“Zhamanak” reports that the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) will hold large-scale military exercises in Armenia next month. “It is hard to tell whether or not those exercises were planned [beforehand,]” the paper says. “But they seem to be announced for the first time.” Also in October, the prime ministers of another Russian-led bloc, the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), will meet in Yerevan. The paper notes that Armenia will host these “Eurasian military and economic activities” ahead of the planned signing of its landmark agreement with the European Union. It speculates that Russia might use them to scuttle the deal at the last minute.
“Zhoghovurd” says that starting next year many products imported to Armenia will no longer be exempt from the EEU’s higher customs duties. “This means that a new wave of price hikes is expected in Armenia,” writes the paper. “In particular, a number of basic goods will become more expensive: butter, sugar, coffee, meat and so on.” It claims that the Armenian government has already pushed up the cost of these products to make the price hikes gradual and less noticeable.
“Armenia’s foreign debt has passed the $5 billion mark,” writes “Hayots Ashkhar.” “Although this is not the highest level of debt seen as permissible, possibilities of attracting new [financial] resources are dwindling amid current economic developments. This is the reason why steps have been taken of late to ease the foreign debt burden. In particular, the government is going to give up state guarantees for the implementation of some spending programs.”
“Haykakan Zhamanak” reports that a clinic in the southeastern Armenian town of Meghri, which was inaugurated last year, has stopped functioning due to a lack of medical personnel.“Medics do not want to work in the remote town,” explains the paper.
(Tigran Avetisian)
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