Verelq: Pashinyan repeats Aliyev’s thoughts

Emil Lazarian

“The elites of Armenia and Karabakh have kept the people of Karabakh hostage.”


Yesterday, RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan expressed such a view during the NA-government question-and-answer session.


This is reminiscent of the statement of the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, which he made on July 21, 2023, during his speech during the Shushi Global Media Forum, when he noted:


“Currently, the issue of reintegration depends on when the Armenian residents of Karabakh will be able to get rid of the junta that took them hostage and exploited them as slaves.”


Pashinyan does not even try to change the form, but repeats Aliyev’s thoughts with the same tone. Are there still people for whom it is not clear that the current administration of RA began to be managed directly from Azerbaijan?


Edmon Marukyan, leader of “Lusavore Armenia” party



https://verelq.am/hy/node/171329?fbclid=IwY2xjawQ0RIFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEemBrYiZ2_ULTvvuv0bAWPRWm8SV2YFZ9Ptmi5g-Ylpn1jaItN6zqHxqNZNZM_aem_wsBWg-TpvFxP3oJ_00_uXw

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Remarkable flights of Turkish business jets to Yerevan. what is known about them?

Ani Basmajian

In recent days, two Turkish business jets have visited the capital of Armenia, and they are connected with Turkish special services and state bodies.


Sputnik Armenia, in particular, paid attention to the fact that on March 8, the Gulfstream G-IV(SP) business jet of the Turkish Sierra Aviation company made a flight on the Yerevan-Ankara route. Social media users involved in flight tracking and OSINT (intelligence based on open sources) have linked this plane to Turkish special services.



The geography of the flights also indicates that the plane was hardly used for normal commercial purposes. In particular, the aircraft regularly flies to the countries of the Middle East (Oman, UAE, Saudi Arabia) and Africa (Libya, Egypt, Sudan).


Moreover, it was once used for the flight of Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama.


Considering the interesting history of the flights, we inquired from the Foreign Ministry whether any Turkish delegation visited Yerevan. We were told that there were no guests from the Foreign Ministry.


Sputnik Armenia also sent a request to the RA Foreign Intelligence Service, asking: 1) Was it an intelligence visit by Turkish representatives, 2) if not, was the flight private?


They did not answer our questions clearly from the Armenian National Security Service, instead they referred in detail to the specifics of their activities.


In particular, they noted that “due to the problems faced by the service and the specifics of its activity, the service is guided by the strict observance of the principle of confidentiality defined by the law and has objectively adopted a policy of ensuring the lowest possible level of public discussion about the service’s activities.”


Such an approach, as noted in the special service, is intended to ensure not only the normal work of the National Intelligence Service within the framework of the implementation of foreign intelligence activities, but also to prevent possible security risks for the state and society as a result of the disclosure of information outside the limits of admissibility.


“Taking into account the above, we inform you that it is not considered appropriate to provide information implying a positive or negative answer to both the 1st and 2nd questions by the service,” said the answer.


It should be noted that we had already sent the request to the FSA when the second similar flight was noticed in the sky of Yerevan.
This time the Dassault Falcon 7X plane left Yerevan for Istanbul.



This aircraft belongs to the Zafer Air company, which also connects with “sensitive” flights in the Middle East and Africa.


It is noteworthy that the first aircraft, Gulfstream G-IV(SP), was previously also in the fleet of Zafer Air.


Thus, if we assume that a Turkish delegation arrived in Armenia, then by comparing the data, we can assume that the technical group arrived on the first flight, and the delegation of direct negotiators on the second.


Nevertheless, in the absence of official information, it is not possible to make definite statements about the purpose of the flight and the passengers.


Let’s remind that since March 11, Turkish Airlines has started to operate flights on the Istanbul-Yerevan-Istanbul route.

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Per capita debt: $4,700. Armenia’s economy lives without credit

Talar Tumanian

The national debt per capita in Armenia reached 4,700 US dollars compared to 4,200 US dollars last year.


Debt is growing in an economy with an increasingly eroded industrial base and declining demographic dynamics (albeit with immigration touted. I’ll get to that separately).


The main problem is that the debt does not turn into an economic result. There is no qualitative economic change. There is no increase in productivity. There is no development of value-added industries. You don’t have to go far – open the economic statistics of the last years.


And where does that money go?


Mainly, capital expenditures, the results of which are obvious. asphalt crumbling before our eyes every day, rapidly decaying infrastructure, demonstrative and unviable projects.


This is simply a waste of funds with no return.


As a result, the debt becomes not a development resource, but a political tool to close the budget holes, fulfill the social function of the state, and show short-term “results”.


Yes, the debt-to-GDP ratio still does not cross the red line: 47.3%, under the conditions of the 50% target index.


But this is the surface. Deep down lies the real risk: the burden of debt is shifted onto businesses, households and future taxpayers without a corresponding economic return.


The longer this model continues, the more expensive the price of its consequences will be.


Energy security expert Vahe Davtyan




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It is a lie to claim that there will be a war if the power is not reproduced

Emil Lazarian

It is a lie to claim that if the power is not reproduced, there will be a war only because of that fact.


The war is not determined by the election or non-election of one person. A combination of a number of factors is necessary for the war, such as regional processes (the war between Iran and the USA and its prolongation, the strengthening of the Turkish factor, the continuous decrease of Russia’s influence), the futility of the self-defense organization of the existing government in Armenia, as well as other circumstances.


In fact, too much depends on the US/Israel-Iran war in terms of Azerbaijan’s appetite, which has nothing to do with the reproduction of Armenian power.


There will be no war if there is a strong military, balanced diplomacy and predictable politics, which means that the non-reproduction of power is more favorable in this respect.


As for the war, dozens of factors, a number of preconditions, preparations, active diplomatic activity and a favorable international situation and environment are necessary before starting it.


The non-reproduction of Pashinyan will not have an effect on any of those factors by itself. Therefore, such formulation is just manipulation.


International scholar Suren Sargsyan




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Life since June 7. return reason to power

Jirair Kafian

Nikol has clearly chosen the logic of his campaign. Every day, a new ugliness.  This is not a question of good or bad. This is a conscious decision, a fact.
 
Oppositional systems should be flexible and adequate to that decision. Otherwise, the upcoming important months will turn into a “race”.
 
It is not enough to monotonously present one’s program provisions. They will be drowned in the ugliness of the government, which will happen every day, and every day, with the tendency to get uglier.
 
Responding to ugliness is rare, but it cannot be a primary tactic.
 
In the current situation, the joint tactics of the political opposition and healthy public layers should become the new public project. Life after June 7. This is both a tactic and psychology. This is a unique basis for joint action. The opposing systems must communicate with each other and, most importantly, with the public, and build their relations in this logic. What are we going to do, how are we going to work with each other, how are we going to move forward, what are we agreeing on, what are we rejecting, how are we going to get out step by step from the legacy of the disasters left by them, etc.
 
Our programs should be presented to the society with this tactic.


This will allow to change the public atmosphere, to create a big cloud of changes, which will hang in our sky and on June 7 will be resolved technically.
 
The upcoming elections are exclusively internal Armenian elections, where we will decide our internal life for the coming years. ugliness or intelligence?
 
It should be widely explained that life after June 7 will first of all solve the simplest and most important problem: to return reason to the government, to the state system.
 
As for the private narrative of ugliness, the episode of snarling, then one should have courage and admit that for 5-6 years, the world and especially our neighboring countries have put us in a snarky place and are watching as an experiment how much a nation can endure all this. We need to talk about this openly with each other and with our own people, so that these shameful situations starting from June 7th begin to be finally forgotten.
 
Vahe Hovhannisyan
Alternative projects group



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The water level in the rivers continues to rise, stay away from the riverside areas

Chmshkian Vicken

The intensity of precipitation is maintained in Syunik. The water level in the rivers continues to rise. Syunik Marz Governor Robert Ghukasyan wrote about this on his social network page, urging not to approach the flooded rivers.


“Relevant bodies in the region have switched to emergency working mode, preventive and operative measures are being implemented to keep the situation under control.

Please:


stay away from riverside areas,


don’t go near flooded rivers


to be more careful on the roads,” the note states.


To remind, yesterday, the Hydrometeorology and Monitoring Center informed that due to the entry of an active cyclone from the south, on March 27-28 precipitation is expected in most regions from time to time, wet snow in the mountain zones, rain in the form of rain in the foothills and valley zones, accompanied by low horizontal visibility and strengthening of the wind at a speed of 14-17 m/s in some regions.


Rainfall will be intense on March 27 in Syunik and in separate parts of Vayots Dzor, on March 27-28 in Lori and Tavush.


Due to the expected precipitation, on March 27-28, an increase in water output is expected in the rivers of the republic, significantly in the basins of the Voghji, Gorisget, Meghriget, Arpa, Debed and Aghstev rivers.

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The easing of US sanctions is a new opportunity for Iran

Elizabeth Jabejian

As paradoxical as it may seem, since the beginning of the war, Iran has started to receive much higher revenues from the sale of its oil and gas sector products than before the war.


Full management of the Strait of Hormuz has enabled this country to export its own oil and gas resources in an almost unlimited way, especially in the conditions of their inflation in the world market, and to charge money for transit through the strait from oil tankers of other countries.


The forced easing of American sanctions on Iranian oil has also created a new opportunity.


According to the Iranian side, Iran’s oil exports have increased by about 4 percent, and in 2019, in the face of a catastrophic decrease in the volume of oil and liquid gas exports from all countries of the Persian Gulf. For the first time since then, India has started buying Iranian liquefied natural gas.


Iranologist Vardan Voskanyan




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Pashinyan is trying to assume the role of direct governance of Azerbaijan

Emil Lazarian

Turning to the question of the displacement of the population of Artsakh in 2023, Nikol Pashinyan stated: “With his leadership, Levon Ter-Petrosyan dragged Armenia and the Armenian people into this adventure.” This is stated in the announcement of ANC.


“It is clear from this that Pashinyan has absolutely no knowledge of the ancient, medieval, or modern history of Armenia.


The Karabakh movement began with the official decision of the Nagorno-Karabakh Regional Council on February 20, to which the Armenian people responded with mass demonstrations. Initially, they were led by Zori Balayan and Igor Muradyan, around whom Vano Siradeghyan, Ashot Manucharyan, Hambardzum Galstyan, Alexan Hakobyan, Vazgen Manukyan, Samvel Gevorgyan and Samson Ghazaryan were gradually included as members of the first “Karabakh Committee”. And Rafael Ghazaryan, Levon Ter-Petrosyan, Babken Ararktsyan and Davit Vardanyan were included in the committee in 1988. at the end of May. So much for historical truth.


And now let’s turn to the motives of Pashinyan’s statement. This comes from the lips of a man, during whose 8-year rule we had ten conflicts with Azerbaijan, including three armed conflicts, during which Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh suffered catastrophic losses and defeats.


1. 2020 The disastrous 44-day war, which took place after he rejected the pro-Armenian plan for the settlement of the Artsakh conflict, guaranteed by Russia, the US and France,


2. 2022 the September war, as a result of which we lost the sovereign territories of Armenia in Vardenis, Jermuk and Syunik, which was a consequence of the Pashinyan policy of rejecting the plan proposed by the announcement of November 9, 2020,


3. 2023 the war that took place as a result of Pashinyan’s recognition of Nagorno Karabakh as the territory of Azerbaijan and ended with the genocide committed against the people of Artsakh – deportation.


The loss of Artsakh and the catastrophic weakening of Armenian statehood are the main results of Nikol Pashinyan’s rule. Pashinyan understands very well the crime he has committed against the Armenian people and makes pitiful efforts to avoid responsibility before the Armenian people and history.


In fact, the movement of 1988 was aimed at protecting the lives and basic human rights of the people of Nagorno Karabakh, and from the beginning it had a non-violent, constitutional and legal character. When Azerbaijan responded with military aggression, self-defense was organized in Nagorno-Karabakh, thanks to which the safety and freedom of the population of Nagorno-Karabakh was ensured.


The Nagorno-Karabakh problem could be solved peacefully if the compromise settlement plan proposed by the international community was adopted. The biggest “adventure”, the misfortune, was not doing it. Nikol Pashinyan is the main actor of that misfortune that dealt catastrophic blows to the Armenian people and their statehood. Today, in order to avoid responsibility and maintain power, he is trying to assume the disgusting role of a party leader who ensures the direct administration of Azerbaijan in Armenia. The “peace” brought by Pashinyan is the dependence on Aliyev and Erdogan. Nothing else.


The Armenian National Congress is in favor of the process of normalization and reconciliation of relations with Azerbaijan and Turkey, and unlike Nikol Pashinyan, it has always taken this position, but categorically rejects any attempt to limit Armenia’s sovereignty and interfere in our internal affairs.


Pashinyan is today the main threat to Armenian statehood and sovereignty, whom the Armenian people will have a historic opportunity to remove in the National Assembly elections on June 7,” the statement said.

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Rainwater flooded the street in Kapan

Emil Lazarian

Rainwater flooded the street in Kapan. A video was published on the Facebook page of Syunik region.


Earlier we informed that as a result of heavy rains, rockfalls and other obstacles appeared on the roads of Syunik region. Syunik Marz Governor Robert Ghukasyan urged to stay away from riverside areas.


To remind, yesterday, the Hydrometeorology and Monitoring Center informed that due to the entry of an active cyclone from the south, on March 27-28 precipitation is expected in most regions from time to time, wet snow in the mountain zones, rain in the form of rain in the foothills and valley zones, accompanied by low horizontal visibility and strengthening of the wind at a speed of 14-17 m/s in some regions.


Rainfall will be intense on March 27 in Syunik and in separate parts of Vayots Dzor, on March 27-28 in Lori and Tavush.


Due to the expected precipitation, on March 27-28, an increase in water output is expected in the rivers of the republic, significantly in the basins of the Voghji, Gorisget, Meghriget, Arpa, Debed and Aghstev rivers.

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In Armenia, the number of people hospitalized with severe acute respiratory infections is increasing

Garnik Zakarian

According to the weekly analysis of cases of acute respiratory infections hospitalized in “Heratsi” No. 1 and “Muratsan” hospital complexes and the Michael Institute of Surgery, during the 12th week of 2026 (16.03.2026 – 22.03.2026), the number of people hospitalized with severe acute respiratory infections (SRI) continues to increase, new the number of cases was 90, which increased by 4% compared to the cases of the previous week.


The “Heratsi” center states that new cases of HCV made up 7% of the total number of hospitalized patients. The analysis of the distribution of cases in age groups indicates that the total cases were again distributed in two age groups: 0-4 and 5-14 years old. It should be noted that the cases prevailed (60%) in the group of 0-4 years old, which increased by 20% compared to the previous week. 5 of those hospitalized in this age group were in the intensive care unit. In the 5-14 age group, the incidence was 40%.


During the mentioned period, the number of new cases of STD examined for influenza was 4. No cases of death were recorded among those hospitalized with STD.


According to the European Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (ECDC) weekly summary of influenza surveillance data, the regional influenza index fell below the epidemic threshold from March 9 to 15, 2026. The latter is especially expressed in the primary link. Case activity has been reported in only a few countries. People aged 65 and older predominate among those hospitalized. It should be noted that the share of the A(H1) influenza virus circulating in the region continues to increase, making 43%, and the A (H3) subtype – 57%. At the regional level, the number of tests with a positive flu result decreased from the 10% epidemic threshold to 8%. 22 countries the average rate of positive tests was 3%, with 9 countries reporting at least 10%.


The regional level of SARS-CoV-2 infection activity remained at the same low level (2%) as last week.


Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) activity remains high at 10%. It should be noted that the upward trend started 2-3 weeks ago. The burden of disease and the number of positive results remain highest among children under 5 years of age.

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