Armenian Ombudsperson Anahit Manasyan received the delegation of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe.

The delegation included the Congress’s co-rapporteurs on Armenia, Jonathan Denis (United Kingdom) and Katrien Partyka (Belgium), as well as Congress Secretary Stéphanie Poirel and expert Tania Groppi.

The meeting took place within the framework of a monitoring visit carried out by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, aimed at assessing the implementation of the European Charter of Local Self-Government in the Republic of Armenia, according to a readout from Manasyan’s office.

Human Rights Defender Anahit Manasyan emphasized the importance of such meetings in terms of strengthening democratic institutions and developing effective cooperation, presenting the mandate and main areas of activity of the Human Rights Defender’s Office.

During the discussion, a number of key issues related to the functioning of the local self-government system were addressed. In this context, Manasyan noted that she regularly conducts regional visits, meets with residents of rural communities, and listens to their concerns, which are summarized in the Ombudsperson’s annual report.

The meeting also addressed issues related to the protection of rights by local self-government bodies and ensuring inclusiveness within local authorities. Manasyan highlighted the importance of adequate representation of national minorities, women, and persons with disabilities in local self-government bodies, as well as the need to expand their opportunities for participation in local governance.

She also presented the observations of the Human Rights Defender’s Office, based on applications received from citizens, monitoring activities, and the results of regional visits. The Ombudsperson stressed that the effectiveness of local self-government has a direct impact on the realization of human rights, particularly in terms of accessibility of social services, development of community infrastructure, and ensuring an adequate quality of life for the population.

The meeting also focused on issues related to the protection of the rights of forcibly displaced persons. In this context, the Ombudsperson emphasized the importance of creating dialogue platforms, citing as an example a recent discussion initiated by her office, which was also attended by Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Arsen Torosyan.

“The development of the local self-government system and its effective functioning are important components of human rights protection. During our regional visits, we observe that problems in communities are often conditioned not only by limited resources, but also by the incomplete application of governance and participatory mechanisms. In this regard, it is important to continuously improve the tools of local democracy and ensure their effective implementation,” the Human Rights Defender said.

At the end of the meeting, Anahit Manasyan highly valued the long-standing and effective cooperation between the Human Rights Defender’s Office and the Council of Europe in the field of human rights protection. Representatives of the Congress thanked her for the reception and the information provided, emphasizing the importance of continued dialogue and cooperation.

The premier Armenian event for the digital economy and financial technology, the Doing Digital Forum (DDF), took place in Yerevan for its fourth consecutive year. Under the theme “Bridging Platforms and Economies,” the forum gathered approximately 30 local and international speakers, including leading experts, business representatives, and public sector officials, to explore the future of the global digital landscape.

Tatevik Simonyan, Founder of Doing Digital Forum and Co-Founder of SPRING PR, Forum’s organizer, opened the event by highlighting how digital technologies are transforming not only business connectivity but how entire economies interlink. “In the recent past, these connections were built through states, banks, and traditional trade relations; today, they are primarily formed around digital platforms, data, and financial technologies. This has become a new environment where economies are united not by roads, but by data, algorithms, and digital infrastructures,” she noted.

The central theme served as an invitation to think strategically about our collective role in shaping the architecture of tomorrow’s global economy. Martin Galstyan, Governor of the Central Bank of Armenia, noted that despite global uncertainties, the current era also presents unique opportunities. “Armenia, situated at the crossroads of Asia and Europe, is uniquely positioned to be a bridge in the true sense—linking markets, ideas, capital, and talent across continents,” Galstyan stated. He added: “But for that bridge to come to fruition, it must be built on solid ground. It is macroeconomic stability and institutional credibility that provide that ground. With the right financial and digital infrastructure in place, our partners in Armenia and around the world will be well-positioned to innovate, invest, and build the economy of tomorrow.”

According to Mkhitar Hayrapetyan, Minister of High-Tech Industry of the RA, building a digital society and economy based on trust is a strategic priority for the Government. “Artificial intelligence aims to simplify the lives of citizens and create an environment of trust and predictability for the private sector. It serves to protect citizen data, build infrastructure, and provide a new environment for the development of technology and innovation,” the Minister emphasized.

Adding to this national vision, Eduard Hakobyan, Chairman of the State Revenue Committee, presented a strategy to position Armenia as a regional technological and logistics hub. “By combining international tax transparency, ‘smart borders,’ and e-commerce integration, Armenia is emerging as a high-trust technological and logistical crossroads,” Hakobyan stated.

The agenda featured keynote speeches and panel discussions centered on the harmonious collaboration between AI agents and human potential, the interconnection of financial capital and technological platforms, and the balancing of regulatory frameworks alongside rapid innovation.

This year’s special guest, Leiming Chen, Senior Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer at Ant International, shared his vision of “agentic commerce” during a fireside chat with David Pollack, Innovation Ecosystem Leader and Managing Partner at Unchain. “AI has already become a core layer of financial infrastructure,” Chen remarked. “The next phase is AI agents acting as active participants… fundamentally changing money from something static and user-driven to something dynamic, programmable, and increasingly autonomous.”

In his keynote, Oleksandr Yablunivskyy, VP and Head of Products and Solutions at Visa CISSEE, discussed the payment ecosystem in the age of agentic AI, citing Deloitte research that predicts agentic AI will influence 30% of digital commerce, a $17.5 trillion opportunity, by 2030. “The next stage will be when the agent initiates the transaction under human control, and then that agent will conclude autonomous transactions. This means that we will delegate not only our purchases, but also our intentions,” Yablunivskyy stated, noting that the most critical challenges ahead involve security and consumer trust.

Matias Undurraga, Enterprise Technologist at Amazon Web Services (AWS), declared the end of the digital transformation era, urging companies to become AI-native. “An AI-native enterprise is a company that uses AI not as a tool, nor like a chatbot. It uses AI to rethink the way it operates and the way it builds. Their teams think about AI not as a tool, but as teammates” said Undurraga.

Dirk Ohlmeier, CEO of Just Better, addressed the fundamental shift in leadership, urging leaders to move out of the “dark zone” of fearing replacement. “AI is not replacing us; you will be replaced by humans who use AI. We are in an age of infinite opportunity, but it requires a leader who uses ultimate human power, curiosity, creativity, and courage, and supports it with AI. AI is here to push you and make you better,” Ohlmeier said.

Other sessions explored open finance, new payment ecosystem, and the interconnection between digital infrastructures and the real economy.

“The next stage of financial infrastructure is a more direct connection between platforms and economies,” noted Artur Kartshikyan, Founder and CEO of aeda wallet. “New financial rails allow value to move more freely – linking markets, unlocking new opportunities, and strengthening economic ties beyond borders.”

According to Aram Azatyan, Founder and Director of Finbox, Armenia’s first and only independent ATM network, completely abandoning cash is currently unrealistic. Finbox’s approach is that accessibility to cash actually supports the growth of cashless transactions.

Sadyk Azimov, Deputy General Director for Digitalization at Zangezur Copper Molybdenum Combine (ZCMC), emphasized that for the mining industry, digitalization is a fundamental shift in business operations. “Digitalization is a complex transformation that redefines how we operate, moving beyond simple technical upgrades to integrated, end-to-end management processes,” Azimov stated. He noted that by leveraging real-time data and sensors, ZCMC is creating a “single source of truth” that optimizes production while fundamentally enhancing safety and ESG compliance.

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Since its launch in 2023, DDF has featured the latest technological developments and economic trends, bringing together over 90 prominent speakers and up to 4,000 participants from 15 countries such as Armenia, Georgia, the United Kingdom, the United States, the UAE, Germany, Australia, Switzerland, Poland and CIS countries.

The forum is organized by SPRING PR, with Visa serving as the Innovation Partner, imID as the Digital Identity Partner, aeda as the Blockchain Partner, Zangezur Copper Molybdenum Combine as the Industrial Transformation Partner, and Freedom Broker Armenia as the Investment partner.

Fourteen individuals have been arrested on suspicion of offering and accepting vote-buying bribes, authorities confirmed on Thursday.

Asked to comment on Strong Armenia party member Gohar Meloyan’s statement that her party members and supporters had been detained, the Investigative Committee told Armenpress that the individuals had been arrested as part of an ongoing criminal investigation.

Additional information will be released later, if necessary, the authorities said.

The Investigative Committee later released what it said was audio recordings of the Strong Armenia party members discussing vote buying in Artashat. 

Ucom press release 

As part of a free First-Person View (FPV) drone training program for teenagers organized by the ArmDrone community with the support of Ucom, an open class was held. The session was attended by the General Director of  Ucom, Ralph Yirikian.

During the session, participants worked with software, soldered drone components, performed indoor flights using Mini Whoop drones, observed demonstrations of large drone flights, and took part in a small virtual competition.

“Such educational initiatives play an important role in the development of the tech community and the formation of a new generation. At Ucom, we believe that fostering technological thinking among young people and equipping them with practical skills is a long-term investment in the country’s future,” said Ralph Yirikian, General Director of Ucom.

In conversation with the General Director, participants shared their experiences and discussed the challenges they faced, their interests, and their future goals.

“We attach great importance to such initiatives, as they contribute to community development and increase young people’s interest in technology-related fields. Teenagers participate in the courses with great enthusiasm. We highly appreciate the opportunity provided by Ucom,” said Hayk Karapetyan, founder of the ArmDrone community.

For the second consecutive year, dozens of teenagers have had the opportunity to gain knowledge in the field of UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) field through these courses supported by Ucom, while developing their technical thinking and practical skills. Participants are introduced to modern UAV technologies, the fundamentals of engineering thinking, and the specifics of FPV drones. They acquire both theoretical and practical knowledge of UAV mechanical structure, software and flight parameter configuration, safety regulations, and explore competition strategies while developing relevant skills.

*FPV drone (First-Person View) — a type of unmanned aerial vehicle that allows the operator to control the drone from a first-person perspective. Through a video transmitter mounted on the device, the camera feed is transmitted to the operator’s video receiver (FPV goggles), enabling control over long distances. This technology is widely used in filmmaking, education, and international drone racing competitions.

The Ministries of Health of Armenia and Croatia will jointly implement an EU-funded Twinning expert support program from July 1, 2026, to July 2028.

The program aims to assess the progress and results of the rollout of the universal health insurance system in Armenia and, based on that, provide professional support for its continuous improvement, a senior lawmaker said.

Civil Contract MP and Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on European Integration Arman Yeghoyan said on social media that he met in Croatia with the country’s deputy health minister to discuss the system.

“Today, together with Armenia’s Ambassador to Croatia, Ashot Hovakimyan, we met with Croatia’s Deputy Minister of Health, Tomislav Dulibić, and the coordinator of the Twinning program, Domagoj Dodig. We exchanged views on the structure of the implemented system. Our partners have studied it in detail and believe this is a good start toward aligning our healthcare system with EU standards,” Yeghoyan said.

Armenia produced 10 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity in 2025, according to Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Davit Khudatyan.

“I would not like to present a detailed breakdown of our main generation capacities. I will mention only one type of generating capacity—solar power plants,” he said in parliament.

“Last year, 16.3% of Armenia’s total electricity production in the energy system was generated by solar power plants. Experts will confirm that this is a significant figure, and I would like to thank our partners who, despite the absence of energy storage facilities in Armenia, have managed to ensure the flexibility of the country’s energy system,” the minister said.

Khudatyan also noted that in 2025, compared to 2024, total electricity production increased by 6.7%.

“I am also pleased to note that electricity consumption in Armenia has increased, reaching 7.2 billion kilowatt-hours, with a growth rate of 6.6%,” he said.

The minister added that 33.3% of total electricity production last year was sold on the liberalized market, representing a 27.3% increase. In the liberalized electricity market, around 111,000 transactions were concluded, marking a 432% increase.

An Armenian official confirmed on Thursday that the extension of the nuclear power plant’s operational lifespan is ongoing.

Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Davit Khudatyan, speaking in parliament, told lawmakers: “At present, measures are being implemented under a long-term program to extend the operating life of the nuclear power plant, with the aim of keeping it in the energy system for another 10 years,” he said during a briefing on 2025 developments.

The minister noted that work on the Armenia–Iran 400 kV power transmission line and related infrastructure projects continued over the past year. “In this regard, we have reached about 85% completion,” Khudatyan said.

Armenia plans to build a new nuclear power plant by 2036 to replace Metsamor NPP.

The government has decided to construct a modular-type nuclear power plant and is negotiating with five countries in this regard: the United States, France, Russia, China, and South Korea.

YEREVAN, 16 APRIL, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 16 April, USD exchange rate down by 0.32 drams to 374.16 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 0.11 drams to 440.84 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate down by 0.0431 drams to 4.9012 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 0.47 drams to 506.84 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price up by 293 drams to 58021 drams. Silver price up by 13.04 drams to 945.22 drams.

In 2025, Armenia reduced its drinking and irrigation water losses compared to 2024, according to a cabinet minister.

Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Davit Khudatyan told members of parliament that in 2025, drinking water losses decreased to 51.9% compared to 61% in 2024, while irrigation water losses were 44.3%, down from 45.5% in 2024.

The minister added that the program to build five reservoirs in Armenia has been approved by the Public Investment Committee. The projects are already prepared, and the bidding process will begin soon. “It is about the construction of reservoirs in Astghadzor, Yelpin, Kasakh, Lichk, and Artik,” Davit Khudatyan explained.

Stamp cancellation on “Armenian Heritage: Meghri – the Cultural Capital of the CIS” took place at the Agarak House of Culture.

From April 16, 2026, a stamp dedicated to the theme “Armenian Heritage: Meghri – the Cultural Capital of the CIS” has been put into circulation.

The cancellation was carried out by Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of the Republic of Armenia Daniel Danielyan, Executive Director of the Interstate Fund for Humanitarian Cooperation of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Anatoly Iksanov, Head of the enlarged Meghri community Khachatur Andreasyan, and Koziev Shamsiddin, Deputy Director for Political, Humanitarian and Social Cooperation at the CIS Executive Committee.

The stamp, with a nominal value of 320 AMD, depicts the logo “Meghri – the Cultural Capital of the CIS,” and at the bottom of the stamp there is an inscription “MEGHRI – THE CULTURAL CAPITAL OF THE CIS” in English.

The author of the design is David Dovlatyan. The printing house is bpost Philately & Stamps Printing (Belgium). The dimensions are 40.0 × 30.0 mm, and the print run is 10,000 copies.