July 13, 2026
At the 4th Shushi Global Media Forum, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev made a statement that reflects Baku’s current understanding of the regional security architecture of the South Caucasus.
Referring to the “3 3” format, Aliyev noted.
“Today, at the current stage, it is important that “3 3″ be a full six-way cooperation. As long as Georgia does not join, at least five-sided, but with a very clear agenda. It is important so that this mechanism does not turn into another Minsk Group, which will deal exclusively with Azerbaijani-Armenian issues. The format should include issues related to the entire region with the participation of Russia, Iran, Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan on the principle of equality.”
According to Aliyev, it is this concept that Azerbaijan considers as a priority today, and if it is acceptable to other capitals, it will be possible to hold a five-way meeting at least at the level of foreign ministers.
This statement once again shows that Azerbaijan considers “3 3” not as a platform for the regulation of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations, but as a regional cooperation mechanism, the agenda of which should include security, economic, transport and political issues without Western mediation.
Aliyev’s emphasis on the fact that the format should not turn into a “new Minsk Group” testifies to Baku’s continuous aspiration to exclude the restoration of such multilateral mediation mechanisms, which may involve actors whom Azerbaijan considers to have a more favorable position towards Armenia.
This approach fully fits into the logic of Azerbaijan’s foreign policy in recent years. After the 2020 war, Baku consistently claims that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is over and the mission of the OSCE Minsk Group is over. For this reason, Azerbaijan prefers either bilateral negotiations or regional formats, where Western actors are not represented and cannot influence the negotiation process.
168.amin a conversation with Russian political analyst Alexander Khramchikhin noted that Russia and Iran continue to be the most interested parties in maintaining and activating the “3 3” format.
According to his assessment, both countries consider the expansion of Western influence in the region as a process contrary to their strategic interests, so “3 3” is an important tool for them to maintain and strengthen their own political influence.
“For Moscow, it is an opportunity to maintain its political presence in the South Caucasus, especially in the conditions when there is tension in Armenian-Russian relations, and the European Union has increased its activity in the region. This format is also important for Iran, as it provides an opportunity to directly participate in regional communication and security processes and limit the influence of extra-regional actors,” Khramchikhin said.
At the same time, according to the expert’s assessment, there are still serious political obstacles on the way to the full launch of “3 3”. Georgia does not participate in the format due to its conflicts with Russia, as a result of which the initiative actually operates in a five-party format.
According to Khramchikhin, this testifies not only to the structural limitations of the format, but also to the fact that there is still no full agreement among the participating countries on its political goals.
It is noteworthy that the next ministerial meeting of the “3 3” format was planned to be held in Yerevan or Baku, but it has been postponed for a long time, and no new date has been announced. This is due not only to regional geopolitical changes, but also to the lack of confidence regarding the format’s effectiveness and future role.
Nevertheless, Russia and Iran are still interested in its reactivation.
In general, Aliyev’s statements can be considered not so much as an impetus for the quick restart of “3 3”, but as another conceptual formulation of Azerbaijan’s regional policy.
Baku continues to insist that the security and cooperation system of the South Caucasus should be formed exclusively with the participation of regional actors, minimizing the involvement of external mediators. However, the viability of this approach will depend not only on the position of Azerbaijan, but also on the political decisions of Armenia and Georgia, as well as on the further developments of the ongoing geopolitical competition between Russia, Iran, Turkey, the European Union and the United States.
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Pashinyan’s and Aliyev’s methods of combating hybrid threats
July 13, 2026
Kaia Kalas, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy stated that during the meeting to be held in Brussels, EU foreign ministers will approve the creation of a new EU mission for Armenia, which will fight against hybrid threats.
“We will also agree on a new partnership mission for Armenia: to combat the hybrid threats, foreign information manipulation and interference that they actually face.” he emphasized.
What Callas means, or which country he says is its source, is more than clear. It is not a secret where Nikol Pashinyan’s government sees hybrid threats from.
Baku has also always talked about hybrid threats, and at some point it saw them from the Kremlin, now the arrow of accusation in the direction of various Western or European countries: Brussels, France, Poland, etc. Moreover, Azerbaijan considers any initiative of the former military-political leadership of Artsakh held in Baku as a hybrid threat.
But in this particular case, the problem lies in the methods of combating hybrid threats of Armenia and Azerbaijan, although there are differences in terms of content and targets.
For example, Armenia expects financial resources from the EU to fight against hybrid threats, which, as the author, Pashinyan can see the opponents, and the question is whether it is against the national interests of the state or Nikol Pashinyan’s political interests. And it is interesting that the RA authorities ignore the hybrid threats coming from Azerbaijan against Armenia, and sometimes even against Nikol Pashinyan.
What is Aliyev doing? he regularly organizes “tours” of representatives of different countries to occupied Artsakh: diplomats, military attachés, journalists, etc., or he organizes international forums on various topics, where he injects Azerbaijani theses. We still put aside the Azerbaijan-Turkey joint information platform and similar agreements between the Turkish states.
And the last fresh fact. An international media forum was organized in occupied Shushi, in which about 300 participants from 60 countries took part, and after his speech, Aliyev answered the questions of the audience and promoted several important theses for Azerbaijan.
■ First, first the Baku propaganda machine leaves Pashinyan with the responsibility for possible regional upheavals and clashes between the main players, noting that Nikol Pashinyan’s rule is turning Armenia into an arena of violent confrontation between Russia and the West, and then announcing during the international media forum convened in Shushi that the South Caucasus should not become a field of geopolitical confrontation, and that he managed to prevent his country from being drawn into geopolitical in intrigues. They put everything in the right order, didn’t they?
Then Aliyev added, that after the 44-day war of 2020, the South Caucasus has “changed dramatically”, and subsequent events, including the restoration of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and “Armenia’s European integration aspirations and the circumstances accompanying that process”, dictate the need for a rethinking of the South Caucasus, both by analysts and by statesmen.
It is no secret that Azerbaijan and Turkey are of the opinion that the format of “3 3” cooperation (Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia and Iran, Russia, Turkey) should deal with the problems of the entire region. And, perhaps, it is in this logic that Aliyev emphasized during the Mediforum that the relations between Baku and Moscow are completely regulated. In other words, Baku has clearly conveyed its message to the West, Armenia, and Russia.
■ Second, Aliyev called on his neighbors for peace to prevent their conflicts from turning into a global conflict. In other words, Baku has accepted that the Iran-US-Israel conflict presents it with a choice, but it is able to face it, keeping the region from unnecessary upheavals. And everything is not over yet.
“Unfortunately, the threats in our region today are quite real. We don’t read about it in books, we see it in real life.
In short, we are We must expand our capabilities, strengthen our defenses, protect our national interests, and strengthen practical cooperation with as many countries as possible.” Aliyev stated, admitting that they have no right to be “idle” in terms of strengthening the army’s capabilities, that is, he explained the reason for their arming and its justification.
In particular, the president of Azerbaijan singled out cooperation with China in the defense sector. Aliyev said that Azerbaijan has already purchased a number of military products from China. Some of them were shown during the military parade dedicated to the fifth anniversary of our Victory. The rest are currently being delivered, and some projects are still under discussion.
Note that in November 2025 at the military parade in Baku to be displayed are Chinese long-range HQ-9BE anti-aircraft missile complexes.
And Aliyev also clearly warned that: “Azerbaijan and Turkey are not only brotherly and friendly countries, but also allies.”
“In the event of a threat to one of the parties, the other will use all its potential, including military, to protect the fraternal state.” he emphasized, referring to Shushi’s declaration.
In other words, as the dictator of Baku told the settlers during his visit to the occupied Martuni region a few days ago, “I believe that there will be no need to use the Iron Fist anymore, but everyone should know that it remains in place.” In essence, he says, they want peace, but they do not exclude the possibility of any war, that is, their preparation has not been pushed out of Baku’s political agenda.
■ Third, naturally, in the context of the settlement process of the Karabakh conflict, Aliyev placed the demands of Azerbaijan in the logic of international law, giving “legal force” to the start of the 44-day war.
It should be noted that Aliyev also attended the 8th European Political Community Summit in Yerevan had announced the same thing that the 4 resolutions of the UN Security Council remained on paper for 30 years, so there was nothing left but to achieve their implementation by force. In other words, Aliyev is telling the international community that they should come to terms with new realities and their status as a middle power.
And what is Nikol Pashinyan doing? For example, he instructs the army that it should take into account the new realities, that it should be called not combat-capable, but defense-capable. But do the new realities suggest that you should not have a combat-ready army and be afraid to use that word in general? Do the new realities dictate that you first declare that you have 200 square kilometers of occupied territory, and then question the Armenian identity of some of them? Don’t the new realities require a mirror process, no matter how much the other side is the winner?
Do the new realities require changing one’s own constitution, when the other side of the peace agenda maintains territorial claims to the recognized Republic of Armenia in its constitution, or to carry out the demarcation and demarcation process under unequal conditions? Or, he numbs the resistance of young people, changes values, when the leader of Azerbaijan urges the young people of his country the following.
“For the Azerbaijani people to live as an eternally proud, victorious nation, national identity and national dignity should be above everything else.
But you must never bend, you must never break.
You should never agree with the “occupier”.
You should not obey the dictates of the “occupier”.
If necessary, even if you die, you should live with dignity, instill this in your children, grandchildren and generations.
Our future development will depend on the young generation.
In 20, 30, 50 years, they should be like us: devoted to the motherland, resilient, strong, so that Azerbaijan will always be at the top.”
Now you say, does all this have to do with hybrid warfare or threats?, of course it does. Aliyev faces the hybrid and information war by generating his own theses among the international community, and he does it, as we mentioned, in a cunning way, while preparing his own youth for any scenario.
Why does Armenia not adopt such a tactic, why does the Armenian government, which speaks of sovereignty, constantly deploy some missions in its territory, where, naturally, there is a risk of conflicting interests of superpowers?
It should be noted that the main goal of the international media forum organized in the occupied Shushi, in the mass media and the information field, is “retelling the historical truth and forming appropriate narratives based on verified facts”.
It is not difficult to guess what historical truth we are talking about, and there was a time when the international press wrote about the Armenian Genocide.
In terms of the Karabakh conflict, we have always had gaps in terms of conveying the Armenian position and making it understandable.
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Azerbaijan and Turkey have 3 problems between them: Cyprus, Israel and… Alexander Is
July 13, 2026
168TVof “Trigger” the guest of the program Director of the Caucasus Institute, political scientist Alexander Iskandaryan is
The program discussed Israel’s recognition of the 1915 Armenian Genocide and official Yerevan’s response to it, relations between Israel and Turkey and their possible impact on Azerbaijan and the region, Armenia’s internal political situation after the parliamentary elections, the arrests and arrests of opposition representatives, the political and economic challenges facing the country, the prospects for the election between EAEU and the European Union, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s visit to Yerevan, Nikol Pashinyan’s talks with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail With Mishustin in Yekaterinburg, as well as the political reaction to the Vovan and Lexus prank, which was related to the issues of Armenia’s relations with the European Union and the situation created around Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II.
Hayk Derzyan
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Fitch reaffirmed Armenia’s rating at “BB-” level. RA economic growth
July 13, 2026
Fitch Ratings rating agency reaffirmed The Long-Term Issuer Default Ratings (IDRs) of Armenia in long-term foreign currency and national currency are at the “BB-” level, maintaining the positive outlook (Positive Outlook). At the end of the analysis, a complete list of ranking actions is also presented.
The positive forecast reflects the growth of Armenia’s international reserves, the continued stable economic growth, which will contribute to the stabilization of the public debt in the medium term, as well as the prospects for the improvement of long-term geopolitical risks.
The framework of peace formed under the auspices of the USA with Azerbaijan has significantly reduced the risks of escalation of military tension in the near future. However, there is still uncertainty regarding the successful conclusion of the peace process, including in the context of a possible constitutional referendum.
It is also noted that the growing diplomatic tension with Russia continues to create risks for Armenia’s economy, especially considering the country’s significant dependence on Russian energy imports.
Economical of growth stable In the outlook section, Fitch notes:
Armenia’s economy grew by 7.1% in 2025, continuing the high economic growth trend of the previous few years. Fitch Ratings forecasts that real GDP growth will slow to 5.2% in 2026, but it will continue to significantly exceed the BB-rated average of 2.9%.
The relatively low dependence of Armenia’s economy on oil limits the possible impact of the war in Iran on the country’s economy. At the same time, the economic consequences of the import restrictions imposed by Russia still remain uncertain.
In order to mitigate possible negative impacts, the Armenian government and the European Union provide exporters with financial support and tariff preferences.
By the way, according to Fitch, the IT sector and the start of operation of the Amulsar gold mine will contribute to Armenia’s economic growth.
“We prediction we are, that medium term in perspective economic growth will stabilize around 5% level, how many that offer on the side last years recorded shocks effect gradually will decrease. At the same time time, to growth will continue to contribute dynamic developing informative and: of communication technologies the field and: Amulsari of gold mine operation start”։
It is also noted that a number of large-scale infrastructural investment programs can provide an additional impetus to economic growth in the long term. Among them is the “Trump Road for International Peace and Prosperity” initiative, a corridor that, crossing Armenia, will connect Azerbaijan to the autonomous republic of Nakhichevan, and then to Turkey.
The plans for the creation of a new artificial intelligence data center have been expanded, and the volume of investments may reach 12% of Armenia’s GDP.
Consistent implementation of the peace agreement and the reopening of the border with Turkey could further boost economic growth through increased investment, exports and employment.
Fitch-expects that 2026 in the year inflation on average will make 4.4%, then gradually return of Armenia central bank 3% target level։
“The trend of rising inflation was formed even before the start of the Iran war, due to the increase in the costs of food, services and the universal health care system.
At the same time, the import restrictions applied by Russia may lead to an increase in the domestic supply of some products, which will create a disinflationary effect.
We predict that the Central Bank of Armenia (CB) will temporarily raise its main refinancing rate by 25 basis points (0.25 percentage points) to 6.75%.
According to Fitch, despite exceeding the budget indicators, risks remain.
“In 2025, the budget deficit of the general system of public administration was 3.7% of the GDP, which was lower than the indicator provided by the budget, but exceeded the average indicator of 2.8% of the countries with a rating of “BB”.
We forecast the deficit to widen slightly in 2026, in line with the government’s revised budget target.
Current expenditure growth continues to be high, due to the increase in health care costs with the introduction of the universal health care system, as well as the increase in pensions. This impact is partially mitigated by lower defense and security spending.
In the medium term, we forecast that the budget deficit will decrease to 3.4% of GDP by 2028, which will, however, remain above the government’s medium-term deficit target of 2.8% of GDP.”
The Fitch report states that the state the debt mostly will remain stable
“As of the end of 2025, the debt of the general public administration system has decreased, reaching 47.2% of GDP, which is lower than the average indicator of 51.6% of countries with a rating of “BB”.
We expect the public debt-to-GDP ratio to remain broadly stable as higher nominal GDP growth offsets smaller primary budget deficits. At the same time, as a result of exchange rate fluctuations, certain variability in debt indicators is possible.
According to our estimation, financing needs in 2026-2028 will be met mainly through domestic financial sources, as well as bilateral and multilateral lenders.
Strengthening of foreign reserves in conditions of weakening of the external position
The current account deficit has grown to 7.2% of GDP in 2025, up from 4.6% last year, more than twice the average for countries with a ‘BB’ rating.
This was due to the increase in domestic demand, the restoration of normal levels of transit trade and the decrease in income from tourism.
A part of the financing of the current account deficit is related to investments financed by external bank loans. At the same time, the participation of international financial organizations among the sources of financing contributes to mitigating existing risks.
We forecast that in 2026-2028 the current account deficit will decrease somewhat, but will remain above the indicators of comparable countries.
As of the end of May 2026, Armenia’s international (foreign currency) reserves reached a record 5.9 billion US dollars, which is due to the fact that the Central Bank of Armenia purchased US dollars in the domestic market.
However, due to high demand for imports, the coverage of reserves against current foreign payments will be around 3.6 months until 2028, which is lower than the average of 4.5 months for countries with a rating of “BB”.
Banking: system stability
In the first quarter of 2026, the growth of loans to the private sector remained at a high level, making 21.7% on an annual basis.
Financial stability risks are mitigated by banks’ strong capital and liquidity positions. Even in the conditions of the decrease of extraordinary financial flows from Russia, the profitability of the banking system remains high, which creates an additional protective buffer to withstand possible economic shocks.
The level of dollarization of deposits continues to decrease and reached 42.4% as of May. This was facilitated by the regulatory measures, the increase in confidence in the Armenian dram and the appreciation of the national currency.
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General Manvel was not Melkonyan Gago. They couldn’t tell him: let’s give Artsakh, live well
July 13, 2026
July 14 is the birthday of Lieutenant General Manvel Grigoryan, a hero of Artsakh, a participant in the Artsakh Liberation War. 168 TVof “Zara has a question” This time, the program was filmed in the Manvel Grigoryan Museum in Vagharshapat, and we talked during the program. Narine Mnatsakanyan, head of the press department of the patriotic NGO “5th Brigade of Victory” with.
Excerpts from the conversation of Narine Mnatsakanyan, a former employee of YCU media.
- 2018 in general, before those incidents reached the commander, I thought that people who have not seen Artsakh are coming to power. They did not know what Artsakh is, it was easy to surrender Artsakh to them. And what about General Manvel… General Manvel was unmanageable, no one could lead General Manvel, control him, tell him that it should be like this. And this government did not need such people.
- They could not tell General Manvel that we have to sacrifice a lot and then say that we are giving land. General Manvel could not be told to give Artsakh so that we can live well, and General Manvel would not obey these lying generals.
I will give a name. I never gave, General Manvel was not Melkonian Gago. You could not convince General Manvel to give Artsakh. He himself would have said: we will die, but we will keep our land as much as we can, but we cannot give Artsakh, our age-old enemy, as a gift.
Details in the video
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168: They put him on a needle, the villager is knocked down… why are cattle dying?
July 13, 2026
In the “Pressing” program Satik Seyranyan the guest is former deputy minister of agriculture of RA, agronomist Ashot Harutyunyan.
The main theses of the interview are below.
- God forbid that Armenia enters into a war with Russia. Russia has not fully entered the field of contradictions, it is still using “soft power”, otherwise the consequences will be more severe. The driving force of the economy, from bread to flowers, is agriculture. Agriculture also solves the problems of food safety and security.
- There are various institutes in Russia that analyze what chemicals and fertilizers enter Armenia, what kind of inspection control there is, what kind of policy is followed. Today, any untested chemical enters Armenia. There is no control. If the Russians used to turn a blind eye to phytosanitary problems, they don’t now. When they want to stop the truck at the border, they have reasons, they can easily make a camel and close it.:
- In addition to affordable prices, the Russian market is also the most profitable for us in terms of logistics. It did not take much skill to deliver our goods from Armenia to Russia.
- It would not be bad if we could use the European market in the right way as well. But it’s not easy. It is a problem of market, logistics and competition. not beneficial. No European farmer sleeps and wakes up at night to welcome and sell Armenian producer’s products on their market. They also have their own problems. No one is crazy enough to take bad value, bad goods to Germany or a European country. Otherwise, the Armenian product, at least because of its taste, wherever you take it, there are people who eat, wait and miss it, but we are talking about thousands of tons.
- From the point of view of food safety, we have serious problems in the country. There are many publications that some of the drugs used in agriculture are of substandard quality. What is the permissible limit, what amount of fertilizer is given to the plants of the Ararat Valley, for example, no one monitors or controls… Today, the prices of agrochemicals are so high that very few farmers are able to use them. There is no advisor or supervisor, but since the price is high, farmers at least buy less and use it. In this sense, there is no evil without good:
- Armenian fresh fruits and vegetables are bought in counted containers and reach America. Product turnover is not large. The volume of goods turnover is absolutely not comparable with Russia.
- Even taking into account the analysis of the numerical indicators of the state subsidized costs, we see that the export of Armenian agricultural products to the European market is not attractive and profitable.
- The powerful agriculture of a country like Ukraine has become a 2-3000 km battlefront with its fertile lands, and Europe is constantly feeding this war. At the very least, we should be blind or less intelligent than to wonder what the European Union has found in this small Armenia, that it promises so much money, for what purpose it does it…
- 2018 they did not decide to make the revolution that day. There are countries that have planned them for 20-30 years…
- The Church is one of the pillars of our statehood. Various pillars were taken out of order, the church is resisting. There are many groups in Armenia, belonging to other religious movements, sectarian organizations, aimed not only at concentrating groups of people in order to act at the moment of need, but also to divide the Armenian Apostolic Church itself, because it is the Armenian Church that has united the Armenian nation around itself for thousands of years and brought it to this day.:
- After 2018, the closure of both the Ministries of Agriculture, Energy and other departments was again a plan years in the making. I’ve been inside, I’ve seen how they plan from below… Millions of dollars were coming supposedly for consulting, they made plans, they made a condition to invite experts from their countries or here and pay, withdrawing the money given… it did not benefit our agriculture. As a result, that money was circulated and sent back to their countries. Of course, there were some programs that helped the industry grow.
- Secretary of the Security Council (SC) Armen Grigoryan used to say: we don’t need wheat, we will eat rice. Now the government has set itself the task of regrouping and increasing the wheat sown areas. Now I think where they want to throw us, what problem they want to solve now. Don’t cheat again:
- I have my own trench and I try to keep it until the end. My political position is pro-statism, to remove this government as soon as possible so that this country remains. My forte is agriculture.
- When wheat came from Turkey in the 1990s, it was not Turkish wheat, it was coming from Syria as aid. And from Turkey in 1996-98. in the meantime, they brought Turkish potato planting material, which was sown in Aragatsotn marz, and until now we are not able to clean the contamination of those lands, the disease does not pass through the soil…
- Today, 99% of Russian-made wheat comes to Armenia from Azerbaijan in wagons. Comes in very small quantities.
The country has been put on a needle, we are hanging by a thread… Killing is killing by hitting and killing alone, isn’t it? It is a war of wheat and bread. God willing, the Laris tunnel will be handed over on time, and the Armenian-Russian logistics problems will be settled… Armenian-Russian relations cannot remain in this state for long, it will be disastrous:
- I would also like to say that Armenian-Turkish relations have a perspective, or who does not want peace… but there is history of centuries, there are facts, and since pan-Turkism is their state program, this cannot happen.
- One of our most powerful forces is the Diaspora, we must unite, otherwise we cannot resist alone for long. Our enemies also know that the Armenian living in Armenia is not alone. Our main diplomacy should be cohesion:
- The countdown has started in our villages. In the villages, people are in a state of knockdown…people are lying on the ground, the question is whether they will rise or not. Every hour, export problems complicate the situation. By autumn, the harvest is increasing, that’s when the peak will be. I don’t know if exports will recover in the meantime or not.
Back in the day, I wondered how enthusiastically the villagers used the programs supported by the state. Being a professional myself, I was never tempted. The banks have made a profit, but what benefit will the greenhouse owners and the peasants get, we will see. I used to say: people, what are you going to do with so many flowers? Are we going to eat flowers? For how many years I told the government to subsidize the crops we need, they didn’t do it, but did you see how your flower exploded?:
- The other day, I found out that 700 tons of pepper were exported to some country, and the kilogram was subsidized at a good price. I am sure that none of the pepper-producing peasants and farmers of Armavir marz did not lose their pepper. Go see whose pepper they exported. And this is the big businessman, who once did not risk entering the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Armenia, now he writes a plan for himself, brings it, approves it… They put their clutches like cancer on all organs… As the system develops, they send a cell to destroy it too.…
Deputy Economy Minister Arman Khojoyan said that 770 drams are offered for each 1 kg of strawberries, 275 drams for each 1 kg of tomatoes, 400 drams for 1 kg of pepper, and 37 drams for each flower.
- Folks, the truth is bitter… Don’t put the knife to the bone. There is a danger of tanning in the republic.
- Authorities, don’t hide the reality. Last year, you showed zero contamination of tannery, when there was a fall of hundreds of sheep and pigs. Don’t try to say otherwise. What happened, did the pigs get a heart attack or die from your policy? Livestock population in the country is in sharp decline. Unless you deal with disease, infection, wherever you want to bring high breed animals, you will get the opposite effect. Moreover, some diseases, such as anthrax, tansy, are encapsulated and remain in the soil for a hundred years, it should be dealt with as soon as possible… This is a biological weapon. Don’t start in the wrong place. Clean out the barns. Collect your brains. We are not losing a country anymore, but they have reached the intersections of our houses:
- What the wind brings, the wind will take away, and their eyes will be satisfied with a handful of soil, in the end…
- According to my information, not only the gas coming through the pipeline, but also that pipeline and all the rest of the property is owned by Gazprom, the Russian side. Let’s say you signed a contract to bring gas from Azerbaijan. I’m not saying you’ll get addicted when the hump closes the valve, say, in the bitter cold of January-February. Let’s face it, honestly, what will you do if the Russian side refuses to provide its internal network? Or how will we charge the nuclear power plant?:
- Why are we talking about Russian sanctions, when today in Armenia there is a government that has forced 20,000 people to be idle? I am talking about the employees of “Multi Group” owned by Gagik Tsarukyan. This government has a problem with people, it hits the workers… First, think about the sanctions applied by these authorities against the citizens of Armenia, not Russia’s sanctions…
- If Roza Tsarukyan was his mother, her son would be twice as rich, with her blood, energy and quick mind.
- Not only are these doing it on purpose, but they are super ignorant…
Details in the video.
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RFE/RL – EU Launches New Mission To Armenia Denounced By Russia
The European Union on Monday officially launched a new mission to Armenia which it said will help the Armenian government cope with “hybrid threats” emanating from abroad, presumably Russia.
The EU’s decision-making European Council listed “cyber threats, foreign information manipulation and interference and illicit financial flows” among those threats.
“Specifically, the mission will provide strategic advice, technical expertise and institutional capacity building to various national institutions in Armenia to address such threats, and will support a horizontal, whole-of-government approach,” it said in a statement.
The EU first announced the deployment in April, citing a request from Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s government. The latter had implicitly alleged Russian “hybrid” threats to the integrity of parliamentary elections held in Armenia on June 7. Moscow denied those claims and accused the EU of trying to turn the South Caucasus country into an anti-Russian “outpost” in the region.
“A mission that will claim to fight against interference in the affairs of a sovereign state is itself an instrument of such interference,” the Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, said on April 24.
Russian-Armenian tensions have risen further since then, with Moscow pressing Yerevan to swiftly choose between continuing to seek EU membership and remaining part of a Russian-led economic bloc essential for the Armenian economy. In the run-up to the June 7 elections, Russian authorities also banned multimillion-dollar imports of Armenian agricultural products and beverages.
Visiting Yerevan on July 2, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen promised that the EU will open its tightly protected and regulated market to Armenian products in addition to providing 52 million euros ($60 million) in urgent financial aid to Armenia’s government. She again denounced Moscow’s “economic coercion” after her talks with Pashinian.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas cited “Russian pressure” on Yerevan in the context of the new mission to Armenia.
“We’ll make sure Armenia does not face external coercion alone,” the European Council statement quoted her as saying.
Pashinian has made clear that he will not change his pro-EU foreign policy despite the Russian sanctions. He has also downplayed their impact on the Armenian economy.
Armenian exports to Russia reached almost $3 billion last year, compared with $667 million worth of goods exported to EU member states. Russian officials put at $700 million the annual amount of imports from Armenia affected by the trade restrictions. They have warned of other punitive measures such a surge in the price of Russian natural gas supplied to Armenia.
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Russian Bank Completes Sale Of Armenian Mining Giant
- Mkrtich Karapetian
A leading Russian commercial bank, VTB, has completed the sale of Armenia’s second largest mining company to a locally registered firm owned by an unknown entrepreneur.
The Teghut company has mined copper and molybdenum in a deposit of the same name located in Armenia’s northern Lori province for more than a decade. VTB’s Armenian subsidiary took over Teghut in 2019 after its previous owner failed to repay a $400 million loan provided by the bank.
The mine and an adjacent ore-processing facility suspended operations following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine that led to sweeping Western sanctions against Moscow. VTB was one of the first Russian entities sanctioned by the European Union and the United States.
Although Teghut gradually resumed operations in the following years, the state-owned bank seemed keen to get rid of the asset. Its chief executive, Andrei Kostin, announced in April this year that VTB is in the final stages of selling its controlling stake in the enterprise. He gave no details.
Armenia’s state anti-trust regulator cleared the deal last week. It emerged that Teghut’s buyer is Kuprar RA, an obscure company founded in February by Sergei Virabian, a former Armenian government official who has also held senior executive positions in various local banks. Virabian said at the weekend that he sold Kuprar to another “entrepreneur” this month but refused to name him or her.
Sources told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service earlier this year that Konstantin Sokolov, a Russian-born businessman who co-owns one of Armenia’s three mobile phone operators, is showing an interest in Teghut. Virabian would not say whether Sokolov is Kuprar’s new owner.
“I can’t reveal that to you, it’s a commercial secret,” he told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service.
Teghut was Armenia’s 22nd largest corporate taxpayer last year, with almost 14.4 billion drams ($39 million) in various taxes contributed to the state budget. It employed more than 1,100 people as of 2022.
By comparison, the country’s largest mining enterprise, the Zangezur Copper-Molybdenum Combine (ZCMC), paid over 52 billion drams in taxes. The company based in the southeastern Syunik province is controlled by entities linked to Russian billionaire Roman Trotsenko.
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Yerevan Doctor Fired After Pre-Election Row With Pashinian
- Naira Bulghadarian
In what she sees as political retribution, an accomplished Armenian doctor has been fired from a state policlinic two months after bitterly arguing with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian during his parliamentary election campaign in Yerevan.
Arpine Soghoyan sparked a shouting match with Pashinian when she approached him during his campaign tour of the city’s northern Arabkir district on May 18. Soghoyan blamed him for the fact that her brother, senior military medic Hrant Papikian, went missing during the 2020 war in Nagorno-Karabakh.
“You have wiped out a whole young generation,” she added, referring to thousands of Armenian soldiers killed during the six-week war. “You have stolen my brother, my joy. You’ve tried to bring us to our knees. But we haven’t gotten on our knees.”
Pashinian responded by manhandling her, linking her to the leaders of Armenia’s three main opposition groups and pledging to “take out” them. He also furiously rejected her claim that he has “ruined the country.”
Pashinian also lost his temper that day after being confronted by other Arabkir residents. One of them, exiled Karabakh Armenian activist Artur Osipian was arrested and charged with obstructing Pashinian’s election campaign and calling for a violent attack on the premier hours later. Osipian was released from jail after a 23-day hunger strike.
Despite initial reports that Soghoyan is being pressured to resign as head of the policlinic’s gynecology section, Yerevan Mayor Tigran Avinian insisted at the time that she will not be fired because of her political views.
Nevertheless, the experienced gynecologist received on Monday a letter from the policlinic director, Vartan Hakobian, notifying her that her position has been abolished. Hakobian refused to comment when contacted by RFE/RL’s Armenian Service.
A spokesperson for the Yerevan mayor’s office, which oversees the municipal policlinics, claimed, meanwhile, that Soghoyan’s dismissal is part of ongoing cost-cutting layoffs necessitated by the recent introduction of a national health insurance system. Soghoyan brushed aside the claim, saying that policlinic medics’ workload has only increased in recent months because of that.
The layoff letter also informed Soghoyan that she will not be offered an alternative job due to what it described as her poor health, rather than a lack of public funding. The doctor denied having any health issues, saying that she has never called in sick during her 21-year work at the primary healthcare facility. She said she was simply pushed out because of the incident with Pashinian and her pro-opposition views.
Soghoyan’s removal is the latest in a series of sackings of Pashinian’s critics or their relatives working in the public sector, which followed last month’s disputed parliamentary elections. They include Lilit Ghazarian, the sister of an outspoken opposition figure who ran for the Armenian parliament. Ghazarian was laid off late last month after serving as deputy head of the Armenian government’s drug regulatory agency for 22 years.
Also losing his job was Ruben Melikian, a prominent lawyer and government critic who has represented many arrested oppositionists. Melikian was notified last week that he will no longer be teaching law at Yerevan State University (YSU).
On June 29, a state college in the town of Armavir sacked its administrator and lecturer Hayastan Hakobian who also ran in the June 7 elections as a candidate of the main opposition Strong Armenia alliance. Hakobian pledged to challenge her dismissal in court, saying that she was punished for her political views.
Soghoyan also vowed such legal action while insisting that she is not particularly upset by the loss of her longtime job.
“If it weren’t for the events of 2020, I might have taken it harder,” she told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service. “But now that part of me has been numbed by the loss of my homeland.”
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RFE/RL – More Workers Protest Against Forced Closure Of Tsarukian’s Firms
- Robert Zargarian
Hundreds of employees of Gagik Tsarukian’s companies continued to demand on Monday that the Armenian authorities unblock their operations halted last week as part of a post-election crackdown on the opposition leader promised by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian.
Tsarukian was arrested on July 6 during a 12-hour search conducted at his villa just north of Yerevan. Law-enforcement authorities also raided and sealed off the offices of dozens of companies making up his Multi Group. Those included Armenia’s main cement plant and one of its largest brandy distilleries. Thousands of their workers were sent home on what amounted to unpaid leave.
The plant located in Ararat, a town 55 kilometers south of Yerevan, alone employs nearly 1,000 people. Many of them rallied at its premises on Thursday. Although Pashinian publicly threatened to fire them, the Armenian government allowed the plant to resume operations.
The other Multi Group businesses remain closed. Scores of people working at two of them, the Ararat Brandy-Wine-Vodka Factory and Multi Stone, took to the streets on Monday to also protest against the loss of their income. A Multi Stone worker warned that they will block a national highway if the authorities keep his company closed.
Workers of the Euromotors car leadership, the Multi Wellness fitness as well as the training center of the Armenian National Olympic Committee headed by Tsarukian demonstrated for the same reason on Saturday.
“Our entire work is disrupted,” said the Euromotors manager, Abraham Danaguzian. “We can neither take orders nor sell.”
So far the authorities have explained only the forced closure of Multi Welness and the Ararat plant. The State Revenue Committee has accused both companies of tax evasion, a charge strongly denied by Multi Group.
Nor has there been any official explanation of the connection between the closures and separate charges levelled against Tsarukian and rejected by him as politically motivated. The tycoon is accused of defrauding Iranian business partners.
Pashinian vowed to nationalize the cement plant when he campaigned for the June 7 parliamentary elections in which Tsarukian’s Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) was one of the main opposition contenders. He has since repeatedly pledged to imprison and “dispossess” Tsarukian as well as the leaders of two other key opposition groups. The jailed tycoon’s representatives say Pashinian’s statements prove that law-enforcement authorities are acting on his illegal and politically motivated orders.
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