“Ararat Cement” will be nationalized. Pashinyan’s statement in Shnogh

Dabaghian Diana

As the Zangezur copper-molybdenum combine came under state control in 2021, the same fate awaits the “Ararat Cement” factory, according to Nikol Pashinyan. The Prime Minister candidate of the “Civil Agreement” party announced this today during a meeting with the residents of the Shnogh community of Lori marz.


According to Pashinyan, one of the key assets of PAP leader Gagik Tsarukyan’s business, “Ararat Cement”, will soon come under the control of the state and become the property of the Republic of Armenia. He announced that, according to his claim, “mafia schemes” related to Gagik Tsarukyan and his son-in-law, the former governor of Kotayk Karapet Guloyan, were revealed, and the government has already received the letter from the prosecutor’s office, according to which the said property is subject to nationalization.


The prime minister’s candidate also mentioned that, as it happened in the case of HEC, it is planned to appoint a temporary manager in “Ararat Cement”.


Addressing the employees of the factory, Pashinyan announced that they are no longer obliged to obey the instructions of Gagik Tsarukyan or Karapet Guloyan, because, according to him, the Republic of Armenia will be their employer from now on. He also called upon the employees to be guided by the government’s instructions from now on.

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Pope Leo adds Armenian Orthodox saint to Roman calendar

Emil Lazarian
Aleteia
May 20 2026

Aoganesian2 – CC0

Philip Kosloski – published on 05/20/26
St. Nerses the Gracious, a saint of the Armenian Orthodox Church, was inserted into the Roman Martyrology, a move that is being called “ecumenism of the saints.”

During the past 30 years, various popes have decided to include Orthodox saints in the Roman Martyrology. The martyrology is a list of all the officially recognized saints in the Roman Catholic Church.

For example, St. John Paul II included a few Orthodox saints when the Roman Martyrology was revised in 2004, and Pope Francis added St. Gregory of Narek and St. Isaac of Nineveh to the list of saints, as well as the 21 Coptic Martyrs of Libya — the group killed in 2015 by ISIS.

Most recently, Pope Leo XIV chose to include St. Nerses the Gracious in the Roman Martyrology. This was done to coincide with Pope Leo’s meeting with His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of Cilicia, on May 18.

Of course, the earliest saints of the Orthodox Churches are the same as those of the Catholic Church, as the saints of the first centuries came before the various schisms between East and West.

Reconciliation between churches

The Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity released a statement that helps explain why St. Nerses is believed to be a saint and why his example matters in the 21st century:

Nerses Shnorhali (1102 – August 13, 1173), Catholicos of Armenia from 1166 to 1173, is recognized and venerated by the Armenian tradition as one of its greatest saints. Remembered as a pastor, theologian, poet, hymn writer, and forerunner of modern ecumenism, he received the title “Shnorhali” [“the Gracious” ed.] from his contemporaries for the irenic nature of his writings.

Furthermore, the Dicastery highlighted his example of ecumenism:

During his ministry as bishop and Catholicos, he worked for reconciliation among the Churches, especially between the Armenian Church and the Byzantine Orthodox Church. His hymns are part of the Armenian liturgy—both Apostolic and Catholic—and numerous churches are dedicated to him.

His name will be included on August 13, the date of his death in 1173.

It is hoped that this gesture will continue to build bridges between the Catholic Church and Orthodox Churches, recognizing men and women of heroic virtue who share a desire that one day all Christians will be united under one Church.

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Stepan Zoryan’s house-museum has something new

Emil Lazarian

From now on, the visitors of Stepan Zoryan’s House-Museum can watch the “Lonely Tree” animation using an optical tag (QR code).

With the ARLOOPA app, the painting “The Lonely Tree” was brought to life, becoming a living story. Using modern technology, the lines of Kojoyan’s canvas begin to move, the tree breathes, creating a living dialogue between the past and the future.


The lonely tree had great advice for Zoryan. “Perhaps it is possible to compare our people as well – No matter how difficult their conditions are, they always strive upwards, towards light, towards freedom…

“The picture still decorates my room,” Zoryan writes.


Today, the house-museum speaks to the past, preserves the present, and builds the culture of the future.

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From June 1, a new system for confirming the supply of goods will operate in Russia

Hambik Zargarian

The State Revenue Committee informs participants of foreign economic activities, in particular, exporters, about the launch of new regulations in the Russian Federation, the SPOT system, effective from June 1, 2026.


1. What is changing for RA exporters?


From June 1, 2026, the system of confirmation of the expectation of delivery of goods (СПОТ-СпоТ-Система спечатьения отчения поставки товаров) will be fully operational in the Russian Federation. The system refers to the circulation of goods imported from EAEU member states, including the Republic of Armenia, by road transport of the Russian Federation.


Although the Russian importer (applicant) is officially responsible for SPOT, the system will also directly affect the exporters of goods from RA to RF, because without the QR code formed on the basis of the delivery expectation document formed in RF, the goods cannot be physically imported into RF territory.


2. System participants


The SPOT system distinguishes the following groups of participants:


Applicants (заявители) — are the entities of the Russian Federation who prepare and submit a document (ДОПП) in advance. In essence, they are Russian partner organizations and individual entrepreneurs who import goods from other EAEU countries (including RA) to Russia.


Carriers (перевозчики) — those that carry out the transportation of goods from other EAEU countries to the Russian Federation. RA exporters (carriers) are also included in this category.


The Tax Authority of the Russian Federation will act as the SPOT operator, and the Customs Authority of the Russian Federation will act as the controlling authority.


3. Which products does SPOT cover?


The system is applied to goods imported from EAEU member states to Russia by road transport. In the future, the Government of the Russian Federation may extend the application of the order to transportation by other types of transport. SPOT does not apply to the following categories:


cash,


oil,


electricity,


goods for personal use of individuals.


4. How will the system work?


As a general rule, the applicant (the Russian partner) must:


No later than 2 calendar days before the import of the goods, form a DOPP — an electronic document that confirms the intention to accept the goods.


Not later than 2 calendar days before the import of goods, make a non-cash security payment in rubles, the amount of which should not be less than the amount of indirect taxes to be paid.


Get the visible link (QR-code) attributed to DOPP and send it to the supplier or carrier (in the case of RA, to the RA exporter or freight forwarder).


If the entire volume of goods specified in the DOPP was not imported during one shipment, then in this case the RF counterparty must submit a new DOPP for the remaining quantity of goods and also transfer a new QR code to the exporter/transporter.


5. Practical advice to RA exporters


Although it is the responsibility of the RF importer to form the DOPP and pay the security fee, there are still a number of practical considerations for the RA exporter that must be taken into account in order to adapt to the new regime.


Revision of the delivery schedule. considering that DOPP should be formed at least 2 days before import, shipment planning should be more predictable. Rush deliveries can become problematic. It is recommended to discuss the new order with Russian partners (buyers) before June 1, 2026.


Exchange of information with the Russian partner. the exporter must timely and accurately provide all information about the product (product name, quantity, value, etc.) so that the Russian importer can correctly form the DOPP.


Receiving a QR code before reaching the Russian border. The carrier must have the QR-code before approaching the RF border, so the exporter must obtain it from the importer and transfer it to the carrier. Without a QR code, it will not be possible to transport the product to the territory of the Russian Federation.


Regulation of relations with the carrier. it is advisable to include clauses in transport contracts that will regulate the liability of the parties for losses arising in the absence of DOPP or incorrect data.

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Prosperous Armenia. vision of post-war development

Andranik Taslakhchian

The prerequisite for having a prosperous Armenia is a solid government, which in a civilized manner, calmly, without insulting left and right, threatening, without shouting and without lying, changing its point of view once a month, blaming all the failures on others, will make a plan, provide guaranteed peace to the state, acquire reliable allies, unite Armenians all over the world, and solve the problems of our citizens one after the other. Which will create a fair environment where mutual respect will become the rule of the game.

Armenia has all the opportunities to quickly go on the path of post-war recovery, national revival, and become a modern state. Internal solidarity and justice are the main principles of Prosperous Armenia. With the joint work of all competent forces and individuals working for the benefit of our country, this will become a reality.

Gagik Tsarukyan, chairman of the “Prosperous Armenia” party 


***

“Offer to Armenia” program. Strategic goals, acceptance of realities, risk management.

1. Turn Armenia’s smallness into an advantage: compactness, flexibility, intellectual capital. Armenia should become a bridge between different power centers: Russia, Iran, India, the West. Our geography must become a factor of strategic advantage.
2. Armenia is the homeland of Armenians around the world. We are obliged to stop the process of reducing the area of ​​historical residence of Armenians in the South Caucasus, our number.
3. The future authorities should undertake the historical mission of post-war reconstruction, creation of a modern, sovereign and self-sufficient state.

Prosperous Armenia:
1. It is a safe home for present and future generations, a home for every Armenian, a space of security, social justice and development, a democratic and safe environment. An educated and progressive society, a strong and healthy civil society.
2. The support area of ​​the Armenian world, the center of the development of the Armenian world, the only Armenian state recognized by the international community, for the integration of the Diaspora,
3. A model of survival and development in an unstable world, a platform for dialogue between East and West, a small state integrating different political and cultural environments.

Foreign and domestic policy
1. Relations with Russia with the perspective of strategic, including military-technical, significant modernization.
2. Development of pragmatic, calculated relations with Turkey and Azerbaijan
3. In the context of ensuring a just and stable peace, consistent promotion of the recognition and protection of the fundamental rights of the Artsakh Armenians, including the right of return, within the framework of international law and international mechanisms. Systematic steps to preserve the spiritual and cultural heritage of Artsakh
4. Independent judicial system. The court as the main guarantor of equality before the law, restraint of executive power and protection of civil society.

5. Society of equal opportunities: fight against corruption, social mobility, digitization of government.
6. The middle class as a pillar of democracy.
7. Demographic policy: promotion of birth and protection of family values, special attention to women’s health.
8. An accessible, high-quality and developed healthcare system with clear and competent social emphasis.
9. Creation of conditions for repatriation (jobs, housing, integration).
10. Support of mixed employment models (online work for global companies operating outside of Armenia).

11. Educational-patriotic layer of breakthrough development. create conditions for the formation of an “incubator” of future elites.
12. Education as a strategic security resource. Including the education system among the national security priorities. Fundamentally new approaches to the development of national scientific potential. Digitization and new technologies in education. Creation of a joint scientific and educational area with the diaspora.
13. Patriotic continuous education system. Implementation of a unified national education program starting from primary school. Formation of “civilian schools”. Support of youth movements and sports clubs with military and national-patriotic orientation. Targeted programs to combat drug addiction and gambling.
14. Small and medium-sized family business support and institutional protection as the basis of these processes.
15. Strengthening the institution of ownership.

16. Attracting diaspora and global investment in critical infrastructure, energy and information technology.
17. A new export policy based on a scaled approach to the production of high-quality Armenian products and the introduction of new pan-Armenian brands.
18. Development of real political mechanisms to involve the diaspora in the process of making important, strategic decisions for the country, through the creation of a new consultative body.

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Nerses Shnorhali: Great ‘pioneer of ecumenism’ in the Christian East

Kajoyan Gevork
Vatican News
May 20 2026
As he meets with Armenian Catholicos Aram I, Pope Leo XIV says Nerses Shnorhali, a 12th-century Catholicos of the Armenian Church, has been inserted in the Roman Martyrology, calling it an example of “ecumenism of the saints.”

Vatican News

St. Nerses Shnorhali was a man of great soul and a versatile, prolific mind. Because of this—and especially because of the inspired and irenic tone of his writings—his contemporaries called him “Shnorhali,” meaning “the Gracious,” or “full of grace.”

During his audience with His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Apostolic Church—See of Cilicia, Pope Leo XIV recalled St. Nerses, one of the most ancient and illustrious figures of the Armenian Church, and noted his recent inclusion in the Roman Martyrology.

A model of diplomacy

The stature of this mystic and theologian of the Christian East—who was also a poet and composer and died in 1173—has also been recognized by the United Nations.

In 2023, on the 850th anniversary of his death, UNESCO included him in its calendar of anniversaries of eminent figures and important events.

Nerses became Catholicos in 1166, taking the name Nerses IV, and remained in office until his death.

As Pope Leo XIV recalled, his work marks him out as a pioneer of dialogue between Christian Churches. His ecumenical openness was joined to deep humanity and a keen sensitivity to peace.

Despite the controversies of his time, he came to be seen as a model of diplomacy in the healing of religious and ethnic conflicts.

Flyer for the 2023 conference

2023 Vatican conference

In November-December 2023, St. Nerses was the focus of an international conference in the Vatican, promoted by the Pontifical Oriental Institute.

Presenting the event, one of its organizers, Marco Bais, highlighted qualities in Nerses that invite comparison with two great Western saints: Francis of Assisi and Bernard of Clairvaux.

Mr. Bais said Nerses combined “humility and dedication to the poor”—qualities he preserved even after reaching the highest office in his Church—with a “refinement of theological analysis and a great capacity for political leadership of his Church,” similar to that of the renowned French monk, who was almost his contemporary.

In September 2023, the Vatican Post Office also issued a commemorative stamp in his honor, remembering him as “an original spiritual author, deeply versed in the doctrine of his Church, with total dedication to the passion of Christ.”

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It is proposed to modernize and improve the regulation of the accreditation sector

Tatoyan Vazgen

On May 20, the Standing Committee on Economic Affairs of the National Assembly discussed the draft law “On Amendments and Additions to the Law on Certification” in the first reading.


According to the information of Narek Hovakimyan, Deputy Minister of Economy of the Republic of Armenia, the need for changes and additions is due to the planned changes in certain functions of the National Accreditation Body. The project proposes to make a number of changes and additions with the aim of modernizing and improving the regulations in the field of accreditation, ensuring its compliance with international best practices and current needs. It is expected that as a result of the adoption of the project, the clarity and applicability of the regulation of the accreditation sphere will be improved, new concepts and mechanisms will be introduced, for example: conformity assessment scheme, technical assessor. Clear procedures for appeals, evaluations, and record keeping will be established. Procedures for professional analysis of conformity assessment schemes will also be established, grounds for suspension of accreditation will be increased.


The project was approved by the committee, it is planned to be discussed during the regular sessions of the National Assembly starting on May 26.

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CP is corrupt from head to toe, looking for compromise on others

Hagop Kamalian

Kompromat is serving Turkish-Azerbaijani interests, which is what Nikol is busy with.


KP is corrupt from head to toe, he is looking for compromise on others.


Holding Erdogan’s book to one’s chest is compromising.


Recognizing Artsakh as a part of Azerbaijan by Aliyev’s order is compromising.


Refusal of Armenian Dat is compromising.


Denying the memory of the victims of the genocide is compromising.


Attacking the church is compromising.


Renunciation of the Declaration of Independence and Ararat is compromising.


Being Nikolakan is also compromised and compromised.


Former Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Eduard Sharmazanov




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Russia Wants Armenia Back in the Fold. It May Be Too Late.

Garo Vardanian
The Moscow Times
May 20 2026

By Nicholas Castillo

Years of slowly growing tensions between Yerevan and Moscow have crescendoed in recent weeks as Armenia prepares for national elections on June 7. The competition is expected to be riddled with attempts by Moscow to exert its influence.

In April, Armenia hosted the European Political Community (EPC) summit. For comparatively small Armenia, historically aligned with Russia, it is difficult to overstate the importance of a diplomatic event that brought dozens of European leaders to Yerevan. The event was especially memorable as Volodymyr Zelensky became the first Ukrainian president in 24 years to visit Armenia.

A few days later, Pashinyan skipped his usual trip to Moscow for Russia’s all-important May 9 Victory Day commemoration. Even as Armenia had begun to drift away from Russian influence in recent years, Pashinyan had continued to attend the symbolically important parade.

The next day, statements from Russian officials about Armenia became increasingly hostile. In reference to the EPC, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the meeting platformed “anti-Russian statements” with no balance provided by Armenia’s leadership. He went on to say the event was “inconsistent with the spirit of relations” between Armenia and Russia. 

Separately, Russian President Vladimir Putin commented on Armenia’s fledgling EU aspirations, saying Yerevan should hold a referendum on the issue. But, tellingly, he also remarked, “We all see what’s happening with Ukraine now. But where did it all start? With Ukraine’s attempt to join the EU.”

Pashinyan and his Civil Contract party will face off against a divided opposition field, where the frontrunners are Russian-Armenian billionaire Samvel Karapetyan (currently under house arrest following anti-government comments) and former President Robert Kocharyan. 

Leaked documents and reporting point to extensive Russian efforts aimed at minimizing Pashinyan’s vote share. Sergei Kiriyenko, a top Kremlin official whose portfolio includes policy toward the occupied Ukrainian and Georgian territories, is believed to be heading up the effort from Moscow. In Armenia, activity by a network of Russian FSB and SVR intelligence operatives has grown in recent years. Hostile media campaigns have already been linked to Moscow and Armenian officials have claimed Russia is pressuring the large Armenian diaspora to support the Kremlin’s preferred factions.

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For Moscow, there is a clear interest in displacing Pashinyan — or simply sowing chaos in Yerevan on election day. 

Under Pashinyan, Armenia has slowly moved out of Russia’s orbit as Moscow failed to deter Azerbaijani advances in Nagorno-Karabakh. Pashinyan has forged better ties with Brussels and Washington, switched from Russian arms purchases to agreements with France and India and even set EU membership as an eventual goal for the country — although an undoubtedly far-off one. His party’s domestic rhetoric has taken a sharply anti-Russian tone, labeling opponents “Russian agents” and blaming the KGB for sowing hatred between Armenians, Azerbaijanis and Turks. 

On the other hand, opposition figures like Karapetyan and Kocharyan are viewed as more Russia-friendly. Karapetyan spent much of his career and built much of his fortune in the country. He is a dual citizen of Russia and Armenia, and maintains business interests in Russia. There is also evidence that he remains a member of the pro-Russian Lazarev Club, which aims to strengthen links between Moscow and Yerevan. Meanwhile, Kocharyan has been more explicitly pro-Russian, having stated last year that Armenia “must restore our strategic partnership with Russia.” 

For both men, the real threat to Armenia is not Russia, but Azerbaijan and Turkey. They have labeled Pashinyan a lackey of Azerbaijan and said Pashinyan will allow hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis to be settled in Armenia in the coming years. 

Anticipating Russian influence attempts, Pashinyan has requested that EU monitoring teams be deployed to Armenia, with Brussels obliging his request.

However, recent Russian influence campaigns have a mixed track record. In Moldova, while they helped nearly defeat a referendum to codify aspirations for EU membership in 2024, they failed to prevent a decisive victory for the pro-EU Party of Action and Solidarity in 2025’s parliamentary elections. In the aftermath, Moscow created the Presidential Directorate for Strategic Partnership and Cooperation. Vadim Titov, its Kremlin-appointed leader, traveled to Hungary in the run-up to the 2026 elections. Yet despite any Kremlin influence efforts, Péter Magyar’s party still sailed to a landslide victory.

In Armenia, there is reason to think Russian efforts will meet another difficult environment. Among likely voters, Pashinyan’s bloc decisively tops opinion polling. One recent poll found 33% of likely voters backing Pashinyan’s Civil Contract. Karapetyan’s Strong Armenia came in second at only 11.4% of voters, while Kocharyan’s Armenian Alliance came in third at 4.2%.

Armenia’s opposition is divided, demoralized and constrained by targeted pressure by Pashinyan’s government.  Karapetyan and several of his allies have been arrested on a variety of charges, with many viewing their arrests as politically motivated.

Armenian citizens have long reported being disenchanted with politics. However, any exhaustion or skepticism directed toward Pashinyan does not appear to be translating into support for the opposition, itself connected to the governments and projects of the past. Since Pashinyan’s high-profile Washington summit with U.S. President Donald Trump and Azerbaijan’s Ilham Aliyev, an increasing share of Armenians actually have positive expectations for the future. Pashinyan has proved capable of attracting American and European attention and money. His long-stalled normalization program with Turkey and Azerbaijan at long last seems to be bearing fruit. 

In such conditions, the extent to which Russian influence efforts can achieve success is unclear. This is not to say the Kremlin has no cards to play in Armenia. The Moldovan referendum of 2024 showed that Russian electoral efforts abroad can be impactful if they actually use local networks to engage in vote-buying, bussing or other mobilization tactics. A decisive choice may be whether Russian officials engage in this kind of direct organizational strategy. If turnout is low in the elections, it will maximize any benefits to this kind of Russian mobilization. Still, with Pashinyan having constrained his adversaries already, it is difficult to picture the prime minister allowing such tactics to unseat him.

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From a long-term view, Russia still wields a great deal of economic influence over Yerevan. Russian state companies like Gazprom and Rosatom still have what amounts to a monopoly over Armenian energy and gas. Critical infrastructure, such as railroads, is likewise owned by Russian state firms — although Pashinyan has said he wishes to change this. 

At the popular level, a large share of Armenia’s public still views Russia as a critical partner, not an enemy. As with other post-Soviet countries close to Russia, the future of Yerevan’s foreign policy seems more likely to be a mixed approach rather than one that cuts Moscow off totally. 

However, the dominant trend in much of the former U.S.S.R. since 2022 is a decline in Russia’s political centrality. Except for Belarus, no former Soviet states have backed Russia’s war in Ukraine. Nearly all have sought better relations with Europe and the United States, and the once symbolically central Victory Day parades and intergovernmental meetings have faded from their past importance. Aliyev skipped the May 9 parade this year for the second year in a row without any great consternation.

The EU has poured hundreds of millions of euros into Armenia since 2020. Russia has not. With Armenia now a member of the International Criminal Court, Putin has not even visited the country since November 2022. 

Of all post-Soviet states, arguably only Georgia and Belarus have drawn closer to Russia in recent years. Having made a decisive move away from Moscow, it is difficult to imagine Armenia turning back without some drastic transformation, no matter what tactics are deployed during the upcoming elections.

The views expressed in opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the position of The Moscow Times.

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It is proposed to expand the fields of application of the electronic cash register

Jane Topchian

The purpose of the adoption of the project is to expand the fields of application of the electronic cash register and to provide the possibility of using it as an alternative to the conventional cash register. This was stated by Eduard Hakobyan, the chairman of the RA State Revenue Committee, at the session of the Standing Committee on Economic Affairs of the RA NA on May 20.


The draft law “On making additions and amendments to the Tax Code of the Republic of Armenia” was discussed in the first reading.


According to Eduard Hakobyan’s presentation, along with the technological development and the growth of digital services, there is a need to expand the fields of application of the electronic cash register, to make it an alternative tool to the regular cash register, with which it will be possible to ensure the implementation of the same functions in the easiest and most modern ways.


In particular, it is proposed to unify all the provisions related to the cash register and the electronic cash register, which will be applicable to both instruments.


It is also proposed to establish an authorizing norm by which the Government will define the technical requirements of the electronic control cash register, the procedure for its registration and deregistration, and the rules of enforcement. The spheres of activity, cases and periods when the use of an electronic control cash register is mandatory by organizations, individual entrepreneurs and notaries during sales, performing works or providing services have also been clarified.


The main reporter answered the questions of the deputies, presenting clarifications regarding the regulations established by the draft law. A reference was made to the maintenance fee for cash registers.


The draft law received a positive conclusion.

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