Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtatdze has arrived on an official visit to Armenia. He met with Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan and made a statement for press.

During a meeting with media, Pashinyan said Armenia and Georgia plan to increase trade turnover volume to $1 billion. “The relations between Armenia and Georgia are brilliant. The task is to bring the economic component in line with the level of political relations and relations between the two nations,” Pashinyan said.

Bakhtadze said that issues related to transport, economy and culture were discussed during the meeting.

The official campaign season for the forthcoming snap election of the capital city Yerevan Council of Elders has begun on Monday, and it will conclude on September 21.

Eight political parties and four blocs will run in the ballot vote. Former ruling Republican Party of Armenia, however, is not vying for Yerevan municipal council seats.

September 22 is election silence day, while the voting will be held on September 23.

Border guards of the Russian Federal Security Service Border Guard Department in Armenia detained an Iranian citizen who was trying to cross Armenia-Iran border with a fake passport.

When being questioned, the Iranian national said he took the passport of his friend by mistake. He was handed over to Armenian law enforcement agencies.

Hayk Sargsyan, the nephew of Armenia’s third President Serzh Sargsyan, was released on a 50mn-dram (approx. US$307,840) bail.

A capital city Yerevan court of general jurisdiction on Monday granted the motion by Hayk Sargsyan’s legal defender to commute the decision on remanding Sargsyan in custody.

Hayk Sargsyan is charged with crimes that were committed eleven years ago: attempted murder, and illegal possession of arms and ammunition. But he pleads innocent. The first court hearing on this case is set for September 17.

It’s probably clear to everyone that such decisions can’t be taken without Armenia's consent, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan told Kommersant newspaper of Russia when asked what Armenia’s position would be if Azerbaijan becomes an observer country in both the Eurasian Union and CSTO.

“You are aware of the kind of relations [that exist] between Armenia and Azerbaijan,” Pashinyan noted. “Ever day, we [Armenia] hear threats to Armenia from Azerbaijan; I believe Armenia’s apparent position on this matter stems from this.

Pashinyan also said Russian president and he had reached an agreement on continuing the systematic supply of Russian arms to the Armenian side.