May 29, 2026
Today, during the meeting of the Supreme Council of the EAEU, the 4 leaders of the EAEU adopted a statement on the EAEU membership and rapprochement agenda of the Republic of Armenia. According to Yuri Ushakov, assistant to the President of the Russian Federation, the statement was conveyed to the RA Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan, who was participating in the session. You can read the announcement below.
“We, the Presidents of the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic and the Russian Federation,
taking into account the actions of the Republic of Armenia aimed at joining the European Union, including the adoption by the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia of the Law of the Republic of Armenia “On Starting the Process of Accession of the Republic of Armenia to the European Union” in 2025 and its signing by the President of the Republic of Armenia, as well as the confirmation by the European Union of the European aspirations of the Government of the Republic of Armenia, which was expressed in the joint declaration adopted on May 5, 2026, following the results of the first Armenia-European Union Summit,
bearing in mind the significant risks for the economic security of the member states of the Eurasian Economic Union (hereinafter referred to as the Union) arising from the preparation of the Republic of Armenia for joining the European Union, as well as the need to prevent damage to the member states of the Union;
We adopted a decision that the members of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council from the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic and the Russian Federation will report on the possible consequences of the suspension of the Treaty on the Eurasian Economic Union to the Republic of Armenia at the next session of the Eurasian Economic Council to be held in December 2026.
We share the position that it is necessary to hold a national referendum in the Republic of Armenia as soon as possible on joining the European Union or remaining a member of the Eurasian Economic Union.”
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“We are cold. the product is not sold, what do they do? they pour. The seller is sha
May 29, 2026
From May 30, “Rosselkhoznad:powerful” to decideThe import of fresh fruits and vegetables from Armenia to Russia will be limited Federation. The import of cucumbers, tomatoes, strawberries, green peppers and other fruits and vegetables to the Russian Federation will be limited until, according to “Rosselkhoznazar”,՝ don’t settle for that of products the issue of ensuring security.
It has been limited since May 22r alsoThe import of flowers from Armenia to the Russian market.
168.am visited last nightr: Hovtashatof the village, or, as is popularly known “Meimandari” and Date palmin:ri marz Rainbow operating near the village markets, talk to greenhouse owners՝ to find out what these restrictions are՞what problems will it cause for them, how?՞This is how they imagine the solution to the problem.
Many avoided presenting their problems on camera, they said off camera that the villager was left alone with his problems, it belongs to a bodythe their they are notoffers where the developed product carry out, because, if they grow a large amount of cucumbers, tomatoes or other vegetables, they cannot fully sell them in the domestic market. Artahadue to such restrictions, the price of the product decreases, the result of whichto whom and greenhouse owners are unable to pay the cost of gas and electricity.
“I feel very bad about all this՝waythe will close bazaarwill be filled with goods, the goods will not be sold, it’s the people the product in:՞what should he do? The product is not sold՞what will they do shedding if it doesn’t go out, it won’t be sold, it will stay in place. Sing!,you’d see what was happening in the morning bazaarwho was stuffed with klubnik. The peasant cultivates, but if the product is not used up, the peasant i՞what should he do? Product scheduleain such a case, the product will be much cheaper։
Greens are not cheap at the moment, the products that are exported to Russia are cheap. The solution to the issue will be to not block the road with Russia, the answer to this question will be clear after the elections»,- mentioned one of the greenhouse owners.
One of the women we talked to said that Russia is not the apple of her eye, but they live with it.
“We have great ties with the Russian market, and՛we give and receive, not the light of my eye, but for your family, for the state, we have to… A:Well, what is our situation, because the Turks are opening the border, right?՞What have we lost in Turkey that they are opening, there are Armenians?՞ there. What about you?sh:they are man, they are turk, that’s it՞Can you explain, they did a Genocide 2-3 times.
All this affects us a lot, we think՝under the gas o՞let’s go out, we burned 5 million worth of gas, we think՝ let’s give it, what about the child’s existence?՞let’s keep it.
If: the product we export, we sell in the market so that we can keep the child as well, the cost too let’s take it out, and now we think՝ oh՞Let’s take it and pay the price of gas: 3 am:we lit my gas. If the product does not go out, we are not satisfied with the trade. We are left without a owner, the Persian is bringing, he is loading the goods, the Russian is blocking the road, we are left alone. Armenians will go and buy Persian goods without even knowing it՝what he ate, but they don’t buy the local one»,- mentioned womanh.
Also at the existing market in the adjacent part of Tsiatsan village greenhouse ownerswere again complaining about the cheap prices of products, saying that they buy potato seeds more expensive than they sell potatoes.
“I sell potatoes for 200 drams. If the road is closed, it means՝ we must throw away what we are, we are not satisfied with the trade. How much now?՞Let’s sell the product so that I can take out the expenses yest:aLet me keep in mind, if the product becomes cheaper, then we are working at a loss. Need a solution to this issue The Government will decide that the peasant is suffering so much, but the product has no price.” said the greenhouse owner.
One of the greenhouse owners said that his are generally not affected by these restrictions.
“Our Armenians will take, let them take and eat, they will be satisfied” he mentioned.
One of the greenhouse owners, who also had apricot orchards, was concernedthe expressed that if this continues, they won’t be able to export apricots, moreover, there is no hope, that he will deduct the expenses this year, because he spent a lot, but the apricot harvest is small.
One of the young greenhouse owners, who did not sowkapain zeroto the camera to:jev said off the record that this decision will positively affect only the traders, the common peasant only hurtwill go.
“Today, most of the cherries, grapes, apricots are procured, if there was no export, in՞what should a person do? If the apricots are not exported to the Russian Federation, it will be very bad. Apricots are scarce this year, but there is one thing: not so much will be sold here, and even if it is sold, it will be very cheap and will not cover the cost. Starting with water today՝ everything has gone up in price։
If this continues, the condition of the peasant will be very bad»,- mentioned our interlocutor.
Մանրամասները՝ 168.amin the video of
Zvart Khachatryan
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I met Narek Karapetyan, I was even more disappointed with Nikol Pashinyan. Lord Vrtanes
May 29, 2026
The priest of Aragatsotn Diocese, the spiritual pastor of St. Hovhannes Church in Byurakan, Fr.։
Below are some excerpts from the conversation:
● For me, the holiday of this independence, the First Republic, begins with the return of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin from Ss to Etchmiadzin in 1441, which we will also celebrate in the near future on June 7. The First Republic was the answer to the prayers of those who were at the beginning of the relocation, which was also born in the battle of Sardarapat, Aparan, Vanadzor. And the church, the people, the military-political leadership showed themselves to be heroic. If there are no people in the Republic who are ready to lay down their lives for the sake of the motherland, that motherland cannot survive. Homelands are born with patriotism, states are created with union and are destroyed due to lack of patriotism, naturally.
● Those who call us “agents” have no idea of the state. some rulers try to identify themselves with the state, and they consider their seat, their personal interests, their reproduction, also in the seats of power, to be the existence of the state, and oppose it to the church. The church has never acted against the state. in the period when we lost our statehood, the idea of statehood was kept by the church, and its manifestation was the First Republic, which was formed on the basis of the community of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church and also by the martyrdom of churchmen.
● Praise be to God, the simple people, most of them appreciate the church, the merit of the church. if we are agents, we are agents of our nation, agents of our church, and the highest value for us is our faith, our statehood, the steadfastness of our homeland. And we cannot be silent when we have prisoners of the Armenian nation in Baku prisons, we also cannot be silent when our shrines are being destroyed in the territory of Artsakh, the silence of some authorities is also condemnable by us, regarding the issue of the Genocide, the issue of the return of captives, the issue of the rights of the people of Artsakh.
● The authorities are not able to control the situation, they are not conducting an election campaign, an honest election campaign. First, CP should not have been registered. The Central Electoral Commission had to refuse their registration because there were unconstitutional clauses in their pre-election program. The presence of unconstitutional clauses to interfere in the affairs of the Church and the Mother See is an opportunity for Nikol Pashinyan to use administrative resources, election frauds, etc., to use violence against the church in case of recurrence, he will have to give his hands free by presenting to the public or the international community that the people have given him such a mandate.
● We see that disorganized clergymen, former clergymen, for example, Stepan, Aramais, and similar disorganized clergymen take an active part in the gatherings of the government. For example, I saw Stepan Asatryan’s statement on his Facebook page against Reverend Mkrtich, he said that he was forced to participate in opposition meetings, when I was a priest of that same diocese, I was never forced to participate in opposition meetings. And we see that today Stepan Asatryan, Aramayis and other rioters like them are actively involved in various gatherings of the authorities and even left Hovannavank, which was occupied illegally, by self-righteousness, under the patronage of a state official, and participates in the pre-election campaign with friends and girlfriends. they provide headcount for these gatherings of the authorities.
● The military parade was for display, but I would like the content to be, not to be like the history of the SUs that they were there, but the missiles were not there, it is not a military parade, it is a military exercise, and Armenia will have to conduct joint military exercises from time to time to increase the combat capability of the army. And also, if you have purchased military equipment, why is there such an unnatural fear of Aliyev?
● In any case, I will not vote for the current authorities myself, because I do not share their domestic and foreign policies, but there are wonderful candidates who can be voted for: Robert Kocharyan, Arman Tatoyan, Samvel Karapetyan, a great national benefactor.
For example, I recently met Narek Karapetyan during his visit to Byuraka. I wish I hadn’t met him, because after meeting him, I became even more disappointed with Nikol Pashinyan. At the end, a buffet table was prepared there. I paid special attention to how he will use the table. he did not use the table, he entertained the people around him.
● The leader of Aragatsotn Diocese, Mkrtich Srbazan, is at liberty. we will also celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of the Diocese, but our joy is not complete, because sanctions are applied to the Holy Father. The holy father does not have the right to visit the presbytery, to visit the churches of the diocese, to meet the priests of the diocese. For example, it was very difficult for me to attend a meeting with a priest at the Mother See and not have an intimate conversation with the diocesan leader.
● I will give my vote to a candidate who has a chance to enter the parliament, that is, my vote will not fall into dust under any circumstances, and I will not vote for the current authorities, but if there are citizens who will go and vote for themselves, it is their free right, I would simply ask our citizens to go and participate in the election, their vote is very decisive, the vote of each of us is decisive.
● We don’t want to look at Mount Ararat in fear, we want to have a powerful army that will ensure our security, we want good relations with our neighboring friends.
● The Lord is our shepherd, and we shall lack nothing. we don’t have it now, we won’t have it forever, and as a message, I will tell our society to go to the polls, to fulfill their civic duty, for the sake of our statehood, our motherland and for the good of our church.
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The EAEU is preparing to get rid of the Armenian authorities. their lies will not help
May 29, 2026
168.am’s “Trigger” the guest of the program Arman Abovyan, candidate for deputy of the RA National Assembly, member of the political council of the “Prosperous Armenia” partyis
During the program, the internal political situation of Armenia, the possible external influence on the upcoming elections, the challenges and risks facing the country in the context of Turkish-Azerbaijani cooperation, as well as the policy of the current authorities and its influence on state and public processes were discussed.
Special attention was paid to Armenia’s relations with the Eurasian and European Union, possible risks and prospects related to the country’s foreign policy course.
The elections to be held on June 7 and their possible consequences for the future of Armenia were also considered.
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Pashinyan’s affairs are not good… A big game is going on… the Turks are standing again in Sardara
May 29, 2026
US President Donald Trump’s statement about supporting Nikol Pashinyan in the June 7 elections is not a normal phenomenon in diplomatic life, but such cases have always occurred. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Minister of the RA, diplomat Vardan Hakobyan this is how he assessed the statement of the head of the White House: “Review” of 168 TV speaking on the air of the program about the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to Yerevan, geopolitical processes and the National Assembly elections to be held in Armenia on June 7.
According to the diplomat, Trump’s statement is another proof that “Pashinyan’s affairs are not good in these elections”, and they are trying to maintain his power in Armenia with similar statements based on their geopolitical interests.
According to Vardan Hakobyan, a geopolitical “big game” is going on in the US-Europe-Russia-Iran-China domain, which also includes the processes taking place in the South Caucasus region.
“Look, what an interesting game is going on. This statement by Trump confirms that he is interested in this corridor from a strategic, geopolitical point of view, as a mere way to reach Central Asia. The competition here is between the United States and Russia, and the Russians emphasize in their statements that this is the area of their interests, and the United States now declares that this will finally become the area of their interests, because people have a big plan to reach Central Asia and “catch” some parts of China, and in this sense, it is not to solve some economic issues with Armenia or “make Armenia strong again”, but it says that you should be here and play this roleVardan Hakobyan commented.
The diplomat connects Rubio’s visit more with the US-Iran conflict, noting that given the fact that both sides are now clearly preparing for a new attack, it can be concluded that the US Secretary of State came to make some adjustments and possibly to convey “confidential information” to the US embassy staff. According to the diplomat, there is a serious game going on here, and the United States, Iran and Russia are “busy with serious issues”.
“The South Caucasus is becoming a serious field of competition, and like Christmas tree toys, Rubio and Trump are making these kinds of statements to control the crowd, in fact, to run an election campaign.”– says the diplomat.
Vardan Hakobyan agrees with the opinion of the opposition forces that the upcoming elections can be fatal for Armenia.
The diplomat compares the current situation with the battle of Sardarapat in 1918. According to him, 108 years after the May victories of 1918 and the proclamation of the Republic of Armenia on May 28, in fact, we reached a state where the Turks are standing again in Sardarapat.
In this context, the diplomat also expressed his opinion on Azerbaijan’s policy. The question of “Review” on this topic was as follows.
Azerbaijan talks to Armenia with actual ultimatums, and as the current authorities of Armenia and Nikol Pashinyan himself, in fact, regularly convey Baku’s positions: if Armenia does not fulfill Azerbaijan’s demands and does not sign the document called “peace agreement” on the terms dictated by Azerbaijan, or in the event of a change of power in Armenia, the new government tries to revise it or change just one comma in that document, the next day Azerbaijan can start a war and attack Armenia. Doesn’t this mean that we are dealing not with the peace process, not with “war or peace”, but with the dilemma of being ready for a new war or not?
In response to the question, Vardan Hakobyan refers to broader geopolitical developments, noting that the processes of forming a new world order are currently taking place, and decisions will be made at the level of major powers.
“Who is Azerbaijan to attack? Well, just a little while ago we were saying that Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia do not decide anything. They have desires, but they do not decide. Yes, he can speak from the so-called “western Azerbaijan”, but does he have the strength and courage to, for example, declare war on Armenia? It doesn’t have. Not only the Russians will oppose it, but also the United States. Maybe the Europeans won’t vote. There are different interests here. Any step of Azerbaijan hits the interests of this or that power center. In this case, how did he dare in 2020? He dared because the United States and Europe needed Azerbaijan to become their ally against Iran and Russia, and that game was being played through Israel and Turkey. Let me remind you again the words of the deputy foreign minister of Turkey that the “victory” of Azerbaijan was a conditioned, ordered victory.
I want our people to understand that Azerbaijan did not defeat us in the war, that most of your troops did not even fight in Azerbaijan. They were in Sisian, they were conscripting, they were taking Sisian. This was the consequences of that same great political game. Azerbaijan could not defeat us in that war. Everyone knows what happened, how the broken “Iskander” missile was launched, etc. Now put yourself in Aliyev’s place, think whether it is possible that he will dare to start a war as soon as Pashinyan is not elected,” answered the diplomat.
Let’s remind that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Yerevan on a short visit on May 26. In Yerevan, the US Secretary of State signed the TRIPP framework agreement, the Armenia-US strategic partnership charter and the memorandum on the extraction and processing of important minerals and rare minerals with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan. After Rubio’s return to Washington and reporting on his visit, on May 28, US President Donald Trump posted on his official Truth Social social network page, announcing that Nikol Pashinyan enjoys his support in the June 7 elections.
“Our Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Armenia, where he signed several important agreements of bilateral importance. Soon, the United States and Armenia will together lay the groundwork for Trump’s path to international peace and prosperity, a project that will transform the South Caucasus and help our wonderful American energy companies gain access from Central Asia to the United States. For these reasons, Nicole has my FULL and FULL support for re-election on June 7, 2026. With Nicole’s help, we will take the United States, Armenia, South Caucasus and Central Asia to greater heights than ever before. Let’s make (Armenia) powerful again – MAGA,” Trump specifically wrote.
Full interview in the video.
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168: These are in a panic. The USA acts in coordination with the Russian Federation. Washington
May 29, 2026
Satik Seyranyan’s guest in the “Pressing” program is Stepan Danielyan, a political scientist and a member of the board of the “Mother Armenia” party.
The main points of the interview are below.
● There is an article on Andranik Tevanyan that implies that a closed court session should take place. There is no evidence of publishing a secret, let alone treason. Obviously, this is a political trial. There are no secrets in our country. Azerbaijan, Turkey, Great Britain, Russia and others have more military secrets than Suren Papikyan and Nikol Pashinyan. There were more than 100 deputies and staff at the session in question, and nothing unusual was heard at that session. Maps of the General Staff of the USSR, which are located in Russia, as well as issues of demarcation and demarcation were discussed. So there was nothing secret there.
● This government considers Russia an enemy country. If you arrest someone and consider him a spy, it means that we are dealing with an enemy country. in that case, what is your business in CSTO, CIS and EAEU? Their actions have led even Shoigu to make harsh statements.
● In Astana, Armenia will be asked a direct question: you decide where you are going, if you decide that you are going to the European Union, then EAEU markets are closed to you.
● In essence, the June 7 elections are a referendum. If the public elects this government, then they should be prepared that we will not receive gas from Russia, we will receive certain crumbs from Azerbaijan in the form of Russian gas. Let the villages be prepared that they will live badly.
● Both Russia and Iran have stated at a very high level that TRIPP will not work unless they are involved in the project. Otherwise, they will think that this project is directed against Russia, Iran and China.
● There will be guaranteed peace in Armenia when the interests of all interested countries coincide and they come to an agreement. If not, Armenia will become a hotbed of war.
● 2020 after the war, when Artsakh had not yet undergone ethnic cleansing, the Secretary General of NATO, the officials of the European Union and the State Department in the region said that we need the Russian peacekeepers to leave the region, after which we will enter Central Asia. And whoever controls Central Asia controls the world. It is possible to go to Central Asia only through the South Caucasus. And this government brought Armenia into this struggle, and it will be bloody.
● The Europeans put themselves in the place of an ostrich. they know very well that they buy Russian gas, only through Azerbaijan. Europe proudly buys Russian gas from Azerbaijan at high prices and happily announces that Russia has been put under sanctions. As a result, Azerbaijan and Russia are making money.
● If Russian gas is replaced by Azerbaijani gas, Armenia will become an Azerbaijani protectorate. Azerbaijan has even entered into competition with Turkey for Armenia and openly says that this is my territory.
● Turkey’s population is growing, but Turks say they have a demographic problem because the Kurdish population is growing, and that’s a problem for Turks. Now they want to drive Armenia into a wedge between the Turkish-speaking population, to take the Kurds under siege. The Kurdish question is a serious problem for the Turks.
● Ես կարծում եմ՝ եղել է լոբբինգ, որ Մարկո Ռուբիոն գա Հայաստան ու ինչ-որ թուղթ ստորագրի այստեղ: Դա եղել է՝ ինչպես Նիկոլ Փաշինյանի, այնպես էլ՝ թուրքերի ու ադրբեջանցիների խնդրանքով, ինչպես նաև՝ սիոնիստ ավետարանականների խնդրանքով: Կա նաև «Աստծո ժողովուրդ» կոչվող կրոնական համայնք, որը շրջում էր Նիկոլ Փաշինյանի հետ տարբեր եկեղեցիներով այդ կեղծ պատարագների ընթացքում. ներդրված էին նրանց մեջ ու տարբեր տեղերում խոսում էին եկեղեցու նորոգումից:
● I am sure that the USA coordinates its relations and actions with Armenia with Russia as well.
● The United States will work with any power that comes to power. Remember that Aliyev said: we don’t want to sign a contract with Nikol Pashinyan, but the Armenian people. That is why they are waiting for our elections in Azerbaijan.
● TRIPP is a statement whose mechanisms are not yet clear. Preliminary agreements take the form of express contracts. There is no need for Armenia to abandon TRIPP, but the details must be negotiated. If the parties increase and their interests coincide, this will become a zone of peace. The task of the future government should be to involve many parties in that project and make Syunik and the whole of Armenia a zone of peace.
● Opening the border with Turkey will destroy our entire agriculture. In the name of economic relations, we will deal with special services of Turkey.
● Pashinyan is a person who has no confidence either in Russia, the USA, or Europe. They don’t take him seriously, they know he’s a liar. In addition, he crossed red lines inside Armenia. There are other red lines, the crossing of which will not allow Russia to talk with this government under any circumstances. In any case, this man’s time is up, because his 2 terms are up, and besides, people are tired.
● These choices are fateful choices. Google changed the names of areas in its map, it could not have happened without the consent of this government. These destroy all moral codes, attack the church, change the emblems, divide the Diaspora, eliminate internal solidarity. This is not a matter of power. I am not calling for a vote for “Prosperous Armenia” alone, I am calling for a vote for any of the transient opposition forces, because this is a referendum on a process that, if we fail, will lead to the elimination of us as a nation. They have the real numbers, they are in panic and hysteria, and I think more so in the last week there will be interesting processes in public consciousness. I think the hysterical behavior of the current prime minister will help people make the right choice.
Details in the video.
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RFE/RL – Imprisoned RFE/RL Journalist Farid Mehralizada Shares Reflections Fro
Farid Mehralizada, an economist and journalist for RFE/RL’s Azerbaijani Service, has been unjustly detained in Azerbaijan since May 30, 2024.
He was sentenced to nine years in prison on charges of “illegal entrepreneurship, money laundering, tax evasion, and document forgery.” Human rights activists and journalism advocacy groups say the charges are trumped-up and due to Mehralizada’s work.
On the second anniversary of his imprisonment, Mehralizada reflects on life behind bars, the humanity of the prison economy, and the AI photo of him with the daughter he has barely seen.
Read more about Mehralizada imprisonment.
1) What Is The Main Memory That Keeps You Going?
My daughter was born a few months after I was imprisoned. We have only been able to see each other during prison visits, but never for long enough. That is why we still don’t have a real photograph together. Some time ago, my friends created a photo of us together using artificial intelligence and gave it to me as a gift. When I held it, I felt the full weight of every precious memory I missed: first steps, birthdays, holidays at home. The photo looked so realistic that, at first glance, it was deeply moving. But however impressive it may be at first glance, technology cannot replace human touch. It cannot replace being there. Reuniting with my loved ones is my greatest motivation. The real version of that photograph is what I’m waiting for.
2) What Has Prison Taught You About Azerbaijan?
Prison gave me the opportunity to meet people with whom I would probably never have shared the same environment in ordinary life. Living for a long time with people from different social groups and with different ideological views allows you to see Azerbaijan from another perspective. There, you realize that there are actually many different visions of “Azerbaijan.” Every social group imagines its country differently. Another reality prison revealed to me is that religion occupies a stronger place in society than we often assume. In freedom, this influence is not always visible in daily political processes. But in a closed environment, it becomes much clearer that religion serves for people both as moral support and as a form of social relationship.
Baku Court Hands Radio Free Europe Journalist Mehralizada ‘Outrageous’ 9-Year Prison Sentence
One of the positive things that surprised me was people’s eagerness to learn. Those who know foreign languages or are knowledgeable in certain fields are constantly approached by others trying to learn something. The number of people who read books is also much higher than I expected. Perhaps when a person is deprived of freedom, knowledge becomes one of the ways they protect themselves.
3) What Does Azerbaijani Journalism Look Like From Prison?
In reality, it doesn’t [look like anything]. Because there is no Internet access in Azerbaijani prisons. And in television and print media, it is very difficult to find anything that can truly be called journalism. But there is an interesting detail here. In prison, the majority of political prisoners — whether they are journalists, political activists, or opposition members — are generally referred to simply as “journalists.” In other words, in prison jargon, the word “journalist” has in some sense become synonymous with “political prisoner.” This is not accidental. It reflects how independent journalism in Azerbaijan has become an extremely dangerous field of activity.
4) What Does The Azerbaijani Economy Look Like From Prison?
Official statistics also show that one of the most common reasons for imprisonment in Azerbaijan is drug-related offenses. Article 234 of the Criminal Code is even known among prisoners as the “national article.”
When I was free, I thought the high number of drug-related crimes was mainly connected to widespread drug use. But in prison, you realize that there is also a serious economic dimension to the issue. Among those convicted on drug-related charges, there are many people who have never used drugs themselves. The main reasons pushing them into drug courier work and smuggling are unemployment and lack of income.
For this reason, I believe that creating real and functional employment programs, especially for people released from prisons, is extremely important. Otherwise, people return to the same environment and the same dead end.
In fact, viewed from prison, one of the first visible problems in Azerbaijan’s economy is the employment problem. It may sound paradoxical, but one of the most common social groups encountered in prisons is entrepreneurs. There are many businesspeople imprisoned over issues related to taxes, customs, and debts. This demonstrates how fragile and unstable the business environment in the country is.
‘Escalating Crackdown’ In Azerbaijan Draws U.S. Criticism
Sometimes you see entrepreneurs who paid taxes to the state for more than 20 years being imprisoned over relatively small tax debts. But such imprisonment is not merely the loss of one person’s freedom. It also means the shutdown of that enterprise, the closure of jobs, and dozens of families losing their source of income.
One of the most discussed topics in prison is the one-time payment given upon release. According to current regulations, this amount is four times the minimum wage — currently around 1,600 manats ($941). Interestingly, even people who still have years left before release make plans about what they will do with that money. I have witnessed many prisoners say that they have never earned that much money at one time in their lives. This clearly demonstrates how deep income inequality is in Azerbaijan.
5) Which Economic Concept Has Gained A Different Meaning For You In Prison?
The first concept that comes to mind is poverty. In freedom, poverty for me was mainly related to income levels. But in prison, you realize that poverty is also the absence of choice. Because even if you have money here, you cannot buy what you want whenever you want. The prison shop works according to a schedule, and there are strict rules regarding deliveries from outside. Sometimes you are simply forced to wait. But in prison, you also see another side of the struggle against poverty. People here live collectively, and this forces them to share. If someone has no tea, another person shares theirs. If someone lacks clothing, another helps them. In prison, the main mechanism of social protection is not the state, but collective consciousness.Perhaps that is why people in prison understand more deeply how painful poverty truly is.
6) What Does It Feel Like To Think About Economics In Prison?
Thinking about economics in prison is completely different from thinking about economics in freedom. For many years, I tried to understand the country’s economy by looking at budget figures, oil revenues, inflation, the manat exchange rate, and various other economic indicators. But in prison, economics turns from statistics into human stories.
Of course, even here it is possible to draw conclusions from certain observations. For example, you can form an impression about the general situation from the number of people going to the cafeteria or from the increase in people asking others for cigarettes. But I think the main difference is that, in prison, money is no longer the most valuable thing. Sometimes an extra blanket on a winter day; sometimes receiving greetings from someone; or sometimes unexpectedly hearing a favorite song you have not listened to for a long time — these all feel more valuable than money.
I think prison has given me an education in economics that is no less valuable than a university degree. Because here, at the end of every theory, there is a human being. When you think about economics in prison, you begin to see not numbers, but people’s behavior, fears, hopes, and their daily struggle for survival.
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RFE/RL – Russia, Ex-Soviet Allies Want Armenian Referendum On EU Entry
Russia and three other ex-Soviet states making up the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) pressed Armenia on Friday to decide “as soon as possible” whether to remain part of the Russian-led trade bloc or continue seeking membership of the European Union.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Belarusian, Kazakh and Kyrgyz counterparts voiced the demand during an EEU summit in Kazakhstan’s capital Astana shunned by Prime Minister Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian.
“We share the [Russian] position on the need to hold a national referendum in the Republic of Armenia as soon as possible on joining the European Union or continuing to be part of the Eurasian Economic Union,” they said in a joint statement publicized right after the summit.
The statement came ten days before Armenia’s parliamentary election in which the ruling Civil Contract party is challenged by opposition groups promising to repair Russian-Armenian relations.
Putin already suggested such a referendum on May 9 a few days after the Armenian government hosted two European summits that underlined its pursuit of Armenia’s eventual accession to the EU. Pashinian essentially rejected the idea. Moscow has since banned the import of some Armenian products and threatened to end a significant discount on the price of natural gas supplied to the South Caucasus country.
On Thursday, Pashinian dismissed Putin’s earlier statement that Yerevan’s continued membership in the EEU is “not compatible” with its European integration drive.
“It could be compatible until 2030, until 2035, until 2040 or December 2026,” he told reporters. “Time will tell. It is our sovereign decision, and we will make our sovereign decisions.”
“Nothing has changed in our plan,” added the Armenian premier, who is facing a tough reelection battle.
The joint statement by Putin and the three other EEU leaders said that this policy carries “significant risks to the economic security” of their nations. It said their prime ministers will present in December “possible consequences” of suspending Armenia’s membership in the bloc.
Pashinian has stressed in recent weeks that Armenia cannot be kicked out of the EEU without its consent. His domestic critics say that even if Pashinian vetoes its exit, Moscow will still be in a position to impose crippling economic sanctions on Yerevan. Armenia is heavily dependent on Russia for trade and energy, a fact regularly emphasized by Putin and other Russian officials.
Putin made the same point when he spoke to reporters in Astana after the summit. He warned of other punitive measures against Armenia such as higher freight shipment costs, curbs on Russian tourists visiting the country and tougher requirements for hundreds of thousands of Armenian migrant workers in Russia. And he again noted that Russia’s conflict with Ukraine broke out after Kyiv’s decision to strive for EU membership.
Pashinian’s government enacted last year a law calling for the “start of a process of Armenia’s accession to the European Union.” But it has still not clarified when it will make a formal membership bid. No EU member state or institution has voiced explicit support for such a prospect so far.
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Court Allows Armenian Authorities To Seize Karabakh Office In Yerevan
- Gayane Saribekian
Following Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s latest outburst against Nagorno-Karabakh’s exiled ethnic Armenian leadership, an Armenian court has allowed authorities to seize the building of its permanent representation in Yerevan.
Although the building has housed the representation since the early 1990s, its ownership was formalized only in 2017. Armenia’s Office of the Prosecutor-General asked the court of first instance to invalidate it in a lawsuit filed a year ago.
Pashinian had earlier repeatedly lambasted Karabakh Armenian leaders for continuing to present themselves as a government in exile and threatened to crack down on them. He again lashed out at them on May 18 when he bitterly argued with a Karabakh activist during an election campaign engagement in Yerevan. The activist, Artur Osipian, who has long challenged the former authorities in Stepanakert, was arrested after the incident during which Pashinian shouted insults and threats also addressed to “Karabakh pseudo-elites.”
“Don’t you dare to say that there is a Karabakh National Assembly or a government in Armenia. I’ll root out all of you,” the premier cried.
The court ruling on the building was announced this week. Ashot Danielian, Karabakh’s parliament speaker and acting president, condemned it, saying that the Armenian authorities have taken “another shameful, illegal and immoral step against the Republic of Artsakh and its people.”
“They made the decision based on clear political considerations,” Artak Beglarian, a former Karabakh premier who now campaigns for the rights of Karabakh refugees in Armenia, told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service on Friday.
“They want to destroy everything related to Artsakh, and through that, to put our identity and memory under attack,” he said, accusing Pashinian of coordinating his actions with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.
Lawyers representing the Karabakh leaders will appeal against the court ruling. They say that they have not yet received eviction orders from relevant authorities.
In the meantime, Karabakh activists and other refugees continue to periodically gather outside the building to voice their grievances and discuss their socioeconomic problems, notably a lack of decent housing. Their leaders have pledged to keep fighting for their right to return to their homeland despite the Armenian government’s refusal to raise it on the international stage. Pashinian has repeatedly said that the refugees should stop hoping to return to Karabakh and should “settle down” in Armenia instead.
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RFE/RL – Armenian Exporters Told To Find New Markets After Russian Bans
Economy Minister Gevorg Papoyan on Friday urged Armenia’s leading agribusiness firms heavily dependent on the Russian market to diversify their exports after Moscow banned the import of Armenian flowers, vegetables and strawberry amid heightened tensions with Yerevan.
The bans imposed over the past week were clearly the main focus of Papoyan’s meeting with the owners or top executives of major local greenhouses, even though they were not explicitly mentioned in an official readout released by the Armenian Economy Ministry. It said Papoyan discussed with them “the current situation in the greenhouse construction sector” and “possible ways to solve current problems.”
“The minister noted that in addition to traditional [export] markets, it is necessary to take steps to ensure the representation of Armenian products in international markets,” read the statement.
“The Armenian government is already implementing numerous programs and is ready to take additional steps to complete the diversification of the economy,” it quoted Papoyan as saying.
No details of those steps were reported. Papoyan told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service earlier this week that Yerevan has asked the European Union to allow large-scale exports of Armenian cut flowers to EU member states.
“If they love talking about support [for Armenia,] then let them help us, including with financial instruments, sell our roses in the European market,” he said. “They have said in response, ‘Give us calculations.’ And we have provided the calculations.”
The Netherlands, a major EU member state, is the world’s largest flower exporter, accounting for roughly half of the global cut flower trade and earning billions of dollars in annual revenue.
Greenhouse farming in Armenia has expanded dramatically over the past 15 years on the back of the country’s soaring agricultural exports to Russia. The latter has thus solidified its status as the number one export market for Armenian fruits, vegetables, alcohol, flowers and processed food.
Shortly after being appointed as economy minister in early 2024, Papoyan said that easing Armenia’s heavy dependence on Russia for trade will be one of his top priorities. Russia’s share in Armenian foreign trade has not fallen since then. It stood at almost 36 percent last year, up from 35 percent in 2023.
Citing sanitary grounds, Moscow has also banned the sale of Armenia’s most popular brand of mineral water in a bid to step up economic pressure on Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s government accused by it of pursuing an anti-Russian foreign policy. Pashinian insisted on Thursday that the Russian sanctions do not pose “any threat to Armenia’s developing economy.” His critics believe that their impact will be severe.
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