July 19, 2026
Ara Zaryani, a rehabilitative architect within the framework of the “People” program we talked with the author of the book “Fortresses of the World of Syunyants”, St. About the fixing and cleaning of the mural painting (13th century) in the upper part of the entrance of the Astvatsatsin Church.
– Recently, the book “Fortresses of the World of Syunyan” was published, which summarizes your work done in your youth. How did you finally decide to bring it to life?
– After I graduated from the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, on the advice of my father, I entered the post-graduate course of the History and Theory of Architecture Department of the Art Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia. I had to choose a topic, my father insisted that I deal with the fortresses of the Syunyat world, because there were very few studies.
I knew that going to fortresses is not a joke. You have to go down somewhere and then climb, especially since at that time many forts had no paths and were not accessible at all. Fortresses are generally impregnable, defensive buildings and mostly use rocks, and you can climb from some places, and some parts are inaccessible.
During three years, I visited different regions of Syunik and collected a lot of material. I passed the minimums, all that was left was to collect the text, drawings, schemes, and present them to get the title, but that was actually the end of my study, because the USSR collapsed, before that there was an earthquake, and then the first Artsakh war. I lost my job because the institution, the Monuments Preservation Department, was dissolved, and since I was in the Armenian-Italian study group with my father, we were studying architecture, so it turned out that the center for the study and documentation of Armenian culture moved from Milan to Venice, I got a job offer and moved.
That’s how the years passed. Then, quite by chance, when I was bringing a group of Italians to Armenia, I met Christine Lamoureux, a Belgian fresco restoration specialist. We went to Vorotnavank, where there were traces of frescoes, and he offered to restore them. And a new world of murals opened up for me. When he found out that I was working on fortresses, he told me to show him, and again I had the desire to summarize everything I had collected. I decided to finish my post-graduate studies, but don’t tell me, they don’t even apply to the Art Institute of the National Academy of Sciences, everything has been transferred to YSU. It turned out that I have to enroll in graduate school again, take exams, go to classes, pay, I said, thank you very much, it doesn’t make sense at my age, I will summarize my work.
– Since your father, architect Armen Zaryan, advised you to deal with Syunik fortresses, why did he focus on Syunik?
– There were materials, documentaries, but there was no complete study. Dad wanted me to collect the materials and make a book. Of course, it is not a 100 percent job, I did this alone, but it is a huge area, from the Sevan Basin to Meghri, a part of Artsakh and Nakhichevan. The importance of the work is that all the material has been collected, on the basis of which studies should be continued.
When you go, you find with historical data that there was such and such a defense structure next to such and such a settlement, but you don’t have satellite photos, they didn’t do archeological excavations, they didn’t find objects to explain the history.
For the second year, Baghaberd has been excavated and many interesting things have been found. Studies have also been started in Berdkunk, and all this should be filled in this book. Now there are drones that do excellent measurements. And I did everything by hand at that time.
– How are the fortresses of Syunik different from the fortresses of other regions of Armenia?
– The question is good, but it is impossible to answer 100 percent. For example, the fortresses of Cilicia have not been excavated, but they are well preserved. Robert Edwards in 1970 published a large book. He himself measured by hand, but he measured much better preserved castles, so you can talk about the technical nature of the structures of the fortress building schools of Cilician castles, how they processed the stone, how they chose the place for the castle, but in my case it was like this: I saw the stones, I was measuring them, I understood that they are a part of the castle, but the rest is not visible, it must be excavated.
Excavating is an expensive pleasure. A benefactor will be found to build or restore a new church, but I don’t think there will be one to excavate the castle, because that is a completely different way of thinking. State funds are being invested, excavations are being made, but it will take a long time until we get the correct answer to your question.
– Is there a fortress that surprised you?
– Baghaberd. It is a wonderful castle and, fortunately, it is well preserved. And why is it well preserved, because we had the kingdom of Kapan? 970-1120 there was a kingdom in Syunik. It’s not a joke. It was a fortified area. Baghaberd formed the main military defense link through which Syunik was defended. It was the guardian fortress. And when the Mongols came and destroyed Kapan, the kingdom moved all its possessions to Baghaberd.
In other words, they choose a fortress that was already part of the defense system. Now they are excavating, and I expect that they will find things. For example, Stepanos Orbelyan says: when Kapan fell, 11,000 manuscripts were moved from there to Baghaberd Castle. They seized it, burned it, but didn’t they keep and hide some part? It is on a rock, and from a military point of view, the place is very interestingly chosen.
– Your book will help many specialists, starting with archaeologists, but who or what helped you then, what kind of difficulties did you face or find yourself in adventurous situations?
– There were some adventurous situations in the beginning, but they helped when measuring, because someone had to be there to hold the meter, to measure and write. By the way, I put a big map in the book. when I went on a hike and came back, I marked it on the map. In the end, it turned out that there are 112 castle locations and names. Everything is there, you just have to go and explore the place little by little. They have to form a group, go and check it.
– Did you talk to the residents?
– Definitely, I especially asked the children, sometimes they accompanied me and showed me the places.
– What was the attitude towards monuments then and how is it today?
– During the USSR, there was no problem of funds. It was an atheistic country and the churches were considered as historical monuments, not the house of God. The money was there, but the goal was different. If the monument was destroyed or not well preserved, they had to rebuild it. Now the nature has changed. going, we are rebuilding our temple, the house of God.
For example, a benefactor appears and says: I want to restore this church. You look at the church and say, “Okay, but it doesn’t have that much material, stone, that you want to restore.” But the money is there. However, if the material is not available, it should not be restored, it should be conserved. The canning culture is very developed in Italy.
It is a good thing that the Zvartnots Cathedral was not rebuilt, instead it was conserved in European style.
– To restore our fortresses, there is a need for restoration architects. Are you included in those works?
– No, because we have to follow the excavations, I am not physically in Armenia either, but there are good architects with whom I am in contact. For example, next year I have to go to Baghaberd to see the new works. I participate from a distance, in a consultative manner.
– Let’s also talk about the mural restoration works in Harichivank, as well as how you go and find the churches where the murals need restoration.
– The richest and most important material is located in the vaults of the History Museum of Armenia, which Lidya Durnovo made. He was a specialist in icons. He was sent to Siberia for views. Then the art critic Ruben Drambyan invited her to Armenia, and it was Lydia who noticed that there are wall paintings in Armenian churches, but no one has worked with them. There is a hall of frescoes in the National Gallery and there are copies collected from different churches. That is his grace.
He went and looked, but there was no way to clean or restore it. He thinks about how it can be useful, and he found a way to preserve the mural. He taught artists how to copy a mural, and they continued after his death. They made boards, put cardboard on it, plastered it, and the artists painted with gouache.
We went to study, we compared, and there are pieces that are on the copy, but in reality are no longer there. In other words, the information is already there. He had a notebook where he described everything. And he took a piece of plaster in the match boxes to analyze. Everything is in the archive. All that material should be turned into a book and be accessible, read and understood by the restorers.
Kristin and I followed those footsteps. the frescoes are very poorly preserved and difficult to understand. One day we went to Saint John the Baptist Church in Mastara. It was a liturgy. We asked the Lord Father if there were any traces of a mural in Mastara, he answered that there had never been. We started walking around the church. there were different pieces of plaster on the walls. There was a wooden lodge where the Russian choir stood and sang. Christine had climbed up there, called one more. “Come on, come on, I found something.” He said there is a part of the mural.
I approached. Fingers were visible. We took some cotton and distilled water, cleaned the sides and saw that something was painted. We took the measurements, sent an application to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, received a permit, and presented the project. We restored it, but you should see what condition the mural was in. During the Soviet period, it belonged to the Kolkhoz, everything was bleached and wheat and barley were stored. It served as a warehouse. Before whitewashing, they plastered well, using a lot of sand and a little lime, using cement. And that plaster covered the traces of frescoes (7th century). When the USSR collapses, the believers go to clean it and with whatever tool they seem to destroy that thick plaster, not knowing that there are traces of the mural.
We restored the mural and it depicted a horseman with a sword and the wind carrying the dress… it is very interesting. The head is missing. That one piece of the mural, the horse’s head and reins, remained under the log of the lodge. I said, let’s open that one step, let’s continue, but it didn’t happen that way. This was a revelation because we discovered a mural in the church that no one knew about. And in the corner of the southern half-tabern, traces of three icons came out.
– Harichivank Monastery St․ The mural of the Astvatsatsin Church? how did you find it?
– There was no historical information. It was in the dark, very badly preserved. It was under the arch and we found it 5-6 years ago. We tried to solve the problem of moisture in the roof. There are such rains and mudslides that you are afraid, you say the world has collapsed. It is raining, wind, hail at a huge speed. Harichivank is at an altitude of 1830 m. This year we were able to fix the preserved pieces of the mural, give color shades. There is something important there. There are two red lines in the lower part of the mural. the mural was about 8 square meters, now about 3 square meters have been preserved. Between the lines is a signed Armenian text in beautiful handwriting. The first and last parts have been preserved. in the first part, a cross is drawn, then there are two dots, then it is written: OZ, two dots: D. It was the turn of the century. ODZ in 1235 is. In 1201 The Church of the Virgin Mary was built by the Zakaryan brothers in 1219. the vestibule is finished, in 1235 – the frescoes. It is very interesting. there is a historical part.
– Is there one or several images?
– It is one picture. It is under the arch, the composition is moon-shaped. Virgin Mary with child. The face of the Virgin Mary has not been preserved, but the upper part of the halo and a small part of the hair are there. The baby Christ is in the arms, placed on the left knee. One hand is placed on the child’s shoulder, the other shows that the savior has come. There is also part of the side of the throne. Apparently, the archangels Michael and Gabriel should be on the right and left. A part of one hand holding an orb has been preserved, the other should hold a scepter.
– What is needed for final recovery?
– I want to restore the entire iconography with the help of artificial intelligence or artists. Show it on the spot, on the wall with spotlights, then color it and have an imaginary image of how the mural could have been in a completely preserved state. There should be a 4-5 minute show, then the lights will be turned off and what is left of the mural will remain.
– Has the mural appeared in this state over the centuries or is there a human factor?
– Both of them. The first is the climatic conditions, over the centuries, rainwater seeped through the wall, the mural fell off. Second, there were small pits of stones. We think that in the Soviet period, children played and hit with stones.
– Your grandfather, the writer Kostan Zaryan, tried to save or transform the Armenian spirit with his works. You are trying to do the same work with a stone, a mural. Can we say that you are able to honor what was assigned to you by fate?
– Apparently, it is not accidental. I followed the activities of my grandfather, Kostan Zaryan, and my father, Armen Zaryan, and inherited my love for the Motherland and culture. I tried to do what I loved. I am continuing the work that my grandfather and father have been doing all their lives.
– You saw your grandfather when he was young, and I remember you said in our previous conversation that when he was walking on Abovyan Street, everyone turned and looked at him. Was he also at home with that royal attitude, or was he changing completely?
– He always dressed neatly, because at that time he came to Armenia from the USA. He wore a bow tie, a hat, and had a cane. In that period, he was not the only one who dressed like that. When he had to work, he dressed well, his hair was always done. In general, he always followed his appearance.
I think this has been transmitted to all members of our family, we always want to be neat. How you present yourself to society matters.
– Did you talk about any topics?
– No, I was very young, and then I didn’t understand what kind of grandfather I had. When we came to Armenia from Italy, I didn’t know Armenian, I only knew Italian, and I started communicating with my grandfather in Italian. He also knew English, German, Spanish, Turkish, French, but he wrote in Armenian all his life. He wrote his main works in Armenian and for Armenians. I remember well, he helped me learn Armenian, but we communicated in Italian.
– What is the next church, mural that is in the center of your attention?
– Years pass, our enthusiasm has not faded, but to be honest, it is already difficult to climb the deck. We think that we can summarize all this work of ours. It is a documentary in our books. We consulted with an Italian specialist and decided to prepare a book related to Armenian mural painting, because we do not know if there is an Armenian mural painting, a mural school. Are the murals that we studied and preserved painted by Armenian painters or not? We don’t know about all of them yet. We know one thing. all frescoes are in Armenian churches.
– You can say that you do these jobs for free, but what do you expect in return?
– Pleasure, satisfaction, happiness. Are you happy that you are leaving something for your nation?
—
What did Arusyak Julhakyan and his roommate declare?
July 19, 2026
According to various reports, Arusyak Julhakyan, a member of the KP board fighting for the post of NA vice-president and then secretary of the NA “Civil Agreement” faction, received around 20 million drams in income in 2025 and acquired new securities.
We learn about the “achievements” of this representative of the Civil Contract Party from the annual declaration, which we will present in more detail.
Thus, the deputy did not mention any real estate in the declaration, but in the tables of the declaration: “delivered and returned loans”, and also “the balance of principal amount of received loans and loans as of December 31 of the reporting year”, he mentioned about the developer, “Ord Development” LLC, and the purchase of an apartment and a parking lot from the apartment building under construction. The amount of the principal amount of the loan is 25 million 807,345 drams.
Arusyak Julhakyan bought 7 bonds in different currencies from “Inecobank” PJSC, “Armswissbank” PJSC, and “Armeconombank” JSC. the total value of the portfolio as of the end of the year was AMD 37,790,000.
The CP has also declared bank account balances, again in different currencies: euro, dollar, dram, the dynamics of which during the year were as follows: 1,343.51 euros increased to 3,361.06 euros at the end of the year, 1,383.04 dollars decreased to 360 dollars at the end of the year, the balances of bank accounts in drams almost doubled, from 2,632,636.31 drams to 5,282,500 drams.
According to the declaration, the MP hardly used any cash. mentioned 3000 drams at the beginning of the year and 45 thousand drams at the end of the year.
Julhakyan’s income of 19,868,730.4 drams for the reporting year of 2025 was generated from loans received from “Inecobank” CJSC – 483,800 drams, from interest received from the same bank for loans/deposits – 105,287.5 drams, from the same income received from “Armswissbank” CJSC – 3604 dollars. 1,255 euros, 1,925,000 drams, from the similar income received from “Armeconombank” OJSC: 1,314,720.1 drams, 262.58 dollars, from the income tax refund received from the Ministry of Finance of the RA: 2,253,562 drams, and also from the salary received from the RA National Assembly and/or payments equal to it, 13,503,580 drams.
During the year, the deputy of the government directed 3,120,000 drams to repay the loan.
What was declared by Avet Poghosyan, an adult living together with Arusyak Julhakyan, who after the velvet events held the position of the head of the Kentron administrative district of Yerevan, then the deputy minister of high-tech industry of the RA, and from 2024, the position of a member of the Television and Radio Commission (TRC). By the way, his candidacy for that position was nominated by the ruling “Civil Agreement” faction.
In his 2025 declaration, which he submitted on the last day of May 2026, Avet Poghosyan mentioned 2 real estates, an apartment and a parking lot in the capital, which he bought in 2024 and manages alone. This year, he also mentioned the 2019 Kia car he bought in 2023.
The balance of Poghosyan’s foreign currency bank account, 1000 USD, remained the same at the end of the year, and the dram balance increased by 200 thousand, making 1.2 million drams.
Unlike Julhakyan, he declared a fairly large amount of cash: 10,000 US dollars.
Avet Poghosyan’s income of 11,170,814 drams for the reporting year was generated from 100,000 drams of other income received from the Ministry of Finance and 2,143,018 drams from income tax refunds and 8,927,796 drams from wages and/or other payments equal to it, received from the state body of the Television and Radio Commission.
As of December 31 of the reporting year, the Commission’s balance of the principal amount of loans and borrowings was 33,630,000 drams, of which 31,730,000 drams was the subject of a mortgage, an apartment in an apartment building.
Poghosyan, who lives together with Julhakyan, spent 4,284,000 drams to pay off the loan during the year.
—
Haaretz. Netanyahu personally blocked the Armenian Genocide bill in the Knesset
July 19, 2026
Israel, under pressure from Azerbaijan, removed the issue of recognition of the Armenian Genocide from the Knesset agenda. As Haaretz learned, Israeli officials assured their Azerbaijani counterparts that this issue will be removed from the Knesset agenda.
An Israeli source said that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu personally blocked the vote after a senior political adviser to the Azerbaijani president (Azerbaijani President Aliyev’s adviser Hikmet Hajiyev) contacted his office.
The source said that the Israeli government’s decision on the recognition of the Armenian Genocide, which was approved last month, was not put to a vote in the Knesset due to pressure exerted by Azerbaijan on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Israel’s Cabinet of Ministers unanimously recognized the Armenian Genocide on June 28, 2026, but the subsequent Knesset vote needed to make it official state policy was dropped from the agenda under pressure from Azerbaijan. Due to Knesset holidays and the October 27 election, the issue is unlikely to be resolved in the near future, remaining more of a reversible government formula than established policy.
—
There is no super-prime ministerial model. it’s a joke. your fantasies to the Constitution
July 19, 2026
“Pressing” in the program Former First Deputy Minister of Justice of the Republic of Armenia, former Advisor to the President of the Supreme Court, “Justice through law” legal advisory of the company founder-director Grigor Muradyan: once again referring to the never-ending topic of the Constitution, he said.
“If Nikol Pashinyan was the president of the republic, in a semi-presidential or presidential system of government, how would he rule in your opinion?” Is he doing it differently than now? It is obvious, isn’t it, that he would have a majority in the parliament as well.
What is the peculiarity of the semi-presidential form of government? if the president has his own majority in the parliament (slightly simplified wording), he gets super-powerful, super-presidential powers and is practically not controlled by the parliament. In other words, an environment of complete permissiveness would be created.
It is enough to look directly at the current practice of France, where the current president, even without a parliamentary majority, still tries to dominate the legislative body. Such is the semi-presidential system. And if the president has that majority, then there are no obstacles in his way. This is in contrast to a full presidential system, where the parliament has clear control over the government, which is headed by the president himself.”
He also added that we would have a purely technical prime minister, who should be controlled by the parliament, while the president, who makes real decisions, would be out of this control. This was our previous practice and that is why we abandoned that system. Instead, we tried to introduce the model of full parliamentary control over the government, the highest body of executive power.
“Some so-called oppositionists complain about this, and I ask them the following questions.
First, if Pashinyan was the president of the republic within the framework of the semi-presidential system, what would you do?
“If you think that you would have been in power by assuming the position of Prime Minister and getting a parliamentary majority, don’t you think that the presidential elections would have been simply rigged,” said the former adviser to the President of the Constitutional Court.
He also appealed to the opposition parties dissatisfied with the existing Constitution.
“Dear oppositionists, get a constitutional majority in regular or special elections, develop your concept of amending the Constitution, change the Constitution, if, of course, you get the appropriate votes for it.
But today you second the ruling power, albeit with a different reason. Moreover, sometimes you join them with completely fictitious and even absurd justifications and become an advocate of changing the Constitution, trying to delegitimize our Mother Law, just like the ruling power is doing. You are simply repeating their steps, and here your motives have absolutely nothing to do with it. If the issue of transition to the semi-presidential system is of such central importance to you, then join the government and change the Constitution together.
Talks about that “super-prime ministerial” model are actually lies and do not correspond to reality. There is no super-prime ministerial model, there is unconstitutional governance. Yes, he made himself the super prime minister. But that does not mean that the management model is like that. Why are you talking about him passing illegal laws or violating the Constitution? Isn’t everything he is doing now written in the Mother Law? This is the problem.
Allow me to ask a few questions to those presenting such arguments. if we had a legitimate Constitutional Court, how would things be arranged in our country?
I mean such a Constitutional Court, which is guaranteed by this Constitution. Of course, the Constitutional Court in its previous composition was legitimate, but if the Constitutional Court, which was formed especially by virtue of this Constitution and gained complete independence, was preserved, would these authorities be able to establish dominance through illegalities, or, as you say, build a dictatorship? Of course not.
Then what are you complaining about? After all, these institutions were formed as a result of gross violations of the Constitution,” said Grigor Muradyan.
According to him: if we had not a sham, but a real president of the Republic, who used the powers assigned to him by the Constitution and carried out his unifying function, he could change a lot.
“Therefore, if you are against this model of governance, speak objectively, and not ascribe your imaginary ideas to the Constitution,” concluded Grigor Muradyan.
Details in the video.
—
168: When you destroy the rich inside, what do you think? Not Tsarukyan
July 19, 2026
Satik Seyranyan’s “Lessons” program guest “Virtus” Law Group lawyer Yerem Sargsyan, founder and director of the law office is.
The main theses of the interview are below.
- Representatives of the state government, especially the representatives of the law enforcement system, should never be vindictive. All possible state structures, including the law enforcement system, are today focused on Gagik Tsarukyan. We all saw who started it all. If any oppositionist used 10% of Nikol Pashinyan’s vocabulary, they would have been arrested a long time ago:
- Before the elections, Nikol Pashinyan told 3 specific people, including Gagik Tsarukyan, that they would dream of leaving the country, but they would not be able to, they would not be able to. On June 8, Gagik Tsarukyan was not allowed to travel abroad without an absence ban and a court decision. This is a crime. MP candidate Gagik Tsarukyan was illegally charged without the CEC’s consent. They are working with the whole apparatus to fulfill the wishes of Nikol Pashinyan.
To remind: During the NA election campaign, in particular, on May 15, during the CP rally in Armavir, he announced in his speech that the day after the elections, after June 7, some people will dream about the possibility of escaping from Armenia and will not have that opportunity. “They will feel the taste of the Republic of Armenia for a very long time, the taste of the state will remain in their mouths for a long time. They will dream about the possibility of escaping from Armenia and they will not have that possibility,” he declared.
On May 18, he threatened Robert Kocharyan, Serzh Sargsyan, Samvel Karapetyan, Gagik Tsarukyan.
“If you’re Robb, we’re going to kill you. I will make Rob, Kaluga, Gago, and Serge. me Robin I’ll take it, knee I will bring and i will kill, to Kaluga email I’ll take it and i will kill…“, he shouted hysterically.
- On June 23, the superior prosecutor makes a decision to cancel the charge and ban on absence, but Gagik Tsarukyan was not given that decision until July 5, when a new charge was brought and he was arrested. This is another crime:
- The thesis that the bearer of the information is the owner of the information should be removed from circulation and will publish it whenever he wants. It’s a crime, a legal security issue.
To remind: it specifically refers to the cases when the law enforcement officers at the “Zvartnots” international airport did not allow the second president of the Republic of Armenia, Robert Kocharyan, and the businessman, leader of the PAP, Gagik Tsarukyan, to leave the territory of the Republic of Armenia, allegedly due to the restrictions applied to them and the criminal proceedings initiated against them. At the airport, at the passport checkpoint, Gagik Tsarukyan and Robert Kocharyan were told that they had to clarify something, and then the National Security Service video recordings with false titles, “look, they are fleeing the country”, were distributed by the Pashinyan media, which they had no right to do. Gagik Tsarukyan had a 2-3-day visit planned in advance with the lady, for strictly personal and family purposes.
R. Kocharyan’s office, responding on June 14 Regarding Kocharyan’s exit ban, Robert Kocharyan announced earlier on his social media page that he was leaving the country on a three-day visit. “We have never provided information about the many previous visits of the President due to their private nature. However, taking into account the recent lies spread by the authorities regarding the visits of representatives of the opposition, we consider it necessary to protect the public from the expected dose of government lies.”
The NSS confirmed that Kocharyan’s personnel was provided by the structure to the government mass media, was not intended to reveal. Well, wouldn’t they say that this was done on the orders of Nikol Pashinyan? Even more so, if the mass media, in particular: Factor TV’s written request by NSS on July 3 before the answer, Pashinyan about that leak on June 18 had already announced. “What is there? The NSS employee can decide to leak or not leak anything. What is the problem here?” In other words, the information he possesses is what he wants to leak, whether he wants to or not. What is the problem there?’ The instruction was obvious.
- When I was not allowed to enter Gagik Tsarukyan’s house, I reported the crime and called the hotline of the Human Rights Watch. After some time, my entrance to Gagik Tsarukyan’s mansion was secured. After that, the search was conducted, the arrest report was made at 19:15, while he was arrested at 7 in the morning. He was then knocked to the ground. Another crime was committed at that time. Absolutely illegal violence was used against Gagik Tsarukyan. After being attacked by several people, they dragged him by the leg, and then managed to throw him to the ground. What did they want to show with this, that the state is strong? Yes, any state with its power structures, with law enforcement agencies, is strong against the citizen, but the function of the state is to show the citizen that I am your protector both inside and outside the country.
- We learned from the news that “Araratcement” was transferred to the state, that a manager was appointed. Or that they say that the building of the “Multi Wellness” sports and health complex was transferred to the Yerevan Municipality… I ask the Yerevan Municipality, do you have a penny on that building?
- When you destroy the rich inside, what do you think, don’t outside investors follow the news before they come here, don’t they know what’s going on here? Won’t the foreign investor think that he can come, make large investments, get a permit, build a building, set up a business, and then they say: we are nationalizing your building, we are taking away your business… Who will come and invest here after what happened with the businesses of HET and Gagik Tsarukyan?:
- Gagik Tsarukyan knew, he warned the family, he also told his elderly mother not to interfere, something like this would happen. After throwing Gagik Tsarukyan to the ground, those who threw him to the ground calmly sat next to Gagik Tsarukyan for hours and carried out the search.…
- They had no right to publish that video. We objected to publishing anything we drew at home because that too is protected by privacy. they had no right to it.
- During the search process, Ruben Rubinyan published a video in which he said that Gagik Tsarukyan must have thought that we were joking when we said that these processes would begin.․ now we do what we say. In other words, they speak for political dividends. Rubinyan clearly states: we gave the order, now we are doing it.
- If even a small part of this situation had happened during the previous government, now all the European institutions and the whole world would be shocked by this.
- The judge in Tsarukyan’s case did not ask us any questions about the arrest, then he came and said that the arrest was legal. If you did not ask the investigator and defense attorneys a question, how did you write in your decision when the arrest took place?:
- What the court in Armenia considered fraud, the court of the 2nd instance in Iran did not consider it either fraud or embezzlement.
- If you read Judge Garik Abelyan’s decision regarding Gagik Tsarukyan, there is not even one word of the facts we mentioned for hours. Now I’m supposed to consider that a legal decision?
- The Supreme Judicial Council (SCJC) announces that the courts mostly detain those arrested for bribery during the pre-election period. BDH, what are they doing to you? Did you want to make excuses to someone, “Look, are we detaining you?”:
- They make the victim Gagik Tsarukyan the accused, the accused Iranians the victim, but they don’t want to see the facts of the real crime.
- At least you would initiate formal proceedings, for example, with the fact of the lion falling. Those animals were legally imported and documented. If you see the condition of the animals in the zoo, you will imagine that they cannot keep and feed Gagik Tsarukyan’s animals normally.
- The hotel doesn’t work, the restaurant doesn’t work, “Multi Wellness”, the cognac factory, other businesses are closed, they don’t work, they don’t produce, there is no money, how will they pay their employees… These actions directly hit the country’s economy. You are depriving people of their jobs, businesses – of their competitive opportunity. if you don’t work for an hour, you will be out of competition and it will take years to recover:
- Will they be able to operate “Araratcement”? Unfortunately, the state is a bad manager. The appointed official will not have a personal interest in that factory, he will have one for himself, no matter what happens. You have to be a good businessman to run a business like this. At least they should understand soon that they will not be able to work, as long as they have not reached bankruptcy. In that case, they will sell it to someone else.
- The prosecutor’s office allegedly presented the victims as Iranian investors to make it sound. Just ask those Iranian businessmen, have they invested 1 dram? They introduced themselves as persons connected with the state apparatus, money was invested exclusively by Gagik Tsarukyan. The Iranian side appreciated Tsarukyan’s contribution very highly. After all this, the Iranian side saw that their side committed abuses, they gave the license to another company to carry out the activity.:
- I did not ask Gagik Tsarukyan whether he was offered a deal or not, but I am sure that if he had not interfered in politics in any way, nothing would have happened to him.
- Tsarukyan is a very strong person, he understands very well what is happening, he also understands that he is currently in a penitentiary, his mood is very adequate. Gagik Tsarukyan is not broken:
- What was done was demonstrative, nothing legal was done. Made for show. It is with this that adaptation does not happen.
- We understand very well that we are dealing with a wall within the state. We understand that there is an order, and within its framework, the law is on one side, and the execution of the order is on the other side. For that, we will collect all the facts and present them to the international courts, and we will continue the struggle internally. And, yes, this cannot go on forever. There must be an unrelenting struggle against the encroachment on the rights of every human being. It cannot be decided from above who is right and who is wrong, and only punchers can be below.
- In the middle of the day, the PAP was deprived of its mandates, and they say that there is a decision of the Constitutional Court. How was it that before the decisions of the Constitutional Court were not acceptable, now they are acceptable?:
Details in the video.
—
World’s tallest statue of Jesus progresses in Armenia at 101 meters atop a mo
Financed by businessman Gagik Tsarukyan, the world’s largest statue of Jesus is expected to reach 101 meters on Mount Hatis, near Yerevan. The project plans to be assembled by trucks, aims to transform Christianity into a tourist brand of Armenia, and faces criticism from the Apostolic Church and environmentalists regarding scale and location.
The world’s largest statue of Jesus is being prepared in Armenia to occupy the top of Mount Hatis, an elevation of approximately 2,500 meters located about 25 kilometers from Yerevan. Financed by businessman Gagik Tsarukyan, the monument is expected to reach 101 meters and remains unfinished after works started in 2022.
The information was published by The Guardian on June 21, 2026. The project is presented by Tsarukyan as a future tourist and religious reference for the country, but faces resistance from representatives of the Armenian Apostolic Church and environmental groups concerned about the scale of the construction and its effects on the mountain.
Monument aims to be seen from large parts of Yerevan
Video: Social Media/@tudo_e_geografia.
The location at the top of Mount Hatis was chosen to enhance the visibility of the structure. If completed according to the disclosed project, the white figure of Jesus could be observed from different points of the Armenian capital and nearby areas.
The combination of the monument’s 101 meters and the mountain’s altitude will create a much greater presence than the isolated measurement of the statue. The endeavor intends to use the landscape as part of its visual scale, transforming the natural elevation into a base for a large-scale attraction.
World’s Largest Statue of Jesus Will Surpass Brazilian Monument
With a planned height of 101 meters, the structure will be considerably taller than the Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro. The comparison with the Brazilian monument has been used by the financier to demonstrate the international scale he intends to attribute to the Armenian project.
Tsarukyan also states that the world’s largest statue of Jesus will stand slightly above the Statue of Liberty in New York when considering the total height presented for the new monument. The symbolic competition for dimensions is part of the strategy used to draw international attention to the construction.
Structure Began Assembly Far from the Top
Although the final destination is Mount Hatis, parts of the statue were initially produced and assembled at a construction site on the outskirts of Yerevan. At the site, the figure appears surrounded by cranes, workshops, stones, and equipment used in manufacturing.
During the visit reported by the publication, the upper part of the monument was already standing out over the site, but the ensemble was still far from its final configuration. The existence of the large pieces does not mean that the installation on the mountain is complete, as the most complex phase involves transportation, foundation, and assembly at altitude.
Transport by Helicopter Was Dismissed by the Team
The initial plan was to take components of the statue to the top using helicopters. However, this alternative was abandoned due to practical difficulties and the dimensions of the pieces that needed to be moved.
The chosen solution involved trucks capable of transporting the parts up the mountain before the final assembly. The movement of giant elements through an elevated area will require suitable access, heavy equipment, and planning to avoid damage during the journey.
Project Remains Unfinished Since the Start of Construction
Video: Social Media/@tudo_e_geografia.
Construction began in 2022 but progressed intermittently. Four years later, the world’s largest statue of Jesus had not yet been installed at its definitive point, despite the production of important parts of the figure.
The absence of a confirmed completion date leaves doubts about the schedule. The challenge is not limited to the image’s fabrication, as it includes land preparation, transportation of parts, structural assembly, and creation of the necessary infrastructure to receive visitors.
Entrepreneur predicts 10 million tourists per year
Tsarukyan claims that the monument could attract up to 10 million visitors annually. The number corresponds to an expectation disclosed by the financier himself, and not an independent projection proven by publicly presented tourism studies.
The intention is to turn the site into an attraction known outside Armenia and associate the country with its Christian history. To achieve this flow, however, the project would depend on roads, parking, security, lodging, food, and the ability to organize large volumes of visitors in a mountainous region.
Christianity would be transformed into a national brand
Armenia is traditionally considered the first state to officially adopt Christianity, in 301. Tsarukyan uses this history to justify why the country should host the world’s largest statue of Jesus.
According to the proposal, the monument would function as a new national calling card, combining religion, identity, and tourism. The strategy seeks to transform a historical heritage into an immediately recognizable monumental image, capable of circulating in photographs, videos, and international campaigns.
Local church questions scale and religious language
The Armenian Apostolic Church has expressed opposition to the project, considering that its scale and style do not correspond to the traditional forms of Christian _expression_ in the country. The institution highlights the historical importance of churches, monasteries, and stone crosses known as khachkars.
These elements use architecture, sculpture, and symbolism unique to Armenian culture, without relying on colossal human figures. The religious critique does not reject the presence of Christianity in public space, but questions whether a gigantic monument adequately represents the local tradition.
Environmentalists warn of changes on Mount Hatis
Environmental groups claim that the implementation could cause permanent changes to the natural landscape. The preparation of access routes, movement of trucks, foundation works, and installation of tourist infrastructure may interfere with the soil and the visual aspect of the mountain.
The actual impact will depend on the construction methods, the limits of the area used, and the protective measures adopted. As the project intends to occupy a high and visible point, any transformation in the terrain may also be perceived from a long distance.
Noah’s Ark integrates plan for new attractions
The statue is not the only biblical-themed construction planned by the entrepreneur. Nearby, the development of a Noah’s Ark with 134 meters in length, 24 meters in width, and 18 meters in height has also begun.
The proposal includes a museum on the ground floor, a hotel on the first floor, and a café on the second. The association between the two ventures indicates the intention to create a tourist complex, and not just an isolated monument on top of the mountain.
Dimension divides residents and keeps future open
Some Armenians see the construction as an opportunity to expand the country’s international projection. Others consider the scale excessive and question whether a monument of this size should become the main representation of the national Christian heritage.
While the pieces remain at the construction site and the installation on Mount Hatis is not completed, the project continues between ambition and uncertainty. In your opinion, could the world’s largest statue of Jesus strengthen Armenia’s tourism or does its size exceed the limits of the landscape and local tradition? Leave your comment.
—
Nine minority religious monuments restored in occupied Cyprus, Armenian monast
Six Maronite monuments, one Armenian monument and two Latin monuments have so far been conserved or restored in the occupied areas, while work on the Armenian Monastery at Halevga is now being planned, the co-chair of the Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage, Sotos Ktoris, told the Cyprus News Agency.
Historian, archaeologist and author Anna Marangou also outlined to CNA the history of Maronite, Armenian and Latin religious monuments located in the occupied areas.
Monuments already restored
Ktoris said six Maronite monuments, one Armenian monument and two Latin monuments had so far been conserved or restored in the occupied areas.
The Maronite monuments are the Church of St Anne in medieval Famagusta, the Church of Saints Marina and Theodore in Kormakitis, the Church of St Marina in Ayia Marina Skyllouras, the Church of the Holy Cross in Karpasia, the Church of Archangel Michael in Asomatos and the Church of St George in Kormakitis.
The Armenian church in medieval Famagusta has also been restored, along with two Latin monuments in the city: the Church of St George of the Latins and the Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
Ktoris added that conservation work on the Armenian Monastery at Halevga was also being planned.
Armenian religious monuments
Marangou said Armenians had lived in Cyprus since the eighth century AD, following the transfer of populations from Cilicia by the Byzantines.
Those who arrived in Cyprus settled in different parts of the island, mainly along the southern slopes of the Pentadaktylos mountain range, she said.
The Armenians were highly skilled craftsmen with extensive knowledge of fortification construction, she added, noting the strong influence of Armenian castles on Cypriot fortresses such as Kantara and Kyrenia castles.
During the medieval period, Cyprus’s Armenian community acquired a monastery at Halevga in the Pentadaktylos mountains. It had been built by Coptic monks around AD 1000 in honour of St Macarius the Hermit of Alexandria.
Known as the Armenian Monastery, it belongs to the Armenian Church and has a long history and considerable property holdings. Its golden age came during the 17th and 18th centuries, when it was also called the “Blue Monastery” because of the colour of its doors and windows.
It also held a decree from the Ottoman sultan exempting it from taxation, Marangou said.
The monastery remained an important part of Cypriot history until the early 20th century and received support from prominent Armenian families in Nicosia and Famagusta.
“An entire community developed there, with many Armenian residents of Nicosia taking part, particularly during the summer holidays,” she said.
Marangou, who carried out a historical study of the monastery with Alexandros Hadjilyra, said “the time has come for its conservation to begin” through the Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage.
Another important Armenian religious monument is the Church of Our Lady of Tyre in Nicosia’s Armenian quarter, near Paphos Gate.
Marangou said the church originally belonged to Benedictine nuns who had arrived from Tyre carrying an icon of the Virgin Mary believed to have miraculous powers. They built the large monastery, which still exists but is now in very poor condition.
The Ottomans later granted the church to the Armenians because of the support they had given Ottoman forces during the capture of Nicosia in 1570, she said.
The church received a Europa Nostra award for its restoration and is used once a year by the Armenian community, which provided much of the funding for the work.
The Armenian community in Famagusta had three churches, Marangou said.
One that survives is the Church of Panagia Ganchvor, also known as Panagia Kalousa. It was built in the 14th century by Armenian refugees from Cilicia who fled to Cyprus to escape Mamluk attacks.
The church is “literally a masterpiece”, she said. It is decorated with frescoes and was formally handed to the Armenian community by the British colonial administration.
Maronite religious monuments
Marangou said Cyprus’s Maronite community descended from the Mardaites, whom Byzantine emperor Justinian transferred from Lebanon to Antalya.
During the Arab raids, which lasted from the seventh to the 10th centuries AD, several Mardaites moved to Cyprus to reinforce the island’s defences against Arab attacks.
This marked the beginning of the Maronite presence in the Kormakitis area and along the southern slopes of the Pentadaktylos mountains, she said.
One of the most important Maronite religious monuments in the occupied areas is the Monastery of Prophet Elias in Ayia Marina Skyllouras.
Built in the 16th century, it developed gradually and served as a beacon of Maronite religion and culture for almost two centuries.
The monastery is now “unfortunately in a very poor condition”, Marangou said, although she stressed that efforts to conserve it would be “well worth undertaking”.
Kormakitis is home to the large Church of St George, which was built in the 20th century.
Construction took almost 33 years and involved Maltese craftsmen, giving it some resemblance to the well-known Co-Cathedral of St John in Valletta, Marangou said.
It was built over an earlier church also dedicated to St George, beside a small convent.
Near the Church of St George are the ruins of the Church of St Theodore, which probably dates from the 13th or 14th century.
The Church of St George of the Sowing is located on the Kormakitis coast and celebrates its feast at the beginning of the sowing season.
Marangou also referred to the Church of St Anne in Famagusta, which was granted to the Maronites and where a service was held after the crossing points opened.
Latin religious monuments
Turning to Latin religious monuments, Marangou said the Church of the Holy Cross near Paphos Gate had been built over an earlier 16th-century church.
“When a church is destroyed, or when the population of a religious denomination increases and needs a larger church, a new one is built over the older church so that it may receive the sacred essence of the previous building,” she said.
She also referred to the Gothic churches of St Sophia in Nicosia and St Nicholas in Famagusta, which were converted into mosques by the Ottomans after they conquered Cyprus in 1570 and 1571.
Marangou said she believed both “should have been UNESCO monuments”.
St Sophia was “one of the most important monuments in the eastern Mediterranean”, she said, adding that it had undergone “remarkable conservation work by Turkey” in recent years.
Marangou also referred to records of churches built in Famagusta by the Franks and Latins who came to Cyprus after losing Jerusalem.
The city had churches belonging to different Christian denominations and orders, including Nestorians, Jacobites and Carmelites.
She described them as buildings of “extraordinary artistry”, adding that a large number had survived.
Marangou described the Nestorian Church of the Apostles Peter and Paul in Famagusta as “a leading monument of the 14th century”.
The Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, also in Famagusta, “is an example of how the Orthodox and Latin Churches existed alongside one another”, she said.
Medieval Famagusta reflected a multicultural society made up of Orthodox residents, Franks, Armenians, Maronites and refugees who arrived from Syria and Lesser Armenia, or Cilicia, she added.
“Famagusta may not have 365 churches, as tradition claims, but we can certainly count 30 extremely important churches within the medieval city,” she said.
Marangou added that the medieval cities of Nicosia and Famagusta “should have been UNESCO monuments”.
—
Nine churches restored in north through bicommunal heritage work
—
Nine minority faith monuments restored in occupied Cyprus
Efforts shift toward the upcoming stabilization of the historic Sourp Magar Armenian monastery.
Newsroom / CNA
The architectural footprint of historical religious minorities in Cyprus is receiving targeted preservation through recent conservation projects across the northern part of the island. According to updates from the Bi-communal Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage, structural interventions have successfully concluded on nine historical sites belonging to the Maronite, Armenian, and Latin communities. The completed portfolio involves six Maronite structures, one Armenian church, and two Latin monuments. Efforts are now shifting toward the upcoming restoration of the remote Sourp Magar Armenian monastery located in the Pentadaktylos mountain range.
Sotos Ktoris, the co-chair of the bi-communal heritage committee, confirmed the completion of work on several distinct landmarks, particularly within the medieval walled city of Famagusta. For the Maronite community, the completed sites include the Church of Saint Anna in Famagusta, the Church of Saints Marina and Theodore in Kormakitis, the Church of Saint Marina in Agia Marina Skyllouras, the Church of the Holy Cross in Karpaseia, the Church of Archangel Michael in Asomatos, and the Church of Saint George in Kormakitis. Armenian and Latin preservation milestones include the Armenian church in medieval Famagusta, along with two Latin sites in the same city: the Church of Saint George of the Latins and the Church of St. Mary of the Carmelites.
Historian Anna Marangou provided historical context for these locations, pointing out that the Armenian presence on the island dates back to population movements from Cilicia by the Byzantine Empire during the eighth century. Many families eventually settled along the southern slopes of the Pentadaktylos range. Known historically for their advanced structural craftsmanship, Armenian builders influenced regional defensive architecture, including the medieval castles of Kyrenia and Kantara. Around 1000 AD, the community assumed control of a monastery in Chalevga originally established by Coptic monks. This site, Sourp Magar, became a major cultural hub that thrived through the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, earning the local moniker “Blue Monastery” due to its distinct painted woodwork.
Though currently in a state of severe disrepair, the site is slated for imminent structural stabilization by the technical committee. Marangou also pointed out other vital Armenian landmarks, such as the fourteenth-century Church of Sourp Asdvadzadzin in Famagusta, built by refugees fleeing Mamluk raids, and the Church of Our Lady of Tyre in Nicosia. The Nicosia church, originally a Benedictine convent, was transferred to the Armenian community during the Ottoman era and recently earned a Europa Nostra conservation award.
The Maronite community traces its island ancestry to the Maradaites, who migrated to Cyprus between the seventh and tenth centuries to aid defenses against Arab naval raids. This migration established a permanent footprint in the Kormakitis area. Key Maronite structures include the sixteenth-century Monastery of Prophet Elias in Agia Marina Skyllouras, which currently requires urgent stabilization. In Kormakitis, the prominent twentieth-century Church of Saint George stands out for its architectural scale, having taken more than three decades to complete with assistance from Maltese builders.
Addressing the Latin monuments, Marangou explained that many existing structures were physically built directly on top of older foundations. This architectural practice was traditionally chosen so a new, larger building could inherit the spiritual continuity and blessing of the original shrine. Major Latin landmarks include the grand Gothic structures of Saint Sophia in Nicosia and Saint Nicholas in Famagusta, both repurposed as mosques during the sixteenth century. Marangou noted that medieval Famagusta functioned as a remarkably diverse urban hub where Orthodox residents lived alongside Frankish, Armenian, and Maronite communities. While local folklore attributes 365 churches to medieval Famagusta, historians have documented roughly 30 highly significant ecclesiastical structures inside the ancient city walls
—
Sports: Who are Shamrock Rovers’ next opponents Ararat-Armenia plus Scottish
Shamrock Rovers will play Ararat-Armenia in the second qualifying round of the Champions League after winning 5-1 in Tallaght last Tuesday night against Floriana of Malta (5-3 on agg).
Having become the first League of Ireland side to overcome a two goal first leg deficit to win a European tie and become the first to score five in the European Cup, they now face Ararat-Armenia away from home in the first leg of the next round.
Ararat are the Armenian champions but are a club less than ten years old. They have won the league three times in that period though.
The match will be played at the Republican Stadium in the Armenian capital.
What time is kick-off?
The kick-off is 5pm Irish time but that is 8pm local time – showing how much further east the host city of Yerevan is.
The Hoops are travelling out on Sunday morning on a direct charter flight and will return straight home after the game – coming into Dublin Airport around 4am on Wednesday morning.
How have Ararat made it to this round?
They won their league by four points from Noah last season to enter, like Rovers, in the first qualifying round of the Champions League.
Ararat lost the second leg in Riga 3-2. However, the 2-0 win against Riga at home in the first leg was enough to see them through 4-3 on aggregate. They were helped in that match as Riga played the last 18 minutes plus the five of stoppage time with ten men.
What is their history in Europe?
Their league is ranked just below the LOI but that position is mostly due to their rivals Noah who, like Rovers, made the league phase of the Conference League in the last two seasons.
Ararat have never qualified for the league phase or group stage of a UEFA competition.
They do have European experience but it is typically a couple of games in each European campaign. This will be only their 29th ever European game – they have 11 wins, 7 draws and 10 defeats.
Their best seasons were 2019 and 2020 when they exited at the play-off round stage of the Europa League.
In the last two seasons they have entered the Conference League qualifiers in the second round and exited in the third round on both occasions. Their wins came over Zimbru Chisinau (6-1 on agg in 2024) and Universitatea Cluj (2-1 on agg in 2025) with their exits coming at the hands of Puskas Akademia (4-3 on agg in 2024) and Sparta Prague (6-2 on agg last season).
How are they getting on domestically this season?
They have yet to play a game as they are in a ‘winter’ season league which wrapped up in May.
Who is in their squad to watch out for?
They have a number of Armenian internationals including winger Zhirayr Shaghoyan, striker Arayik Eloyan, midfielder Karen Muradyan, and Kamo Hovhannisyan. Shaghoyan and Hovhannisyan both played against Ireland in the last World Cup qualifying campaign.
Their squad includes players drawn from Portugal, France, Brazil, Greece, Colombia, Kenya, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Russia and Ghana.
What has Hoops Head Coach Stephen Bradley said about Ararat?
“They’re a good team,” said Bradley about an Ararat side who have yet to play league phase European football. “They have a couple of internationals who have played against Ireland, so we know them quite well, but their wingers are really good.
“Midfielders are strong, athletic and good technical players as well so it’s a good matchup. It’s gonna be an interesting tie.”
Who is their manager?
Portuguese coach Manuel Tulipa is in charge.
Have these teams faced each other before?
No.
Who will the winners of this tie face?
The third qualifying round of the Champions League draw will be made on Monday – the winner of this tie will be in the unseeded side of the Champions Path in that draw.
Who will the losers of this tie face?
The loser drops into the third qualifying round of the Europa League and that draw will also be made on Monday – but they will be in the seeded side of the Champions Path in that draw.
Who is the referee?
Scottish whistler David Dickinson is in charge of Tuesday’s game in Yerevan.
Will the ref have access to VAR?
Yes. VAR was used in Tallaght last week as it is required in all the Champions League qualifiers.
What Is a random fact about this game?
This is the eighth two legged tie in a row where the Hoops play the first leg away from home.
What is the story about the prize money?
Having won last week, the Hoops know at a minimum they will make the play-off round in one of the three UEFA competitions at a minimum.
Worst case scenario for Rovers is that they are eliminated in the Conference League play-off round. They would earn €1.71m from that campaign (four rounds at €175k each, plus €750k for being eliminated in the PO, along with €260k as a champion not making the league phase).
The winner of this upcoming second qualifying round tie knows they are guaranteed at least of making the league phase of the UEFA Conference League.
Minimum money earned for that is €3.17m for being one of the 36 teams in that league phase plus the usual €400k for a win and €166k for a draw in the league phase. There are additional monies depending on where you finish plus some value pillar cash that trickles down to each club.
In previous seasons in the UEFA Conference League, the Hoops earned €7.363m in 2024/25 and €5.916m in 2025/26.
—