17:19, 8 February 2024
YEREVAN, 8 FEBUARY, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 8 February, USD exchange rate up by 0.21 drams to 404.47 drams. EUR exchange rate up by 0.54 drams to 435.65 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate stood at 4.43 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 0.02 drams to 510.44 drams.
The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.
Gold price up by 154.16 drams to 26548.99 drams. Silver price down by 0.04 drams to 289.86 drams.
20:07, 8 February 2024
At the outset of the event, the ceremony for raising the flag of the Republic of Armenia was held at the International Criminal Court. Following this, speeches were delivered by the President of the International Criminal Court, Piotr Hofmański, and the President of the Assembly of States Parties to the ICC, Päivi Kaukoranta.
Also within the framework of the ceremony, ICC President Piotr Hofmanski handed a copy of the special edition of the Rome Statute to the Foreign Minister Mirzoyan.
The ceremony was attended also by the Prosecutor General of the ICC, a number of representatives of the diplomatic corps accredited in The Hague, from about 60 diplomatic representations, the President of the Association of Journalists, as well as some other guests.
According to the source, Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ararat Mirzoyan delivered a speech, which reads as follows:
"Honourable President of the Court,
Madame President of the Assembly,
Excellencies,
Prosecutor,
Registrar,
Judges and Deputy Prosecutors,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
In 1998, the international community made a historic decision to put an end to the most serious international crimes by adopting the Rome Statute. In 2023, Armenia ratified the Rome Statute with a sincere belief in its high power to eliminate the most serious crimes and end the impunity. On the 1st of February, the Rome Statute entered into force for Armenia. A fundamentally important occasion that brings us here today. I am grateful to each of you for sharing this special day with us.
The Nuremberg Tribunal stated at its time “crimes against international law are committed by men, not abstract entities, and only by punishing individuals who commit such crimes can the provisions of international law be enforced”. As we embark on this journey, let us embrace the responsibility that comes with ensuring that no one is above the law. Today, the International Criminal Court stands as a bastion against the horrors of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression. In this regard, Armenia’s consistent cooperative approach to the ICC is based on the following major objectives: 1) preventing the most serious crimes which are of concern to the international community as a whole, 2) strengthening the rule of law in the international community, 3) achieving more universality of the ICC.
Armenia believes that it is extremely important to establish an international judicial system which ensures punishment for persons who have committed genocide and other serious crimes. For decades, Armenia has been an initiator and pioneer in the processes of prevention and condemnation of the crime of genocide, both within the framework of the United Nations and other international organizations and forums long before acceding to the International Criminal Court.
ICC’s role in crime prevention and ensuring fair and impartial justice process for peaceful resolution of conflicts is significant. Unfortunately, in our region, we were confronted not only by complete unwillingness to resolve the issue by peaceful means but also with a clear intent to proliferate war, hatred and terror. Continued aggressions against the Republic of Armenia and occupation of our sovereign territories, heinous atrocity crimes perpetrated against Armenians, ethnic cleansing of Nagorno Karabakh, as a result of which over 100.000 Armenians had to escape their homes to find shelter in Armenia, had devastating humanitarian consequences and continue to pose imminent risks for our region. In this context, we are convinced that the Rome Statute among other mechanisms has real potential to prevent any further escalation and atrocities, becoming a milestone towards stability and sustainable peace in our region.
Ladies and gentlemen,
We highlight the Court’s important role for delivering justice to victims of unimaginable atrocities, giving them a voice by enabling them to participate in its proceedings, providing assistance and awarding reparations. There is no doubt that the Rome Statute and the ICC, in the quest for accountability, have contributed greatly to the effective functioning of the international criminal justice system.
Today, let us celebrate not only Armenia's commitment but also the shared vision of a world where justice prevails, and the dignity of every individual is protected. As a new State Party to the Rome Statute Armenia will be an active member of the Court and will significantly contribute to the works of the Assembly of the States Parties. Together, we move forward in solidarity, bound by the ideals of the Rome Statute, as we strive for a future defined by fairness and the rule of law.
Thank you!"
The Battle of Avarayr, Sharaknots, 1482, Artist: Karapet Berkretsi (Wikimedia Commons)
May 26, 451 A.D., is one of the most glorious dates in the history of the Armenian people. It is the date of the Battle of Avarayr, which took place in the Plain of Shavarshan (modern Maku, in the northwestern corner of Iran) along the banks of Dghmud (a tributary of the River Arax), when 1,036 Armenian soldiers, together with their commander Vartan Mamigonian, died in defense of their faith and freedom. The battle involved 66,000 Armenian soldiers against the 300,000-member Persian army and was a military disaster for the Armenian nation. Armenians lost militarily, and their hero, Vartan the Brave, was killed.
The battle was lost, but not the war! Over the next 33 years, brave and bold Armenian souls took refuge in the hills, as they struggled to organize an effective defense of their homeland and secure the right to religious freedom and cultural and political autonomy.
Eventually, Vahan Mamigonian, the son of Vartan’s brother Hmayak, successfully led and won a guerrilla war against the Persians. Thereupon, the Persians signed a treaty with the Armenians in 484 – the famous Treaty of Nvarsak – whereby the Persian King Vagharsh granted Armenians religious freedom and cultural autonomy.
The fifth-century heroic struggle of the Armenian nation came to be called the Vartanantz War, in honor of the main hero, Vartan Mamigonian. During the Middle Ages, Armenia’s church fathers moved the observance of the Vartanantz War from May 26 to the Thursday preceding Lent. Vartan’s comrades – those who shared his profound faith in God and demonstrated loyalty to his cherished causes – came to be called Vartanank.
The crisis that developed and culminated in the armed confrontation known as the Vartanantz War began in the late 440s, when King Yazdegerd II of Persia (438-457), a fanatical Zoroastrian monarch, ordered all the subjects of his empire to adhere to his faith. The majority of the Armenian people were directly affected by Yazdegerd’s royal edict, since a large section of Armenia was under Persian control after the unfortunate partition of Armenia by the Byzantine and Persian empires in 387 A.D.
I believe we can honor these heroes if we live by the principles, values and causes for which they died. We can honor them if we hear their message, take it to heart and apply it to our lives.
The official reply of the Armenian people to Yazdegerd’s edict was formulated in a general assembly held in Artashat in 449 – an assembly attended by the political and religious leadership of the country.
Not only did the elite of the Armenian nation refuse to renounce their Christian faith, but also proclaimed their loyalty to Christ to the death. They concluded their reply: “From this belief (Christianity) no one can move us; neither fire, nor sword, nor water, nor any other horrid tortures…”
Thereafter, the Persian Empire embarked on an armed invasion of Armenia, and the Armenian army, under the leadership of General Vartan Mamigonian, engaged in a war of self-defense – the War of Vartanantz.
Although the Armenians suffered a military defeat on the battlefield of Avarayr, their relentlessness eventually scored them a victory. Thus, the Vartanantz War became a pivotal point in Armenian history and a source of inspiration for the succeeding generations.
For centuries, Armenians have set aside the Feast of Vartanantz Day to honor their heroic ancestors and pay tribute to their memory. But how can we really do that today? We could, of course, speak of our noble ancestors in glowing terms, praising them and celebrating their accomplishments in song and speech. But frankly, I believe Vartanank would care very little for our testimonies and accolades. However, I believe we can honor these heroes if we live by the principles, values and causes for which they died. We can honor them if we hear their message, take it to heart and apply it to our lives. We can honor them if our faith, like theirs, can stand the test – if we can serve the cause of the King of kings, Jesus Christ.
Certainly we can cherish Vartan and Vartanank, but the faith of our fathers cannot serve us and save us. The vital faith that accomplishes and sustains always has to be a contemporary faith. If the sacrifice and contribution of Vartan and Vartanank are to have any significance for us, their Christian faith has to be reborn in our generation, and we have to come to grips with it in terms of our problems and challenges.
Finally, Vartan and Vartanank were the heroes who tolled the bell for freedom. They paid a high price for freedom. That freedom can be kept only with great vigilance. It can be lost overnight by a generation that exploits its privileges and renounces its responsibilities. Freedom is a spiritual quality that lives in the hearts and wills of those who are determined to keep it.
Honoring Vartan and Vartanank demands of us, in the words of the Apostle Paul, “Standing firm in our faith, being courageous and strong.” Keep ringing the bell of freedom and living by those ideals and causes for which our noble ancestors died.
The AHC committee ready to welcome everyone during registration
Celebrating its 25th anniversary, the eagerly awaited Armenian Heritage Cruise (AHC) set sail on January 14 from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, on the Celebrity Reflection.
A diverse group of Armenians hailing from various parts of the world embarked on the seven-day adventure. The journey took them to the stunning destinations of the Cayman Islands, Cozumel, Mexico and finally, the enchanting island of Bimini, Bahamas.
Once the sun set and the stars came out, AHC chairman Steve Mesrobian extended a warm welcome to the guests, expressing pleasure in seeing Armenians come together for the milestone trip. Committee members Margo Kaftajian and Maria Tavitian outlined the activities planned for the duration of the journey.
The entertainment kicked off with performances by Kevork Artinian and Hooshere, who sang the Armenian national anthem, followed by Harout Bedrossian, Antic and DJ Hye Class, creating an impressive lineup. Guests danced throughout the night, enjoying the festivities.
This year, AHC was honored to have on board the Prelate of Canada Archbishop Papken Charian, who conducted the morning services.
While at sea, guests either attended numerous cultural presentations or lounged poolside, soaking in the gorgeous tropical weather. They engaged in a variety of Armenian activities, took advantage of the ship’s amenities, or simply indulged in relaxation.
Emmy award nominee Ani Hovannisian served as one of the cultural speakers, presenting her film “The Hidden Map,” after which she engaged with guests in a question and answer session. Director of the ARF Archives George Aghjayan offered his cultural presentation on family roots and advancements in Armenian genealogy, which led to another vibrant discussion. Finally, longtime member Angele Manoogian provided a comprehensive review of the humanitarian work the Armenian Relief Society accomplished throughout the year.
AHC committee member Kaftajian provided guidance with dance floor techniques for guests requiring some help with the right steps. Meanwhile, tavloo and bellots tournaments took place while the ship was sailing.
Mid-week, the committee unveiled the Armenian Heritage Cruise events for next year. Mesrobian outlined the itinerary and dates for the 2025 cruise, followed by details about the 2025 resort trip to Cancun.
“We’re excited to introduce this extraordinary double event roster for AHC 2025,” remarked AHC committee member Mary Andonian. “Our goal has always been to cultivate a feeling of togetherness and pride among the Armenian community, and these two occasions will offer an ideal opportunity for us to unite, engage and forge enduring bonds.”
The week concluded with a delightful outdoor entertainment session featuring all the performers under the starlit sky, followed by a heartfelt farewell party.
Thursday, February 8, 2024
Pashinian Defends His Party Accused Of Shady Campaign Funding
• Shoghik Galstian
Armenia - Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian speaks at a congress of his Civil
Contract party, Yerevan, October 29, 2022.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian has said that his Civil Contract party operates
transparently in response to a report accusing it of receiving campaign
donations of “dubious origin” ahead of last September’s municipal elections in
Yerevan.
The party claimed to have raised 506.5 million drams ($1.25 million) for its
election campaign from about a thousand donors during a single event organized
in August.
In an extensive article published last week, the investigative publication
Infocom.am revealed that the bulk of that sum was generated by donations ranging
from 1 million to 2.5 million drams, the maximum amount of such contributions
allowed by Armenian law. It said that their nominal donors included presumably
non-rich people linked to senior government officials and businesspeople as well
as ordinary residents of Yerevan who could hardly afford such payments.
When contacted by Infocom reporters, many of those residents claimed to be
unaware of the hefty sums wired to Pashinian’s party on their behalf through a
commercial bank owned by Khachatur Sukiasian, a wealthy businessman and
pro-government lawmaker.
“Their living conditions make us think that they could hardly afford donating
2.5 million drams ($6,200) to the party,” Lucy Manvelian, the main author of the
article, told RFE/RL’s Armenian.
There are similar doubts even in the case of other, more affluent donors. They
include five former officials from the Armenian Ministry of Emergencies. The 2.5
million drams donated by each of them is a sum comparable to their annual
salaries.
Armen Pambukhchian, a senior Civil Contract figure, headed the ministry until
last July. He then managed the ruling party’s Yerevan election campaign.
Armenia - Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian greets supporters during an election
campaign rally in Yerevan, September 15, 2023.
Other such donors work for companies belonging to businessmen thought to be on
good terms with Armenia’s current leadership. Among them are eight senior
executives of Yeremian Projects, a company that owns dozens of restaurants as
well as several dairy farms. They too gave Civil Contract 2.5 million drams
each. The company told Infocom that it has nothing to do with those donations.
“Our sources told us that the company’s money, not the personal money of those
individuals, was donated,” said Manvelian.
Pashinian was asked about the alleged campaign finance irregularities during his
government’s question-and-answer session in the parliament on Wednesday. He
declined to explain the donations deemed suspicious by the investigative
journalists while denying any lack of financial transparency within his party.
“Did the investigative reporters obtain that from intelligence services?” the
premier said. “It’s a report based on information taken from the official
websites of Armenian state bodies. Can transparency be any different from that?”
In fact, none of the websites cited by Pashinian contains any information about
campaign donations to his party. Civil Contract for months refused to release
the list of its donors requested by journalists and civic groups. The ruling
party agreed to do so only after the Yerevan-based Center for the Freedom of
Information took it to court in December.
Russia Insists On Mediating Armenia-Azerbaijan Talks
RUSSIA -- Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin.
Russia has again urged Armenia to agree to resume Russian-mediated negotiations
with Azerbaijan and stop pinning its hopes on the West.
In televised remarks publicized on Thursday, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail
Galuzin insisted that there is “no alternative” to Russian mediation of
Armenian-Azerbaijan peace talks.
“It is under the auspices of Russia, at the initiative of President Vladimir
Putin that the foundations of the settlement between Armenia and Azerbaijan were
laid,” Galuzin told the Rossiya-24 TV channel.
“We hope that they will realize in Yerevan that the implementation of the
trilateral [Russian-Armenian-Azerbaijani] agreements, rather than efforts to
involve extra-regional powers, notably the U.S. and the European Union, is the
most reliable path to the Armenian-Azerbaijani normalization,” he said.
In recent months, Moscow has repeatedly offered to host high-level
Armenian-Azerbaijani talks in an effort to regain the initiative in the
negotiation process. The Russian Foreign Ministry rebuked the Armenian
leadership in December for ignoring these offers. It warned that Yerevan’s
current preference of Western mediation may spell more trouble for the Armenian
people.
The ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, said in late January Foreign Minister
Ararat Mirzoyan has again been invited to visit Moscow to discuss a potential
peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Mirzoyan has announced no plans for
such a visit or a trilateral meeting with his Russian and Azerbaijani
counterparts.
Yerevan hoped, at least until now, that an Armenian-Azerbaijani peace treaty
will be brokered by the U.S. and/or the EU.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev twice cancelled meetings with Prime Minister
Nikol Pashinian which the EU planned to host in October. Azerbaijan’s Foreign
Minister Jeyhun Bayramov similarly withdrew from a November meeting with
Mirzoyan in Washington. Baku accused the Western powers of pro-Armenian bias.
Galuzin reiterated Russian claims that the West’s main regional goal is to
“squeeze Russia out of the Armenian-Azerbaijani settlement, break up the
existing balance of forces in the South Caucasus and thus create another source
of instability near Russia’s borders.” He also said Moscow is “always ready to
provide a platform for Armenian-Azerbaijani negotiations on the peace treaty.”
Russian-Armenian relations have steadily deteriorated since the 2020 war in
Nagorno-Karabakh, with Yerevan accusing Moscow of not honoring security
commitments to its longtime regional ally. Azerbaijan’s recapture of Karabakh
last September only added to those tensions.
Armenian Minister Blasts ‘Disruptive’ Arrests
• Artak Khulian
Armenia - Economy Minister Vahan Kerobian attends a conference in Yerevan,
February 1, 2024.
Economy Minister Vahan Kerobian complained on Thursday about last week’s arrests
of several of his subordinates, saying that corruption charges brought against
them are baseless and disrupt the work of his ministry and other government
agencies.
Speaking during a weekly cabinet meeting in Yerevan, he accused law-enforcement
authorities of “punishing people who did not steal” any public funds.
One of Kerobian’s deputies, Ani Ispirian, and several other officials from the
Ministry of Economy were detained in two criminal investigations jointly
conducted by Armenia’s Investigative Committee and National Security Service
(NSS). Most of them, including Ispirian, were moved to house arrest or freed
pending investigation in the following days.
In of those criminal cases, a ministry official is accused of abusing his or her
position to help other individuals receive 238 million drams ($590,000) in state
agribusiness funding in violation of rules set by the ministry. The official was
not charged with bribery or embezzlement, a fact emphasized by Kerobian.
The minister said that law-enforcement authorities have “paralyzed the work of
the entire state system.”
“Our agricultural divisions are now wondering how they should continue working
in order to be sure that their honest work will not be punished in the end,” he
told Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian. “That is why I believe that we need to make
a cultural change and decide whether we allow people to make mistakes sometimes.
I am sure, though, that in this case it will turn out that no mistakes were
really made.”
Pashinian responded ambiguously to the unprecedented complaint: “Was money
stolen from the budget or not? … If so, then it’s a different matter. If not,
it’s the kind of mistake which you mentioned.”
Armenia - A fruit orchard in Aragatsotn province, 3Sep2014.
The government grant investigated by the authorities was allocated from a state
fund tasked with helping private entrepreneurs set up intensive fruit orchards
in Armenia. The government has provided about 100 billion drams ($248 million)
in such financial aid since 2018. It decided on Thursday to extend the scheme by
two more years despite the criminal case.
The other case stems from a procurement tender that was organized by the
Ministry of Economy and invalidated by a court last summer. Ministry officials
are accused of illegally disqualifying an information technology company,
Harmonia, to make sure that the tender is won by another, larger firm, Synergy
International Systems, which set a much higher price for its services.
The investigators also arrested last week Synergy’s founder Ashot Hovanesian and
two current and former employees, drawing condemnation from the Armenian Union
of Advanced Technology Enterprises (UATE). The tech association said that
“unfounded” detentions of “business representatives and other prominent persons”
are turning Armenia into a “risky country” for local and foreign tech
entrepreneurs.
On Tuesday, 64 lawmakers representing Pashinian’s Civil Contract party
petitioned prosecutors to release the three suspects from custody. One of the
suspects, Ani Gevorgian, is the sister-in-law of Alen Simonian, the Armenian
parliament speaker and a senior ruling party figure. She remained in custody as
of Thursday afternoon.
Some commentators claim that Pashinian personally sanctioned the young woman’s
arrest in a bid to boost his falling approval ratings by showing Armenians that
he is serious about combatting corruption. Pashinian allies have dismissed such
claims.
Reposted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
Copyright (c) 2024 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.
Washington, D.C. - The Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly) welcomed today's introduction of bipartisan legislation spearheaded by Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY), along with Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), and Rep. Gabe Amo (D-RI), for the Armenian Protection Act, which repeals the waiver authority to Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act.
Section 907 states that U.S. funds "may not be provided to the Government of Azerbaijan until the President determines and so reports to the Congress, that the Government of Azerbaijan is taking demonstrable steps to cease all blockades and other offensive uses of force against Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh." In the aftermath of September 11, a conditional waiver was added to exempt Azerbaijan from Section 907 if certain criteria were met and certified by the Administration.
The introduction of this Act comes as the Senate adopted by voice vote S.3000, also known as the Armenian Protection Act, led by Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) and Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL). Senator Peters, who traveled to Armenia in September of 2023, emphasized his support for the Armenian people during the Assembly's Fall 2023 Advocacy Summit, where he stated that he would encourage more of his colleagues in the Senate "to support the Armenian people" and for "repercussions" to take place against Azerbaijan's Aliyev regime.
"We applaud Rep. Lawler, along with his colleagues Reps. Pallone, Bilirakis, and Amo for this bipartisan measure," said Assembly Congressional Relations Director Mariam Khaloyan. "Azerbaijan should be sanctioned, not rewarded, for its genocidal policies against the Armenian people," Khaloyan added.
Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian issues. The Assembly is a non-partisan, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.
###
NR# 2024-03
18:26, 6 February 2024
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 6, ARMENPRESS. As part of the official visit of the President of the Republic of Armenia Vahagn Khachaturyan to Hungary, a memorandum on cooperation between the two countries in the fields of culture, education and science has been signed.
According to the press service of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of the Republic of Armenia, the memorandum was signed by the Armenian Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Artur Martirosyan and Hungarian State Secretary for Innovation and Higher Education Balázs Hankó.
According to the source, Hungarian President Katalin Novák also attended the memorandum signing ceremony.
According to the memorandum, the parties will cooperate within the framework of programs financed by the international organizations (UNESCO, OECD, Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe and the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC)) and the European Union to promote cultural, educational and research cooperation between Armenia and Hungary.
This includes implementing joint cultural, educational and research programs through the creation of new platforms for exchanging experiences.
Reporting by Nailia Bagirova in Baku; writing by Felix Light in Tbilisi; editing by Philippa Fletcher, Andrew Osborn and Gareth Jones
“The aim is to strengthen and give meaning to the relations between Hungary and Armenia,” said President Katalin Novák on Tuesday after her meeting with President Vahagn Khachaturyan of Armenia.
Diplomatic relations between Hungary and Armenia were resumed at the end of 2022, marking the second visit of an Armenian president to Hungary since the 1989 regime change, while President Khachaturyan made his first official visit to the capital.
The strengthening of bilateral relations covers various areas, including higher education, science, technology, and culture.
During a joint press conference, the two heads of state emphasized Hungary’s support for Armenia in strengthening European relations and visa liberalization, particularly as Armenia prepares to assume the presidency of the Council of the European Union. Highlighting the common Christian heritage of the two nations,
through initiatives like the Hungary Helps Program, that has provided HUF 40 million (EUR 103.4k) in support to Armenian families. Additionally, she mentioned the ongoing support provided to the Armenian minority in Hungary, totaling HUF 2 billion (EUR 5.1M) between 2011 and 2023.
President Vahagn Khachaturyan described the visit as historic, expressing Armenia’s readiness to revitalize its relations with Hungary. He noted the historical ties between the two peoples, dating back to Soviet times. Regarding opportunities for cooperation,
emphasizing the importance of accurate assessments by business circles in both countries.
President Vahagn Khachaturyan also mentioned Armenia’s interest in joining a European Union power line project in the South Caucasus, seeking Hungary’s support due to its unique status within the EU. He emphasized Armenia’s ability to export agricultural products to Europe while being a member of the Eurasian Economic Union.
Both presidents agreed on the importance of peace, expressing their commitment to promoting peace talks and long-term stability in various conflict regions, including Ukraine and the Middle East.
drawing parallels with Armenia’s own experience in its long lasting conflict with Azerbaijan.
During the visit, the heads of states delivered speeches at the Department of Armenian Studies of Pázmány Péter Catholic University. As a highlight of the program, Mr. Rafik Srbuhi Gevorkyan, Rector of the Armenian State Pedagogical University, presented an honorary doctorate to Bálint Kovács, Head of the Department of Armenology at Pázmány Péter Catholic University.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's call for a new constitution is widely being seen as a move to bow to Azerbaijan's latest demands.
Among other reforms, he wants to remove a provision in the nation's main legal document that calls for the unification of Armenia with the Nagorno-Karabakh region.
Armenia and Azerbaijan fought two wars over Karabakh, in 1991-94 and in 2020. For 31 years the mainly Armenian-populated territory was governed by a de facto entity called the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR, also known by Armenians as the Artsakh Republic).
The NKR ceased to exist as of January 1, 2024, three months after a lightning Azerbaijani military offensive forced the region's entire Armenian population to flee.
Now, Pashinyan and his government say external threats necessitate a change in the constitution's preamble, which enshrines the text of the 1990 Declaration of Independence of the Republic of Armenia.
The former document affirms the December 1, 1989 declaration by the Supreme Council of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic that calls for unification of the Armenian SSR and Nagorno-Karabakh.
This apparent move to turn the page on Karabakh altogether and appease Azerbaijan has triggered heated debates in Armenian society.
Peace and legitimacy
The idea of rebooting the constitution altogether was first voiced by Prime Minister Pashinyan on January 18 during discussions on the Justice Ministry's activities during the last calendar year.
He gave two broad reasons. One, that the conduct of previous constitutional referendums was marred by fraud allegations, placing the entire document's legitimacy in doubt.
And two, that "new geopolitical and regional realities" require a new constitution in order to keep Armenia viable and competitive.
Regional politics have indeed changed radically since 2020, when Armenia suffered defeat in the Second Karabakh War. In that conflict Azerbaijan gained control of most of the territory that had been administered by the NKR for the previous 26 years, leaving behind a rump territory populated by Armenians and surrounded by Azerbaijani-controlled territory. Three years later, in September last year, Baku seized that, too, emptying Karabakh of its Armenian population.
Since then, Armenians have felt vulnerable to Azerbaijani attack given Baku's statements about cutting a corridor through the Republic of Armenia. So many saw in Pashinyan's statement a signal that he was ready to cave to Azerbaijani demands.
Then on January 31, the prime minister gave an interview to Armenian Public Radio in which he basically affirmed that was the case. He mooted holding a constitutional referendum since, as he put it, having the current constitution is like wearing red clothing while Armenia's hostile neighbors (Azerbaijan and Turkey) are bulls.
The current constitution's enshrinement of the Armenian SSR's 1989 declaration calling for union with Karabakh poses a threat to Armenia's security, Pashiniyan said, as it could provide a pretext for further Azerbaijani action.
"This means that we'll never have peace. Furthermore, it means that we will have war now… We are strengthening our army and everyone can see that we are spending major resources on reorganizing the army. That is to say, we are saying that we are strengthening our army and aim to implement the provisions of our declaration [union with Karabakh]. This means that our neighbors will ally to destroy us," the prime minister said in the radio interview.
Aliyev weighs in
The next day, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev stirred the pot by demanding that Armenia change the preamble to its constitution and other laws that according to Aliyev make claims on Azerbaijani territory.
"The Declaration of Independence of Armenia contains direct calls for the unification of Karabakh with Armenia, that is, the violation of the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. There are also references to this document in the Constitution of Armenia. … Peace can be achieved if we put an end to these claims, amend the Constitution of Armenia and other normative legal documents," Aliyev said.
One day later the Constitutional Reforms Council under the Armenian Justice Ministry announced the formal start of work on the reforms."
For the Armenian opposition, this was proof that Pashinyan's push for a new constitution was the result of pressure from Azerbaijan and its close ally Turkey.
Artur Khachatryan, an MP from the opposition Armenia faction, told Eurasianet that, while the Pashinyan government has been pursuing constitutional reform for several years, "Now the authorities are proposing a whole new constitution, and this is something else altogether. From what government representatives say, it is clear that they want to delete the provision about union with Artsakh and that this is a result of pressure from Azerbaijan and Turkey."
The authorities' push for a constitutional break with Nagorno-Karabakh is difficult for Armenian society to swallow, as the battle for Karabakh has been one of the main pillars of Armenian identity for the past three-plus decades.
One of the people voicing this sentiment was Garegin Khumaryan, the director of Armenian Public Radio, who published a scathing commentary several days after the prime minister's appearance on his outlet. The argument behind revamping the constitution, as well as the ruling party's proposal to replace the country's coat of arms and national anthem, boils down to, "Let us stop being Armenians so that they don't kill us," Khumaryan said.
Stalling for time?
Armenian political analyst Hakop Badalyan suspects that Pashinyan and his team's rhetoric around constitutional reform could be a maneuver to buy time until the U.S. presidential election in November.
"I think it's possible that there ultimately might not be any constitutional reform. Reforming the constitution is a lengthy process, and it could at least serve to maintain stability at the Armenian-Azerbaijani border during this year. In the meantime the international situation will become clearer, as the U.S. elections will take place and we'll find out how willing Washington will be to devote efforts to securing a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan," Badalyan told Eurasianet.
Meanwhile, some analysts say Pashinyan could face serious difficulties adopting the new constitution if it is ultimately put to a referendum. The current constitution stipulates that an act put to referendum is approved only if both: 1) more than half the votes are in favor, and 2) more than a quarter of eligible voters vote in favor.
The number of eligible voters in the 2021 snap presidential election was about 2.6 million. This means that a minimum of roughly 650,000 votes in favor are required.
This will be a heavy lift for Pashinyan and his team, according to Badalyan. The ruling party, Civil Contract, garnered about 688,000 votes in the 2021 poll, which was hotly contested and which saw a high degree of public engagement.
If it comes down to a referendum, the analyst added, the authorities will try to get people to vote in favor by sowing fear.
"They will try to convince the people to vote in favor as a new constitution is the key to peace with Azerbaijan while the opposite result could lead to war."