Category: News

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said Armenia is ready to address Iran’s concerns over the TRIPP project, stressing that the initiative is transparent and aimed at benefiting the entire region.

Speaking at a press briefing, Pashinyan said that Armenia is a modest and small country and cannot have ambitious intentions to act as a mediator between Iran and the United States, as he believes that seeking to become involved in resolving relations between major powers would not be appropriate.

Addressing Iranian concerns regarding the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) project, Pashinyan said that during his latest visit to Iran, as well as before that, he had clearly stated that the Armenian side operates in an open and transparent manner.

“We are ready to provide answers to all questions of concern so that all concerns are dispelled, because TRIPP is a major and very important economic and infrastructure project. It will only benefit the region, including Armenia and Iran. I would like to remind you that as a result of the implementation of this project, the Persian Gulf–Black Sea railway connection will also be opened through the territories of Iran, Azerbaijan, Nakhchivan, Armenia, and Georgia,” Pashinyan said. He said that this is one of the factors that refutes criticism that the implementation of the TRIPP project would exclude any country from the region.

“On the contrary, this is an inclusive project, and, of course, a factor that could hinder it is regional instability. I hope that stability will be established as soon as possible so that we can implement all constructive projects,” Pashinyan said.

The first session of the ninth convocation of Armenia’s National Assembly will open at 10:00 a.m. on August 2, marking the start of a series of constitutional procedures, including the resignation of the current government and the appointment of a new prime minister. Until the election of the Speaker of Parliament, the session will be chaired by the oldest newly elected MP, Knyaz Hasanov, who was born on January 17, 1945 and was elected from the Civil Contract party’s electoral list representing national minorities.

The new parliament will consist of 105 lawmakers representing three political forces. 

The ruling Civil Contract party will hold 64 seats, the Strong Armenia Alliance 29 seats, and the Armenia Alliance 12 seats. Having secured more than 52% of the parliamentary mandates, Civil Contract will form the governing majority in accordance with the Constitutional Law on the Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly, while the Strong Armenia and Armenia alliances will serve as the opposition. 

The inaugural session will begin with an address by President Vahagn Khachaturyan. 

Newly elected MPs will then take the constitutional oath, sign the oath text, and officially assume their mandates. After the oath ceremony, the presiding officer will announce the total number of MPs, introduce the members of parliament and the political forces they represent, after which lawmakers will register for the session. 

The agenda first предусматривает the formation of the Counting Commission, after which parliament will proceed to elect the Speaker of the National Assembly. Each parliamentary faction has the right to nominate a candidate. 

The Speaker is elected by secret ballot with the support of a majority of all MPs. In the 105-seat parliament, at least 53 votes are required. 

The Civil Contract party has nominated Ruben Rubinyan for Speaker. The party has also selected Hayk Konjoryan and Vahagn Aleksanyan as its candidates for the posts of deputy speaker. 

Parliament has three deputy speakers, one of whom must be nominated from among the opposition factions. 

Deputy speakers are also elected separately by secret ballot with at least 53 votes.

As of July 29, no final decision had been announced regarding the opposition’s candidate for deputy speaker, although media reports have suggested Aram Vardevanyan, elected from the Strong Armenia Alliance, as a possible nominee. 

During the first session, parliament will determine the number, names, areas of responsibility and membership of its standing committees before electing their chairpersons. 

On July 29, the Civil Contract party board selected its nominees for the committee chairmanships through a closed, secret ballot. The agenda also includes the establishment of the Ethics Commission. 

This is a new requirement introduced through amendments to the Constitutional Law on the Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly adopted in July 2026, which require the first Ethics Commission of a newly elected parliament to be formed during its inaugural session. 

The procedure for appointing a prime minister following the election of a new parliament differs from the procedure applicable after a resignation or another vacancy. 

On August 2, the current government will resign, with ministers continuing to perform their duties until a new cabinet is formed. 

Under Article 149 of Armenia’s Constitution, once the term of the newly elected parliament begins, the President of the Republic must immediately appoint as prime minister the candidate nominated by the stable parliamentary majority. With 64 seats, Civil Contract will independently form that majority. 

The party’s officially endorsed candidate for prime minister is Nikol Pashinyan, meaning the parliamentary majority will nominate him in accordance with the Constitution, and the president will appoint him to the post. Following the prime minister’s appointment, the government must be formed within 15 days. 

Within five days of taking office, the prime minister must submit nominees for deputy prime ministers and ministers to the president, who must appoint them within three days or refer the nominations to the Constitutional Court. 

After the cabinet is formed, the prime minister has 20 days to submit the government’s programme to parliament. The National Assembly must consider and approve it within seven days by a majority of all MPs, requiring at least 53 votes.

Nazeli Baghdasaryan is leaving her position as spokesperson for the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia in connection with assuming the mandate of a Member of Parliament.

“Over the past three and a half years, I have worked at the Prime Minister’s Office. I assumed the responsible position of spokesperson during a difficult period for our country, trying to ensure, to the best of my ability, the necessary conditions for public communication, transparency, and accountability, to remain as accessible as possible, and to contribute to effective communication with the public,” Baghdasaryan said in a statement posted on social media.

She thanked Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan for his trust, joint work, and the experience she gained, as well as representatives of state institutions, press secretaries, and spokespersons.

Baghdasaryan particularly highlighted her cooperation with the staff of the Information and Public Relations Department, the Strategic Communications Department of the Prime Minister’s Office, and the Public Relations and Information Center.

“And, of course, special thanks to all journalists and representatives of the mass media. Our cooperation has always been of key importance to me. Your work and dedication are extremely important in informing the public and covering the activities of state institutions,” she said.

Baghdasaryan also announced that, by the decision of the Civil Contract party’s board, she has been selected as the party’s candidate for the position of chairperson of the parliamentary Committee on Labor and Social Affairs.

“See you in the National Assembly,” she concluded.

Baghdasaryan was appointed spokesperson for the Prime Minister on June 23, 2023.

Earlier, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan told journalists that Melanya Harutyunyan, secretary of the Civil Contract party’s youth organization council, would be appointed to the position of Prime Minister’s spokesperson.

The Cabinet held its final meeting in its current composition today, July 30.

At the end of the session, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said that, due to the formation of the new parliament, his government would formally resign on Sunday, August 2, in accordance with the procedure stipulated by the Constitution.

Following this, the President of Armenia will appoint as prime minister the candidate nominated by the parliamentary majority.

Pashinyan thanked the members of the current Government for their joint work, noting that some of them will continue their activities in other fields.

Chief of Staff of the Prime Minister’s Office Arayik Harutyunyan thanked the Prime Minister for entrusting him with this position five years ago, saying that it had been a valuable experience that would be very useful in his future work. Harutyunyan has been elected as a Member of Parliament.

Minister of High-Tech Industry Mkhitar Hayrapetyan thanked everyone for their joint work over the past approximately two and a half years. He said that, as a result of their coordinated, effective, dedicated, and complementary efforts, they had managed to achieve visible results for the state in several priority areas, particularly in the defense industry, artificial intelligence, and technology sectors.

Kotayk Governor Aharon Sahakyan said that it was a great honor for him to serve his people and his region. He assured that he would assume the position of Member of Parliament with a great sense of responsibility and would continue to serve the Republic of Armenia.

Prime Minister’s spokesperson Nazeli Baghdasaryan also said that she would continue serving the country by returning to the National Assembly.

Pashinyan’s Civil Contract party secured a majority in the parliamentary elections held in June.

Armenia’s Investigative Committee has launched criminal proceedings over alleged hooliganism committed through the use of information or communication technologies following a report by Anna Hakobyan, the wife of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, regarding threats to her life.

“The criminal proceedings were initiated over an incident of hooliganism committed through the use of information or communication technologies. We also note that, in a separate criminal case involving public calls for violence against the individual, a detention order has been issued and the suspect has been placed on the wanted list,” Investigative Committee spokesperson Kima Avdalyan said.

Earlier, the Investigative Committee said Hakobyan’s report was under review. Armenia’s Prosecutor General’s Office had also initiated proceedings based on her public statement in which she said she felt her life was under threat.

In recent weeks, Hakobyan has published a series of social media posts condemning domestic violence. In one of her latest videos, she said that after speaking publicly about the issue, she had begun receiving threats to her life.

 “I hope the state authorities will be able to prevent something like this from happening, because it would seriously damage the country’s reputation if the Prime Minister’s wife became a victim of violence,” Hakobyan said, urging women not to be afraid to speak out about domestic violence.

Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Zhanna Andreasyan has again visited the Armenian Genocide Memorial Complex in Yerevan to inspect the ongoing second phase of maintenance and restoration works.

The ministry said in a press release that the second phase of the project includes major renovation works on three additional columns of the Temple of Eternity, as well as repairs to the museum section.

Representatives of the contractor organization briefed the minister on the progress of the works, noting that the quality of the construction and improvement activities is ensured through professional oversight.

Armenia’s team won two silver and two bronze medals at the 10th European Junior Olympiad in Informatics (EJOI), held in Kaunas, Lithuania, from July 24 to 30.

The format of the Olympiad follows that of the International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI), with each country allowed to send up to four participants (while the host country may participate with two teams). During two competition days, participants solve three tasks each.

The Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Armenia said in a press release that 100 students from 25 countries participated in this year’s Olympiad.

Armenia’s team consisted of ninth-grade student Mamikon Hambaryan from Gyumri Secondary School No. 41; Hayk Adamyan (7th grade) and Vache Kocharyan (8th grade) from Quantum College; and Levon Hayrapetyan (8th grade) from Ayb School.

The Armenian team won two silver medals, awarded to Vache Kocharyan and Mamikon Hambaryan, and two bronze medals, awarded to Levon Hayrapetyan and Hayk Adamyan. The team was led by Alex Grigoryan from Quantum College and Tigran Matsakyan from the A. Shahinyan Specialized School of Physics and Mathematics. Armen Andreasyan from Yerevan State University participated as a member of the EJOI International Committee.

In 2025, the 9th European Junior Olympiad in Informatics was held in Shumen, Bulgaria, where the Armenian team won one silver and two bronze medals.

The Armenian government approved a state support measure for fish farms operating in the Ararat and Armavir provinces.

Speaking at the Cabinet meeting, Minister of Economy Gevorg Papoyan said the program envisages providing support to 135 commercial fish farms in Ararat and Armavir provinces engaged in the cultivation of trout and sturgeon, as well as the production of fertilized fish eggs and caviar. The beneficiaries must also be registered as VAT (value-added tax) payers.

According to the minister, the support will be provided as a one-time compensation calculated as follows:

“Twenty percent of the average monthly cost of fish feed purchased during the first half of 2026. In our calculations, we have set the cost at 900 drams per kilogram. The need for this program stems from certain financial difficulties faced by fish producers as a result of restrictions on fish and fish product exports. We need to ease these difficulties so that, by reducing production costs, they can lower prices on the domestic market to some extent. At the same time, reducing costs will allow them to enter new markets,” Papoyan said.

Priority will be given to ensuring that fish feed is certified and complies with Eurasian Economic Union and EU standards.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, while highlighting the importance of the assistance, addressed existing challenges in the sector.

He noted that despite years of calls to diversify economic ties and the broad range of government tools introduced to support that goal, diversification has largely not taken place.

Citing tax data, he said fish farms pay between 2.5 billion and 3 billion drams in taxes annually, raising questions about the possible presence of a shadow economy in the sector.

The Prime Minister said the government will examine this issue.

Questions have also been raised regarding the efficient use of artesian water resources in the Ararat Valley and the quality of fish products produced in the country.

“I have spoken dozens of times about standards. To what extent does the quality of products comply with standards? At the same time, this should not be generalized: there are producers who comply, but there are also producers who do not. Let me share my personal experience. This may stir some controversy, but I have not eaten farmed fish for a very long time — for many years,” Pashinyan said.

The Prime Minister stressed that while state support is important for businesses facing difficulties, it should be aimed at developing the respective sectors.

Pashinyan said he views the current challenges related to Armenian product exports not as a crisis, but as an opportunity to develop the economy and bring products into line with modern international requirements — an opportunity that must be fully utilized.

He also expressed his administration’s readiness to discuss existing challenges directly with businesses through meetings and consultations.

A Transcaucasian brown bear cub, an endangered species listed in the Armenian Red Book, has been rescued after being found under threat of attack by a pack of stray dogs in Gegharkunik Province.

According to Armenia’s Environmental Protection and Mining Inspection Agency, its Gegharkunik Regional Department received a report at around 12:20 p.m. on July 28 from a resident of Martuni, identified as V.V., who had discovered the cub.

The approximately four-month-old bear cub was spotted near the 15th kilometer of the Martuni–Getap highway, where it was surrounded by six or seven dogs.

The resident managed to drive the dogs away, rescue the animal, and provide it with temporary shelter before authorities arrived.

An inspection found no visible injuries on the cub.

To ensure its proper care and prepare it for its eventual return to the wild, the cub was transferred the same day to the Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets (FPWC), where it was placed in the care of the Wildlife Rescue Center.

While China’s enormous economy and advanced mega-cities reflect many characteristics of a developed country, it is officially classified as a developing nation despite being the world’s second-largest economy.

Some parts of the country, especially rural communities in landlocked provinces, have been the focus of targeted poverty alleviation campaigns and rural revitalization projects.

The Chinese government has introduced various modernization initiatives in villages, with the primary goal of improving the standard of living in local communities.

Shuiqu, a serene mountainous village in Lintao County, Gansu Province, is a rural revitalization success story.

The village has diversified beyond traditional farming by developing tourism and cultural industries, using government coordination and market-oriented management to create jobs, increase incomes, and strengthen the local economy.

Shuiqu Village benefits from convenient transportation and a beautiful ecological environment. The village has 332 permanent households with a total population of 1,394 residents and 89.3 hectares of arable land.

In recent years, Shuiqu Village has transformed its economy by moving beyond traditional agriculture. Taking advantage of its clean environment, scenic landscapes, and locally grown fruits and vegetables, the village has combined agriculture, culture, and tourism to create new sources of income. At the center of this effort is the Longshang Bali Xiangsu brand, which aims to attract visitors while preserving the village’s rural character and improving local livelihoods.

In 2025, the village introduced a partnership model that brought together the local Communist Party branch, the village collective, cooperatives, and farmers. A town-owned agricultural investment company helped manage the project using market-oriented business practices. This approach has produced significant results. The village now welcomes more than 8,000 visitors each year, provides jobs for more than 60 local residents, and has increased villagers’ income by more than 1 million yuan (approximately USD 150,000). The village collective also earns more than 500,000 yuan annually, with tourism and related activities contributing nearly half of its revenue. Together, these initiatives have made tourism and rural industries a major driver of the village’s economic development.

So how does the project work? Instead of treating the village solely as a place for farming, local authorities transformed it into a tourism destination where visitors can experience rural life firsthand.

“Many people living in cities come here on weekends or holidays to enjoy the peaceful natural environment,” a local official told Armenpress. “The fresh air, beautiful mountain scenery, and locally grown fruits and vegetables attract many tourists.”

One of the project’s most notable features is the Shared Vegetable Garden. It allows visitors from urban areas to rent small plots of farmland, where they can grow, harvest, and enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables while experiencing rural life. Visitors can participate in farming activities themselves or simply enjoy the produce grown on their rented plots.

“People living in cities enjoy coming here because they get tired of the fast pace of urban life and want to relax and reconnect with nature,” a local guide said.

The village offers a full range of amenities designed to make it an ideal weekend getaway for nearby urban residents and tourists.

“Absolutely no chemicals are used in growing the produce here,” a local official said, pointing to the village’s fertile agricultural land.

The village grows a wide range of produce, including corn, potatoes, and tomatoes, as well as the renowned Lanzhou lily, which is widely used in both traditional Chinese medicine and Chinese cuisine.

The Lanzhou lily is China’s only edible sweet lily variety, renowned for its jade-white bulbs, lack of bitterness, and unusually long nine-year growing cycle.

It is cultivated exclusively in the high-altitude mountains surrounding Lanzhou in Gansu Province. The lily bulbs are starchy and edible and are widely used in soups, salads, and other dishes. They are also made into a popular refreshing beverage valued for their perceived health benefits. The product is highly prized across China and abroad, and local officials are seeking to expand exports.

Shuiqu Village is only one of many examples of successful development projects across Gansu Province, where the Chinese government’s push for rural modernization, industrial transformation, tourism growth, and economic development has transformed villages into new centers of opportunity.