Armenian News - NEWS.am presents a daily digest of Armenia’s top news as of 20.06.2019.

• After the argument in the Georgian parliament, the entire Armenian delegation left the parliament sessions’ hall, Armenian National Assembly Vice President Alen Simonyan informed via a video on Facebook.

There was an argument at the Parliament of Georgia because Russian MP Sergey Gavrilov was in attendance to the 26th Annual General Assembly of the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy. Georgian opposition members announced they will not permit Russian State Duma member Gavrilov to enter the sessions’ hall.

“The situation wasn’t quite normal,” Simonyan added. “And considering that on the one hand, it’s an ally [i.e., Russia], on the other hand, a brotherly people [i.e., Georgia], (...) we decided to leave the hall. We will return to Armenia soon.”

• Foreign Minister of Armenia Zohrab Mnatsakanyan continues his meetings in Washington D.C.

On Wednesday he met with David Hale, the US Under Secretary for Political Affairs.

The interlocutors noted the positive dynamics in Armenian-American relations, and stressed the establishment of a platform for the Armenian-American strategic dialogue. At the request of Under Secretary Hale, the Armenian FM touched upon the current state of the Karabakh peace process.

Mnatsakanyan also met with Assistant Secretary of the US Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Philip Reeker. They discussed a broad range of issues related to the US-Armenia partnership and underscored the mutual willingness to expand and further enrich the agenda for multisector cooperation.

• Prosecutor petitioned to again arrest Armenia’ second President Robert Kocharyan, saying the decision to release him from custody based on personal pledge is a judicial error which has affected the outcome of the case.

Petros Petrosyan, a prosecutor in the criminal case involving Kocharyan and several other former senior officials,  described the judicial act as unlawful, unreasoned, and unjustified.

Thus, the prosecutor petitioned to the Criminal Court of Appeal to completely overturn the above-said court decision of May 18, make a new ruling, and remand Kocharyan once more in custody.

• Tashir Group owner, Russia-based business tycoon Samvel Karapetyan held meetings with incumbent and former authorities in Yerevan.

Several days ago Karapetyan met with Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan. When asked about the meeting, speaker of the Armenian parliament Ararat Mirzoyan said they discussed continuation of economic programs and investments made by Mr. Karapetyan.

Karapetyan also met with Armenia’s third President Serzh Sargsyan. Vice Chairman of the Republican Party of Armenia Armen Ashotyan confirmed the reports.