During today’s government session chaired by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan it was decided to declare a state of emergency in Armenia from March 16 18:30 to April 14 17:00 due to the spread of new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) around the world and in the Republic of Armenia. The infection was described as pandemic by the head of the World Health Organization on March 13, 2020.

A commission headed by the deputy prime minister Tigran Avinyan will be set up to manage the unified command of the forces and means ensuring the legal state of emergency. The staff of the commission includes the Chief of the Prime Minister’s office, the Ministers of Emergency, Health, Economy, Territorial Administration and Infrastructure, the head of the State Revenue Committee, the Chief of the Police, the Director of the National Security Service, the Chief of Prime Minister’s Coordination of Inspection Bodies’ office and Heads of Labor Inspectorate and Food Safety Inspectorate. The office of the Prime Minister and the office of the deputy prime minister Tigran Avinyan will provide the services of the Commission.
According to the decision the organisation, holding and participation in assemblies and strikes is prohibited throughout the Republic of Armenia.
The organisation, conduct and participation in public events in the areas defined by decision of the Commission will also be prohibited.
During the state of emergency all kinds of educational institutions, clubs, sport schools and other extracurricular organisations as well as the educational processes at International educational institutions operating in the Republic of Armenia are terminated except for distance learning.
At the end of the session Nikol Pashinyan informed that he had had a telephone conversation with the Republic of Artsakh’s President Bako Sahakyan.
Nikol Pashinyan urges the citizens to travel from Armenia to Artsakh and vice versa only in exceptional cases, as there have not been registered cases of coronavirus in Artsakh so far.

He mentions that people who have temperature will not be allowed to go from Armenia to Artsakh or vice versa.

Referring to the financial system the Prime Minister mentions that the Central Bank is ready to provide additional liquidity to the financial system both in AMD and in foreign currency.
Nikol Pashinyan also notes that by the end of 2019 Armenia’s foreign exchange reserves have been at a record high- more than $ 2 billion 800 million.

 

The Chief Executive states that in all necessary cases government and the Central Bank will provide appropriate support to the banks and the economy in general to ensure a high level of liquidity.