July 19, 2026
“Pressing” in the program Former First Deputy Minister of Justice of the Republic of Armenia, former Advisor to the President of the Supreme Court, “Justice through law” legal advisory of the company founder-director Grigor Muradyan: once again referring to the never-ending topic of the Constitution, he said.
“If Nikol Pashinyan was the president of the republic, in a semi-presidential or presidential system of government, how would he rule in your opinion?” Is he doing it differently than now? It is obvious, isn’t it, that he would have a majority in the parliament as well.
What is the peculiarity of the semi-presidential form of government? if the president has his own majority in the parliament (slightly simplified wording), he gets super-powerful, super-presidential powers and is practically not controlled by the parliament. In other words, an environment of complete permissiveness would be created.
It is enough to look directly at the current practice of France, where the current president, even without a parliamentary majority, still tries to dominate the legislative body. Such is the semi-presidential system. And if the president has that majority, then there are no obstacles in his way. This is in contrast to a full presidential system, where the parliament has clear control over the government, which is headed by the president himself.”
He also added that we would have a purely technical prime minister, who should be controlled by the parliament, while the president, who makes real decisions, would be out of this control. This was our previous practice and that is why we abandoned that system. Instead, we tried to introduce the model of full parliamentary control over the government, the highest body of executive power.
“Some so-called oppositionists complain about this, and I ask them the following questions.
First, if Pashinyan was the president of the republic within the framework of the semi-presidential system, what would you do?
“If you think that you would have been in power by assuming the position of Prime Minister and getting a parliamentary majority, don’t you think that the presidential elections would have been simply rigged,” said the former adviser to the President of the Constitutional Court.
He also appealed to the opposition parties dissatisfied with the existing Constitution.
“Dear oppositionists, get a constitutional majority in regular or special elections, develop your concept of amending the Constitution, change the Constitution, if, of course, you get the appropriate votes for it.
But today you second the ruling power, albeit with a different reason. Moreover, sometimes you join them with completely fictitious and even absurd justifications and become an advocate of changing the Constitution, trying to delegitimize our Mother Law, just like the ruling power is doing. You are simply repeating their steps, and here your motives have absolutely nothing to do with it. If the issue of transition to the semi-presidential system is of such central importance to you, then join the government and change the Constitution together.
Talks about that “super-prime ministerial” model are actually lies and do not correspond to reality. There is no super-prime ministerial model, there is unconstitutional governance. Yes, he made himself the super prime minister. But that does not mean that the management model is like that. Why are you talking about him passing illegal laws or violating the Constitution? Isn’t everything he is doing now written in the Mother Law? This is the problem.
Allow me to ask a few questions to those presenting such arguments. if we had a legitimate Constitutional Court, how would things be arranged in our country?
I mean such a Constitutional Court, which is guaranteed by this Constitution. Of course, the Constitutional Court in its previous composition was legitimate, but if the Constitutional Court, which was formed especially by virtue of this Constitution and gained complete independence, was preserved, would these authorities be able to establish dominance through illegalities, or, as you say, build a dictatorship? Of course not.
Then what are you complaining about? After all, these institutions were formed as a result of gross violations of the Constitution,” said Grigor Muradyan.
According to him: if we had not a sham, but a real president of the Republic, who used the powers assigned to him by the Constitution and carried out his unifying function, he could change a lot.
“Therefore, if you are against this model of governance, speak objectively, and not ascribe your imaginary ideas to the Constitution,” concluded Grigor Muradyan.
Details in the video.
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168: When you destroy the rich inside, what do you think? Not Tsarukyan
July 19, 2026
Satik Seyranyan’s “Lessons” program guest “Virtus” Law Group lawyer Yerem Sargsyan, founder and director of the law office is.
The main theses of the interview are below.
- Representatives of the state government, especially the representatives of the law enforcement system, should never be vindictive. All possible state structures, including the law enforcement system, are today focused on Gagik Tsarukyan. We all saw who started it all. If any oppositionist used 10% of Nikol Pashinyan’s vocabulary, they would have been arrested a long time ago:
- Before the elections, Nikol Pashinyan told 3 specific people, including Gagik Tsarukyan, that they would dream of leaving the country, but they would not be able to, they would not be able to. On June 8, Gagik Tsarukyan was not allowed to travel abroad without an absence ban and a court decision. This is a crime. MP candidate Gagik Tsarukyan was illegally charged without the CEC’s consent. They are working with the whole apparatus to fulfill the wishes of Nikol Pashinyan.
To remind: During the NA election campaign, in particular, on May 15, during the CP rally in Armavir, he announced in his speech that the day after the elections, after June 7, some people will dream about the possibility of escaping from Armenia and will not have that opportunity. “They will feel the taste of the Republic of Armenia for a very long time, the taste of the state will remain in their mouths for a long time. They will dream about the possibility of escaping from Armenia and they will not have that possibility,” he declared.
On May 18, he threatened Robert Kocharyan, Serzh Sargsyan, Samvel Karapetyan, Gagik Tsarukyan.
“If you’re Robb, we’re going to kill you. I will make Rob, Kaluga, Gago, and Serge. me Robin I’ll take it, knee I will bring and i will kill, to Kaluga email I’ll take it and i will kill…“, he shouted hysterically.
- On June 23, the superior prosecutor makes a decision to cancel the charge and ban on absence, but Gagik Tsarukyan was not given that decision until July 5, when a new charge was brought and he was arrested. This is another crime:
- The thesis that the bearer of the information is the owner of the information should be removed from circulation and will publish it whenever he wants. It’s a crime, a legal security issue.
To remind: it specifically refers to the cases when the law enforcement officers at the “Zvartnots” international airport did not allow the second president of the Republic of Armenia, Robert Kocharyan, and the businessman, leader of the PAP, Gagik Tsarukyan, to leave the territory of the Republic of Armenia, allegedly due to the restrictions applied to them and the criminal proceedings initiated against them. At the airport, at the passport checkpoint, Gagik Tsarukyan and Robert Kocharyan were told that they had to clarify something, and then the National Security Service video recordings with false titles, “look, they are fleeing the country”, were distributed by the Pashinyan media, which they had no right to do. Gagik Tsarukyan had a 2-3-day visit planned in advance with the lady, for strictly personal and family purposes.
R. Kocharyan’s office, responding on June 14 Regarding Kocharyan’s exit ban, Robert Kocharyan announced earlier on his social media page that he was leaving the country on a three-day visit. “We have never provided information about the many previous visits of the President due to their private nature. However, taking into account the recent lies spread by the authorities regarding the visits of representatives of the opposition, we consider it necessary to protect the public from the expected dose of government lies.”
The NSS confirmed that Kocharyan’s personnel was provided by the structure to the government mass media, was not intended to reveal. Well, wouldn’t they say that this was done on the orders of Nikol Pashinyan? Even more so, if the mass media, in particular: Factor TV’s written request by NSS on July 3 before the answer, Pashinyan about that leak on June 18 had already announced. “What is there? The NSS employee can decide to leak or not leak anything. What is the problem here?” In other words, the information he possesses is what he wants to leak, whether he wants to or not. What is the problem there?’ The instruction was obvious.
- When I was not allowed to enter Gagik Tsarukyan’s house, I reported the crime and called the hotline of the Human Rights Watch. After some time, my entrance to Gagik Tsarukyan’s mansion was secured. After that, the search was conducted, the arrest report was made at 19:15, while he was arrested at 7 in the morning. He was then knocked to the ground. Another crime was committed at that time. Absolutely illegal violence was used against Gagik Tsarukyan. After being attacked by several people, they dragged him by the leg, and then managed to throw him to the ground. What did they want to show with this, that the state is strong? Yes, any state with its power structures, with law enforcement agencies, is strong against the citizen, but the function of the state is to show the citizen that I am your protector both inside and outside the country.
- We learned from the news that “Araratcement” was transferred to the state, that a manager was appointed. Or that they say that the building of the “Multi Wellness” sports and health complex was transferred to the Yerevan Municipality… I ask the Yerevan Municipality, do you have a penny on that building?
- When you destroy the rich inside, what do you think, don’t outside investors follow the news before they come here, don’t they know what’s going on here? Won’t the foreign investor think that he can come, make large investments, get a permit, build a building, set up a business, and then they say: we are nationalizing your building, we are taking away your business… Who will come and invest here after what happened with the businesses of HET and Gagik Tsarukyan?:
- Gagik Tsarukyan knew, he warned the family, he also told his elderly mother not to interfere, something like this would happen. After throwing Gagik Tsarukyan to the ground, those who threw him to the ground calmly sat next to Gagik Tsarukyan for hours and carried out the search.…
- They had no right to publish that video. We objected to publishing anything we drew at home because that too is protected by privacy. they had no right to it.
- During the search process, Ruben Rubinyan published a video in which he said that Gagik Tsarukyan must have thought that we were joking when we said that these processes would begin.․ now we do what we say. In other words, they speak for political dividends. Rubinyan clearly states: we gave the order, now we are doing it.
- If even a small part of this situation had happened during the previous government, now all the European institutions and the whole world would be shocked by this.
- The judge in Tsarukyan’s case did not ask us any questions about the arrest, then he came and said that the arrest was legal. If you did not ask the investigator and defense attorneys a question, how did you write in your decision when the arrest took place?:
- What the court in Armenia considered fraud, the court of the 2nd instance in Iran did not consider it either fraud or embezzlement.
- If you read Judge Garik Abelyan’s decision regarding Gagik Tsarukyan, there is not even one word of the facts we mentioned for hours. Now I’m supposed to consider that a legal decision?
- The Supreme Judicial Council (SCJC) announces that the courts mostly detain those arrested for bribery during the pre-election period. BDH, what are they doing to you? Did you want to make excuses to someone, “Look, are we detaining you?”:
- They make the victim Gagik Tsarukyan the accused, the accused Iranians the victim, but they don’t want to see the facts of the real crime.
- At least you would initiate formal proceedings, for example, with the fact of the lion falling. Those animals were legally imported and documented. If you see the condition of the animals in the zoo, you will imagine that they cannot keep and feed Gagik Tsarukyan’s animals normally.
- The hotel doesn’t work, the restaurant doesn’t work, “Multi Wellness”, the cognac factory, other businesses are closed, they don’t work, they don’t produce, there is no money, how will they pay their employees… These actions directly hit the country’s economy. You are depriving people of their jobs, businesses – of their competitive opportunity. if you don’t work for an hour, you will be out of competition and it will take years to recover:
- Will they be able to operate “Araratcement”? Unfortunately, the state is a bad manager. The appointed official will not have a personal interest in that factory, he will have one for himself, no matter what happens. You have to be a good businessman to run a business like this. At least they should understand soon that they will not be able to work, as long as they have not reached bankruptcy. In that case, they will sell it to someone else.
- The prosecutor’s office allegedly presented the victims as Iranian investors to make it sound. Just ask those Iranian businessmen, have they invested 1 dram? They introduced themselves as persons connected with the state apparatus, money was invested exclusively by Gagik Tsarukyan. The Iranian side appreciated Tsarukyan’s contribution very highly. After all this, the Iranian side saw that their side committed abuses, they gave the license to another company to carry out the activity.:
- I did not ask Gagik Tsarukyan whether he was offered a deal or not, but I am sure that if he had not interfered in politics in any way, nothing would have happened to him.
- Tsarukyan is a very strong person, he understands very well what is happening, he also understands that he is currently in a penitentiary, his mood is very adequate. Gagik Tsarukyan is not broken:
- What was done was demonstrative, nothing legal was done. Made for show. It is with this that adaptation does not happen.
- We understand very well that we are dealing with a wall within the state. We understand that there is an order, and within its framework, the law is on one side, and the execution of the order is on the other side. For that, we will collect all the facts and present them to the international courts, and we will continue the struggle internally. And, yes, this cannot go on forever. There must be an unrelenting struggle against the encroachment on the rights of every human being. It cannot be decided from above who is right and who is wrong, and only punchers can be below.
- In the middle of the day, the PAP was deprived of its mandates, and they say that there is a decision of the Constitutional Court. How was it that before the decisions of the Constitutional Court were not acceptable, now they are acceptable?:
Details in the video.
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World’s tallest statue of Jesus progresses in Armenia at 101 meters atop a mo
Financed by businessman Gagik Tsarukyan, the world’s largest statue of Jesus is expected to reach 101 meters on Mount Hatis, near Yerevan. The project plans to be assembled by trucks, aims to transform Christianity into a tourist brand of Armenia, and faces criticism from the Apostolic Church and environmentalists regarding scale and location.
The world’s largest statue of Jesus is being prepared in Armenia to occupy the top of Mount Hatis, an elevation of approximately 2,500 meters located about 25 kilometers from Yerevan. Financed by businessman Gagik Tsarukyan, the monument is expected to reach 101 meters and remains unfinished after works started in 2022.
The information was published by The Guardian on June 21, 2026. The project is presented by Tsarukyan as a future tourist and religious reference for the country, but faces resistance from representatives of the Armenian Apostolic Church and environmental groups concerned about the scale of the construction and its effects on the mountain.
Monument aims to be seen from large parts of Yerevan
Video: Social Media/@tudo_e_geografia.
The location at the top of Mount Hatis was chosen to enhance the visibility of the structure. If completed according to the disclosed project, the white figure of Jesus could be observed from different points of the Armenian capital and nearby areas.
The combination of the monument’s 101 meters and the mountain’s altitude will create a much greater presence than the isolated measurement of the statue. The endeavor intends to use the landscape as part of its visual scale, transforming the natural elevation into a base for a large-scale attraction.
World’s Largest Statue of Jesus Will Surpass Brazilian Monument
With a planned height of 101 meters, the structure will be considerably taller than the Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro. The comparison with the Brazilian monument has been used by the financier to demonstrate the international scale he intends to attribute to the Armenian project.
Tsarukyan also states that the world’s largest statue of Jesus will stand slightly above the Statue of Liberty in New York when considering the total height presented for the new monument. The symbolic competition for dimensions is part of the strategy used to draw international attention to the construction.
Structure Began Assembly Far from the Top
Although the final destination is Mount Hatis, parts of the statue were initially produced and assembled at a construction site on the outskirts of Yerevan. At the site, the figure appears surrounded by cranes, workshops, stones, and equipment used in manufacturing.
During the visit reported by the publication, the upper part of the monument was already standing out over the site, but the ensemble was still far from its final configuration. The existence of the large pieces does not mean that the installation on the mountain is complete, as the most complex phase involves transportation, foundation, and assembly at altitude.
Transport by Helicopter Was Dismissed by the Team
The initial plan was to take components of the statue to the top using helicopters. However, this alternative was abandoned due to practical difficulties and the dimensions of the pieces that needed to be moved.
The chosen solution involved trucks capable of transporting the parts up the mountain before the final assembly. The movement of giant elements through an elevated area will require suitable access, heavy equipment, and planning to avoid damage during the journey.
Project Remains Unfinished Since the Start of Construction
Video: Social Media/@tudo_e_geografia.
Construction began in 2022 but progressed intermittently. Four years later, the world’s largest statue of Jesus had not yet been installed at its definitive point, despite the production of important parts of the figure.
The absence of a confirmed completion date leaves doubts about the schedule. The challenge is not limited to the image’s fabrication, as it includes land preparation, transportation of parts, structural assembly, and creation of the necessary infrastructure to receive visitors.
Entrepreneur predicts 10 million tourists per year
Tsarukyan claims that the monument could attract up to 10 million visitors annually. The number corresponds to an expectation disclosed by the financier himself, and not an independent projection proven by publicly presented tourism studies.
The intention is to turn the site into an attraction known outside Armenia and associate the country with its Christian history. To achieve this flow, however, the project would depend on roads, parking, security, lodging, food, and the ability to organize large volumes of visitors in a mountainous region.
Christianity would be transformed into a national brand
Armenia is traditionally considered the first state to officially adopt Christianity, in 301. Tsarukyan uses this history to justify why the country should host the world’s largest statue of Jesus.
According to the proposal, the monument would function as a new national calling card, combining religion, identity, and tourism. The strategy seeks to transform a historical heritage into an immediately recognizable monumental image, capable of circulating in photographs, videos, and international campaigns.
Local church questions scale and religious language
The Armenian Apostolic Church has expressed opposition to the project, considering that its scale and style do not correspond to the traditional forms of Christian _expression_ in the country. The institution highlights the historical importance of churches, monasteries, and stone crosses known as khachkars.
These elements use architecture, sculpture, and symbolism unique to Armenian culture, without relying on colossal human figures. The religious critique does not reject the presence of Christianity in public space, but questions whether a gigantic monument adequately represents the local tradition.
Environmentalists warn of changes on Mount Hatis
Environmental groups claim that the implementation could cause permanent changes to the natural landscape. The preparation of access routes, movement of trucks, foundation works, and installation of tourist infrastructure may interfere with the soil and the visual aspect of the mountain.
The actual impact will depend on the construction methods, the limits of the area used, and the protective measures adopted. As the project intends to occupy a high and visible point, any transformation in the terrain may also be perceived from a long distance.
Noah’s Ark integrates plan for new attractions
The statue is not the only biblical-themed construction planned by the entrepreneur. Nearby, the development of a Noah’s Ark with 134 meters in length, 24 meters in width, and 18 meters in height has also begun.
The proposal includes a museum on the ground floor, a hotel on the first floor, and a café on the second. The association between the two ventures indicates the intention to create a tourist complex, and not just an isolated monument on top of the mountain.
Dimension divides residents and keeps future open
Some Armenians see the construction as an opportunity to expand the country’s international projection. Others consider the scale excessive and question whether a monument of this size should become the main representation of the national Christian heritage.
While the pieces remain at the construction site and the installation on Mount Hatis is not completed, the project continues between ambition and uncertainty. In your opinion, could the world’s largest statue of Jesus strengthen Armenia’s tourism or does its size exceed the limits of the landscape and local tradition? Leave your comment.
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Nine minority religious monuments restored in occupied Cyprus, Armenian monast
Six Maronite monuments, one Armenian monument and two Latin monuments have so far been conserved or restored in the occupied areas, while work on the Armenian Monastery at Halevga is now being planned, the co-chair of the Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage, Sotos Ktoris, told the Cyprus News Agency.
Historian, archaeologist and author Anna Marangou also outlined to CNA the history of Maronite, Armenian and Latin religious monuments located in the occupied areas.
Monuments already restored
Ktoris said six Maronite monuments, one Armenian monument and two Latin monuments had so far been conserved or restored in the occupied areas.
The Maronite monuments are the Church of St Anne in medieval Famagusta, the Church of Saints Marina and Theodore in Kormakitis, the Church of St Marina in Ayia Marina Skyllouras, the Church of the Holy Cross in Karpasia, the Church of Archangel Michael in Asomatos and the Church of St George in Kormakitis.
The Armenian church in medieval Famagusta has also been restored, along with two Latin monuments in the city: the Church of St George of the Latins and the Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
Ktoris added that conservation work on the Armenian Monastery at Halevga was also being planned.
Armenian religious monuments
Marangou said Armenians had lived in Cyprus since the eighth century AD, following the transfer of populations from Cilicia by the Byzantines.
Those who arrived in Cyprus settled in different parts of the island, mainly along the southern slopes of the Pentadaktylos mountain range, she said.
The Armenians were highly skilled craftsmen with extensive knowledge of fortification construction, she added, noting the strong influence of Armenian castles on Cypriot fortresses such as Kantara and Kyrenia castles.
During the medieval period, Cyprus’s Armenian community acquired a monastery at Halevga in the Pentadaktylos mountains. It had been built by Coptic monks around AD 1000 in honour of St Macarius the Hermit of Alexandria.
Known as the Armenian Monastery, it belongs to the Armenian Church and has a long history and considerable property holdings. Its golden age came during the 17th and 18th centuries, when it was also called the “Blue Monastery” because of the colour of its doors and windows.
It also held a decree from the Ottoman sultan exempting it from taxation, Marangou said.
The monastery remained an important part of Cypriot history until the early 20th century and received support from prominent Armenian families in Nicosia and Famagusta.
“An entire community developed there, with many Armenian residents of Nicosia taking part, particularly during the summer holidays,” she said.
Marangou, who carried out a historical study of the monastery with Alexandros Hadjilyra, said “the time has come for its conservation to begin” through the Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage.
Another important Armenian religious monument is the Church of Our Lady of Tyre in Nicosia’s Armenian quarter, near Paphos Gate.
Marangou said the church originally belonged to Benedictine nuns who had arrived from Tyre carrying an icon of the Virgin Mary believed to have miraculous powers. They built the large monastery, which still exists but is now in very poor condition.
The Ottomans later granted the church to the Armenians because of the support they had given Ottoman forces during the capture of Nicosia in 1570, she said.
The church received a Europa Nostra award for its restoration and is used once a year by the Armenian community, which provided much of the funding for the work.
The Armenian community in Famagusta had three churches, Marangou said.
One that survives is the Church of Panagia Ganchvor, also known as Panagia Kalousa. It was built in the 14th century by Armenian refugees from Cilicia who fled to Cyprus to escape Mamluk attacks.
The church is “literally a masterpiece”, she said. It is decorated with frescoes and was formally handed to the Armenian community by the British colonial administration.
Maronite religious monuments
Marangou said Cyprus’s Maronite community descended from the Mardaites, whom Byzantine emperor Justinian transferred from Lebanon to Antalya.
During the Arab raids, which lasted from the seventh to the 10th centuries AD, several Mardaites moved to Cyprus to reinforce the island’s defences against Arab attacks.
This marked the beginning of the Maronite presence in the Kormakitis area and along the southern slopes of the Pentadaktylos mountains, she said.
One of the most important Maronite religious monuments in the occupied areas is the Monastery of Prophet Elias in Ayia Marina Skyllouras.
Built in the 16th century, it developed gradually and served as a beacon of Maronite religion and culture for almost two centuries.
The monastery is now “unfortunately in a very poor condition”, Marangou said, although she stressed that efforts to conserve it would be “well worth undertaking”.
Kormakitis is home to the large Church of St George, which was built in the 20th century.
Construction took almost 33 years and involved Maltese craftsmen, giving it some resemblance to the well-known Co-Cathedral of St John in Valletta, Marangou said.
It was built over an earlier church also dedicated to St George, beside a small convent.
Near the Church of St George are the ruins of the Church of St Theodore, which probably dates from the 13th or 14th century.
The Church of St George of the Sowing is located on the Kormakitis coast and celebrates its feast at the beginning of the sowing season.
Marangou also referred to the Church of St Anne in Famagusta, which was granted to the Maronites and where a service was held after the crossing points opened.
Latin religious monuments
Turning to Latin religious monuments, Marangou said the Church of the Holy Cross near Paphos Gate had been built over an earlier 16th-century church.
“When a church is destroyed, or when the population of a religious denomination increases and needs a larger church, a new one is built over the older church so that it may receive the sacred essence of the previous building,” she said.
She also referred to the Gothic churches of St Sophia in Nicosia and St Nicholas in Famagusta, which were converted into mosques by the Ottomans after they conquered Cyprus in 1570 and 1571.
Marangou said she believed both “should have been UNESCO monuments”.
St Sophia was “one of the most important monuments in the eastern Mediterranean”, she said, adding that it had undergone “remarkable conservation work by Turkey” in recent years.
Marangou also referred to records of churches built in Famagusta by the Franks and Latins who came to Cyprus after losing Jerusalem.
The city had churches belonging to different Christian denominations and orders, including Nestorians, Jacobites and Carmelites.
She described them as buildings of “extraordinary artistry”, adding that a large number had survived.
Marangou described the Nestorian Church of the Apostles Peter and Paul in Famagusta as “a leading monument of the 14th century”.
The Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, also in Famagusta, “is an example of how the Orthodox and Latin Churches existed alongside one another”, she said.
Medieval Famagusta reflected a multicultural society made up of Orthodox residents, Franks, Armenians, Maronites and refugees who arrived from Syria and Lesser Armenia, or Cilicia, she added.
“Famagusta may not have 365 churches, as tradition claims, but we can certainly count 30 extremely important churches within the medieval city,” she said.
Marangou added that the medieval cities of Nicosia and Famagusta “should have been UNESCO monuments”.
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Nine churches restored in north through bicommunal heritage work
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Nine minority faith monuments restored in occupied Cyprus
Efforts shift toward the upcoming stabilization of the historic Sourp Magar Armenian monastery.
Newsroom / CNA
The architectural footprint of historical religious minorities in Cyprus is receiving targeted preservation through recent conservation projects across the northern part of the island. According to updates from the Bi-communal Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage, structural interventions have successfully concluded on nine historical sites belonging to the Maronite, Armenian, and Latin communities. The completed portfolio involves six Maronite structures, one Armenian church, and two Latin monuments. Efforts are now shifting toward the upcoming restoration of the remote Sourp Magar Armenian monastery located in the Pentadaktylos mountain range.
Sotos Ktoris, the co-chair of the bi-communal heritage committee, confirmed the completion of work on several distinct landmarks, particularly within the medieval walled city of Famagusta. For the Maronite community, the completed sites include the Church of Saint Anna in Famagusta, the Church of Saints Marina and Theodore in Kormakitis, the Church of Saint Marina in Agia Marina Skyllouras, the Church of the Holy Cross in Karpaseia, the Church of Archangel Michael in Asomatos, and the Church of Saint George in Kormakitis. Armenian and Latin preservation milestones include the Armenian church in medieval Famagusta, along with two Latin sites in the same city: the Church of Saint George of the Latins and the Church of St. Mary of the Carmelites.
Historian Anna Marangou provided historical context for these locations, pointing out that the Armenian presence on the island dates back to population movements from Cilicia by the Byzantine Empire during the eighth century. Many families eventually settled along the southern slopes of the Pentadaktylos range. Known historically for their advanced structural craftsmanship, Armenian builders influenced regional defensive architecture, including the medieval castles of Kyrenia and Kantara. Around 1000 AD, the community assumed control of a monastery in Chalevga originally established by Coptic monks. This site, Sourp Magar, became a major cultural hub that thrived through the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, earning the local moniker “Blue Monastery” due to its distinct painted woodwork.
Though currently in a state of severe disrepair, the site is slated for imminent structural stabilization by the technical committee. Marangou also pointed out other vital Armenian landmarks, such as the fourteenth-century Church of Sourp Asdvadzadzin in Famagusta, built by refugees fleeing Mamluk raids, and the Church of Our Lady of Tyre in Nicosia. The Nicosia church, originally a Benedictine convent, was transferred to the Armenian community during the Ottoman era and recently earned a Europa Nostra conservation award.
The Maronite community traces its island ancestry to the Maradaites, who migrated to Cyprus between the seventh and tenth centuries to aid defenses against Arab naval raids. This migration established a permanent footprint in the Kormakitis area. Key Maronite structures include the sixteenth-century Monastery of Prophet Elias in Agia Marina Skyllouras, which currently requires urgent stabilization. In Kormakitis, the prominent twentieth-century Church of Saint George stands out for its architectural scale, having taken more than three decades to complete with assistance from Maltese builders.
Addressing the Latin monuments, Marangou explained that many existing structures were physically built directly on top of older foundations. This architectural practice was traditionally chosen so a new, larger building could inherit the spiritual continuity and blessing of the original shrine. Major Latin landmarks include the grand Gothic structures of Saint Sophia in Nicosia and Saint Nicholas in Famagusta, both repurposed as mosques during the sixteenth century. Marangou noted that medieval Famagusta functioned as a remarkably diverse urban hub where Orthodox residents lived alongside Frankish, Armenian, and Maronite communities. While local folklore attributes 365 churches to medieval Famagusta, historians have documented roughly 30 highly significant ecclesiastical structures inside the ancient city walls
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Sports: Who are Shamrock Rovers’ next opponents Ararat-Armenia plus Scottish
Shamrock Rovers will play Ararat-Armenia in the second qualifying round of the Champions League after winning 5-1 in Tallaght last Tuesday night against Floriana of Malta (5-3 on agg).
Having become the first League of Ireland side to overcome a two goal first leg deficit to win a European tie and become the first to score five in the European Cup, they now face Ararat-Armenia away from home in the first leg of the next round.
Ararat are the Armenian champions but are a club less than ten years old. They have won the league three times in that period though.
The match will be played at the Republican Stadium in the Armenian capital.
What time is kick-off?
The kick-off is 5pm Irish time but that is 8pm local time – showing how much further east the host city of Yerevan is.
The Hoops are travelling out on Sunday morning on a direct charter flight and will return straight home after the game – coming into Dublin Airport around 4am on Wednesday morning.
How have Ararat made it to this round?
They won their league by four points from Noah last season to enter, like Rovers, in the first qualifying round of the Champions League.
Ararat lost the second leg in Riga 3-2. However, the 2-0 win against Riga at home in the first leg was enough to see them through 4-3 on aggregate. They were helped in that match as Riga played the last 18 minutes plus the five of stoppage time with ten men.
What is their history in Europe?
Their league is ranked just below the LOI but that position is mostly due to their rivals Noah who, like Rovers, made the league phase of the Conference League in the last two seasons.
Ararat have never qualified for the league phase or group stage of a UEFA competition.
They do have European experience but it is typically a couple of games in each European campaign. This will be only their 29th ever European game – they have 11 wins, 7 draws and 10 defeats.
Their best seasons were 2019 and 2020 when they exited at the play-off round stage of the Europa League.
In the last two seasons they have entered the Conference League qualifiers in the second round and exited in the third round on both occasions. Their wins came over Zimbru Chisinau (6-1 on agg in 2024) and Universitatea Cluj (2-1 on agg in 2025) with their exits coming at the hands of Puskas Akademia (4-3 on agg in 2024) and Sparta Prague (6-2 on agg last season).
How are they getting on domestically this season?
They have yet to play a game as they are in a ‘winter’ season league which wrapped up in May.
Who is in their squad to watch out for?
They have a number of Armenian internationals including winger Zhirayr Shaghoyan, striker Arayik Eloyan, midfielder Karen Muradyan, and Kamo Hovhannisyan. Shaghoyan and Hovhannisyan both played against Ireland in the last World Cup qualifying campaign.
Their squad includes players drawn from Portugal, France, Brazil, Greece, Colombia, Kenya, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Russia and Ghana.
What has Hoops Head Coach Stephen Bradley said about Ararat?
“They’re a good team,” said Bradley about an Ararat side who have yet to play league phase European football. “They have a couple of internationals who have played against Ireland, so we know them quite well, but their wingers are really good.
“Midfielders are strong, athletic and good technical players as well so it’s a good matchup. It’s gonna be an interesting tie.”
Who is their manager?
Portuguese coach Manuel Tulipa is in charge.
Have these teams faced each other before?
No.
Who will the winners of this tie face?
The third qualifying round of the Champions League draw will be made on Monday – the winner of this tie will be in the unseeded side of the Champions Path in that draw.
Who will the losers of this tie face?
The loser drops into the third qualifying round of the Europa League and that draw will also be made on Monday – but they will be in the seeded side of the Champions Path in that draw.
Who is the referee?
Scottish whistler David Dickinson is in charge of Tuesday’s game in Yerevan.
Will the ref have access to VAR?
Yes. VAR was used in Tallaght last week as it is required in all the Champions League qualifiers.
What Is a random fact about this game?
This is the eighth two legged tie in a row where the Hoops play the first leg away from home.
What is the story about the prize money?
Having won last week, the Hoops know at a minimum they will make the play-off round in one of the three UEFA competitions at a minimum.
Worst case scenario for Rovers is that they are eliminated in the Conference League play-off round. They would earn €1.71m from that campaign (four rounds at €175k each, plus €750k for being eliminated in the PO, along with €260k as a champion not making the league phase).
The winner of this upcoming second qualifying round tie knows they are guaranteed at least of making the league phase of the UEFA Conference League.
Minimum money earned for that is €3.17m for being one of the 36 teams in that league phase plus the usual €400k for a win and €166k for a draw in the league phase. There are additional monies depending on where you finish plus some value pillar cash that trickles down to each club.
In previous seasons in the UEFA Conference League, the Hoops earned €7.363m in 2024/25 and €5.916m in 2025/26.
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Armenpress: Green Rock to Hold Groundbreaking Ceremony for a New International
Green Rock will hold the groundbreaking ceremony for a new international-standard hotel in Dilijan on July 25. The hotel will become a cornerstone of the Green Rock multifunctional complex, a large-scale development project currently underway in the city.
With a total investment value of USD 160 million, the Green Rock project represents one of the largest private-sector development initiatives in Dilijan. More than USD 30 million has already been invested in the project. Upon completion, the complex is expected to create more than 800 new jobs across construction, hospitality, culture, and education sectors, including over 400 permanent positions following the opening of the new hotel.
The new hotel will play an important role in strengthening Dilijan’s tourism infrastructure and enhancing the city’s position as a year-round destination. The project is expected to support the growth of local businesses, expand hospitality capacity, and contribute to attracting more visitors throughout the year.
As part of the project, Green Rock is bringing an international hospitality brand to Armenia, with the brand name to be announced at a later stage. The partnership will introduce global standards of hospitality management and service, while contributing to the further development of tourism infrastructure in the region.
According to Green Rock, the construction of the hotel marks one of the key milestones in the implementation of the multifunctional complex.
“ The groundbreaking ceremony represents an important milestone in the development of the Green Rock complex. We are creating a destination that meets international standards of quality and hospitality. The project will generate new employment opportunities, strengthen tourism infrastructure, and contribute to Dilijan’s long-term development as a modern center for tourism, culture, and education,” said Katerina Danekina, Chief Executive Officer of Green Rock.
In June, Green Rock opened the first four facilities of the complex: PPLS Rooms Co-living, Villa3 Community Hub, Cabinet Café & Restaurant, and the Italian café Cemi by Apicius.
Cemi by Apicius is an integral part of Green Rock’s educational ecosystem. It serves as a practical training platform for students of Apicius Armenia, an international hospitality school. Following the opening of the new hotel, graduates of the school will have the opportunity to continue their professional careers within Armenia’s growing hospitality industry.
About Green Rock
Green Rock is a development company based in Dilijan, Armenia, implementing projects across real estate, tourism, hospitality, culture, education, and public infrastructure.
The company’s investment portfolio totals USD 160 million. Green Rock operates across four strategic directions: Development, Operations, Investments, and Foundation.
Its portfolio includes more than 15 business projects and over 10 social initiatives, covering concept development, construction, operational management, investment activities, and local community development programs.
Green Rock applies international approaches to design and construction, including the EDGE green building standard, FIDIC contract management principles, and British construction standards, ensuring high-quality, sustainable, and internationally aligned project implementation.
Published by Armenpress, original at
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168: What is Nikol Pashinyan hiding?
July 18, 2026
Before the elections, Nikol Pashinyan promised that immediately after being elected, he would go to Moscow and in a few days he would solve all the problems related to the export of Armenian goods to the Russian market.
1 month after the elections, after all, Nikol Pashinyan went to Russia, participated in the international industrial exhibition held in Yekaterinburg, met with the Russian Prime Minister (the meeting with the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin did not take place), but the Russian market, as before, remains inaccessible for Armenian products.
Despite this, Nikol Pashinyan assures that agreements have been reached within the framework of EAEU regarding the lifting of restrictions for Armenia. And what arrangements are we talking about, he avoids detailing.
Nikol Pashinyan, who is ready to present the non-existent thing as a reality, is extremely tight-lipped regarding the agreements reached during his visit to Russia and meetings. Not only was he in no hurry to please his electorate with the results of the visit, but he is also in no hurry to reveal the agreements reached. He says that it is too early to publish concrete results before their practical implementation begins.
What is the reason for Nikol Pashinyan’s caution is not known. But his behavior proves that the agreements reached are very fragile, and it is not clear when they will be implemented.
And until then, producers continue to suffer big losses. Attempts are being made to deliver Armenian agricultural products to other markets, but the results are very small. After the closure of the Russian market, Armenia managed to export barely a few hundred tons of pepper, a few hundred tons of tomatoes, a few hundred tons of cherries, and so on. Last year, when there were no problems related to the export to the Russian market, the exports of these and other agricultural products reached thousands, even tens of thousands of tons.
Even government subsidies do not change much. In June, they spent 3.1 billion drams on subsidizing exports, but there are no tangible results.
And while they are unable to solve the problems of exporting Armenian products in other markets, Nikol Pashinyan invented something new. He says that we have a large flow of passengers to Armenia, those people come and consume Armenian agricultural products inside. It also exports.
It seems that before, tourists did not come to Armenia and did not consume agricultural products, only this year, by eating apricots, tourists have become “exporters” of apricots.
It is also not the case that this year we have such huge flows of tourists that eating apricots in Armenia, they started to “export” apricots in larger quantities. This is also where Nikol Pashinyan manipulates reality.
Since the agricultural harvest season starts mostly in June, here are the tourism figures for June. In June of this year, 216,214 tourists came to Armenia. In the same month last year, 215,253 tourists came.
The number of tourists increased by only 961 compared to last year.
Where are those large passenger flows that Nikol Pashinyan is talking about?
Even if they were, no tourist consumption can replace real exports. The fact shows that at the moment the potential market for the export of Armenian agricultural products is Russia. But the Russian market remains closed for Armenian agricultural products, even after Nikol Pashinyan’s visit to the Russian Federation and the “confidential” agreements reached.
Until the attitude of the Armenian authorities on some sensitive issues changes, no agreement will become a reality. Apart from the well-known contradictions related to foreign orientations, during the meeting with Nikol Pashinyan, the Russian Prime Minister made it very clear that the attitude of the authorities towards the Russian business operating in Armenia is not acceptable for Russia, that the rights and legal interests of the Russian business must be respected.
“It is important that the Armenian government continues to create a comfortable environment for Russian investors and ensure that their rights and legitimate interests are respected,” the Russian Prime Minister stated without further ado.
Who was the Russian Prime Minister referring to by this? To get the answer to this question, it is necessary to see which Russian investors’ rights and legal interests are not respected in Armenia.
It is obvious that it first of all refers to the HEC. Although HETC belongs to the big Armenian businessman Samvel Karapetyan, in this case we are dealing with Russian capital. Everyone knows what artificial problems the Armenian authorities have created in connection with the HEP, by what means they are trying to take it away from the owner, to what extent the investor’s rights and legal interests have been preserved.
There are other companies with the participation of Russian capital, for which the authorities are trying to create problems. One of those companies is the railway, which has been handed over to the Russian concession management, but the authorities, for various reasons, intend to take back the concession and hand it over to another country.
It is difficult to say to what extent the concerns voiced regarding the protection of the rights and interests of Russian capital were acceptable to the Armenian side. But it is a fact that immediately after the return of Nikol Pashinyan from Russia, the process of recognizing the ETC as a priority interest was postponed.
Could these two circumstances be directly related to each other, of course, it is impossible to rule it out. But time will tell.
Time will also show what “confidential” agreements Nikol Pashinyan has reached regarding the lifting of restrictions on the export of Armenian agricultural products in Russia, which he stubbornly avoids making public, despite the fact that thousands of producers are eagerly waiting for it.
HAKOB KOCHARYAN
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What did Aliyev say that went unnoticed in our public sphere? Azeri scholar
July 18, 2026
What did Aliyev say that went unnoticed in our public arena? Azerbaijani scholar Tatevik Hayrapetyan wrote about this.
“On July 13, “The mission of the SLMs in the promotion of peace. under the funny and sarcastic title “restoration of truth and restoration of trust”, several foreign journalists gathered together with Aliyev in occupied Shushi and had a discussion. This discussion lasted about three hours. Since I like to read and study the whole thing before commenting, that’s why I’m addressing this topic now that I’ve done it.
In our public sphere, the parts that were about the OSCE Minsk Group were very actively discussed, in particular, that Aliyev complained that he was not given what he wanted. That is exactly how it is. comparing the statements of both Aliyev and Pashinyan, it becomes obvious that both were dissatisfied with the proposals. one because he wanted to take over everything, the other because he wanted to get us out of the “conflict” trap, free us from the “burden” again. As a result, everyone got what they wanted. one, completely ethnically cleansed Armenians from their ancestral land, their home and place, and the other freed us from the “leash” of Artsakh. If in the case of the first one, i.e. Aliyev, it worked in favor of Azerbaijan, then in our case, it is almost the same if one has two children, one of them has some health problems, the doctors say, long treatment is expected, they say, no, give it at once, they say, kill, end this story, and then say, I did it for my other child so that he can live well. Anyway, let’s leave this immorality aside.
Aliyev also did not hide his intense displeasure with some European institutions, he was particularly upset with the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Policy and Security Affairs, Joseph Borel. “This is a big chain of anti-Azerbaijani group that existed in the European Commission. But it’s good that Mr. Borrell is out of politics now, hopefully forever…” Aliyev said. By and large, he was satisfied with the work with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. He was very upset with some European structures, especially the Council of Europe, regarding which he said: “If Azerbaijan completely withdraws from the Council of Europe, no one in the country will even notice it. So being there or not doesn’t change much here…” In fact, he says very correctly. for the people of dictatorial Azerbaijan, the presence in those structures does not change anything, it doesn’t matter, they are caught immediately if they suddenly dare to criticize the dictator.
As for the USA, of course, he did not hesitate to remember Biden “badly” and glorify Trump. Nevertheless, it was not surprising to call TRIP “Zangezur Corridor”.
He made quite bold statements regarding Russia, including regarding Ukraine, because until now, by and large, he has digested his behavior, including toward Russian peacekeepers.
And the most remarkable part, in my opinion, was related to the topic of gas. “Thus, the expansion of the existing transport infrastructure is necessary, but the obstacle is the European Green Agenda and European banks do not want to finance fossil fuel projects. Therefore, the question arises as to where to borrow to expand the pipeline capacity. Another issue, probably more important, is long-term contracts. And this is what we discussed with Madame Ursula von der Leyen, that we need long-term contracts. Because in order to significantly increase production, we need to invest a lot, and if at a certain point we are told: “Thank you, goodbye, we don’t need your gas anymore”, so what are we going to do…” This was a very interesting admission about the uncertain future of Azerbaijani gas, and this is not the first time that he has complained about the lack of investment. In my opinion, this topic is very underestimated by us in the context of our future calculations.
His very jealous attitude towards the topic of building an AI factory in Armenia was also noteworthy, which is not the first time it has been shown.
In fact, there was a lot of material, in many ways a more in-depth analysis is needed, but I will summarize my post with Aliyev’s most unique confession. “Human rights issues are universal issues…” It is a very correct point, that’s why one day they will be reminded of this statement.
And at the end of his speech, he advised not to give up, to fight, not to put up with failures and to keep in mind that when you make yourself dependent on other power centers, then you remain a prisoner of their decisions made about you… Of course, even if it is made by the enemy, this is good advice, especially for the “Demolish the State” party, which depends on Azerbaijan,” he wrote.
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