Armenian Directory & News – Page 196 – Armenian Business Directory & News

Saying Eurasian Union is ‘Paralyzed,’ Pashinyan Blasts Russia after Call with

July 30, 2026July 30, 2026 Emil Lazarian

by Asbarez Staff

July 29, 2026

in Armenia, Featured Story, Latest, News, Top Stories

Armenian dairy products were the most recent bans enacted by Russia

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Wednesday blasted Russia’s ongoing sanctions on imports of Armenian goods, two days after he initiated a telephone conversation with President Vladimir Putin of Russia, who asked the Armenian leader to call a referendum on Armenia’s membership in the European Union “as soon as possible.”

Shrugging off the demands from Putin and other leaders of the Eurasian Economic Union, Pashinyan told reporters that the Russia-led group is “paralyzed” and predicted its eventual demise.

Pashinyan insisted that his government was seeking alternative alliances and called for the immediate resolution of the sanctions on Armenia’s exports to Russia.

“That problem is not Armenia’s problem. It is the EEU’s problem because it means in effect that the Eurasian Economic Union is paralyzed and not working. And if this problem is not resolved quickly, let me predict that it will be the beginning of the EEU’s end,” Pashinyan said.

“Problems have arisen in relations with the EEU due to well-known circumstances, as a result of the fact that the Republic of Armenia has tried to find alternatives. It is very important to have legitimacy in politics, including among partners in the Russian Federation. The question is when this alternative should be implemented. The leaders of the EEU countries, in a statement adopted on May 29, have recognized Armenia’s right to hold a referendum on joining the European Union. That is, they have recognized the legitimacy of this agenda,” Pashinyan gave his interpretation of the EEU leaders’ declaration.

“I told the Russian president that we have announced this path and we will follow this path, especially now that the people [of Armenia] also have voted for it. I do not imagine that as a result of our policy we will find ourselves in a situation where Armenia has no alternatives. Armenia must always and in all matters have alternatives, and the era of not having alternatives is closed,” Pashinyan said.

Meeting in Astana in May, the leaders of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan threatened to kick Armenia out of the EEU and urged Pashinyan to hold a referendum on EU membership. They also instructed their prime ministers to present “possible consequences” of such a scenario at an EEU summit planned for December.

The Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) issued a rare statement on Tuesday warning that an exit from the EEU by Armenia and membership in the EU would plunge the country into “deep economic crisis.”

The SVR also signaled that neither the EU nor Armenia should anticipate that the EEU and its members states would rescue Armenia from the economic downfall it predicts will take place if Armenia continues its EU aspirations.

The SVR also said that the EU is aware of the deep economic crisis that will hit Armenia if Yerevan leaves the EEU, but Brussels, nevertheless, will continue to force Armenia’s hand by offering what the Russian Intelligence Service called “unconditional support” to Yerevan.

“According to information received by the SVR, Brussels recognizes the inevitability of a deep economic crisis in Armenia if Yerevan ends up outside the Eurasian Economic Union,” the SVR said, adding that many European countries have already signaled to the EU leadership that they are not prepared to open their markets to goods from Armenia at the expense of domestic producers

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Armenian Film Society London Launches Open Call for New Western Armenian Film

July 30, 2026July 30, 2026 Boris Nahapetian

by Contributor

July 29, 2026

in Arts & Culture, Film, Latest, News, Top Stories

Image is a still from “Taniel” directed by Garo Berberian

LONDON — Armenian Film Society London has launched an international open call for films in or about Western Armenian to premiere at the prestigious Institute of Contemporary Arts as part of the Armenian Film Festival London. The initiative, called “A Ribbon of Film,” is the first-ever dedicated Western Armenian film program and will premiere in the Armenian Film Festival London from December 3 to 6. The initiative is set to become a permanent strand of the festival, celebrating Armenian as a creative language through the art of cinema.

Tatevik Ayvazyan, co-director of the festival, says: “Western Armenian is a language of poets and storytellers, songs and jokes, memories and dreams — spoken, used, loved and cherished across the world. Giving it a permanent home at our festival, in a wonderful location like the ICA London, attended by thousands of people, will elevate the language even further. It also gives filmmakers working in and with Western Armenian a stage of their own, and the recognition their work deserves.”

The program will showcase films exploring Western Armenian language and dialects, writing, literature and culture, accompanied by filmmaker Q&As and panel discussions. The initiative will include a publication and podcasts exploring the history and contemporary landscape of Western Armenian cinema, plus a public masterclass on making poetry film in the language.

The project is supported by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation Galust Kyulpenkean Foundation and aims to create a platform for filmmakers working in the language while introducing audiences to contemporary Armenian voices.

By bringing together film exhibition, public discussion, and creative development, the initiative aims to grow the visibility, use, and cultural relevance of Western Armenian, its dialects, and the diverse experiences of its speakers — through cinema.

Kira Adibekov and Tatevik Ayvazyan. Photo by Garo Berberian.

The organizers invite submissions of films of any genre and length, completed between 2021 and 2026, that are either in Western Armenian or explore Western Armenian language, culture, history or lived experience.

The Festival also accepts submissions from British Armenian filmmakers, continuing the development of a platform for local talent alongside international voices and strengthening the UK’s Armenian creative community.

Submissions are open until 1 September 2026 via FilmFreeway. The official selection will be announced in mid-September 2026.

Kira Adibekov and Tatevik Ayvazyan are co-directors of this exciting new initiative.

Kira Adibekov is an award-winning curator and producer, and a Chevening alumnus with an MA in Film and Screen Cultures from the University of Roehampton. He has served as a CICAE jury member at the Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale Forum) and was part of the founding team of GES-2, a major mixed-arts centre designed by Renzo Piano Building Workshop. He has curated / produced programmes at institutions including Whitechapel Gallery, ICA and Pushkin House, and is currently leading a Film Lab at TUMO – Center for Creative Technologies in Armenia.

Tatevik Ayvazyan is a writer and producer at Rebel Republic Films and the former director of the Armenian Institute. She has produced the award-winning poetry film Taniel and the music documentary Married to the Music, and is currently working on several feature-length projects. Tatevik is also the co-editor of the Special Armenian Issue of Wasafiri magazine, and is a board member of the International Armenian Literary Alliance and Azad Archives.

The Institute of Contemporary Arts is London’s leading space for contemporary culture, commissioning, producing and presenting new work in film, music, performance and the visual arts by today’s most progressive artists. From its landmark home on The Mall, the ICA stages a genre-fluid programme of festivals, gigs, exhibitions and talks that challenges the past, questions the present and confronts the future, encouraging different art forms to meet and collide.

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Asbarez: Gyumri ARF Leader Arrested at His Home

July 30, 2026July 30, 2026 Karagyozian Lena

by Asbarez Staff

July 29, 2026

in Armenia, Featured Story, Latest, News, Top Stories

Ara Nakhshkaryan

A leader of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation and noted public figure Ara Nakhshakaryan was arrested on Wednesday when National Security Service forces entered his home in the morning and dragged him to a detention center.

The news of the arrest was announced by Nakhshakaryan’s attorney Abrasim Atoyan.

The attorney said that his client was being held at the Anti-Corruption Committee of Armenia.

“They took him from his apartment around 9 this morning. He was arrested based on the voice recording realead by the Anti-Corruption Committee,” Atoyan told the News.am agency.

Nakhshkaryan is the director of the Gyumri office of the Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Society and was also ran for a parliament seat in the June 7 election, representing the opposition Armenia Alliance.

“We confirm that A. N., a parliamentary candidate from the ‘Hayastan’ Alliance electoral list, was arrested today as part of a criminal investigation launched by the Anti-Corruption Committee into alleged cases of offering and receiving electoral bribes,” the Anti-Corruption Committee said in a statement.

The Anti-Corruption Committee claims to have uncovered a new electoral bribery scheme and release a voice recording in which one of individuals is addressed as Nakhshkaryan.

“Factual data has been obtained during the criminal proceedings initiated by the Anti-Corruption Committee that the parliamentary candidate from the Armenia Alliance, taking advantage of legal provisions to nominate members of the precinct electoral commission, used the institutional guarantees aimed at ensuring trust in democratic processes for his own political interests,” the committee alleged in its statement.

The Anti-Corruption Committee claimed that Nakhshkaryan allegedly gave preference to those who agreed to be included in the committee and receive compensation in return for ensuring the voting of both themselves and a specific number of people involved by them.

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168: The end of diplomatic maneuvers. Hard conditions for referendum ahead of Putin in Yerevan

July 30, 2026July 30, 2026 Garnik Zakarian

July 29, 2026

A month and a half after the parliamentary elections held in Armenia, Pashinyan had a telephone conversation with Vladimir Putin. This became the second successful phone call to the Russian Federation after the elections, the first of which was addressed to the Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, which was followed by Pashinyan’s visit to the Russian Federation and the meeting with Mishustin.

According to estimates, Pashinyan was not warmly received in Russia, and the economic problems that started during the pre-election period were not resolved. Perhaps the proof of this was the fact that recently the Russian side also blocked the entry of Armenian dairy products to the Russian market.

And in fact, after these efforts, Pashinyan initiates a call to the President of the Russian Federation. According to the official Russian Kremlin, the phone call was initiated by Pashinyan. By the way, it is also noteworthy that on July 22, after Ilham Aliyev’s visit to Germany, Pashinyan, who was on vacation, had a telephone conversation with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, then on July 25 with French President Emmanuel Macron, and on July 27 with Vladimir Putin. According to the press release of the RA government, Pashinyan and Putin exchanged views on the agenda of Armenia-Russia relations, in particular, the problems arising in bilateral economic relations.

“Prime Minister Pashinyan emphasized that the restrictions on the export of goods of Armenian origin to the Russian market contradict the framework of the Armenia-Russia legal agreement and the regulations of the Eurasian Economic Union, and asked for measures to be taken to resolve these issues.

Regarding the holding of a referendum in Armenia on the issue of membership of the European Union, as stated in the joint statement of the leaders of the four EAEU member states on May 29, Prime Minister Pashinyan emphasized that the holding of the referendum is practically possible only after Armenia sends an official application to the European Union and makes the topic a subject.

At the same time, Prime Minister Pashinyan emphasized the readiness of the Government of the Republic of Armenia to solve the mentioned issues through an open, partnership and friendly dialogue,” the message said.

In the Kremlin’s message, there were no other details of the conversation, no mention of Pashinyan’s speech, there was only an ultimatum addressed to RA.

According to the Kremlin, the Russian president reaffirmed his loyalty to the joint statement of the leaders of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia at the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) summit held in Astana on May 29, 2026, which refers to the steps taken by the Republic of Armenia towards joining the European Union.

“Particularly, Vladimir Putin emphasized the need to hold a nationwide referendum in Armenia as soon as possible on the matter of joining the European Union or remaining a part of the Eurasian Economic Union,” said the official Russian message. This telephone conversation was followed today by the message of the Russian foreign intelligence that the EU demands from Pashinyan’s government to reduce the presence of Russian business in strategic areas and to sever humanitarian ties with the Russian Federation.

It is said that the EU plans to encourage Armenia’s anti-Russian moves at the expense of manipulating visa liberalization prospects, many European countries have already alerted the EU leadership that they are not ready to open their markets to Armenian products.

“The increasing economic problems of the EU will not give it the opportunity to compensate Yerevan for the costs of leaving the EAEU,” says the text distributed by the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service. It also states that Brussels should not hope that “EEU countries will not allow Yerevan’s political staff to drown, will keep it afloat and sponsor its marathon swim to the EU.”

Returning to the official message of the Russian side regarding the Pashinyan-Putin telephone conversation, it should be noted that the official messages are not purely informative statements, but act as a dictating tool revealing the real agenda and political goals of the parties.

This specific wording directly reveals the harsh attitude of Moscow and the open ultimatum of the Russian authorities to the leadership of Armenia, forcing to clarify the foreign political vector of the country.

By the way, as can be understood from the two messages, the Russian side considers the referendum expedient as soon as possible, and the Armenian side believes that it should not be held now, but only when RA submits an application for EU membership, however, it is not known when RA will submit such an application.

This disagreement shows that the parties are trying to dictate their own schedule and logic of the process.

While Moscow seeks to speed up the resolution and confront Armenia with a tough dilemma by demanding to clarify the vector now, Yerevan prefers to maintain room for maneuver, linking the process to the legal and diplomatic next steps, namely to submit a formal application to the EU.

However, the issue is that the EU does not offer the prospect of membership to RA, and the RA authorities know this best, therefore, the logic of the processes suggests that the RA authorities were inclined to reduce the level of political contacts with Russia, but not to leave the EAEU, not to stop economic cooperation with Russia as much as possible, before creating some opportunities for the diversification agenda of the RA economy. However, Russia rejects this agenda.

By the way, this is not news for the Russian side, which regularly heard the following statement from Pashinyan during the EAEU sessions in recent years: “The Eurasian Economic Union should remain exclusively an economic union.” And the Russian side at this stage no longer tolerates this policy and presented an ultimatum without maintaining the veil of alliance relations, without maintaining the necessary protocol of relations, without congratulating Pashinyan after the elections.

And in fact, the RA authorities have been given time until December. It is known that the EAEU 4 presidents will discuss the possible consequences of ending Armenia’s membership in December. The leaders of the four EAEU member states stated in the statement adopted in Astana that they “share the position on the need to hold a referendum in Armenia on the issue of joining the European Union or remaining a part of the Eurasian Economic Union in the shortest possible time”, which was expressed earlier by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In the end, this phone call was not a settlement of the existing problems, but another record of the complex confrontation expected between the parties.

It is also interesting that after the conversation with Pashinyan yesterday, Russian President Putin called Ilham Aliyev today.

“After discussing the topical issues of the bilateral and international agenda, the leaders noted the constructive nature of Russian-Azerbaijani relations and the activation of dialogue between governments and relevant agencies,” the official message said.

Putin and Aliyev also reaffirmed their commitment to the further expansion of mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries.

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Arman Saroyan’s birthday present. The case against His Holiness and 6 priests is an entry

July 30, 2026July 30, 2026 Emil Lazarian

July 29, 2026

On July 27, the indictment in the criminal case against the Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II and six high-ranking clergymen: Natan, Haykazun, Makar, Hovnan, and Mushegh was entered into the court of general jurisdiction of Armavir region, signed by judge Hakob Manukyan.

“Garegin B. Nersisyan is accused of an act prohibited by the threat of punishment, committed with guilt, that he, being also the president of the Supreme Spiritual Council of the religious organization “Holy Apostolic Church of Armenia”, using his official powers, obstructed the execution of the decision of the General Jurisdiction Court of Armavir Marz regarding “Satisfying the Petition for Applying a Claim Security Measure” which entered into legal force. This is the official summary of the accusation.

And the reality is as follows. the spiritual leader, Garegin B, released his former subordinate clergyman, the former Rev. Gevorg (Arman Saroyan), from the position he had appointed earlier. With this case launched against Vehapar, not only the requirement of the Constitution not to interfere in the affairs of the Armenian Apostolic Church is clearly violated, but also an absurd situation arises. that is, the person presents his demands regarding the spiritual service in a secular status under the name of the pool (Arman Saroyan) and tries to clarify issues in the spiritual structure with the secular structure.

July 28, they say, is the birthday of Arman Saroyan, a former clergyman and the former spiritual son of His Holiness. perhaps he will be satisfied with this gift case entered into the court.

Let’s note that a criminal prosecution has been initiated against the Patriarch of All Armenians, allegedly within the framework of the criminal proceedings regarding the non-execution of the court act in the case of Arman Saroyan. The former leader of the Masyatsotn Diocese, already disbanded Bishop Gevorg Saroyan, alias Arman Saroyan, requested the AAP to invalidate the patriarchal administration of Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II on his dismissal from the post of the leader of the Masyatsotn Diocese and, as a consequence, to restore his position as the leader of the Masyatsotn Diocese.

The claim was again entered into proceedings at the Armavir Marz Court of General Jurisdiction, and Judge Edgar Hovhannisyan satisfied the motion to enforce the claim, temporarily restoring the bishop to the position of leader of the Masyatsotn Diocese, until the final judicial act in the case is made. After this decision, the law enforcement officers initiated criminal proceedings for allegedly not fulfilling the court act, as a result of which criminal prosecutions were initiated against the members of the Supreme Spiritual Council, then it became known that they were banned from leaving the Republic of Armenia.

In February, a criminal prosecution was also initiated against His Holiness. this time the ban on absenteeism was used as a preventive measure. This surprisingly coincided with the holding of the bishops’ meeting in Austria, but the restraining order imposed on His Holiness could not stop the meeting of the bishops. Already in March, His Holiness was forbidden to participate in the funeral ceremony of Catholicos-Patriarch of Georgia Ilya II.

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“Suppose 2,700 people from Artsvashen want to return to Artsvashen, but 1 million people

July 30, 2026July 30, 2026 Arbi Tashjian

July 29, 2026

Speaking about Artsvashen during the pre-election campaign, Nikol Pashinyan said that one of the options to solve the Artsvashen problem is exchange, but with what, Pashinyan did not elaborate.

“One of the options to solve the problem of silver can be the exchange.

For the Armenian side, this topic is no longer a matter of tension. The principle is as follows. Do Armenia and Azerbaijan want to hurt each other with the border demarcation process, or do they want to solve the issues so that our children and their children no longer have these topics?” had said Nikol Pashinyan.

Artsvashen community leader Mamikon Khechoyan during the campaign, he approached Nikol Pashinyan and asked, “What are we going to do with Artsvashen now? What are the people talking about?”

“You see, the issue of Artsvashen was resolved by ANM members on August 8, 1992. In other words, when the Artsakh-Azerbaijani war was taking place, the people understood that if the Armenian side is liberating lands and took “enclaves” in Tavush, then the Azerbaijani side will also take Artsvashen. Our state provided buses for us to go out to avoid many further problems. At that time, we were not asked if we wanted to live in Artsvashen or if we wanted to leave, there was a state, and the state had decided.

Now the state, as well as Nikol Pashinyan, say that if there is any question of exchanging the sovereign territory of Armenia, they should hold a referendum. Let’s suppose that 2,700 people from Artsvashen want to return to Artsvashen, but the 1 million population of Armenia says no, there should not be an exchange, in that case what should the people of Artsvashen do? 168.amMamiko Khechoyan said in an interview with

He says that there is no one who asks the opinion of the people of Artsvashen, even if they ask, one thing: in the case of a referendum, the citizen of Armenia decides whether that territory should be exchanged or not. From time to time the people of Artsvashen are asked if they want to return to Artsvashen, to which they definitely give a positive answer.

“Who wouldn’t want to return to their home, but none of us take our opinion into account?” Since 1991, I have been the head of the village of Artsvashen, and I have never seen the state ask for our opinion. Now whether they ask or not, what will change? My parents are buried in Artsvashen, we have cemeteries there, but what can we do?

When we lived in Artsvashen, not a single Azerbaijani lived there, before reaching Artsvashen there were 2 Azerbaijani villages, but today no Armenians live in Artsvashen,” added our interlocutor.

To the question whether it will be safe for the people of Artsvashen to live there after the return of Artsvashen, Mamikon Khechoyan answered that there was a border demarcation in the Tavush section of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and if, for example, an Armenian child studies in the Kirantsi school, but there is an Azerbaijani border guard standing in front of them, why shouldn’t the people of Artsvashen return to their homes?

“If the columnist feels safe, why shouldn’t we feel safe?” If we have an army and they say that the army is the guarantee of your security, then we have no problem living in Artsvashen.

In a straight line, Artsvashen is 5 km away from Chambarak, so that Armenia is a complete border, again. This is neither an emotional nor a heroic step. Now that we live in Chambarak, and they can even hit directly from Azerbaijani positions, why can’t we live in Artsvashen in the same way? We are neither heroes nor cowards, we are just realists,” said Mamiko Khechoyan.

It should be noted that according to Mamikon Khechoyan, approximately 2800 people were displaced from Artsvashen in 1992, very few of them have moved to Russia today, approximately 10-15 families. Today, almost 3,000 people from Artsavash live in Chambarak and neighboring villages, Drakhtik, Shorzha.

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Peter Tase: Armenia–Paraguay Friendship Group Could Become a Strategic Mistak

July 30, 2026July 30, 2026 Ani Basmajian

ED News

July 29, 2026

The establishment of an Armenia–Paraguay Parliamentary Friendship Group in Paraguay’s Chamber of Deputies could undermine Asunción’s long-standing position on issues related to Azerbaijan.

International relations expert Peter Tase expressed this view in a comment to EDnews.

He recalled that in December 2017, Paraguay’s Chamber of Deputies adopted Resolution No. 669 condemning the Khojaly genocide committed in 1992.

According to Tase, the resolution marked an important stage in the development of relations between Azerbaijan and Paraguay and was supported by deputies Esmerita Sánchez de Da Silva, Horacio Víctor Carissimo Ocampo and Juan Bartolomé Ramírez.

The expert also noted that Nicolás Benítez Saguier, Director of the Human Rights Commission of the Chamber of Deputies, organized several roundtable discussions in Asunción commemorating Azerbaijani victims during the Second Karabakh War.

Tase emphasized that Paraguay’s National Congress remains the only legislative body in Latin America to have adopted a resolution condemning the armed provocations committed by Armenia in Azerbaijan’s Tovuz region between July 12 and 16, 2020.

At the same time, he expressed concern over the initiative introduced by Deputy Bettina Aguilera to establish the Armenia–Paraguay Parliamentary Friendship Group.

According to the expert, such a parliamentary platform could be used to promote narratives favorable to Armenia within Paraguay’s legislative branch.

“This is a serious geopolitical mistake and a strategic miscalculation by Paraguay’s Parliament. There is a risk that this platform could be used to promote Armenian propaganda and justify Armenia’s previous actions against Azerbaijan,” Tase said.

He noted that the group includes several representatives of Paraguay’s ruling Colorado Party, including César Cerini, Benjamín Cantero, Carlos María Arrechea and Rodrigo Gamarra.

Tase also referred to the participation of María Fabiana Souto, María Rocío Abed de Zacarías and María Cristina Villalba.

The expert further raised concerns regarding public allegations previously made against some members of the group. These claims represent Tase’s assessment and have not been independently verified by EDnews.

In conclusion, Peter Tase argued that the creation of the Armenia–Paraguay Friendship Group is inconsistent with Paraguay’s previous policy of supporting Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and condemning actions directed against the country.

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Ministers will be reappointed. 70 percent of what happens in the army is with the army

July 30, 2026July 30, 2026 Arbi Tashjian

July 29, 2026

RA defense and internal affairs ministers will be reappointed. Today, Nikol Pashinyan told journalists after the meeting of the CP Board.

“Defense Minister Suren Papikyan and Internal Affairs Minister Arpine Sargsyan will be reappointed,” Pashinyan said.

As for the question of whether he is satisfied with the leaders of the two military departments, taking into account the fact that this year the 8th casualty has already been registered in the army in non-combat conditions, Pashinyan said that the solution to this issue is to change the social-psychology of the public.

“Approximately 70 percent of the phenomena that occur in the army do not originate with the army. The officers are to blame, but each individual case should be investigated separately,” said Pashinyan.

He also confirmed the information that Lilit Makunts will be appointed as the head of the Prime Minister’s Office.

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A deep decline was recorded in the field of agriculture. “LUYS” Foundation

July 30, 2026July 30, 2026 Lilit Nahapetian

July 29, 2026

“LUYS” Foundation analyzed the socio-economic developments of the RA economy in 2026. in January-June.

Thus.

2026 In June, the growth rate of economic activity slowed down from 11.7% in May to 7.7%. In January-June, the growth of economic activity was 7.9%, the main sources of which were services, industry and construction, with contributions of 3.8, 3.0 and 1.7 percentage points, respectively. At the same time, concerns about the structure of growth remain relevant. In particular, the monthly growth of the industry slowed down to 4.0% in June, and according to the January-May structural data, the growth continued to be focused on the mining industry and several separate sub-sectors.
An 11.9% decline was recorded in the agricultural sector in January-June, counteracting the growth of economic activity by around 1.1 percentage points. The export restrictions applied by the Russian Federation may also have an impact on the deepening of the decline. causality will be assessed after detailed sectoral and foreign trade data are published. If this connection is established and restrictions are maintained, the negative impact may also extend to food processing, transport, trade and related services.
The dynamics of foreign trade worsened in June and remains unstable. In June, exports fell by 20.5% and the cumulative decline deepened to 6.7%, while imports increased by 8.6% and cumulative growth reached 4.0%. This opposite dynamic increases the risks of deterioration of the foreign trade balance. The dynamics of trade may continue to deteriorate under the conditions of restrictions imposed by the Russian Federation.
In the fiscal sector, high revenue growth has been maintained, but concerns about the structure of expenditures and their implementation have become more pronounced. In January-June, budget revenues increased by 14.7%, and expenses by 7.0%, forming a surplus of 67.3 billion drams. Current expenditures increased by 16.1%, while capital expenditures decreased by 28.3%, and their shortfall amounted to AMD 146.4 billion or 40.8% of the half-year plan. Instead of the projected deficit of 316.4 billion drams, as a result of the recorded surplus, the deviation of the planned and actual balances reached 383.7 billion drams. Therefore, the surplus reflects to a large extent the underperformance of capital projects in particular, and itself indicates an ineffective spending policy.
Inflation and credit developments also require continued attention. In June, 12-month inflation accelerated to 5.1%, exceeding the Central Bank’s target range of 3±1%. At the same time, the annual growth of deposits and loans was 20.6% and 24.4%, respectively. High credit growth on the one hand supports economic activity and domestic demand, on the other hand it can sustain inflationary pressures and increase risks related to credit quality and household debt burden.

The full analysis is available at: by reference.

“LUYS” Foundation

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What incident was registered at Shirak State University, why is it the lecturer’s part?

July 30, 2026July 30, 2026 Toneyan Mark

July 29, 2026

Alina Antonyan, a former employee of Shirak State University, made a post on her Facebook page, informing that Hovhannes Melkonyan, a lecturer of the university’s Armenian language department, director of the Foreign Relations Center, has been insulting her for years, using insulting words towards her.

“H. Melkonyan calls the students “sheep” and their elder “shepherd”.

Rector E. Naturally, Serobyan is aware of all this…

Anyway, back to Hovik Melkonyan.

This phenomenon, abusing his position, has always inflicted the latest personal insults on his former and current employees, colleagues and students.

I was also “lucky”…

Alina Antonyan said in her post that she insulted me with such words as “fluffy”, “squeamish”, “boring”, “joke”, “mentally retarded”.

A recording was also published in which their conversation is heard and in which insulting words are spoken towards Alina Antonyan.

of 168.am in a conversation with Alina Antonyan said that the voice of the man heard in the recording is the voice of Hovik Melkonyan, who insulted him throughout their conversation.

“Hovik Melkonyan worked at the Armenian Language Department as a lecturer of the Armenian language, and I was the foreign relations coordinator. One day, their laboratory assistant came and asked me to pass some paper to Melkonyan, I had interns, then I forgot to pass that paper. Then Melkonyan came, he said why did I forget to give him that paper, he immediately got angry, I apologized, but he continued to insult me.

He insulted me for 19 minutes, he always insulted me like that. I just made a recording at that time so that the rector would believe me, whom I told that he was insulting me, they said: well, it won’t happen to that degree. I have always been patient, I have said: well, he is human, it will pass. I didn’t turn to the law enforcement officers, so I endured until this May, when everything reached its peak.

In the last 8 years, I have gone to the rector a lot, the rector told me: “go ahead, work calmly”. When I told the rector the last time, let’s settle this matter, he told me not to go to him again with such a question, I asked whom to turn to, he told me to settle it yourself. He didn’t care what was going on.

In May, Melkonyan had “exacerbations” again, he started yelling at me in the presence of students and 2 employees. There were questions related to the translation, he wanted to blame the mistakes on me, against which I protested. That’s when I told him that he crossed all the borders during these 8 years, and he said that he will write everything down and give it to the rector in a report,” said Alina Antonyan.

According to our interlocutor, they never discussed the issues in a normal environment, all incidents ended with a report, with which Melkonyan addressed the rector. Although the report reached the rector, Alina Antonyan submitted 7 pages of justification against the report.

“They issued a notice that my employment contract was ending, no one warned me about it.

Melkonyan did not even answer my greeting during this one month. I got health problems from that person’s face.

I even told the rector that I have proof of how he insults me, but he didn’t even want to hear it. Two of them fired me like that. The rector called me to him and said that that day is my last working day and he doesn’t want to talk to me anymore,” added Alina Antonyan.

168.amalso got in touch Hovik Melkonyan with He told us that Alina Antonyan’s employment contract has expired, and the university has not extended that contract. Therefore, “the reason for the girl not working” is the date.

As for the insults and the published recording, Hovik Melkonyan said, yes, it is his voice in the recording.

“Since the recording exists, take the answer to that question from there, what else can I say, it is there. There is nothing personal, what should be personal on the work level? You will know better when something is taken out of context, it acquires a different meaning, and I don’t see any need to discuss the context at this time. I consider it frivolous, discussing frivolous issues will be double frivolity for me, I don’t see the need for it,” emphasized Hovik Melkonyan.

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