Armenia Most Affected Country by Coronavirus in South Caucasus: BBC Coverage

Armenia is the most affected country by Covid-19 in the South Caucasus region, where hundreds of new cases are reported every day. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who himself contracted the virus, faces increasing criticism over his handling of the crisis. However, authorities claim the country cannot afford another lockdown.

A report by the BBC highlights that Armenian hospitals are under pressure, referencing the wedding of former Chief of the General Staff of the RA Armed Forces Artak Davtyan's son and various dismissals. Nonetheless, this was not enough for the political opposition in Armenia, which is demanding the resignation of the entire government.

“The day after, the Prime Minister dismissed the general and several other senior officials, but that did not satisfy the political opposition in Armenia, which is calling for the entire government’s resignation for failing to combat the pandemic,” the correspondent continues, emphasizing that Armenia has one of the highest Covid-19 infection rates per million people globally.

The report also features comments from political and public figure Samvel Farmanyan, who described the government’s pandemic response as a “complete disaster” in an interview with the BBC. It was noted that businesses in Armenia reopened in April, yet the number of infections continues to rise.

According to Minister of Health Arsen Torosyan, “we do not aim to uproot the virus, as that is impossible,” adding that “if we keep our borders closed for a year, and businesses closed for another month, we will die from other causes.”