Author: Chalian Meline

Verelq: An entire government against an 18-year-old

Chalian Meline Leave a comment

Late yesterday evening, 18-year-old Davit Minasyan was transferred from Nair Medical Center to the Correctional Facility. This was reported by the lawyer of the youth, Lusine Martirosyan.


“An entire state resource was focused on just an 18-year-old young man, and what is being done to Davit now is not the same as what is being done to our compatriots in Baku prison…”, the lawyer wrote.


To remind, Davit was arrested in the incident of St. Anna church. Apart from the fact that Nikol Pashinyan’s bodyguard hit him, he received a concussion and other injuries, he also has other health problems. However, the court did not take him to house arrest and the teenager was taken to the medical center from the first day.

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Easter at St. Vartan Cathedral: “Stay Close to God”–English and Armenian tex

Chalian Meline

PRESS OFFICE

Diocese of the Armenian
Church of America (Eastern)

630 Second Avenue, New
York, NY 10016

Contact: Chris Zakian

Tel: (212) 686-0710

E-mail: [email protected]

Website: www.armenianchurch.us

 

April 10, 2026

___________________

 

ATTENTION EDITOR: A short Armenian version appears below; scroll down to the bottom.


Photos attached, with captions below. I’ve attached two photos that can carry the same
caption, to accommodate various layouts. Additional photos may be downloaded
here (please
credit Harout Barsoumian, Bars Images):

 

 

HEADLINE:

Easter at St. Vartan
Cathedral: “Stay Close to God”

 

By Stephan S.
Nigohosian

 

Through a veil of
overcast skies, the newly-gilded gold dome of St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral in
New York City shimmered with a radiant, transcendent brilliance. Beneath that
luminous crown, the Easter Sunday Divine Liturgy on April 5 unfolded with
solemn beauty and reverence, commemorating the awe-filled discovery of Christ’s
empty tomb and the triumphant revelation of His glorious Resurrection.

 

Known in Armenian as Sourp
Zadig, Easter is the major feast day of the Christian calendar and
represents the promise of salvation for all humanity. Bishop Mesrop
Parsamyan, Primate of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of
America, celebrated the Divine Liturgy before the faithful in the cathedral, as
well as to a global audience via the livestream broadcast.

 

Upon entering the
sanctuary to the ethereal hymns of the choir, Bishop Mesrop, accompanied by a
procession of clergy and altar servers holding colorful liturgical tapestries,
walked among the worshippers, bestowing his blessing and announcing the Good News
of Christ’s Resurrection with the words, “Krisdos haryav ee merelotz! Christ
is raised from the dead!”

 

As he processed
through the sanctuary, Bishop Mesrop carried the gold hand-cross among the
faithful, young and old alike stepping forward to venerate it with a kiss. In
that gentle, deliberate movement, Bishop Merop’s presence recalled Christ
walking among His people, teaching and blessing during the days of His earthly
ministry.

 

The cathedral’s
stained-glass windows provided a radiance of luminous color to the sanctuary. White
lilies and slender, tapering candles cast a gentle glow upon the altar, evoking
the purity and unending light of Christ the Savior.

 

Throughout the
sanctuary, discreetly placed cameras offered those joining from home a sense of
reverent closeness, most poignantly in the intimate, front-facing view of
Bishop Mesrop in prayer before the holy altar during the service. These
thoughtful close-ups not only revealed the cathedral’s intricate beauty, but
also captured the serene expressions of faith, hope and devotion shared among
the clergy and the faithful. Furthermore, they provided a profound level of
closeness and a deep connection between clergy and lay people to Our Lord
through the holy badarak.

 

 

* One Body In Christ

 

After the reading of
Scripture in Armenian and English by the deacons, prayers and hymns were sung
together by the choir and congregation.

 

Holy Communion (Haghortoutiun
in Armenian), the climax of the badarak in which the faithful unite with
Christ and with each other, brought hundreds of worshippers forward to the
altar to receive the Sacrament from Bishop Mesrop, supported by Cathedral Vicar
Fr. Davit Karamyan, Fr. Bedros Kadehjian, and the large retinue of deacons.

 

The congregation also
played an important role in the badarak by giving and receiving the Kiss
of Peace (Voghchooyn), one of the oldest and most beautiful Christian
customs. Still practiced by the Armenian Church, members of the congregation ardently
declare, “Krisdos ee mech mer haydnetsav! Orhnyal eh haydnoutiunun
Krisdosee!” (Christ is revealed among us! Blessed is the revelation of
Christ!).

 

Throughout the
service, the soaring voices of the St. Vartan Cathedral Choir, directed by Hasmik
Mekanejian and accompanied on the organ by Kris Kalfayan, Director of the
Gomidas Choir, surrounded participants with an ethereal sense of peace and
redemption.

 

 

* Staying Close To
God

 

Following the
Eucharist, Bishop Mesrop delivered his Easter Sunday homily with passion and
certainty, stressing the importance of staying close to God no matter how
difficult or woeful the circumstances may appear.

 

“The very moment that
tempts us to leave God’s presence is often the moment we need Him most,” Bishop
Mesrop said. “That is what the women who waited at Christ’s tomb taught us on
Easter morning. They did not know what story would unfold and didn’t know what
Sunday would bring. All they knew was that they loved Jesus too much to walk
away. And because they stayed, they became the first witnesses to Christ’s
Resurrection, the greatest victory.”

 

Bishop Mesrop
expounded upon his theme of faith by emphasizing that waiting with God is never
‘wasted time.’ “Love that remains near God is always rewarded,” he said. “Sometimes
God doesn’t ask us to do anything; He simply asks us to stay close. The
greatest hope of all is that Christ Is Risen.”

 

The Primate
underscored the fact that because He lives, hope can rise again. “Wherever
you find yourself today, either in great joy or with a heart that still carries
pain, receive the message of Easter: the tomb is empty, Christ is Risen, Love
has won, life has triumphed, hope is alive. Stay close to Him.”

 

Staying hopeful in
prayer, even when everything in front of you says, ‘it’s over,’ is exactly what
faith asks us of us.

 

 

* Release of Doves on
the Plaza

 

At the conclusion of
the service, despite a gentle rain falling outside, a procession of clergy and
faithful made their way to the bronze entrance doors for the “Release of Doves”
ceremony. Though the weather softened the usual pageantry, it did not diminish
the meaning of the moment, which symbolizes Christ sending forth His apostles
into the world to preach the Gospel. This special ceremony remains a beloved,
decades-long Easter tradition at St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral, its spirit
enduring regardless of grey skies above.

 

The godparents of
this year’s ceremony were Sarkis and Maral Jebejian, parishioners of St. Thomas
Armenian Church in Tenafly, NJ. As members of an Armenian American family whose
roots trace back for generations in the life of the Armenian Church, they both carry
forward a distinguished legacy of leadership within the Armenian community.
Both have honored the foundations laid by those before them while actively
continuing that tradition through their own faithful service today.

 

The Easter Sunday
service marked the culmination of Holy Week—the sacred commemoration of the
events leading to the Resurrection of Jesus Christ—as well as the beginning of
Eastertide, the 50-day period known as Heenoonk in Armenian, that lasts
from Easter to Pentecost. The latter is dedicated to the mystery of our
Resurrected Savior and His encounters with His followers.

 

Holy Week services
took place at the cathedral in the days prior to Easter Sunday, with Bishop
Mesrop presiding over the Holy Thursday “Vodunluva” (Washing of Feet)
ceremony.

 

It is worth noting
that this year marked the 10th anniversary of the Easter Broadcast from St.
Vartan Cathedral. As in previous years, the viewing audience for St. Vartan
Cathedral’s Easter Sunday liturgy included thousands of people from across the
Diocese and around the world, sharing in the service as it was broadcast over
the Internet. The small, dedicated production team included Yervant Keshishian,
who directed the program, co-producer and cameraman Mano Baghjajian, and host
and narrator Christopher Zakian.

 

Click the following
links to:

 

* * *

 

PHOTO CAPTION:

 

On Easter Sunday,
April 5, Diocesan Primate Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan stands before the bronze
entrance doors of New York’s St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral, for the time-honored
“Release of Doves” ceremony that annually concludes the cathedral’s celebration
of the Divine Liturgy. Flanking the Primate are the godparents of this year’s
ceremony, Sarkis and Maral Jebejian. (Photo Credit: Harout Barsoumian, Bars Images)

 

* * *

 

LINKS:

 

Photo gallery (credit
Harout Barsoumian, Bars Images):

 

Recorded broadcast of
the Easter Liturgy from St. Vartan Cathedral:

 

Recording of Bishop
Mesrop Parsamyan’s Easter sermon:

 

* * *


ARMENIAN TEXT:


About:
Come to Lord Jesus


April 5
we celebrated Holy Easter, the glorious resurrection of Christ. Saint Vardan Cathedral
it was full of believers, and many were following on telecast to communicate
To the breath of spiritual life brought by the resurrection of Lord Jesus. Dear Leader of Temis, Mesrop
Saint Parsamea celebrated the mass and gave the wish full of joy to everyone: “Christ
He went to the dead”:


Holy Father
meditated on the faith of the Blessed Women who remained to cover the tomb of Jesus
with the strength of their love, despite the sufferings of the Lord, the crucifixion and the bitter
to have experienced the horror of death.


Their example
He said, it encourages us even today, because when we try to leave God’s presence,
We need to be close to Him at those exact moments when we are overwhelmed by difficulties. That
The women loved the Lord with all their hearts, and following that love they remained in the grave.
in front of the closing veil, and the witnesses became the resurrection of the Lord.


Constant
faith springs from supreme love, and “the love that keeps us in the bed of God is always rewarded.”
“Many times God expects us to stay with him, nothing else,” the Bishop reminded
The Father, and that faithfulness will be rewarded with the light of the resurrection.


# # #


—

Lukashenko Urges Caution on Armenia as Yerevan Leaves CSTO Future Open

Chalian Meline
Caucasus Watch, Germany
April 9 2026
9 Apr 2026 | News, Politics, Armenia

Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko has urged a “careful and accurate” approach toward Armenia within the CSTO, as Yerevan continues to freeze its participation in the alliance.

Speaking to CSTO Secretary General Taalatbek Masadykov, Lukashenko noted that Armenia “seems not to support work within the CSTO, yet at the same time remains in the organization.”

He warned that the bloc should take into account Armenia’s domestic political situation. “The situation in Armenia is difficult… particularly during the election period,” he said.

Armenia suspended its participation in the CSTO in February 2024, citing dissatisfaction with the organization’s response to its security concerns.

At the same time, Armenian lawmaker Andranik Kocharyan indicated that full withdrawal remains possible. “Never say never. The world is very turbulent,” he said.

He also criticized the CSTO’s lack of concrete support. “They didn’t act, right? Our problem arose from the situation at Armenia’s borders, and we asked the CSTO for support two or three times. That support, aside from verbal statements, did not produce any results for us,” he added.

Kocharyan stressed that any future decision will be based solely on Armenia’s national interests.


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Samvel Karapetyan: “I am angered by the behavior of the leader of a small gro

Chalian Meline
Aysor, Armenia
April 7 2026

The leader of the “Strong Armenia” party, Samvel Karapetyan, has issued a statement. 

“Today, it is becoming increasingly clear either the economic tensions with Russia that emerged in July as a result of Nikol Pashinyan’s policies or changes that we will bring to Armenia in June.

I must admit, I am deeply angered by the behavior of the leader of a small group. What we witnessed in Moscow was shameful. Even more concerning, however, is that through a series of consistent steps, he has turned our country into a zone of geopolitical confrontation.

Why was there a need to attempt to push friendly Russia out of our region? Its presence has never hindered Armenia’s cooperation or trade with other global centers of power, and I am confident it would not do so in the future. What is required is sound judgment, strategic thinking, and, simply put, a degree of political finesse. And then you just need to be reasonable. Armenia’s deepest economic ties are with Russia. It supplies affordable gas, provides employment opportunities for our seasonal workers, and remains a key market for our agricultural products. If these ties were disrupted, how would the government answer to citizens who would inevitably face worsening economic conditions? 

However, today’s prime minister appears indifferent to the fate of our compatriots and their everyday well-being. His primary concern seems to be remaining in power for his own benefit, using the fear of false wars as a tool. This will not last. We will remove this small group and restore balanced relations with all countries in the region and across major centers of power.

We saw what happened with Georgia and Ukraine. 

We do not need new wars. 

By voting for Nikol, you risk deepening poverty, worsening relations with Russia, increasing polarization, and undermining the economy. By trusting us, you can choose real change: a strong economy, national unity, and lasting peace. 

It is time for a strong Armenia,” the message reads.

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Government to make sports development more targeted and effective – Prime Mini

Chalian Meline
Sports21:58, 6 April 2026
Read the article in: ArmenianRussian:

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan participated in the solemn ceremony of awarding and honoring the winners of the “Best Sportsman of 2025” competition, held within the framework of an event dedicated to the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace.

The event was also attended by President Vahagn Khachaturyan, National Assembly Speaker Alen Simonyan, Chief of Staff of the Prime Minister Arayik Harutyunyan, Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Zhanna Andreasyan, as well as heads of sports federations, athletes, and coaches.

Before the award ceremony, the Prime Minister delivered a speech, congratulated attendees on the occasion of International Sports Day, and thanked athletes for their efforts in representing Armenia in international competitions.

According to the Prime Minister, the government is taking serious steps toward the institutionalization of sport. He highlighted ongoing and planned projects, including sports schools in the Shirak and Lori regions.

The Prime Minister also referred to a joint project in Yerevan with Juventus FC and noted that there are plans to expand it to the regions. He added that stadium construction is planned in Ijevan, Yerevan, Vanadzor, and the Academic City.

In his remarks, the Prime Minister also highlighted major international competitions hosted by Armenia in recent years, including European championships in boxing, weightlifting, and shooting, as well as the Sambo World Championships.

He expressed appreciation to athletes, coaches, and all contributors to the development of sports.

The Prime Minister reiterated that the government will make the sports development process more targeted and effective.

Winners in 11 categories of the competition were awarded 6,250,000 AMD and souvenirs. The awards were handed over by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

Read the article in: ArmenianRussian:

Published by Armenpress, original at 
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Following the attack on the nuclear power plant in Iran, 198 Russians were sen

Chalian Meline
Caucasian Knot
Apri 4 2026
Following the attack on the nuclear power plant in Iran, 198 Russians were sent towards the border with Armenia.
198 Russians were sent towards Armenia 20 minutes after the strike on Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant; they are expected to arrive in Russia within a few days.

As reported by the Caucasian Knot, 164 Bushehr NPP employees were evacuated from Iran through Armenia on March 27 and flown to Moscow. Since the escalation of tensions in the Middle East, 327 Russian citizens have been evacuated through Armenia.

As a reminder, Israel and the United States began striking Iran on February 28. Donald Trump announced the start of a large-scale military operation. In response, Iran launched shelling attacks on Israel, American military facilities, and civilian targets in the Middle East, according to the “Caucasian Knot” report “Key Impacts of the Military Conflict with Iran on the Caucasus.”

Approximately 20 minutes after the strike on Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant, buses carrying 198 Russian evacuees departed, Rosatom head Alexei Likhachev told reporters.

They are being transported toward Iran’s border with Armenia. “It is planned that within 2.5-3 days, our comrades will safely cross almost the entirety of Iran and arrive home,” Interfax quoted Likhachev as saying.

The Russians are scheduled to depart from Yerevan Airport, RBK reports. “We traditionally feel comfortable interacting with the Armenian government, as our comrades plan to leave the region from Yerevan Airport,” RIA Novosti quotes Likhachev as saying. The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) reported today that another strike hit the area near the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant. A shell landed near the plant, killing one of the station’s security guards, but the main facilities were not damaged, TASS reports. Caucasian Knot has compiled materials on the impact of military action in Iran on the Caucasus on the thematic page “Iran: War Is Near.” The “Caucasian Knot” also published a chronicle of the war in Iran.

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Armenia’s state debt: figures, facts, increasing interest payments. “trace”

Chalian Meline

Armenia currently has a public debt of more than 14 billion dollars. Since 2018, when Nikol Pashinyan assumed the post of Prime Minister and formed a government, the national debt has doubled, writes “Hetk”.


State debt is one of the constant topics of the government-opposition debate.


Since the expenses of the state budget are more than the revenues, that is, the taxes collected from citizens and businesses, the state borrows money to be able to fully meet the expenses of the given year.


In this way, the national debt of Armenia has been accumulating and getting heavier for years.


The debt has increased not only under this, but also under the previous authorities. During economic shocks, Armenia relied more on debt. This happened in 2020 as well, when the economy collapsed under the conditions of the pandemic and the Artsakh war, and little money came into the budget.


“Okay, we didn’t want to say it, let’s say it. We took weapons. We raised weapons. We bought weapons out of debt, because we needed them a lot and at once. … Let’s go and demonstrate,” Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced in the National Assembly on November 13, 2025, responding to questions about why the state debt has increased.


According to him, it was also affected by the epidemic of 2020. “Don’t you know that there was Covid? We took a loan so that the country can overcome Kovid during the war.”


However, the debt increased not only during the war and pandemic, but also in the following years. Even in 2022 and the following years, when Armenia became a transit country for the trade of the West and Russia and recorded high economic growth, it received and sent away thousands of refugees from the Russian Federation.


“The general logic is this: we borrow in order to invest in our future development, so that in the future we can increase our incomes faster than the expenses related to the debt, than the debt itself,” RA Finance Minister Vahe Hovhannisyan said in a conversation with “Hetk”.


Has Armenia diverted its debt to weapons and overcoming covid, has the debt burden decreased, as the authorities declare?


There are different numbers and different interpretations on both sides of the medal


The national debt of Armenia is the sum of internal and external debts.


As of the end of January of this year, almost half of Armenia’s total debt is foreign debt: 7.2 billion dollars, of which 6.7 billion dollars is the government’s debt, and the rest belongs to the Central Bank of Armenia.


The external debt of the government is largely the loans that Armenia takes from international organizations and various countries, such as the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, France, Russia, etc.


And the domestic debt is currently 7.4 billion dollars or 2.8 trillion drams. The state owes that amount to citizens and legal entities. They bought government bonds, that is, they lent money to the state with the condition of getting them back with additional interest after some time.


It is important to note that a small part of the state debt is the debt of the Central Bank, the rest is the debt of the Government. The Ministry of Finance decided to separate the debt of the Central Bank and not include it in the state debt, presenting it as an internationally accepted standard. And in fact, by calculating in this way, the size of the state debt decreases.


But since the debt of the Central Bank was always calculated in the state debt, it is also included in the graph we presented. Even if it is not included, the growth of the debt is not mitigated.


Domestic debt has been growing much faster in recent years. The state has decided that it is safer this way. it is issued and redeemed in Armenian drams and is free from the risk of foreign exchange fluctuations.


Since 2018, the domestic debt has increased by 6 billion dollars, the external debt by 1.5 billion dollars.


Manipulation with incomplete information. the debt burden has not decreased


The authorities are trying to dispel people’s worries about the state debt.


Economy Minister Gevorg Papoyan even uses incomplete information for this purpose.


“Recently, I have been receiving a lot of letters from you, comments on social media pages, and worries about what we will do, how did it happen that the foreign debt of the Republic of Armenia became 12 billion dollars? The foreign debt of the Republic of Armenia is not 12 billion dollars. The foreign debt is 5 billion 962 million dollars. And those people who spread the number of 12 billion are either not informed, or they do it on purpose, they manipulate it,” after Papoyan’s statement in February 2025, the professional community and the media quickly reacted.


Talking only about the external debt, without even mentioning the internal debt, Papoyan is actually misleading himself.


Meanwhile, as we have seen, domestic debt is not only inferior to foreign debt, but its servicing is more expensive. In other words, the interest rates are higher.

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Asbarez: FOX 11 Los Angeles Celebrates Armenian Heritage Month with a Special

Chalian Meline
by Contributor

 

 April 3, 2026

 

in Featured Story, Latest, News, Top Stories

By PAUL CHADERJIAN

LOS ANGELES — KTTV FOX 11 is marking Armenian Heritage Month with a powerful new special that brings viewers closer to Armenia and the vibrant Armenian American community across Southern California.

This year’s broadcast features a virtual journey through Armenia, offering viewers a vivid look at historic landmarks, rich traditions, and everyday life. The special is hosted and reported by the talented, long-time FOX 11 anchor and personality Araksya Karapetyan. 

The Armenian travelogue at the beginning of the FOX 11 Armenian Heritage special highlights Armenia’s ancient monasteries, welcoming streets, and a culture built on resilience. It also shows how affordable food and drink, street safety, and deep hospitality make Armenia an inviting destination for travelers.

“This special really opens a window into Armenia,” says Karapetyan. “You see the history, the beauty, the culture, and you realize how accessible and welcoming it is for anyone thinking about going.”

The special includes an update on the Armenian American Museum in Glendale, a landmark cultural project designed to celebrate Armenian heritage and serve as a global hub for education and community. The museum’s design emphasizes connection, identity, and shared history, with architects and builders working to create a space that reflects both tradition and modern vision.

“This museum is about preserving who we are and sharing it with future generations,” Karapetyan says. “It’s a place that connects our past with what comes next.”

Viewers will also meet Tro Khayalian, a mechanic turned artist who transforms scrap metal and discarded car parts into striking works of art. His creations blend Armenian identity with elements of pop culture, turning industrial materials into symbols of pride and storytelling.

Another featured voice is Dr. Andre Panossian, a Los Angeles-based, board-certified plastic surgeon who leads humanitarian missions to Armenia. Specializing in pediatric reconstructive surgery, including cleft lip and palate repair, he works with organizations like Mending Kids to provide life-changing care to children in need.

The special also highlights the new TUMO Center in Los Angeles. Originally founded in Armenia, TUMO has grown into a global education model focused on technology and creative learning. The program offers young people hands-on training in fields like animation, filmmaking, and coding, combining self-directed learning with mentorship in a model now replicated around the world.

As part of the celebration, Karapetyan welcomed the Gevorgian Dance Academy to “Good Day L.A”., FOX 11’s eight-hour morning show she co-anchors, for a live performance that brought traditional Armenian dance to large morning audiences across Southern California and beyond.

“Good Day L.A.” also featured Armenian American basketball player Gary Chivichyan, who made history as the first Armenian drafted into the NBA G League. Known for his scoring ability and international play, Chivichyan continues to build a professional career while representing Armenian athletes on a broader stage.

Karapetyan, a long-time voice for the community, shared her pride in the month-long celebration. She says she was extremely pleased that, for the first time this year, she was able to take her production team and shoot the special on location at the Armenian American Museum. 

“This is more than a broadcast. It is a chance to share who we are with the world,” she says. “All month long, we’re highlighting our music, our food, our art, and the strength of more than one million Armenians in California.”

“I’m also incredibly proud of the team behind this,” she added. “From our newsroom to our creative services department, our videographers, editors, and the entire FOX 11 management team, this was a true group effort to bring these stories to life.”

FOX 11’s Armenian Heritage Month special continues to connect audiences across Los Angeles and beyond, offering a meaningful look at a culture rooted in history and alive in the present.

The special will stream regularly on FOX 11’s website and on the FOX Local Los Angeles app.

Paul Chaderjian is a Los Angeles-based broadcast journalist, writer, and author of the novel “Letters to Barbra.” His work explores diaspora identity, cultural memory, and global storytelling. Follow Paul on social media @pchadNEWS.



https://asbarez.com/fox-11-los-angeles-celebrates-armenian-heritage-month-with-a-special-showcasing-culture-travel-and-inspiring-stories/?fbclid=IwY2xjawQ-kfZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeuUxPixu0g8wFKwttjWA51_0_GUxsxn_lndAurmg67awLDXvjZTR2ev9G35c_aem_Rdr3teRWP9vEWOm043wLGw


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Russia applies ‘stricter requirements’ for Armenian goods following tense Pas

Chalian Meline
OC Media
Apr 3 2026

Russia has announced ‘stricter requirements’ on the import of Armenian products, a measure that came a day after Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had a tense meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Wednesday.

‘The range and the quantity of products that are being delivered give us grounds to believe that not all of the products entering [Russia] are from Armenia’, Sergei Dankvert, head of the Russian Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Supervision, told Vesti.

Highlighting the difference between EU and Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) procedures, Dankvert said that Armenia allows ‘simplified access’ to EU goods within its market, which ‘does not comply with the requirements’ of the EAEU.

He said that the Russian side has ‘addressed this issue’ over the past several years after observing an ‘illogical increase’ of supplies of some products from Armenia.

Noting that there is a ‘simplified access procedures to EAEU countries’, Dankvert said in his interview on Thursday that Armenia’s export of flowers increased ‘from 36 million to over 100 million in three years’.

‘During inspections we saw that these products are accompanied only by consignment notes, that is, movements approved by the European Commission’, which ‘forced [Russia] to take measures’.

‘In terms of livestock products, we’ve seen shipments of untraceable products, such as butter, cheese, and trout. The trout must be Armenian, from mountain rivers or aquaculture, but it shouldn’t be in any way similar to Norwegian trout’, Russian state-run media TASS quoted Dankvert as saying.

He claimed these findings had led Russia to start applying stricter requirements on Armenia.

Putin and Pashinyan hold contentious talks in Moscow

Armenian authorities have yet to respond to these latest accusations.

However in 2025, in response to a similar set of allegations, the spokesperson for the Armenian Food Safety Inspection Body, Anush Harutyunyan, told Armenpress that ‘the volume of flowers imported into Armenia is not large enough to allow for re-export’.

Following this, the parties also introduced joint online video surveillance at greenhouse farms of Armenian flower producers to decide whether to issue export licenses to Russia.

The Russian announcement came a day after Putin stated that Russia views the developing relations between Armenia and the EU with ‘complete calm’. At the same time, Putin underscored the impossibility of being in a customs union with the EU and the EAEU.

Following the meeting, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksei Overchuk accused Armenia of coming ‘very close to the point where we will have to restructure our economic relations with this country’.

Russia has previously been accused of using food-health standards as a way to exert economic pressure on countries, including Armenia, with several similar incidents taking place throughout 2024.

That year, sanctions were imposed on Armenian mineral water producer Jermuk, and Russia revealed violations in the supply of red caviar, fruits, and vegetables, and decided to temporarily limit their supply.

In 2023, Russia banned the import of Armenian-produced dairy products, deeming them unsafe for Russian consumers. The decision came shortly after Russia criticised Armenia’s ratification of the International Criminal Court’s Rome Statute, under which Russian President Vladimir Putin is wanted.

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West Texas A&M University World Music Festival to feature Armenian concert pia

Chalian Meline
My High Plains
Apr 2 2026

West Texas A&M University World Music Festival to feature Armenian concert pianist Dr. Hayk Arsenyan

by: Victoria Reyes

AMARILLO, Texas (KAMR/KCIT) — West Texas A&M University will highlight Armenian music at its second World Music Festival, showcasing diverse cultural sounds and traditions from around the globe.

According to WT officials, the festival is scheduled for 3 p.m. on Aug. 12 with a concert featuring Armenian concert pianist Dr. Hayk Arsenyan in Mary Moody Northen Recital Hall on WT’s Canyon campus. Admission is free. For more information, call 806-641-2840.

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Organizer Mila Abbasova, instructor of music theory and piano, is Armenian by birth but grew up in Azerbaijan.

“I grew up in a very international atmosphere, and my piano teacher was a very famous Armenian,” Abbasova said. “We always played music from Eastern Europe, but I never actually performed Armenian music in recital, so this is a very special concert for me. Music from my homeland touches my heart and brings memories back.”

The concert will also feature the WT Symphonic Band, directed by Don Lefevre, associate professor of music and director of bands, as well as performances by Jessica Schury Peckham, assistant professor of flute; Dr. Jenny Miller, adjunct professor of harp; and Kanani Crandall, WT alumna.

Arsenyan, a New York-based pianist and composer, has appeared in numerous recitals throughout Europe, Asia, Australia, and the Americas, in venues such as Carnegie Hall (New York), Salle Cortot (Paris), the Concourse (Sydney), Cadillac-Shanghai Concert Hall (China), Kumin Hall (Tokyo), Petranka Mozarteum (Prague), Auditorio Delibes (Valladolid), Dar-Al-Assad Opera House (Damascus), Sala Cervantes (Havana), MoBU (Sao Paolo), Tchaikovsky Hall (Moscow), Philippines National Museum (Bacolod), and televised recitals at the Dame Myra Hess Concert Series in Chicago, the Phillips Collection Series in Washington, D.C., and at the Nixon Presidential Museum in Los Angeles.

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At the age of 11, Arsenyan made his debut at the Armenian Philharmonic performing his own “Requiem” for the piano and orchestra. At the age of 17, he made his European debut as a soloist with the Radio France National Philharmonic Orchestra and was awarded a platinum medal by the City of Paris. In 2007, Arsenyan debuted at Carnegie Hall’s Zankel Hall performing with Pinchas Zukerman and the Manhattan Chamber Sinfonia.

A long-time professor at New York University’s Tisch School, Arsenyan has presented guest lectures and masterclasses at universities and conservatories around the globe.

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