Railroad in Armenia blocked amid massive protestsMay 2, 2018 - 13:20 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Traffic on the Armenian railway is blocked too as demonstrators have resumed a campaign demanding the resignation of the country’s ruling authorities. According to press secretary of the South Caucasian Railway Vardan Aloyan, the railway from Yerevan to the Georgian border is closed at 14 crossings. The Yerevan-Gyumri trains have stopped halfway, and there is no information about whether the road to the south of Armenia (Artashat and Ararat) is open. Asked whether the evening train from Yerevan to Tbilisi will be able to depart, the SCR promised to provide additional information later. The campaign against the Armenian authorities is in full swing across Yerevan and the rest of the Republic on Wednesday, May 2 after the parliament failed to elect opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan as the country's new prime minister. Pashinyan, who has been leading the protests for several weeks now, needed more than half of all the votes - the support of 53 lawmakers - to secure the prime minister’s spot, but got only 45. A second vote will be held a week later, and the candidate needs to collect at least one third of the votes to win. The founder and head of Civil Contract party and lawmaker from the Yelk bloc, Pashinyan leads a street campaign against the ruling authorities, which has seen thousands of Armenians taking to the streets in massive protests. Former prime minister Serzh Sargsyan was forced to resign on April 23, and Pashinyan is now seeking the appointment as prime minister by the National Assembly of what he calls “the people’s candidate”, - i.e. himself - the formation of an interim government and snap parliamentary elections. Pashinyan has promised to rid Armenia of corruption and poverty. Top stories From September 21 to November 11, a total of 2,820 Russians registered at a place of residence in Armenia, the police has said. The situation on the contact line between Karabakh and Azerbaijan was relatively stable overnight, the Defense Army says. Defense Minister Suren Papikyan has visited the southern Armenian province of Syunik, the Defense Ministry reported on March 18. Armenia has registered Covid-19-related deaths in 23 vaccinated individuals so far, according to Health Minister Anahit Avanesyan. Partner news | President stresses Armenia’s clear position to achieve peace On the eve of the International Francophonie Day, the Armenian President met with French intellectuals. Termination of servicing of MIR cards. IDBank It will not be possible to ensure the full operation of MIR cards in IDBank’s POS-terminals and ATMs Pashinian meets border villagers on possible land transfer to Azerbaijan Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has met with concerned residents of two villages in Armenia’s northern Tavush province. Kazakh Foreign Minister arrives in Armenia Kazakh Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu on Monday, March 18 arrived in Armenia for a two-day trip. |