Category: News

Speaker of Parliament Ruben Rubinyan met with Belgian Ambassador to Armenia Eric De Muynck on October 13.

According to a readout from Parliament’s press service, the Speaker and the Ambassador discussed issues related to the development of Armenia–Belgium bilateral relations and the expansion of interparliamentary cooperation.

The two sides also discussed opportunities to deepen economic cooperation between the two countries. They also exchanged views on a number of regional issues.

The house arrest of suspended Gyumri Mayor Vardan Ghukasyan has been extended for another three months.

Ghukasyan was released from pretrial detention on July 17 after the court replaced it with house arrest and set bail at 15 million drams.

On October 13, the court granted the prosecutors’ motion to extend his house arrest.

Ghukasyan’s defense attorneys had asked the court to place him under administrative supervision instead, but the court decided to maintain his house arrest.

Ghukasyan is accused of receiving a large bribe. According to law enforcement authorities, several months after taking office, he demanded 4 million drams from businessman Sevak Gomtsyan to legalize an illegally constructed building.

Ghukasyan is also accused of abuse of official position and money laundering. That case relates to his previous term in office in the 2000s.

Proceedings are also underway to confiscate assets allegedly acquired illegally by Ghukasyan.

Recently, he was acquitted in a separate hooliganism case.

The city has been governed by an acting mayor since the criminal investigation began last year, when Ghukasyan’s powers were suspended.

Ghukasyan has denied wrongdoing.

Arman Dilanyan’s term as President (Chief Justice) of the Constitutional Court expired on October 12, 2026. He will continue to serve as a judge (Justice) of the Constitutional Court.

According to the law, the election of the Chief Justice must be held within ten days of the position becoming vacant.

Election procedure

Under Article 166(2) of the Constitution, the Constitutional Court elects its president from among its judges for a six-year term, without the right to re-election. The procedure is governed by Article 19 of the Constitutional Law on the Constitutional Court and the Court’s Rules of Procedure.

The election must be held within ten days of the position becoming vacant. Candidates may be nominated by a Constitutional Court judge or may nominate themselves.

The president is elected by secret ballot at a procedural session convened for that purpose. A candidate must receive two-thirds of the votes of all Constitutional Court judges to be elected. If only one candidate is nominated, a majority of the votes of all judges is sufficient.

If none of two or more candidates receives the required number of votes in the first round, a second round is held within five days between the two candidates who received the most votes. The candidate who receives a majority of the votes of all Constitutional Court judges in the second round is elected.

If the required number of votes is not secured, the election is declared unsuccessful, and a new election is organized.

The procedural session to elect the president of the Constitutional Court is scheduled for October 14, 2026, at 4:00 p.m.

The Armenian Defense Ministry reported on Tuesday that a servicemember had sustained a gunshot wound as a result of what it said was a violation of firearms handling safety rules.

“According to preliminary information, the servicemember was injured as a result of a violation of firearms handling rules. The servicemember’s life is not in danger,” Defense Ministry spokesperson Aram Torosyan said in a statement.

Other details weren’t immediately available.

Armenian Parliament Speaker Ruben Rubinyan received Indian Ambassador to Armenia T. Armstrong Changsan on October 13.

According to a readout from parliament’s press service, the meeting addressed the further development of relations between Armenia and India.

The sides discussed issues related to deepening interparliamentary cooperation, emphasizing the importance of strengthening parliamentary ties. They highly valued the progress made in recent years in developing Armenia–India relations across various sectors.

The two sides emphasized the importance of expanding cooperation based on the two countries’ mutual interests, as well as continuing to develop engagement in various areas.

A delegation led by Armenian Deputy Defense Minister Karen Brutyan, currently on a visit to Washington, attended the official opening ceremony of the annual exhibition and conference organized by the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) under the theme “America’s Army: The Foundation of the Joint Force.”

According to the Armenian Defense Ministry, the delegation also toured the exhibition booths.

The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 13 October, USD exchange rate down by 0.48 drams to 361.73 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 0.21 drams to 404.67 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate up by 0.0229 drams to 4.3226 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 0.16 drams to 479.04 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price down by 232 drams to 48519 drams. 

Armenia and Cyprus attach importance to strengthening interparliamentary ties and expanding bilateral cooperation, particularly in the economy, tourism and trade.

According to the Armenian National Assembly’s Public Relations and Communication Department, these issues were discussed at a meeting between Arusyak Manavazyan, leader of the Civil Contract faction and chair of the Interparliamentary Commission on Cooperation between Armenia’s National Assembly and Cyprus’s House of Representatives, and Cyprus’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Armenia, Michael Mavros.

The meeting was also attended by faction secretary and interparliamentary commission member Volodya Hakobyan, and commission member Tsovinar Vardanyan.

Both sides emphasised the importance of developing relations founded on the traditional friendship between Armenia and Cyprus. The opening of embassies in both countries was regarded as an important achievement and an additional impetus for deeper cooperation. They expressed satisfaction with the high level of relations established between the two countries in both bilateral and multilateral forums.

The department said the importance of increasing reciprocal visits was highlighted as part of efforts to advance the parliamentary agenda. The effective cooperation between Armenian and Cypriot parliamentarians in international forums was also emphasised.

Noting that Cyprus supported the expansion of the Armenia–EU partnership, the ambassador discussed details of the visa liberalisation process.

The participants also exchanged views on the regional security situation and the normalisation of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. They discussed expanding cooperation between Armenia and Cyprus, particularly in the economy, tourism and trade.

Armenia’s Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure, Davit Khudatyan, received the United Kingdom’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Armenia, Alexandra Cole.

According to the ministry, the meeting addressed prospects for developing Armenia–UK cooperation in local government, transport, aviation, energy and mining.

Khudatyan reaffirmed his readiness to expand practical and mutually beneficial cooperation with the United Kingdom to identify new opportunities in areas of mutual interest.

Both sides emphasised the importance of the successful operation of direct Yerevan–London flights. They also discussed establishing a legal framework for international road transport.

Armenia’s First Deputy Minister of Defence and Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Edvard Asryan, received a delegation led by the head of India’s College of Defence Management, Brigadier General Thakur Mayank Sinha, at the Defence Ministry’s administrative complex on 13 October.

According to the Armenian Defence Ministry, Asryan outlined the reforms being implemented as part of the transformation of Armenia’s armed forces and discussed defence cooperation between Armenia and India, including cooperation in military education.

At the end of the meeting, Lieutenant General Edvard Asryan answered questions from members of the delegation.