Armenpress: Fire engulfs Kanaz Cultural Center in Yerevan, no injuries reporte

Garo Vardanian
Armenia21:32, 25 March 2026
Read the article in: ArmenianRussian:

A fire broke out at the Kanaz Cultural Center in Yerevan, engulfing most of the building, an Armenpress correspondent reported from the scene.

Eight fire and rescue vehicles from the Ministry of Internal Affairs Rescue Service, along with police officers, were deployed to the site.

Residents of a nearby building were evacuated, authorities said.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs said its 112 operational control center received an alert at 19:12 local time about a fire in a building on Azatutyan Avenue.

The fire has since been localized. Firefighters continue efforts to extinguish remaining ares of the fire inside the building. 

No injuries have been reported, according to preliminary data.

Read the article in: ArmenianRussian:

Published by Armenpress, original at 
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Verelq: The opposition will appeal to the Constitutional Court

Badalian Vardan

“Hraparak” daily writes:


The opposition intends to challenge the constitutionality of the recently implemented amendments to the Law “On Higher Education and Science” in the Constitutional Court. In particular, we are talking about the amendment according to which it is forbidden to open university branches in regions, thus limiting the constitutional right of citizens to receive education. The initiator is the “Armenia” faction, which will be joined by other non-government deputies. We remind you that the signature of 27 deputies is needed to apply to the CC.

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The CP made Vladimir Vardanyan a judge of the CC

Maral Chavushian

The CP made Vladimir Vardanyan a judge of the CC.


67 of the 107 members of the National Assembly took part in the voting, the CP members, who were in favor of Vladimir Vardanyan becoming a member of the Supreme Court.


Earlier, Vardanyan announced the decision to resign from the NA mandate.

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If the topic of Artsakh is closed, then why does it constantly appear in the middle of discussions?

Emil Lazarian

If the topic of Artsakh is closed, then why does it constantly appear in the focus of discussions in the public-political discourse?

Although Azerbaijan is obviously satisfied with the assurances given by the RA government on the subject of Artsakh, expectations will continue to grow.

The incoming and outgoing governments can adopt different approaches and principles regarding the Artsakh problem, complicate or ease the life of the Artsakh people, but against the will of the Artsakh people, they simply cannot erase the issue.

Whoever today tries to justify the surrender of Artsakh, the defeat and the declaration of Artsakh as Azerbaijani, records his stigma in the shameful pages of history.


Tigran Abrahamyan, secretary of the NA “I have an honor” faction




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The visit of Kos and the ghost of Moldova. the political scientist: RA geopolitical stakes

Ani Tigranian
Photo: armenpress.am

European Commissioner Martha Kosi the recent visit to Armenia, which was marked by the signing of a 140 million euro agreement and a highly symbolic trip to Gyumri, once again updated the discussions on Yerevan’s foreign policy trajectory. Against the background of the upcoming parliamentary elections, the geopolitical agenda is becoming one of the main tools of the political struggle. declarations of support are being made by Western leaders, and parallels with the recent election processes in Moldova are increasingly drawn in expert circles.


But how realistic is the country’s eventual return to the European Union, given the complex regional context? Is the Armenian society ready to vote exclusively for the sake of the geopolitical vector, pushing urgent socio-economic issues to the background, and how will the crisis created around Iran and the change of administration in the USA affect the security architecture of Armenia?


VERELQ– political scientist discussed the limits of European integration, the subtleties of diplomatic evasion by the authorities and the hidden meanings of the visits of European officials. Davit Harutyunov with.



Photo: Davit Harutyunov, source: Sputnik


VERELQ. The visit of Martha Kos ended with the signing of an agreement worth 140 million euros and public gratitude for the help provided to Armenia in the evacuation of European citizens. How do you rate these steps? Is this a sign of the transition of Armenia-EU relations to a new level of long-term strategic integration, or is it rather a situational interaction dictated by the current crisis in the region?


Davit Harutyunov. This is the continuation of the previous line of development and deepening of cooperation with the EU, and we may witness other similar agreements in the future. At the same time, it is clear that this rapprochement has its limits, which are also outlined by the EU itself, that is, the question of joining the alliance is not set at the moment. This is also understood by the Armenian authorities, who are currently trying to avoid European integration. Formally announcing the course of joining the EU, Yerevan at the same time strives to preserve the system of relations with Russia, especially within the framework of the EAEU. How long the Armenian side will manage to continue this improvement remains under question.


VERELQ. The European commissioner’s trip to Gyumri attracted the special attention of observers. Considering the specificity of the region, the presence of the Russian military base there and the recent change of the city government, how is this visit perceived in expert circles? Is it considered exclusively within the framework of getting to know the EU regional programs, or do they see a certain political message in it?


Davit Harutyunov. Probably both. The European Union does not hide that it competes with the Russian Federation in Armenia, and in this sense, the visit to Gyumri fits into that logic. At the same time, the representatives of the bloc have always been active in the regions of Armenia, and this activity is often noticeable in the regions of high political importance at the moment. Let me remind, for example, the activity of EU representatives in the Syunik region of Armenia in 2021-23, that is, against the background of the tense situation on the borders of that region.


VERELQ. On the eve of the parliamentary elections, we hear statements in support of Armenia from a number of Western politicians (first, open sympathy from J.D. Vance, then from Donald Tusk), and EU structures direct measures to protect the electoral process from hybrid threats. At the same time, critics call this activism an attempt to influence the electorate. In your opinion, where is the line between international support for democratic institutions and interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign state?


Davit Harutyunov. I think that in the current situation, countries like Armenia will not be able to avoid interference in their internal affairs by various power centers. Moreover, in the context of elections and other internal political processes, such interference has occurred in the past, but now we can talk about its increase. At the same time, the effectiveness of such an intervention in terms of the results of the elections remains under question. On the one hand, cooperation with the EU is used by the authorities in the framework of pre-election campaigning, on the other hand, in the upcoming elections (unlike the 2021 elections), social topics may become more important than the topics of foreign policy orientation and security issues.


VERELQ. Some European politicians and analysts draw parallels between the upcoming elections in Armenia and the recent elections in Moldova. In your opinion, how correct is such a comparison? Is there a danger that such positioning will lead to excessive polarization of the Armenian society according to the geopolitical vector?


Davit Harutyunov. The issue of choosing a geopolitical orientation is actively used by both the authorities and the opposition within the pre-election campaign. The first ones present it as a choice in favor of, in their opinion, more prospective relations with the West, actively playing on the skepticism (skepticism) about relations with Russia, which is widespread in the Armenian society after the events of 2020-23. The opposition talks about the authorities’ foreign policy adventurism, choosing to dominate Turkey and Azerbaijan and, in the face of Russia and Iran, betraying old and experienced allies. In fact, Armenia’s real opportunities in choosing a foreign policy orientation are limited and are dictated by the priorities of the main power centers and the real balance of forces in the region. As for its influence on the situation in the Armenian society, I think that the factor of geopolitical choice will play a certain role within the framework of the elections, but, I repeat, probably the socio-economic theme will dominate.


VERELQ. The European Union emphasizes the growing role of trade routes passing through the South Caucasus and declares its willingness to invest in regional infrastructure. However, taking into account the complex geopolitical situation, the tense relations with the neighbors and the conflict in the south, how realistic is the implementation of these economic projects without building a new, stable security architecture for Armenia?


Davit Harutyunov. I am afraid that Armenia will not be able to form a stable security architecture for a long time, and any government in the country will have to conduct a complex avoidance policy between regional and global players. At the same time, the prospects for regional infrastructure projects will certainly be affected by the instability of the actions of the current US administration, which is currently the main player in such projects, as well as the consequences and course of the crisis around Iran. Moreover, the scale of the consequences of the last factor remains unknown for now, as well as the outcome of the conflict itself and the new reality that may be formed in the region as a result of it.

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Ex-member of Armenian ruling party elected to Constitutional Court amidst conc

Albert Nalbandian
OC Media
Mar 25 2026

Vladimir Vardanyan, a former MP from the ruling Civil Contract party, has been elected as a judge of Armenia’s Constitutional Court. Critics have raised concerns about his appointment, given his previous affiliation with Civil Contract.

Vardanyan was elected in a secret vote in parliament on Tuesday, with 67 of 107 MPs, allegedly all the Civil Contract members, voting in his favour.

Vardanyan will be sworn in during Thursday’s parliamentary session.

He had held various positions at the Constitutional Court since 2003, most recently serving as Head of Staff from April 2018. The following year, he was elected to Armenia’s Parliament, first representing the ruling My Step alliance, and later the Civil Contract party starting from 2021.

Since 2019, Vardanyan has chaired the parliamentary Committee on State and Legal Affairs.

Ahead of his election, Vardanyan terminated his membership in the Civil Contract party on 13 March, the same day President Vahagn Khachaturyan nominated him to the Constitutional Court. A few days later, on 19 March, he submitted his resignation from parliament.

Critics have argued that Vardanyan’s appointment mirrors a move made by Armenia’s previous government, when Hrayr Tovmasyan, a former member of the then-ruling Republican Party, was elected to the Constitutional Court in 2018.

Vardanyan will succeed Tovmasyan as a Constitutional Court judge. Tovmasyan had also served as chair of the parliamentary Committee on State and Legal Affairs and resigned from the post on the same day he was nominated.

Armenian security service questions family of constitutional court chair

Addressing concerns voiced by the opposition, Vardanyan vowed to be impartial and uphold the constitution if elected by pointing to the oath he would take as a judge and emphasising that failing to uphold it would carry legal consequences.

Ahead of the vote, 14 civil society organisations issued a joint statement calling on parliament ‘to refrain from electing’ Vardanyan. They cited Armenia’s legislation and constitution as prohibiting Constitutional Court judges from being affiliated with a political party or engaging in political activity.

They noted that even though those provisions applied to the period following a judge’s appointment, ‘their evident purpose is, first and foremost, to exclude any links between a Constitutional Court judge and political forces’.

Although Vardanyan terminated his membership in the ruling party, the civil society organisations have said the move was not convincing, pointing to his active involvement in politics for over seven years.

‘Such steps cannot guarantee the severance of political and party ties or eliminate political influence, including ideological alignment with the respective political force, which is a natural phenomenon’, the statement read.

The statement also said that the same overt political affiliation was criticised by then-opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan, when under ex-President Serzh Sargsyan’s tenure, Tovmasyan was nominated for the same position in 2018.

Some media outlets have speculated that the authorities were also considering Vardanyan for the position of the president of the Constitutional Court.

The current president, Arman Dilanyan, was elected in October 2020 with a term of six years, which will expire this October.

With Vardanyan’s election, all judges of Armenia’s Constitutional Court have now been appointed during Pashinyan’s rule.

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Doubling down, Armenian Parliamentary Speaker dubs opposition ‘parties of war’

Elizabeth Jabejian
OC Media
Mar 25 2026
by Nate Ostiller

Armenian Parliamentary Speaker Alen Simonyan called the bulk of the country’s political opposition ‘parties of war’ in comments to the press on Tuesday, explicitly framing the upcoming parliamentary elections in June as a stark choice between peace and war. Simonyan’s comments follow similar remarks made by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan earlier in March.

Simonyan highlighted the progress made towards peace with Azerbaijan, emphasising that real dividends have already been reaped, although the peace treaty has also been initialled, not signed. For the first time since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Armenia and Azerbaijan have begun trading with one another, he said, adding that there have been no fatal border incidents over the past two years.

‘I understand that the forces currently in the [parliament] hall, and those who want to enter parliament, need war — they need to talk about war in order to build something politically on it. But right now, there is no war; there is peace’, Simonyan said.

‘The current government of the Republic of Armenia — the Civil Contract party — is a party of peace, while the main opposition actors are parties of war. That is the reality. If people say that claims must be made, that is called war’.

The efforts towards peace must be protected lest they ‘slip away’, he said.

Ahead of the parliamentary election in June, Pashinyan and other Civil Contract officials have accused the most prominent opposition parties of threatening that peace. While the bulk of the opposition have not called for attempting to retake Nagorno-Karabakh by force, they have attacked Pashinyan for presiding over the region’s surrender, as well as criticising the way in general that the government is approaching the peace process with Azerbaijan.

For his part, Pashinyan has made the ‘Real Armenia’ narrative — meaning that Armenians must accept modern Armenia within its current borders — a key part of his political messaging. Referencing the narrative, he has hit back at opposition figures who have said that Armenian heritage sites currently located in Turkey and Nagorno-Karabakh ‘are ours’.

Opposition members have rejected these charges, saying they seek only to defend such heritage sites and facilitate the release of Armenian prisoners held in Azerbaijan.

Currently, there are 19 Armenian prisoners held in Azerbaijan, among them former Nagorno-Karabakh political and military leaders.

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‘Opposition forces are parties of war,’ says Armenia’s parliament speaker

Emil Lazarian
JAM News
Mar 26 2026
  • JAMnews
  • Yerevan

Armenian parliament speaker Alen Simonyan has commented on Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s warnings that war could break out if the ruling party fails to secure a constitutional majority in the upcoming elections. Simonyan said there is no need to look for a “tactical or political trick” behind these remarks.

“In 2020, there was a war. After that, Armenia and Azerbaijan established a border. If a force comes to power and says: ‘I do not recognise the delimitation and demarcation that took place. I intend to think about territories beyond 29,743 square kilometres,’ then naturally, as a politician and as citizens, we can assume that war is possible,” Simonyan said during a briefing.

He added that the prime minister, who has access to information and oversees ongoing processes, has the right to make such forecasts.

Simonyan also agreed with Pashinyan’s view that voters in the 7 June parliamentary elections will face a choice between peace and a possible war.

In recent weeks, Pashinyan has repeatedly said the ruling Civil Contract party must secure a constitutional majority in the elections. He has warned that otherwise war will be inevitable. He has also indicated a possible timeframe, saying hostilities could begin as early as September this year.

The opposition says Pashinyan is using the threat of war as a form of pressure. They argue that this has become the ruling party’s main tool for re-election — to frighten voters with the prospect of conflict. Pashinyan’s team rejects this, saying the statements are political assessments, not threats.

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‘We must not miss the chance for peace’ — Simonyan

“I understand that the forces currently in parliament, as well as those seeking to enter it, need war — or talk of war — to build their political agendas. But there is no war now, there is peace,” the National Assembly speaker told journalists.

Alen Simonyan stressed that no one has been killed by Azerbaijani fire on the border for two years.

“So are we at war or at peace? Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Armenia and Azerbaijan have never traded. Never before have leaders of both countries spoken about peace at the same time.”

He said people should be careful not to miss the opportunity for peace.

“The current government of Armenia, Civil Contract, is a party of peace. All the other main opposition players are parties of war. That is the reality. If they say they want to put forward demands and go beyond these square kilometres, that is called war.”

Simonyan also recalled that unresolved border issues have remained across the former Soviet Union — in Central Asia, Ukraine and the South Caucasus.

“They told us: people of Armenia, always dream that your home is not only here but also there, and we will support you. The goal was to keep us dependent on them. Yes, there is a party of war, and there is a party of peace. And yes, the 2026 elections will be about peace and a possible war,” he said.

Pashinyan warns of “catastrophic war”

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said over the weekend that war would be inevitable, speaking during a livestream on his Facebook page:

“There will be war in September. And it will be a catastrophic war if the Civil Contract party does not secure a constitutional majority… I am not just talking about winning the elections.”

He did not provide detailed justification. He said his seven years as prime minister allow him to assess the situation and the risks.

Pashinyan made similar remarks during a briefing on 19 March. He said military action could begin in autumn, shortly after the June elections. He warned that if forces advocating a “revision of peace” come to power, this will lead to serious consequences. He said this could mean losses — not only of territory, but also of sovereignty.

Asked why opposition forces would need a war, Pashinyan said:

“War would bring them the following: they would run an outpost, not a state, because time has shown this benefits them financially. […] All three forces advocating a revision of the peace agreement [the Armenia bloc, Strong Armenia and Prosperous Armenia] have billions in assets in Russia and Belarus. They were told: if you want to keep these assets, you must work, sweat, run, do push-ups 30 times. They will not manage it.”

The prime minister said a constitutional majority in the next parliament could guarantee that peace in the region becomes “irreversible”.

Why does the ruling party need a constitutional majority? Foreign minister responds

Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said the timeline for a possible war — set out by the prime minister as September — is conditional, but confirmed that such a scenario remains possible.

Mirzoyan noted that both parliamentary and extra-parliamentary opposition figures hold territorial claims against almost all neighbouring countries.

“If they come to power, problems with neighbours will arise immediately. Given the way disputes are resolved today, Armenia would most likely find itself in a state of war straight away.”

Journalists asked the minister whether he saw the prime minister’s remarks as blackmail.

“Do I see an element of blackmail here? No. Why are we acting this way? We are doing the right thing. This is our political proposal. Are we breaking the law? Absolutely not,” he said.

According to Mirzoyan, the ruling party aims to secure a constitutional majority in order to “form a more stable government”. Radio Azatutyun (RFE/RL) asked whether this was linked to the process of adopting a new constitution.

“It may be related to that as well — I cannot say for sure,” Mirzoyan replied.

To put a draft constitution to a referendum, the ruling party would need at least a two-thirds majority in parliament. This means Pashinyan’s party would not be able to initiate a referendum on the issue unless it secures a constitutional majority in the 7 June elections.

Azerbaijan views Armenia’s Constitution as a key obstacle to signing a peace agreement. Officials in Baku object to the reference to the Declaration of Independence in the Constitution’s preamble. The declaration mentions the unification of Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia, which Azerbaijan regards as a territorial claim. While a new version of the constitution is still under discussion, Armenia’s prime minister has repeatedly said the Declaration of Independence should not be referenced in it.


https://jam-news.net/opposition-forces-are-parties-of-war-says-armenias-parliament-speaker/

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Former ruling party MP becomes Constitutional Court judge in Armenia, NGOs war

Andranik Taslakhchian
JAM News
Mar 25 2026
  • JAMnews
  • Yerevan

Armenia’s parliament has approved the appointment of former ruling party MP Vladimir Vardanyan as a judge of the Constitutional Court. A total of 67 out of 107 MPs took part in the vote, all of whom supported his nomination.

Vardanyan resigned his parliamentary mandate a week earlier, after the country’s president nominated him for the post. He also left the Civil Contract party, although until recently he had been an active member of parliament. He previously chaired the parliamentary committee on state and legal affairs.

Representatives of Armenia’s civil society have warned that his appointment to the Constitutional Court could pose a risk to the court’s independence and impartiality.

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What the law provides

The law “On the Constitutional Court” sets out the requirements for a Constitutional Court judge.

Under the law, a Constitutional Court judge cannot:

  • be a member or founder of any political party,
  • hold a position within a party,
  • act on behalf of a party or engage in political activity in any other way.

“A judge of the Constitutional Court must demonstrate political restraint and neutrality in public statements and in all other circumstances,” the law states.

If a Constitutional Court judge engages in political activity, authorities can terminate their mandate. The current Constitution of Armenia also includes this provision.

Representatives of civil society stress that these rules apply after appointment. However, they aim to prevent links between a judge and political forces. As a result, they seek to ensure the court’s independence and impartiality.

“Ending political ties is not guaranteed”: NGO statement

“Although Vladimir Vardanyan resigned his parliamentary mandate and left the political force that holds the parliamentary majority, the fact that he spent more than seven years in politics and belonged to a party raises doubts about his ability to perform the duties of a Constitutional Court judge impartially,” representatives of more than a dozen NGOs said.

In their view, “political interconnectedness rules out the possibility of managing risks”.

NGOs published the joint statement before MPs began voting. They urged lawmakers “to refrain from voting for Vladimir Vardanyan’s candidacy”.

Civil society representatives stressed that an ideological link with the ruling party provides sufficient grounds to question Vardanyan’s independence and impartiality in the role:

“Resigning a parliamentary mandate or leaving a party cannot guarantee the end of political and party ties or political influence.”

Farewell to committee members ahead of appointment

A week before parliament debated the appointment of a Constitutional Court judge, Vladimir Vardanyan said goodbye to members of the committee he chaired.

“By tradition, I should say: dear colleagues, I apologise if anything was not right,” he said, thanking MPs for their active cooperation.

His remarks surprised even members of his own party.

“There was no need to rush to say goodbye,” said Civil Contract MP Arusyak Julhakyan.

Opposition figures argued that the farewell in advance showed the vote would be a formality. In their view, parliament would confirm an appointment rather than hold a genuine selection.

Kristine Vardanyan, an MP from the opposition Armenia faction, said the ruling party did not even seek to preserve a formal appearance of procedure, as the outcome was already clear:

“Everyone knows a candidate has been nominated. He will come, no matter what he says, what questions are asked, or how society reacts. An SMS will arrive, he will be elected, because that has already been decided, because the Constitutional Court must become even more compliant with them.”

https://jam-news.net/former-ruling-party-mp-becomes-constitutional-court-judge-in-armenia-ngos-warn-of-risks/

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Sports: Prep talk: AGBU basketball coach, players headed to Armenia for intern

Emil Lazarian
Los Angeles Times
May 25 2026
By Eric Sondheimer
Columnist

For Nareg Kopooshian, the basketball coach at AGBU High in Canoga Park, there’s a big summer ahead. He’s going to be the head coach for the U16 Armenian national team in the FIBA U16 EuroBasket competition July 4-12 in Yerevan.

It’s the first time Armenia is hosting the event.

Los Angeles has the largest Armenian community in the United States with as many as 700,000 people.

Players selected for the training camp in Armenia include Anthony Sarkesian (Chaminade), Anthony Karayan (Village Christian), Ethan Kazanjian (AGBU), Edward Gemjian (La Canada) and Jivan Dorian (AGBU).

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