May 1, 2026
During today’s press conference, the member of the political council of the “Strong Armenia” party Narek Karapetyan announced that steps should be taken to normalize relations with Turkey, that the opening of the border is economically beneficial for Armenia, but that there is a question of economic structure.
“The economies of Turkey and Azerbaijan are agricultural production economies, they produce what the Armenian peasant produces. They do not consume what Armenians produce. They compete in economic structures other than gas and oil. We need a partner that buys our products, not sells them from our products,” he said, adding that Azerbaijan has very cheap agricultural products due to cheap gas, and Turkey also subsidizes gas and electricity.
As for the cooperation of the “Strong Armenia” party with various political forces in Armenia, the signing of memorandums, the last one was with “Hayakve”, that is, what is their political benefit, what is the calculation, and are they sure that there are no “criss” in their ranks, Narek Karapetyan said.
“We will not do CP to close ourselves in a small group and divide things among ourselves. Our main goal is the state system created on the basis of professionalism. The other, I am sure that 100 percent of our teammates are in a justified ideological struggle.”
Details in the video
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Why are stablecoins becoming the foundation of the financial system?
From Computing Tool to Global Financial Infrastructure: Why are stablecoins becoming the backbone of the financial system?
Main conclusions
● Stablecoins were initially used as settlement tools within the crypto industry, but their main advantage is that they allow value to be transferred faster and with fewer intermediaries compared to traditional payment systems.
● The next stage of their development depends not so much on technology as on scaling in a regulated environment, compatibility of computing systems and reliable, verifiable security mechanisms.
● With the development of tokenization of real assets and the formation of clearer regulatory standards, stablecoins are becoming the base layer of global payments, clearing and programmable finance.
Stablecoins better fit the modern logic of value movement
Traditional payment systems reflect the era in which they were created: banking hours, multiple intermediaries and slow cross-border settlements. Even if the payment is made instantly, the final accrual of funds may be delayed, creating additional costs and risks for the parties.
Stablecoins solve these problems by allowing calculations to be performed continuously, crossing borders in fewer steps, and easy integration into software systems. For this reason, they better correspond to the realities of the global economy and become a bridge between the traditional financial system and the 24/7 digital financial network.
Regulation and institutional acceptance
Global recognition by regulators and the creation of a unified clearing and settlement infrastructure that makes different stablecoins interchangeable is of key importance today.
When value can move freely between different issuers and systems, more and more fiat currency transactions will move to the blockchain, and the line between “stablecoins” and “money” will begin to blur.
Tokenization of real assets expands participation
Previously, access to security was limited to institutional players; it was necessary to acquire assets, hold them through regulated accounts, and operate within the traditional financial infrastructure. This limited participation to banks, foundations and large corporations.
Real asset tokenization removes this barrier by moving financial assets to the blockchain without changing their risk profile and expanding the reach of collateral. In blockchain, such assets become transparent, verifiable and globally accessible through regulated platforms.
While tokenized Treasuries are the core element, the same model can be applied to a wide range of high-yielding assets, allowing participants to choose a balance of risk and return in a single settlement system.
At scale, even small improvements in efficiency yield significant results. barriers are falling and stablecoins are moving beyond niche payments or institutional balance sheets to becoming a global financial infrastructure.
Tuning paves the way for scaling
Until clear rules were formulated, banks and financial institutions could not fully utilize the blockchain, as a stable unit of account was needed. Without regulation, they were effectively restricted from using stablecoins as infrastructure.
From 2023, the situation changed. A number of countries have developed clearer regulatory frameworks that set requirements for reserves, issuance and compliance. This made it possible to make modern financial infrastructure available to all users with Internet access.
Today the focus has shifted. institutions are actively modernizing their processes by moving calculations, provisioning and payments to the blockchain, where stablecoins act as a link. This accelerates the transition of financial operations to more efficient systems and promotes the tokenization of assets.
But this transition also revealed a problem. the first generation of stablecoins were not intended for use on regulated balance sheets and on an institutional scale. This stimulates the creation of new architectures.
There are two main directions:
Providing tokenized real assets that are transparent and verifiable,
Separation of return and principal, which allows the distribution of the income from the provision, independent of the stablecoin.
Together, these solutions enable stablecoins to function as a full-fledged monetary infrastructure, providing settlement, liquidity and participation in global markets.
Compatibility is a must
Global money requires compatibility. Users don’t have to delve into blockchains, bridges or liquidity mechanisms to send money. It should be as simple as making a transfer in the banking app. click “send” and the transfer is complete.
Success will be determined by seamless transactions between systems, where money works everywhere and the complexity of the infrastructure is hidden from the user.
Stablecoins are becoming the foundation of the global financial system as they address the structural mismatch between legacy payment systems and the inherently global digital economy.
The coming decade will be defined by scaling in a regulated environment, interoperable computing systems, and the development of delivery models that expand participation and increase transparency.
With the development of regulation and infrastructure, stablecoins are moving from the category of “crypto industry tool” to “main means of value transfer”.
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Rumors about the transfer of Jiliza village are not true
“Information” was spread in a number of media that, allegedly, an agreement was reached within the framework of the border demarcation process, according to which Armenia will transfer the village of Jiliza of the enlarged community of Alaverdi.
Nazeli Baghdasaryan, press secretary of the RA Prime Minister, reports that any statement, thought or “information” about the intention, plan or agreement to transfer any part of the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia to any other country cannot correspond to the reality.
“Consequently, as before, we have denied, we deny and will deny any publication with similar content, due to their fictitiousness,” Baghdasaryan wrote.
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If Pashinyan wins the elections, religious freedom will be lost in Armenia
April 28, 2026
Ahead of the June elections, Armenia’s ruling “Civil Contract” party published a political plan calling for the removal of the Catholicos of All Armenians and outlining a politicized “roadmap” for the reconstruction of the Armenian Apostolic Church.
According to critics, this unprecedented step is a direct violation of the country’s constitution and a drastic state intervention in religious affairs. writes the International Christian Concern (International Christian Concern, ICC)։
The program published before the upcoming elections mentions the removal of the “actual head” of the Armenian Apostolic Church as its 10th political goal, referring to Catholicos Garegin II. Notably, the document avoids using his ecclesiastical title, which observers say reflects a broader effort to undermine both the position and the institution.
In addition to the leadership change, the party’s program proposes a series of wide-ranging church reforms, including the appointment of a vicar of the Catholicos, the development of a new Church charter and the eventual election of a new Catholicos under revised structures. The proposed charter would introduce mechanisms for financial oversight and clerical discipline, areas traditionally governed by the Church.
Legal experts and defenders of religious freedom warn that such proposals are a direct political interference in the internal management of a religious body. The Constitution of Armenia recognizes the exceptional role of the Armenian Apostolic Church in national life and enshrines the principle of separation between the Church and the state.
This dual framework is further reinforced by the 2007 Law on Church-State Relations, which clearly recognizes the Church’s right to self-governance. Critics argue that any attempt by a political party to preempt leadership changes or impose structural reforms violates those protections.
As noted, tensions have escalated significantly over the past year, and the government has become more hostile in its efforts to limit the Church’s independence.
More than 90% of the population identifies with the Armenian Apostolic Church, which has long served as a cornerstone of national identity, particularly during periods of foreign rule and genocide.
Historically, attempts to establish political control over the Church have been associated with external forces, including the Soviet authorities, who sought to limit religious influence. Critics warn that the current proposals repeat those earlier efforts, raising concerns about the future of religious freedom in the country.
If the ruling party secures an electoral victory, it can later claim a public mandate to implement proposed changes, including interference in Church governance, despite the lack of a clear public debate on the issue.
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His personal rights, electoral rights, etc. had nothing to do with Armenians
April 27, 2026
Anna Hakobyan accuses Daniel Ioannisyan of violating her rights, she is going to file lawsuits against him and not only that. Pashinyan’s wife also asked her legal team to consider the possibility of filing a lawsuit against the “Independent Observer” bloc, demanding compensation for the damages caused to the reputation and business reputation of the “My Step” foundation.
And the occasion is the application of “Independent Observer” to the administrative court on April 22, which was based on the charity events implemented by the “My Step” foundation. If the administrative court approves the application, the fund faces a fine of up to 6 million drams.
“It is a well-known fact that the name of the “My Step” foundation is associated with the “Civil Contract” party, and according to that, the activities carried out by the foundation since the appointment of elections should at least become the subject of administrative proceedings,” the “Independent Observer” noted earlier.
Anna Hakobyan called an urgent press conference to address these considerations, in the framework of which she announced that her rights guaranteed by the Constitution, a number of laws and international conventions have been violated.
168․amasked for clarifications regarding these and other statements “Independent Observer” office։
“It is her right, just as it was our right, to record the violation and submit our claim about it,” this is how Vardine Grigoryan, the representative of the observation mission, responded to Anna Hakobyan’s concerns about filing a possible claim.
The representative of the observation mission expressed surprise regarding the episode of singling out Ioannisyan in Hakobyan’s statements.
“Of course, I don’t understand blaming Daniel for this, because Daniel is just the spokesperson of the mission, but he didn’t file the claim. presented by the general alliance.
It is his right. in any case, the court should examine both the claim submitted by us and, of course, examine his civil claim as well,” he said.
To the observation that, according to Anna Hakobyan, you have violated a number of constitutional rights with your lawsuit: women’s rights, the right to vote, the regulations of the International Convention on the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, etc., Vardine Grigoryan replied: ” and so on, Vardine Grigoryan answered: “To be honest, we didn’t say anything about his right to vote, that is, to present that his electoral rights were violated… in fact, on the contrary, we have emphasized both in our statement and in the interviews given so far that “My Step” has never seen propaganda in the activities of the foundation. In other words, here we are not talking about a political stance, but about the association mentioned in the Code of Administrative Offenses. therefore, his personal rights, electoral rights, etc., had nothing to do with the claim we filed.
Of course, it is a position with which he will defend the rights. has the right to it. I cannot dispute his right to interpret any situation in his favor. our perceptions are not like that.”
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Turkish press: Armenian Patriarch: Neither denial nor obsessive hostility heal
Patriarch Sahak Maşalyan of Turkey’s Armenians, as every year, delivered a speech at the service held at the Surp Hagop Church in Altımermer on this Apr 24 Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day.
In his speech, Maşalyan said, “Beneath these lands lie not only our pains, but also the still-bleeding wounds of others. We cannot find a solution by telling only our own story. We must also listen to others, understand their suffering and seek common ground for a shared future. With this understanding, we repeat our call for the establishment of peace, reconciliation and friendship between the Turkish and Armenian peoples.”
Full text of Maşalyan’s message as reported by Agos:
Our beloved faithful people, today is again Apr 24. It is a day that invites us to bow with respect before one of the most painful pages of our history. Today recalls the tragedy experienced a century ago, which left deep marks on our national and spiritual life. We commemorate the losses, deportation, exile and indescribable pain passed down from generation to generation that our people experienced during the years of World War I. But this commemoration is not only meant to remain in the dark pages of the past. It is also a call for us to turn toward the future by making sense of what we have lived through. In these lands, where different peoples lived together for centuries, the tradition of peaceful coexistence suffered a deep wound. Yet the same geography also reminds us of this truth: peoples are called not to eternal hostility, but to living together, dialogue and mutual understanding.
Beneath these lands lie not only our pains, but also the still-bleeding wounds of others. We cannot find a solution by telling only our own story. We must also listen to others, understand their suffering and seek common ground for a shared future. With this understanding, we repeat our call for the establishment of peace, reconciliation and friendship between the Turkish and Armenian peoples. The tragedy of the past should not be a permanent wall, but a bridge built with cautionary lessons for constructing a more just and peaceful future. Neither denial nor obsessive hostility heals wounds. Likewise, political instrumentalization does not serve the rapprochement of peoples. Real progress is born of dialogue based on sincerity, mutual respect and human values. For this reason, we invite all sides to build bridges of friendship, develop cultural and economic cooperation, and create an environment in which history can be discussed not with fear and hatred, but with the search for truth and justice.
We welcome with appreciation all steps taken in the past and present toward mutual sensitivity and rapprochement. In this context, we would also like to mention the condolence messages issued every year on the occasion of Apr 24 by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, which are also addressed to our Patriarchate. The respect and sensitivity expressed in these messages are considered important steps that can contribute to the development of mutual understanding between peoples.
We see these messages as an _expression_ of human conscience and as meaningful gestures that can contribute to rebuilding trust. They remind us that even in the face of the heaviest historical burdens, the path of respect and communication can be chosen. Today, as the commemoration day of our canonized martyrs, we turn to their intercession. They are living witnesses not only of our memory, but also of our faith. They invite us not to remain in the darkness of the past, but to build the future with hope.
As Almighty God said through the Prophet: “Behold, I am doing a new thing” (Isaiah 43:19). We must seek this renewal in our own hearts. Dear brothers and sisters, may today’s commemoration be not only mourning, but also an opportunity for renewal. May God, in His mercy, touch our hearts and the hearts of our neighbors, so that we may overcome the shadows of the past and build a future based on justice, peace and brotherhood. May Almighty God, through the intercession of the Holy Virgin Mary and all our saintly martyrs, bless the Turkish and Armenian peoples, guide them toward the path of living together in reconciliation and peace, and remove wars and hatred from the world. May God’s love, mercy and grace be upon all humanity now and forever.
Amen
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Central Bank of Armenia: exchange rates and prices of precious metals – 24-04-
The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 24 April, USD exchange rate down by 0.55 drams to 371.83 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 3.18 drams to 434.37 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate down by 0.0106 drams to 4.9452 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 1.97 drams to 501.41 drams.
The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.
Gold price down by 499 drams to 56690 drams.
Published by Armenpress, original at
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168: There is no hope of living well. Wage growth is slowing, inflation is accelerating
April 23, 2026
Inflation in Armenia has intensified since the beginning of the year. Wage growth has slowed down and inflation has accelerated. This means that this year the ordinary citizen, who only relies on salary and has no other income, will not live well. On the contrary, many people will live worse because their incomes will not increase due to price increases.
Of course, this does not apply to the ruling political team, the members of the CP who hold public positions and are richly fed by state funds, who receive not only high salaries, but also bonuses and other incomes in excess of the salary. The incomes of these people are so high now that inflation, even activated inflation, does not change much in their life and lifestyle. Now they receive so much income that they can not only not notice the inflation, but also afford to buy expensive houses, apartments, cars and continue to live a luxurious life.
The impact of inflation is felt first of all by those citizens whose incomes, anyway, barely met the minimum needs, if, of course, they did. If they didn’t satisfy, now they won’t satisfy more, and these people will have to be satisfied with less now. Acceleration of inflation is a problem especially for the socially disadvantaged groups of the society, which are quite a large number in Armenia today.
According to official data, the rate of inflation in Armenia has accelerated by almost 40 percent since the beginning of the year. Average inflation reached 4.5 percent. But it still does not say much to an ordinary citizen living on a salary, because he feels the impact of price increases on him to a much greater extent than the 4.5 percent inflation. It is expressed first of all through price increases coming from the markets of food and basic necessities. Food products, according to the latest data, managed to increase in price by 7.8 percent. That’s after last year’s 5.4 percent inflation.
Cumulative food inflation in Armenia was 13.2 percent in two years.
Now imagine what kind of heavy burden of price increases is borne by the citizen whose incomes have hardly increased during 2 years or have increased less than the cumulative inflation. But let’s leave cumulative inflation aside and talk about this year’s inflationary manifestations.
In March, compared to March of the previous year, food prices in Armenia increased by 7.8 percent. Meanwhile, the average salary increased by 5.3 percent. We also know whose account it was. There are 2-3 areas where salary increases occur, which leads to an increase in the average salary, although many working citizens usually do not feel this increase. For example, minimum wage workers, whose salary was AMD 75,000 3 years ago, and it is now. And those people, in the same way as bureaucrats who receive millions, are affected by inflation.
Wage increases elude many, instead they face inflation at every turn. According to the latest data, compared to last year, the average salary in Armenia increased by 14.9 thousand drams. We are talking about the so-called dirty salary increase. If we remove the taxes, the increase will be barely 10-11 thousand drams. But it was mainly at the expense of high salary earners. In organizations with up to 50 employees, where people receive a maximum of 238 thousand drams on average, according to official data, the average salary, which is not yet taxed, has increased by only 3.5-4 thousand drams in the last 1 year. It is about 340,000 workers, who make up almost 42 percent of working citizens.
The average salaries of these people increased by only 1.7-2.5 percent in 1 year. During that same period, the rate of inflation was twice as high.
In the case of food products, the rate of inflation has more than tripled the rate of increase in wages received by those 340 thousand working citizens.
Do you think these people started to live better or worse?
It is clear that it is worse than they lived at least one, maybe several years ago.
Taking into account the fact that there is no hope of raising the minimum wage this year, and as we can see, the wages of low-wage citizens are growing much slower than the accelerating inflation, which means that they will not live well in the near future, they will live even worse than today.
According to official data, the highest inflation in the food market this year was recorded in the case of eggs. Compared to the previous year, the price of eggs has increased by more than 30 percent. There are other products whose inflation is close to it, but let’s assume that these products are not very vitally important for citizens. However, we cannot say the same, for example, about meat products, which recorded double-digit inflation. The price of beef has increased the most, by more than 15 percent in the last 1 year. The inflation of lamb meat is close to 14 percent, and the price of pork meat has increased by 12 percent.
The inflation of fish products was relatively low. Trout has increased in price by 3 percent this year, but after the sharp price increase of the previous year. The price of that same trout increased by 21.5% last year, and this year the prices have increased by 3% on top of 21.5%.
Let’s move to the dairy market, where twelve-month inflation in March was 12.8 percent.
After last year’s almost 14 percent inflation, vegetable oil is expensive by another 9.5 percent. In the last 1 year, the inflation of butter was 8.2 percent, cheese – 8.1 percent.
Bread products, fruits and vegetables have become more expensive. Vegetables, especially after last year’s sharp price increase.
We are not talking about the price increases of non-food products, let alone services. And hundreds and thousands of citizens, including working citizens, whose wages hardly increase or increase much less than inflation, are affected by all of these.
Nikol Pashinyan and the CP members, who from time to time claim that they have improved people’s lives, now let them say whether these 340,000 working citizens, or 42 percent of employees, whose wage growth rate was at least twice lower than the average inflation, three times lower than food inflation, are they living better or worse.
HAKOB KOCHARYAN
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Armenian Deputy FM holds meeting with ESCAP Executive Secretary
Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia Robert Abisoghomonyan had a meeting with Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, the Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the foreign ministry said in a readout.
The interlocutors commended the robust cooperation established between Armenia and ESCAP. Views were exchanged on the further deepening of the partnership, including in the fields of transport and digital connectivity. In this vein, the Deputy Foreign Minister emphasized the vital importance of knowledge-sharing, expertise exchange and capacity building.
The Deputy Foreign Minister drew the attention of the Executive Secretary of ESCAP to the priorities of Armenia regarding the promotion of regional connectivity as a cornerstone for ensuring peace and stability, fostering economic growth, strengthening resilience and advancing social development. Within the framework of leveraging the untapped transit and logistical potential of the South Caucasus, Robert Abisoghomonyan highlighted the importance of implementing the “TRIPP” project.
During the meeting, views were exchanged on the prospects for cooperation and joint initiatives between Armenia and ESCAP in the lead-up to and within the margins of the 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17).
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Ahead of April 24 Political Parties Urge ‘Unity of Purpose’
On the occasion of the 111th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, the Social Democratic Hunchakian Party, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation and the Armenian Democratic Liberal Party (Ramgavar Azadagan Party) reaffirm their commitment to remembrance and the pursuit of justice.
The Armenian Genocide remains a crime that has not yet been acknowledged by its perpetrator Turkey, the consequences of which continue today through the genocidal policy pursued by Turkey and its partner Azerbaijan against Artsakh.
To this end, the Armenian Genocide remains the issue that unites us as Armenians. We continue our coordinated efforts to achieve a just solution for the rights of the Armenian people through reparations.
We reaffirm our commitment to unity in service of our common goal, and in that spirit, we have come together this year to commemorate the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, not only to remember the tragic events, but also to elevate the resilience and unwavering will of our people.
We encourage purposeful and coordinated action to advance the Armenian Cause.
We are confident that through united efforts, we will revitalize our community, engage and empower our youth as future standard bearers for the collective aspirations of our nation.
We demand that the President of the United States, in light of the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by both Houses of Congress, use the word “genocide” in his annual message.
We once again call on our community to unite around the structures of our nation, to protect our rights, values, and demands, starting April 24. Our Martyrs demand it.
Social Democratic Hunchakian Party Western U.S. Executive Committee
Armenian Revolutionary Federation Western U.S. Central Committee
Armenian Democrat Liberal Party (ADLP) U.S. Western Regional Committee