Here is the text of the joint statement by Laura Bagdasaryan and Leyla Yunus issued on 25 April: 

The fish farms in Sevan should work under tough control, Evelina Ghukasyan, Director of the Ichthyology and Hydroecology Institute, Armenian National Academy of Sciences, has told ArmInfo.  

 Armenian Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan took part in the meeting of the 4 non-coalition forces of the Parliament (Armenian National Congress, Prosperous Armenia Party, ARF Dashnaktsutyun, Heritage) to listen to their position on the pension reforms.     

The staff changes in the Armenian Government are connected with the new challenges the country faces, Gagik Minasyan, Head of the Standing Parliamentary Committee on Financial Issues, MP from the ruling Republican Party of Armenia, said at a press conference on Friday.    

After leaving the ruling coalition, Orinats Yerkir is not going to demand President Serzh Sargsyan's resignation, as it would be immoral, the former secretary of the National Security Council, the leader of the Orinats Yerkir Party, Artur Bagdasaryan,  said at today's press-conference. 

 Today Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan took part in the meeting of the opposition "the great four" (Armenian National Congress, ARFD, Heritage party and Prosperous Armenia Party). 

VTB Bank (Armenia) offers overdraft to universal credit companies, as a convenient way for replenishment of the operating account if there is shortage of their own funds. As press-service of the bank reported, the product is offered to the universal credit companies at the territory of Armenia with not less than 12 months activity. 

 Ana Veten Party of Azerbaijan has refused to attend the Forum of Young Politicians of the South Caucasus to be held by the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD) on 26-27 April. 

 "Armenia is interested in the further development of the Eastern Partnership format. It should continue to serve its major objective - united Europe that is free of dividing lines, stable and prosperous. It is important for the Eastern Partnership to be responsive to the vital interests of all the participating states. For Armenia it is first of all the unblocking of the closed border with Turkey", President of the Republic of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan said in his statement at the High-level Meeting in Prague on the 5th Anniversary of the Eastern Partnership. 

"Assessing the road covered by the Eastern Partnership we can note that at the end of the day it was successful. As I said on numerous other occasions, it first of all provided the partner countries with an opportunity to coordinate and expand their domestic reforms. We have grounded it in shared values and consolidated the foundation for our collaboration", President of the Republic of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan said in his statement at the High-level Meeting in Prague on the 5th Anniversary of the Eastern Partnership.

MP from Prosperous Armenia Party Stepan Margaryan believes that there may be changes in the government's pension reforms.

 President Barack Obama on Thursday solemnly commemorated the victims of the Armenian Genocide and reiterated his call that "a full, frank, and just acknowledgement of the facts is in all of our interests," reported the Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly).

Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Dmitry Rogozin has been appointed by President Putin as Co-chair of the Russian-Azerbaijani Inter-governmental Commission on Economic Cooperation. Many in Armenia know that you and your association have closely cooperated with Rogozin and his Congress of Russian Communities since the early 1990s. In this light, what do you expect from this appointment and can it influence Russia's policy on the Nagorno-Karabakh problem?

 In Q1 2014 the net profit of Armenia's banking system dropped by 28.5% to 9.1bln AMD or $22mln. As compared with Q1 2013, the index grew by 6.7%.

According to the Express Ranking of Armenian Banks prepared by the Agency of Rating Marketing Information (ArmInfo), in Q1 2013 the index dropped by 37.3% due to slowdown in lending and the CB's decision to write off non-performing loans. 

Likewise, this year's drop may have also been caused by declining lending activities. Unfortunately, the banks have not yet specified their lending risks, so, it is yet clear why the profit has dropped.  In Q1 2014 the loans of Armenia's banks grew by 2.1% to 1.8tln AMD or $4.4bl. As compared with Q1 2013 they grew by 11.4%. Nostro account balance shrank by 10.1% in Q1 2014 and by 23.7% as compared with Q1 2013 to 227.6bln AMND or $550.7mln. Investments in securities grew by 9.1% and 20%, respectively, to 225.5bln AMD or $545.6mln. Assets dropped by 0.2% and grew by 14.4% to 2.9tln AMD or $7.1bln. Loans made up 61.4% of assets, nostro accounts 7.8%, investments in securities 7.7% against respective 63.1%, 7.2% and 7.3% in Q1 2013.

In Q1 2014 the obligations of Armenia's banks dropped by 0.8% to 2.5tln AMD or $5.9bln. As compared with Q1 2013 they grew by 14.2%. 

The total capital grew by 2.5% in Q1 2014 and by 15.3% as compared with Q1 2013 to 481.6bln AMD or $1.2bln. Accumulated profit grew by 5% and 26.4%, respectively, to 170.2bln AMD, authorized capital by 2.7% and 7.5%, respectively, to 262.5bln AMD. In Q1 2014 only VTB Bank (Armenia) increased its capital (by 50.3%) due to issue of 7bln AMD worth of shares.  

HSBC Bank Armenia, Ardshininvestbank and Ameriabank registered the biggest net profits, ACBA-Credit Agricole Bank, VTB Bank (Armenia) and Ardshininvestbank the biggest capitals, Ameriabank, VTB Bank (Armenia) and Ardshininvestbank the biggest assets, VTB Bank (Armenia), ACBA- Credit Agricole Bank and Ameriabank the biggest loan books, HSBC Bank Armenia, Armswissbank and Armbusinessbank the biggest investments in securities, Ameriabank, Ardshininvestbank and VTB Bank (Armenia) the biggest obligations.

 The Government of Turkey adopted a decision on 24 April to give passports to the descendants of Armenians who left the country during the 1915 events, 
Turkish Hurriyet newspaper reported on April 24.

The newspaper writes Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu made a relevant motion and the Turkish Cabinet of Ministers and Foreign Ministry are now working on the issue.

 On the occasion of the 99th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, U.S. Secretary of State Kerry shared a brief message on his Twitter account. In his message, Kerry says: "Our thoughts and prayers are with Armenians today." 

 "Karabakh issue is a serpentine road but peace in this issue can be achieved step by step," the statement came from Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu in an interview with Turkish NTV channel, according to 1news.az

 French President Francois Hollande has welcomed Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's condolences over Genocide of Armenians in Ottoman Turkey in 1915-1923, but said it is still "not enough."

 "Time constraint does not act as a statutory limitation for the crime of genocide, and with the Armenian Genocide Centenary ahead I would like to reiterate the importance of the international community's recognition and condemnation of that unprecedented crime," said President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan in a statement at the High-level Meeting on the 5th Anniversary of the Eastern Partnership in Prague on 24 April, according to the president's press-service.

 "The Ukrainian crisis has demonstrated that lack of understanding of the root causes of the current situation can call further proceeding of the Eastern Partnership into question," said President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan in a statement at the High-level Meeting on the 5th Anniversary of the Eastern Partnership in Prague on 24 April.