March: 17, 2026
There is a temporary calm on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border before a big storm. All Azerbaijani advances and positional improvements in the sovereign territory of Armenia are, in fact, military platforms for the purpose of developing further aggression against Armenia. It gave such an assessment 168 TVof Revue on the air of the program military expert Davit Jamalyanspeaking about the threats of new Azerbaijani aggression against Armenia and the effects of the US-Israel-Iran war.
The military expert compares the current military-political situation with the situation before the 2020 Forty-four-day catastrophic war.
“Do you remember that in 2018, when this disaster befell us, the Azerbaijanis were conducting military exercises in the Nakhijevan direction, they shortened the neutral zone in the Yeraskh-Aren sector and advanced significantly, then, it seems, everything calmed down, a backdrop of peace, and the Forty-Four-Day War broke out. Now it is a temporary pause before a big disaster again, so that the British-Turkish-Azerbaijani puppet can reproduce its power in Armenia, and the illusion of peace will work,” comments Davit Jamalyan.
Jamalyan emphasizes that Azerbaijan is not ready for peace and is waiting for an opportune moment to attack Armenia in the context of the Iranian war. The military expert predicts Azerbaijan’s new military aggression against Armenia and considers it more likely that it will happen after the National Assembly elections in Armenia on June 7, if Nikol Pashinyan manages to restore his power.
“They are not shooting yet, but Azerbaijan is not ready for peace, it is waiting for the right moment in this Iranian context, when Iran will weaken, to strike and first of all to strike us, to take Syunik, having the unequivocal support of the West, Turkey, Israel, and at the moment, the fact that the Iranian statehood is standing still saves us from that disastrous scenario,” the military expert says.
According to Jamalyan, the enemy is preparing a platform with wedge-shaped thrusts in the RA border to ensure advancement from different sectors and divide the territories of Syunik and Vayots Dzor. According to the expert, the platform was prepared in Nerkin Hand, Sev Lake, Jermuk and other directions. According to the expert, in the case of the reproduction of Nikol Pashinyan’s power, not only Aliyev, but also Turkey, Britain, the European Union, and the Trump administration have the maximum goal of settling 300 thousand Azerbaijanis in Armenia, and in parallel, Aliyev receives the corridor under the name of TRIPP.
In this context, he draws attention to Aliyev’s statement that Azerbaijan is ready to recognize the territorial integrity of Armenia, but may change its position after half a year.
According to Davit Jamalyan’s analysis, Azerbaijan is trying to solve two strategic problems with its above-mentioned program.
“TRIPP will lead to the Turkishization of the Meghri sector under the name of infrastructure, they will first of all settle the areas adjacent to TRIPP with Turks. In the absence of resistance, there is no point in invading. they will come and be confirmed, after 5 years they will demand autonomy, after that they will try to refuse, at that time you will either give autonomy to the Turks who have already arrived, or you will fight.
If you are going to fight, your work becomes a hundred times more complicated, because not only the springboard with wedge-shaped cracks is already ready, but also the rear is not strong, because they have already arrived and established themselves in different places. Azerbaijan will justify that “according to its constitution, 60 percent of the territories of Armenia are its own, and it is carrying out an anti-terrorist operation to liberate its territory”, and we cannot say anything, because according to the peace treaty, Nikol Pashinyan did not demand that Azerbaijan make changes to its constitution.
He clearly said that we know that according to the constitution of Azerbaijan, about 60 percent of our territory is Azerbaijan, but we do not demand that they change it, because Aliyev declares that he accepts territorial integrity. This means making fools of us all. If you don’t demand it, then you legitimize his future strike, that’s why Nikol’s government is a war-making government. First, by bringing the Turks, that fight will be brought to our streets, and then, if those Turks want autonomy, Azerbaijan, having made its constitution a flag, will strike. This is the ultimate goal.”
However, according to the expert, if Aliyev sees that Nikol Pashinyan is unable to reproduce, it is not excluded that Azerbaijan will strike in the near future, before the elections, in the hope that they will introduce martial law in Armenia and cancel the elections.
“Then we must understand that if Nikol is not reproduced, his reproduction is not achieved, he loses interest for his Anglo-Turkish owners, Aliyev. They can give some guarantees, but in that case they need Nikol for one thing: as long as you are in power, we will take whatever is possible, and Aliyev’s statement yesterday that we can change our position after half a year suggests that they are more inclined to the idea that Nikol’s rule will not be repeated, and he is thus preparing the informational and diplomatic background for a new aggression,” the expert continues.
According to Davit Jamalyan, head of the Wings of Unity initiative, former human rights defender Arman Tatoyan the statement About the new Azerbaijani incursions in the direction of Vardenis and Jermuk, it is not only true, but it is the well-known truth that everyone knows, and if the Ministry of Defense denies something during the rule of Nikol Pashinyan, it means that there is something, and the suspicions should deepen.
The military expert attaches great importance to having a powerful ally, noting that the strategic interests of Armenia and Russia coincide. According to Jamalyan, it is in the interests of Russia that Syunik and Artsakh should be part of Armenia.
In response to the question of “Review”, why in that case the Russian peacekeeping troops allowed the full occupation of Artsakh by Azerbaijan, the military expert told remarkable details of the events that took place during the days of the Azerbaijani aggression against the Republic of Artsakh, in September 2023. According to him, the blockade of Artsakh was a “Nikola-Aliyev joint action against the Armenian interests”.
According to Davit Jamalyan, in 2023 in the afternoon of September 19, the then Minister of Defense of Iran Mohammad Reza Ashtiani (or Chief of General Staff Mohammad Hossein Bagheri) in the presence of the Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu, who was in Tehran at that time, contacted the Ministry of Defense of Armenia, offering the help of Iran and Russia to break the blockade and enter Artsakh. Davit Jamalyan refers to the data published by Russian-Armenian orientalist Karine Gevorgyan.
“Our compatriot, orientalist Karine Gevorgyan announced on September 20 on the air of the “Golos Moskvy” radio company that there was a call from the Iranian side, where Shoigu was also located, and it was suggested to “use the territory of Armenia as a base to stabilize the situation in Artsakh.” This wording is his. If we open this diplomatic formulation, this means that some forces had to enter the territory of Armenia from Iran, break through the blockade, and reach Artsakh. But remember what happened. A meeting of the Security Council took place at that moment, and the Security Council headed by Nikol Pashinyan decided not to intervene, to step aside. And let’s remember that before the September 2023 aggression against Artsakh, there was a telephone conversation between Erdogan and Pashinyan,” the expert noted.
According to Davit Jamalyan, moreover, that call was made twice from Tehran, not only in the afternoon of September 19, but also late in the evening. He also added that Pashinyan admitted this by declaring that they were trying to drag us into the war.
Full interview in the video.
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Verelq: Genocide Museum director’s press release on secret negotiations with Azerbaijan
“Hraparak” newspaper writes:
“The acting director of the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute, former diplomat Hrachya Tashchyan, who has expressed his willingness to advance the “line” of Nikol Pashinyan, it turns out that while working as an assistant in Pashinyan’s staff, he participated in secret negotiations with the Azerbaijani side in 2018-2019.
Let’s remind that on July 9, 2020, he was appointed the head of the Foreign Relations Department of the Prime Minister’s Office for a period of 3 years, and 1.5 years later, in 2021. in December, Pashinyan released him when there were leaks about those negotiations. In particular, he was in correspondence with Hikmet Hajiyev, head of the foreign policy department of the Azerbaijani President’s office.
They say that he served his predecessors with the same willingness. before being appointed as Pashinyan’s assistant, he held positions in the RA Foreign Ministry: head of the NATO department, ambassador of the RA Embassy in the USA, head of the Department of External Relations of the RA Government Staff. Tashchyan has the diplomatic rank of RA envoy and plenipotentiary minister.
VERELQ reminds that US Vice President Vance visited the Tsitsernaberd Memorial with his wife on February 10, and made a note in the memorial book of honored guests of the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute. Vance was escorted to the memorial Edita Gzoyan, he also presented a book about the Artsakh problem to Vance. A month later, Edita Gzoyan submitted an application for release, Nikol Pashinyan stated that this happened on his instructions, because “there is no Karabakh movement, what does it mean to present a book on the subject of the Artsakh issue to a foreign guest?”
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What questions will Vagharshak Harutyunyan, who is preparing for the elections, answer?
March: 16, 2026
On February 11, the chairman of the “Reformists” party, former deputy of the National Assembly, Vahan Babayan announced that he offered the former Minister of Defense of the Republic of Armenia, Vagharshak Harutyunyan, to head the party’s pre-election list.
A month later, on March 12, with Petros Ghazaryan in the interview Nikol Pashinyan’s former adviser stated that he gave his consent and also answered the questions favorable to the government circles, for example, who was ready to hand over Meghri and when.
Meanwhile, Vagharshak Harutyunyan, who submitted an application for participation in the elections, should also answer a number of other questions and shed light on some episodes, why not take responsibility? More on this later.
And before that, we should mention that before we offered the former Minister of Defense to give an interview and answer our questions about these election topics, Vagharshak Harutyunyan replied that he is not giving an interview yet, and asked to wait a while, when he decides to give interviews, he will answer our questions first.
We respected his decision and even when it was announced that the former minister could head the “Reformists” electoral list, we did not call him for a comment.
But when we saw that Harutyunyan went to the Public Television, that is, he is already ready to give interviews, we called him and offered to answer our questions, to which the former Minister of Defense stated that he is not giving an interview now, when we reminded him that he answered the government’s questions a few days ago, maybe he is now ready to answer only their questions, he repeated what he said.
We informed Vagharshak Harutyunyan that we will publicize that he refused to answer our questions.
“Yes, I’m not giving an interview, that’s it,” he responded.
And what questions should the former Minister of Defense of the Republic of Armenia answer?
First, Nikol Pashinyan on August 18, 2020 by decision Harutyunyan was appointed his chief adviser. That is, one month before the 44-day war, and, in fact, he was engaged in foreign relations related to the military sphere. To what extent have we succeeded in this matter, since when was it clear that war was imminent?
For example, the former head of the General Staff of the RA Armed Forces Onik Gasparyan published in June 2023 statement states that taking into account the results of the multi-faceted assessment of the situation created at that time, on July 4, 2020 Nikol Pashinyan was offered to take political and diplomatic measures aimed at preventing war, or at least creating favorable conditions for the use of the RA Armed Forces, as well as drastically improving relations with Russia, Iran and Georgia.
Moreover, in order to dramatically improve relations with our strategic ally Russia, according to the general, he even presented a clear sequence of actions.
Has Pashinyan’s adviser Vagharshak Harutyunyan, who has some negotiation experience, tried to do anything in the Russian direction or not? Or what he did during the war as an adviser to the Prime Minister, why did the system of governance fail?
By the way, Vagharshak Harutyunyan’s close friend Andranik Kocharyan did not invite him to the 44-day investigation commission either.
And after the resignation or release of Davit Tonoyan on November 20, 2020, Harutyunyan was appointed Minister of Defense of the Republic of Armenia.
To what extent Pashinyan’s former advisor has been able to work with Russia, one of the parties to the November 9 tripartite declaration, one can perhaps speculate.
On the other hand, let’s not forget that December 2020 is in Azerbaijan give up The Goris-Kapan intersection, when Vagharshak Harutyunyan was the Minister of Defense.
We have not once detailed this topic we have touched on, but let’s recall an episode or two.
Specifically, on December 18, 2020 168.amto the question, there are rumors in the press and social networks that Defense Minister Vagharshak Harutyunyan signed a secret contract on the instructions of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. to sign with the Russian side, handing over the protection of the Syunik positions to the Russian border guards, from the military department they explained. «The Minister of Defense cannot sign any document related to the borders of the Republic of Armenia. According to that, the Minister of Defense did not sign, could not sign a document, even a secret one, which refers to the borders of the Republic of Armenia, particularly Syunik”.
As early as August 2024, the RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs Sputnik Armenia to the question whether, after the 44-day Artsakh war, a document was signed with Russia regarding border control on the Goris-Kapan highway, answered.
“We inform you that A document of this nature was signed between the Ministers of Defense of the Republic of Armenia and the Russian Federation.”
Besides this, in 2021, Nikol Pashinyan had announced, that He personally gave the order to withdraw the troops in Syunik, and Defense Minister Vagharshak Harutyunyan did just that.
But come and see, the same Nikol Pashinyan in November 2025 had announced.
«I have never given any order about the withdrawal of RA troops from any sovereign territory of RA.”
From RA Investigative Committee to 168.am had reported, that no criminal proceedings have been initiated regarding the withdrawal of troops from Syunik, no preliminary investigation is being conducted.
Vagharshak Harutyunyan, who was the Minister of Defense at that time, who also visited Pashinyan on December 15, 2020 for consultations on the developments related to Syunik to participate, doesn’t have anything to say or explain about all this? And maybe he doesn’t think that an unofficial one-sided border demarcation took place and we gave territory to Azerbaijan, that there was a troop withdrawal, or maybe he thinks that in this way we are preventing an attack against Armenia?
But all this is not the whole thing, when Vagharshak Harutyunyan was the Minister of Defense, in May 2021, Azerbaijan entered the sovereign territory of Armenia, which “facilitated” other advances, and now, when the territories occupied by Armenia have not yet been returned, and on various occasions the issue of their Armenian citizenship is being questioned, when Azerbaijan is strengthening itself in those territories.
Moreover, regarding the May 2021 promotions, former military officials are facing criminal cases, does Vagharshak Harutyunyan still have nothing to say, especially when on one occasion Pashinyan inadvertently confessed, that according to his instructions, the army did not resist the Azerbaijani advances, so that the extraordinary elections of the National Assembly of June 2021 take place.
One month after this, in July 2021, Vagharshak Harutyunyan had resigned from the position he held, at that time, according to the legislation, to acting Minister of Defense.
And now Vagharshak Harutyunyan himself is preparing for the NA elections, without trying to at least address the unanswered questions, to bear his share of responsibility, or can he enter a dangerous border by clashing with Nikol Pashinyan?
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“Rescuers”, you listen to Aliyev’s statements, you don’t come out from under the table
March: 9, 2026
Head of the “Wings of Unity” political initiative, former RA MP Arman Tatoyan writes. “For me, those who imagine the future of Armenia in the “union composition” are either Nikol Pashinyan’s agents and help him to appear as a “savior”, or they are ordinary unpatriotic people.
And now, specifically to CP and its propagandists. The “saviors” of Armenia’s independence, every day you destroy, simply erode the security of our country and keep it secret from us. A few days ago I showed everything with facts.
Are you the guarantor of our sovereignty, are you the ones expecting a position? You listen to Aliyev’s statements, you don’t come out from under the table. Come on, don’t you have anything to say to Azerbaijan, which is reshaping our borders with your silent permission, or do you also want to enter a union state with Azerbaijan?
Don’t try to drag us into your games.
This is why I say that I will be the candidate of Armenia in the upcoming elections. I will always be guided by the interests of Armenia in my decisions.”
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Armenia was involved in a stupid story
Armenia was involved in a stupid story. A little while ago, we learned that Azerbaijan is sending humanitarian aid to Iran. Let’s go over the cases in order.
First, there was the assassination of Iran’s spiritual leader, i.e. the de facto head of state, after which Aliyev went to the embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, being the only head of state, wrote words of condolence in the embassy’s mourning register, after which the attack of Iranian drones that appeared from somewhere, allegedly on the Iranian airport of Nakhichevan, took place.
After that, Aliyev closed the air and land border with the Islamic Republic of Iran, issued condemning statements, and after that the Iranian General Staff denied that they had attacked Azerbaijan, including the Iranian Foreign Minister.
An anti-Iranian campaign began, calls to Azerbaijan, support for Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity, Armenia was involved in these calls, Armenia also called and expressed support, I don’t know what.
Azerbaijan’s response was that it thanks a number of international organizations and countries that supported its territorial integrity, sovereignty, called, expressed concern, etc. In other words, the Armenian flag was included in the anti-Iranian campaign, which I have talked about.
After that, President Pezeshkian and Aliyev had a phone call on Sunday, where Pezeshkian again insisted that they did not attack the airport of Azerbaijan. After that, Aliyev opened the border with Iran, and today Azerbaijan announced that they are sending humanitarian goods to Iran.
In other words, what happened to the escalation of relations between our two neighbors, statements, Azerbaijan gathered an international campaign against Iran regarding this alleged drone attack and they involved Armenia in the anti-Iranian campaign and they reconciled, and now they are sending humanitarian aid.
This is Armenian diplomacy, this is the behavior, actions and behavior of our diplomats, people involved in the security of the Republic of Armenia. These people are a disgrace, have zero diplomatic skills, zero foresight, and thus have continuously dragged the country into stupid stories.
Edmon Marukyan, head of the “Lusavore Armenia” party
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Armenia, Saudi Arabia share common value of respect for diversity, says envoy
- Former presidential advisor Melikyan raises opportunities for both nations closer ties could bring
- Highlights Armenian tech sector investment potential, praises Vision 2030
RIYADH: Armenia and Saudi Arabia share the common value of respect for religious diversity and heritage, Gevorg Melikyan, founder and CEO of the Armenian Institute for Resilience and Statecraft, has said.
Melikyan, ex-advisor to former Armenian President Armen Sarkissian, was in Saudi Arabia for the first time to attend the Saudi Media Forum at the invitation of Arab News Editor-in-Chief Faisal Abbas.
“Armenia stands as one of the oldest cradles of Christianity, with a rich history deeply intertwined with the faith. The country’s cultural heritage is marked by ancient monasteries, churches, and traditions that reflect its enduring commitment to Christianity over centuries,” Melikyan said.
“Saudi Arabia holds a central position in the Muslim world as the birthplace of Islam and home to its two holiest cities, Makkah and Madinah. The country’s religious significance is unparalleled, attracting millions of Muslims from around the world for pilgrimage and spiritual fulfillment,” he added.
“I am currently exploring this remarkable country, which has been somewhat hidden from Armenia and its people due to certain diplomatic and other obstacles. Through initiatives like participating in events such as this media forum, we are collectively working to overcome these obstacles and forge stronger connections between our nations.”
Melikyan also held a meeting with Dr. Abdulaziz Sager, chairman of the Gulf Research Center in Riyadh.
“The primary objective of this meeting was to bolster cooperation between our respective institutions, cultivate additional avenues for collaboration, and deepen mutual understanding between experts from Armenia and Saudi Arabia across various disciplines,” he said.
The establishment of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Armenia was catalyzed by a historic visit from President Sarkissian to Saudi Arabia in October 2021, said Melikyan.
“This significant event marked a turning point in the relationship between the two nations, which had previously been unable to establish diplomatic ties since the dissolution of the Soviet Union and Armenia’s re-emergence as an independent state in 1991.”
Melikyan said the Sarkissian visit paved the way for discussions aimed at formalizing diplomatic relations, laying the groundwork for future cooperation between the two nations.
He added that Saudi Arabia and Armenia stand to benefit from such cooperation, fostering economic growth, cultural exchange, and regional stability.
“Both countries possess unique strengths and resources that could complement each other in various fields. For instance, Armenia has a strong technology sector and a skilled workforce in areas such as IT and engineering, while Saudi Arabia boasts significant economic resources and investment potential,” he said.
The establishment of diplomatic relations between Armenia and Saudi Arabia could offer opportunities for interfaith dialogue, cultural exchange, and mutual understanding, he noted.
“Both nations recognize the importance of religious tolerance and coexistence in fostering peace and harmony within their societies and beyond,” Melikyan said.
He pointed out that closer ties between Armenia and Saudi Arabia could contribute to greater stability in the South Caucasus and the Gulf region, and highlighted the significance of Saudi Vision 2030, saying the focus on innovation, entrepreneurship, and investment in human capital reflects a commitment to positioning Saudi Arabia as a dynamic and competitive player on the global stage.
EU Monitors Are Barred by Russia from Nerkin Hand, Site of Last Week’s Attack that Killed 4
Azerbaijani forces attacked Nerkin Hand on Feb. 13, killing 4 Armenian soldiers
The head of the European Union’s Monitoring Mission in Armenia revealed on Wednesday that his team is barred by Russia from entering the Nerkin Hand region of the Syunik Province, which was the site of an Azerbaijani attack last week that left four Armenian soldiers dead.
Markus Ritter, the head of the EU’s mission, explained that while his team can visit the entire territory of Armenia, it is barred from entering Nerkin Hand, which is being monitored by Russian Security Forces.
Speaking to reporters Wednesday during an event marking the first anniversary of the EU’s mission in Armenia, Ritter hinted that if his team attempted to enter the area “there could be problems.”
He explained that since the mission he leads is invited by Armenia, it is contingent on the Yerevan authorities to address the issue with Moscow since the EU mission “does not communicate with the Russian peacekeeping forces stationed in Armenia.”
The EU has been criticized by both Moscow and Baku for deploying a mission to Armenia. Russia blamed Armenia for engaging the EU and West, which it says seek to destabilize the region. Meanwhile, Azerbaijan, citing similar concerns, has accused the mission of aiding and abetting Armenia to conduct “anti-Azerbaijani” activities along the border.
Last week, the Ambassador of the European Union to Azerbaijan, Peter Michalko, was summoned to the Azerbaijan’s foreign ministry, which accused EUMA of being exploited as an “anti-Azerbaijani propaganda tool,” and becoming an agent of “binocular diplomacy.”
The EU’s Ambassador to Armenia Vassilis Maragos told reporters that such accusations were baseless.
“Our mission has a very clearly defined mandate. It is deployed on the Armenian side of the international border with Azerbaijan, and is exclusively engaged in what is outlined in its mandate, to ensure its presence, to carry out patrols, with the goal of helping to ensure peace in the region. This is what we’ve always been doing. Any other accusation or slander on engaging in any other activities are absolutely baseless,” Maragos told reporters at the event marking the first anniversary of the mission.
Maragos added that all EU member states support the mission. “We are resolutely aiming for strengthening peace and stability in the region,” he said.
Turkish Press: Azerbaijan says it conducted ‘revenge operation’ in response to cross-border fire by Armenia
Turkey - Feb 13 2024
Azerbaijan says it conducted 'revenge operation' in response to cross-border fire by Armenia
Combat post of Armenian army from which Azerbaijani soldiers were fired upon on Monday was completely destroyed, says State Border Service
Baku early Tuesday said it carried out a "revenge operation" in response to a cross-border fire by Armenia a day earlier, injuring one Azerbaijani serviceman.
"As a result of the operation, the combat post of the Armenian Armed Forces near the Nerkin-And settlement of Gafan district, where our soldiers were fired upon yesterday (Monday), was completely destroyed, and the combat positions were silenced," said a statement by Azerbaijan's State Border Service.
There are reports of serious casualties among the personnel of the destroyed combat post, the statement noted, saying: "Every provocation of the Armenian side aimed at aggravating the operational conditions at the Azerbaijan-Armenia conditional state border will be answered with more serious and decisive measures from now on."
"The military and political leadership of Armenia is fully responsible for the incident," it added.
Meanwhile, the Armenian Defense Ministry said two of its servicemen were killed, according to preliminary information.
Earlier, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry also said its military positions in the country's northwestern Tovuz district were fired on by Armenia late Monday.
The cross-border fire came as Azerbaijan's State Border Service said Monday that one of its soldiers was injured due to shots fired by Armenian forces toward the country's southwestern Zangilan district.
Relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia have been tense since 1991, when the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, a territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, and seven adjacent regions.
Azerbaijan liberated most of the region during the war in the fall of 2020, which ended with a Russian-brokered peace agreement, opening the door to normalization.
The Azerbaijani army initiated an anti-terrorism operation in Karabakh last September to establish constitutional order, after which illegal separatist forces in the region surrendered.
Armenia’s Arsen Harutyunyan reaches final of European Freestyle Wrestling Championship
19:00,
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 16, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Freestyle Wrestling Team’s Arsen Harutyunyan has advanced to the finals of the European Championship.
Arsen Harutyunyan competed with Azerbaijan's Islam Bazarganov in the semifinals of the 57 kg weight category at the European Championship held in Bucharest, Romania's capital, triumphing with a score of 10-0.
The final of the 57 kg weight category of the European Championship is scheduled to take place on February 17.
Asbarez: Teachable Moments: Finally 18!
BY SAREEN KASPARIAN
This year, my birthday held particular significance as it marked a pivotal rite of passage. For years, I eagerly awaited my 18th birthday, knowing that it would grant me the right to vote. And so, one of my inaugural steps into adulthood was to register to vote with the California Secretary of State.
Registering to vote was more than just a checkbox; it was a declaration of empowerment and responsibility. As I clicked the confirmation button, I felt a surge of significance and accomplishment, recognizing that my voice now carries weight in shaping the future of our community and society. Now, as an official voter, I not only have the opportunity to support the candidates I believe in but also to make a tangible difference with each ballot cast.
Receiving my confirmation email made me contemplate the additional rights and responsibilities I now bear as an adult. In the United States, the age of 18 is considered the “age of majority,” established by President Nixon in 1971 with the 26th Amendment. Historically, the age of majority was 21. However, when Franklin D. Roosevelt lowered the military draft age to 18 during World War II, there was a push to align the voting age with the military draft age.
In no particular order, I jotted down a partial list of what I am entitled to do at 18. I can now enter into a binding contract. This means I can open my own bank account, sign a lease, and apply for a loan. I can also consent to my own medical treatments, give blood, and go to doctor’s appointments without a guardian. I can inherit money, buy and sell stocks, and even buy lottery tickets. And of course, I can apply for and get a job without a special work permit. On the flip side, I can sue, but also be sued, as well as be subject to more serious consequences (as an adult) for breaking the law.
Although I have much to learn and experience about the perks of adulthood, I’m grateful for the opportunity and freedom to cast my first vote in the upcoming elections.
For non-registered voters, this is an ideal time to register — February 20, 2024 is the deadline to register online to vote in the March 5 primary election. It’s simple, easy, and only takes a few minutes to complete. Another great resource of Armenian Americans who are interested to find out more about registration, candidate forums, polling places and volunteering, please visit www.hyevotes.org. Launched by the ANCA-WR, the HyeVotes Initiative is a region wide, non-partisan initiative to engage community members in the electoral process.
Each voice matters, and by participating in the electoral process, individuals can actively shape the direction of their communities and the nation at large. Voting is not just a right; it is a civic duty and a powerful tool for enacting change. By registering to vote, individuals ensure that their concerns and values are represented in government decisions. Moreover, voting is a way to honor the sacrifices made by those who fought for suffrage rights and to uphold the principles of democracy. By engaging in the electoral process, we can collectively work towards building a more equitable and just society.
Therefore, I urge everyone who is eligible to register and exercise their right to vote, for it is through our collective participation that we can truly make a difference and create a better future for all.
Sareen Kasparian is currently a senior at Rose & Alex Pilibos Armenian School and a member of the Pasadena Nigol Touman chapter of the Armenian Youth Federation. Teachable Moments is a knowledge exchange, a column dedicated to sharing generational insight as we intertwine experience and reasoning with modern day problems and solutions.