Prime Minister Orders Strict Supervision of Mass Event Organization

Today, a regular meeting of the commission coordinating efforts to prevent the spread of coronavirus in the Republic of Armenia was held, chaired remotely by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

Opening the meeting, the Prime Minister stated, “Dear colleagues, despite the preventive measures taken by the government and the rules set by the emergency commission, the daily increase in cases of coronavirus infection is being recorded in the country. I propose that we discuss the current situation regarding the pandemic, the effectiveness of the measures being implemented, and our further actions to prevent the spread of the virus during today’s meeting.”

Health Minister Arsen Torosyan provided information on the statistics of confirmed coronavirus cases, recovery and mortality rates, the health status of patients, and the monitoring work conducted by primary health care regarding the isolation of asymptomatic cases. The minister addressed the dynamics of virus spread and the steps being taken to enhance the capabilities of the healthcare system accordingly.

The Prime Minister was then briefed on the supervisory measures being undertaken to ensure compliance with the rules set by the emergency commission, as well as the resulting changes in public behavior and the application of protective measures. The effectiveness of “raids” conducted in certain administrative regions, as well as the preventive actions taken by supervisory bodies and the police, were discussed.

The situation regarding adherence to preventive rules in the most at-risk sectors was examined, along with the accountability measures applied in cases of recorded violations. It was noted that despite the restrictions, instances of mass event organization are being recorded in the country, which also negatively impacts the overall epidemiological situation.

During the exchange of views on further actions, several observations were presented, with a predominant suggestion to intensify supervisory measures as much as possible. Concluding the discussion, the Prime Minister stated, “We are moving forward with the logic of tightening control over rule compliance. Serious work must be done to enhance the discipline of adherence to the rules set by the emergency commission and to prevent the organization of any type of mass events.”

Nikol Pashinyan instructed the heads of the supervising state bodies to strictly monitor compliance with preventive rules, the organization of various mass events, and to periodically report back to him on their progress and results.