Throughout its first 25 years, Major League Soccer has seen players from all different corners of the globe, each with their own career story. Whether it be a guy like Tim Melia or Chris Wondolowski who were scrappy guys that came out of nowhere to be stars in this league, or world famous names such as Zlatan, Beckham, and Henry, the league's history of big names is as diverse as they come.
Let's take a look at the best player from each country around the globe. This will be based on national team allegiance. Today, we'll be leading with Europe!
Please note that this is my opinion, and in some cases the decisions were tough; I'll be sure to add in honorable mentions where I can, or add notes.
Albania: Shkëlzen Gashi ( COL 2016-18)
Short list to pick from here, as Gashi's only competition is Jahmir Hyka and Hamdi Salihi. Gashi gets the nod, if nothing else, for his huge 2016 season, where he scored 10 regular season goals (one of which was that year's Goal of the Year) as the Rapids damn near won the Shield. The madlad then went and one-upped that with his absurd equalizer in the playoffs against the Galaxy.
His last two years weren't as fruitful, but man, when he was on he could pull something out of nowhere.
Armenia: Yura Movsisyan ( KC 2006-07, RSL 2007-09 & 2016-18, CHI 2018)
Four choices here, although in the end it's Movsisyan winning out over Harut Karapetyan, who played a couple seasons in the 90s for the Galaxy, San Jose, and Tampa Bay. The fourth pick in a strong 2006 MLS SuperDraft out of Pasadena City College, Movsisyan is mostly associated with RSL, who acquired him in a 2007 trade. With the Claret and Cobalt, he would tally 15 goals in 53 regular season appearances, and in 2009 he'd hoist the club's first MLS Cup. That'd be his last game with RSL until 2016 after some time in Europe with Randers, Krasnodar, and Spartak Moscow (even sharing the Russian PL Golden Boot in 2012/13 with Wanderson). He'd put up a similar clip of 16 in 57 before being waived and finishing his MLS career with four scoreless games with Chicago.
Austria: Daniel Royer ( NYRB 2016-pres.)
The choice here was largely Royer vs. Andreas Ivanschitz, who was a regular starter for Seattle's first MLS Cup, but I can't say no to a man with over 100 MLS matches played and three straight 10-goal seasons. In all comps, the former Austria Vienna man is just two goals behind Thierry Henry for third on the Red Bulls' all time goal scoring list.
Belarus: Sasha Gotsmanov ( COL 2005)
Gotsmanov qualifies by default as the only Belarusian player in MLS history. The Minsk native (and son of former Soviet and Belarusian international Sergei Gotsmanov) played one (1) single game for Colorado in October 2005, against RSL.
Belgium: Laurent Ciman ( MTL 2015-17, LAFC 2018, TFC 2019-pres.)
Shouts to Roland Lamah, who had his moments in Dallas, and Jelle van Damme, who played a season and a half for the Galaxy, but Ciman is the obvious choice. While he's fallen off a cliff as he's gotten older, he's a three-time All-Star and won Defender of the Year in his first MLS season; in his second, he played for Belgium at Euro 2016. At 35, he's lost a step and probably should only be used in emergencies, but at his best he was an elite MLS center back that could also be deployed at right back.
Bosnia & Herzegovina: Haris Medunjanin ( PHI 2017-19, CIN 2020-pres.)
The first one where I'm not totally confident in my pick, as Baggio Hušidić made this tricky (and as a Union fan I'm afraid of bias). But at his best, Haris is an assist machine (30 in four MLS seasons so far), and a threat on set pieces; the madlad even scored an Olimpico this year. His left foot is probably the best the Union have ever had. While his commitment to defense was nonexistent, give him the ball and he could spray a pass anywhere.
Bulgaria: Hristo Stoichkov ( CHI 2000-02, DC 2003)
One of three former Ballon d'Or winners to play in MLS (the others being Lothar Matthaus and Kaka, although "playing" is generous for the former), Stoichkov spent the last four seasons of his career in MLS, scoring 22 goals in 72 regular season matches for Chicago and DC. In his first season, a 9 goal in 18 match outing for the Fire, he also won the US Open Cup, scoring the opening goal of the final, a 2-1 win over Miami. (The winning goal, by the way, was scored by our old friend Owen Goal.)
Croatia: Damir Kreilach ( RSL 2018-pres.)
Mr. Miyagi's favorite MLS player for his crane kick equalizer in the playoffs, the former Rijeka and Union Berlin man has proven to be an excellent utility piece and core part of RSL throughout his time there, scoring 26 goals and chipping in 14 assists in 86 regular season matches and playing all over the damn place (naturally a central midfielder, he's probably still RSL's best forward). At 31, he still has a lot to give.
MLS has seen a huge influx of Croats lately, though; before Kreilach's 2018 signing there had only been four Croatian players in MLS history, two of whom barely played. Currently, there are five on active rosters.
Czechia: Luboš Kubík ( CHI 1998-2001, DAL 2001)
Czech players have had a good hit rate in MLS. In his lone MLS season, Bořek Dočkal led the league in assists, and Zdeněk Ondrášek was a very solid piece for Dallas, albeit one whose MLS time was brief.
But no. We have to go with Kubik. The sweeper was Best XI twice, in 1998 and 1999, and won Defender of the Year in 1998 helping Chicago to a MLS Cup-Open Cup double. He'd win another Open Cup two years later, before being traded to Dallas in 2001 and retiring due to injury.
So many lethal counterattacks started on the foot of this man, and he is rightfully seen as one of the greatest defenders the league has ever seen.
Denmark: Jimmy Nielsen ( KC 2010-13)
I debated going WAYYYYYYY off the board here and throwing out Miklos Molnar. His time in MLS was brief, just the 2000 season before he retired, but the man was the best attacking piece on a Cup winner. He could have balled out if he didn't retire early.
But nah. We're going with Casino Jimmy, one of the keys towards Kansas City's early 2010s turnaround. A two time All-Star, Nielsen was Goalkeeper of the Year in 2012, a year that also saw him win the Open Cup with the Wiz (on penalties, because KC and penalties, name a more iconic duo at this point). In 2013, he capped off his career by winning MLS Cup, again on penalties, while playing with broken ribs.
England: Bradley Wright-Phillips ( 2013-2019, LAFC 2020)
This league, man.
The list of English players to have represented in MLS is a long one, full of iconic names. Ashley Cole. David Beckham. Frank Lampard. Steven Gerrard. Jermain Defoe. Wayne Rooney. Hell, even Bradley's brother Shaun.
But nope. Many of those guys are the butt of many MLS jokes. BWP, on the other hand, is one of the greatest goal scorers the league has ever seen, with two Golden Boots to his name and well over a century of league goals. He was a part of 3 Shield winning teams, and made CONCACAF's Best XI in 2018.
And it all started with a quiet trial in 2013 after Charlton dumped him. This. League.
And This. Man. Even as a fan of Philly who doesn't care much for the Red Bulls, I respect this dude and everything he's done. I hope he gets another year after winning Comeback Player of the Year this year.
Estonia: Joel Lindpere ( NYRB 2010-12, CHI 2013)
The only other option here was Erik Sorga, who could dethrone Lindpere as he came to MLS at a very young age. But it's unlikely, as Lindpere was quietly very solid for the Red Bulls during his time. The Tallinn native was a two-time All-Star, and in 2010 he was named the Red Bulls' team MVP.
Finland: Alex Ring ( NYC 2017-2020, AUS pres.)
T O P I C A L
There's a few fairly talented Finns in MLS right now that could make this interesting (I really like Robin Lod's game, and Lassi Lappelainen would be excellent for Montreal if he'd stop getting hurt). Ring however has proven his worth across 4 seasons, including time as NYC's captain. Over 10,000 MLS minutes, mostly for good teams, as a defensive anchor, he will be a fantastic tone-setter for the new Austin team.
France: Thierry Henry ( NYRB 2010-14)
Oh man, as an Ireland fan I wanted to give this to literally anyone else. I am still bitter, dammit.
His best competition is probably Aurelien Collin, who has a closetful of trophies (including a Best XI and MLS Cup MVP). But no...it's Henry.
When a big name comes to MLS, what people want to see is someone who treats the league with respect. Henry did that. Not only was he dominant on the pitch, a three-time Best XI nomination, he also respected the history of the club he played for and gave 100%, even though he was getting up there in the years. He's a Red Bulls and MLS legend...as much as I curse that godforsaken hand
Georgia: Valeri "Vako" Qazaishvili ( SJ 2017-20)
It looks like the San Jose chapter of Vako's career is done and dusted. While the former Vitesse man struggled for consistency, he did put up 26 goals and 13 assists across four MLS seasons for the Quakes, including 10 while being coached by Mikael Stahre, which should probably get him and Wondo some sort of award.
We'll see what's next for him, if he leaves MLS or goes back to Europe. His only competition was Quakes teammate Guram Kashia.
Germany: Bastian Schweinsteiger ( CHI 2017-19)
I'm...actually not sure about this one. I actually changed this while writing, as I very nearly chose Julian Gressel; the former Rookie of the Year has two 10-assist seasons under his belt, and Kai Wagner has also been one of the league's better fullbacks for Philadelphia; Schweinsteiger was solid enough for Chicago in his advanced age for some very frustrating teams (and even moved positions to center back!)...but man, I don't know.
Germany is weird. For a country with such a great footballing tradition, the pickings are fairly slim. Arne Friedrich had one good year for Chicago before injuries claimed his career. Lottar Matthaus was as committed to this league as Schalke are to winning football matches. Stefan Aigner was stifled by Anthony Hudson going galaxy brain. Torsten Frings...existed.
I dunno.
Greece: Alexandros Tabakis ( ATL 2017)
The only Greek in MLS history...and our second one game wonder. Atlanta's FOURTH string keeper in 2017, he managed to sneak into a game against Minnesota with Brad Guzan on international duty, Alec Kann injured, and Kyle Reynish sent off during the match.
Atlanta lost 3-2. He's now in USL.
Hungary: Nemanja Nikolić ( CHI 2017-19)
Dániel Sallói and Krisztián Németh had their moments, but the winner is Nikolić, who came to MLS from the Ekstraklasa and immediately won the Golden Boot. His totals diminished in the three seasons he spent with Chicago, but 51 goals in 96 appearances isn't too shabby at all - it's second in Fire history behind Ante Razov.
Iceland - Guðmundur Þórarinsson ( NYC 2020-pres.)
Not much choice, 3 guys, all of whom were mostly bench guys. I almost went with Kristinn Steindorsson here on the merits of "he didn't have a penalty saved by Rodrigo Schlegel."
Israel: Gadi Kinda ( SKC 2020-pres.)
It was either him or Dedi Ben Dayan, really. And I nearly went with the former Colorado left back, but nah, Kinda is very much the superior player. The midfielder born in Ethiopia, Kinda shone brightly in his first season in KC, with 6 goals and 4 assists in his debut season. He'll be a DP next season.
Italy: Sebastian Giovinco ( TOR 2015-18)
A signing that changed an entire club.
Before Giovinco, the Reds were a laughingstock. He came in, won a Golden Boot and MVP right away, led the league in assists, made Best XI three years in a row, led them to their first playoff game, their first MLS Cup final, their first MLS Cup win, and a historic treble. And they damn near won CCL too.
The Atomic Ant was must-see from Day 1. It's not just because of him that Toronto is now one of MLS's elite...but he was a huge part of changing that culture. 83 goals in 142 games in all comps. And he dished out his fair share of assists too, with a telepathic partnership with Jozy.
Latvia: Raivis Hščanovičs ( TOR 2010)
Not much to write about here. 14 games for a bad Reds team. Gets in by default with no other Latvian MLS players.
Liechtenstein: Nicholas Hasler ( TOR 2017-18, CHI 2018-19, SKC 2019)
Another one by default. 66 games as a utilityman. Won MLS Cup and the Shield, though.
Lithuania: Vytautas Andriuškevičius ( POR 2016-18, DC 2018)
Only other choice was Edgaras Jankauskas, a forward who played 14 games for the Revs. Vytas played 37 for Portland and zero for DC.
Luxembourg: Maxime Chanot ( NYC 2016-pres.)
Another one by default but this one's an actually really solid player that finished fourth in Defender of the Year voting in 2019. We take those.
Malta: Etienne Barbera ( VAN 2012)
2 games in 2012. Only Maltese player in MLS.
Montenegro: Branko Bošković ( DC 2010-12)
Pretty much every other Montenegrin player played less than 20 games in MLS. Bošković played 43 before returning to Europe for family reasons. 7 assists in his final season though, which is technically something.
Netherlands: Johan Kappelhof ( CHI 2016-pres.)
Much like Germany, bright footballing tradition, very shaky MLS history. Which is weird because the Eredivisie exports a lot of guys to MLS.
Also, I'm excluding Kelvin Leerdam, as he is probably changing his international allegiance to Suriname.
So I'm going with 2017 All-Star Kappelhof, who I think is still fairly solid.
But really the choices aren't great. Dave van den Burgh? Roland Alberg scored a hat trick once I guess? Danny Koevermans was decent but injured all the time?
Maybe it's a hot take. It probably is.
North Macedonia: Oka Nikolov ( PHI 2013)
Never actually played, only in a friendly. Watch this space though as North Macedonia is apparently courting LAFC's Danny Musovski.
Northern Ireland: Johnny Steele ( RSL 2012, NYRB 2013-14)
Another case of shaky opposition, it was either Steele or Steve Morrow, who played 41 games for Dallas in the aughts.
Steele played regularly for a Shield winner, the 2013 Red Bulls. Easy peasy.
Norway: Vadim Demidov Ola Kamara ( CLB 2016-17, LAG 2018, DC 2019-pres.)
Adama Diomande is the main competition here. Kamara's first stint in MLS was a smashing success, scoring 48 goals in 90 regular season matches for Columbus and the Galaxy (he was traded for Gyasi Zardes before 2018). A brief foray to China followed, and while he's back in MLS with DC he hasn't quite been the same.
Still a good player on his day, maybe just the Bennyball effect.
Poland: Piotr Nowak ( CHI 1998-2002)
When I think of early Chicago, Nowak and the earlier-mentioned Kubik are the first two names that come to mind. Kubik held down the back while Nowak was the chief creator in the midfield. Three-time best XI, three-time All-Star, and MLS Cup MVP.
...can I drink my water now?
Portugal: José Gonçalves ( NE 2013-16)
Gonçalves fell off a cliff in his latter years, but in his first MLS season he won Defender of the Year and in his second he was a key part of a team that made the MLS Cup final and damn near won the thing.
Runner up here is Nani who is probably closing in.
EDIT: I also forgot to mention Pedro Santos, thanks to the Crew fans who pointed that one out. I still think Gonçalves pips him for his 2013 if nothing else, but Santos is probably closer than Nani.
Republic of Ireland: Robbie Keane ( LAG 2011-16)
A LOT closer than you think; Time Person of the Century Juventus legend Ronnie O'Brien was two-time best XI himself.
But nonono. This is Robbie freaking Keane. When we see these big name Euro guys interested in MLS, this is the man we want them to be.
Hypercompetitive and holding guys accountable on and off the pitch, and scoring for fun. 83 goals in 125 MLS regular season appearances. Best XI four times. 2014 MVP. MLS Cup MVP in 2014. A closetful of team awards including 3 MLS Cups.
This man was a baller, and frankly his departure was the beginning of the Galaxy decline into irrelevance, but that's a story for another time.
Romania: Alexandru Mitriță ( NYC 2019-pres.?)
Question mark because he's on loan and I have no idea if it'll be permanent, but he was punted out by the Pigeons just as he was really starting to break out. He scored 12 goals in his debut season last year but filled in nicely this year while Maxi Moralez was injured. EDIT: NYC fans have informed me he wasn't punted out, but was loaned out to be closer to his pregnant wife. My apologies.
Honorable mention: Alex Zotincă, who played for the Wizards and Chivas USA in the aughts. Brave man.
Russia: Igor Simutenkov ( KC 2002-04)
Not a lot to pick from here either. 49 games, 12 goals for this forward from Moscow, who now serves as an assistant coach at Zenit.
Scotland: John Spencer ( COL, 2001-04)
Give Johnny Russell another few years and he'll pass Spencer, but for now I'm leaning the latter. Spencer as a coach was frustrating as hell, but as a player he was Best XI twice and an MVP finalist once. Dude could score goals despite battling injuries in his time in MLS.
Just don't let him sign Kris Boyd. Then you lose to Cal FC. No one wants that.
Serbia: Aleksandar Katai ( 2018-19, 2020)
FROM A SPORTING PERSPECTIVE.
And mostly due to a weak pool. Runner up was probably someone like Miloš Kocić.
18 goals in 62 games for Chicago before getting yeeted back to Serbia for Bad People Reasons
Slovakia: Albert Rusnák ( RSL 2017-pres.)
He has tenure on Ján Greguš, who's the closest competitor, but Rusnák is also good. He followed up a 14-assist debut season (4th in the league) with back to back 10 goal seasons before struggling this year with injury.
Slovenia: Robert Berić ( CHI 2020-pres.)
Once he got acclimated to MLS, the goals came, and Chicago has its successor to Nikolić up top. He finished with 12 goals in his debut season, tied for second in the league with Ruidiaz and Zardes.
Also, from what I saw early on, seems like he's a dark-arts type of guy that gets in your head. That's fun.
Spain: David Villa ( NYC 2015-18)
I really didn't want to put him here due to recent allegations, and the fact that Pozuelo has already matched his MVP and two Best XI performances....
77 goals in 117 games though, that's tough to pass on.
Sweden: Zlatan Ibrahimović ( LAG 2018-19)
It's Zlatan.
He pretty much dragged a sorry LA organization to something resembling competitiveness.
What the hell did you expect?
(Anton Tinnerholm made this hard, though)
EDIT: Forgot Gustav Svensson as well in my honorable mentions.
Switzerland: Stefan Frei ( TOR 2009-13, SEA 2014-pres.)
Pretty self-explanatory, one of the most accomplished keepers in MLS history and with a closetful of hardware. And all it took Seattle to get him was a late first round pick that pinged around so much that it was eventually traded for a coach.
Turkey: Sercan Güvenışık ( SJ 2012)
5 games that year. No one else has flown the Turkish flag in MLS.
Ukraine: Dema Kovalenko ( CHI 1999-2002, DC 2002-05, NYRB 2006-08, RSL 2008, LAG 2008-10)
I'm afraid he'd break my legs if I didn't. One of the most physical and downright dirty players the league has ever seen. Made nearly 300 appearances though, and has one each of the 3 major US trophies (MLS Cup, USOC, Shield), all with a different team.
Wales: Andy Dorman ( NE 2004-07, 2013-15)
Dorman was a key part of that real good Revs team from the mid-aughts, and just beats out Carl Robinson. He made 112 appearances in his first stint, and played in 3 MLS Cup finals, though they famously lost all three. The Revs brought him back in 2013 after some time in Scotland and England, and was playing semipro in the area as recently as 2018.

Your 11-minute Tuesday report in 2562 words.

gas prices could rise due to currency fluctuations

Russian gas price (at the border) had increased from $150 to $165 per 1000m³ in 2019. Although the Russian currency Ruble was devaluing against the Dollar, Armenia was/is paying for gas with Dollars.
Since 2019, the Pashinyan administration has been trying to convince Russia to implement a different gas payment mechanism within the EAEU trade bloc. Making payments in Rubles instead of Dollars was one of the priorities:
"We are constantly talking about high dollarization within the EAEU, but we still pay for Russian gas in dollars. Our proposal was that it would be more correct if we paid for gas in rubles, because I think it is more logical, also within the EAEU," said Pashinyan in early 2020.
This idea was also shared by Vladimir Putin's personal adviser back in October 2018. It appears the EAEU has been working towards this goal lately.
But meanwhile, Armenia has to pay for Russian gas in Dollars. With Armenian Dram devaluing against the Dollar, the pricing for consumers will likely be revised. Consumers pay 139 Drams per cubic meter. This was calculated in 2020 when $1 was 480 Drams. Today $1 = 520 Drams.
Large consumers pay in Dollars and have their rates adjusted periodically, while small consumers (general public) pays in Drams.
Armenia imports 2.2 billion m³ gas from Russia annually, at the price of $165 per 1000m^3. 0.7 billion of it is consumed by the general public.
Dram was devalued by 6.6% since November. This could prompt the internal gas company to raise the prices, including for the general public.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1039886.html
http://www.armbanks.am/en/2020/04/07/128024/
https://neftegaz.ru/en/news/energy/406887-armenia-should-pay-for-russian-gas-in-rubles/

Public Council meets drone and robotics industry

The Public Council (linked to PM's office) held a meeting with engineers from the drone, robotics, AI, and nano-tech industries. They discussed ways to help the state to develop the military-industrial complex, drone production, aviation, and to bring their quality to international standards.
https://factor.am/327477.html

former PACE MP sentenced to 4 years for taking bribes from Azerbaijan

An Italian court has concluded that Italian PACE representative Luca Volonte, who is the former head of the European People's Party, took €2.4 million in bribes from the Aliyev regime in 2012-2013.
The bribe was handed over by Azerbaijan's PACE delegation leader Suleymanov. The scheme was coordinated by an Azeri lobbying firm based in Brussels. In return, the MP gave Azerbaijan favors during PACE and Italian Parliament sessions.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1039927.html
Tags: #caviar

POWs and searches

The search crews in Artsakh discovered bodies of 10 soldiers and 1 civilian in Jabrayil, Hadrut, and Sgnakh regions. The civilian has already been identified by his relatives. The cause of death is being investigated.
Many bodies under the possession of the Armenian side are yet to be identified, while more bodies will likely be found during daily searches for the foreseeable future. Overall, 575 calls have been made by families who are looking for missing relatives, says the Russian humanitarian envoy in Artsakh.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1039900.html , https://www.panarmenian.net/arm/news/289293/
Human Rights Ombudsman Tatoyan once again criticized Azerbaijan for intentionally politicizing and delaying the POW swap mission. "It is against international laws to file felony cases and arrest POWs because that's a form of a prohibited punishment. Azerbaijan is also hiding the true number of POWs."
The Ombudsman has noted that Armenian residents in Tegh, Vorotan, and several other bordering villages have lost access to 2500 hectares of farming lands due to border changes. (some lands that were internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan were given to Azerbaijan after the war).
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1039933.html , https://factor.am/327226.html , https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/204175

POW discussions: general prosecutor meets Azeri counterpart

Chief prosecutor Arthur Davtyan and his Azeri counterpart were invited to Russia. The three sides held a conversation about the establishment of future contacts in the field of international law and other related topics. Prosecutor Davtyan mentioned the importance of implementing the November 9th statement about the return of POWs, "which will serve as an assurance for implementation of other [trade unblocking] issues."
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1039953.html , https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1039972.html

how much will a new railway network cost?

Azeri economists believe it will cost around $430 million to build a railway network connecting Kars(TR)-Nakhijevan(AZ)-Meghri(AM)-Zangelan(AZ)-Baku(AZ). Overall, if you add Gyumri between Kars and Nakhijevan, it could cost about $434 million.
Economists believe Armenia can use this network to connect with Russia via two directions: Gyumri-Nakhijevan-Meghri-Baku (southern trip), or Ijevan-Ghazakh-Baku (northern trip).
https://www.panarmenian.net/arm/news/289313/

rumors & rebuttals: traitors are not selling Azeri juice in Armenia

Telegram channel Mediaport circulated rumors that "Azeri Sandora juice is being sold in Armenia". The misinformation was picked up by several outlets and caused confusion among the buyers.
Fact-checkers contacted Sandora's local importer who said the producer is a Ukrainian company that sells its product in multiple post-Soviet republics, so they have one unified tag that contains information both in Armenian and Azeri languages.
https://fip.am/14469

4 Dutch MPs receive medals for friendship

Among them is ethnic Kurdish MP Sadet Karabulutu, who publicly criticized the Turkish-Azeri aggression during the war.
https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/204216

food prices in Artsakh

Pricing for 43 commonly-consumed items was examined by the consumer protection agency in Artsakh. 12 became more expensive, 5 cheaper, 26 remained the same.
Onion +25%, cottege cheese +6%, milk +6%, gloves +5%, ..., pear -12%, rice -1%, eggs -1%, butter -1%.
Several dairy product prices went up, and since Artsakh has dairy companies that own dominant market share, the consumer agency will launch an investigation to see if there was price-fixing.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1039946.html

seismic resistance assessment for old buildings

A significant portion of Armenia's large apartment complex buildings were built half a century ago. They may not be seismically safe, considering Armenia's geolocation. After the 1988 earthquake, some buildings remain populated despite being deemed highly unsafe. Many other buildings have safety irregularities.
It is necessary to assess the situation, so the Urban Development Committee has drafted a bill "Methodology for assessing the priority of increasing the seismic resistance of buildings and structures".
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1039887.html

IRS will closely monitor gambling industry / RFID chips & servers

IRS press release: gambling facilities and online betting services will be more closely monitored. We worked with international experts to digitize the gambling industry and bring it on par with international standards.
All gambling machines and platforms operating in Armenia will be connected to one server which will be connected to a monitoring Center. All betting and winning transactions will be recorded.
The Center will also install RFID microchips in casinos to monitor the movement of chips, the chips purchased or won by players, in real-time.
The government's Digital Council has approved the bill, which is yet to be discussed and voted in the Parliament. The goal is to be able to monitor the financial flows in this sector and to estimate the actual revenues. It will combat money laundering. (BHK skipping a Parliament session due to "COVID" in 3, 2, 1, ... /joke)
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1039915.html

new "public council" will advise Nature Ministry

Nature Minister Romanos met several environmental organizations and environmentalists and discussed the creation of a new Council, which will advise him on nature protection issues, help draft bills and roadmaps, work with other environmental organizations and NGOs. The Council is accepting applications.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1039896.html

large quantities of illegally-cut trees were busted

... by Ijevan policemen during a routine patrol on Sunday. Three cargo trucks were filled with wood.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1039960.html

rammed through the gates

The police have arrested the father of a missing soldier who used his Vaz 21 vehicle to ram through the Defense Ministry's entrance gate before smashing it into a building on Sunday.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1039957.html , https://www.panarmenian.net/arm/news/289315/

"turn off the camera"

Context: An incident happened last week between parents of drafted soldiers and military officials at a military unit. The parents wanted assurances that their sons would be safe after being deployed on Artsakh borders. The parents wanted to know why Armenian soldiers are still being sent to Artsakh "despite the November 9th statement saying Armenians should withdraw from Artsakh."
During the confrontation, an incident happened between a military official and a journalist. The official struck the camera and instructed it to be turned off. Several media outlets released a message condemning the officer for hindering the journalist's work.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1039973.html

infrastructure upgrades

Four settlements in Kotayk province (Yeghvard, Nor Gegh, Aragel, Zovuni) have a newly renovated irrigation pipeline as part of a govt subsidy program.
https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/204202

today in history

1932: First Yerevan tramway began operating in Yerevan
1951: The UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide was implemented.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1039885.html

get your free colonoscopy today

The National Center for Oncology has purchased the latest generation tools and will perform a free and enjoyable colonoscopy for residents over the age of 45, for the next 6 months.
The goal is to detect suspicious growths at an early stage. It's the third most common cancer among adults in the world. It has become more common in Armenia in the past decade. When detected early, it can be fully treated.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1039911.html

COVID stats

+1885 tested. +355 infected. +729 healed. +5 deaths. 8393 active.
The death rate has been 1.8%. The infection reproduction rate was 0.84 in the past two weeks, down from 1.43.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1039906.html , https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1039943.html

COVID numbers have declined, so what do we do?

... we lift some of the restrictions!
"Aye, aye, Captain!"
"I can't hear you!"
"The rule that limits attendance to non-commercial gatherings to no more than 60 people has been removed. All other safety requirements remain in place," said a Healthcare official. "You can enter Armenia via air or land by presenting negative COVID test results that were taken within the past 3 days. If you don't, you will be tested at the airport and will need to self-isolate until the results arrive."
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1039931.html

Armenia will soon import COVID vaccines

Healthcare Ministry: we are negotiating with multiple entities. The first batch of vaccines will arrive between late-January and mid-February. We are negotiating with producers whose vaccines have passed the necessary tests: Sputnik V, Pfizer, Moderna, and AstraZeneca. In the first phase, the vaccines will be given to the most vulnerable 10% of the population.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1039921.html

Sputnik V vaccine has already been tested in Armenia

Healthcare Ministry: no complications were reported by the 15 patients, including Minister Torosyan. The often-discussed "skin redness" in the injection area has not been observed, either.
The first injection gave a 91.4% efficiency. The second increased it to 94%. Even if the vaccine doesn't fully prevent the infection, it can save the patient's life by making the case mild (is that right??).
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1039925.html

the new COVID strain: good news, bad news

Doctor Davit Melik-Nubaryan: the version of COVID that mutated in the UK will eventually reach Armenia. Preliminary data shows that those who have already been infected and gained immunity from the original COVID will be immune to this new strain. It is believed that the immunity will last 6-12 months for the majority.
The good news is that the new strain isn't more deadly and doesn't result in heavier cases. The bad news is that it spreads a lot faster. The Healthcare system could be overloaded again.
The vaccines against the original strain will likely work against the new one. Pharmaceutical companies may have to modify the vaccines, but it will only take weeks.
Closing borders with the UK won't be helpful to prevent it. We may already have the new strain. We need to develop a new strategy from the ground up.
Viruses mutate all the time. It's part of the evolution. Sometimes they cause more severe symptoms, sometimes lesser. From the evolutionary and survival standpoint, viruses want to cause less severe symptoms for the host so they can have a chance to spread wider.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1039856.html

Armenian scientists will study the COVID strain

CDC chief Bakunts: Armenia will have the ability to study the genetic mutations of the coronavirus. Active work is underway to invest in research resources. Meanwhile, we can submit a virus sample to a WHO laboratory to conduct a study for us.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1039962.html

families with newborn children receive mortgage subsidy

450 families have so far taken advantage of a government subsidy program that helps with purchasing apartments. ֏526 million will be paid as part of this 2020-2023 program. It is part of a recent initiative to boost the birthrate.
Two other aid programs went into effect in mid-2020. Provincial families received a downpayment subsidy equalling 5% of the total price. Another one subsidizes insurance payments.
The same family can apply for all three programs, and there is no age limit for parents.
https://factor.am/327385.html

diaspora-government cooperation expands: iGorts

iGorts is a program that recently recruited 48 highly skilled diasporan Armenians to visit Armenia and work at 19 various government agencies. Three more volunteers have arrived today to begin their work: Shila Palyan from Canada, Zaven Ayvazyan from Russia, and Anahit Mikaelyan from Cyprus.
https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/204211

Yerevan to install 32 more elevators in apartment complexes

Arabkir district is the next recipient. Hundreds of units were installed in 2020. They replace the decades-old elevators that have become dangerous and poopy. The new elevators come equipped with running water and flush so you can drain your crap /s.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1039954.html

have you been buying stuff right and left lately?

...because trade turnover increased by +34%, and the number of printed receipts by +7%, during this year's New Year's holidays.
֏91 billion was spent between December 29-31, which is ֏23 billion more.
https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/204195

would your majesty be pleased to take a salt bath?

Nerqin Getashen will have a halotherapy "salt bath" center to help alleviate certain conditions. It's the first in Gegharquniq province. There will also be rooms for aromatherapy (oils), ogyxenotherapy (oxygen cocktails), and massage.
The owner claims it helps boost immunity and alleviates breathing, allergy, and insomnia issues (take the claim with a bath of salt).
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1039974.html

first Yezidi theater to open in Armenia

"шəp' y əBин" or "war and love" will be the first performance in a newly opened Yezidi theater in Ejmiatsin. It's part of a «Եզդիների կողքին» cultural initiative. The crew had planned a major performance about Yezidi national legend but the 44-day war began and some were drafted.
The crew ended up performing the "шəp' y əBин" during the war. It's about the importance of Yezidis in Armenia, and their love for the country. The January 17th performance will be dedicated to Yezidis who died fighting.
The performers aren't professional actors but they received acting training on-the-fly. "It seems to work because their enthusiasm is great. A very good team has been formed," said the producer.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1039941.html

Aram Khachaturian House-Museum will resume "Musical Thursdays"

This year's first classical concert is dedicated to Ruben Babayan, "the BFF of Armenian musicians."
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1039916.html

Netherlands college will donate large quantities of school supplies

Several thousands of desks, chairs, furniture pieces, computers, lockers, etc. are being loaded in containers to be shipped to Armenia.
The Hermann Wesselink college is renovating its building with new items so they decided to donate the old stuff to Armenian kids. This will be enough to equip 15 provincial schools.
https://factor.am/327135.html

donations to Artsakh & recovering soldiers

www.1000plus.am (recovering soldiers & their families)
www.HimnaDram.org (for Artsakh & Armenia)
www.ArmeniaFund.org (U.S. tax-deductible)

archive of older posts

Armeniapedia's archive of my daily news threads:
http://www.armeniapedia.org/wiki/Daily_Anti-Corruption_Reports

disclaimer

All the accused are considered innocent unless proven guilty in the court of law, even if they "sound" or "appear" guilty.

This is a compilation of all the posts by user ar_david_hh who summarises anti-Corruption news of the day along with other interesting news in one comment. It is linked from the sidebar->Interesting Threads->Anti-corruption. The list is ordered by date, newest first. Date format: D/M/YYYY. All credit goes to the sub's hero ar_david_hh
Previous compilation threads: Part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5
Azerbaijan attacked Artsakh on 27 September 2020, making the war to be the main topic, the updates since this date are to be found in the daily Megathreads pinned at the top of the sub for now.

• 25/9/2020 news: \ Tsarukyan arrested \ ARM-AZE diplomatic spat \ parks or garages? \ NSS busts officials \ police brutality investigations \ mass unrest: mayor vs GasProm \ Parliament stats \ fake news busted \ officials sacked \ COVID news \ economy & wages \ hide and seek \ science
  
• 24/9/2020 news: \ shipping cost plummets \ free speech \ police reform \ Tsarukyan: voter bribe, gold mine, trial \ Vedi reservoir \ consumer prices \ Kocharyan lawyer in trouble \ HHK tatik drops diss-track \ NSS agent & officials busted \ 25th COVID aid \ resignations \ Azeri \ more
  
• 23/9/2020 news: \ education reforms: Armenian language \ liberated Anvakh outpost \ MFAs clash \ Armenia-Saudi relations \ job & salary stats \ real estate grows \ EU sends $ \ BHK officials \ Amulsar activists \ police & cadastre reforms \ mask ads \ Yerevan vs illegal construction
  
• 21/9/2020 news: \ tech industry grows \ Pashinyan blasts Aliyev for "falsifying history" \ Israeli arms dealer & Aliyev's offshore laundromats \ solar energy \ crosswalks to have lights \ trials: Mishik, Kocharyan, Tsarukyan \ opposition prepares huge rally \ many more stories inside...
  
• 21/9/2020 holiday report: \ 1991 flashback: independence \ battle of Arara \ army news: Aliyev's delusions, drone, panic, draft, Armenian exercise \ TUMO to expand in Artsakh \ NSS boss comments the Russian Dossier \ fires \ tourism & wine \ athletes win big \ Tslik Amram ancient castle
  
• 18/9/2020 news: \ Russian dossier: Kremlin's anti-Pashinyan agents \ polls: bribery encounter, business investments \ officials & bribers busted \ Tsarukyan's workers upset \ anti-vaxx story \ Armenian Stock Exchange \ border villages \ archaeologists \ ARM-GEO deal \ MFA \ meat for RUS
  
• 17/9/2020 news: \ TUMO expansion: labs & nano-tech \ anti-corruption: officials to disclose purchases \ oppo vs govt: verbal battle \ busted: rector & cops \ clinics+ \ PM intervenes \ COVID is back? \ tourism sights \ Human Capital Index \ bills pass: free lawyer, genocide calls \ debt
  
• 16/9/2020 news: \ education reforms: Minister & opposition locked in a fierce battle \ Pashinyan about judges, COVID \ irrigated lands \ drivers in Russia \ USA trade \ sheep production \ ozone & nature \ paternity leave \ FDIC insurance \ doctors protest \ Hrant Dink \ cattle cave
  
• 15/9/2020 news: \ unified transport & payment network \ rivers that flow to AZE \ geopolitics \ Kocharyan's money \ new Constitutional Court judges \ anti-corruption \ Central Bank: GDP, inflation, interest \ nature protection \ it's nuts! \ COVID news \ the church \ pump those numbers
  
• 14/9/2020: \ election fraud: BHK's factory \ Kocharyan & $600m \ foreign affairs: USA, RUS, AZE events, shots fired \ economic freedom index \ parliament grills wannabe judges \ berries (lol) \ music & culture \ COVID \ school begins \ infrastructure \ Yerevan's metro, buses, elevators
  
• 13/9/2020 news: \ post-July Battles in Tavush: border farming & irrigation expands \ re: new law about draft evaders \ car exports: Armenian drivers in Russia \ more athletes to receive pensions \ COVID \ female boss \ trolls in Baku \ Social Progress score \ Խաչվերաց \ videos \ sports
  
• 11/9/2020: \ details emerge about mass-alcohol poisoning \ 2000 assassination attempt of Artsakh prez \ draft-dodgers could get a chance \ USA talks investments \ anti-corruption busts \ INTERPOL & foreign affairs \ infrastructure & roads \ COVID rules change \ airlines resume \ exports
  
• 10/9/2020: \ reforms to reduce waiting times, fees \ agriculture \ renewable energy goal \ COVID news \ jobs & salaries++ \ Belarus protest \ Urartian m'lady \ fiber-optic network: GEO vs AZE \ BHK backtracks abortion ban? \ re: Emil Gazaz \ anti-corruption busts \ m'lady Aurora \ ...
  
• 9/9/2020 news: \ birthrate up \ paid paternity leave \ BHK's abortion ban \ "real" car inspection \ Japanese tech to clean Sevan \ a Georgian drama \ many diasporan repatriates \ economic stats \ import tariffs \ no psycho judges \ high-profile anti-corruption busts \ reviving Kond ...
  
• 8/9/2020 news: \ new major anti-corruption steps \ Yerevan deficit shrinks \ 1994 murder retrial \ Khojalu facts & Czech reporter \ ECHR vs Aliyev's Armenophobia \ ex-MP charged \ monuments++ \ mass testing for teachers \ trashy phone calls \ loans++ \ roads++ \ high-tech tutoring
  
• 7/9/2020 news: \ electric car imports skyrocket \ inciting genocide = life sentence \ tourist boulevard on Sevan shores \ defamation law \ EU deportations \ anti-corruption busts \ անճոռնի գորտը \ March 1st statue & victims \ COVID & economy \ telecom & 5G \ app: pick your doctor \ ...
  
• 6/9/2020 news: \ Gyumri Day: new transport, parks, tourism, arts \ demolishing ex-police chief's Sevan mansion \ Geo-politics. Russian-American spy's plans in Armenia \ diplomatic passports \ Nikol's horses \ are Armenians generous? \ the heroes \ sports & music \ bike tour across Armenia
  
• 4/9/2020 news: \ Karabakh prez rattles former regime, "exposes" land giveaway \ Anti-RU protests in AZ \ Armenia will have Amazon Locker-style delivery \ Real car safety checks & driver training \ Nuclear renovation \ Quarantine Law ready \ Lake Sevan \ Truck fee \ HayPost discount \ ...
  
• 3/9/2020 news: \ PM's office busts corruption. Gov't building repairs. Fake news \ govt to inject $104m to kickstart businesses \ police reforms, cars, academy \ Serj's trial \ anti-corruption stats \ Yerevan's irrigation \ geopolitics \ consumer prices \ HIV \ athlete salary \ ...
  
• 2/9/2020 news: \ Armenia resolves railway dispute w/Russia \ geopolitics: Syrian fighters, AZ, TR, RU \ USA & EU help with police reforms & laboratory \ LTE & lower fees in Artsakh \ ex-police chief's Sevan mansion \ corruption busts \ Kond \ YSU tuition & salaries \ renovations \ ...
  
• 1/9/2020 news: \ archaeologists discover canals, scripts, churches in Artsakh's Tigranocerta, dismiss "Caucasian Albania" theories \ Volunteer Army to have 100,000 men & women \ mass poisoning from wood alcohol \ winery explosion \ anti-corruption busts \ schools++ \ new Yerevan bus \ ...
  
• 31/8/2020 news: \ Archaeologists examine a strange 1919 mass-murder \ Corruption Committee to investigate Pashinyan \ ex-officials & IRS agents busted. Millions $ \ warden arrested \ COVID vs consumption \ sports & arts news \ Lebanese & Syrian Armenians \ u do business? \ trash sorting!
  
• 30/8/2020 news: \ Armenia's one of a kind radio-optical telescope could connect to international network for space exploration \ ex-Minister charged with $1.7m theft \ Court verdict on HHK mayor's bail \ PM's trip \ Germany, Turkey, Azerbaijan, EU \ Mountain squad \ Dilijan's new Rope Park
  
• 28/8/2020 news: \ New details about Tavush battles. Medals awarded \ Vaccines, tourism, working parents \ Doing business in AM. Survey & investments \ Police brutality busted \ Kocharyan calls Nikol "corrupt" \ Subsidies to boost rural teaching \ Lebanese repatriates \ Chess boycott \ ...
  
• 27/8/2020 News TLDR: \ New airport, village, reservoir to be built \ Doctor becomes Hero \ COVID tickets \ "Quarantine" to replace Emergency State \ Big bust over police bribery \ Prison guards arrested \ Worker rights \ Lebanese-Armenians \ Utility subsidies \ Roads++ \ Kurds in Turkey
  
• 26/8/2020 news: \ Apartment building collapses \ Trial of ex-IRS boss \ Artsakh + Russia = Love? \ COVID \ High-tech develops \ Post office modernizes & expands abroad \ Fight against criminal subculture \ Fake news rundown \ Armenian passport is meh \ Medicine imports \ TUMO in Moscow
  
• 25/8/2020 news: \ Armenia to have a new Volunteer Army for national defense \ Azerbaijan's internal clan wars intensify \ Anti-Corruption: Tsarukyan's wine company, Artsakh official, Schools \ COVID \ Electoral reform \ Lebanese-Armenian repatriates \ Fishing industry \ Lake Sevan \ more
  
• 24/8/2020 news: / Poll: COVID, income, future / SU-25 and SU-30CM jets / Soldier wanders off / Artsakh apartments++ / Kocharyan sues Armenia / CC judge Tovmasyan's trial / People like art / U.S. sends aid / Gasprom layoffs / Employment++ / School reform / Tourism & Nature++ / Warehouse collapses
  
• 22/8/2020 news: (1) Serj draws criticism over Tavush Battles medal comments, gets reminded about his questionable past awards. (2) "Pashinyan has served his purpose and needs to go." (3) Court mergers (4) church mural restored (5) chess Olympiad (6) nature = good (7) COVID vs jobs (8) Syrian aid
  
• 21/8/2020 news: // How the army was born in 90s // Tavush Battles. Liberation of Anvakh. Pashinyan speech. Russia responds. // COVID vs Economy // Antibody experiments // The return of HHK // Fishers and villagers protest // Should 16-year-olds vote? // Justice reforms // Lebanese-Armenian aid
  
• 20/8/2020 news: () new Metro station in Yerevan () individualism vs totalitarianism () gold miners lose license () new Kalashnikov AK-12? () stats: COVID vs remittances, tourism, real estate () Amulsar & other protests () village house subsidy () New food factory () light aircraft flying & tourism
  
• 19/8/2020 news: / Q&A with Serj. Claims April 2016 was victory. Downplays Tavush victory. Notable parts. Investigator responds with criticism / New suicide drone / LHK joins BHK / Make villages great again / Infrastructure++ / Weighing trucks / Operation "Save the Fish" / COVID / High-tech aid
  
• 18/8/2020 News: / ex-Yerevan Mayor & ex-Minister busted. Laundering. / Voter list de-bloating / IRS wants $2.8m from Gago's casino / Magic wand prints free money for kids / Anti-Corruption: Good cop, Bad cop / Amulsar & Mining / Bordering village aid / About COVID / Tourism! / Foreign Affairs / ++
  
• 17/8/2020 news: / Armenia's fish industry & water reserves / Eco-tourism in Sevan... need roads / Anti-corruption stats: 2020 vs 2019 vs ... / Yerevan begins recycling / Belorussian activists use "Armenian model" / Domestic violence 2020 vs 2019 / Rector's doctoral degree / Neolithic discoveries /
  
• 16/8/2020 news: / How Kocharyan & Serj sold Armenia's infrastructure: Nuclear, Zangezur Copper, Hydro, Water, Post Office, Railway / Tavush Battles heroes / Bomb comments: Ganja & Stepanakert / Jeffrey Epstein has died / Nature protection rules / Belarus: 2008 or 2018? / Armenia, Greece, Turkey /
  
• 14/8/2020 news: / STEM in 2nd grade / 71 soldiers get medals. Tavush Battles / Beirut aid & repatriates. / Pashinyan is grilled / Anti-Corruption Court discussions / Officials charged with corruption / Uranium / Sasna Tsrer threats / Azerbaijan / COVID news / Beautiful Armenia / Infrastructure++
  
• 13/8/2020 news: / Two more COVID aid packages / Polls! / Illegal Sevan buildings / Mafia gang arrested / Anti-corruption / Army death transparency / Foreign Affairs: food boycott & cancellations in LA, arrests in AZ, Russian weapons / Lebanon & Gaza / Fireworks ban / Recycling & trash factories
  
• 12/8/2020 news: / 2016 Yerevan hostage crisis trial. Sasna Tsrer / Beirut aid. Repatriates / COVID restrictions relaxed. Foreign travel. Free care. Parties / HayPost & fiber-optic for borders / UCOM subscribers held a vote / Earthquake / This is Sparta / Amulsar gold miner Lydian / Your boy IRS /
  
• 11/8/2020 news: / Inspectors find some ammonium in Armenia. Beirut aid / How Kocharyan & Serj sold Armenia's infrastructure to Russia / Kocharyan trial / ex-BHK official demands refund. Voter buying / $446M corruption / COVID news & Economy / The story of Dragon Stones / Soccer league renamed /...
  
• 10/8/2020 news: / Bolola: Anatolia vs Armenian Highlands / Archaeology: new Qarahunj & Dragon-stones found / Huge illegal fishing campaign busted / Sugar monopoly penalized / Yerevan's new elevators / COVID: phone metadata monitoring law / Banking in Armenia / Treaty of Sevres & Western Armenia
  
• 9/8/2020 news: / Secret license - Karabakh Telecom / World's most efficient thermal plant / Arrests / Ex-police chief in trouble. Threats / Neighborhood news / Beirut aid. Eye-witness report. Repatriates & Arabs / Earthquake-proof schools / Education reforms - Arts & Crafts / Armenian churches / +
  
• 7/8/2020 news: / Russia extradites ex-MP. Murder attempt / Amulsar trailers / Nature audit / Anti-Corruption: Panama Paper's friend, two mayors, officials / Beirut aid / COVID & neighbors / AZ buys GEO fiber-optics / Tavush battles / Women in tech / Fewer car crashes / Women in tech / McBridgeface
  
• 6/8/2020 news: / Drugs over mail = OK / Armenia will have its High-Tech & Science hub. Chinese $$ / Infrastructure++ / Beirut explosion. Armenia audits itself / Anti-corruption: ex-Yerevan mayor & hydro plant, Healthcare Minister, another mayor / Amulsar protest / Gender wage gap & stats / COVID /
  
• 5/8/2020 news: / Population grows / No grades in school / Beirut explosion. Armenian community / MP's Russian citizenship / "Pro-Pashinyan" media pushed out of LA / Foreign affairs / Amulsar protest. Arbitration lawsuit. Activists clash / COVID briefing. Re-opening plans / Food & Energy prices /
  
• 4/8/2020 news: / Kocharyan trial. Frozen assets. Civil lawsuit. / Another fugitive escapes justice with Russian citizenship / Amulsar gold mine protests. Lydian removes tents / Two ex-mayors charged with corruption / Lung ventilator production / Azeri hackers / Mashtots Garden & Trees / Metro!
  
• 3/8/2020 news: / New anti-corruption court / Two monopolies penalized / Corruption investigations +64% / Judicial transparency / Tavush Battles. Tanks. Sanctions. / Yezidi community / Infrastructure & Construction ++ / Nature protection / COVID aid packages / Diaspora! / Sarsang Reservoir / ...
  
• 2/8/2020 news: (1) post-Tavush. Azeri dissident. No communication. Serbian weapons. PACE vs Aliyev (2) Free cancer drugs (3) Employee rights (4) IRS's record-low debt (5) Now HHK "assaults" Constitutional Court (6) Poll: Would you leave Armenia? (7) Governor vs Mayor (8) COVID news (10) Roads++
  
• 31/7/2020 news: / Karabakh War, Grey Wolves, Elchibey / Aliyev gets no love / Russian oil monopoly / COVID / Anti-corruption: Vanetsyan, QP MP, Yerevan official / Judges hold a meeting / Marijuana trial / UCOM outage $$ / Poll: friendly and hostile countries / Infrastructure & industry / Fortress
  
• 30/7/2020 news summary: (1) Net Neutrality in Armenia (2) Tavush battles - Aliyev's crisis - international response - civilians (3) Anti-corruption: oligarch, soccer match fixing, officials (4) COVID (5) Ancient cities (6) New police salaries++ (7) Miners protest (8) Solar projects (9) Tourism++
  
• 29/7/2020 news summary: / post-Tavush battles / Flashback 1993 / Aliyev's crisis & dissidents / Armenia bans Turkey / Israeli drones / Anti-corruption & Gangs / COVID is retreating / Obesity stats / Poll: Amulsar mining / Poll: inheritance / Lake Sevan / Garbage news / Solar panels & Elevators /
  
• 28/7/2020 news: / Tavush Battles - Pashinyan's interview TLDR - Russia relations - Margarita Simonyan - Karabakh / Bordering residents to get subsidies / Firdusi tourism / Diaspora / 1st lady / Anti-corruption news: BHK, Kocharyan, judge / COVID vs economy & railways / Money / Infrastructure++
  
• 27/7/2020 news: / Post-Tavush battles / Aliyev vs ex-diplomat / Weapons / AM & AZ civilians / Governor's assassination plot / Kocharyan's friendly judge / Mayor sentenced / Anti-corruption busts / COVID vs economy / Deported? / Infrastructure & Solar & Nature ++ / Free healthcare / Cheese, baby
  
• 25/7/2020 news: / post-Tavush Battles / Moscow's civilian clashes end - Apology tour - Market to end discrimination / OSCE responds / Aliyev vs Peace / Housing for refugees / de-mining in Artsakh / Failed demolition / COVID & Travel expenditures / Sevan water / Trees & Roads / Armenian literature
  
• 24/7/2020 news summary: / Tavush Battles / Moscow attacks / Border reservoir cooperation / Diplomacy / More babies born in Artsakh / COVID is retreating - a map / Busted: city official and cop / Keg explosion / Free apartments / Constitution / Economy & exports / Ugly billboards gone / Fav. books
  
• 23/7/2020 news: / Tavush Battles / Google Maps showing the military outposts & roads - New vs Old borders / Armenia reviews military & diplomatic performance / Anti-drone training with Russia / U.S. House - Diplomacy - Foreign media / COVID vs Economy / Water! / Safer cars / Infrastructure++ / ...
  
• 22/7/2020 news: / Tavush Battles - action map - new & old borders - Aliyev's meltdown - Yashma fails - repressions / Sevan's blossoming explained / Diasporans return / Constitutional Court / Anti-corruption - Ministers & MPs / Cyber church / COVID vs Economy / Roads! / Less runaround / Post office
  
• 21/7/2020 news: / $150 million drones shot / Russian state media responds to Apricot War & Tavush Battles / Azerbaijan "backtracks" on nuclear threat / Caviar diplomacy / World responds / Taxes / Infrastructure+ / COVID & polls / Free speech / Sevan is blossoming / Anti-corruption busts / Reforms
  
• 20/7/2020 news: / Tavush Battles / Frontline footage / Armenia hails victory / Donations / Aliyev is looking for scapegoats / Foreign affairs & Media / Apricot War / Brain inflow / Anti-corruption bust / Taxes & Alcohol vs COVID / Judge arrested / New 17-story building / Zipline ready / + more
  
• 19/7/2020 news: / Tavush Battles / How Armenia developed its drone industry / Aliyev becomes a Karen / Apricot War is settled / Politicians from US, UK, and EU respond / International media covers nuclear threat / Voter bribery busted / Airlines suspended / Armenia celebrates Vardavar / + more
  
• 18/7/2020 news: / Tavush Battles / Pashinyan's speech & Aliyev's plans / How to have "nuclear fallout" without nukes 101 / Armenian drones in action / Apricot Boycott turns into Armenian festival of support / Villages are rebuilding / Donations / Armenian diasporans march / + other topics
  
• 17/7/2020 news: / Tavush Battles / Nuclear threats are backfiring / Interview with Azeri human rights activist / Armenian diaspora responds / Casualties # / Armenia captures a drone / A calm day. Daily life returns / "Apricot boycott" / Iconic meme guy returns / Hackers & fake news / +other topics
  
• 16/7/2020 news: / Tavush Battles / 100 Azeris launch attack, 20 casualties, bodies collected / Videos / Armenian civilians struck / Ilham Aliyev's meltdown / Azerbaijan threatens to bomb nuclear plant / Foreign response & diplomacy / Pro-Azerbaijan EU rapporteur resigns / Fake news / +other topics
  
• 15/7/2020 news: / Tavush Battles / Casualties / Aliyev mad at MFA / 13 drones shut / Soldiers receive award & aid / Ethnic Talysh vs Aliyev / Evidence showing Azeri army attacks on Armenian civilians / Foreign affairs & response / Protests in Baku & Yerevan / The shepherd / Hackers strike / + more
  
• 14/7/2020 news: (1) Tavush battles. Baku-Ceyhan pipeline. High ranking casualties. Civilians targeted. Expensive Azeri drone is shot. Armenian drones in action. Hackers carry-out infrastructure attacks. Foreign response & diplomacy (2) + other stories
  
• 13/7/2020 news: (1) Tavush Battles. Azerbaijan sustains heavy losses. Villagers talk about the newly captured outpost. Azeri hackers spread fake news about Armenian losses. Timeline of events & international response (2) Artsakh to increase doctors' salaries. Free healthcare (3) + other topics
  
• 12/7/2020 news: (1) Border skirmish: 3 dead, 4 wounded, tanks, mortars (2) Archaeological discovery (3) What took down Armenian ISPs? (4) COVID stats (5) Infrastructure ++ (6) Church leaders respond (7) De-mining aid (8) Outlet fabricates a story (9) Criminal subculture bust (10) Charity (11) ...
  
• 10/7/2020 news: (1) Armenian cult leader (2) Real estate $ (3) ISP merger approved (4) Anti-Corruption (5) COVID news (6) High tech (7) Foreign affairs (8) Green Yerevan (9) Poll: Preferred gender? (10) Nature strikes (11) Many infrastructure upgrades (12) Dalma Garden district (13) Sports & Books
  
• 9/7/2020 news: () Tsarukyan's casino loses license () Gold mine in trouble () Solar incoming () Anti-bribery () TEAM licensed () BHK & Traditions () Foreign affairs () Diplomatic passports () Artsakh () Rebel arrested () Emergency powers () Yandex helps Yerevan () Finances () Construction QA ()
  
• 8/7/2020 news: (1) ECHR rejects judges' plea (2) Making Yerevan safer (3) Court strikes down Tsarukyan verdict (4) Armenia's abandoned villages (5) Fake news & COVID (6) Foxy LHK (7) Bills & Reforms (8) Road repair w/warranty (9) Bloody river (10) Artsakh tightens rules (11) Foreign affairs (12)..
  
• 7/7/2020 news: (1) Yerevan lowers speed limit (2) COVID testing to 2x (3) Kalashnikov's night vision WiFi (4) BHK MP arrested (5) Kocharyan trial (6) Arm. Genocide & Kim K (7) Bears & Storks (8) Foreign investment (9) Free healthcare (10) Ex-officials' land fraud (11) Infrastructure+ (12) Bills!
  
• 6/7/2020 News: (1) Paplavok murder. Kocharyan bodyguard's retrial (2) ECHR (3) Cost of 1GB (4) COVID news (5) ISP merger (6) Stats for Marriage/Deaths/Crime/Food Price/Exams (7) Would u marry non-Armenian? (8) Bomb threat (9) Nature strikes (10) Azeri blogger (11) Dvin city (12) Infrastructure++
  
• 5/7/2020: Armenian News Summary - Weekend Edition. Soccer rules, Constitution, Coronavirus, Noah's ark, Best violinists, News wars, Lake Sevan documentary, Major infrastructure upgrades, and more...
  
• 3/7/2020 News: (1) Anti-corruption reform (2) Polls (3) Stray dogs (4) Constitutional Court (5) Corruption trial (6) COVID news, Loan vacations, Grandma's phone (7) Real estate (8) Beeline ISP (9) This lake belongs to me (10) Soccer league LOL (11) Mayors busted (12) Yerevan's $10mln garden (13)..
  
• 2/7/2020: (1) Law targets foreign TVs (2) RUS & ARM journalists clash over news (3) ARM to import Kazakh oil to break RUS monopoly (4) Big trucks vs asphalt (5) COVID news, Vaccines, Grandma found (6) Gyumri's aerial tramway (7) Russian railway cuts prices (8) Edu. reforms (9) Pensions (10) Wheat!
  
• 1/7/2020 News: (1) BHK's voter fraud. Confession (2) Body goes missing bcz of doctor's handwriting (3) Karabakh conflict polls (4) Official charged (5) COVID news (6) Cops vs karens (7) Made in Armenia (8) Alimony law (9) Daily life of a grandmaster (10) Syrian envoy (11) Diaspora (12) Road repair
  
• 30/6/2020 News: (1) I took a bribe (2) Public polls about COVID (3) Property Tax Q&A (4) Parliament, Court, Referendum (5) President's scare (6) Subsidized Hep C drug (7) Kocharyan trial (8) Armenian jets in Africa (9) Anti-body tests (10) Artsakh aid (11) Another Mayor (12) No torture in Kapan
  
• 29/6/2020: (1) Yerevan closes apartment garbage holes & Repairs roofs (2) Child care subsidy (3) Disability reforms (4) Crisis in Azerbaijan (5) Drive-in cinema (6) Economic Freedom+ (7) COVID (8) Relationship survey (9) Strasbourg mayor (10) NSS arrests IRS and police officials (11) Construction+
  
• 28/6/2020 News: (1) Radical changes to school grading (2) GMO food to be marked (3) Fewer army deaths (4) Tsarukyan's co-conspirator (5) Points-based traffic law (6) COVID news & tickets (7) Road repairs (8) Activist arrested (9) Gentrification (10) Constitutional Court (11) Fires (12) Orphan kids
  
• 26/6/2020 News: (1) Tsarukyan company's multi-million $ land fraud (2) Constitutional Court judges fired. Details. 3) BHK MP family's & Yerevan official's property fraud (4) COVID news (5) Armenian hackers (6) Medicine production in Armenia (7) Hamalir fire (8) Fixed soccer matches busted, 5 teams
  
• 25/6/2020 News: (1) CC Court crisis. Kocharyan pulls his case. LHK vs All. (2) Big property tax reform (3) Child care subsidies (4) Pashinyan got mad again (5) Roads & Infrastructure (6) Kocharyan's ally charged (7) Armenian mortar (8) Infected taxi driver (9) Cops organized crime (10) A kiss?
  
• 24/6/2020 News: (1) Constitutional Court crisis / President / Judge / LHK (2) Cancel culture hits Armenia (3) USA news (4) Criminal subculture (5) COVID news. Armenian kits. (6) Yerevan's taco trucks & parking (7) Remote education (8) Ice cream danger (9) NSS agents & mayors busted (10) More roads
  
• 23/6/2020 News: (1) Constitutional Court judges cling to power (2) Kocharyan & Tsarukyan (3) Universal income tax (4) Jobs are recovering (5) ... and so do COVID patients (6) Hospitals & Schools (7) Bro, it's an elementary thing (8) Herpes drug? (9) Azeris in Yerevan (10) Parks, Roads, & Startups.
  
• 22/6/2020 News: (1) Constitutional Court bill. Pashinyan scores major victory. Venice Commission. HHK mad (2) Bribed soldiers (3) Court re-installs HHK mayor (4) Kocharyan & Tsarukyan trials (5) Activist beaten (6) Mayor is busted (7) COVID news. Hospitals. Donations (8) Whirlwind (9) Borders
  
• 21/6/2020 News: (1) Mishik clashes with Pashinyan's family outlet (2) Flashback. Tsarukyan's past (3) Tsarukyan sued by German investor (4) Tsarukyan avoids jail for now (5) Kocharyan receives remittances from Russia (6) European Parliament (7) COVID. More resources. More aid. (8) Nature strikes
  
• PREVIOUS ENTRIES (6/2/2020 -> 19/6/2020)
  

DISCLAIMER

1) The accused are innocent until proven guilty in the court of law, even if they sound guilty.
2) Currency in Armenian ֏ unless specified otherwise. NSS/SIS/SOC = law enforcement agencies. QP = Civil Contract Party. LHK = Bright Armenia Party. BHK = Prosperous Armenia Party.
3) ARCHIVE of older posts by Idontknowmuch: PART 1 ; PART 2 ; PART 3 ; PART 4 ; PART 5.
4) ARCHIVE of older posts by Armeniapedia.

BHK chief Dodi Gago's casino in legal trouble

BHK boss Dodi Gago runs Armenia's biggest Casino Shangri La, one of four that exist. It was built for $150mln in 2014.
Dodi Gago's Multi Group owns the firm that runs the Casino and Pharaoh luxury restaurant. It's unknown how much taxes the casino pays, but both combined paid 5.2bln last year.
 
The Finance Ministry discussed the suspension of casinos' license. Talks began on April 15th. The committee tasked with giving gambling licenses held a meeting on April 30th.
The committee decided not to suspend the license because the casino agreed to fix the [undisclosed] problems.
https://www.1lurer.am/hy/2020/04/27/«Շանգրի-լա»-ն-կարող-է-փակվել-հարցը-ֆինանսների-նախարարությունում-է/231789
https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/186555
https://armtimes.com/hy/article/187110

update: 10km pomenade near Lake Sevan

Earlier we learned that govt is working on a project to build a 10km tourist attraction walking avenue along Lake Sevan shores.
"Arkhiton" company is tasked with the design.
http://www.panarmenian.net/arm/news/280809/
https://www.facebook.com/aghajanyan.eduard/posts/3194668703910152

Design in Armenia: New Architecture Building on History

See the modern architecture in Armenia: https://www.archdaily.com/938747/design-in-armenia-new-architecture-building-on-history?

not yet

FIP fact-checker says media outlets got it wrong about Minnesota Senate recognizing the Artsakh Republic. "The resolution is there but hasn't been approved yet."
https://fip.am/11354

Mayor is charged with embezzlement and land fraud

Prosecutors' report says:
Tsater, Lori mayor organized land lease auctions in 2004/09. They were won by his close associates. The 14ha land was leased for only 168k, for 25 years. His associates took the lands and sub-leased them to someone else (telecom carrier) for a much higher price, in violation of the law. [a similar scheme was busted earlier]
A felony case is launched. The mayor is charged.
https://armtimes.com/hy/article/187227

National Academy of Sciences obtains a powerful microscope

They bought a JEOL-JCM-7000 NeoScope that will allow studies of nanotechnology, food safety examination, drug safety verification, textile fabric's chemical components, etc.
It zooms 100,000x and detects the existence of 40 elements and their sizes. They'll share it with university labs.
https://armtimes.com/hy/article/187304

Investigators bust a Defense Ministry land deal

The report says: The Ministry owned land in Yerevan. The Ministry official sold it for 33.6mln less than market value. Prosecutors couldn't find enough evidence of a felony. The official and the buyer agreed to recover the 33.6mln damages. The felony case is dropped.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1014467.html

A spike in the number of calls to Human Rights Ombudsman

2016: 2.1k calls
2017: 1.9k
2018: 2.8k
2019: 6.2k
https://armtimes.com/hy/article/187236

update: traffic lights were better than a roundabout

On April 10th Yerevan decided to experiment traffic change by turning off red lights and installing a roundabout on a big intersection. The police monitored the traffic and decided the red lights were better.
https://armtimes.com/hy/article/187271

will deputy PM Avinyan resign?

No, according to him. "Who is keep spreading these rumors? It's probably a few Facebook accounts, parroted by media outlets.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1014431.html

COVID stats / Parliament staff is infected

+163 (largest increase). Active 1.6k. Total 2.8k.
QP MP Nazeli spent days unknowingly socializing with a COVID-positive Parliament employee. She is quarantined. "I had 37.7 fever at the time of testing. The results arrive tomorrow."
MPs are given masks and gloves before entering the hall.
https://armtimes.com/hy/article/187232
https://armtimes.com/hy/article/187242
https://armtimes.com/hy/article/187261
https://news.am/arm/news/576999.html

Reddit doctor talks about COVID

Discussion: https://www.reddit.com/armenia/comments/geej2z/armenian_in_corona/

the sorry state of Armenian soccer

Soccer Federation HFF wants to change tournament rules midway. Here is why:
The tournament began with 10 teams. 6 compete to win, while the bottom 4 compete to stay in the higher league, with the last one being kicked out.
One of those bottom-4 teams voluntarily left the tournament. The other 3 teams are basically թրև են գալիս մարզադաշտում.
2 teams are against the changes proposed by HFF. Unclear how it'll proceed post-COVID.
https://armtimes.com/hy/article/187240

saving the bears

An animal protection group helped save 30 bears kept by various individuals and businesses. Short clip: https://youtu.be/vfkT4kuDNEU

Flooding in Yerevan

The rain flooded the improperly drained area and the parked cars that are used to transport govt officials.
https://youtu.be/IzS_iMiN2Bw?t=87
Another take: https://youtu.be/Vpgp9XDL6G8
The streets were also flooded: https://youtu.be/Iv5stUJp8Zw?t=3

Uncle Samvel goes cyber

IRS has a new electronic system to collect sales receipts from mobile and internet transactions. "We're waiting for businesses to join. More work is done to boost digital services in the age of COVID."
https://armtimes.com/hy/article/187245

doctors will be required to inform police...

... if they believe the patient suffered wounds from illegal actions. The bill also "strengthens patient's privacy rights, defines when a medical examination is necessary" etc.
Parliament voted 117-x to approve the govt bill.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1014393.html

donations to cities will become transparent

Parliament voted 117-0 to approve a BHK/QP bipartisan bill. It'll require provincial cities to disclose donations worth >100k. Yerevan will disclose >1mln donations on Yerevan.am within a week of receiving it.
 
LHK MP criticized the part that allows the donor to hide their name. "It could allow corruption. Someone could secretly donate then get favors from the city."
QP MP dismissed the claims: "the donor can choose to hide their name only from the website, but the police still receive their personal details. You can file paperwork to pull that data from the police."
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1014394.html
https://factor.am/246967.html
https://factor.am/246972.html

some insurance compensation won't be taxed

Parliament voted 116-x to approve LHK bill to end taxation of insurance compensations from bank and loan agencies.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1014391.html

Pashinyan reports 2019 economy

Pashinyan went to Parliament to report and answer some questions. He said:
In 2019, we had the highest 7.6% GDP growth since 2008. Highest in EU and EAEU. In Jan/Feb of 2020 the economy grew 8.7%.
[In 2019] Processing industry +12%. For the first time since 2008, it took the biggest share of the economy.
High-tech industry turnover +30%. (includes programming, electronics)
Tourism +14.7%. Exports 10.3% (especially cognac and wine).
The inflow of foreign investments was $2.2bln, or +$465mln YoY, or +$635mln vs 2017.
Tax collection +43.6%.
https://armtimes.com/hy/article/187228
http://arka.am/en/news/economy/armenia_s_economic_activity_index_grows_by_8_7_in_january_and_february_2020/

Pashinyan about taxation:

In 2018/19 we collected 505bln more in taxes. 199bln of it went towards refunding businesses from which IRS over-collected taxes in the past. This was a decades-long issue. The other 306bln was spent on other programs.
Top-1000 taxpayers paid +13% YoY, or +31% vs 2017.
https://armtimes.com/hy/article/187234

Pashinyan about jobs and salaries:

87,000 new or un-shadowed jobs created. Unemployment -2.1%. Poverty -2.2% (total 23.5%). Extreme poverty -0.4% (total 1%). We plan to end extreme poverty by 2023.
Wages +5.8%. Dozens of thousands of teachers, doctors, professors got 10-30% raise. Junior emergency workers 52% raise. Penitentiary salaries +30%. Judicial system raise is planned.
Since 2018, over 1.1 million people saw salary, aid, or pension hike.
https://armtimes.com/hy/article/187234

87,000 new jobs, so why aren't there that many new 1,000 Dram transfers to Army?

Almost every worker pays 1,000AMD/mo to the army Foundation. Pashinyan and IRS said there were 87,000 newly visible jobs, so why aren't there 87,000 number of newly transferred 1,000-drams to the army?
Last year Pashinyan had this to say:
The 1k goes to IRS first before being sent to Foundation. It is collected then sent through cycles. That's where the discrepancy between the visibly available money and the collected money comes from. We could create a group and further understand the delay and discrepancy. It's impossible for us lie about the number of new jobs because of the way they're reported.
 
The army gave a detailed explanation today:
IRS is not allowed to transfer the 1k fees to Army until the employer meets all payment requirements.
Let's say the employer has 10 workers, but he only made 9 payments worth 1k each to IRS. The IRS knows that there are 10 workers. The IRS doesn't know which one of the 10 workers "didn't pay". The IRS won't send the 9 payments to the army until the 10th is collected. The IRS waits until next month.
Next month, the employer pays 15k. The IRS already had 9k in its bank. Now IRS has 24k.
IRS will send only 20k to the army. Why? Because 10 workers = 20k for 2 months.
The remainder 4k sits in IRS bank and waits for 3rd month.
 
BHK MP believes some of the "missing" funds were used by the army to make "top secret purchases". He asked the Defense Minister if it can be disclosed.
https://armtimes.com/hy/article/187277
https://factor.am/247396.html
Tag: #1k #1000dram

Pashinyan about COVID aid, hospitals, financial system:

The 16 aid packages have helped >1mln citizens. 21k businesses got favorable loans.
The hospital beds capable of handling COVID went from 300 to 1500, plus more in isolated hotels. Those without symptoms don't need care, so we try to isolate them until they recover. 6,000 suspects had been isolated.
COVID crisis will last until May-2021.
The slight destabilization of the financial system in late-March, is ove. Moreover, the Central Bank purchased $90mln worth currency. The consumer market didn't collapse. Some items got more expensive or cheaper.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1014418.html

Pashinyan about requiring everyone to file taxes:

The COVID proved once again about the need to have a universal tax declaration system. It should be required for everyone. There was a big scandal last year when I proposed it.
Today we can't find some low-income citizens to send them the COVID aid [they have to manually apply, while some work at gray economy]. If we had a universal taxation system, we could see who is really low income and send the aid quickly.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1014457.html

Pashinyan about nature protection:

4 mines were suspended. 3 were gold, 1 copper.
0.5mln trees planted in 2019. Our 10mln plan for 2020 was ruined by COVID.
Lowest water drain from Lake Sevan in 10 years. The drain was far below the legal limit.
https://armtimes.com/hy/article/187239

Pashinyan about sacking Nature Minister Eric Grigoryan:

He managed to accomplish a lot since 2018, but it was time to "make decisions". Eric solved the problem with illegal water usage by small hydro-plants, and hydo's problems with fish.
Lots of freshwaters were saved in Ararat Valley through underground well conservation.
https://armtimes.com/hy/article/187248

Pashinyan about making soldiers' lives easier:

225 modern surveillance systems were installed on frontlines. 64 positions were connected to an industrial-grade electric grid. 134 positions received flowing water.
35 positions received modular baths. 90% of constricts will be enrolled in a high-quality food program this month. Overall, 54% of soldiers get new food.
Soldier wages up to +30%.
https://armtimes.com/hy/article/187231

Pashinyan about his biggest failure, the story of Sodom and Gomer:

Our biggest fail is the recovery of the stolen funds. Nonetheless, in 2019, SIS recovered 7x more money than it had throughout its entire existence. Other law enforcements increased it ten-fold.
Still, it's not enough. Our legal and judicial system has a small percentage of independent dedicated great professionals. But there are also traitors and illiterates.
Why haven't we acted in the past 2 years, then? Remember Sodom and Gomer story. If the city has 50 honest residents, would you still destroy it? The answer was "no". How about if there were 10 honest? Still "no".
Today the justice system has 50 honest workers. That's why we didn't destroy it. I'd like to thank those 50 workers.
https://factor.am/247241.html

Pashinyan about launching mass-construction to keep workers busy:

17,000 more arrived than left Armenia. Now they can't leave [to Russia] for work due to COVID. How will we help them?
This year we'll launch a construction/renovation of >100 education and healthcare facilities. This could keep them busy for years. The biggest problem is, do we have the necessary construction companies that can win the contracts?
Last year we maxed out the construction capacity. We got every company busy. There is one road we want to repair but we can't find a company.
https://factor.am/247238.html

Chinese workers left

Infrastructure Minister Papikyan said: the Gyumi-Yerevan highway construction stopped because the Chinese workers left earlier. The road condition is deteriorating. We're negotiating with SinoHidro firm to bring the workers back. Time is of the essence. If we can't agree, we might have to find alternative solutions. (COUGH COUGH look up Papik COUCH)
https://armtimes.com/hy/article/187309

Pashinyan about Artsakh conflict:

No other Armenian leader has been this open and transparent about the topic. Any practical decision must be acceptable for Armenia, Artsakh, and Azerbaijan. My opinion hasn't changed since May-8-2018.
https://armtimes.com/hy/article/187253

How did Artsakh negotiations shift over time? / Phased resolution

Recently the Russian MFA Lavrov claimed the Phased resolution is "on the table". Armenian MFA rejected it, saying Artsakh's independence must happen simultaneously with any possible concessions.
Until 1996, Armenian approach was that Artsakh was independent of Armenia, so you should talk to Artsakh separately if you want concessions. This gave Armenia flexibility by easing the pressure. It also gave Artsakh more weight during the negotiations.
 
However, in 2001, president Robert Kocharyan had this to say: Over time, the approach to treat Artsakh as a separate negotiating party started to backfire because foreign powers began pressuring Armenia so it would pressure Artsakh. That's how the unacceptable Phased approach was born. In 1996, we [Artsakh president Kocharyan and Armenian president Ter-Petrosyan] decided to increase Armenia's role in the negotiations [and decrease Artsakh's].
 
Two decades later, Pashinyan decided that it's best to return to the old format and increase Artsakh's role in the negotiations.
Nowadays people point fingers about "whose fault it was" that Artsakh was left out of negotiating table, "why is Pashinyan dealing with a Phased approach", etc. Rob gives you the answers in an MP4 format: https://youtu.be/yd8bgFFN7Xg

NIKOL THE ALCOHOLIC

HHK activist published a photo of vodka distillation equipment: "That's Pashinyan's favorite govt-owned property. This morning they brought it to his residence to serve him alcohol so he'll claim to be drunk and unable to remember how he gave away Artsakh to Azerbaijan."
https://168.am/2020/05/06/1299136.html

UCOM-Beeline merger is suspended

Prosecutors want to arrest UCOM's shareholder-owner Gurgen Khachatryan for allegedly helping his ex-IRS boss father to launder bribed cash.
Since he is on the run, Beeline ISP decided it won't sell itself to UCOM ISP.
https://armtimes.com/hy/article/187247

Court decides to arrest Serj's son-in-law Minasyan

Media and mining magnate Mikael Minasyan was charged with money-crimes. A month ago the prosecutors submitted a petition to arrest him. Today the court approved his arrest.
Fugitive Minasyan released a message: there is no justice in Armenia. Pashinyan has already convicted me. I will return to Armenia because it's hard for me to be away when my friends and family are persecuted.
 
Where is Mikael Minasyan?
QP MP Alen: I think he's somewhere in Moscow suburbs, but it can't last for long. Things are going slow because it needs to be done legally. I think you should expect a hot summer.
https://armtimes.com/hy/article/187229
https://armtimes.com/hy/article/187273
https://armtimes.com/hy/article/187268
https://factor.am/247184.html

Why are so many former regime's suspects able to run?

QP MP Gayane: someone in law enforcement should be held accountable for people escaping. Gurgen Khachatryan's escape is no accident. There is sabotage in the system.
https://armtimes.com/hy/article/187229 , https://armtimes.com/hy/article/187273 , https://armtimes.com/hy/article/187268

Pashinyan about the justice system. and his plans to fill NSS with "outsiders":

Armenia's law enforcement system is in shock because they witness something that they thought would never happen.
Some of them can't believe that their long-time target [me] is standing here as a Prime Minister. My goal was to help them overcome the shock, but the shock is still there.
We should reform the law enforcement instead of chasing the cops with a stick. The upcoming new police agency will consist of educated current cops and outsiders.
For a while, my stance was not to appoint outsiders to NSS. That period is over. The rapid appointment of [28yo] Artsashes Qaramyan as Investigative Committee member then as deputy NSS chief was part of this.
https://armtimes.com/hy/article/187259
https://youtu.be/aCxC3HO4BXk

Oh hi, I didn't see you there. My name's George, but you probably know me by my pen-name, Maddox. If you hang around Club Cobra on transgender Wednesdays, you might also know me as Heather S. I have an afternoon residency there where I perform burlesque dance routines to the songs of Doug from Hoobastank, and hopefully inspire him to write a few new ones as well. I'm generally the subject of half of the tracks on any given Hoobastank album. That song The Letter was about a letter that I wrote to a former girlfriend after I ended the relationship with her. You remember Losing My Grip from The Scorpion King soundtrack? That was also about the same girl after she dumped... I mean after I split up with her. Remember Me was based on an email I sent to my publisher, Simon & Schuster, after they stopped taking my calls and blocked my number. A funny story: I saw Schuster on Hollywood Boulevard a few days after I sent the email and he completely ghosted me.
Anyway, you've reached my bedroom. This is where the magic happens, baby. No, I didn't attend Hogwarts, but I do have a wand, he, he. That's three flaccid inches of lumpy Armenian pig iron you're looking staring at.
What's that?
You're a prospective buyer here to the view the property. My nakedness is making you question your heterosexuality. Yes, of course, I will put on some clothes, but first let me give you the grand tour:
https://i.imgur.com/UZNZsf5.jpg
1. Shark wall decals
These are actual dead sharks that my enemies tossed onto my lawn in drive-by shark attacks, which were a misguided attempt to intimidate me. Little did they know that, in my Armenian motherland, shark pressing is a national hobby / sport. The best shark pressers can name their salary at one of the top teams in the Hrazdan Cement Shark Pressing Premier League, as long as that price in under 208 US dollars per month, or 58858342.4 units of my own made-up currency, The Madbux, at current levels of inflation.
I dragged the fish carcasses inside before my neighbours could steal them from me. For the next six months I stored them in the communal area under teetering stacks of unsold copies of my last book, 'F*ck Whales', that my publisher forwarded to me. It was like a literal game of the Armenian version of paper, rock, scissors – shark, whale, whaling boat. My decision to ignore the complaints of my housemates and the repeated threats by my landlord to evict me if I didn't remove the dead sharks from the property, paid off in the end. Now I have these decorative conversation pieces, the most commonly asked question being: “Where is that nauseating stench of dead fish coming from?”
I used to own four pressed wall sharks. One night this loud Greek guy called Asterios, who I used to hang out with online, called to tell me that he was flying from New York to L.A. to raid my fridge. Sadly he also ate two of the sharks.
2. Handmade cardboard night-stand
I will never forget a piece of advice that my mother imparted to me, seconds before she demanded that I give her money to play the slot machines in a casino owned by the Chinese mafia:
“When it come to websites and home furnishings, you get what you pay for.”
I took my mother's advice very much to heart when I paid $30,000 for this one of a kind cardboard night-stand, designed by the renowned ingénieur en papier, Bernarde Plumnutt. To the non-discerning eye, it might resemble the kind of box that once contained tins of soup, turned upright on one end. However, Bernarde has assured me that it was crafted by the mandibles of a team of wasps that he trained to reinvent cardboard.
Like all geniuses (myself included, he, he) Bernarde imposes exacting standards upon himself and is extremely self-critical. When I visited him to pick-up my finished night-stand, I found it discarded in the trash. It was only after I had fished it out of the dumpster, wiped the condiment stains off the surface and asked him: “Is this the night-stand you made for me?” that he admitted that it was, and requested that he be paid for it immediately in cash. When I visited him again a few days later he appeared to have moved out in a hurry and left no forwarding address.
I love the distressed sticky tape detailling along the top of the stand. You don't see craftsmanship like that any more.
3. Slime comforter
I used to do a podcast with a guy who calls himself Dick Masterson. Later, I found out that he was a rape supremacist so I cut him off. Despite his rape supremacy, a lot of people still think he's cool for some reason. Here's a fact that maybe you don't know about Dick: His real name is something in Spanish. When you translate it into English, it means 'Duck Horror'. He doesn't sound so cool now, does he?
Back when our friendship was on the rocks, Dick suggested a bonding exercise where we would take peyote in the desert so that we could commune with the the ghost of Jim Morrison, who would give us more peyote, along with some spare tickets he had to a safari park on the astral plane, where we could meet our spirit animals, and maybe even feed them and talk to their keepers.
Dick's spirit animal turned out to be a orange monkey with a tiny, scunched-up face, who immediately stole our remaining peyote and scampered up a tree with it to have a vision quest of its own. I was amazed to discover that my spirit animal was the slime creature from the videogame Dragon Quest. I was hoping that it would communicate wisdom and enlightenment, but it just sat there oozing grossly, with a permanent frankfurter grin plastered inanely across its face. Things get a bit hazy after that. I was arrested naked, driving the wrong way along Highland Avenue on a stolen rider mower that I had mistaken for a jet-pack.
To commemorate my vision quest I paid some bedding technicians, who I met loitering outside MIT, $30,000 for this bespoke slime comforter, manufactured entirely from soy in a Japanese laboratory. The reverence that women show when I explain the comforter's spiritual significance to them is heart-warming. More than one girl has told me: “I'm not fucking you anywhere near that thing.”
4. Cuck pole
This chic, open-plan wardrobe is perfect for the cuckold who wants to get closer to the action without actually taking part. No more standing in the dark, peering furtively though a crack in the door. Simply position yourself behind this rack of clothing, and steal as many shameful glances as you want between the sleeves of your jackets, while your girlfriend engages in session after session of vigorous bare-back pounding with the guy who packed her groceries at Walmart.
This set-up has the added benefit of leaving your bottom half exposed. At any moment your girlfriend can glance over at your skinny, bare legs and the shrivelled stub of your pallid genitalia and be reassured that she is making the right decision in terms of fulfilling her sexual needs. It's win-win all round!
5. Armenia National Security Service listening station
One of the many sacrifices that I made for my father's sacrifice entailed allowing the Armenia National Security Service to annex part of my bedroom for use as a listening station. From this base of operations covert operatives gather intelligence that they use to influence American elections and bend the malleable political framework of this decadent, so-called western superpower to the iron will of the east. There is a good reason why you can't spell American without Armenia.
To ward off unwanted scrutiny, the listening station is concealed behind a green stealth curtain which, when drawn, resembles an impenetrable, corrugated green wall. Western nations would gaze with envy upon Armenia's superior camouflage and concealment technology, if only they were able to spot it.

This is a compilation of all the posts by user ar_david_hh who summarises anti-Corruption news of the day along with other interesting news in one comment. It is linked from the sidebar->Interesting Threads->Anti-corruption. The list is ordered by date, newest first. Date format: D/M/YYYY. All credit goes to the sub's hero ar_david_hh
Previous compilation threads: Part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4
UPDATED DAILY

• NEWER ENTRIES
  
• 19/6/2020 News: (1) Russia responds to "cigarette smuggling". Mishik's hoax. (2) Govt rejects Gazprom's price-hike for public (3) Parliament vs Un-Constitutional Court (4) Ex-police chiefs charged (5) Serj's nephew facing 7yrs (6) Robik's dilemma (7) Gago's sectarian sheep (8) Fewer refugees (9)..
  
• 18/6/2020 News: (1) Big bills passed: public TV, elections, pensions, child trafficking (2) Court strikes down anti-corruption laws (3) Kocharyan's $4.1mln bail (4) Child care doubled (5) Serj, EPP & Nikol (6) COVID aid, microchip story, polls (7) Army audit (8) Sevan fishing (9) Fake news stories
  
• 17/6/2020 News: (1) Election fraud story. MPs held hostage. Death threats (2) Pashinyan criticizes NSS leaks (3) Tsarukyan's mother (4) BHK strikes back (5) Woman dies after falling victim to COVID micro-chip theory (6) Public TV. Fake news. Magic Wand. Foreign TV (7) Elder attend university (8)..
  
• 16/6/2020 News: (1) How a 2019 construction bribery bust led to a chain-investigation that uncovered documents about opposition leader's election fraud (2) BHK chief Tsarukyan loses immunity (3) Busing in non-Yerevan residents to vote in Yerevan (4) Tsarukyan's folks return 259mln (5) ID and glove
  
• 15/6/2020 News: (1) Yerevan's forest restoration (2) Constitutional reform (3) Tsarukyan's immunity (4) "Deal Leader" documents (5) MPs throw blows (6) Free masks. COVID research. Joggers (7) Artsakh's border tests (8) Hospital visits decline (9) Zoo residents (10) Wildfire (11) Lydian's wallet
  
• 14/6/2020 News: (1) BHK leader Gagik Tsarukyan accused of casino fraud, land fraud, voter buying. Dozens of raids and confiscations. (2) Workers claim they're pressured to attend a protest to support Tsarukyan (3) Allegations and counter-arguments about "persecution" (4) Tsarukyan's immunity as MP
  
• 12/6/2020 News: (1) North-South fraud. 29 charged (2) Azeri defector (3) ARM responds to EP (4) Shahumyan region (5) COVID & employment, tests, lung vents, beds, donations (6) Protesters arrested (7) Komitas performance (8) Emergency Order (9) Fake news (10) Remote work (11) Armenian bestsellers
  
• 11/6/2020 News: (1) Mining reforms (2) Kocharyan aide's $1mln (3) EP's rapporteurs (4) Edu. official's case (5) Nuclear loan. Russia comments (6) Firdusi (7) Fake news (8) COVID news (9) Criminal subculture (10) Amulsar mining (11) Yerevan's trees & buildings (12) Gas price (13) Cattle (14) To...
  
• 10/6/2020 News: (1) Գյուլնազ տատի (2) $22mln bribery (3) Deadly mining incident (4) Nikol fake anti-Russian? (5) World record set (6) Yerevan budget could spike (7) New cancer tech (8) COVID (9) Draper Uni. (10) Global Peace Index (11) IRS meets Tech Giants (12) Frunzik (13) Sports (14) Lake Sevan
  
• 9/6/2020 News: (1) Job for prisoners (2) Lake gets clean (3) Nuclear loan (4) QP & BHK deal blows. Civil society responds (5) How overloaded are courts? (6) Public is listening. Fewer COVID violations (7) Bed shortage gone (8) Conspiracist defunded (9) Cop's scheme busted (10) Seismic retrofit (11
  
• 8/6/2020 News: (1) Minasyan charged again; Offshore firm & SPAYKA; Laptop with 9000 deleted files; List of deals (2) New NSS chief not a career KGB-shnik (3) UCOM founder to buy Beeline (4) Judge acquitted (5) High tech (6) ex-police chief Vlad (7) COVID news (8) High tech (9) Soccer league (10)..
  
• 7/6/2020 News: (1) Dodi Gago comes out swinging (2) Armenian cards game (3) Good guy Colorado (4) Fake news for your entertainment (5) COVID unleashes hell (6) Crime plummets because of COVID (7) Internal tourism (8) Export stats (9) COVID donations (10) Major roads connecting Armenia-Artsakh
  
• 5/6/2020 News: (1) Points-based traffic rules show results (2) Tushonka's wife charged (3) ex-IRS chief's son charged (4) Cops charged (5) COVID stats, rules, enforcement, patients at home, anti-body tests (6) Govt agencies return savings (7) Banking stability (8) Canada won't arm AZ (9) Lanzarote
  
• 4/6/2020 News: (1) Army's weapon imports through offshore (2) Where does the gas money go? (3) COVID stats, measures, enforcement, aid, latest update (4) Vending machines sell masks (5) Armenian movie in Cannes (6) Your favorite cartoon (7) other stories...
  
• 3/6/2020 News: (1) Masks required everywhere (2) Shareholder transparency (3) Police reform (4) COVID vs employment (5) Protesters flip a car (6) Gloria factory bolola (7) Oghakadzev Park (8) Rocket found (9) Video in courts (10) Child interrogation reform (11) Fuel $ -31% (12) kalashnikov factory
  
• 2/6/2020 News: (1) Fugitive Prince's assets frozen; Sale of media outlets, hotels (2) Pashinyan promises curfew if... (3) Armenian airlines sanctioned (4) Gago's director charged (5) COVID update (6) Agricultural loot crates (7) Lake Sevan algae & fish (8) Ethnic minorities (9) Garabed Gospel
  
• 1/6/2020 News: (1) Parliament bans antibiotics in food; Other drug reforms (2) More gas from Iran (3) Armavir ex-mayor busted (4) Army retaliates in Nakhijevan (5) Crime stats (6) COVID update (7) Missing weapons (8) Parks (9) Prison food (10) Foreign affairs (11) Cash registers required (12)...
  
• 29/5/2020 News: (1) HHK MP is charged with embezzlement (2) MP's son charged with land theft (3) ECHR's Kocharyan verdict (4) COVID intensifies; Enforcement gets stricter (5) Kocharyan's vacation (6) Artsakh's new president aims unity (7) Gandhi (8) Renovations (9) Doing Business (10) Prprty Taxes
  
• 28/5/2020 News: (1) Armenia commemorates the independence struggle (2) COVID update; Raids, Restrictions, Conspiracy theories (3) High profile fight in Education Ministry (4) Mobile mammogram (5) Kocharyan's full verdict (6) Nemets Rubo in Russia (7) Property taxes (8) Meteorite light up the skies
  
• 27/5/2020 News: (1) Soviet army opens fire (2) 19th aid package (3) New human rights group (4) Environmental taxes (5) Luxury property tax (6) ECHR verdict on Kocharyan (7) Officials charged (8) Pashinyan comments cigarette smuggling story (9) COVID restrictions (10) Healthcare news (11) Press F
  
• 26/5/2020 News: (1) Digital overtakes Cash (2) Free healthcare expands (3) Neighborhood news (4) Stats on business layoffs, cuts, turnover (5) Electoral system reforms in provinces (6) Govt raises an alarm, stricter rules (7) Yerevan lands; Worker drama (8) Artsakh govt (9) Armenian nature (10)...
  
• 25/5/2020 News: (1) Qajaran mayor implicated in kidnapping and torture (2) Part 2: How Azeri officials collaborated with Nazis (3) Institutional police reform; Big salary & quality jump (4) Arthur Vanetsyan (5) COVID restriction & Latest (6) Competition (7) Wages & Economy (8) NBA in Armenia (9)..
  
• 24/5/2020 News: (1) Protests after raid ends with 4 arrests in Syunik (2) Story of how Azeri politicians collaborated with Adolf Hitler (3) No felony in Parliament (4) You're a farmer, Harry (5) Army says you shall not pass (6) Salty neighbors attack a lawyer (7) Price gauging busted (8) More...
  
• 22/5/2020 News: () Doctor's note magically disappears to help HHK official avoid jail () New law in action () Constitutional Court crisis () Armenian battalion () COVID stats. Hotel costs. () The GDP () President about population spread () Road repairs () Poultry industry () Climate change () ...
  
• 21/5/2020 News: (1) HHK MP charged with abduction & torture (2) Giant solar farm (3) Only 1 exam (4) Forest embezzlement (5) Yerevan district chief busted (6) COVID. Anti-body tests. Doctors needed (7) Soccer rules (8) Sauna found in university (9) Artsakh president's electric car (10) Inflation
  
• 20/5/2020 News: (1) Programming classes for COVID victims (2) HayPost deliveries (3) Test production (4) Bribery uncovers wider scheme (5) "Cigarette smuggling" update (6) Ex-oligarch cases more charges (7) Sales receipts plummet (8) Vroooom (9) Dod Exotic (10) Gold plates for $ (11) Stolen statue
  
• 19/5/2020 News: (1) Audit uncovers billions (2) High ranking NSS official quits (3) Fuel machinations uncovered (4) Foreign affairs (5) HHK activist is charged over Facebook post (6) COVID penalties & masks (7) COVID vs Real Estate (8) Conspiracies (9) Economy 2020 vs 2019 (10) Genocide archives
  
• 18/5/2020 News: (1) Armenia will produce buses (2) ex-SOC chief's court trial (3) Pashinyan's Q&A with media: Courts, Cigarette smuggling, $105mln recovered, Amulsar, WW2 & Nazis (4) Cassations Court boost anti-money laundering (5) "Pashinyan lied to you all" (6) USAID++ (7) PCs for kids (8) ...
  
• 17/5/2020 News: 100 facts about new Armenia. What has changed since 2019?
  
• 15/5/2020 News: (1) SIS charges NSS agents & Cops for letting a suspect flee (2) Judge charged with forgery (3) Fugitive ex-official faces 2bln abuse charges (4) HHK scorches EU for praising Armenia's achievements (5) Here are the rules (6) National Archive (7) Yerevan news (8) New ISP created
  
• 14/5/2020 News: (1) Housing subsidies to boost birthrate (2) 18th aid package (3) Church about child abuse convention (4) Hay Park (5) Judge's private info leaked (6) Military audit stats (7) COVID vs Marriages & Tourism (8) Masks required; Transport & preschools; Max 5 people (9) Visitors' fate..
  
• 13/5/2020 News: (1) The final days of Artsakh war (2) Drama over Parliament fight (3) MP attacked over voting record (4) Kocharyan's 3 petitions get rejected (5) Where do strawberries come from? (6) Ex-police official charged (7) Gloves & smoking (8) COVID reaches PM's office (9) PM roams around
  
• 12/5/2020 News: (1) Ejmiatsin mayor accuses "mafiosi" of fabricating stories after raids (2) Cigarettes story (3) Biggest Freedom House jump (4) Parliament drama (5) Robert Kocharyan (6) Judges approve 91% of arrest warrants (7) Remittances from abroad (8) Central Bank protest (9) More inside...
  
• 11/5/2020 News: (1) Massive campaign to make Yerevan greener (2) Offers made for several MPs to resign (3) Businessmen fight after river overflows (4) Child exploitation convention (5) Story of "Mother Armenia" statue (6) Artsakh bridge gets Aliyev in trouble (7) Judicial reforms (8) Men's rights?
  
• 8/5/2020 news: (0) COVID's impact on Real Estate & Industry (1) Kocharyan trial; former PMs ask judge to free him (2) Anti-corruption bill discussion turns into a fight in Parliament; context; response (3) Magic wand in action (4) File & pay taxes online (5) COVID in army (6) Liberating Shushi (7)
  
• 7/5/2020 News: (1) New solar farm (2) Big preschool reforms (3) Free cash for doctors (4) ECHR vs Armenia (5) Saryan's painting found (6) U.S. Department about Artsakh (7) Infrastructure upgrades, new roads & facilities (8) Aid for tech industry (9) Faster court trials (10) 1988 quake survivors...
  
• 6/5/2020: (1) Pashinyan "hijacks" NSS (2) ֏1k fees to army (3) Donation transparency (4) Everyone to file taxes? (5) Mass construction (6) Gago's casino (7) Science news (8) Alcoholic Pashinyan (9) Modern architecture (10) Yerevan floods (11) What happened in 2019? (12) Artsakh negotiations (13)..
  
• 5/5/2020 News: (1) "Gun laws" to get stricter (2) Govt wants to ban antibiotics in meat (3) Yerevan wastewater cleanup corruption (4) Family annihilator in Yerevan (5) PM makes staff changes (6) Eight students' bribery (7) Cursing lawyers = felony? (8) Fewer deaths, tourists, cargo (9) More inside
  
• 4/5/2020 -- Monday News, How UCOM got involved in money laundering story \ Aid for businesses that hire during COVID \ Voter lists inflated? \ Defamation lawsuits \ Economy & Unemployment \ Mask and testkit production \ "Repeated" infections \ EU tariffs & Armenia \ Road repairs \ more... How UCOM got involved in money laundering story \ Aid for businesses that hire during COVID \ Voter lists inflated? \ Defamation lawsuits \ Economy & Unemployment \ Mask and testkit production \ "Repeated" infections \ EU tariffs & Armenia \ Road repairs \ more...
  
• 3/5/2020: Today's News Stories --- Armenian airlines blacklisted by U.S. \ 3-way clash between Pashinyan-Vanetsyan-Minasyan \ New raids related to ex-IRS boss \ Bill to require balanced news on TV \ Healthcare system capacity & Future of COVID \ Diasporans \ Yerevan news \ more stories...
  
• 1/5/2020: Friday News --- Manvel needs the tushonka \ Pashinyan in legal trouble \ Plot twist in fake cigarette story \ ADHD kids \ Mayors charged with embezzlement \ Kocharyan in hospital \ Hydro in Artsakh \ Party animals \ Economy is re-opening \ COVID situation & aid \ George Soros
  
• 30/4/2020: Thursday News -- Offshore firm makes your money disappear \ ex-NSS boss accused of being Russian agent \ Fired over Facebook Like \ UCOM's shareholder raided \ Utility subsidies \ 1k Nature jobs \ Smelly tomato \ Education reforms \ MP vs Activist \ Cigarette fake news \ ++
  
• 29/4/2020: Wednesday News -- Armenia being sued for $160mln after Serj's railway deal w/offshore firm \ Lake Sevan building destruction \ Freedom of press \ Armenians in WW2 \ Fight between MP & activist \ Pashinyan office vs ex-NSS Vanetsyan \ Hospital trashed after a shooting vendetta
  
• 28/4/2020: Today's News --- Massive $22mln bribery story involving ISP giant UCOM, offshore laundering, Dodi Gago's right-hand man, and former IRS boss // Business restrictions are relaxed // Armenian Genocide material damage // Yerevan news // Banks // more inside...
  
• 27/4/2020 -- News Summary -- Armenian mafia in US / App to find street parking, CCTVs / Aid for startups / Officials busted with bribery / Foreign aid to ARM and Artsakh / Neighborhood news / Wages up / Trade & Services down / Prosecutors investigate report against Yerevan mayor / 15% had COVID
  
• 24/4/2020 -- Summary of today's news stories about Anti-Corruption, COVID, Economy, Politics, Daily Life, and more...
  
• 23/4/2020 -- Anti-Corruption & News -- Early cancer detection in Armenia / Institutional police reforms / Salaries raised / Soldier families get free healthcare / Economy to shrink / Tuition subsidy / Garni mayor charged / Cop is arrested (lol?) / Cultural events / Chatbot Tiko reporting for duty
  
• 22/4/2020 -- Daily News Briefing -- The gas wars, Serj's son-in-law wanted, US/UN/EU send aid, Armenian Genocide, Tax code reforms, Nature Ministry and Lake Sevan, Giant cross near Turkish border, Trees or no trees,
  
• 21/4/2020 -- Daily News Summary -- Stay up to date on Armenian Foreign Policy, Anti-Corruption, COVID, Economy, Politics, Daily Life, and more...
  
• 20/4/2020: Daily News Digest -- Student loan subsidies // New giant park idea // Pashinyan blasts "haters", pro-Western, and pro-Russian factions // Dilijan mayor charged // Nature Ministry officials busted // UCOM co-founder to launch new ISP // COVID status // many more stories...
  
• 17/4/2020 -- Today's News -- Tourist avenue near Lake Sevan -- Many bills passed (nature, anti-corruption, transparency, childbirth) -- Yerevan buildings -- Church scandal -- Deportation of Armenian suspect -- COVID update -- Moody's -- How is Heno doing?
  
• 16/4/2020 -- Today's News -- Stay up to date on Anti-Corruption, COVID, Economy, Politics, Daily Life, and more...
  
• News & Anti-Corruption -- 15/4/2020 -- Judicial Vetting / NSS's Money Laundering Charges Against Churchman (former PM as shareholder) / Asset Forfeiture Law Amended / Civil Aviation Bombshell / Catholicos in Hot Water / Hate Speech Law Expands / Future Artsakh President / COVID and Consequences /
  
• 14/4/2020 -- Today's News -- Stay up to date on Anti-Corruption, COVID, Economy, Politics, Daily Life, Changes, and more...
  
• 13/4/2020: News from Armenia // Utility bill subsidy // Government removes media gag // UCOM founder gives details // Tushonka's merch // $3,000,000 house // COVID tests increase, Stats, Curve // Emergency extended // Mobile tracking results // 13 days at 0.9 // Burglary // more stories...
  
• 10/4/2020 -- Today's News & Anti-Corruption // Telecom operator merger // Several high profile corruption busts // Former NSS chief Vanetsyan makes alliance // a lot more...
  
• 9/4/2020 -- Daily News Summary -- Biological labs in Armenia & Russian media / Government aid / Artsakh election & George Soros / Arrest in-absentia for HHK MP / Botanical garden embezzled / Kocharyan sues Armenia / How does Armenia fare against world in COVID graph? / Mass tests incoming /
  
• 8/4/2020 -- Your daily summary of Armenian news -- Stay up to date on Anti-Corruption, COVID, Economy, Politics, Daily Life, and more...
  
• 7/4/2020 -- Today's News Summarized -- Incarceration drops (=Denmark). Mysterious pneumonia. Pashinyan gets sued. Foreign investment stats. Black market for masks. Real estate transactions. New healed > infected. Artsakh elections. $500mln gas investment. Domestic kits. Pashinyan vs Gago. +++
  
• 6/4/2020 -- Today's news stories TLDR -- Pashinyan's Q&A - Many topics - Weapon smuggling in Africa, Artsakh election fraud, Police contract abuse, Which officials are charged?, Prosecutors less likely to arrest, Road repair fraud, COVID - domestic tests - tunnel light, ... a lot more
  
• 5/4/2020 -- Daily News Summary -- Civil Aviation details -- Lord Voldemort stats -- Stay up to date on Anti-Corruption, COVID, Economy, Politics, Daily Life, and more...
  
• 3/4/2020 -- Daily News Summary -- Stay up to date on Anti-Corruption, COVID, Economy, Politics, Daily Life, Post-Revolution Changes, and more...
  
• 2/4/2020 -- Today's News Wrap-Up // What's happening in Armenia? // Coronavirus situation & Important message // Ministry goes after a judge // HHK MP under investigation // and a lot more...
  
• 1/4/2020 -- Daily News Summary -- Election results, who are the candidates? /// Prosecutors bust former officials /// Gas prices /// Coronavirus stats /// CSTO's response /// Stay up to date on Anti-Corruption, COVID, Economy, Politics, Daily Life, and more...
  
• 31/3/2020 -- Daily News Summary -- Artsakh elections /// South Korea style COVID19 tracking, Parliament discusses details /// 60,000 test kits /// Lockdown extended /// Satanist chicks /// Stay up to date on Anti-Corruption, COVID, Economy, Politics, Daily Life, and more...
  
• 30/3/2020 -- Daily News Summary -- TLDR of Today's Major Stories.
  
• 27/3/2020 -- What's going on in Armenia? -- Today's major news on COVID, Anti-Corruption, Post-Revolution Armenia, Economy, Politics, Diaspora, Daily Life, and more...
  
• 26/3/2020 -- Daily News Summary // Government aid for family, farmer, business // How wealthy are MPs? // Stay up to date on Post-Revolution Anti-Corruption, COVID, Economy, Politics, Daily Life, and more...
  
• 25/3/2020 -- Today's News TLDR -- Stay up to date on COVID, Anti-Corruption, Post-Revolution Armenia, Economy, Politics, Diaspora, Daily Life, and more...
  
• 24/3/2020 -- What's happening in Armenia? -- Papers, Please -- Today's major stories on COVID, Anti-Corruption, Post-Revolution Armenia, Economy, Politics, Diaspora, Daily Life, and more...
  
• 23/3/2020 -- What's going on in Armenia? -- Today's major stories on COVID, Anti-Corruption, Post-Revolution Armenia, Economy, Politics, Diaspora, Daily Life, and more...
  
• 22/3/2020 -- What's happening in Armenia? -- Today's major stories on COVID, Anti-Corruption, Post-Revolution Armenia, Economy, Politics, Diaspora, Daily Life, and more...
  
• 20/03/2020 -- Your Daily News Summarized -- Today's major stories on COVID, Anti-Corruption, Post-Revolution Armenia, Economy, Politics, Diaspora, Daily Life, and more...
  
• 19/3/2020: Daily News Summary / Yerevan mayor cleared / Artsakh presidential polls / Sports pensions / IRS stats, COVID impact / 122 infections / No shortage of food / Export of med-stuff banned / Donations surge / Techies drafted vs COVID / Aid package, salaries, utility bills, loans, imports
  
• 18/3/2020 -- Daily News Summary / Property embezzlement busts skyrocket / 110 COVID cases / 150bln economic stimulus being drafted, loans, aid / Police monitoring the quarantined, crowded buses / fake news gag / Remote education / and more...
  
• 17/3/2020 -- Daily News Summary / Mass COVID19 testing results in high detection rate / Emergency gag on COVID fake news / 78 cases / Online schooling / IRS worker busted, Former Minister / Tushonka's nephew charged / Defamation lawsuits / and more...
  
• 16/3/2020 -- Daily News Summary -- Chronological COVID timeline -- State of Emergency -- Healthcare Ministry takes over private sector -- Gatherings banned -- Non-citizens banned -- Referendum postponed -- and more...
  
• 15/3/2020 -- Daily News Summary -- Pashinyan unknowingly socialized with COVID patient; tests negative -- Ejmiatsin city entry & exits closed -- Russia arrests March 1st suspect -- Other major stories on Post-Revolution Changes, Anti-Corruption, Economy, Politics, Diaspora, Daily Life, and more...
  
• 14/3/2020 -- Daily News Summary -- Levon Aronyan's wife had car crash -- Latest COVID news -- High ranking Nature official investigated -- Other major stories on Post-Revolution Changes, Anti-Corruption, Economy, Politics, Diaspora, Daily Life, and more...
  
• 13/3/2020 -- Daily News Summary -- Pashinyan & Wife isolated after contact; COVID test -- 13 cases -- Italian COVID brought before main outbreak, shutting flights wouldn't help -- Other major stories on Post-Revolution Changes, Anti-Corruption, Economy, Politics, Diaspora, Daily Life, and more...
  
• 12/3/2020 -- Daily News Summary -- Your COVID briefing minus fake news -- Tech sector expands -- Other major stories on Post-Revolution Changes, Anti-Corruption, Economy, Politics, Diaspora, Daily Life, and more...
  
• 11/3/2020 --- Daily News Collection --- Pashinyan about Serj's "$42mln weapon waste" -- Rob's judge releases Rob's media friend -- Embezzlement during 2016 Pope visit --- Other major stories on Anti-Corruption, Post-Revolution Changes, Economy, Politics, Diaspora, Daily Life, and more...
  
• 10/3/2020 -- Daily News Summary -- Pashinyan blasts Constitutional Court chief for secret meetings with Kocharyan's lawyer -- Other major stories on Post-Revolution Changes, Anti-Corruption, Economy, Politics, Diaspora, Daily Life, and more...
  
• 9/3/2020 -- Your daily news summarized -- Today's major stories on Post-Revolution Changes, Anti-Corruption, Economy, Politics, Diaspora, Daily Life, and more...
  
• 6/3/2020 --- Your daily news summarized --- Don't miss today's major stories on Anti-Corruption, Economy, Post-Revolution Changes, Politics, Diaspora, Daily Life, and more...
  
• 5/3/2020 --- Your daily news summarized --- Don't miss today's major stories on Anti-Corruption, Economy, Post-Revolution Changes, Politics, Diaspora, Daily Life, and more...
  
• 4/3/2020 -- Today's news summarized. Stay informed about the ongoing Anti-Corruption, Economy, Major Changes, Politics, Constitutional Court Crisis, Diaspora, Daily Life, and more...
  
• 2/3/2020 -- News collection from Armenia // Major busts today // Stay informed about the ongoing Anti-Corruption, Economy, Major Changes, Politics, Constitutional Court Crisis, Diaspora, Daily Life, and more...
  
• 1/3/2020 -- News collection from Armenia. Stay informed about the ongoing Anti-Corruption, Economy, Major Changes, Politics, Constitutional Court Crisis, Diaspora, Daily Life, and more...
  
• 28/2/2020 -- Daily News & Anti-Corruption from Armenia / Lydian miner wins lawsuit / Offshore embezzlement revealed / Mayor's theft / Sumgayit massacres / SOC audits a Uni / Armenian army / Coronavirus update / Azeri spy rumor / Rob ally's bribery / Cabbies vs gig economy / Sports / ... and more
  
• 27/2/2020 -- Collection of news from Armenia / Stay informed about the ongoing Anti-Corruption / Economy / Major changes / Politics / Constitutional Court crisis / Diaspora / Daily Life / and more...
  
• 26/2/2020 --- Daily News & Anti-Corruption summary from Armenia / March 1st witnesses, borders, murder, bribe / Disability protection bill / Foreign Affairs & Trade / Lots of trolling / Coronavirus / Women in army / Sports victories / Education reform complaint / Nature / Wages++ / & much more...
  
• 25/2/2020 --- Daily News & Anti-Corruption summary from Armenia --- Economy / Wages & Inflation / Tech & Manufacturing up / Judicial Reforms / Kocharyan & Serj's trial / High ranking bust / A school fight / Coronavirus / Aid for low-income families / Business survey / Gift for women / and more...
  
• 24/2/2020 --- Daily News & Anti-Corruption summary from Armenia --- March 1st, testimony, sniper, murder / Education Reforms / TV networks / Yerevan's sewers / State property embezzlement / Coronavirus at borders / Fish farms and nature / Nominal wages in 2019 / High tech / and more...
  
• 21/2/2020 -- Daily News summary from Armenia -- Stay informed about the ongoing Anti-Corruption Busts / Constitutional Court crisis / Politics / Economy / Diaspora / Daily Life / and more...
  
• 20/2/2020 -- Daily News summary from Armenia -- Stay informed about the ongoing Anti-Corruption Busts, Constitutional Court crisis, Politics, Economy, Diaspora, Daily Life, and more...
  
• 19/2/2020 -- Daily News summary from Armenia -- Stay informed about the ongoing Anti-Corruption Busts, Constitutional Court crisis, Politics, Economy, Diaspora, Daily Life, and more...
  
• 18/2/2020 -- Daily News summary from Armenia -- Stay informed about the ongoing Anti-Corruption Busts, Constitutional Court crisis, Politics, Economy, Diaspora, Daily Life, and more...
  
• 17/2/2020 -- Daily News Collection From Armenia -- Stay informed about the ongoing Constitutional Court crisis, Anti-Corruption Busts, Politics, Economy, Diaspora, Daily Life, and more...
  
• 14/2/2020 -- Daily News Collection From Armenia -- Stay informed about the ongoing Constitutional Court crisis, Anti-Corruption Busts, Politics, Economy, Diaspora, Daily Life, and more...
  
• 13/2/2020 -- Daily News Collection From Armenia -- Stay informed about the ongoing Constitutional Court crisis, Anti-Corruption Busts, Politics, Economy, Diaspora, Daily Life, and more...
  
• 12/2/2020 -- Daily News Collection From Armenia -- Stay informed about the ongoing Constitutional Court crisis, Anti-Corruption Busts, Politics, Economy, Diaspora, Daily Life, and more...
  
• 11/2/2020 -- Daily News Collection & Anti-Corruption from Armenia --- Massive police reforms, new academy, new ministry, duty reshuffling --- Landmark court decision to fight army bullying --- Constitutional referendum update --- Mayor & son charged --- many more stories inside...
  
• 10/2/2020 -- Daily News Collection From Armenia -- Stay informed about the ongoing Constitutional Court crisis, Anti-Corruption Busts, Politics, Economy, Diaspora, Daily Life, and more...
  
• 9/2/2020 -- Daily News Collection From Armenia -- Stay informed about the ongoing Constitutional Court crisis, Anti-Corruption Busts, Politics, Economy, Diaspora, Daily Life, and more...
  
• 7/2/2020 -- Daily News Collection From Armenia -- Stay informed about the ongoing Constitutional Court crisis, Anti-Corruption Busts, Politics, Economy, Diaspora, Daily Life, and more...
  
• 6/2/2020 -- Daily news collection from Armenia -- Stay informed about the ongoing Anti-Corruption Busts, Politics, Economy, Diaspora, Daily Life, and more...
  
• PREVIOUS ENTRIES (6/9/19 -> 5/2/2020)
  

Disclaimer: All the accused are innocent until proven guilty by the court of law. Currency in Armenian Drams unless specified otherwise.
Felony charges are pressed against a commander of a military unit for abuse of power.
He ordered the subordinates to give construction materials, belonging to the military, to private entities. He gave some of it to his brother, say the military prosecutors.
https://armtimes.com/hy/article/155990
Hrazdan's Hayantar gov-funded forest protection agency's director has been arrested. He is facing multiple counts of felony embezzlement and bribery.
He is accused of colluding with others to steal 27mln from the state, and demanding and taking a bribe from a business in order not to do an inspection.
https://armtimes.com/hy/article/155970
Prosecutors have discovered that for years, mining companies failed to meet their contract requirements to pay certain fees. Some of them were required to invest hundreds of millions in local communities as part of their deal, but failed to do so.
Prosecutors have so far recovered 470mln out of 1bln in unpaid fees.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/966473.html
The prosecutors have uncovered a 1.7mln embezzlement committed by a business CEO who signed a contract with a government-run elderly house to provide food. The CEO has voluntarily returned the stolen funds. No felony charges have been filed.
http://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/156035
The police has uncovered a 3.6mln corruption scheme by Odzun's gov-funded community services organization, who allegedly hired non-existent employees to steal their salaries. The prosecutors have pressed felony charges.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/966513.html
In the past 7 months, the IRS (alone) has recovered and returned 8.8bln to the state in unpaid fees, out of which 1.8bln was corruption busts.
https://factor.am/129555.html
Certain monopolies in various fields continue to lose their market share to the competition.
The largest sugar seller went from having 95% to 78% of the market share, largest banana from 57% to 30%, largest fuel from 43% to 29%, largest diesel from 51% to 29%.
http://www.panarmenian.net/arm/news/266153/
Russian-Armenian businessman Ruben Vardanyan says his Troika Dialogue bank met all the transparency regulations while under his management until 2012. He denies involvement in money laundering done by some of the clients.
https://armtimes.com/hy/article/156015
QP had earlier proposed limiting or outright banning gambling ads, similar to how tobacco is treated, to reduce the future generation's bad habits. Many website owners complained because a significant portion of their income comes from bookmaker and casino ads.
They have agreed that for now, they will limit the gambling ads to no more than 20% of the ads on the website (or 20% of the screen?).
https://armtimes.com/hy/article/155903
The Parliament has voted to extend the law that allows >27 year old men who have never served in the army, to pay a penalty for each missed draft, and remove their names from the wanted list. This affects 10,940 men.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/966394.html
QP MP has complained to the Election Commission Chief that the voter list, which contains 2.59mln people (population 2.97mln), is inflated and contains people who will never vote again.
The Chief says it's because of the way the voter lists are generated. Everyone who is still counted as an Armenian citizen and has a registered residency in Armenia, are automatically entered to the voter list. This includes people who left the country without removing themselves from the residency lists.
Chief says to change the way the voter registration lists are generated, there must be a legislative change to the law.
Chief says Armenia is one of the few countries which publishes the data of people who voted, for transparency. They routinely verify that there are no diseased peoples' names on the list.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/966458.html
Education Ministry wants to expand the idea if dual-education system for higher education field so the students can become "interns" and receive skills dictated by the job market. The student will be able to study in the university and at a business location simultaneously.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/966405.html
Kocharyan has filed the 6th lawsuit claiming defamation, this time against Aram Manukyan, vice president of Armenian National Congress party. Manukyan is "happy about it".
Kocharyan has pending lawsuits against Pashinyan, several other politicians, and the businesswoman Silva Hambardzumyan who earlier said that she transferred millions of dollars in "protection" fees to Kocharyan and others, through Kocharyan's aide.
https://armtimes.com/hy/article/156014
IT TURNS OUT GEORGE SOROS IS FUNDING EVERYONE!
Yerevan State University accused Restart student activists of taking $20,000 donations from Soros, which they did. Turns out the university itself took $822,000 from Soros.
Now, Rob Kocharyan's lawyer Hayk Alumyan says they have received a grant from Soros, but for a case unrelated to Rob. Alumyan also received another grant to attend a lawyers' conference on 2017. Kocharyan had earlier accused Pashinyan administration of being Soros puppets.
Soros has also funded former HHK Parliament speaker Babloyan and 3 other former HHK MPs.
Several universities combined have received $7.7mln from the foundation.
http://www.panarmenian.net/arm/news/266149/ ---- http://www.panarmenian.net/arm/news/266132/ ----- http://www.panarmenian.net/arm/news/266133/
Former March 1st investigator Vahagn Harutyunyan, who is accused of tampering evidence to cover up a crime, and abuse of power, is still on the run. The prosecutors can't find him for the 5th month.
http://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/156030
The Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan proves better than anyone else that the current Azeri regime is simply clueless.
"Mammadyarov: What has an ordinary Armenian gained from the Karabakh conflict? Has his life improved?"
http://azeridaily.com/politics/46329
A) freedom B) Yes, thanks for concern.
......
Revenues from the asset management of Azerbaijan State Oil Fund have dropped 6 times since 2017. From 1.2bln to 0.2bln Manat.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/966411.html
Pashinyan's Brussels, Belgium trip continues. He met Donald Tusk and Frederika Mogherini. The latter vowed to help Armenia with its push towards democratization. Pashinyan asked EU if they can help improve the roads and infrastructure in Armenia, as well as to relax the visa regime. EU representative said they'll help Armenia with multiple projects simultaneously.
President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker said the technical part to ease the visa regime is done. The next step is direct talks with nations. The EU will do its part to accelerate the process, said Junker.
Pashinyan also noted that Artsakh population's free will and self-determination should be respected as part of the conflict's resolution.
https://twitter.com/NikolPashinyan/status/1102977928143560709 ---- https://armenpress.am/arm/news/966521.html ---- https://news.am/arm/news/499757.html
(wow Nikol, great moves. Keep it up. Proud of your Twitter translator.)
Belarus president Alexander Lukashenko has blamed Russia for pushing Belarus towards the West. He is unhappy with the restrictions and the unfriendly economic situation between Russia and Belarus. He doesn't understand the "hysteria" by Russia when Belarus takes steps to strengthen ties with the West.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/966446.html
Wrestler Slavik Galstyan wins silver medal in the European youth championship.
http://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/156039