The authorities are trying to create the impression that the export inconveniences created for Armenian products on the Russian market are bypassing the Armenian economy. As if under these conditions, the economy continues to grow at an accelerated pace.

“The application of Russian temporary restrictions to individual Armenian exporters did not have a critical impact on the country’s overall macroeconomic indicators, and Armenia’s economy continues to show high activity.

You can see for yourself that the indicator of economic activity was 11 percent only in May of this year, and on an annual basis, in the period from January to May, it exceeded 8 percent. The influence is always present, but the numbers speak for themselves,” says Nikol Pashinyan.

While the producers are crying that they are not able to realize the crops grown by their sweat, they are suffering losses, they are not able to come out from under the incurred expenses, with this Nikol Pashinyan is trying to convince that the Russian export restrictions did not have a tangible impact on the economy of Armenia.

Did they have it or not, it will be seen later. It is not in one or two months that these effects will be felt on the economy and economic indicators.

The consequences of all this will be expressed later. Especially since these restrictions started to operate mainly from June and naturally they could not have a tangible effect on the May indicators.

Nikol Pashinyan probably knows about this, but deliberately diverts the public’s attention. He wants to show that the authorities are successfully overcoming economic problems, difficulties related to export, even in the conditions of Russian restrictions, Armenia’s economy is growing at a high rate and there is no reason to worry.

He probably also wants to make it clear to the Russian side that the Armenian economy does not suffer from the restrictions. The Minister of Economy even claims that Armenia and the Armenian economy will come out of all this stronger.

“Something like this should have happened so that our economy would be diversified, otherwise nothing would have happened by persuading and asking,” the Minister of Economy gives hope to producers, exporters, or himself.

Probably only he knows what deversification the Minister of Economy is talking about. The producers are sitting in a daze and do not know what to do with the crops they have grown, and the Minister of Economy is trying to feed people with such emptiness. Exporting several truckloads of apricots, cherries or tomatoes to other markets is not diversification. If diversification of the economy and exports were so easy, many people would have gone for it a long time ago. They did not go because entering new markets is not so easy, as the head of the government and the members think. It takes years for that.

As for the fact that economic activity in Armenia continues to be high, it still does not mean that the economy, especially the real sector of the economy, is developing. They talk so much about the support of the greenhouse economy, the construction of new greenhouses, the establishment of intensive gardens, the implementation of agricultural programs, subsidies, but agriculture is still in decline.

Where do those funds go, what are they spent on, when the results are like this, it is not known.

In the first quarter of this year, according to official data, a 5.2 percent decline in production volumes was recorded in agriculture.

The indicators of the second quarter have not been published yet, but there is no doubt that agriculture was in decline in the second quarter as well.

In the industry, it seems that quite high growths are being recorded. In five months, the growth is even slightly higher than 12 percent. But that growth came after a more than 14 percent decline in the industry during the same period last year.

Such is the basis of the growth of the industry. The role of the mining industry is extremely large in this. Most of the growth of the industry is based on the growth of the mining industry itself, which reaches up to 35 percent.

The mining industry has grown due to the increase in the volume of exploitation of the subsoil. As Nikol Pashinyan would say, they destroyed the family and spent it and drew indicators. Moreover, not only in the industry, but also in the export sector. After that, they were not even able to provide growth in terms of exports.

As a result of the first 5 months of the year, the export continues to be declining. And although the volume of export of raw materials increased at a high rate, it did not save the export from decline.

In recent months, the volume of exports from Armenia has been continuously decreasing. In February, the export was 708 million dollars, in March it was 594 million, in April – 548 million, and in May it decreased to 522 million. The export is decreasing month by month, although the export of raw materials during that time has increased sharply, almost twice.

Imagine what would happen if exports did not increase so much at the expense of the crust.

Naturally, those responsible for such phenomena do not give evaluations. The important thing is to ensure the demonstrative side of the indicators for them. No matter what problems are behind them.

Especially construction and services greatly contributed to the economic activity of the first 5 months of the year. The growth of construction is over 24 percent, and that of services is over 9 percent. And trade, which has the largest weight in GDP, grew by only 1.2 percent.

If at one point, on a monthly basis, there were at least 0.1-0.2 percent increases in trade, that also disappeared in May. Trade volumes remained at the previous year’s level. Meanwhile, it seems that they should increase. they increased pensions and allowances, due to the elections they increased social assistance, implemented various pre-election programs. But as we can see, the trade turnover did not increase, they remained at the level of the previous year.

Construction and services have grown at high rates, but they have very little to do with economic developments. That is the reason why, at first glance, there are high growths in the economy of Armenia, but there are no real developments.

HAKOB KOCHARYAN

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Russian-born American investor Konstantin Sokolov has been appointed as the chairman of TRIPP Enterprise Fund. this is a new fund that should finance infrastructure projects in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Central Asian countries.

“Sector Gor”, as always, studied the details.

The appointment was approved by the US State Department. Here it is important not to confuse TRIPP with TRIPP Development Company. The latter is being created by the USA and Armenia for the direct development of transport, energy and digital infrastructures in the Armenian territory. TRIPP is a separate investment mechanism that can provide loans and grants, as well as participate in the capital of companies.

The initial volume of the fund is estimated at 201 million dollars. Earlier, the American side also talked about $400 million in foreign aid to support the entire initiative. The detailed financing structure has not yet been announced.

Sokolov was born in Leningrad, was educated in Russia, and moved to the USA in 1997. He has been working in the fields of investments, telecommunications, energy and infrastructure for more than twenty years. He founded the Chicago-based “IJS Investments”, heads the “Northern Pillar Energy Consortium” and “Pelagos Data Centers”.

Another circumstance is more important for Armenia. Sokolov indirectly owns 20% of Viva Armenia, one of the country’s largest telecommunications operators. Another 20% of the company belongs to the state, 60% to his partner Zhe Zhang. “Viva” develops mobile communication, fiber optic network, cloud and payment services. In 2025, Sokolov announced plans to invest about $150 million in the development of 5G and cloud infrastructure.
This is where the main rhetorical question arises.

TRIPP involves building not only railways and highways, but also communication lines, digital customs infrastructure, energy facilities and transit management services. In other words, the fund headed by Sokolov will potentially have the opportunity to finance the very sectors in which his Armenian asset is already working.

Formally, the State Department promises rules to prevent conflicts of interest, independent audits and annual accountability. However, the composition of the fund’s board, investment regulations, revocation rules and the list of companies related to Sokolov have not been published yet.
There is also a political aspect. Sokolov is a major donor to organizations supporting Donald Trump. In 2025, he transferred 11 million dollars to MAGA Inc. and also financed the Republican Party. Therefore, his appointment is seen not only as the choice of a professional investor, but also as a vote of confidence in a person politically close to the administration.

Sokolov’s Russian origin is secondary in this story, although many platforms pay attention to it. Much more important are his connections in the USA, his share in the strategic telecommunications company of Armenia and the coincidence of private interests with the directions of TRIPP’s future financing.

The real scale of TRIPP will become clear only after the first decisions of the fund: who will receive the money, which companies will become contractors, and whether there will be structures related to Sokolov among them. We are following the developments.

EVGENYA GORYUSHINA

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In the anti-corruption court, under the chairmanship of judge Rudolph Avagyan, a regular court session was held today in the case of the former president of the FFA, the former deputy of the National Assembly Ruben Hayrapetyan and his family members, in the case of the claim of confiscation of the alleged illegal property.

Let’s remind that this proceeding was assigned to Rudolph Avagyan after the challenge of judge Karapet Badalyan.

At the beginning of today’s court session, Vahagn Dallakyan, the representative of Ruben Hayrapetyan, submitted a motion to the court to leave the lawsuit without investigation.

The court, after hearing the parties, rejected the motion.

Ruben Hayrapetyan’s representatives also had another petition, about applying the statute of limitations.

After the motion, the public prosecutor asked for a 5-minute break, the court granted the motion. After the break, the public prosecutor moved to dismiss the motion for statute of limitations. The consideration of the petition will be continued at the next court session according to the court’s decision.

Let us also remind that the prosecutor’s office demands from Ruben Hayrapetyan and Narine Hayrapetyan, in favor of the RA, to confiscate the land in Tsaghkadzor of Kotayk marz in its entirety, the real estate in Arinj in its entirety, the land in Sevan in its entirety, as well as the “Lexus” car, and in case of impossibility, the average market value of the properties.

In addition, the prosecutor’s office demands from Rafik and Mariam Hayrapetyan to confiscate the car in “Armenian Development Bank” CJSC in 2021. 6 million 897 thousand invested in October. The currency in the amount of AMD 30 in full, invested in the same CJSC on September 25, 2020 and redeemed in 2021. The deposit in the amount of USD 6,674 invested on September 22, as well as in Unibank in 2021. 1 million 523 thousand invested on September 22. The deposit in the amount of AMD 641 in full.

Then, according to the prosecutor, Rafik Hayrapetyan, as property of illegal origin, is subject to confiscation of the entire non-residential area in one of the buildings in Yerevan’s Avan district, the entire residential house in Avan, the “Lexus” car, as well as the participation of the companies “Sport Resort”, “Royal Club”, “Sevan Resort”, “Harsnakar”, “Noralusin” in full, and in case of impossibility, the average value.

In addition, the prosecutor’s office demands confiscation of 8,526 illegal shares out of 65,181 shares of “Armenian Development Bank” CJSC and 45,430 illegal shares out of 153,433 ordinary shares, and 70 million 600 thousand of the loan provided to “Harsnakar” LLC. 496 AMD from the unreturned part: 57 million 58 thousand. 104 The right to demand AMD, 43 million 710 thousand of the loan provided to “Noralusin” company. 903 AMD from the unreturned part: 5 million 898 thousand. The right to demand 520 AMD, 3 million 394 thousand of the loan provided to “Royal Club” LLC. 375 AMD from the unreturned part: 96 thousand. The right to demand AMD 375, 88 million 318 thousand of the loan provided to “Sevan Resort” LLC. 393 AMD from the unreturned part: 74 million 119 thousand. The right to demand 266 drams, 97 million 702 thousand of the loan provided to “Byuregh” CJSC. 500 drams from the unreturned part: 83 million 568 thousand. The right to demand 580 drams, 199 million 74 thousand of the loan provided to “Aragats” MC. Out of 606 unreturned parts: 193 million 829 thousand. The right to demand AMD 510, and in case of impossibility, the amount of the illegal part that has not been returned. The prosecution also demands confiscation of shares.

Details in the video.

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The developments surrounding Gagik Tsarukyan are not only related to his person, but also to the actions that may follow in relation to other ranks of the opposition.

During the election campaign, the leader, appointing himself a prosecutor and judge, had already announced that the leaders of the three main opposition forces should be detained, and according to that order, Gagik Tsarukyan is detained, Samvel Karapetyan is under house arrest, and Robert Kocharyan is charged with criminal charges.

Details in the video

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It’s been a few years Artistic director of “Sasun” national song-dance ensemble Andranik deacon Manukyan is fighting to keep his own house from collapsing, the reason being the construction going on in the adjacent part of the house. Everyone is aware of this problem, starting with Nikol Pashinyan, but the construction is going on at the same pace, the foundations of the house are being destroyed day by day.

“They are working relentlessly, the problem in my house continues, they are making it to the point that I will have a heart attack and die, they are making people leave their house, as they have done to many people. The sad thing is that Nikol Pashinyan is aware of this problem, and all this is under his control. I turned to him many times, asked him, told him to come and see with his own eyes. there was a time when he asked me not to raise my voice, he said that the Inspection Body is a structure attached to his staff, he is aware of the problem and will provide a solution.

But he didn’t solve it, he just put it under my head so that they could say that everything is legal according to the court decisions and the conclusions of some experts. There are many documents that prove that illegal construction is going on. In 2018, there is a conclusion by the Urban Planning Committee urging to refrain from construction in this area.

The other main fact is that Artur Meschyan was a resident of this yard and protested so that the apartment building would not be built, but when he became the chief architect of Yerevan, he approved this project.” of 168.am Andranik deacon Manukyan said in a conversation with

According to him, the head of the country is fully aware of all this, and instead of taking steps, they are inactive. Moreover, deacon Andranik says that if they want to see corruption, crime, security, they can visit him and he will show them.

“I am speaking loudly: the system threatens me, my family, so that I leave here gradually. After demolishing the parking lot, there is a 12 meter gap under the foundation of my house. The foundations of my house are gradually being demolished, I am afraid that I will remain under the rubble. Before I became their leader, I was there, I did work, I presented culture and I continue to do it, I was engaged in fundraising. Whom have I harmed so far? I say: let me live in my house, let me die to the God of your father. They are so honest, let Nikol Pashinyan come to my house with his staff or alone, I have been following them since 2018. What, they want to discredit me or buy me, they can’t, it won’t work,” he stressed.

The deacon also conveyed that there was a time when his speeches were canceled just because he spoke about his problem. Or there were concerts when he sang, but then they approached him and told him not to make any speech from the stage, not to voice any criticism. At the same time, his wife was fired.

“I told everyone that if they come to demolish your house, don’t make a sound, obey like a slave,” emphasized Andranik deacon Manukyan.

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On July 13, “Methods of fighting hybrid threats of Pashinyan and Aliyev» with the text article: we published, where we noted that during the international media forum convened in occupied Shushi, Aliyev tried to place Azerbaijan’s demands in the context of the Karabakh conflict settlement process in the logic of international law, “legal force» giving way to starting the 44-day war because, according to Aliyev, the OSCE Minsk Group only wanted to take Karabakh, including Lachin and Kelbajar, and give it to Armenia.

Baku calls any position contrary to this a “hybrid threat”. As a matter of fact, Aliyev’s assistant Hikmet Hajiyev announced this during the open text international media forum.

In particular, he noted that against the background of the negotiations and agreements reached with Armenia in 2025, some international mass media still dominated “precautionary and problematic materials”.» ։

“The Karabakh conflict has been in the center of attention of the international media for many years. And some international media structures tried to present us as the guilty side of this conflict. It caused regret. Speaking about the Karabakh conflict, it should be noted that our goal was only to restore our own sovereignty, and we achieved it. Despite this, the prejudice against Azerbaijan continued in the international media,” Hajiyev continued.

In other words, Azerbaijan has, so to speak, restored its territorial integrity, but has not closed the page on the Karabakh conflict, at least in the context of the hybrid, informational war and legal-political and historiographical struggle against the Armenian side, the geography of which is constantly expanding.

“The Karabakh conflict has been in the center of attention of the international media for many years. And some international media structures tried to present us as the guilty side of this conflict. It caused regret. Speaking about the Karabakh conflict, it should be noted that our goal was only to restore our own sovereignty, and we achieved it. Despite this, the prejudice against Azerbaijan continued in the international media,” Hajiyev continued.

Former Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Tofik Zulfugarov went even further and stated that the main objective of Shushi’s media forum was to demonstrate that:

– It was the legal and moral right of Azerbaijan to get back the territories “occupied” by Armenia.

– “Claims about Armenian heritage in Karabakh are a political fiction of the Soviet period, like the name “Stepanakert”.

– “Occupational» and “marionette» of the authorities of “war crimes» the disclosure of the facts testifying about, etc. (quotation marks: – M.P.).

In fact, Baku is not only trying to “cleanse” the war crimes from itself in the eyes of the international community, but also to attribute them to the Armenian side, to Armenia, as the former official of Azerbaijan directly admits, which we have written about more than once, in particular, during the Baku trial, that it is not actually against the former military-political leadership of Artsakh, but against Armenia. And it is not accidental or fully fits into this logic that the visit of representatives of foreign countries at any level to Azerbaijan and their hospitality program includes a visit dedicated to the “Khojalu Genocide” and “Ganja events”. memorials and other similar places.

And, for example, Aliyev took Slovakian President Peter Pellegrini to occupied Shushi and showed him another “evidence of the crime” of the Armenian side: the busts of Azerbaijani cultural figures were shot.

Perfect joke. Aliyev, who destroyed the Armenian, historical cemeteries, churches, and the village of Karintak in Shushi, as “proof of the crime” of the Armenian side, presents the busts of Azerbaijani cultural figures that have not been destroyed, even if, let’s say, there are traces of gunshots on them. Naturally, Aliyev will not lead high-ranking officials of any country on the trail of their crime, nor will these high-ranking European officials ask questions about it.

Naturally, the Armenian side is lacking in this: has Armenian Artsakh been adequately presented to the world, to the leaders of foreign countries, over the course of more than 30 years?

Of course, this does not justify the Azerbaijani crimes, the silence of the world and Europe regarding the destruction of the historical and cultural heritage of Artsakh and the Armenian trace, the destruction of the Armenian and world civilization in Artsakh. And the exclusion of their existence does not save Baku at all, in any case, facts are a powerful tool, which, yes, today are ignored by the RA authorities themselves.

As a matter of fact, the current authorities of RA consider the destruction of the Armenian historical and cultural heritage under the control of Azerbaijan to be legitimate and the struggle for their preservation, raising the issue is a step that creates conflict and hinders the implementation of the peace agenda. Moreover, Nikol Pashinyan’s government even makes it clear that we may have an opportunity to give a mirror answer. And it doesn’t matter that today Aliyev is waging a one-sided hybrid war against Armenia, without receiving any response, and tomorrow he may even demand compensation for the damages they have calculated. And Armenia has an internal political or internal political background and the political interests of the West is trying to neutralize hybrid threats that fit in the logic.

By the way, during his visit to Azerbaijan, the President of Slovakia announced that they will build a school in Aghdam, Akna, and the groundbreaking ceremony was arranged with the visit. The educational center will bear the name of General Milan Rastislav Stefanik. In these days of 1993, the Armenian forces started a military operation to take Aghdam, which was crowned with success.

In the context of the Slovak president’s visit to the occupied Artsakh and the implementation of various projects, we should note that in 2025 “Hetk” had written that Slovakian Defense Minister Robert Kaliňák twice stated in interviews with the local TA3 TV station that Armenia had “occupied the territory of Azerbaijan”.

And yesterday? to write we are that the first results of Azerbaijan-Slovakia military deals will be presented in September this year in Baku. Until then, Azerbaijan and Slovakia are reaching gas agreements.

Moreover, Slovakian Economy Minister Denisa Sakova announced in occupied Shushi that her country plans to receive 1.2 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually from Azerbaijan after 2027, when they will no longer import Russian gas.

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For the 6th year already, the parents of servicemen who went missing in the 44-day war in Artsakh in 2020 are trying to get any information from the relevant authorities about the whereabouts of their sons. During these years, they knocked on the doors of all state bodies, met with Nikol Pashinyan, but in vain.

Hripsime Hakobyan, the mother of one of the missing servicemen of the “Chemical Unit”, He has been fighting since 2020, he says his grandchildren are growing up, they want their father, he doesn’t know how to answer them.

“Two months ago, we met with Nikol Pashinyan, that was our last meeting. After the meeting, they told us that they would send the answers to all our questions in writing, and they did, but in a very bad way. In this answer, there was an accusation against us, it was mentioned that we allegedly refused to submit DNA. They are very wrong, immediately after receiving the answer, I called Gagik Isakhanyan, Nikol Pashinyan’s assistant, I denied their answer, because they immediately left the “Chemicals Military Unit” and submitted a DNA analysis in 2020.

In other words, what does all this mean, there are bodies, they want us to go and take a DNA analysis and give them to us? I told them that I have facts of enforced disappearance, why should I go and submit an additional DNA analysis, we have done it before, twice.” 168.am–Hripsime Hakobyan said in a conversation with

He is perplexed, he says, he doesn’t know where to go, who to turn to, because the relevant bodies are working ineffectively, especially when he told everyone that he knows that the relatives of the servicemen of the “Chemical Unit” have been giving DNA since the very first day.

“The respective bodies gave a relic from the parents, to which a bone, divided into 3 parts, can you imagine the condition of those parents, that is, whether it be a lot or not a little?” They did a very bad job then, and they are doing the same now. I am waiting for Gagik Isakhanyan’s answer, if not, I will call again soon, including all the parents.

Do you know the situation we are in now? We now have bodies of boys in the morgues, but are they the bodies of our boys? Now, if I have videos where my son was alive, what should I do with those bodies? I told Nikol Pashinyan that those videos did not fall from the air, even the Russian “First Channel” showed how our boys are captured. All that was spread by the Azerbaijanis,” Hripsime Hakobyan added.

He says that he doesn’t understand the logic of the bodies, according to their logic, should they just go and take someone’s body or make it from a grave, when he knows that his son is in Azerbaijani captivity?

“I have always said that Nikol Pashinyan is behind all this, without him, this case will not be opened. Wherever they take us, we will come to meet him again, whatever they do, they do in recognition of him. Previously, the former head of the National Security Service, Armen Abazyan, said, “we will reveal the truth”, if Pashinyan knew about it, the “truth” would have happened, if not, look again, they did nothing.

At that time, at least Armen Abazyan was doing something, after meeting with us, he said that he was with us until the end, but Nikol Pashinyan saw that he was taking some steps and had to get to the point where there would be revelations, he removed Abazyan from the case. He replaced Abazyan with someone who will not do anything, who is not even aware of our affairs. He says: “If I call you, what should I say when I know nothing?” If you don’t know anything, why did you sit there? Don’t you know that the person sitting in that chair should be able to answer his parents? They disgusted and tired us a lot, but here it is about my child, you can’t be disappointed. We are disgusted by their political games,” emphasized our interlocutor.

Speaking about the court hearings in the criminal case named “Chemical Squad”, Hripsime Hakobyan said that during one of the hearings, he asked the judge why the court process is taking so long, what is the reason, the judge answered that the parents should raise some questions.

“I don’t know, maybe they are taking him so that I can take my revenge myself. They work very badly, there is nothing good about our problem, when they see that someone is working well, they immediately fire them. I reminded Nikol Pashinyan that he said that the boys would last 2 more months in Baku prison, but almost 5 years have passed since what he said.

I said, we had two Azerbaijanis caught in Armenia for murder, why did you let them go, at least exchange them, they say, we returned them in a humanitarian way. In other words, they should be philanthropic for Azerbaijan, but Azerbaijan is not for us, that’s what he was saying. They don’t do anything for our child, they tricked us for 6 years and brought us here,” emphasized Hripsime Hakobyan.

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