Month: June 2022

ArmInfo.59% of the respondents in Armenia consider the defeat in the 44-day war as the biggest failure of Nikol Pashinyan's government. These are the results of a  study conducted by the Caucasus Research Resource Center (CRRC).

So, when asked what, in your opinion, was the biggest failure under  the rule of RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in Armenia in the  period from 2018 to 2021, 59% of respondents mentioned the defeat in  the second Karabakh war, 14% – insufficient diplomatic efforts to  prevention of the war around Nagorno- Karabakh, 3% – the weakening of  state administration and the constant change of personnel, 2% -  unfinished high-profile trials (for example, around Robert  Kocharyan), 14% – gave other answers. Another 6% of respondents did  not see failures in Pashinyan's policy.

At the same time, in response to the clarification about the biggest  achievement under Pashinyan's rule, 12% of respondents said they were  inspired by hope for the democratic development of Armenia in 2018.   Another 11% consider the reduction of corruption to be the biggest  achievement, 8%mentioned the strengthening of democracy, 6%-  elimination of the enironment of fear and ensuring the realization of  freedom of speech, 6% – development of infrastructures, and  especially the construction of roads, 4% – holding free and fair  elections, 11% – other answers, another 43% did not see any  achievements.

According to respondents, during the government of third President of  the Republic of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan in 2008-2018, the greatest  achievement was political stability(8%), another 3% mentioned foreign  policy, 2% – improvement of the business environment, 16% – gave  other answers, and 72% think that there were no achievements.

At the same time, the April war of 2016 and some territorial losses  of the Republic of Armenia (there were no territorial losses of  Armenia – ed. note) are considered the biggest failure under Serzh  Sargsyan – such an answer was given by 21% of respondents. At the  same time, 16% of the respondents mentioned the increase in poverty  and the outflow of the population, 11% – the lack of desire or the  impossibility of a political settlement of the Karabakh conflict, 8%  – the spread of corruption, 5% – the abuse of human rights, 4% -  uneven economic growth, 4% – the weakening of public administration  and an increase in internal discontent (the capture of a regiment of  teaching staff), 2% – lack of communication with society, 23%- other  answers. Another 6% of respondents did not see failures in Sargsyan's  policy.

At the same time, 31% of respondents said that economic growth is the  greatest achievement during the government of Second President of  Armenia Robert Kocharyan in 1998-2008, , 3% – high rates of  construction, 2% – peace and border security, 1% – complimentary  foreign policy, 1% – strengthening ties with the EU, 1% – expansion  of public services, 7% of respondents gave other answers, and 51% did  not notice the achievements.

And 22% of the respondents mentioned the terrorist attack in the  country's parliament on October 27, 1999, as the biggest failure  during Kocharyan's rule. 13% mentioned the bloody events of March 1,  2008, 12% – the withdrawal of Nagorno-Karabakh from the negotiating  table, 10% – the transfer of state property to Russia in exchange for  debt, 6% – violation of human rights, 5% – an environment of fear and  lack of communication with society , 23% – other answers, another 10%  did not see failures.

And 24% of the respondents mentioned the victory in the first  Karabakh war as the greatest achievement of first president of the  Republic of Armenia Levon Ter-Petrosyan in 1991-1998, 20% – the  declaration of independence and international recognition of the  Republic of Armenia, 1% – the liberalization of the economy, 4% -  other answers, another 51% did not see any achievements.

the energy crisis and food shortages was mentioned as the biggest  failure of Ter-Petrosyan's policy – 31%, another 25% called the  economic collapse, 13%-the inability to politically consolidate the  military victories in Nagorno-Karabakh and the final solution to the  conflict, 7% – the ungovernability of the country, 4% – the spread of  corruption, 17% other answers, another 3% did not see failures.

The study was conducted from December 18, 2021 to February 4, 2022.  The study involved 1648 respondents over 18 years of age. Citizens  were selected from the republican electoral lists of 2018.  Accuracy  +/- 2.4%. Conducted face-to-face surveys.

31% of respondents are from Yerevan, 32% – from other cities of the  republic, another 37% – from villages.  55% are women, 47% are men,  of which 52% are unemployed and 48% are employed. 35% of the  respondents had a secondary education, 28% had a secondary vocational  education, 25% had a higher education, 1% had a postgraduate  scientific degree, 3% had an incomplete higher education, and 7% had  an incomplete secondary education.

ArmInfo.In Armenia, 67% of respondents considered the collapse of the Soviet Union to be negative for the country. This is evidenced by the results of a study  conducted and published by the Caucasus Research Resource Center  (CRRC).

At the same time, 22% of respondents consider the collapse of the  Union to be positive for Armenia, another 11% found it difficult to  answer.  At the same time, 56% of respondents noted that they began  to live worse after the collapse of the Union, 22% – better, 21% -  remained at the same level. 

To the request to note the positive aspects for Armenia of the  collapse of the USSR –  80% of respondents mentioned the declaration  of independence, 3% -opportunities for the development of Armenian  culture, 3% – ensuring rights. The following answers received 2%  each: involvement in trade relations, preservation of language,  opportunity to express an opinion or not to be persecuted. 5% found  it difficult to answer.

At the same time, 52% of respondents considered the deterioration of  the economic situation of people as a negative side of the collapse  of the Union, 16%- lack of jobs, 10% – Karabakh conflict, 5% -  widening gap between rich and poor, 12% gave other answers, another  5%-found it difficult to answer.

The study was conducted from December 18, 2021 to February 4, 2022.  The study involved 1648 respondents over 18 years of age. Citizens  were selected from the republican electoral lists of 2018.  Accuracy  +/- 2.4%. Conducted tete-a-tete polls.  31% of respondents are from  Yerevan, 32% – from other cities of the republic, another 37% – from  villages.  55% are women, 47% are men, of which 52% are unemployed  and 48% are employed. 35% of respondents had secondary education,  28%- secondary vocational education, 25% – higher education, 1%-  post-graduate scientific degree, 3% – incomplete higher education, 7%  – incomplete secondary education. 

ArmInfo. 66% of respondents in Armenia are convinced that a 44- day war in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone was inevitable. This is evidenced by the results of a  study conducted and published by the Caucasus Research Resource  Center (CRRC).

At the same time, 34% of respondents are convinced that the war could  have been avoided. 28% of respondents reported that they participated  in hostilities, 72% – did not participate. 5% were injured during the  war and recovered, 95% were not injured. 5% lost their jobs as a  result of the war, 4% – lost property and only 2% reported that they  had lost their relatives during the war.

At the same time, 91% of respondents expressed concern about the  negative consequences of the war, 3% were not concerned, and another  6% were neutral about the consequences. 79% are concerned about the  uncertainty caused by the war, 13% are not concerned, 9% are neutral.  63% of respondents also expressed concern about the impact of the war  on their income, 23% – not concerned about this circumstance, 13% -  neutral. 24% of respondents expressed concern about disagreements  with family members regarding the country's domestic policy, 64% -  not concerned, 12% – neutral.

At the same time, 78.8% of those polled were in favor of  Nagorno-Karabakh becoming part of Armenia, 9.1% were against it,  another 12.1% considered it acceptable.

59.8% of the respondents would unequivocally allow Artsakh to gain  independence, 20.1% would rather allow it, another 20.1 would not  allow it. Another 23.1% of respondents were in favor of Artsakh  becoming part of Russia, 29.5% – rather for it, 47.4% were against  it.

Moreover, 94.3% of respondents were against the creation of an  administrative division (on the territory of the NKR – ed. note),  which would be controlled by both Armenia and Azerbaijan. 97.9% of  those polled were against receiving autonomy by Artsakh within  Azerbaijan. And 98.2% said no to the accession of Artsakh to  Azerbaijan without any status.

At the same time, 32% are convinced that Armenia should do everything  to return all the territories of Nagorno-Karabakh, 42% are convinced  that Armenia should return all the territories lost as a result of  the 44-day war, another 26% of respondents believe that Armenia  should maintain the status quo.

At the same time, 52% of respondents were against the establishment of  transport communications between Armenia and Azerbaijan, another 14%  said that they disagree to some extent, 16% were neither for nor  against, 12% said that they agree to some extent, and only 6% were in  favor of opening communications.  62% of respondents are convinced  that the opening of communications between Nakhichevan and Azerbaijan  through the territory of the Republic of Armenia will pose a threat  to the security of Armenia, 17% believe that it will create threats  to some extent, 7% do not share this point of view, 6% – rather not  share, 7% – neither for nor against.

45% also do not share the opinion that the opening of the  above-mentioned road will create the basis for the development of the  RA economy, another 10% rather do not share this opinion, 24% rather  share this opinion, 12% do, 9% are neither for nor against.  89% of  respondents also expressed the belief that it is impossible to forget  what happened between peoples in the past. The citizens of Armenia  are also inclined to believe that in the foreseeable future there  will be a new war for Nagorno-Karabakh.  The study was conducted from  December 18, 2021 to February 4, 2022. The study involved 1648  respondents over 18 years of age. Citizens were selected from the  republican electoral lists of 2018.  Accuracy +/- 2.4%. Conducted  tete-a-tete polls.  31% of respondents are from Yerevan, 32% – from  other cities of the republic, another 37% – from villages.  55% are  women, 47% are men, of which 52% are unemployed and 48% are employed.  35% of respondents had secondary education, 28%- secondary vocational  education, 25% – higher education, 1%- post-graduate scientific  degree, 3% – incomplete higher education, 7% – incomplete secondary  education. 

ArmInfo.This year, for the first time, Armenia joined the European Days of Archeology event, which will be held on June 17-19 at all archaeological sites across  the territory of the Republic of Armenia.

According to the press service of the Ministry of Education and  Science of the Republic of Armenia, the European Days of Archeology  have been held since 2010 and are coordinated by the French National  Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research (INRAP, National  Institute of Preventive Archaeological Research).

During the three-day event, the public is given the opportunity to  learn all the intricacies of archeology:  visits will be organized to  excavation sites, archaeological research centers that are usually  closed to the public, meetings with archaeologists will present the  details of their profession, as well as a number of entertainment and  educational activities (excavations, organization of exhibitions,  courses, participation in the restoration of finds).

The event "European Days of Archeology", which will be held in  Armenia on June 17-19, was joined by:  Institute of Archeology and  Ethnography of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of  Armenia, the Research Center for Historical and Cultural Heritage,  the Historical-Cultural Reserve-Museum, the Historical Environment  Protection Service SNCOs and the Erebuni Historical-Archaelogical  Museum- Reserve.  The event is intended for all age groups who are  interested in archeology.

ArmInfo.Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia Mher Grigoryan received Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of France to Armenia, Ms. Anne Louyot and  representatives of French Agency for the Development of the South  Caucasus.

As the press service of the RA government reports, during the meeting  the interlocutors discussed issues of the Armenian-French agenda.

The Deputy Prime Minister attached importance to the approval of the  roadmap on economic issues and its implementation by joint efforts.  The possibility of expanding cooperation in the water and energy  sectors was noted.

The interlocutors also touched upon regional processes. In  particular, in this context, Mher Grigoryan and Ms. Anne Louyot   discussed the work to unblock all transport communications in the  region.  According to the source, today the Deputy Prime Minister  also received US Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to  Armenia, Ms. Lynne Tracy, with whom he discussed issues related to  the Armenian- American bilateral cooperation. An exchange of views  took place on the main directions of the reforms of the Police,  including the activities of the Patrol Service and the formation of  the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The Deputy Prime Minister and the US Ambassador also touched upon the  work on deblocking regional transport communications.

ArmInfo. The unprovoked murder of the Armenian serviceman on duty on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border is evidence that it is murders that remain the "trump card" or, in other words, political creed of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Ruben  Mehrabyan, an expert at the Armenian Institute of International and  Security Affairs (AIISA), said in an interview with ArmInfo. 

On May 28, in Armenia's Syunik, Armenian serviceman David Vardanyan  was mortally wounded by an Azerbaijani sniper. 

"The war is over. Various aspects have been selected, with a peace  process underway. But we see Aliyev goes on sponsoring fire and  murders. And he will spare no effort to continue firing and  murdering.  Otherwise, he will lose his hobby, namely, jingoism based  on hatred for all that is Armenian – a ground regularly 'fertilized'  with cross-border murders. The Aliyev regime will lose its comfort  zone, the very purport of its existence. The concept of the enemy,  namely, the Armenians that must be murdered, remains the fundament of  the Aliyev dynastic regime," Mr Mehrabyan said. 

With normal developments, the "Brussels-3 results" should have served  a basis for the Armenian- Azerbaijani relations to take a more or  less predictable course. But that never happened for the simple  reason that even if the negotiations inch ahead, it means for Aliyev  to lose his comfort zone inch by inch. 

"All this makes it crucially important to hold Aliyev responsible for  being violently inclined to murders.  Armenia must expose the links  between the murders of Armenian servicemen and their political cost,  making the exposures available to the public inside Armenia first of  all. That among other things would be a step toward diversifying  Armenia's foreign policy. It is not going to be an easy task. Rather,  it is going to be a hard and subtle game. But the most important  thing is that Armenia has the trump cards it has to play in the right  way now," Mr Mehrabyan said.

ArmInfo.The European Union strongly supports and highlights the reforms of the democratic system of governance, the establishment of the rule of law and the fight  against discrimination in Armenia, the EU Ambassador to Armenia  Andrea Wiktorin said at a joint Conference on "The Judiciary as  Guardian of the DemocracyЇ organized by the EU/COE PGG project  "Support to Judicial reforms implementationЇ and the Republic of  Armenia Constitutional Court on 08 June 2022.

"We have always supported the implementation of justice reforms, and  for this purpose we have provided long-term and short-term support.  We highly value the efforts Armenia has made in recent years in terms  of democratic processes. It's also very important that the political  leadership is committed to continue the constitutional reforms that  are envisaged by the 2019-2021 judicial reforms strategy", the EU  Ambassador said.

The Ambassador said independent judiciary in a democratic country is  the guarantor of human rights and freedoms, therefore, she said, the  Constitutional Court has an important role to play to strengthen the  public trust towards judiciary.

"Armenia is facing numerous challenges, and we are very impressed  that the authorities willingly continue moving on the path of  reforms. There is currently big tension in the country, and it's very  important that all sides work together to protect the constitutional  rights of the citizens of Armenia. We closely follow the domestic  political situation and the protests in the country. It's very  important for the people to be able to voice their opinion freely,  and the law enforcement agencies and police forces should refrain  from using brute force. Some incidents that have taken place should  be investigated, it already happens in some of the cases, the cases  reach to the court and a ruling is being made. That's how democracy  works", Andrea Wiktorin said.

The Ambassador said it's very important that all sides in Armenia  refrain from hate speech and provocations. Any violence must be  condemned, she added. "In such situation, I think, promoting trust  towards our Constitutional Court and the judiciary is more than  important", she said.