian government a 9% discount on the gas it supplies.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 278, published on April 29 2016)

3 Armenian and Azerbaijani soldiers die around N-K

APRIL 28 2016 (The Conway Bulletin) – At least three soldiers and one civilian have died in gunfights over the past week between Azerbaijani and Armenian fighters in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh, media reported. Earlier this month, the worst fighting for over decade killed several dozen people and tipped the two neighbours towards all-out war.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 278, published on April 29 2016)

Armenia’ parliament rejects cement plant debt

APRIL 26 2016 (The Conway Bulletin) – Armenia’s parliament rejected a bill to write-off part of the Hradzan cement plant’s debt, casting doubts on the company’s survival. The bill was designed to pardon 510m dram ($1.1) in overdue taxes. Last year VTB Bank Armenia took control of the plant. The plant’s total debt is estimated at 935m drams ($1.9m).

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 278, published on April 29 2016)