Category: News

Speaker of Parliament Ruben Rubinyan, a senior member of the Civil Contract party, has called on the opposition factions to allow the draft of the new Constitution to be put to a referendum, while retaining their right to campaign against it and ultimately letting the people decide.

“What is preventing them from giving enough votes in parliament to the text, technically, so that the people can decide? If, for example, they are right and this is a very bad Constitution, fine. Let them give the opportunity for it to be put before the people. Let them head the ‘No’ campaign headquarters and present their position to the people, and let the people decide,” he said at a press briefing.

Rubinyan stressed that the opposition can declare that it opposes the draft and present its arguments against it, while allowing citizens, including its own voters, to make the decision.

“They can provide a sufficient number of votes, declare that, as a political force, they oppose the text of the Constitution, but also explain why they oppose it, while saying: we are giving the people the opportunity to decide,” the Speaker of Parliament said.

He also criticized the approach of rejecting a text that has not even been published yet, stressing that it is necessary to familiarize oneself with its content before making assessments.

Addressing a question about the reference to the Declaration of Independence, Rubinyan said that this was not a matter of removing a provision from the existing text, as the new Constitution is being drafted from scratch.

The Speaker of Parliament added that his proposal was addressed to the two opposition factions in parliament.

The Civil Contract faction does not have enough seats in parliament to put a matter to a referendum on its own and needs to secure at least six votes from the opposition. Both opposition factions in parliament have said they will not support holding a referendum on the proposed new Constitution.

The opposition Armenia faction in the Armenian parliament has announced that it will not support the government’s proposal to put the draft of a new Constitution to a referendum.

Armenia faction leader Anna Grigoryan said such a vote would run counter to the mandate the faction had received from voters and its pre-election pledges.

Speaking to reporters in parliament, Grigoryan commented on the government’s proposal to hold a constitutional referendum with the opposition’s support.

She said the issue of constitutional amendments was not new, noting that the ruling party and the opposition had gone into the elections with differing positions on the matter.

She said the requirement for broad parliamentary consensus to hold a referendum was intended to ensure agreement on the proposed agenda. However, no such consensus currently exists, as the political forces hold opposing positions, she said. 

Asked about possible public pressure on the opposition, the faction leader said it would not change their decision.

“People did not vote for us so that we would vote in favor of putting this draft to a referendum. Even if Nikol Pashinyan gathers his entire faction, his entire political team and the people, and tries to supposedly exert pressure, that still cannot influence our position, because our mandate does not allow for that,” she said.

Responding to questions about possible guarantees surrounding the signing of a peace agreement, Grigoryan said adopting a new Constitution would not rule out further demands from Azerbaijan.

She added that possible assurances regarding the signing of a peace agreement with Azerbaijan could not serve as grounds for changing her faction’s position either.

Grigoryan linked the government’s current agenda for adopting a new Constitution to Azerbaijan’s demands, criticizing in this context the approach of removing the reference to Armenia’s Declaration of Independence.

At the same time, she did not rule out discussing a different agenda for constitutional amendments. She said that if the preamble remained unchanged and discussions instead focused, for example, on changing what she described as the “super-prime-ministerial system” or reforming the judiciary, her faction could consider such proposals.

Speaker of Parliament Ruben Rubinyan, a senior member of the ruling Civil Contract party, has called on the opposition factions to allow the draft of the new Constitution to be put to a referendum while retaining their right to campaign against it, leaving the final decision to the people.

The ruling Civil Contract faction does not have enough seats in parliament to initiate a referendum on its own and needs at least six votes from the opposition. Both opposition factions in parliament have said they will not support holding a referendum on the proposed new Constitution.

Azerbaijani Presidential aide Hikmet Hajiyev has discussed the peace process with Armenia during a conversation with American economist and professor Jeffrey Sachs in Baku.

Hajiyev spoke about bilateral trade relations, the development of transport links, and opportunities for cooperation in renewable energy.

He said Baku also views the peace process in the context of transforming the South Caucasus into a platform for cooperation.

“In our bilateral relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, we are also putting the historical past aside. There are still unhealed wounds and memories that we cannot turn a blind eye to. At the same time, however, we are looking toward the future, toward lasting peace. Trade relations between the two countries have already begun. We are building links and developing connectivity,” Hajiyev said.

The Azerbaijani presidential aide said that Armenia is being offered the opportunity to join the region’s connectivity network.

“Armenia is a landlocked country. We are offering Armenia the opportunity to become a country connected to our region’s connectivity network, providing it with various opportunities to develop transport links,” he said.

Speaking about energy cooperation, Hajiyev said Azerbaijan plans to increase its renewable electricity generation capacity in the coming years. According to him, the country plans to have an additional 2 gigawatts of capacity in the coming years, followed by an additional 8 gigawatts of capacity ready for export.

Hajiyev said Baku also views these plans in the context of peacebuilding with Armenia.

“Now the war is over, and we are trying to present the economic benefits of the concept of peace, as well as the concept of green energy – the peace dividend. We hope that green energy will become one of the components of this strategy, including along the Caspian Sea,” he said.

Artur Nahapetyan, Chairman of Armenia’s Anti-Corruption Committee, participated in the 2026 conference of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) in Orlando, Florida, as part of a visit organized with the support of the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) of the U.S. Embassy in Armenia.

Representatives of law enforcement agencies from several countries held bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the conference.

According to the Anti-Corruption Committee’s press release, Nahapetyan met with Lesley Ziman, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), and Nicholas Collura, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Diplomatic Security and Director of the Diplomatic Security Service. They discussed expanding law enforcement cooperation, information exchange, and the application of modern methods to combat corruption.

As part of the international conference, Nahapetyan also visited a specialized exhibition, where he familiarized himself with the latest technological equipment used in law enforcement.

On October 27, in Washington, Nahapetyan met with Armenia’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United States, Narek Mkrtchyan. The sides discussed effective cooperation with U.S. partners and joint programs being implemented in Armenia’s law enforcement sector with their support.

Issues related to cooperation with the Committee in several areas were also discussed during a bilateral meeting with Rachel Cook, the INL Bureau’s coordinator for programs in Armenia.

On the same day, Nahapetyan also held meetings with representatives of the U.S. Department of Justice, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

In particular, the discussions focused on opportunities to expand cooperation with the FBI, develop the Anti-Corruption Committee’s institutional and professional capacities, and implement new programs aimed at improving the knowledge and practical skills of the Committee’s staff.

During a working meeting at the U.S. Department of Justice, the sides discussed ways to improve the effectiveness of cooperation within the framework of mutual legal assistance, refine procedures for handling relevant requests, and improve information exchange between international partners.

The sides emphasized that developing mutual legal assistance mechanisms is an important prerequisite for effectively detecting cross-border corruption crimes, conducting comprehensive investigations into related circumstances, and facilitating the recovery of assets acquired through criminal activity.

On October 28, Nahapetyan also visited the FBI National Academy, where he learned about its history and the facilities used for FBI employees’ physical training and professional development.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said that Ankara supports the ongoing engagements between Armenia and Azerbaijan and will continue to contribute to the establishment of lasting peace in the region.

Erdoğan made the remarks in a speech at the Summit of the Organization of Turkic States, addressing prospects for peace and regional cooperation in the South Caucasus, according to the Turkish Anadolu news agency.

“The South Caucasus, where peace and stability will prevail, will create important opportunities not only for the countries of the region but also for the entire Turkic world. We support the contacts our Azerbaijani brothers are conducting with Armenia and reaffirm that we will continue to contribute, to the best of our ability, to the establishment of lasting peace,” Erdoğan said.

The Turkish president emphasized that regional conflicts benefit no party and have serious consequences for the global economy, trade and energy markets.

Addressing the recent resurgence of tensions surrounding Iran, Erdoğan expressed hope that they would be resolved through diplomacy rather than militarily. 

He also spoke about the Palestinian issue, stressing that Turkic states should make greater efforts to achieve a just settlement.

Erdoğan underscored the importance of delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza and launching reconstruction efforts as soon as possible. He reaffirmed Türkiye’s support for the establishment of an independent and sovereign State of Palestine based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The Turkish president also called on Turkic states to deepen economic and transport cooperation while taking into account the national interests and sensitivities of member states.

According to Erdoğan, the Turkic world can be transformed into a major trade, transport and energy hub stretching from east to west. In this context, he attached strategic importance to the Middle Corridor, saying that it could play an important role in the development of international trade in the future.

Armenia’s Greco-Roman wrestling team returned from the World Championships in Kazakhstan with two medals – one gold and one bronze – although expectations had been much higher.

Head coach Armen Babalaryan summed up the team’s performance at a press conference on Friday.

He first spoke about Karen Aslanyan, who competed in the 63 kg weight category and won the world title after a series of impressive performances.

“I had expected Karen to win gold earlier, both at the World Championships and the European Championships, but something always got in his way. As you know, Karen used to compete in the 67 kg weight category. He is now making the transition to the new 63 kg category, meeting all the necessary requirements. Today, through his performances, he proved that he is the world’s No. 1 wrestler in this weight category,” Babalaryan said.

Karen Aslanyan’s personal coach, Samvel Gevorgyan, said the gold medal was the result of many years of hard work.

“Karen and I have been on this journey together, like a family. We have faced many difficulties and dreamed of achieving this kind of success. He has great potential, but something always seemed to get in his way. A gold medal at the senior level was the one achievement missing from his record, and now we have that too. I am very happy for Karen Aslanyan. This was a long-awaited gold medal, and we will do everything we can to repeat this success,” Gevorgyan said.

Speaking about his bouts, world champion Karen Aslanyan said he had been well prepared and confident in his abilities.

“As it turned out, I defeated most of my opponents by a considerable margin, although that was not the strategy from the outset. All my opponents were very strong, but I would single out Edmond Nazaryan of Bulgaria. He is a very difficult and unpredictable wrestler to face, but I managed to defeat him, which makes me very happy. Going forward, I will strive to defend my world title,” Aslanyan said.

World Championships bronze medalist Gevorg Tadevosyan said he had prepared very well for the tournament and had high expectations.

“My first bout was against a Russian wrestler, who was a very strong opponent. It was quite difficult at first, but, thank God, I managed to pull myself together at the right moment, make up for what I had lost and win. After that, I faced a wrestler representing Kazakhstan. I wasn’t particularly tense, and my desire to win was very strong. I then lost my bout against a wrestler from Iran. In the bronze-medal bout against the Ukrainian wrestler, I gave it everything I had. The coaches and my teammates helped me a lot, and we achieved success,” Tadevosyan said.

Speaking about the team’s potential and its chances of winning more medals at the World Championships, Babalaryan singled out Slavik Galstyan, who competed in the 67 kg weight category and had been considered a favorite. The head coach was confident that Galstyan would return with a medal, but some mistakes were made. After winning two bouts, Galstyan faced a wrestler from Uzbekistan whom he had defeated several months earlier at one of the major international tournaments. According to Babalaryan, the wrestler did not sufficiently follow the tactical instructions given by the coaches.

Another wrestler from whom the coaching staff had high expectations was Malkhas Amoyan, competing in the 77 kg weight category. He won his opening bout against a wrestler representing Russia before facing an opponent from Kazakhstan. During that bout, the coaches challenged a decision, but the appeal was unsuccessful. Amoyan did everything he could to make up for the lost ground, but to no avail.

On October 29, in New Delhi, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of the Republic of Armenia and the Ministry of External Affairs of the Republic of India held the 12th round of political consultations, headed by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of Armenia Mnatsakan Safaryan and Secretary (West) of the Ministry of External Affairs of India Sibi George.

The discussions touched upon the progress and further prospects of the development of relations between Armenia and India, based on traditional friendship and mutual trust, attaching importance to maintaining the positive dynamics of bilateral cooperation, the continuity of high-level political dialogue, and the further steps aimed at enhancing the bilateral agenda and deepening cooperation, the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade said in a press release.

The sides reaffirmed their commitment to consistently strengthening cooperation in all areas of mutual interest, emphasizing the importance of joint efforts aimed at the effective utilization of the existing potential and realization of new initiatives in the areas of trade, defense, high technologies, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, connectivity, education, culture, and tourism.

During the meeting the further development of mutually beneficial cooperation within international platforms were discussed.

Views were exchanged on regional and international developments. Mnatsakan Safaryan briefed his counterpart on the efforts undertaken by Armenia towards the further institutionalization of peace in the South Caucasus and steps towards the implementation of connectivity and communications’ projects, including the “Crossroads of Peace” initiative of the Government of Armenia.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan chaired a meeting to discuss issues related to engaging young people in public administration.

Minister of Justice Srbuhi Galyan presented details of successful programs implemented by the Ministry of Justice to engage young people in public administration and promote the development of volunteer and internship programs, the Prime Minister’s Office said in a press release.

In this context, she spoke about initiatives such as “Become a Volunteer,” “Young People Debate,” “Summer School of Law” and others.

Galyan noted that these initiatives aim to enhance the role of young people in the public sector, unlock their potential and develop their skills.

The need to expand these initiatives to other government agencies and make them part of a system-wide approach was also emphasized.

The meeting also featured a discussion on opportunities to develop volunteer and internship programs and establish effective mechanisms for engaging young people in public administration. In this regard, the importance of introducing a sustainable and well-regulated system that would motivate young people to actively contribute to the development of their communities and the country was highlighted.

Prime Minister Pashinyan stressed that internships and volunteer programs provide young people with a good opportunity to become involved in public administration, adding that systemic solutions and regulations are needed to develop these mechanisms. In this regard, the Prime Minister issued relevant instructions.

Armenian Minister of Internal Affairs Arpine Sargsyan on October 30 received the senior management of IN Groupe and HayPass, led by Dounia El Hasnaoui, Group Chief Financial Officer of IN Groupe.

Minister Sargsyan thanked them for the effective cooperation, emphasizing the strategic importance of the project to introduce a new biometric document system in Armenia, the Ministry of Internal Affairs said in a statement.

The Minister noted that this first public-private partnership project in Armenia is an important step toward modernizing public services, introducing state-of-the-art technologies and improving the quality of services provided to citizens.

Sargsyan expressed confidence that, with the implementation of the project, Armenian citizens would receive high-quality services at modern service centers meeting international standards and obtain secure documents.

Dounia El Hasnaoui, Group Chief Financial Officer of IN Groupe, thanked the Armenian side for its trust and effective partnership, emphasizing that the company would continue to make every necessary effort to ensure the successful implementation of the project and the provision of high-quality services to citizens.

The meeting also addressed the introduction of e-gates, or automated border crossing systems, at Armenia’s border checkpoints. An agreement was reached to install the relevant systems within a short timeframe, ensuring faster, more convenient and safer border crossing procedures.

The sides also discussed the establishment of a modern data center within the framework of the project, an unprecedented technological investment for Armenia that will be essential to ensuring the secure and uninterrupted operation of the biometric system.

The economic significance of the project was also highlighted. In particular, HayPass’s operations have created new jobs in Armenia, with the majority of the company’s employees being Armenian specialists, contributing to the development of local professional expertise and the transfer of international experience.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Armenian Minister of Internal Affairs Arpine Sargsyan and HayPass Chief Executive Officer Régis Bauchiere signed a report prepared by an independent expert company on the public-private partnership project for the introduction of the biometric system. The document certifies that the parties have duly fulfilled their investment commitments and are ready to launch the operational phase of the project.

Nerses Yeritsyan, Chairman of the Information Systems Regulatory Commission, also attended the meeting.

The Constitutional Reform Council held its latest meeting on 30 October.

According to the Ministry of Justice, council members discussed the organisation of further work and upcoming tasks, as well as constitutional provisions concerning the judiciary.