A regular Cabinet meeting took place today, chaired by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. The Government approved the support program for the compensation of utility costs for economic operators affected by military operations in Jermuk community of Vayots Dzor Province of the Republic of Armenia in September, 2022. According to the substantiation, the military operations had a great impact on the activities of hotel and guest houses business owners in Jermuk community of Vayots Dzor Province. Accordingly, it is proposed to provide one-time support to the businessmen organizing accommodation in Jermuk community of Vayots Dzor Province in the amount of 100 percent of the total electricity and gas expenses for the months of September-December. As a result of the implementation of the decision, about 20 business owners who organize accommodation in the Jermuk community of Vayots Dzor will receive compensation. According to preliminary calculations, the cost of compensation for gas and electricity will not exceed 50-60 million AMD.

The Government made changes and additions to one of the previously adopted decisions aimed at contributing to the reduction of traffic accidents, the increase of the safety of regulated and unregulated pedestrian crossings, and the use of new technical means of road traffic management. As a result, the legislative acts related to the safety of the automobile roads of Armenia will be harmonized with the requirements of the EAEU technical regulations, ensuring the unified regulation of road traffic organization.

At today's Cabinet meeting, reference was made to the tragic incident that took place in the accommodation of the military engineer company of the N military unit of the Ministry of Defense located in the territory of Azat village. Prosecutor General of Armenia Anna Vardapetyan informed that this morning the first person against whom a public criminal prosecution has been initiated has already been arrested. "In the interest of the preliminary investigation, let me not reveal the sequence of persons against whom these actions will be carried out. The Prosecutor's Office supervises the process at the military prosecutor's level on a daily basis. And there are specific deadlines for completing the investigation, conducting a full investigation. The issue of precautionary meassures against all those persons will also be discussed, there are strategic solutions in this direction. Statutes, codes, all blanket rules and crime-related prohibitions are collated to understand who did not do what, also from the point of view of ensuring safety regulations. In addition, I would like to report, Mr. Prime Minister, that on January 23, 2023, the military prosecutor issued an order to provide information as soon as possible to the military prosecutors of all garrisons, including those that changed their permanent locations following the 2020 and 2022 military operations, about the household conditions of barracks. Of course, fire services and working with flammable materials are the priority, but all other safety rules and all other matters related to the furnishing of accomondations are included in the list. For example, what are the covers made of, is there a second way out so that a trap effect is not created, as we witnessed during this tragedy. In this regard, Mr. Prime Minister, I would also like to inform you that the prosecutor's office usually provides detailed reports, but in this situation we will constantly inform the public in even more detail about the investigation being carried out, so that we do not have black holes, rumors and gossip-level expert opinions”, Anna Vardapetyan said.

The Government adopted a decision "On taking back land and handing over plots with the right of free use". Plots of land attached to Akhuryan Primary School No. 1 and Panik Secondary School in Shirak Province will be allocated to the Simonyan Educational Foundation for free of charge use. The Foundation implements the "Tumo Box" program, which is aimed at making the training of the Tumo Center for Creative Technologies accessible to children in the cities and villages of the regions of Armenia. The beneficiaries of the Tumo Center are children aged 12-18, and the entire educational program is provided on a free basis. The Box will consist of mobile structures, the installation of which does not require a building permit, and the mentioned structures can be moved at any time.

By the decision of the Government, Nazeli Baghdasaryan was relieved of the position of governor of Shirak. By another decision, Mushegh Muradyan was appointed governor of Shirak.