Author: Kanayan Tamar

Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže discussed the implementation of programmes in the economic and other sectors alongside the developing political dialogue between Armenia and Latvia, the Armenian Foreign Ministry said.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the “Yerevan Dialogue” forum.

The sides discussed agreements reached following the EPC and Armenia-EU summits, as well as efforts aimed at further advancing the Armenia-EU agenda.

The ministers also discussed cooperation on multilateral platforms and exchanged views on regional developments.

The Central Electoral Commission (CEC) said on Sunday that it registered 19 political forces that submitted applications to participate in the parliamentary elections scheduled for June 7.

According to the CEC, the decision was made during a session. 

The following political forces will take part in the elections:

Civil Contract Party; Prosperous Armenia Party; Meritocratic Party of Armenia; Against All Democratic Party; Strong Armenia Alliance (comprising the Strong Armenia Party, New Era Party, and United Armenians Party); Democratic Consolidation Party; Wings of Unity Party; Bright Armenia Party; National Democratic Pole Alliance; Armenia Alliance (comprising the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) and the Forward Party); Christian-Democratic Party of Armenia; Armenian National Congress Party; New Force Reformist Party; Republic Party; Alliance Progressive-Centrist Party; Reformists Party; Democracy, Law and Order Party; Kochari National Revival and National Awakening Party; and the Alliance of Defenders of the Republic’s Democracy.

Prime Minister of Belgium Bart De Wever has arrived in Armenia to participate in the European Political Community Summit.

The Belgian Prime Minister was welcomed at Zvartnots Airport by Speaker of Parliament Alen Simonyan.

The 8th Summit of the European Political Community will take place on May 4, 2026, under the motto “Building the Future: Unity and Stability in Europe.”

The FIFA U-20 World Cup 2029 will take place in Armenia and Georgia, the sport’s governing body announced on Wednesday, after the two countries filed a joint bid in 2024 to co-host the tournament.

“Armenia and Georgia set to host the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2029! This will be the first ever FIFA tournament to be held in either country,” FIFA said in a statement on X.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan hailed the decision as “important news.”

He said on social media that the matches in Armenia will take place in Yerevan, Vanadzor, and Ijevan. “We will soon actively begin preparing to properly host the tournament,” he said.

All necessary infrastructure is being upgraded.

“This is a very important event for all of us. I want to congratulate Georgia, and I want to congratulate all of us in Armenia—football players and fans alike—on this important event and decision,” Pashinyan added.

President of the Football Federation of Armenia (FFA) Armen Melikbekyan and his Georgian counterpart Levan Kobiashvili met with Gianni Infantino, President of FIFA.

According to the FFA readout, the presidents of the Football Federations of Armenia and Georgia noted that hosting the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2029 is “both a great honor and a significant responsibility.”

The heads of the two countries’ football governing bodies expressed their deep gratitude to the FIFA football family for the high level of trust shown toward Armenia and Georgia. During the meeting, the parties reaffirmed their full readiness to unite all their resources and efforts to organize a top-level football tournament. Armen Melikbekyan and Levan Kobiashvili emphasized that both countries are determined to turn the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2029 into a true football celebration, distinguished by high-quality organization and a unique atmosphere of hospitality.

FIFA confirmed on Wednesday that Armenia and Georgia will host the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2029.

The two countries submitted a joint bid in 2024 to co-host the tournament.

The Prime Minister of Canada, Mark Carney, will participate as a guest in the European Political Community summit to be held in Yerevan, Armenia, on May 4, the European Council said in a press release. This will be the first time a non-European country participates in the meeting.

The summit will be co-chaired by Nikol Pashinyan, Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, and António Costa, President of the European Council.

The meeting will take place ahead of the first-ever EU–Armenia bilateral summit.

Forty-eight heads of state and government have been invited to take part in this eighth meeting of the European Political Community.

Aside from host Armenia, the invited participants include the 27 EU member states, as well as Albania, Andorra, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Georgia, Iceland, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, San Marino, Serbia, Switzerland, Türkiye, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom.