Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan met with the President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadir Zhaparov in Cholpon-Ata.

Sadir Zhaparov welcomed Nikol Pashinyan and congratulated him on the successful holding of parliamentary elections and his appointment as Prime Minister.

“I wish success in the implementation of tasks aimed at the further development of the country and increasing the well-being of the Armenian people. In recent years, under your leadership, Armenia has achieved significant results in the fields of socio-economic development and implementation of important transformations, as well as consistently increasing its role in the international arena,” said the President of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan.

Sadir Zhaparov emphasized the efforts of the RA Prime Minister aimed at creating an atmosphere of friendship and neighborliness in the South Caucasus and expressed his belief that ensuring peace and stability is an important condition for sustainable growth and increasing the well-being of the people. “In this context, Kyrgyzstan attaches importance to the further development of Kyrgyzstan-Armenia relations based on traditional friendship, mutual respect and common values ​​of our countries. Our cooperation is characterized by a constructive political dialogue and an effort to expand cooperation in all areas of mutual interest. I expect that today’s meeting will give a new charge to the Kyrgyzstan-Armenia friendship and will give an opportunity to outline the prospective steps for the further development of the partnership between the two countries,” the Kyrgyz President noted.

Nikol Pashinyan thanked for the warm hospitality and congratulated Sadir Zhaparov on the occasion of Kyrgyzstan’s election as a (non-permanent) member of the UN Security Council. “I hope that in this format we will manage to deepen our relations and cooperation. I also congratulate you on the successes that are already visible to the naked eye. It is really very impressive,” said the RA Prime Minister.

Referring to the high economic growth recorded in Kyrgyzstan, Nikol Pashinyan emphasized that it will contribute to raising the standard of living in the country, which is the personal success of the Kyrgyz government and Sadir Zhaparov. “And, of course, it creates new opportunities for economic cooperation between Kyrgyzstan and Armenia. Unfortunately, despite the fact that both our countries are members of the Eurasian Economic Union, due to logistical problems, the volume of our mutual trade is not very large, but recently some movement has been observed. I am confident that we will manage to develop cooperation in the field of transport. This will contribute to the expansion of mutual trade between Kyrgyzstan and Armenia,” said Prime Minister Pashinyan.

—

The choice of Armenia’s foreign economic orientation between the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and the European Union (EU) should be made exclusively on the basis of deep professional calculations, not on the basis of referendums and public sentiments.

Similar opinion VERELQ– said the head of the Department of Applied Sociology of Yerevan State University Arthur Atanesyancommenting on the recent public and political discussions on the question of holding a referendum on the foreign policy vector.

In recent months, the deepening problems in Armenia-Russia relations have led to the blocking of the entry of Armenian agricultural products to the Russian market and Moscow’s consistent claims that Armenia should make a final choice through a referendum whether to remain a member of the Eurasian Economic Union or to move towards EU membership and a “civilized disengagement” with Russia.

Touching on the moral and political side of the issue of the selection of the foreign minister, the expert noted that the perception of democracy in Armenia was and remains problematic from the beginning. “The influence of public opinion and attitude should not always become decisive in many issues where the people do not know and cannot know what the experts know,” Atanesyan emphasized.

According to him, the expediency of joining interstate economic unions, possible dividends and losses are complex macro-economic processes, the complete picture of which is not available even to representatives of large businesses. The expert reminds that small and medium business dominates the economic field of Armenia, and a significant part of the population is far from active economic activity in general. Therefore, he is sure that such strategic decisions require a highly professional approach.

Atanesyan also pointed out the danger of emotional-geopolitical preferences in the decision-making process, when one part of the society is more inclined towards “Europe” and the other towards “Russia”. At the same time, he made a very critical assessment of the competence of the decision-making circles. “The political elite in its composition today generally does not have exceptional professional abilities, even in-depth knowledge, and we are not talking about the availability of their professional experience in general.”

According to the sociologist, if the decisions regarding the economic vector are made based on the biased sentiments of the majority of the population and the abilities of the current elites, then the state, as a macroeconomic entity, may suffer catastrophic losses.

Referring to the current economic indicators, Atanesyan stated that according to official statistics, the economic relations with both the EU and EAEU have constantly increased and were almost equal. According to his observation, these directions have never hindered each other, even in the crisis conditions created by the Ukrainian conflict.

The expert described the opposition of the EU and EAEU markets as a wrong approach that lacks any economic justification. “It is purely a political adventure, the consequences of which the Armenian society will feel very acutely very soon,” he concluded.

—

Today at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), I also hosted the world-famous American-Armenian economist, Nobel Prize-winning professor Daron Acemoglu. Narek Mkrtchyan, RA Ambassador to the USA, wrote about this on his Facebook page.

“I have known Daron since I was a student. From our first contact, I already understood that I am dealing with a virtuous scientist and a responsible pedagogue. In 2013, Daron was already a world-renowned scientist, and I was an ordinary student at an American university. At that time I decided that I should discuss one of the assignments of the macroeconomics course with him and, almost not expecting a reply, I wrote him a letter.

To my surprise, the busy scientist, who was already at the center of the world’s attention in those years, not only answered, but also very responsibly continued the correspondence, giving advice to a student whom he did not even know personally.

Today at MIT, Daron and I fondly remembered that story. We discussed the recent developments in Armenia, the agenda between Armenia and the USA, as well as Daron’s book What Happened to Liberal Democracy? the book.

I am happy to note that Daron has a great desire to visit Armenia in the near future,” he wrote.

—

RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan signed a decision to grant unpaid leave to Ararat Mirzoyan.

The minister will be on vacation from August 10-14 inclusive.

During Ararat Mirzoyan’s vacation, he will be replaced by RA Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mnatsakan Safaryan.

—

The anti-constitutional trial started against the Church and the Patriarch of All Armenians is not just another manifestation of illegality. It is directed against our spiritual roots, the Diaspora as a structure formed around the Church, as well as state symbols and is one of the next manifestations of the campaign aimed at their destruction.

The campaign against the church is a sign of the government’s weakness, a step against unity and national unity. “Mother Armenia” condemns these steps of the authorities and calls on the society to stand by the Church and the Holy Father.

“Mother Armenia” party

—

We are facing the most dishonorable, unprecedented fact in the history of the Armenian people.

The administration’s planned targeting and persecution of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church crossed all red lines. As part of the illegally initiated criminal proceedings, legal proceedings have been initiated against His Holiness His Holiness the Patriarch of All Armenians H.S.O.T. Garegin II and a number of high-ranking clergymen.

For centuries, the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church has been and remains the unshakable pillar of the spiritual, national and cultural identity of the Armenian people, which has guided our people through the most difficult trials, preserved our Holy faith, national identity, language and centuries-old values.

The actions of the RA authorities against the authority of the Church and its spiritual mission are unconstitutional and anti-national. Thus, the constitutional principle of the separation of state-church relations is fundamentally undermined, the right to freedom of conscience and spiritual dignity of thousands of believers is violated, the public division deepens, the foundations of our identity are weakened, and state and public life are subjected to new shocks.

As faithful children of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church, we condemn the illegal actions adopted by the authorities, we reaffirm our full support to the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church and His Holiness the Patriarch of All Armenians.

We call on the law-enforcement system to stay within the framework of the constitutionality and laws of the Republic of Armenia and not to give in to the coercion of political conspiracies. Matters related to the administration of dioceses and canon law and internal procedures in general are exclusively within the jurisdiction of the Church, and any interference is inadmissible.

We appeal to our compatriots, guided by national consciousness and principles of solidarity, to maintain national unity, to unite around the Holy Armenian Apostolic Church, its spiritual mission and His Holiness the Patriarch of All Armenians.

ARF Bureau
07.08.2026

—

Karekin the Second Catholicos came to the Etchmiadzin court building. Those gathered in the yard greeted the Catholicos with applause and chanting “Glory”.

News.am reminds that today the court proceedings against the Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II and six archbishops and bishops begin in Etchmiadzin. Judge Hakob Manukyan of the Court of First Instance of Armavir Marz will examine the case.

Among the accused are Archbishop Natan Hovhannisyan, Archbishop Haykazun Najaryan, bishops Mushegh Babayan, Hovnan Hakobyan, Makar Hakobyan, Vahan Hovhannisyan.

—

Lawyer Ruben Melikyan writes:

The man in the judge’s robe announced that the investigation of the shameful criminal case against His Holiness the Patriarch and six Bishops will be held behind closed doors.

This is a clear and gross violation of the law. It’s not enough that His Holiness is judging, and what’s more, they are doing it away from public scrutiny.

—

In the “case” of Catholicos Garegin II and 6 bishops, judge Hakob Manukyan recused himself and refused to examine the case. Lawyer Ara Zohrabyan informed journalists about this.

It should be noted that earlier it became known that the trial will be held behind closed doors. The first session ended about 20 minutes after it started.

—

Reuters wrote that Nikol Pashinyan, accusing the Armenian Apostolic Church, did not present any evidence.

The facts and evidence show one thing that today the one who, violating the requirements of the Constitution and laws not to interfere in the affairs of religious organizations, abusing official powers and interfering in the affairs of the church, forced law enforcement agencies and judges to commit a crime against their own people should be sitting in the defendant’s chair.

And that one person is Nikol Pashinyan, who, violating 1700 years of history and traditions, is conducting a divisive campaign against our identity and national state.

Levon Zurabyan, Vice President of the Armenian National Congress Party

—