Armenian News - NEWS.am presents a daily digest of Armenia-related top news as of 09.12.2019:
· Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, President Armen Sarkissian, Parliament speaker Ararat Mirzoyan, and Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan have laid flowers at the Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan Monday.
According to a UN General Assembly decision on the initiative of Armenia, December 9 was declared as the International Day of Commemoration and Victims of Crime and Prevention of Crime.
· Senate passage of Armenian Genocide resolution is very likely in the coming weeks, Senator Ted Cruz said.
“We are likely to finally acknowledge the horrific Armenian Genocide, which I have been fighting for years to do,” Cruz, one of the authors of the resolution, told NBC. The document was introduced by Democrat Bob Menendez and Ted Cruz in April and was blocked three times.
· Customs officers have been detained in Armenia, State Revenue Committee’s press service reported.
According to the source, violations during customs clearance were established. This, for Armenian citizens, a limit of 25 kg of baggage is established. Enterprising businessmen organized the recruitment of citizens who, for a fee of AMD 10 thousand, crossed the border with Georgia and brought in bales decorated as private baggage with some stuff for sale from Turkey. Six customs officers and two civilians have been detained.
· Bishop Sahak Mashalian will likely to become the 85th Armenian patriarch of Constantinople.
The Armenian community have elected 102 delegates, who on December 11 will elect the patriarch.
A total of 13,704 voters took part in the elections
· Armenia was shocked by the devastating earthquake that struck the country on December 7, 1988. The strong underground shaking destroyed Armenia’s northern portion, with a population of one million, in a matter of thirty seconds. According to official figures, the disaster claimed around 25 thousand lives, about 19 thousand people became disabled, and close to 530 thousand others were left homeless.
He was accompanied by Japanese scientist Takeo Kanade—a Professor at Carnegie Mellon University, Global IT Award winner, Suren Papikyan, the Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure; and Lori province governor.
