The US-Iran conflict is becoming a challenge for Armenia

Torgomian Varazdat

According to The Economist, the war against Iran has become not only a foreign political impasse for Donald Trump, but also a heavy domestic political burden. Americans do not see a clear goal of the war, a measurable result, or a realistic way out of it.


It seems that ordinary Americans are no longer debating whether the war will end in victory or defeat. They are especially convinced that it will be long-lasting, and the government does not have a strategy to get out of it. This is a deeper form of public distrust than mere opposition to war.


This is a particularly worrying development for Armenia. A long-term American-Iranian war increases the risk of internal destabilization of Iran, disruption of southern communication, increase in the price of transportation and fuel, as well as a change in the balance of power in the entire South Caucasus.


Davit Ananyan, former chairman of the RA SRC




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Due to hacking of the application, the man stole more than 6.7 million drams

Emil Lazarian

The preliminary investigation of the criminal proceedings initiated in relation to the case of particularly large-scale computer theft has been completed in the cybercrime and high-tech sector investigation department of the RA Investigative Committee’s main department for the investigation of particularly important cases, in the case of 1 person.


In the course of the preliminary investigation, it appears that factual information was obtained that K.M., having learned about the technical error of not implementing the function of checking the balance of the account when making transfers between accounts through the company’s electronic application, with the direct intention of stealing someone else’s property, during the period from March 30 to April 8, 2024, illegally, without the permission stipulated by law, contract or other legal basis, in the computer system of the bank opened in his name entered data on the transfer of allegedly different amounts of money to his account of the company.


Then, due to the technical error presented above, a particularly large sum of 6 million 714 thousand AMD was generated on the balance of the company’s electronic wallet and the account opened in his name, which was stolen by transferring to other bank cards.


The criminal proceedings regarding Kh.M. were sent to the supervising prosecutor with an indictment.

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HRD and the governor of Syunik discussed the problems of residents of the region

Antranik Varosian

Human Rights Defender Anahit Manasyan’s working visit to Syunik Marz continues.

On July 21, human rights defender Anahit Manasyan met with Syunik Marz Governor Robert Ghukasyan in Kapan.

The problems related to human rights in the region were discussed, as well as socio-economic issues, including gasification in rural areas, access to drinking and irrigation water, realization of property rights, school construction and a number of other issues.

In his speech, the Defender emphasized the constructive work formed with the Governor of Syunik, as a result of which a number of recorded problems are quickly resolved.

Anahit Manasyan expressed his commitment to solve the discussed issues within the framework of the mandate.

The defender expressed confidence that thanks to joint efforts, the region should continuously improve the systems that affect people’s lives.

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It is a period of activation of snakes in Armenia. rescuers received more than 600 aha

Tatoyan Vazgen

Along with the construction activity in the country, the reptiles have also become active. Half of the year has not yet passed, but the rescue service has already received more than 600 calls from citizens regarding the discovery of snakes. Compared to the same period last year, this indicator is 74 more.


According to rescuers, 315 snakes were found this year, 50 of which were poisonous. Experts note that reptiles become more active in warm weather, which is why citizens’ alarms increase.


The rescue service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs receives applications regarding the discovery of snakes from different settlements of the country. This year, the most alarms were registered from Yerevan. about 43 percent of the total cases were from the capital. Many alarms were also received from Kotayk region, 104 cases in the first semester.


The representative of the rescue service notes that snakes themselves are not a danger if people do not try to harm or catch them.


“If we do not try to harm the snake and keep a distance of approximately 2 meters, then it will leave on its own. It won’t cause any harm or attack,” experts say.


According to the rescuers, the reptiles mostly appear in the adjacent areas of the buildings, especially in the newly built areas. Such places were often their natural habitat in the past.


“The territories of the newly constructed buildings were not inhabited before. It can be said that they were more their territory. Now, when we build new buildings in those areas, it turns out that we are entering their environment”, said the representative of the rescue service.


One of the residents said that snake tracks are often found near his house.


“This morning I saw the changed skin of a snake, it was thrown there. There are not many snakes in our area, but they harm only when they feel threatened,” he said.


The rescuers urge the citizens not to panic when they see a snake and not to try to catch or harm the animal by themselves. It is necessary to immediately call the rescue service, whose employees will move the reptile to a safe place.


If a snake has bitten a person, experts advise to contact the emergency service immediately and not to engage in self-medication. Various “folk” methods can cause more damage than the snake bite itself.

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Our team prepares defamation claims. Tonoyan

Babken Chilingarian

The statements made against Gagik Tsarukyan in the mass media are absolute slander and cheap tricks, and the party’s legal team is already preparing lawsuits against the authors of those publications. Iveta Tonoyan, the press secretary of “Prosperous Armenia” party leader Gagik Tsarukyan, announced this in a conversation with journalists on July 21.


According to him, some people are trying to “dig up” years-old baseless stories in order to attack the reputation of a politician through loud headlines. “We are dealing with the product of a sick imagination. people who only three years ago diligently participated in the contest for the statue of Jesus Christ, now come up with fabricated statements, for each of which they will answer in court,” Tonoyan emphasized. He noted that the arrest and detention of the leader of the party do not have any legal basis and are exclusively political pressure and the decision of the authorities to get rid of the opponents.


Iveta Tonoyan also assured that the “Prosperous Armenia” party will continue to play an active role in the political life of the country, despite the mandates stolen from it in the parliament. “Although our supporters and employees are threatened and pressured not to go to protests, our team is united and will continue to fight against the existing injustice,” Tsarukyan’s press secretary concluded.

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The State Budget has paid 12.6 billion AMD in taxes and duties

Emil Lazarian

During the first half of the current year, the company “Electric Networks of Armenia” paid about 12.6 billion AMD in taxes and duties to the RA state budget.

Romanos Petrosyan, the interim manager of the National Economic and Social Committee, wrote about this on his Facebook page, emphasizing that this is about 62% more than the payments made in the same period of the previous year (1st semester of 2025).


“In the same period of the last year, before the initiation of administrative proceedings against the HEC by the PSC, the sum of payments to the state budget amounted to around 7.8 billion AMD. The HEC no longer serves our people,” wrote Petrosyan.

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H. Hovnanian Family Foundation Awards $237,000 for Parks and Recreation Projec

Tambiyan Samvel

H. Hovnanian Family Foundation 

E-mail: [email protected]

Phone/WhatsApp: +37498 24 54 84
Website: https://hovnanianfoundation.org/en  

Vibrant public spaces, green zones, and accessible recreational areas are essential for healthy, thriving communities. To support this vital need, the H. Hovnanian Family Foundation has awarded $237,000 in grants to six impactful initiatives through its first-quarter 2026 Parks & Recreation grant cycle.


This quarter’s funding focused exclusively on Syunik and Vayots Dzor. By strengthening these communities in these provinces, the selected projects aim to improve the everyday quality of life for local residents, boost tourism potential, and foster environmental resilience. “Investing in public parks and recreation areas is an investment in community resilience and social cohesion,” said Anahit Hakobyan, Program Manager at the H. Hovnanian Family Foundation. “We were particularly encouraged by the strong participation of public sector entities, including the municipalities of Kapan, Goris, and Sisian. By pairing local government commitment with the specialized on-the-ground expertise of dedicated NGOs, we are ensuring these spaces become safe, sustainable, and universally accessible assets for thousands of families.”


Little Bridge NGO will establish the Vayk Inclusive Gardens, a 1,000 m² public playground and park in Vayk (Vayots Dzor region), to be implemented over a six-month period. Driven by a 15 per cent population increase from displaced families, the project addresses a critical lack of safe, accessible recreational options for the community’s 6,743 residents. Utilizing universal design principles, the park will feature four distinct zones: inclusive play for 1,983 children; health and mobility stations for 870 individuals in rehabilitation or living with disabilities; geriatric areas for 1,840 elderly residents; and fitness spaces serving over 2,050 people. The health and inclusion component includes a ‘living fence’ of 32 trees and 50 shrubs instead of traditional gates, recessed cattle grids to ensure seamless wheelchair and stroller access, and a 400 m² lawn attached to a municipally extended drip irrigation line.


The Armenian branch of the SOS Chrétiens d’Orient will create a 500 m² public square around the Aram Manukian bust in the village of Davit Bek, located within the Kapan enlarged community of the Syunik province. To be implemented over seven months, the project directly addresses the lack of developed public spaces in the village, benefiting approximately 1,000 local residents. The initiative includes comprehensive site development, paving, comfortable seating, water access, and the integration of green areas featuring lawns, trees, and flowers. Playground equipment will also be installed, provided as an in-kind contribution by the organization.


The Kapan Municipality will lead an eight-month revitalization of the 2,200 m² public area adjacent to the iconic Garegin Nzhdeh monument in Kapan, which has not been renovated since its construction in 2001. The project entails the demolition and clearing of worn infrastructure, followed by the installation of new paving, curbs, walkways, and stairs. It also includes the rehabilitation of the monument’s immediate surroundings, landscaping with an integrated irrigation system, outdoor lighting, modern urban furniture, and robust accessibility upgrades. The completed site will serve Kapan’s 45,815 residents and an estimated 10,000 annual visitors.


The Armenian Red Cross Society (ARCS) will launch the 12-month Together in the Park project in Yeghegnadzor, Vayots Dzor. targeting the broader community of 14,844 people. This initiative combines structural physical upgrades with targeted social programming to combat isolation and a lack of youth spaces following recent regional challenges. Physically, the project will rehabilitate the 600 m² municipality-owned central Momik Park by paving, lighting, greening, and improving safety. Socially, ARCS will leverage its extensive volunteer network to deliver more than 30 structured activities, including intergenerational sessions, youth microgrants, and local volunteer-led community initiatives.


Baleni Agricultural Charitable Foundation will establish a 25,000 m² (2.5 hectares) forest-park in Shaghat village within the Sisian community of Syunik. Developed over 12 months in close cooperation with active local youth and supportive village leadership, the project encompasses a 5,000 m² landscaped park zone and a 20,000 m² forest plantation. The intervention features extensive afforestation through the planting of roughly 6,000 trees, an irrigation system, solar lighting, walking paths, and protective fencing. Merging the environment with innovation, the park will feature an outdoor movie screening area and benches equipped with QR codes linking visitors to regional historical and geographical information, benefiting 1,000 direct residents and neighboring communities.


Jardar NGO will co-create a community park in Goris, Syunik, on municipal land adjacent to a local school. Serving as a permanent public asset, the site will also host the second LINE Armenian Architecture Biennial, themed ‘Urban Recreations by Line.’ Spanning a total area of 15,000 m², the project will begin with an intensive participatory design process—bringing together residents, youth, and local stakeholders through research and collaborative workshops—before moving into the physical construction of a public park that seamlessly blends ecological, architectural, and recreational elements. The grant serves for the first phase of the project, covering the research and design components.


Taken together, these six projects reflect a holistic vision for regional development. Whether transforming village squares, piloting inclusive infrastructure, or introducing digital components to brand-new parks, these initiatives ensure that the natural beauty and community spirit of Syunik and Vayots Dzor are preserved, celebrated, and made accessible to all.


Full details about the Foundation’s grant program and upcoming calls are available at https://hovnanianfoundation.org/en/armenia-grants/general-grants.


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California Courier Online, July 20, 2026

Emil Lazarian
California
Courier Online, July 20, 2026

1- What happened to Israel’s Recognition of

The Armenian Genocide? Fact vs. Rumor

By Harut
Sassounian

TheCaliforniaCourier.com
2- Princess Margaret’s Grandson Samuel Chatto Is Engaged to Eleanor Ekserdjian

3- ‘Trump Route’ Deal In Conflict With Armenian Law, Says Justice Ministry
4- MARK HOPLAMAZIAN: ARMENIAN-AMERICAN FINANCIER, AND CHAIRMAN, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF HYATT HOTELS CORPORATION
5- James Tufenkian Sues Armenia in European Court
6- Armenian government approves $14 million in bonuses for state officials
7- Oldest sword in the world in St. Lazar Armenian Mekhitarist Monastery in Italy

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1- What happened to Israel’s Recognition of

The Armenian Genocide? Fact vs. Rumor
By Harut Sassounian
TheCaliforniaCourier.com
On a daily basis, we are all inundated with so much misinformation that it is becoming almost impossible to distinguish fact from fiction. For those of us in the news business, the challenge is even greater. Whereas regular people can pass on baseless rumors to their immediate circle, the mass media bears a much greater responsibility because it risks spreading false information to thousands or even millions of people, unless it first verifies the facts.
A recent example of a story that evolved from fact into rumor was the Israeli Foreign Minister’s announcement last month that his government would recognize the Armenian Genocide. The news spread like wildfire throughout the international media. There were endless commentaries and analyses about why Israel decided to recognize the Armenian Genocide after decades of refusing to do so.
Shortly after the Israeli Foreign Minister’s announcement, the government (Cabinet) unanimously approved the recognition of the Armenian Genocide and decided to forward the measure to the Knesset (Parliament) for final approval.
Not surprisingly, the Turkish government furiously denounced the decision of Israel’s Cabinet, accusing it of trying to divert the world’s attention from the atrocities being committed in Gaza. Ironically, this accusation came from the Turkish government, which has gone to extraordinary lengths for over a century to cover up the genocides of Armenians, Assyrians, and Greeks.
Siding with Turkey’s denial of the Armenian Genocide was the government of Azerbaijan which has itself committed several mass murders against Armenians. As the saying goes, “birds of a feather flock together.” Azerbaijani officials expressed their objection by reminding Israel’s leaders of the billions of dollars’ worth of Israeli weapons they had purchased and that, in return, had sold to Israel a large share of its imported oil. Neither Azerbaijan nor its ally Turkey, which serves as the conduit for the Azeri oil exports to Israel, mentions its own role in supplying the fuel for Israel’s war machine.
The objections from Azerbaijan and Turkey triggered the false rumor that the Israeli government had abandoned the Knesset’s consideration of the Armenian Genocide, even though there was absolutely no official confirmation from Israel.
The fact is that the Knesset’s agenda was packed with several major issues during the last few days of its session, leaving no time to consider the Armenian Genocide. The Knesset went into recess last Friday until October, when new elections are scheduled to take place. It remains to be seen whether the next Knesset will take up this issue.
Even though Israel’s decision to recognize the Armenian Genocide was not intended to please the Armenian government, it must have been disappointing to hear the lackadaisical reaction of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
Those who have followed Pashinyan’s previous shameful statements in recent years questioning the facts of the Armenian Genocide should not have been surprised to see him disregard Israel’s Cabinet decision. “We see no need to respond because we believe that refraining from entering into the issue of the weaponization of the Armenian Genocide is in the interests of the Republic of Armenia,” Pashinyan stated.
However, when the US government recognized the Armenian Genocide, Pashinyan did not consider it to be “weaponization.” On the contrary, he was highly enthusiastic about the US Senate’s acknowledgement of the Armenian Genocide in 2019. He wrote on X (then Twitter): “US Senate Resolution 150 is a victory of justice and truth. On behalf of the Armenian people worldwide, I express our profound appreciation to the Senate for this landmark legislation. This is a tribute to the memory of 1.5 million victims of the first Genocide of the 20th century and a bold step in promotion of the prevention agenda. #NeverAgain.”
Pashinyan then added: “On behalf of the Armenian people, I want to thank all members of the US Senate [and] … the House of Representatives…. We must address words of appreciation to the Armenians of the United States, to all those organizations and individuals who contributed to this important and historic decision.” It is noteworthy that Pashinyan expressed his gratitude to the Armenian-American community for this recognition, in stark contrast to his subsequent anti-Diaspora statements.
Later, on April 24, 2021, when U.S. Pres. Joe Biden acknowledged the Armenian Genocide, Pashinyan again reacted very enthusiastically: “It is an important day for all Armenians. Following the resolutions adopted by the US Congress in 2019, President Biden honored the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide. The US has once again demonstrated its unwavering commitment to protecting human rights and universal values…. Today we pay tribute to the 1.5 million martyrs, victims of the Ottoman Empire’s criminal policies during WWI. The ideologies that led to the Armenian Genocide are still alive today, as demonstrated by the atrocities committed against the Armenians of Artsakh during the recent war.”
In addition to reversing his position on the recognition of the Armenian Genocide, Pashinyan has, in recent years, contradicted himself on dozens of other issues. Most notably, in 2019, speaking in Stepanakert before thousands of cheering Artsakh Armenians, he declared: “Artsakh is Armenia. Period.” After the 2020 war, however, he took the exact opposite position by acknowledging that Artsakh is part of Azerbaijan.

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2– Princess Margaret’s Grandson Samuel Chatto Is Engaged to Eleanor Ekserdjian

Samuel Chatto, a grandson of the late Princess Margaret, is engaged to his longtime girlfriend, Eleanor Ekserdjian. The couple announced the news publicly on Monday after informing King Charles, who is said to be very happy for them. Chatto’s parents, Lady Sarah Chatto and Daniel Chatto, are also reported to be delighted, as are Ekserdjian’s parents, Professor David Ekserdjian and Susan Moore.

“I’m really delighted to say that Ellie and I are engaged,” Chatto wrote on Instagram, sharing a trio of photos, including two portraits of the couple and one of Eleanor’s porcelain engagement ring, which was made by Chatto himself. “And we couldn’t be happier.” The couple are planning to marry in spring 2027, but no specific date has been announced yet.

Chatto and Ekserdjian have reportedly been together since 2021, having met while both studying at the University of Edinburgh. Ekserdjian joined Chatto and the wider royal family for the Christmas Day service at St. Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham in December 2024, and more recently attended the Cotswolds wedding of Peter Phillips and Harriete Sperling in June.

At 30th in the line of succession, Chatto is not a working royal, but he appears at major family events. He attended Eton College before graduating from the University of Edinburgh with a master’s degree in history of art. He went on to attend the Royal Drawing School. He has since built a career as an artist, working primarily in ceramics and printmaking.

Ekserdjian is also an artist, with a focus on painting and film. She recently shot her first film, Imagined Landscapes (2024). According to her bio from a recent exhibition at the David Messums Fine Art Gallery in London, the movie “portrays her first sight of Armenia, a landscape that she had always imagined but had never seen, as someone who grew up in the UK with a curiosity about her Armenian family.” In May and June of 2026, her first solo presentation, We Are Our Mountains, ran at Messums London, featuring simultaneous landscape paintings from Armenia and the United Kingdom alongside a film and sound installation.

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3- ‘Trump Route’ Deal In Conflict With Armenian Law, Says Justice Ministry

  • Astghik Bedevian, Azatutyun.am
Some provisions of a U.S.-Armenian agreement to open a U.S.-run transit corridor for Azerbaijan through Armenia run counter to Armenian law, according to the Justice Ministry in Yerevan.
The ministry drew this conclusion in a written opinion submitted to the Armenian government. But citing political reasons, it recommended the agreement’s approval by the government, which was formalized on Thursday.
The deal was signed by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan in early June. It lays out the key terms of the planned the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) that would run along Armenia’s border with Iran and connect Azerbaijan to its Nakhichevan exclave and Turkey.
It calls for the creation of a joint venture that will manage for at least 49 years a railway, a road, energy supply lines and other infrastructure to be built along the corridor. The U.S. government will own 74 percent of the TRIPP Development Company (TDC) that will receive “exclusive land use rights, development rights, related permissions, and all other rights” necessary for the transit arrangement.
While upholding Armenia’s “full sovereignty and jurisdiction over its borders and customs operations,” the agreement commits the Armenian government to the so-called “front office/back office” model whereby private operators hired by the TDC will provide “customer-facing services” at the border crossings with Azerbaijan. Armenian officials are to be given be a “back office” role there.
“It should be noted that according to [Armenia’s] Law on the State Border, the processing of persons, vehicles, cargo and other property across the border of Armenia is carried out by its border guards and customs authorities,” the Justice Ministry said in this regard. “Therefore, the authority to check relevant documents and allow passage through the state border is reserved exclusively for state bodies.”
The ministry also found that tax exemptions that will be granted to the TDC and its subsidiaries contradict Armenian tax legislation. Contacted by RFE/RL’s Armenian Service, it declined to say whether it will draft or recommend legal amendments that will bring the U.S.-Armenian agreement into conformity with Armenian law.
The deal says that it shall take precedence “in case of any conflict with Armenian law.” It has to be validated by the country’s Constitutional Court before being ratified by the Armenian parliament.
Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev has said that Azerbaijanis travelling to and from Nakhichevan “should not see the faces of Armenian border guards.” Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian has signaled readiness to meet that demand, saying that modern technology will be used to exclude physical contact between Armenian officers and Azerbaijani travelers.
Pashinian has thus given more ammunition to his domestic critics who say that the TRIPP amounts to the kind of an extraterritorial “Zangezur corridor” that is sought by Baku. Aliyev again made the same point last week.
Iran remains opposed to the TRIPP, fearing that it could lead to U.S. security presence along the Armenian-Iranian border and undermine Armenian control of it. The Iranian ambassador to Armenia indicated on July 8 that Yerevan has still not addressed Tehran’s “very legitimate and logical” concerns. Pashinian made clear the following day that he remains committed to implementing the TRIPP project “as soon as possible.”

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5- James Tufenkian Sues Armenia in European Court

By Kristine Aghalaryan
Hetq.am
American-Armenian businessman James Tufenkian has filed a complaint against Armenia with the European Court of Human Rights  over a long-standing real estate dispute that has prevented a company he owns from breaking ground to build a new hotel in Yerevan.

Tufenkian Trans Caucasus LLC acquired the property at 32 Pavstots Buzand St. in 2000. The government, two years later, decided to designate the site as “public domain” land that was included in the Hin Yerevan (Old Yerevan) project.

Construction of the controversial project, approved in 2005, only began in 2017. It remains unfinished. The long-stalled project seeks to “reconstruct” the architectural appearance of the Armenian capital of the late 19th – early 20th centuries given that little if anything remains on the site.  

Tufenkian, known as a purveyor of high-quality artisan rugs, has built several hotels in Armenia as part of his Tufenkian Heritage Hotels chain. He also founded the Tufenkian Foundation that provides aid to poor families in Armenia,

Tufenkian Trans Caucasus LLC (the company’s successor is now JFT LLC, whose shareholders are James Tufenkian (10%) and Tufenkian Holdings LLC (90%), in February 2023 applied to the Yerevan City Court of First Instance of General Jurisdiction against the Republic of Armenia (represented by the Ministry of Finance). 

Courts in Armenia Reject Tufenkian’s Claims

It requested confirmation of violations of the fundamental right of Tufenkian Trans Caucasus LLC,  as a result of the government’s decisions, actions and inaction, as well as to recover from the Republic of Armenia in favor of Tufenkian Trans Caucasus LLC an amount of AMD 2 million  as compensation for non-pecuniary damage caused by the violation of the company’s fundamental right to property and the mental suffering associated with it.

The court, on March 25, 2025, rejected the claim of Tufenkian Trans Caucasus LLC, and the company then appealed to Armenia’s Court of Appeal. The court approved the claim and sent the application to the lower court for a new review.

The company simultaneously appealed to the Administrative Court, contesting the government’s November 24, 2022 decision to extend the Old Yerevan project’s implementation period to 2023. Company attorney Mikael Danielyan argued that the extension was unsubstantiated, and its legality was therefore challenged.

After three  rounds of court proceedings were unsuccessful, Tufenkian Trans Caucasus LLC appealed to Armenia’s Constitutional Court in April 2025. The company challenged the Armenia’s Law On Alienation of Property for the Purpose of Ensuring the Overriding Interest of the Society, as well as the government’s decisions of 2018 and 2022 that extended the project’s deadlines.

Armenia’s Constitutional Court in December 2025 terminated the proceedings in this case, arguing that the company’s claims were groundless.

After exhausting its claims in Armenia’s courts, Tufenkian’s representatives applied to the ECHR on February 26, 2026. They requested recognition of violations of convention rights, in this case, the rights to property, fair trial, effective remedy and non-discrimination.

Attorney Danielyan notes that the company was ready and today doesn’t oppose handing over the property to the developer for reasonable compensation. 

Project developer Old City CJSC is owned by Vartan Sirmakes. Sirmakes, born in Istanbul, is Armenia’s former Honorary Consul in Marseille, the co-founder of the Swiss watch brand Frank Muller, and a major shareholder of ArmSwissBank and ArtsakhBank.

Since the developer did not initiate any negotiation process to alienate the property until 2022, Tufenkian decided to start legal proceedings.

In April 2023, the company finally received a written offer from the developer to sell the property for AMD 642 million (including the 15% surcharge and taxes prescribed by law).

The address at 32 Buzand St. in downtown Yerevan occupies an area of ​​693 square meters. Danielyan says that it is unlikely that it will be valued at less than $4,000 per square meter. In 2019, the company commissioned an appraisal from the licensed Expert Otsenka LLC, which valued the property at AMD 834 million. Adding to this the 15% surcharge and taxes prescribed by the Law “On Alienation of Property for the Purpose of Ensuring the Overriding Interests of the Society,” the compensation value becomes AMD 1.350 billion.

Differing Real Estate Appraisals

In February of this year, Tufenkian ordered a new appraisal of the site. The new conclusion of the Criminal Center for Judicial and Independent Expertise LLC established that the market value of the real estate at 32 Buzand Street as of February 20 is AMD 1. 775 billion. The 15% surcharge of the law on preferential interest is added to this, and the amount becomes AMD 1.239 billion. The value-added tax is AMD 247.825 million, and another AMD 233 million is profit tax. Thus, according to the new appraisal, the value of the property significantly differs from the developer’s proposal.

Old City CJSC representative Hayk Davtyan told Hetq that Tufenkian valued his property as a functioning complex, which is why the valuations are different. However, according to the appraisal provided to us, it was assessed as existing property with a plot of land and a fourth-class emergency building.

Davtyan also raised concerns about the legality of Tufenkian’s property acquisition. He argues that no compensation should be provided, since the previous owner, Nina Avagyan, had already received proper compensation when she transferred her property to the state. Later, Avagyan re-registered part of that area and sold it to Tufenkian’s company at a questionable price.

Attorney Danielyan considers this argument ridiculous, since Tufenkian’s company conducted the entire process legally: it acquired the property in question back in 2000 from the owner, is considered a bona fide acquirer, the ownership right was registered in the Cadastre, and by subsequent decisions of the Government, that area was recognized and included as a zone for sale.

6– Armenian government approves $14 million in bonuses for state officials
By Arshaluys Barseghyan
OC  media

The Armenian government has approved the allocation of almost $14 million in bonuses for state officials for the first half of 2026 under its performance-based evaluation system. The decision, made on Thursday, marks the latest round of performance-based bonuses, which comes amid continued criticism over the government’s lack of transparency in disclosing evaluation results and individual payouts.

According to the government’s rationale, the programme aims to improve the efficiency of the public administration system while supporting the academic and professional development of employees receiving the incentives. Officials are reportedly required to spend 10% of the bonus on professional development.

The system was introduced in 2025 and has since resulted in ministers and other senior officials receiving bonuses worth several thousand dollars each.

The exact amounts paid to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, cabinet members, governors, MPs, and other senior officials typically become known only through annual asset declarations or occasional comments during press briefings, where officials often decline to provide specific figures.

The issue first drew widespread public attention in December 2025, when opposition MPs revealed they had received more than $7,800 each, covering their December and January salaries, as well as double holiday bonuses.

The payouts sparked public criticism, with opponents arguing that the government was awarding generous bonuses to officials while pensions remained low and poverty persists.

Kristine Vardanyan, an opposition MP from the Armenia Alliance faction, described the payment as unprecedented during her time in parliament.

In total, the government allocated $9.5 million for bonuses covering the first half of 2025.

According to media reports at the time, the package included bonuses of over $32,000 for Pashinyan and between $16,000–$19,000 for some of his cabinet ministers.

Despite the widespread criticism, the second round of bonuses was approved in March, ahead of Armenia’s June parliamentary elections, when the government approved $12 million in additional performance bonuses for the second half of 2025.

The payments, which were made from the state reserve fund shortly before the elections, drew sharp criticism from opposition figures and watchdog organizations, some of which described them as a form of ‘political corruption’.

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7- Oldest sword in the world in St. Lazar Armenian Mekhitarist Monastery in Italy


A sword was mislabeled in a museum on Lazarus Island in Venice. It was labeled as belonging to the medieval collection. It is approximately 5,000 years old. According to a new study, it is one of the oldest swords in the world. The extremely rare sword does not resemble most ancient weapons. It was made around 3000 BC and originates from eastern Turkey. It is speculated that this sword was used as a ceremonial object, but possibly also in combat. Another theory suggests that it was made for a burial and then unearthed by townspeople.

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If you wish
to read daily updated Armenian news and commentary,

Please send
me your email address: [email protected]

Website:
TheCaliforniaCourier.com

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Haaretz: Netanyahu personally blocked the Knesset vote on recognizing the Arme

Khondkarian Raffi
News.am, Armenia
July 20, 2026

Under pressure from Azerbaijan, Israel removed the issue of recognizing the Armenian Genocide from the Knesset agenda. As Haaretz has learned, Israeli officials assured their Azerbaijani counterparts that this issue would be removed from the Knesset agenda.

An Israeli source said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu personally blocked the vote after a senior political adviser to the President of Azerbaijan (Azerbaijani President Aliyev’s adviser Hikmet Hajiyev) contacted his office.

The source said that the Israeli government’s decision to recognize the Armenian Genocide, approved last month, was not brought to a vote in the Knesset because of pressure from Azerbaijan on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Israel’s cabinet unanimously recognized the Armenian Genocide on June 28, 2026, but the subsequent Knesset vote required for it to become official state policy was removed from the agenda under pressure from Azerbaijan. With the Knesset in recess and elections set for October 27, the issue is unlikely to be resolved anytime soon, remaining more a reversible government resolution than established policy.

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Netanyahu blocks Armenian Genocide recognition bill after pressure from Azerba

Tatoyan Vazgen
OC Media
July 20, 2026
by Nate Ostiller

20 July 2026

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was pressured by Azerbaijan into blocking a bill already approved by the government to officially recognise the Armenian Genocide, the Israeli media outlet Haaretz has reported, citing an unnamed source.

The reporting follows a month of uncertainty about the progress towards recognition after the Israeli government unanimously approved the proposal, put forth by Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, in June.

At the time, Sa’ar called the move to recognise the genocide ‘a moral duty’.

The initial steps were met with widespread scepticism, including in Armenia, with many viewing the possible recognition as a geopolitical game that said more about Israeli tensions with Turkey than a genuine desire to recognise the genocide.

Opinion | Israel’s disingenuous, cynical steps towards recognising the Armenian Genocide

The Israeli government’s approval of the resolution drew intense criticism from Azerbaijan and Turkey, with the latter accusing Israel of seeking to ‘cover up its own crimes’ in Gaza.

Turkey denies the Armenian Genocide, which was orchestrated by its predecessor state, the Ottoman Empire. The genocide resulted in the mass killings of nearly 1.5 million Armenians living in what is modern-day eastern Turkey.

Azerbaijan, which is allied to both Turkey and Israel, called the move ‘a matter of serious concern’ and urged the Israeli government to ‘reconsider’ what it called the ‘distortion of the historical facts surrounding the events of 1915’.

According to Haaretz, Baku’s disapproval did not stop at statements, but went as far as to dispatch influential presidential aide Hikmat Hajiyev to pressure Netanyahu to drop the bill.

However, Sa’ar’s office denied to Haaretz that Netanyahu had forced the vote to be cancelled, ‘but did not provide an alternative explanation’ why the bill was not brought to a vote.

‘There is a government decision [to recognise the genocide], and it was approved unanimously’, Sa’ar told Haaretz.

‘It will not be changed, and that is the important and historic fact’.

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