500,000 seniors are currently participating. Time to raise awareness. //video, May 1 is Tax Day in Armenia: new website will allow working citizens to file their income with IRSA platform to submit income declarations will be created soon. Income declaration becomes mandatory for contract-based employees starting 1 January 2024. It has been mandatory for civil servants and deputies since 2023. It will be mandatory for everyone else starting in 2025. In the future, universal healthcare holders will be required to disclose their income.Income declarations for 2023 must be submitted by May 1, 2024. A website and an app will be created so that people can easily fill out the declarationThere will be benefits for those who declare it: loan subsidies, education, and healthcare tax refunds. Penalty is envisaged for filing late: $12 for individuals and $123 for businesses.source, anti-corruption: government recovers a property that was allegedly illegally sold by Serj-era defense minister Seyran OhanyanPROSECUTOR GENERAL: The mayor of Armash issued a decree in 2005 to transfer a property to the defense ministry. These are known as Yeraskh-1 and Yeraskh-2 military bases. The NSS found that, in 2009, MOD Seyran Ohanyan decided to illegally sell the 0.9-hectare land and the buildings of the Yeraskh-2 military base to a third party at a price significantly below the market value. In February 2023 we launched a criminal case against Seyran Ohanyan, now an MP from the "Armenia" faction [Robert Kocharyan]. The person who purchased the property has agreed to return it. The case of Yeraskh-1 is still in court, while Yeraskh-2 will be returned soon.video, Lake Sevan Water Patrol is not effing aroundThe Patrol conducted more raids to remove illegal fishing and crab nets despite the recent clashes with unhappy fishers.This time they removed dozens of nets and were able to save 100 fish who were released back into the lake. It's the egg season. Fishing is illegal.source, police pulled over and issued a warning the vehicle of the president of Nagorno-Karabakh for a traffic violation in YerevanHe was traveling in a motorcade consisting of several vehicles without authorization, said the police. Only Armenian state officials are authorized to travel in long motorcades consisting of bodyguards and multiple vehicles.source, source, Armenian Constitutional Court judge resigns after getting a job at EAEU trade bloc's courtIt looks like the Parliament will have to hold a vote to appoint a new judge after the resignation of Serj-appointee Arayik Tunyan. source, source, Armenian government could soon become a shareholder in another mining company: gov't sourceIn 2021 PM Pashinyan railed against Zangezur Copper Combine's shady ownership and allegedly illegal shareholder transactions in the past. Then the government magically took over 21.8% of its ownership.Then the government gained 12.5% ownership in Lydian Armenia which is set to launch gold mining in Amulsar next year. A government source says "another one" is coming soon. They are still negotiating over the terms and weighing the possible risks (environmental, etc.) so the details cannot be revealed at this time. source, TUMO will turn its mobile trailers located across the country into climate change monitoring stationsThe students of the TUMO high-tech educational institution have created devices that monitor the atmosphere, temperature, pressure, wind, etc., as part of the Climate Net program. They will be installed on hundreds of TUMO boxes in the coming years. This will help create a climate map of Armenia. The students are comparing and calibrating their sensors with "professional" data.Foreign organizations create similar devices for €2,000. TUMO says their devices cost €500 to make. Students will play with various metrics and predict whether there will be rain at a specific location and date. video,Armenia dodged a bullet 7 million years ago: MAPGuinness Book recognizes Lake Parathetys as the world's largest lake in history. It stretched from modern-day Czechia to Uzbekistan. It covered most of Georgia and Azerbaijan but spared Armenia. It dried up millions of years ago.source," title="Armenia is turning away from Russia & adopting NATO standards: Lavrov // Azerbaijan's proposal // Biometric passport & ID // Pay citation online or quickly = massive discount // May 1 Tax Day; mandatory declaration // Culture: Cologne & Jerusalem // Anti-corruption">full image - Repost: Armenia is turning away from Russia & adopting NATO standards: Lavrov // Azerbaijan's proposal // Biometric passport & ID // Pay citation online or quickly = massive discount // May 1 Tax Day; mandatory declaration // Culture: Cologne & Jerusalem // Anti-corruption (from Reddit.com, Armenia is turning away from Russia & adopting NATO standards: Lavrov // Azerbaijan's proposal // Biometric passport & ID // Pay citation online or quickly = massive discount // May 1 Tax Day; mandatory declaration // Culture: Cologne & Jerusalem // Anti-corruption)
Mining:
Exchanges:
Donations:
10-minute read.Armenia is turning away from Russia: foreign minister of RussiaFM LAVROV: Armenia is reorienting its foreign policy towards the West at the expense of its long-standing alliance with Russia. Unfortunately, official Yerevan succumbed to the persuasion of Westerners. It is exchanging the time-tested alliance with Moscow not even for concrete help from the West but only for vague promises. //source,Russia: Armenia is modernizing its army with NATO standards and we aren't happy about itLAVROV: We hope Armenia realizes the threat of loss of sovereignty in the field of defense in the event of deepening ties with NATO. This year Armenia held dozens of joint events with NATO and continues to modernize its army with NATO standards, while their soldiers continue to retrain in several countries in the North Atlantic bloc. This concerns us.We have repeatedly drawn the attention of our Armenian partners that NATO's real goal is to strengthen its position in the region and create conditions for manipulations under the "divide and conquer" doctrine. //Lavrov's statement comes days after a NATO representative announced that Armenia has chosen to distance itself from Moscow to a degree and that Armenia is taking steps to strengthen ties with the NATO bloc.source, Russia: discussions about the removal of Russian military base in Armenia are harmfulLast month Pashinyan said he didn't see the benefit of the Russian military base. The context was Russia's inaction, including during the ongoing ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh.LAVROV (today): Our military base was deployed in Armenia [in the '90s] primarily based on national interests and the common goal of our states to strengthen stability in the South Caucasus. Discussions about its removal are harmful. //source, и тебя вылечат, и меня вылечатRUSSIA: My boy Armenia is going through an adolescent phase. This rebellious conduct is temporary. We will get through this if there is enough power of political will. We have a strong bond at the people level. Drugs are never a solution, my son, do not listen to perverts in the West. They won't help you. Also, you are getting ass whooped if I ever see you again hanging out with that NATO kid. Can you believe this? I caught them at the gym doing strength training the other day. They are a bad influence on you, son. Are you not happy with all the pocket money I've been giving you through EAEU?source, source, Azerbaijan sees small progress in AM-AZ peace processFM of Azerbaijan says the back-and-forth exchanges between Armenia and Azerbaijan have yielded minor results lately. Azerbaijan has responded to Armenia's proposals, Armenia will respond back soon. Azerbaijan does not want the details to be disclosed for now. Azerbaijan has invited Armenia to hold a meeting on the AM-AZ border, but this time at a higher level, between foreign ministers. Azerbaijan wants to delay the border demarcation process. They also continue to insist on Azeris settling in 8 "currently empty" villages in Armenia, 4 of which are inside "enclaves" and the other 4 outside, but Armenia has been against this.source, source, source, source, France expels two Azerbaijani embassy diplomatsIt was in response to Azerbaijan expelling two French diplomats yesterday, which came weeks after France uncovered an Azerbaijani disinformation campaign targeting France and the decision to sell weapons to Armenia.source, source, Armenian Genocide monument in Cologne, GermanyIn 2018 activists installed a Genocide monument in Cologne without the city's approval. It was removed a few days later. In the following years, the activists would bring the monument just for April 15 and remove it afterward. In 2023 they convinced the city to keep it for a full month. The city tried to remove it a month later but the activists blocked the effort. It has remained there since April. Old photos from old removal efforts were circulated a few days ago by Armenian and foreign outlets claiming that the monument was removed; this was false. It will be eventually removed in early 2024 because the city wants to install a new monument in memory of victims of violence and racism. Armenian activists want this monument to stay until the new one is ready. source,goons hired by Israeli businessman attack Armenian activists in Jerusalem after Armenian church files lawsuit to halt the illegal seizure of sacred propertiesGet the context about Cows' Garden in November 8 briefing. Yesterday there was another clash. Armenian activists defending the territory were attacked by the goons hired by the Israeli business owner, a day after Armenians filed a lawsuit to stop the ownership transfer. Sticks and tear gas were used against the activists. The police later came and detained two activists. Several priests, students of the Armenian Theological Academy, and indigenous Armenians were seriously injured in the attack.A massive and coordinated physical attack was launched on bishops, priests, deacons, seminarians and other Armenian community members in Jerusalem, Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem said in a statement.Armenian church has urged the Israeli authorities to launch an investigation against businessmen Danny Rothman (Rubenstein) and George Warwar (Hadad). source, video, video, government moves forward with the plan to introduce biometric identification documents for in-person or online identification; decides to revamp the whole systemINTERIOR MINISTER: This resolution is about involving a private company to help us with the biometric passports and ID cards. Currently, the passport and ID system is outdated and slow, involves too many paper documents, the standards are too low to implement the biometric documents, and the passport queues are long. Instead of hiring more staff, we've decided to digitize the processes. PASHINYAN: The biometric passport will play an important role in the "digital profile" that we want to create for each citizen. What does a digital profile mean? Today, if you want to identify a person, you request their passport and hold it in front of you to check their data and the photo. We want to expand this to the internet. If you check in with a state agency or enter another official process online, there should be a way to identify you online. Biometric passports and IDs will be the cornerstone, but they will be the first of several upcoming steps. A large-scale digital infrastructure will need to be created with cybersecurity standards. Armenian biometric passports should be recognized by systems used abroad. With today's ruling, we are launching a tender process to choose a company for implementing this complex system. The topic of biometric passports was introduced several years ago, and it appeared we were close to having them, but we've decided that the overall system was outdated and if we're going to have it, then we need to have the latest standards. ... this biometric passport reform is mandatory for a visa-free regime with the EUOFFICIAL: A biometric passport is a precondition for discussions about a visa-free regime. The second is the cybersecurity in the system that identifies the person. This requires serious investments. PASHINYAN: That's why we are announcing an international tender to cooperate with an experienced firm.OFFICIAL: We will examine each participant's offer in detail before signing an agreement. PASHINYAN: The winner will not only create the system but also service it in the future.OFFICIAL: The only owner of the users' personal data will be the state. The private company will create the system but they won't own the personal biometric data. The activation of the cards will be handled with another private company, also chosen through a tender. PASHINYAN: Make sure the public understands how this whole process works because they may have concerns about their private information.video, source, government wants to give big "discounts" to traffic violators who pay their citations online or quicklyIt's part of the digitization effort. They want to encourage people to do more activities online. (1) If a camera caught your violation and you request www.roadpolice.am to send the citation to your email, you will pay 5% less. (2) If a camera or a police officer gives you a citation, you will only pay 50% if you make the payment within the first 15 days. And yes, you can use both "coupons" simultaneously. So you'll only pay 45% if you pay your citation electronically within the first 15 days. Some of the procedures will be offloaded from courts to reduce the burden on them.PASHINYAN: I think we should go a step further and increase the email discount from 5% to 30%. And if you pay within 15 days, another 30% will be forgiven. [so a total discount of 60% instead of 55%, with more emphasis on e-payment] //Additionally, existing citations that are currently being handled by the state collection agency will be reduced by ~50%. It's unclear if it applies to old unpaid citations. The Executive is still refining this part of the resolution.Some members of the government have proposed excluding speeding tickets from the discount system in order not to encourage dangerous conduct. Pashinyan wants to include speeding tickets as well, given that dangerous drivers are also being punished through the point-reduction [license revocation] system.PASHINYAN: (1) This is part of our promise of not treating our citizens as cash cows. (2) The only thing this encourages is digitization. //Armenia's state agencies [not just police] spend $7.4 million annually to send paper notices to citizens.video,lucrative license plates will be sold through an auction because some are willing to pay more than the fixed prices00 O_O 000video, government changes how medical institutions get paid for providing state-subsidized medical servicesMINISTER: The patient will continue to choose the medical institution for the service. Currently, we have an annual financial cap for each medical institution. This amendment will remove those limitations. They will be compensated for the provided services. //այլևս չի լինելու առողջապահության նախարարի հրաման, որով կիրականացվեն պետպատվերի նախնական բաշխումներ՝ ըստ հիվանդությունների։ Լինելու է մեկ ընդհանուր բյուջե, որը կծախսվի ըստ ուղեգրված քաղաքացիների ընտրությանthe standard contract for the provision of services will be concluded separately with medical institutions, which will make it possible to abandon the practice of allocating a limited amount of funds per year to each institution for the provision of free medical services. Medical institutions will not have financial restrictions for providing services under the scheme.video, video, source, source, Pashinyan: the pro-digitization program that encourages seniors to spend their pensions with bank cards instead of cash has been successful, and we are going to expand it starting JanuaryLast year the government introduced a cashback program that refunds 10% of payments made by seniors if they use their bank card, obviously with a monthly limit. The idea is to discourage seniors from immediately cashing out their pension upon receiving it.PASHINYAN: It was introduced in July 2022. As of November 2023, seniors have made $154 million in digital purchases and received $13 million back. The volumes are still increasing.Today we are amending this system. As of right now, the burden of that 10% refund is split between the government and the card-issuing bank at 50/50. Going forward, the government will cover the entire 10%. This will allow every senior to qualify for the program so they won't have to drop their current bank and sign up for one that is a member of this program.The cashback is also available to disadvantaged citizens who receive financial assistance. When we first introduced the system, we also took steps to create a network of cashless trade infrastructure in provinces. Around 1,000 POS terminals were installed in provinces. Do you know how much they processed? Zero drams. Two conclusions: (1) Provincial businesses are pressuring consumers to use cash so the business can evade taxes. We know the addresses of POS terminals. The IRS should investigate these businesses. (2) I'm not sure if the seniors living in provinces are even aware of the existence of this cashback program. If they did, they would pressure businesses to provide electronic payment as an option. The overall turnover is great, but only 165,000 of our qualifying >500,000 seniors are currently participating. Time to raise awareness. //video, May 1 is Tax Day in Armenia: new website will allow working citizens to file their income with IRSA platform to submit income declarations will be created soon. Income declaration becomes mandatory for contract-based employees starting 1 January 2024. It has been mandatory for civil servants and deputies since 2023. It will be mandatory for everyone else starting in 2025. In the future, universal healthcare holders will be required to disclose their income.Income declarations for 2023 must be submitted by May 1, 2024. A website and an app will be created so that people can easily fill out the declarationThere will be benefits for those who declare it: loan subsidies, education, and healthcare tax refunds. Penalty is envisaged for filing late: $12 for individuals and $123 for businesses.source, anti-corruption: government recovers a property that was allegedly illegally sold by Serj-era defense minister Seyran OhanyanPROSECUTOR GENERAL: The mayor of Armash issued a decree in 2005 to transfer a property to the defense ministry. These are known as Yeraskh-1 and Yeraskh-2 military bases. The NSS found that, in 2009, MOD Seyran Ohanyan decided to illegally sell the 0.9-hectare land and the buildings of the Yeraskh-2 military base to a third party at a price significantly below the market value. In February 2023 we launched a criminal case against Seyran Ohanyan, now an MP from the "Armenia" faction [Robert Kocharyan]. The person who purchased the property has agreed to return it. The case of Yeraskh-1 is still in court, while Yeraskh-2 will be returned soon.video, Lake Sevan Water Patrol is not effing aroundThe Patrol conducted more raids to remove illegal fishing and crab nets despite the recent clashes with unhappy fishers.This time they removed dozens of nets and were able to save 100 fish who were released back into the lake. It's the egg season. Fishing is illegal.source, police pulled over and issued a warning the vehicle of the president of Nagorno-Karabakh for a traffic violation in YerevanHe was traveling in a motorcade consisting of several vehicles without authorization, said the police. Only Armenian state officials are authorized to travel in long motorcades consisting of bodyguards and multiple vehicles.source, source, Armenian Constitutional Court judge resigns after getting a job at EAEU trade bloc's courtIt looks like the Parliament will have to hold a vote to appoint a new judge after the resignation of Serj-appointee Arayik Tunyan. source, source, Armenian government could soon become a shareholder in another mining company: gov't sourceIn 2021 PM Pashinyan railed against Zangezur Copper Combine's shady ownership and allegedly illegal shareholder transactions in the past. Then the government magically took over 21.8% of its ownership.Then the government gained 12.5% ownership in Lydian Armenia which is set to launch gold mining in Amulsar next year. A government source says "another one" is coming soon. They are still negotiating over the terms and weighing the possible risks (environmental, etc.) so the details cannot be revealed at this time. source, TUMO will turn its mobile trailers located across the country into climate change monitoring stationsThe students of the TUMO high-tech educational institution have created devices that monitor the atmosphere, temperature, pressure, wind, etc., as part of the Climate Net program. They will be installed on hundreds of TUMO boxes in the coming years. This will help create a climate map of Armenia. The students are comparing and calibrating their sensors with "professional" data.Foreign organizations create similar devices for €2,000. TUMO says their devices cost €500 to make. Students will play with various metrics and predict whether there will be rain at a specific location and date. video,Armenia dodged a bullet 7 million years ago: MAPGuinness Book recognizes Lake Parathetys as the world's largest lake in history. It stretched from modern-day Czechia to Uzbekistan. It covered most of Georgia and Azerbaijan but spared Armenia. It dried up millions of years ago.source,
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