On April 8, Robert Kocharyan, the second president of Armenia and leader of the “Armenia” bloc, said Russia expects a rational and non-hostile policy from Armenia, emphasizing the need for predictable relations based on mutual respect and shared interests.
Speaking on the “Big Politics” podcast, Kocharyan argued that Russia is ready to reciprocate constructive engagement and recalled that during his presidency, there was no pressure from Moscow, with Armenia benefiting from low gas prices and strong economic ties. He criticized current Armenian authorities for signaling a potential exit from the Eurasian Economic Union, describing such rhetoric as disrespectful and warning that treating the bloc as a “reserve option” while pursuing Europe could damage relations.
Kocharyan stressed that leaving the EAEU would have severe consequences for Armenia, arguing that Russia would barely notice such a move, while Armenia could face economic collapse due to its heavy trade dependence. He noted that a significant portion of Armenia’s trade, remittances, and labor migration is tied to Russia, making a shift away economically risky.
He also highlighted infrastructure issues, suggesting that reopening a railway through Abkhazia could significantly boost Armenia’s economy by providing shorter and more reliable transport routes to Russia and Georgia. In contrast, he warned that routes through Azerbaijan could become political leverage in the future.
Turning to politics, Kocharyan accused Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan of attempting to shift blame for the outcome of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict onto Vladimir Putin. He argued that no major power, including France and the United States, ever denied Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity, while also supporting the principle of self-determination.
Kocharyan maintained that Russia played a decisive role in halting the war in 2020 and deploying peacekeepers, rejecting claims that Moscow abandoned Armenia. He further claimed that Pashinyan undermined the post-war framework by recognizing Nagorno-Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan, effectively transforming the issue into an internal matter for Baku.
Commenting on recent Armenia-Russia tensions, Kocharyan said a meeting between Putin and Pashinyan signaled that Moscow’s patience “is not infinite,” warning that continued geopolitical maneuvering could lead to consequences. He criticized what he described as inconsistent foreign policy, arguing that Armenia cannot afford to antagonize a major power while being economically dependent on it.
On foreign policy orientation, Kocharyan cautioned against positioning Armenia between Russia and Europe, noting that the European Union views Russia as an adversary. He suggested Armenia should maintain economic ties with Russia while benefiting from engagement with Europe, rather than choosing between them.
He also warned that Armenian exports to Europe remain minimal, while Russia continues to be the primary market, especially for agriculture and alcoholic beverages. In contrast, he argued that markets in Turkey and Azerbaijan would be highly competitive and potentially damaging for Armenian producers.
Finally, Kocharyan addressed domestic politics, arguing that anti-Russian rhetoric by Armenian authorities risks harming public sentiment toward Armenians in Russia, where a large diaspora contributes significantly through remittances. He concluded that Armenia’s current course risks both political isolation and economic instability, urging a more balanced and pragmatic foreign policy approach.
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Senior Armenian Lawmaker Once Again In Hot Water
- Gayane Saribekian
Andranik Kocharian, the controversial chairman of the Armenian parliament committee on defense, on Monday insulted another journalist and seemed to claim that his son exempt from compulsory military service is more intelligent that the country’s soldiers.
He snapped at the male journalist who asked him to explain why Levon Kocharian has not served in the Armenian armed forces unlike most of his peers.
“My son is a very talented boy,” he said. “If you had as much knowledge as he, you wouldn’t serve either.”
The remark was reminiscent of a scandalous statement made in January this year by another senior lawmaker representing Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s Civil Contract party. The lawmaker, Hripsime Hunanian, declared on the parliament floor that Armenian male students enrolled in foreign universities deserve to avoid military service because Armenia needs “not only soldiers but also smart heads.”
The statement provoked a storm of criticism on social media, with even some ruling party figures accusing Hunanian of denigrating Armenian soldiers. As a result, the former nurse resigned as chairwoman of the parliament committee on healthcare.
Kocharian’s remark was similarly condemned by Zhanna Aleksanian, a veteran human rights campaigner.
“Is Andranik Kocharian claiming that his son is more ‘talented’ that the boys drafted to the army?” Aleksanian told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service. “His son cannot be above any soldier. He just wants to emphasize their privileged status.”
Kocharian Jr. qualified for his exemption after receiving a postgraduate degree in 2020 only one year after completing his postgraduate studies during which he was eligible for military service deferment. The opposition-linked media outlet Yerevan.today reported at the time that the Armenian Defense Ministry extended the deferment in 2019 on highly suspicious health grounds.
Andranik Kocharian is notorious for frequent arguments with the press corps caused by his rude comments. In March 2025, he raged at a female reporter who approached him together with other parliamentary correspondents. The 64-year-old told the reporter, Hripsime Jebejian, to “clean your lips” when she demanded an explanation for his rude refusal to answer her questions.
Journalists as well as Armenia’s leading media associations expressed outrage at Kocharian’s behavior. As many as 161 journalists signed afterwards a petition demanding a parliamentary ethics inquiry into the senior lawmaker. The parliament’s pro-government majority rejected the demand backed by opposition deputies.
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Russia raises scrutiny on Armenian goods
The Russian state agricultural watchdog has announced heightened control over Armenian imports.
Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Supervision (Rosselkhoznadzor) Director Sergey Dankvert said in a Russian public broadcast interview that Armenia allegedly does not fully comply with Eurasian Economic Union requirements regarding simplified imports from non-EEU countries, specifically from the EU.
The official claimed that the volume and variety of goods supplied from Armenia raise doubts about their “actual origin.”
“For example, Armenia has increased its flower exports from 36 million to over 100 million pieces in three years. Similar growth is observed in many other products as well,” Dankvert said.
According to him, due to these circumstances, the Russian side has moved phytosanitary control closer to the border.
Dankvert also claimed that more than 900 quarantine detections have been recorded in Armenian goods, requiring additional disinfection measures.
Referring to animal-origin products, he alleged that in some cases the declared origin of the goods may not correspond to reality.
“As an example, we can mention butter, cheese, and trout. Trout from Armenia’s mountain rivers cannot be similar to Norwegian trout,” the Russian official said.
This article will be updated with responses from the relevant Armenian government agencies.
Published by Armenpress, original at
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2016 April four-day military operations. the last victory of our people
April 2, 2026
Artak Zakaryan writes on his Facebook page. “2016 April four-day military operations. the last victory of our people. For now.
Azerbaijan’s large-scale military aggression could not achieve its goals.
1994-2017 nationwide victories, dignified, peaceful and sovereign developments were not forgiven to our people, and from 2018, chains of defeats, humiliation, fear and dependence were wrapped around our country.
10 years ago, in these four days (April 2 to 5), the Armenian army stopped and pushed back the Azerbaijani invasions and invasion attempts, except for a small part of the southern border.
In those days, the Armenian people as a collective showed their best qualities. The Armenians of the world were filled with victorious moods and pride towards their own country.
2016 during those 4 days in April, we lost 75 Armenians: 61 servicemen (half of whom were officers), 12 militiamen, 2 reservists.
Incense and meditation in front of the memory of all Armenians who died for the nationwide struggle and victories.
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Armenpress: Armenia ranks among safest countries in Global Terrorism Index 202
Armenia continues to strengthen its position among the world’s safest countries, according to the latest Global Terrorism Index 2026 report.
With a score of 0.423, Armenia is ranked among countries with a “very low” impact of terrorism out of 163 states, improving its standing compared to the previous year, the Ministry of Internal Affairs said.
“This positive dynamics characterizes Armenia as a state protected from terrorist risks, with a high level of security,” the Ministry of Internal Affairs added.
The index is based on indicators including the number of incidents, casualties, injuries, material damage, hostage cases, as well as the effectiveness of law enforcement response and investigations.
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We will achieve our goal: to have a guaranteed peace, a prosperous Armenia
A few days ago, the inaugural session of the coordinating council of the “Offer to Armenia” project took place.
Authoritative persons of different generations, with respectable biographies, with serious public weight, gathered under one roof, where party affiliation did not matter.
This session was preceded by my many meetings with public, political, public figures, representatives of various circles, the result of which is the respectable and solid composition of the project coordinating board.
Understanding very well that now is the pre-election phase and the formation of pre-election lists is an inevitable process, I want to start this phase with a word of thanks and gratitude, because the vast majority of our colleagues accepted the principle that I published weeks ago, that the position is not important, the state is important, that the mandate is not important, but the result of the work.
I am simply amazed that until today no one I have met has raised the issue of a mandate or a place on the list.
This speaks about team and individual qualities, this speaks about the quality of the team.
This is the key to success, because we are forming a new quality of public cooperation, a new rule of the game.
Many people said from the beginning that they did not claim any list and any position, many said: as you see fit, because this is not a program of one election and one day, but a program of post-war reconstruction of Armenia.
We will cross the road together and we will certainly achieve our goal: to have a guaranteed peace and a prosperous Armenia.
Gagik Tsarukyan
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We are a dead “Gzogh” nation, we mourn for 5 days, then Tashii! DJ Smoke
March: 29, 2026
168TVof “The Rendezvous” the guest of the show DJ SMOKEis
“We are a nation of dead people, we mourn for 5 days, then we’re done!” says Smoke, talking about not appreciating and devaluing artists during their lifetime.
The DJ has a suggestion for those artists working in the industry who perform low-quality work and justify it with the phrase “we earn daily bread”.
“Come, I’ll give you 365,000 lei, money for daily bread, but don’t do this business. You guys are severing the brains of an entire generation for your pennies, don’t do it.”
In the course of the program, we also touched upon the award ceremonies held nowadays, the gaps in the field and the aspirations of the youth.
Մանրամասները՝ in the video.
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Agriculture as a factor of national security. “Offer to Armenia”
Agriculture not only feeds our people, but is one of the most important factors of our country’s national security. In today’s changeable and unpredictable world, no country can have a future without a stable, thoughtful agricultural strategy and developing agricultural production, this is presented on the “Offer to Armenia” Facebook page.
“The climatic conditions of Armenia allow to have and develop stable and multi-branch agriculture, and the state policy in this field should be one of our main priorities.
Gagik Tsarukyan
State policy in the field of agriculture of RA
1. Reopen the Ministry of Agriculture
2. To make the village not a source of survival, but a source of prosperous living and earning income. The work and activities of the peasant must be profitable.
3. To significantly improve the quality of rural life by enriching it with cultural, educational, health and other important components.
4. State investments are needed in the field of agriculture in order to reduce poverty and population outflow from villages.
5. RA agriculture requires a special state policy and cannot be considered as a normal branch of the market economy. It performs at least four important functions:
a. ensuring food security
b. employment regulation and poverty alleviation
c. balanced and sustainable development of territories
d. formation of raw material base for processing and export
6. It is necessary to develop complex development programs for all 10 regions of Armenia, taking into account the production and agricultural specialization formed since the Soviet years. At the same time, sectoral priorities for economic development should be defined, focusing on the creation of highly productive jobs, the introduction of high technologies and digital services, as well as the development of modern machine-tractor plants.
7. To create conditions in the regions for the farmer to sell the food profitably all year round, having secured markets and modern reception and procurement stations for agricultural products with packaging, refrigeration and storage infrastructures, ensuring reliable and efficient sales for the producer.
8. To create full conditions for increasing the efficiency of activities in rural communities, paying special attention to animal husbandry, the entire chain of milk and meat sales, the location of slaughterhouses and the quality of services provided.
9. The state should participate in large investment projects with a 25-30% share, ensuring the stable sale of goods and services in the first 5 years, and after the establishment of the business, sell its share to the entrepreneur.
10. It is necessary to radically transform the management system of water management, excluding middlemen, reducing the cost of irrigation water and strengthening trust between water suppliers and water users. In the next three years, the fee for irrigation water for 1 ha of land should be set at 1000 drams.
11. Over the years, the heavy credit burden has put thousands of citizens at risk of losing their property, especially in the case of consumer and agricultural loans, where interest, penalties and fines often exceed the principal amount. The state, together with the Central Bank, should establish phased regulations for the mitigation of penalties, the application of loan holidays and the restructuring of debts. The interest rate of agricultural loans should not exceed 2.5-3%.
The state should take an active part in the process of regulating agricultural relations in Armenia.
Key formulas.
– The state does not intervene where the market works, but it is obliged to intervene where the market works against food security and producer’s income.
– The goal of food security is the guaranteed minimum own production of basic products and resistance to external shocks.
– Agriculture is an element of national security, not just a market.
– The export of agricultural products does not start from the customs point, but from the field, the garden and the farm.
The efficiency of agriculture in Armenia is determined by the following main factors:
Irrigation. the foundation of the field
The focus should be on physical infrastructure, management and fair distribution, loss reduction, energy efficiency.
Subsidies and insurance
Subsidies and insurance are seen as an integrated risk management mechanism rather than as discrete measures.
Technics
The priority is access (leasing, service centers), not ownership.
Fertilizers and means of production
The task of the state is not to fix prices, but to ensure affordability, stability and predictability.
Product realization. the market as the center of politics
Domestic market
In equal conditions of quality and price, the priority is local products.
Export
Exporting is an outcome, not a goal.
Quality and certification
Not only EAEU, but also in order to enter the EU markets are necessary.
. modern laboratories
. certification centers”.
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I call on all Armenians not to be afraid. Samvel Karapetyan
March: 27, 2026
Our nation needs unity and hope. This was announced by Samvel Karapetyan.
“It is sad how someone temporarily standing at the head of the country sows fear and division in order to maintain power.
He will lose in June because people are tired of divisions and the atmosphere of fear.
I promise you that as Prime Minister, I will unite the country and make it strong with a strong economy and strong peace.
The promise is that with me, as the Prime Minister, the coming September and every month after that will be peaceful. We will do more. we will lower taxes for businesses, create new jobs for people and improve the quality of life. We will have stronger diplomacy and a stronger defense that will guarantee peace with deeds, not words.
As for achieving lasting peace:
1. The outgoing government of the country promised peace, but brought three wars in which it lost. Why should anyone trust them after so many failures?
2. The country’s outgoing leadership is dividing our nation and waging a war of words against its people. If they bring conflict within the country, why should anyone trust them to keep Armenia safe?
3. Armenia has a temporary peace today. It is temporary because it is a weak peace without several guarantors, with weak borders and weak defenses.
As Prime Minister, I will ensure a strong and lasting peace. That peace will be based on strong diplomacy, multiple security guarantors, a strong defense with strong borders and 10,000 drones, protected skies and a modernized, professionally equipped army.
A strong peace also depends on a strong economy, with new factories, 300,000 new jobs and new opportunities for business and agriculture. In today’s world, a strong economy strengthens diplomacy and defense.
The outgoing leadership of the country is trying to convince you that this is impossible and that the only way to peace is weakness and submission to the demands of our adversaries. They are trying to assure us that if we give up our Armenian symbols, our legitimate interests, then we will have peace. This is a big lie.
Our national hero Garegin Nzhdeh used to say: “To be a coward, to remain a coward, and at the same time to dream of an independent homeland, isn’t it funny?” Isn’t it funny to be a sheep and complain about the wolf? Become a sheep, do not be surprised by the coming of the wolf. Peace and independence belong to the brave, because the brave walk in the way of God.’ Armenians keep these words in their hearts. It is sad to see that the government acts contrary to these words of Garegin Nzhdeh. They lost the peace three times and still do not want to learn from their mistakes.
I call on all Armenians not to be afraid. Don’t let the same people who have already proven themselves incapable of defending Armenia threaten you with war again.
I promise you one thing. together we will build a lasting and strong peace with an open front,” he said.
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Government to showcase new military equipment in Yerevan in ‘report to citizen
The Armenian government will showcase the military equipment acquired over the past few years during a May 28 Republic Day event in central Yerevan, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced on Thursday.
Pashinyan had earlier said that his government was considering displaying the armaments acquired during its term.
Asked at a press briefing whether a final decision had been made, he said:
“Yes, we have a final decision. On May 28, Republic Day, an event will be held at Republic Square in Yerevan that will be less of a military parade and more of a report to the citizens of Armenia. I want to say that we have been working—and continue to work—on this issue with our international partners. A military parade is, in general, a very sensitive event and could create the impression of deviating from—or even abandoning—the peace agenda. We are working and will continue to work with our partners in the international community, including the countries of the region, so that they do not interpret it in any way as a rejection of the peace agenda,” the Prime Minister said.
He recalled that at one point, citizens were invited to register to see the purchased military equipment; however, so many people signed up that carrying it out is no longer realistic.
According to the Prime Minister, the participation of such a large number of citizens would also lead to the spread of “distorted” information about the military equipment.
“I believe that the display of this military equipment will be an impressive sight for the citizens of Armenia,” the Prime Minister concluded.
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