May 25, 2026
The pre-election campaign for the National Assembly elections in Armenia takes place in an atmosphere of fear and repression, which has nothing to do with democracy. About this 168 TVof Revue announced on the air of the program Aram Manukyan, vice-chairman of the Armenian National Congress (ANC) party, candidate for the National Assembly deputy on the ANC electoral listtelling about the ANC campaign.
The ANC vice president is more worried not only about the atmosphere in the country and the targeting of opponents of the current government, but also about external interference in the Armenian election process, including the visit of the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Armenia tomorrow.
Aram Manukyan believes that the Armenian authorities, instead of rejecting all external influences and interventions, are deliberately turning Armenia into a theater of geopolitical clashes in the context of the EU-Russia and USA-Russia confrontation during this pre-election period. He emphasized that choice and free will is the monopoly of the RA citizen, his imperative right, and all foreign interventions should be equally rejected, be it Macron, Rubio, Erdogan, Aliyev, Putin or Medvedev.
According to the ANC vice-president, the only task of the Armenian authorities should be to protect Armenia from external pressures and not pay tribute to the support or proposals of any party.
«In that sense, we are vulnerable. we have left unanswered the reactions, opinions of Azerbaijan, Turkey, the United States, the European Union and Russia, or, if you want to know, meddling in internal affairs, in the sense of expressing an open opinion in the Armenian elections. No one has that right.
The RA citizen should decide for himself who to vote for, and the RA authorities do not react to it at all, and this is worrying to the extent that it can become a serious source of escalation. it will open wide opportunities for escalation in Armenia, and we are slowly approaching the Ukrainian scenario, and Rubio’s arrival, Macron’s arrival and Russia’s statements, Russia’s steps to impose economic sanctions on Armenia, step by step, drop by drop, bring us closer to the conflict. The East and the West are not interested in the election of an RA citizen, they are interested in moving their conflict from Ukraine to Armenia and creating a new hotbed for the Russia-EU or Russia-West conflict.»։
Based on all this, Aram Manukyan calls on the people to reject all external interventions without exception. “Dear people, vote for whoever you want. Don’t look at who is saying what. Vote for Armenia, vote for Armenia’s independence.”
Speaking about the adventurous calls of the current rulers and their propagandists to go to an open confrontation with Russia, Aram Manukyan emphasizes that his criticism should not be perceived as flattery towards Russia, but as realism in the sense that an economic confrontation with Russia does not promise anything good for Armenia, considering the incomparably large economic weight of the Russian Federation and finally, the fact that this country is a nuclear superpower.
Aram Manukyan appealed to the authorities of Armenia. “What are you doing? In other words, do you agree that the Russian political discourse and the American and European discourse collide in Armenia? Don’t you think that these clashes can lead to serious escalations, and if we entered the stage of clashes, do you think that Ukraine entered the stage with one decision? It went step by step, the conflict escalated, and now the whole world is trying to back down, stop it, but it doesn’t work.
An entire powerful Ukraine is being destroyed, the country with 45 million inhabitants, the largest area in Europe, is being destroyed. The two Slavic nations have made each other, two fraternal, friendly, neighboring, same-language, same-religious nations have made each other and they are not able to get out of this conflict.
Can you imagine what will happen to Armenia if it suddenly finds itself in the focus of that conflict? I apologize to the people of Ukraine, but as a result of the policies of the abnormal leadership of Ukraine, who is suffering today, except the people of Ukraine? I’m not scaring you, I’m just saying: think soberly, think sensibly, don’t go to bloodshed, madness… “As long as our relations with the European Union do not conflict with our being there, we will be there, as long as I am here, I will not go there…”
What puns are you playing? You can’t talk to superpowers like that. We do not have that power. I say the same thing: you can’t play with the European Union, the United States, you can’t make demarches, blackmail, or bribe. The same with Iran»։
Aram Manukyan considers the calls of CP propagandists to boycott Russian products as judgments at the kindergarten level.
“Declare that ‘well, we will also boycott Russian vodka.’ What about you… was Russia filled with your statement? Are you abnormal, what is it? In other words, do we have a problem of ambition, to scare Russia or America, or is it the task of the state to regulate relations with them as well? What kind of childishness is this, what kind of madness is this, to invite two superpowers to clash in Armenia? I always give this example: Russia has 6,000 nuclear warheads, and America has 6,000. Will a smart country enter into that situation?’
Aram Manukyan also commented on Nikol Pashinyan’s recent famous statements and threats. “Don’t you have another way to break Armenia?” Why do you contrast Ararat and Aragats? Is that your problem today? Do you want to lead the country through controversy? You pit them all against each other: “black and white”, “I will destroy”, “I will arrest”, “I will kill”, “I will dismember”. it’s a shame, it’s a shame. This is not the chosen one of this nation, this is the indicator of the scum of this nation, which they have lifted up and are showing our weak state to the whole world.”
The predictions of ANC Vice President Aram Manukyan that as a result of Nikol Pashinyan’s “madness” or as a result of external interventions and geopolitical conflicts, the situation in Armenia may be “upside down” are even more worrying.
“Any day, as a result of any of Nicol’s madness or the arrival of Rubio, as a result of Russia’s actions, something may change upside down in Armenia, and we should go to the elections expecting that there will be drastic changes. Unexpected things will happen, and Armenia is not a stable country to decide how the elections will end with “exit polls” or preliminary calculations, Aram Manukyan predicts.
Full interview in the video.
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Medvedev Calls Pashinyan’s Course Dangerous for Armenia
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The people of Armenia will lose the Russian market and the entire EAEU as a result of the dangerous course of the country’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, said Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev.
Medvedev previously stated that Pashinyan had taken a course toward breaking relations with Russia.
“(He) made a major mistake in his coordinate system and is pursuing an extremely dangerous course for his country,” the deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council stated.
“Think about it: as a result of the actions of this very specific … man, the entire people of Armenia will lose, who will be deprived of the Russian market, the entire EAEU, and economic ties built over decades,” he added.
Medvedev said that Pashinyan’s course could lead to Yerevan having to buy Russian gas at European prices, which is three times more expensive than current tariffs. The deputy chairman of the Security Council suggested that the Armenian prime minister ask citizens if they are ready for such a price.
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They confiscated the phone of the President of Artsakh. lawyer
May 24, 2026
They seized the phone of the President of Artsakh. According to the General Directorate of Military Investigation, the interest is the events related to the gas station explosion on September 24, 2023, while the phone is of 2025 production. lawyer Roman Yeritsyan wrote.
“The former military commissar of Artsakh (1999-2011), former head of the combat training department of the Defense Army (1993-1998), member of the military council of the RA Ministry of Defense, former minister of environmental protection of Artsakh (2018-2023), head of the Artsakh CPA service sent a notice to vacate the 60 square meter service apartment allocated in 2008. (2013-2018), advisor to the President of Artsakh, with the rank of colonel in the military service since 1998, deputy of the first convocation of the National Assembly of the Republic of Artsakh and a great contributor to the formation of the state, recipient of the “Combat Cross” medal of the first degree, who lost his brother and father in the first war, Felix Gabrielyan, on the grounds that “the apartment was allocated illegally”. The mentioned apartment is the only place of residence of Felix Gabrielyan and his family members in RA.
The process mentioned in the second point was also initiated against the former Minister of Defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mikael Arzumanyan, but by the decision of the administrative court, the administration aimed at eviction from the apartment was suspended, and the claim was later satisfied, considering the action of eviction from the apartment illegal. In addition to the mentioned ones, according to my information, hundreds of such processes have been initiated. The factual basis of the violation was not cited in the notice, the legal grounds speak of a completely different situation, and the notice consisting of only 3 sentences has dozens of spelling and factual errors.
On May 22, 2026, the verdict on the claim of the prosecutor’s office to expropriate the property of the representative office building belonging to the Republic of Artsakh, located at 17/2 Nairi Zaryan, Yerevan, but the verdict has not been published until today,” he wrote.
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Armenia says Turkey rail link open for trade in breakthrough for regional conn
Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said a long-shuttered railway route linking the South Caucasus to Turkey has opened for exports and imports, as part of the gradual normalisation of relations between the two neighbours.
Pashinyan announced on May 24 that the Akhalkalaki-Kars railway connection through Georgia and Turkey was now available for Armenian trade, potentially reshaping regional trade routes between Europe and Asia.
“I am pleased to announce that the Akhalkalaki-Kars railway, like the Azerbaijani railway, is now open for exports from Armenia and imports to Armenia. This is a major event in the economic life of our country. I thank my partners from Turkey and Georgia,” Pashinyan wrote on X.
The announcement is one of the clearest signs yet that decades of economic isolation between Armenia and Turkey may be easing after years of diplomatic contacts and infrastructure negotiations.
According to Pashinyan, Armenia can now connect by rail not only to Russia through Georgia and Azerbaijan, but also potentially to European markets via Turkey.
“Railway links are now also possible with the European Union through Georgia and Turkey,” he said.
He added that further openings were expected soon, including routes through Azerbaijan and its Nakhchivan exclave and eventually onward to Iran.
“The opening of rail links between Armenia and Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan, and then through Nakhchivan, Armenia and Iran is expected in the near future,” Pashinyan said. “We will witness these events in the near future as a result of the implementation of the TRIPP project.”
The Armenian government also plans to restore the Gyumri-Akhurik-Akyaka railway section toward Turkey’s Kars province and repair the Yeraskh rail junction near the Azerbaijani border.
“We also intend to begin restoration of the Gyumri-Akhurik-Akyaka railway section in the near future. Work has already begun on the Turkish side, and the railway will be reopened,” Pashinyan said.
He added that the reopening of regional railways would transform Armenia’s strategic position.
“That is, we will have rail service from the Persian Gulf all the way to the Black Sea — to the ports of Batumi, Poti, and Anaklia. This will significantly change the economic situation in Armenia,” he said.
Turkey-Armenia thaw
Armenia and Turkey have never established formal diplomatic relations since Armenia gained independence in 1991. Ankara closed the border in 1993 in support of Azerbaijan during the first Nagorno-Karabakh war, and ties remained frozen for decades.
Relations were burdened not only by the Karabakh conflict but also by Armenia’s campaign for international recognition of the 1915 mass killings of Armenians in Ottoman Turkey as genocide, a term Ankara rejects.
The relationship began to shift gradually after the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war and accelerated following Azerbaijan’s recapture of the enclave in 2023, which fundamentally altered regional geopolitics.
In late 2021, Armenia and Turkey appointed special envoys to pursue normalisation talks. Since then, the two sides have reopened direct air cargo links, increased diplomatic contacts and discussed reopening land borders.
In September 2024, Pashinyan and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met in New York and reaffirmed their commitment to normalising relations without preconditions.
Meetings between Armenian and Turkish officials intensified through 2025 and 2026, including discussions on reopening border crossings to third-country nationals, restoring rail infrastructure and expanding flight connections.
Earlier this month, Pashinyan announced the signing of a protocol with Turkey on the reconstruction of the historic Ani Bridge, symbolically linking the two countries across a frontier closed for more than three decades.
For Armenia, normalisation with Turkey could help reduce economic dependence on Russia and Georgia, its main traditional transit routes. For Turkey, the reopening of regional links could strengthen its role as a logistics hub connecting Europe with the South Caucasus and Central Asia.
Middle Corridor ambitions
The railway reopening also feeds into broader geopolitical ambitions surrounding the so-called Middle Corridor, or Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, a trade network linking China and Central Asia to Europe while bypassing Russia.
The corridor stretches roughly 4,000 kilometres across Central Asia, the Caspian Sea, the South Caucasus and Turkey before reaching Europe. Interest in the route has surged since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine disrupted traditional northern trade routes through Russian territory and prompted Western countries and companies to seek alternatives.
However, the Middle Corridor still handles only a fraction of the cargo volumes carried by the Russian route and faces major infrastructure bottlenecks, particularly in the South Caucasus.
At present, most east-west cargo travelling through the region must pass through Georgia because there has been no fully operational railway route linking Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkey.
The proposed Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP), backed by the United States, aims to change that by creating a multimodal transport corridor through Armenia connecting mainland Azerbaijan with Nakhchivan and onward to Turkey.
Following talks in Washington in January, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a framework for the project, which would integrate Armenia into the wider Trans-Caspian trade route. Pashinyan said the corridor would eventually connect Armenia with both Iran and Turkey through restored rail infrastructure.
“When the TRIPP project is implemented, we will have a railway through Meghri that will connect to Nakhichevan, from Nakhichevan to Yeraskh, from Yeraskh to Gyumri, from Gyumri to Akhurik, and from Akhurik to Turkey,” he said.
The Armenian government plans to create a TRIPP Development Company to manage the project under a long-term concession arrangement involving U.S. participation.
Supporters say the project could transform Armenia from a landlocked regional outpost into a transit hub linking Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia and the Persian Gulf.
Pashinyan embraced that vision directly. “In recent years, Armenia has transformed from the outskirts of the world into the centre of the world,” he said.
Yet major geopolitical risks remain. The proposed corridor would pass close to Iran’s border, raising concerns about regional instability and the potential vulnerability of infrastructure projects tied to Western-backed initiatives.
https://www.intellinews.com/armenia-says-turkey-rail-link-open-for-trade-in-breakthrough-for-regional-connectivity-444628/?source=armenia
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Inside Armenia: Where Ancient Monasteries And Daily Life Become One Living Fai
From cliffside monasteries and medieval centers of learning to roadside shrines, kitchens, and Easter traditions, Armenia reveals Christianity as a lived, ever-present rhythm woven into everyday life
There are countries where religion is practised, and then there is Armenia, where it is lived. Here, Christianity does not simply reside within church walls; it spills into valleys, clings to cliff faces, and echoes through the cadence of daily life. To travel across Armenia, like I did a few years ago, is to trace the outline of one of the world’s oldest Christian civilisations, where faith and nationhood are inseparable threads.
The story begins, as many Armenian journeys do, at Khor Virap. Perched on a rise in the Ararat plain, with Mount Ararat looming like a painted backdrop, this monastery carries the weight of origin. It was here, tradition holds, that Gregory the Illuminator was imprisoned for years by King Tiridates III. His eventual release and the king’s conversion in 301 AD marked Armenia as the first nation to adopt Christianity as a state religion. It is a claim Armenians carry not as boast, but as inheritance.
From that moment, faith began to shape the Armenian landscape in stone. Monasteries rose not in cities, but in places that demanded effort—on ridges, beside gorges, carved into mountains. They were not merely places of worship; they were centres of learning, art and resistance.
Monasteries in stone
Further north lies Haghpat and Sanahin, monastic complexes that once functioned as medieval universities. Scholars studied theology, philosophy and science within their walls, copying manuscripts that preserved Armenian identity through centuries of upheaval. Even today, the wind that moves through their courtyards seems to carry fragments of chant.
Then there is the Tatev Monastery, reached by a sweeping cable car ride over the Vorotan Gorge. The journey itself feels ceremonial, as though preparing the visitor for arrival. Once there, the monastery opens out into silence and sky, its stone walls blending into the surrounding cliffs. It is easy to understand why such places were chosen—not for isolation alone, but for proximity to the divine.
Faith in everyday life
Yet Christianity in Armenia is not confined to these grand monuments. It is embedded in smaller, more intimate expressions. Khachkars, intricately carved cross-stones, appear across the country—by roadsides, in fields, beside homes. Each one is unique, its patterns telling stories of faith, loss or gratitude. They are markers of both devotion and artistry.
In Yerevan, the capital, the presence of Christianity is less overt but no less constant. Churches stand between Soviet-era buildings and modern cafés, their bells punctuating the hum of urban life. On Sundays, families gather not out of obligation, but out of habit shaped over generations. Candles are lit with quiet intention; prayers are murmured rather than proclaimed.
Faith also finds _expression_ at the table. Armenian cuisine, though shaped by geography and history, carries traces of religious tradition. Dishes such as ghapama, a festive baked pumpkin filled with rice and fruit, are closely tied to celebrations like Christmas. Lavash, the thin flatbread baked in a tonir (much like a tandoor), holds cultural as well as spiritual significance. Bread, here, is not merely sustenance; it is symbolic.
Even language bears the imprint of belief. The Armenian alphabet, created in the early fifth century by Mesrop Mashtots, was devised in part to translate religious texts, ensuring that scripture could be read and understood by the people. In doing so, it anchored Christianity firmly within Armenian identity.
Enduring spirit
What was perhaps most striking to me was how seamlessly the sacred and the everyday coexist. A roadside chapel where a driver pauses to cross himself. A grandmother teaching a child how to light a candle. A wedding procession spilling out of a church, laughter mingling with ritual. These are not staged moments; they are lived ones.
Armenia’s history has not been without hardship. Empires have come and gone, borders have shifted, and the nation has endured profound loss. Through it all, Christianity has remained a constant—a source of continuity and resilience. Monasteries that once served as sanctuaries still stand, their stones bearing witness to centuries of faith.
To visit Armenia around Easter is to see this connection in its most vivid form. Churches fill with song, candles multiply in flickering clusters, and the air carries a sense of renewal that feels both spiritual and seasonal. It is not a spectacle designed for visitors, but a deeply rooted observance that invites quiet participation.
I soon realised that Armenia does not present Christianity as doctrine, but as landscape and life intertwined. It is there in the mountains, in the meals, in the measured rhythm of days. And for the traveller, it offers something rare—the chance to encounter a faith not as abstraction, but as a living presence woven into the fabric of a nation.
(The writer is a food and travel columnist and editor)
https://www.freepressjournal.in/lifestyle/inside-armenia-where-ancient-monasteries-and-daily-life-become-one-living-faith
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Russia bans sales of brandy and wines produced by three Armenian companies
Russia’s consumer protection watchdog has suspended the sale of alcoholic beverages produced by three Armenian companies.
In a statement, Rospotrebnadzor said the restrictions apply to brandy and wine products manufactured by Vedi-Alco, Abovyan Brandy Factory and Shahnazaryan Wine-Brandy House.
The ban specifically covers Getap Vernashen semi-sweet red wine, dry white wine produced by Vedi-Alco, and a five-star brandy made by Shahnazaryan Wine-Brandy House.
The agency claimed that the products manufactured by the listed companies do not comply with mandatory requirements.
Earlier, Rospotrebnadzor also banned the import and sale of Armenian Jermuk mineral water in Russia, while Rosselkhoznadzor had previously imposed restrictions on flower imports from Armenia.
Published by Armenpress, original at
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The RA authorities kept certain concessions for the post-election period
May 23, 2026
Questions about the reasons for the defeat in the 44-day war of 2020 have not yet been fully answered. In the pre-election period, this topic is mentioned from time to time. naturally, different reasons are mentioned from the government and opposition circles, but they are mainly political assessments.
Meanwhile, there are questions, episodes that are a military assessment require Shouldn’t a military assessment be given: how much of the defeat of the 44-day war is due to the problem of weapons and ammunition, how much is the fault of Azerbaijan, how much is the fault of personnel appointments, etc.? In other words, it is necessary to understand how much is the fault of the political leadership, the share of the political factor, how much of the military leadership, command and military factors.
On these and other issues 168.amhas talked With Tigran Abrahamyan, secretary of the NA “I have the honor” faction.
– Yes, from a military point of view, a detailed study of the topic and drawing appropriate conclusions after that can provide an opportunity to ensure the restoration of the armed forces and start the development process. The military component and the factors in your question seem to have been pushed to the background, because the political factor, in terms of responsibility and the Armenia-Azerbaijan negotiation process, has always been manipulated by the government, and the government tried to fill the entire field with these speculations.
In reality, those figures who will not have a military assessment of the situation during the period of subsequent governments, will not have a clear analysis of what happened, did the statutes work or not, how effective were the orders, what were the problems related to weapons, their losses, etc., naturally, it will not be possible to make any rational assessment. And only those people think about the military component, for whom the problem is not to take power at any cost, but to restore the RA military component and carry out the process of modernization in the army.
– In the pre-election period, talks about the return of “enclave” villages, getting Artsvashen back, did Aliyev need this now, and this readiness of the Armenian side what risks will it lead to?
– During the period following the 44-day war, various government figures came forward and announced that there are 8 villages that are allegedly Azerbaijani, and they should be handed over to Azerbaijan at some stage. Moreover, in the context of the demarcation and demarcation process, I want to remind you that before the adoption of the delimitation charter and landmarks, 4 villages were already handed over to Azerbaijan in 2024.
It is obvious that the RA authorities have reserved certain concessions for the post-election period, because talking about it in advance will cause a voting problem for them, and due to this, Pashinyan made a vague statement on that topic a few days ago. The main principle of this government is as follows: they are ready to make concessions to the end, as long as their power is not shaken in any way and there are no unresolved issues with Azerbaijan.
– By the way, the former Minister of Defense of the Republic of Armenia Vagharshak Harutyunyan, who submitted an application for participation in the elections and ambitions to become the Prime Minister, stated that 11 km of the 21 km Goris-Davit Bek road actually passed through the territory of Azerbaijan. Moreover, at the beginning he stated that it derives from the document of November 9. Moreover, during this period, he even tried to consider the issue of adjusting the Armenian-Azerbaijani borders in the logic of the tripartite statement of November 9, 2020.
– As for Vagharshak Harutyunyan’s statements, I consider handing over that road without the delimitation process illegal, and Vagharshak Harutyunyan is one of the people responsible for it. he not only has to talk about that process, but also has to give an answer. I think that after the change of government in RA, not only Vagharshak Harutyunyan, but also many others who were in the current government team, will have to answer for various situations and episodes, many before the courts.
– How do you imagine the future of TRIPP today, in the future?
– The US-Israeli attacks against Iran have created a very fragile situation around the “Trump Way” project, and a lot depends on whether the deal between Iran and the US will take place or not, and what arrangements it will entail. And I think that also due to this, the situation around TRIPP has been somewhat pushed to the background, because everyone understands that a lot depends on the events taking place in our region, and the actions against Iran have made the implementation of that process much more “subtle”.
– When was the last time you were in combat positions? Did you visit often? And recently you seem to have been in Meghri, what are the moods there?
– The Ministry of Defense has created obstacles in terms of going to the front line and getting answers to questions related to the armed forces in the military unit, in general, getting to know the nature of the service.
This also applies to professional and journalistic circles that do not represent the government or have no association with them. The priority for this military-political leadership is the visits of their propagandists, which enables them to provide “positive” news related to the army in the information field. The authority has also shown that the armed forces, the processes taking place there or some of them are particularly interesting for pre-election propaganda purposes.
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Armenpress: Eight political forces sign inclusive policy commitment ahead of A
A meeting involving political forces nominated for Armenia’s parliamentary elections, civil society organisations and persons with disabilities was held in Yerevan on May 22, resulting in the signing of a commitment document on inclusive policies.
The event was organised by the Agate Rights Defense Center for Women with Disabilities NGO with the aim of promoting the inclusion of the rights of persons with disabilities in political agendas and election programmes.
According to the Agate Rights Defense Center for Women with Disabilities, Armenia currently has 153,129 registered persons with disabilities, the majority of whom have the right to vote. However, their issues are scarcely reflected in the programmes of political forces participating in the parliamentary elections. Ensuring inclusiveness in political processes is viewed as one of the key prerequisites for democracy.
Ahead of the meeting, the Agate NGO identified urgent issues requiring solutions for persons with disabilities and developed a package of recommendations, which was joined by 26 civil society organisations, international partners and individuals, underlining the need for joint efforts. The package was sent to all political forces participating in the parliamentary elections.
During the event, the main provisions and priorities of the commitment document were presented, covering inclusive education, the healthcare system, issues related to the recognition of incapacity, employment and the prevention of violence, particularly among women with intellectual disabilities and forcibly displaced women with disabilities. Political forces participating in the elections were also given the opportunity to present the provisions in their election programmes concerning solutions to issues faced by persons with disabilities.
Karine Grigoryan, founder and president of the Agate Rights Defense Center for Women with Disabilities NGO, expressed concern that the problems and needs of Armenia’s largest minority group are barely reflected in the agendas of political forces.
“Very often, persons with disabilities, especially those with mental health issues, are targeted by political forces, and their social vulnerability is also exploited for political purposes. Our goal is for voters with disabilities to be able to exercise their electoral rights, for their voices to be heard, and for programmes and decisions concerning them to be developed in consultation with persons with disabilities so that the decisions are targeted and substantive. We hope that after this meeting, parties and alliances will draw conclusions and change their approaches, while we, as organisations led by persons with disabilities, will remain more vigilant and continue our work to ensure that persons with disabilities do not become victims of disinformation and make informed choices,” Karine Grigoryan said.
The initiative was joined by the Civil Contract party, the Reformists Party, the Armenian Meritocratic Party, the Wings of Unity Party, the National Democratic Pole Alliance, the Armenian National Congress, the Democracy, Law and Order Party and the Bright Armenia Party.
Armenia’s next parliamentary elections will be held on June 7. The election campaign officially began on May 8 and will continue until June 5. A total of 19 political forces – including two alliances and 17 parties – have been nominated to participate in the elections.
Published by Armenpress, original at
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Majority of respondents say Armenia is on the right path, new IRI poll shows
Most participants in a new survey conducted by the International Republican Institute believe Armenia is moving in the right direction.
Asked whether Armenia is heading in the right or wrong direction, 61% of respondents said the country is moving in the right direction, while 28% said it is on the wrong path. Another 11% said they did not know or declined to answer the question.
The institute also presented the survey results by age group.
Among respondents aged 18 to 35, 54% said Armenia is moving in the right direction, 33% said the country is on the wrong path, while 13% either declined to answer or said they did not know.
Among those aged 36 to 55, 62% expressed the view that Armenia is heading in the right direction, 26% said the opposite, and 12% declined to answer or said they did not know.
In the 56 and older age group, 67% said Armenia is moving in the right direction, while 24% believed the country is on the wrong path. Another 9% said they did not know or refused to answer.
The International Republican Institute also asked respondents the same question in the context of the policies proposed by political forces participating in Armenia’s upcoming parliamentary elections.
According to the survey, 95% of respondents said the ruling Civil Contract party is moving in the right direction, while 2% said it is heading in the wrong direction. Another 3% said they did not know or declined to answer.
Only 9% of respondents said the Strong Armenia Alliance is moving in the right direction, while 83% said the alliance is heading in the wrong direction. Another 8% said they did not know or refused to answer.
As for the Armenia Alliance, 14% of respondents expressed a positive view, while 86% said the alliance is moving in the wrong direction.
Published by Armenpress, original at
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Strong Armenia candidate rejects ‘zero-point’ foreign policy reset, criticizes
Gohar Meloyan, a lawyer and parliamentary candidate of the Strong Armenia party, said her team would reject any attempt to restart Armenia’s foreign policy from a “zero point,” arguing that similar approaches had already led to devastating consequences for Armenia and Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh).
“We are not going to start from a zero point,” Meloyan said in an interview with CivilNet on Friday. “We have already witnessed the tragic consequences such an approach brought upon our state, nation, the Republic of Artsakh and Armenian statehood as a whole.”
Meloyan sharply criticized the current Armenian leadership, accusing it of failing to uphold the overwhelming majority of its political commitments while abandoning the very principles that brought it to power in 2018.
“We saw a government that returned to the electorate warning that if it was not re-elected, Artsakh would cease to exist,” she said. “The public entrusted them with its mandate, and today Artsakh no longer exists.”
She further accused Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s administration of political hypocrisy over the issue of extended tenure in office.
“The same political team that once denounced the prospect of a third term in power and built an entire revolution around opposing it is now aspiring to a third term itself,” Meloyan said. “This government has failed to fulfill roughly 80 to 90 percent of the promises outlined in its program.”
Addressing questions about TRIPP (the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity), Meloyan said the initiative could present opportunities for Armenia, but stressed that any engagement must remain firmly grounded in national interests.
“TRIPP may offer certain opportunities,” she said. “But any opportunity that emerges must be carefully balanced and evaluated through the prism of Armenia’s national interests.”
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