Armenian News - NEWS.am presents the daily digest of Armenia-related top news as of 01.06.21:

  • There are heated discussions on social media over the reports that the bodies of hundreds of soldiers killed during the recent Nagorno-Karabakh [Artsakh] war have been packed in plastic bags on the floor of an Armenian morgue.

Armenian health minister Anahit Avanesyan has apologized for the incident noting that it was her omission that after some relocation she did not personally visit the center to be convinced of the details of the storage of the corpses.

Acting Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, taking into consideration the concerns of the families of fallen servicemen regarding the storage conditions of their bodies and the remains, has already ordered an internal investigation into the case of storage conditions of fallen soldiers’ bodies and remains.

  • The complete electoral lists of the political parties and blocs that had been registered to run in the snap parliamentary elections on June 20 have been posted on the website of the Central Electoral Commission (CEC) of Armenia.

22 parties and four blocs have been formally registered to run in the elections.

The list includes the bloc led by Armenian ex-president Robert Kocharyan. Their main rival will be the political force headed by Armenian acting PM Nikol Pashinyan.

Ghalachyan submitted the letter [of resignation] on May 27.

His statement follows the resignation of acting Foreign Minister Ara Aivazian. The latter noted that it was very difficult for him to make this decision; 

"But when I assumed this position, there was a criterion for me: this ministry, which is the birth of independence, shall steadfastly defend our sovereignty, our independence, our state, national interests," Aivazian said.

According to Governor of the Central Bank of Armenia (CBA), Martin Galstyan, tax revenues in Armenia have decreased by about 5.4 percent compared to the previous year.

 "The 2020 state budget expenditures have increased by 16.3 percent compared to the previous year," he added.

He also noted that the national debt deficit has increased to up to 5.4 percent of GDP, and the national debt burden to GDP has increased considerably—by about 13.5 percent—and totaled 63.5 percent, exceeding the 60-percent threshold, which is defined by fiscal rule.

  • As of Tuesday morning, 108 new cases of the coronavirus were confirmed in Armenia, and the total number of these cases has reached 222,778 in the country.

Also, seven more deaths from COVID-19 were registered, making the respective total 4,445 cases.

The number of people who have recovered over the past one day is 221, the total respective number so far is 213,429.