Garo Vardanian – Page 51 – Armenian Directory & News

Far right groups imposing agendas on society in Armenia: Freedom House

February 3, 2020March 12, 2026 Garo Vardanian

PanArmenian, Armenia

Jan 30 2020

January 30, 2020 – 13:10 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Far-right movements in Armenia are skilled at imposing their agendas on society and shaping social and political discourse, Freedom House said in a new report.

There has been a significant increase in the visibility and legitimization of far-right activism in public and political discourse since the “velvet revolution” of 2018 in the country, the organization said in a brief describing the growth of far-right movements in Armenia, as well as Ukraine and Georgia.

Tens of thousands of Armenians took to the streets in April–May 2018 to demand the resignation of the then authorities and the formation of a new government and parliament. The then Prime Minister, Serzh Sargsyan, who had been at the helm of the country for 10 year, resigned, while Nikol Pashinyan who led the movement was ultimately elected the country’s new PM

At the head of the new movement is Adekvad, a Facebook group that registered as a political party in May 2019, the report says.

http://www.panarmenian.net/eng/news/277417/Far_right_groups_imposing_agendas_on_society_in_Armenia_Freedom_House

“The movement reflects typical antiliberal, antiglobalist ideology, calling for a return to “traditional” values and supporting aggression against minorities, such as LGBT+ people. …Adekvad’s young cofounder Artur Danielyan describes his movement as a means of legitimizing ultraconservative and antiglobalist discourse in the country, and considers European movements such as Alternative for Germany to be allies. Despite these professed European influences, however, Adekvad is also widely rumored to receive significant support from the Kremlin,” according to the NGO.

Armenia’s government has adopted a severe stance against Adekvad’s far-right activities early on, the think tank said. Pashinyan has criticized the group, publicly accusing it of being secretly affiliated with the former government and with Russia. Several days after Adekvad announced its intention to form a political party, Pashinyan characterized the movement as “men in black” who were “preparing to solve political issues through violence,” and called on law enforcement to “give a very strong counterblow.” Danielyan and several other members of Adekvad were subsequently detained for several hours by police, and Danielyan was arrested a second time two days later.

“These arbitrary detentions—perceived as having been ordered by Pashinyan—backfired. Instead of turning public opinion against Adekvad, the group received sympathy over what were widely regarded as unjustified arrests,” the brief says.

“While analysts generally acknowledge that Adekvad has no ability to claim political power in the near future, the movement is an increasingly influential presence within Armenia’s political discourse, particularly among youth and social media users.”

Macron, Aliyev discuss Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement issue

February 3, 2020March 12, 2026 Garo Vardanian

Aysor, Armenia

Jan 30 2020

President of France Emmanuel Macron discussed Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement issue with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev during their phone conversation.

“President of France phoned Ilham Aliyev on January 29. The parties discussed Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement issue. Azerbaijan’s president reiterated Baku’s official position,” Azerbaijan’s president’s press service reports.

Armenia considers temporary halt of visa waiver with China, evacuation of nationals from Hubei

February 3, 2020March 12, 2026 Garo Vardanian

14:11, 31 January, 2020

YEREVAN, JANUARY 31, ARMENPRESS. On January 31, the Armenian governmental Inter-Agency Commission for Coordinating the Preventive Actions of Coronavirus in Armenia held its first meeting chaired by Deputy PM Tigran Avinyan.

During the meeting Avinyan noted that the number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in China is reaching 10,000, and confirmed cases have already been recorded in other countries.

Healthcare Minister Arsen Torosyan briefed the officials on the measures being taken to prevent the import of the virus to Armenia. He said they are working together with the foreign ministry to acquire the test protocols and kits for coronavirus.

Deputy FM Avet Adonts noted that the Armenian Embassy in China is maintaining contact with nearly 600 Armenian nationals currently living in China. He said that Armenia is discussing with its partners the possibilities of voluntary evacuation of the Armenian citizens who are living in the province of Hubei, the epicenter of the outbreak.

The officials also discussed the appropriateness of temporarily suspending the visa-free regime with China.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

Azerbaijan violates ceasefire regime 200 times in a period of one week

February 2, 2020March 12, 2026 Garo Vardanian

11:44, 1 February, 2020

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 1, ARMENPRESS. The Azerbaijani troops violated the ceasefire regime nearly 200 times on Artsakh-Azerbaijan contact line in the period of January 26-February 1, during which over 1150 bullets were fired in the direction of Armenian border guards from different caliber weapons.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the Defense Ministry of Artsakh, the front line units of the Defense Army of Artsakh keep full control of the situation and continue to make necessary measures for protecting their military positions.

Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan

Asbarez: Worthy of Concern and Focus

January 27, 2020March 12, 2026 Garo Vardanian

January 24, 2020

Garen Yegparian

BY GAREN YEGPARIAN

Four items worthy of some attention have hit the Armenian scene since the new year began.

Let’s start with a positive topic. Catholicos AramI’s declaration of 2020 as “Year of Armenians with Special Needs” is a big deal to my mind. Attending to the needs of those who have some disability is not something we’ve been very good at. The only example I know of that consistently sees to this segment of our nation is Pyunik (Armenian for phoenix). It was established in the early 1990s as I recall, largely through the efforts of Sarkis Ghazarian. Today, there is also Homenetmen’s Hrashq, which has only been around for a couple of years so far. Let’s use this year as an impetus to make it a regular “habit” to address this set of needs, both in the Diaspora and homeland.

The next item is troublesome, and not of our own making, but still impacts us. It is the condition of our community in Lebanon. Given its historic and central role in the Diaspora, coupled with its proximity to our homeland (much like Syria) the maintenance of our that part of our nation is very important. Despite its much decreased size, the unique structure of Lebanese political system gives us an outsized role, which is well worth maintaining. The economy of the country has tanked and inevitably, unavoidably, also taken a huge toll on our compatriots and community structures. The Armenian Relief Society has embarked on a fundraising campaign to prop up their flagging fortunes. Give whatever you can. It’s tough given that there is always a call to support development efforts in the Republic of Armenia, but our national condition is one of dispersion requiring unusual efforts.

Then there’s the opera that has started looking more like a soap opera… No doubt you’ve read about how soprano Ruzan Mantashyan was invited to perform a duet with an American tenor in Dresden, Germany. The tenor was unable to make it, so Yusif Eyvazov, a tenor from Azerbaijan was asked to perform and accepted. When he learned who would be performing beside him, his hatred of Armenians kicked in (or perhaps official Baku twisted his arm) and he prevailed on the event organizers to un-invite Mantashyan. That’s when the furor began. Non-Armenians in the music world condemned the action, along with noted soprano Hasmik Papian. The organizers relented and re-invited Mantashyan. Please contact “The Semper Opera Ball” to laud the fact that they had the decency to correct their mistake. The same applies to those who spoke out against this injustice (go to the news items about this). In particular, Papian set a very good example. Many of us who achieve high status in our chosen fields of endeavor are skittish about speaking out on matters of importance to Armenians that crop up during our careers. That stunts our collective ability to get what is rightfully ours because our friends, neighbors, and even antagonists are left with the impression that we are too weak and/or intimidated to stand up for our rights. Let’s all follow in Papian’s footsteps.

Finally, there’s the 2020 U.S. Census. It is very important, for reasons already put out by the ANCA, that an accurate count of Armenians living in the country be reflected in the results. Despite the confidence of census experts, I am convinced that we have ALWAYS been undercounted. The counting has already begun in a remote, tiny village in Alaska. We will all be receiving census materials soon. Please encourage everyone you know to indicate they are Armenian. Even if they are ½ or ¼ or 1/8 or whatever, let them say it proudly (and why not, alongside their non-Armenian heritage). Our leverage will be boosted, and not just politically. We have major achievements to our credit in all spheres of life, yet countless fellow citizens haven’t a clue that we exist making our job that much more difficult when pursuing justice for our cause or just simple awareness of who we are. How many people have you heard asking “What’s Italian/Greek/French/German/Scottish…?” You get the idea, right? I’ve heard all kinds of reasons/rationales/excuses for not indicating that we are “Armenian”. None of them hold water. Tell the census you’re Armenian, make sure all the Armenians you know do the same, and if you’re active in one of our communities’ organizations, make sure it, too, urges/prods/goads/pleads/encourages its members to do right by the census.

Sports: Armenian wrestler beats Azerbaijani rival to win France tournament

January 21, 2020March 12, 2026 Garo Vardanian

Panorama, Armenia

Jan 20 2020

Sport 12:31 20/01/2020 Armenia

Armenian Greco-Roman wrestler Artur Aleksanyan (97 kg) defeated his Azerbaijani opponent in the final of Grand Prix de France Henri Deglane in the French town of Nice to win the champion’s title.

A four-time European, three-time world and Olympic champion, Aleksanyan beat Orkhan Nuriyev of Azerbaijan in the final bout, claiming four consecutive victories, the National Olympic Committee reported.

Meanwhile, two other Armenian wrestlers Rudik Mkrtchyan (55 kg) and Karapet Chalyan (77kg), took the second spot in their respective weight classes, whereas Gevorg Gharibyan (60 kg), Slavik Galstyan (67 kg), Malkhas Amoyan (72 kg) and Ruben Gharibyan (82 kg) finished third in the tournament.

MPs of Armenia and Artsakh issue statement on Baku massacres of Armenians

January 19, 2020March 12, 2026 Garo Vardanian

15:44,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 18, ARMENPRESS. The MPs of the Republic of Armenia and Artsakh issued a joint statement, condemning the massacres of Armenians in Azerbaijan’s capital Baku 30 years ago. ARMENPRESS reports the statement was unanimously adopted on January 18 at the end of the special sitting of the Inter-Parliamentary Committee on Cooperation between the Republic of Armenia and Artsakh in Yerevan.

“In the period of January 13-19 coordinated and mass murders of Armenian population took place in Baku with the awareness and permission of the authorities. Hundreds of Armenians fell victim to the ethnicity-based violence. The property of Armenians was looted and confiscated. Under the threat of imminent physical extermination over ¼ million of displaced Armenians found shelter in different countries in the status of refugees. The massacre of Armenians in Baku is the result of the large-scale racist discrimination against Armenians unleashed by the extremist forces of Caucasian Tatars and later the Azerbaijani leadership at the beginning of the 20^th century, which continues up till now, leading to a drastic drop of Armenian population in the areas under the Azerbaijani control, while at the end of the 1980s it obtained a new pace completely annihilating the Armenian population in Baku and other cities of the Azerbaijani SSR.

Recording that against the facts recorded by the international community and human rights organizations, the Azerbaijani leadership u till now denies its genocidal activities, distort realities and avoid being brought to account.

Emphasizing that the anti-Armenian policy continuing in Azerbaijan up till now and these and other crimes committed under that light, such as the massacres of Armenians in Sumgait in Kirovabad, the massacre of the Armenian population of the village Maragha that appeared under the Azerbaijani control, the military actions against the civilian population of Artsakh by the Azerbaijani troops during that aggression in April 2016 and the mistreatment against captive servicemen, the consistent destruction of the Armenian cultural heritage, as well as the forced migration of the Armenian population from the territories of Artsakh currently under Azerbaijani occupation, show that the Azerbaijani authorities have the intention to exterminate Armenians and all the traces of their existence in the territories under their control”, reads the statement, adding that the Armenia-Artsakh Inter-parliamentary Committee honors the memory of the victims of Baku massacres, demanding compensation for the losses suffered by the Armenian population. The Committee also condemns the ongoing state-led anti-Armenian policy in Azerbaijan, assessing any demonstration of xenophobia, extremism and terrorism as inadmissible.

The Committee notes in the statement that crimes against humanity have no statute of limitations, emphasizing that the condemnation of the past crimes is the one of the key measures to prevent new crimes. The Inter-Parliamentary Committee on Cooperation between the Republic of Armenia and Artsakh calls on parliaments, parliamentary assemblies, international organizations and human rights organizations to condemn the crimes against the Armenian population of Sumgait, Kirovabad (Ganja) and Baku by Azerbaijan, which pose danger not only to the Armenian people, but also to regional security, stability and development, as well as urges them to take practical measures for their prevention.

Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan

The Prime Minister discussed bilateral cooperation with the Deputy Prime Minister of Bulgaria

October 29, 2019March 12, 2026 Garo Vardanian

28.10.2019

Armenia:

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan today received Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria Ekaterina Zakharieva.

The Prime Minister noted that high-level meetings of a dynamic nature contribute to the development of political dialogue between the two countries and the realization of new opportunities for revitalizing economic ties. In this context, Nikol Pashinyan highlighted the importance of holding the session of the Armenian-Bulgarian intergovernmental commission in March this year and the business forum within its framework.

“Armenia attaches importance to the deepening of cooperation with Bulgaria both bilaterally and within the EU framework. The European Union is one of the most important partners of Armenia’s democratic reform agenda, and the strengthening of relations with Bulgaria, the exchange of experience with Eastern European countries follows from that logic,” the head of government said, expressing gratitude to Bulgaria for the rapid ratification of the RA-EU Comprehensive and Extended Partnership Agreement. Nikol Pashinyan emphasized the role of the Armenian community in Bulgaria in strengthening bilateral ties.

The Deputy Prime Minister of Bulgaria also noted that the high-level official contacts and discussions between the two countries, which have been quite active recently, testify to the mutual importance attached to Armenian-Bulgarian ties.

“Bulgaria supports Armenia’s democratic development agenda, the expansion of the RA-EU partnership and is ready to share its accumulated experience in the reform process. It is no coincidence that Bulgaria was one of the first EU countries to ratify the Armenia-EU Comprehensive and Extended Partnership Agreement,” Ekaterina Zakhariyeva noted.

The Prime Minister of Armenia and the Deputy Prime Minister of Bulgaria referred to the process of visa liberalization with the European Union, talked about the importance of democratic reforms, the fight against corruption, the judicial system, and the importance of exchanging experience in the process of structural reforms. The perspectives of initiatives of regional significance were also discussed.

The interlocutors discussed issues of development of trade and economic ties. In the context of recording a new level of economic cooperation, Nikol Pashinyan emphasized the launch of direct air communication, which will contribute to the activation of business contacts, tourist visits, as well as considered the projects in the fields of transport, information technology, infrastructure and other sectors as promising. Ekaterina Zakhariyeva agreed with the RA Prime Minister, noting that direct air communication will promote the development of mutual trade, investment, and tourism ties. An agreement was reached on these and the above-mentioned subject results about things to do.

The parties exchanged ideas on the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. The Prime Minister expressed gratitude for Bulgaria’s balanced position and emphasized that Armenia sees the settlement of the conflict through peaceful negotiations within the framework of the co-chairmanship of the OSCE Minsk Group. Ekaterina Zakhariyeva reaffirmed Bulgaria’s balanced position regarding the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and noted that Bulgaria supports the peace negotiation process under the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmanship mandate.

Sharmazanov on FM interview: He does not even mention that Artsakh is historic Armenian territory

October 27, 2019March 12, 2026 Garo Vardanian

News.am, Armenia

Oct 26 2019

Sharmazanov on FM interview: He does not even mention that Artsakh is historic Armenian territory Sharmazanov on FM interview: He does not even mention that Artsakh is historic Armenian territory

12:04, 26.10.2019

While the Armenian FM of the Pashinyan government does not even mention that Artsakh is a historic Armenian territory on BBC air, Ilham Aliyev once again said in Baku yesterday that Nagorno Karabakh is a historical Azerbaijani territory and the issue must be resolved within the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, spokesperson of the Republican Party of Armenia Eduard Sharmazanov wrote on his Facebook.

In order to have a historical territory, first of all, one must have a history of statehood, Sharmazanov noted reminding that Juventus Turin was founded 21 years earlier than the Azerbaijani state.

“International recognition of the Artsakh independence should have no alternative,” he added.

Armenia, Russia PMs meet in Moscow

October 27, 2019March 12, 2026 Garo Vardanian

Vestnik Kavkaza

Oct 26 2019