The USA will provide Armenia with $1.1 milliom to fight against the coroavirus. The EU has allocated 140 million euros for the six members of the Eastern Partnership. The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Avet Adonts, spoke about this at the Armenian Unified Infocenter. He said that the EU has not yet announced how the 140 million euros will be divided between the six countries.
Of this money, 30 million will be spent on purchasing the appropriate equipment and supplies from the WHO, 100 million on supporting small and medium entrepreneurs, and 10 million will be provided to NGOs in the form of grants to fight against COVID-19.
As a result of the coronavirus, Adonts said, there are difficulties in being able to communicate and in organizing the return of Armenian citizens from other countries. He said that there are Armenian citizens in the USA, Israel, and Iraq. “We are in contact with 46 countries and we are aware of the situation. Our students returned from the USA with the help of our embassy there. But there are still 36 students in 36 US states as part of the FLEX program. All of them are staying with host families and the embassy is in constant contact with them.” According to the deputy minister, it is safer for them to continue staying with those families than to gather them all in one place and to try and find ways for them to come back.
There are 80 Armenian citizens in Iraq who are working for a European company. The Armenian embassy is in contact with that company, which is quarantining the Armenian citizens in the proper conditions.
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The Armenian citizens who are studying in Russia can continue staying in their dorms while upholding social distancing, Adonts said.
As far as what will happen to the Armenian citizens in Turkey, Avet Adonts said that there are 56 Armenian citizens in Turkey. The ministry has appealed to the Mother See to organize their return to Armenia.
Nelly Babayan
