Armenian News - NEWS.am presents a daily digest of Armenia-related top news as of 13.05.2020:

·       Armenia has reported the highest single-day growth in COVID-19 cases.

A total of 180 new cases were recorded Wednesday, bringing the total number to 3,718. One new death has been reported as well.

While two more persons who were diagnosed with the coronavirus have died of other illnesses. There are now a total of 21 such cases in the country.

In the meantime, Artsakh health ministry noted that the total number of COVID-19 cases there is 20, eight of which have already recovered.

·       Amid the current COVID-19-related developments in the country, the Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan noted they had a consultation this morning on what to do.

"Yes, we need to tighten the measures for leading a normal life under the conditions of the coronavirus," he said during his livestream. "If it turns out that wearing a mask in closed spaces shall be mandatory, then it shall be mandatory."

“The government can’t end the state of emergency in this stage, but the government needs to change its attitude towards the restrictions to a certain extent,” he added.

·       Manuel Manukyan, an activist of the protest against the high interest of Armenia’s credit organizations, was apprehended again on Wednesday. 

While the action was going on, the police tried to appease its participants, urging them to stop the action during the state of emergency or to at least maintain a social distance.

The protests are being held for the third day. The protesters today handed over their latter to the CB leadership. During the rally yesterday, several people, including Manukyan, have also been apprehended.

In the meantime, while walking in Yerevan on Wednesday, the Armenian PM met some of the protesters and the PM said he would study their issue.

·       Two officers have been detained in connection with the Armenian soldier's death. On May 10, Private Sasun Margaryan, a conscript, sustained a fatal gunshot wound to his chest at the area near the firing position of his military unit.

The investigation of the criminal case continues.

·       The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has cut its 2020 economic growth forecasts for Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia as they are hit by the coronavirus crisis, but expects a recovery in the South Caucasus countries next year, Reuters reported. 

For Armenia, the EBRD forecast the economy would shrink 3.5% in 2020 as a result of the combination of global uncertainty and falling demand due to the coronavirus crisis and volatility in commodity prices, but then expand by 5.5% in 2021.