Armenian News - NEWS.am presents a daily digest of top news as of 27.06.2019:
· Armenia government held cabinet session on Thursday.
During the meeting, the cabinet approved to rise minimum wage from 55 thousand to 63 thousand drams. Finance Minister Atom Janjugazyan, in his turn, clarified that this project refers only to the minimum wage and has no connection with the basic wage.
The Armenian government also approved the President’s draft decree on confirming Amendment No. 12 to the agreement to support a more competitive and diversified private sector in Armenia. The US allocations on the margins of this agreement are currently $73,255 million while $7,449 million are envisaged to fund the USAID program on infrastructure, agriculture, and tourism in Armenia.
What come to healthcare field, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, in his turn, thanked the economic entities and taxpayers as for their activities an 12 billion drams have been allocated to the health sector.
The prime minister noted that the decision to send an additional 12 billion drams to the health sector would directly affect several hundred thousand citizens of the republic. In particular, the government decision will provide free inpatient treatment for children aged 0–18 years, as well as cover the shortage of funds during the implementation of the program for the provision of emergency medical services.
· Spokesperson of the Armenian MOD, Artsrun Hovhannisyan, made a Facebook post informing that the country has signed contracts to procure new weapons and ammunition.
“Contracts on the acquisition of new offensive weapons, new generation ammunition, as well as on supplies of other means have been signed within the framework of the Army 2019 international technico-military conference and exhibition in Russia,” Hovhannisyan wrote.
· A joint press conference of Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan and his Maltese counterpart Carmelo Abela was held in Yerevan on Thursday.
The sides touched upon the issue of visa liberalization.
From a political point of view, if relevant agreements, readmission agreement and others are signed, “we are ready to provide assistance”, said Carmelo Abela.
The Armenian FM also presented to his colleague the process of settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and noted that “talks will continue” as the agenda is very rich.
He noted that the physical security of Nagorno-Karabakh is a priority for Armenia and “and it will not
work to speak to Armenia in a language of threats”.
According to the sides, a direct air communication will soon open between Armenia and Malta.
· The tenth meeting of Armenian-Georgian intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation was held Thursday in Yerevan.
Armenia’s Deputy Prime Minister, co-chair of the commission, Tigran Avinyan noted that the activities of this commission are another evidence of the efforts to develop Armenia-Georgia cooperation.
He expressed a conviction that new prospects will be opened in numerous domains, and noted that the Armenian-Georgian agenda is full of many promising projects in energy and transport.
The resumption of the activities of the intergovernmental commission creates a new and good foundation for the further strengthening and development of Armenian-Georgian relations, the official said.