NEWS.am daily digest: 01.11.21

Armenian News - NEWS.am presents the daily digest of Armenia-related top news as of 01.11.21:

ACCIDENT

Murder with a firearm took place in Yerevan Monday, shamshyan.com reported.

At around 2:10am, the police received a call from a hospital informing that a man who was already dead had been brought to this medical center.

The police found out that the deceased was Yerevan resident Khachatur Sahakyan, 41.

It turned out that at around 1:30am on the same day, an argument had taken place during which a yet unidentified person had fired at Sahakyan with a gun, as a result of which this man had died on the way to the hospital.

A criminal case has been filed on this incident.

PARLIAMENT

The debates on the 2022 draft budget of Armenia were held Monday at the joint meeting of the National Assembly standing committees.

The first meeting is discussing the budget revenues and expenditures for emergencies, Police, and the National Security Service (NSS). Their financial part was presented by Minister of Finance Tigran Khachatryan.

ERDOGAN

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke about the regional developments related to the "3 + 3" platform.

The Turkish president noted that work is underway to create a platform, with the participation of six countries in the region—Turkey, Iran, Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Russia—which will bring peace to the Caucasus, Haberler reported.

"However, Georgia has a negative attitude towards this platform. But if everyone approves of this, the region will become a ‘pool’ of peace. Well, [Azerbaijani president Ilham] Aliyev held discussions with Armenia and proposed peace. And we, as Turkey, will present relations with Armenia very clearly and openly. Of course, another course of relations between Georgia and Russia will make our job easier," Erdogan said.

KARABAKH

Specialists from the humanitarian response center of the Russian peacekeeping contingent in Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) provided targeted humanitarian aid to internally displaced persons (IDPs) and large families in the capital Stepanakert.

A charity organization provided this assistance.

Residents are provided also with basic necessities: shoes and clothes, washing powder, food heaters, kitchen appliances, food, bedding, personal hygiene items, and toys.

Since November 2020, more than 6,700 IDPs in Nagorno-Karabakh have received humanitarian and medical assistance from peacekeepers.

COVID-19

As of Monday morning, 1,071 new cases of the coronavirus were confirmed in Armenia, and the total number of these cases has reached 309,397 in the country.

Also, 51 more deaths from COVID-19 were registered, making the respective total 6,379 cases.

Meanwhile, new anti-Covid regulations came into force in Armenia.

According to the amendment that has been made to an order by the minister of health—and in order to reduce the risk of spreading the coronavirus—wearing face masks also in open public areas has become mandatory in Armenia as of Monday.

But there are certain exceptions to this rule.

In addition, if those employees who have been vaccinated with the first dose of a coronavirus vaccine violate the vaccination period between the first and second doses, they must submit a negative PCR test result to their employers.

GYUMRI

The newly elected Council of Elders of Gyumri, Armenia, on Monday elected—with 24 votes in favor and 8 against—Vardges Samsonyan, who was nominated by the Balasanyan Bloc, as mayor of the city.

The former ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), the Zartonk (Awakening) National Christian Party, and the Country to Live party voted against his candidacy, whereas solely the ruling Civil Contract Party (CCP) and the "Balasanyan Bloc" voted for him.

As a result of the local elections on October 17, the Gyumri city government was formed by the Balasanyan Bloc, the CCP, the RPA, the Zartonk, and the Country to Live parties.