July 13, 2026
In the “Pressing” program Satik Seyranyan the guest is former deputy minister of agriculture of RA, agronomist Ashot Harutyunyan.
The main theses of the interview are below.
- God forbid that Armenia enters into a war with Russia. Russia has not fully entered the field of contradictions, it is still using “soft power”, otherwise the consequences will be more severe. The driving force of the economy, from bread to flowers, is agriculture. Agriculture also solves the problems of food safety and security.
- There are various institutes in Russia that analyze what chemicals and fertilizers enter Armenia, what kind of inspection control there is, what kind of policy is followed. Today, any untested chemical enters Armenia. There is no control. If the Russians used to turn a blind eye to phytosanitary problems, they don’t now. When they want to stop the truck at the border, they have reasons, they can easily make a camel and close it.:
- In addition to affordable prices, the Russian market is also the most profitable for us in terms of logistics. It did not take much skill to deliver our goods from Armenia to Russia.
- It would not be bad if we could use the European market in the right way as well. But it’s not easy. It is a problem of market, logistics and competition. not beneficial. No European farmer sleeps and wakes up at night to welcome and sell Armenian producer’s products on their market. They also have their own problems. No one is crazy enough to take bad value, bad goods to Germany or a European country. Otherwise, the Armenian product, at least because of its taste, wherever you take it, there are people who eat, wait and miss it, but we are talking about thousands of tons.
- From the point of view of food safety, we have serious problems in the country. There are many publications that some of the drugs used in agriculture are of substandard quality. What is the permissible limit, what amount of fertilizer is given to the plants of the Ararat Valley, for example, no one monitors or controls… Today, the prices of agrochemicals are so high that very few farmers are able to use them. There is no advisor or supervisor, but since the price is high, farmers at least buy less and use it. In this sense, there is no evil without good:
- Armenian fresh fruits and vegetables are bought in counted containers and reach America. Product turnover is not large. The volume of goods turnover is absolutely not comparable with Russia.
- Even taking into account the analysis of the numerical indicators of the state subsidized costs, we see that the export of Armenian agricultural products to the European market is not attractive and profitable.
- The powerful agriculture of a country like Ukraine has become a 2-3000 km battlefront with its fertile lands, and Europe is constantly feeding this war. At the very least, we should be blind or less intelligent than to wonder what the European Union has found in this small Armenia, that it promises so much money, for what purpose it does it…
- 2018 they did not decide to make the revolution that day. There are countries that have planned them for 20-30 years…
- The Church is one of the pillars of our statehood. Various pillars were taken out of order, the church is resisting. There are many groups in Armenia, belonging to other religious movements, sectarian organizations, aimed not only at concentrating groups of people in order to act at the moment of need, but also to divide the Armenian Apostolic Church itself, because it is the Armenian Church that has united the Armenian nation around itself for thousands of years and brought it to this day.:
- After 2018, the closure of both the Ministries of Agriculture, Energy and other departments was again a plan years in the making. I’ve been inside, I’ve seen how they plan from below… Millions of dollars were coming supposedly for consulting, they made plans, they made a condition to invite experts from their countries or here and pay, withdrawing the money given… it did not benefit our agriculture. As a result, that money was circulated and sent back to their countries. Of course, there were some programs that helped the industry grow.
- Secretary of the Security Council (SC) Armen Grigoryan used to say: we don’t need wheat, we will eat rice. Now the government has set itself the task of regrouping and increasing the wheat sown areas. Now I think where they want to throw us, what problem they want to solve now. Don’t cheat again:
- I have my own trench and I try to keep it until the end. My political position is pro-statism, to remove this government as soon as possible so that this country remains. My forte is agriculture.
- When wheat came from Turkey in the 1990s, it was not Turkish wheat, it was coming from Syria as aid. And from Turkey in 1996-98. in the meantime, they brought Turkish potato planting material, which was sown in Aragatsotn marz, and until now we are not able to clean the contamination of those lands, the disease does not pass through the soil…
- Today, 99% of Russian-made wheat comes to Armenia from Azerbaijan in wagons. Comes in very small quantities.
The country has been put on a needle, we are hanging by a thread… Killing is killing by hitting and killing alone, isn’t it? It is a war of wheat and bread. God willing, the Laris tunnel will be handed over on time, and the Armenian-Russian logistics problems will be settled… Armenian-Russian relations cannot remain in this state for long, it will be disastrous:
- I would also like to say that Armenian-Turkish relations have a perspective, or who does not want peace… but there is history of centuries, there are facts, and since pan-Turkism is their state program, this cannot happen.
- One of our most powerful forces is the Diaspora, we must unite, otherwise we cannot resist alone for long. Our enemies also know that the Armenian living in Armenia is not alone. Our main diplomacy should be cohesion:
- The countdown has started in our villages. In the villages, people are in a state of knockdown…people are lying on the ground, the question is whether they will rise or not. Every hour, export problems complicate the situation. By autumn, the harvest is increasing, that’s when the peak will be. I don’t know if exports will recover in the meantime or not.
Back in the day, I wondered how enthusiastically the villagers used the programs supported by the state. Being a professional myself, I was never tempted. The banks have made a profit, but what benefit will the greenhouse owners and the peasants get, we will see. I used to say: people, what are you going to do with so many flowers? Are we going to eat flowers? For how many years I told the government to subsidize the crops we need, they didn’t do it, but did you see how your flower exploded?:
- The other day, I found out that 700 tons of pepper were exported to some country, and the kilogram was subsidized at a good price. I am sure that none of the pepper-producing peasants and farmers of Armavir marz did not lose their pepper. Go see whose pepper they exported. And this is the big businessman, who once did not risk entering the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Armenia, now he writes a plan for himself, brings it, approves it… They put their clutches like cancer on all organs… As the system develops, they send a cell to destroy it too.…
Deputy Economy Minister Arman Khojoyan said that 770 drams are offered for each 1 kg of strawberries, 275 drams for each 1 kg of tomatoes, 400 drams for 1 kg of pepper, and 37 drams for each flower.
- Folks, the truth is bitter… Don’t put the knife to the bone. There is a danger of tanning in the republic.
- Authorities, don’t hide the reality. Last year, you showed zero contamination of tannery, when there was a fall of hundreds of sheep and pigs. Don’t try to say otherwise. What happened, did the pigs get a heart attack or die from your policy? Livestock population in the country is in sharp decline. Unless you deal with disease, infection, wherever you want to bring high breed animals, you will get the opposite effect. Moreover, some diseases, such as anthrax, tansy, are encapsulated and remain in the soil for a hundred years, it should be dealt with as soon as possible… This is a biological weapon. Don’t start in the wrong place. Clean out the barns. Collect your brains. We are not losing a country anymore, but they have reached the intersections of our houses:
- What the wind brings, the wind will take away, and their eyes will be satisfied with a handful of soil, in the end…
- According to my information, not only the gas coming through the pipeline, but also that pipeline and all the rest of the property is owned by Gazprom, the Russian side. Let’s say you signed a contract to bring gas from Azerbaijan. I’m not saying you’ll get addicted when the hump closes the valve, say, in the bitter cold of January-February. Let’s face it, honestly, what will you do if the Russian side refuses to provide its internal network? Or how will we charge the nuclear power plant?:
- Why are we talking about Russian sanctions, when today in Armenia there is a government that has forced 20,000 people to be idle? I am talking about the employees of “Multi Group” owned by Gagik Tsarukyan. This government has a problem with people, it hits the workers… First, think about the sanctions applied by these authorities against the citizens of Armenia, not Russia’s sanctions…
- If Roza Tsarukyan was his mother, her son would be twice as rich, with her blood, energy and quick mind.
- Not only are these doing it on purpose, but they are super ignorant…
Details in the video.
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RFE/RL – EU Launches New Mission To Armenia Denounced By Russia
The European Union on Monday officially launched a new mission to Armenia which it said will help the Armenian government cope with “hybrid threats” emanating from abroad, presumably Russia.
The EU’s decision-making European Council listed “cyber threats, foreign information manipulation and interference and illicit financial flows” among those threats.
“Specifically, the mission will provide strategic advice, technical expertise and institutional capacity building to various national institutions in Armenia to address such threats, and will support a horizontal, whole-of-government approach,” it said in a statement.
The EU first announced the deployment in April, citing a request from Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s government. The latter had implicitly alleged Russian “hybrid” threats to the integrity of parliamentary elections held in Armenia on June 7. Moscow denied those claims and accused the EU of trying to turn the South Caucasus country into an anti-Russian “outpost” in the region.
“A mission that will claim to fight against interference in the affairs of a sovereign state is itself an instrument of such interference,” the Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, said on April 24.
Russian-Armenian tensions have risen further since then, with Moscow pressing Yerevan to swiftly choose between continuing to seek EU membership and remaining part of a Russian-led economic bloc essential for the Armenian economy. In the run-up to the June 7 elections, Russian authorities also banned multimillion-dollar imports of Armenian agricultural products and beverages.
Visiting Yerevan on July 2, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen promised that the EU will open its tightly protected and regulated market to Armenian products in addition to providing 52 million euros ($60 million) in urgent financial aid to Armenia’s government. She again denounced Moscow’s “economic coercion” after her talks with Pashinian.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas cited “Russian pressure” on Yerevan in the context of the new mission to Armenia.
“We’ll make sure Armenia does not face external coercion alone,” the European Council statement quoted her as saying.
Pashinian has made clear that he will not change his pro-EU foreign policy despite the Russian sanctions. He has also downplayed their impact on the Armenian economy.
Armenian exports to Russia reached almost $3 billion last year, compared with $667 million worth of goods exported to EU member states. Russian officials put at $700 million the annual amount of imports from Armenia affected by the trade restrictions. They have warned of other punitive measures such a surge in the price of Russian natural gas supplied to Armenia.
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Russian Bank Completes Sale Of Armenian Mining Giant
- Mkrtich Karapetian
A leading Russian commercial bank, VTB, has completed the sale of Armenia’s second largest mining company to a locally registered firm owned by an unknown entrepreneur.
The Teghut company has mined copper and molybdenum in a deposit of the same name located in Armenia’s northern Lori province for more than a decade. VTB’s Armenian subsidiary took over Teghut in 2019 after its previous owner failed to repay a $400 million loan provided by the bank.
The mine and an adjacent ore-processing facility suspended operations following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine that led to sweeping Western sanctions against Moscow. VTB was one of the first Russian entities sanctioned by the European Union and the United States.
Although Teghut gradually resumed operations in the following years, the state-owned bank seemed keen to get rid of the asset. Its chief executive, Andrei Kostin, announced in April this year that VTB is in the final stages of selling its controlling stake in the enterprise. He gave no details.
Armenia’s state anti-trust regulator cleared the deal last week. It emerged that Teghut’s buyer is Kuprar RA, an obscure company founded in February by Sergei Virabian, a former Armenian government official who has also held senior executive positions in various local banks. Virabian said at the weekend that he sold Kuprar to another “entrepreneur” this month but refused to name him or her.
Sources told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service earlier this year that Konstantin Sokolov, a Russian-born businessman who co-owns one of Armenia’s three mobile phone operators, is showing an interest in Teghut. Virabian would not say whether Sokolov is Kuprar’s new owner.
“I can’t reveal that to you, it’s a commercial secret,” he told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service.
Teghut was Armenia’s 22nd largest corporate taxpayer last year, with almost 14.4 billion drams ($39 million) in various taxes contributed to the state budget. It employed more than 1,100 people as of 2022.
By comparison, the country’s largest mining enterprise, the Zangezur Copper-Molybdenum Combine (ZCMC), paid over 52 billion drams in taxes. The company based in the southeastern Syunik province is controlled by entities linked to Russian billionaire Roman Trotsenko.
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Yerevan Doctor Fired After Pre-Election Row With Pashinian
- Naira Bulghadarian
In what she sees as political retribution, an accomplished Armenian doctor has been fired from a state policlinic two months after bitterly arguing with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian during his parliamentary election campaign in Yerevan.
Arpine Soghoyan sparked a shouting match with Pashinian when she approached him during his campaign tour of the city’s northern Arabkir district on May 18. Soghoyan blamed him for the fact that her brother, senior military medic Hrant Papikian, went missing during the 2020 war in Nagorno-Karabakh.
“You have wiped out a whole young generation,” she added, referring to thousands of Armenian soldiers killed during the six-week war. “You have stolen my brother, my joy. You’ve tried to bring us to our knees. But we haven’t gotten on our knees.”
Pashinian responded by manhandling her, linking her to the leaders of Armenia’s three main opposition groups and pledging to “take out” them. He also furiously rejected her claim that he has “ruined the country.”
Pashinian also lost his temper that day after being confronted by other Arabkir residents. One of them, exiled Karabakh Armenian activist Artur Osipian was arrested and charged with obstructing Pashinian’s election campaign and calling for a violent attack on the premier hours later. Osipian was released from jail after a 23-day hunger strike.
Despite initial reports that Soghoyan is being pressured to resign as head of the policlinic’s gynecology section, Yerevan Mayor Tigran Avinian insisted at the time that she will not be fired because of her political views.
Nevertheless, the experienced gynecologist received on Monday a letter from the policlinic director, Vartan Hakobian, notifying her that her position has been abolished. Hakobian refused to comment when contacted by RFE/RL’s Armenian Service.
A spokesperson for the Yerevan mayor’s office, which oversees the municipal policlinics, claimed, meanwhile, that Soghoyan’s dismissal is part of ongoing cost-cutting layoffs necessitated by the recent introduction of a national health insurance system. Soghoyan brushed aside the claim, saying that policlinic medics’ workload has only increased in recent months because of that.
The layoff letter also informed Soghoyan that she will not be offered an alternative job due to what it described as her poor health, rather than a lack of public funding. The doctor denied having any health issues, saying that she has never called in sick during her 21-year work at the primary healthcare facility. She said she was simply pushed out because of the incident with Pashinian and her pro-opposition views.
Soghoyan’s removal is the latest in a series of sackings of Pashinian’s critics or their relatives working in the public sector, which followed last month’s disputed parliamentary elections. They include Lilit Ghazarian, the sister of an outspoken opposition figure who ran for the Armenian parliament. Ghazarian was laid off late last month after serving as deputy head of the Armenian government’s drug regulatory agency for 22 years.
Also losing his job was Ruben Melikian, a prominent lawyer and government critic who has represented many arrested oppositionists. Melikian was notified last week that he will no longer be teaching law at Yerevan State University (YSU).
On June 29, a state college in the town of Armavir sacked its administrator and lecturer Hayastan Hakobian who also ran in the June 7 elections as a candidate of the main opposition Strong Armenia alliance. Hakobian pledged to challenge her dismissal in court, saying that she was punished for her political views.
Soghoyan also vowed such legal action while insisting that she is not particularly upset by the loss of her longtime job.
“If it weren’t for the events of 2020, I might have taken it harder,” she told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service. “But now that part of me has been numbed by the loss of my homeland.”
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RFE/RL – More Workers Protest Against Forced Closure Of Tsarukian’s Firms
- Robert Zargarian
Hundreds of employees of Gagik Tsarukian’s companies continued to demand on Monday that the Armenian authorities unblock their operations halted last week as part of a post-election crackdown on the opposition leader promised by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian.
Tsarukian was arrested on July 6 during a 12-hour search conducted at his villa just north of Yerevan. Law-enforcement authorities also raided and sealed off the offices of dozens of companies making up his Multi Group. Those included Armenia’s main cement plant and one of its largest brandy distilleries. Thousands of their workers were sent home on what amounted to unpaid leave.
The plant located in Ararat, a town 55 kilometers south of Yerevan, alone employs nearly 1,000 people. Many of them rallied at its premises on Thursday. Although Pashinian publicly threatened to fire them, the Armenian government allowed the plant to resume operations.
The other Multi Group businesses remain closed. Scores of people working at two of them, the Ararat Brandy-Wine-Vodka Factory and Multi Stone, took to the streets on Monday to also protest against the loss of their income. A Multi Stone worker warned that they will block a national highway if the authorities keep his company closed.
Workers of the Euromotors car leadership, the Multi Wellness fitness as well as the training center of the Armenian National Olympic Committee headed by Tsarukian demonstrated for the same reason on Saturday.
“Our entire work is disrupted,” said the Euromotors manager, Abraham Danaguzian. “We can neither take orders nor sell.”
So far the authorities have explained only the forced closure of Multi Welness and the Ararat plant. The State Revenue Committee has accused both companies of tax evasion, a charge strongly denied by Multi Group.
Nor has there been any official explanation of the connection between the closures and separate charges levelled against Tsarukian and rejected by him as politically motivated. The tycoon is accused of defrauding Iranian business partners.
Pashinian vowed to nationalize the cement plant when he campaigned for the June 7 parliamentary elections in which Tsarukian’s Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) was one of the main opposition contenders. He has since repeatedly pledged to imprison and “dispossess” Tsarukian as well as the leaders of two other key opposition groups. The jailed tycoon’s representatives say Pashinian’s statements prove that law-enforcement authorities are acting on his illegal and politically motivated orders.
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California Courier Online, July 13, 2026
Courier Online, July 13, 2026
Sassounian
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1- Good News: EU Signs Letters of Intent
Finally, some good news from Armenia. In a positive development, the European Commission signed the first-of-their-kind “Letters of Intent” with six Armenian organizations during the EU-Armenia Summit in Yerevan on May 5. The document was titled “Cooperation for People-to-People Connectivity.”
The signing ceremony was held at the Armenian Presidential Palace in the presence of Pres. Vahagn Khachaturyan, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and European Council President Antonio Costa.
The Letter with the AGBU was signed by Adrienn Kiraly, European Commission’s “Director for Eastern Neighborhood and Turkey,” and Vasken Yacoubian, President of the Armenia Chapter of the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) and a member of AGBU’s Central Board.
The Letter stated that both sides “express their interest in exploring possible cooperation to contribute to stronger economic and societal links between Armenia and the European Union.” It explained that “The Armenian Diaspora has strong communities across Europe and globally in business, research, culture, and public policy. AGBU, the largest Armenian Diaspora non-profit organization, has a long-standing track record in education, entrepreneurship support, and international cooperation, supported by a broad international network.”
The purpose of this joint effort is to “explore cooperation to help mobilize the Armenian Diaspora in support of investment, mentorship, and strong partnerships between the European Union and Armenia. This cooperation could also build on AGBU’s Armenia Virtual College to reinforce digital outreach and engagement.”
The six Armenian organizations that signed the EU Letters of Intent were:
The Letter, described by the EU website as a “non-binding agreement,” explained that it “does not create any legal or financial obligations for either party. It represents a declaration of intent and an openness to explore cooperation, with the understanding that any future collaboration would remain subject to further discussion, applicable procedures, the availability of resources, and the conclusion of any final agreements.”
In a lengthy interview, Vasken Yacoubian of AGBU spoke with journalist Anush Trvants about the signed Letter and other important issues. The interview was published exclusively by the Istanbul-based Armenian newspaper Jamanak.
Yacoubian commended the EU for appreciating the potential of the Diaspora through this initiative. Asked if this indicated that previous Armenian attempts had not been fully successful, Yacoubian disagreed. He stated that during previous governments, when there was a Diaspora Ministry, substantial work was done. “The potential of the Diaspora is enormous,” he said.
When asked about recent intra-Armenian tensions, the problems with the Church, internal divisions, and polarization, Yacoubian explained that when Armenia’s internal problems are taken overseas, the Diaspora gets confused. “These issues relate to our identity, the Genocide, putting a question mark on Artsakh, and other problems. Unfortunately, divisions have also begun to arise in the Diaspora around these subjects.”
Yacoubian then stated: “Our [AGBU’s] work is always with the state in favor of statehood, regardless of who is in power at the time. This does not mean at all that we agree with all the steps of the authorities, but, we cannot sit back and simply boycott, saying that since we disagree on an issue, therefore, we will not cooperate. That’s the wrong approach. At the same time, there are many other areas where we consider the work done by the authorities to be correct…. Maintaining this balance is quite difficult, but this role is not new for us. We have always had it and will continue to play that role, contrary to various opinions. We are convinced that 70% of our national potential is in the Diaspora. Is it wise to ignore that force, when we have important political or military goals before us, and time, unfortunately, is working against us?”
In answer to a question about Istanbul Armenians, Yacoubian said: “I visited Istanbul about two or three years ago…. I went, and I can say that I returned amazed and delighted, because I saw a community that has firmly clung to its environment, convinced that it is at home, and not a Diaspora in the classical sense…. But I also experienced heartache because we, as a nation, including our Union [AGBU] and the government of Armenia, have not been able to develop a serious strategy for collaborating with and cultivating relations with the Armenian community of Istanbul.”
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An unidentified individual entered the cemetery of the Armenian Surp Garabed Church in Istanbul’s Üsküdar district during the night of July 7-8, damaging six tombs and a fountain.
The information was reported by the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople.
“The incident has deeply saddened members of the community, particularly those whose loved ones are buried in this cemetery.
The district council immediately notified the relevant authorities, which have launched legal proceedings to identify the perpetrator and bring them to justice.
The Patriarchate condemns this attack against sacred values and places of eternal rest.
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4- The Remarkable Story Behind Armenia’s Only Pagan Temple
By Rooplekha Das
Outlook Traveler
There is something undeniably unexpected about seeing a
Greco-Roman temple in Armenia.
Drive less than an hour east of Yerevan and, instead of
the stone churches and monasteries that have come to define the country’s
identity, you arrive at a row of Ionic columns rising above a rugged gorge. It
feels almost misplaced, as though a fragment of the ancient Mediterranean
wandered into the Caucasus and never left.
That sense of surprise is exactly what makes Garni Temple
so compelling. It is not only Armenia’s only surviving pagan temple but also
the easternmost standing example of Hellenistic architecture in the South
Caucasus. In a country celebrated as the first to adopt Christianity as its
state religion in 301 CE, Garni is a reminder that another spiritual and
cultural world existed long before church bells echoed across the mountains. Its
survival, collapse, and eventual reconstruction tell a story that is every bit
as fascinating as the monument itself.
A Temple Born Between Rome & Armenia
Garni Temple stands on the edge of a rocky promontory
overlooking the Azat River Gorge in Kotayk Province, around 30 kilometers from
Yerevan. Its location was no accident. The site had long served as a royal
fortress, protected naturally by steep cliffs on three sides while offering
commanding views across the surrounding landscape. Even before the temple was
built, Garni had strategic importance, with evidence of settlements dating back
to the Bronze Age and inscriptions left behind by the ancient kingdom of
Urartu.
Most historians attribute the temple’s construction to
King Tiridates I during the first century CE, likely around 77 CE. Tiridates
had recently returned from Rome, where Emperor Nero formally recognized him as
King of Armenia after years of political negotiations between the Roman and
Parthian empires. His visit exposed him to Roman architecture and imperial
grandeur, influences that appear to have found _expression_ back home in Garni.
Built in the Ionic order from locally quarried grey
basalt, the temple reflects the spread of Hellenistic culture across the
eastern Mediterranean and western Asia. Rather than copying Roman architecture
outright, Garni blends classical proportions with regional craftsmanship,
creating a building that feels familiar yet distinctly Armenian.
Traditionally, the structure has been identified as a
temple dedicated to Mihr, the Armenian sun god closely associated with the
Persian Mithra. A Greek inscription discovered at the site in the twentieth
century links Tiridates I with the construction of both the temple and the
fortress, strengthening this interpretation. Yet not everyone agrees. Some
scholars argue that the building may instead have served as a royal mausoleum,
pointing to similarities with monumental tombs found in Asia Minor. The debate
continues, adding another layer of intrigue to a monument that still keeps some
of its secrets.
The Mystery Of Its Survival
Garni’s greatest mystery is not how it was built but why
it survived. When Armenia embraced Christianity in the early fourth century,
pagan sanctuaries across the kingdom were dismantled as the new faith reshaped
the country’s religious landscape. Temples disappeared, shrines were abandoned,
and older places of worship were either destroyed or converted.
Garni escaped that fate. No single explanation fully
answers why. Medieval Armenian sources suggest that the complex became a royal
summer residence associated with Princess Khosrovidukht, the sister of King
Tiridates III. If the building had already lost its religious role and become
part of a royal estate, it may have been spared during the widespread
destruction of pagan sanctuaries. Other historians believe its close connection
to Armenia’s royal lineage made demolition politically undesirable.
Over the centuries, the temple appears to have served
different purposes. Some researchers suggest it functioned as a bathhouse or
palace building, while others argue it may even have been adapted into a
baptistery for a period. Whatever its exact role, Garni gradually became less a
place of worship and more a valuable part of an evolving royal complex.
The site itself continued to grow. Roman baths with
beautifully preserved mosaic floors were built nearby, medieval churches rose
within the fortress walls, and Arabic inscriptions carved into the stone bear
witness to centuries of changing rulers and shifting empires. Far from being
frozen in time, Garni evolved alongside Armenia’s own history.
From Ruins To Reconstruction
The temple’s greatest threat arrived not through war or
religion but through nature. A devastating earthquake struck the region in
1679, bringing the entire colonnaded structure crashing to the ground. Massive
basalt columns, capitals and carved stone blocks lay scattered across the
hillside, where they remained for nearly three centuries. Travelers passing
through the region sketched the ruins, while archaeologists gradually
documented and catalogued the surviving fragments. Although there were
proposals to relocate the stones elsewhere during the Russian imperial period,
none materialized.
It was only during the Soviet era that Garni received the
attention needed for its revival. Beginning in 1969, Armenian architect
Alexander Shahinian led an ambitious reconstruction using the method of
anastylosis, a conservation technique that reassembles surviving original
elements while replacing only the missing pieces with carefully matched new
stone.
The work, completed in 1975, remains one of the most
discussed architectural restorations in the region. Around a third of the original
material was incorporated into the rebuilt structure, while new basalt was
sourced locally to complete the missing sections. Rather than disguising the
additions, conservators intentionally made subtle distinctions between original
and replacement stones, allowing specialists to identify what is ancient and
what belongs to the twentieth century.
The reconstruction continues to spark debate among
historians. For some, Garni is no longer entirely authentic because much of
what visitors see today was painstakingly rebuilt. Others argue that leaving
thousands of stone fragments scattered across the site would have revealed far
less about Armenia’s classical past than a carefully researched reconstruction
ever could. Regardless of where one stands, the restoration has allowed
generations of visitors to understand the scale, proportions and architectural
language of a monument that would otherwise exist only in archaeological
drawings.
More Than A Monument
Today, Garni is far more than a solitary temple overlooking
a gorge. The wider archaeological complex reveals layer upon layer of Armenian
history, from ancient fortress walls and Roman bathhouses to medieval churches
and carved inscriptions left by successive civilizations. Just below the
cliffs, the Symphony of Stones forms one of Armenia’s most striking natural
landmarks, where towering basalt columns resemble an immense pipe organ
sculpted by volcanic activity millions of years ago.
Most travelers pair Garni with the nearby Geghard
Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site carved into the mountainside, creating
a journey that moves seamlessly between Armenia’s pagan past and its Christian
heritage. Few destinations illustrate that transition as vividly.
Garni remains an anomaly in the Armenian landscape, but
perhaps that is precisely why it endures in the imagination. It is the
country’s lone surviving bridge to a pre-Christian world, shaped by Roman
influence, transformed through centuries of changing beliefs, reduced to rubble
by an earthquake, and brought back together stone by stone. Its columns may
belong to antiquity, but the story they tell stretches across two thousand
years of Armenian history.
FAQs
Q1. Why is Garni Temple famous?
Garni Temple is Armenia’s only surviving pagan temple and
the country’s best-preserved example of Greco-Roman architecture.
Q2. Who built Garni Temple?
Most historians believe King Tiridates I built the temple
in the first century CE, likely around 77 CE.
Q3. Why was Garni Temple not destroyed after Armenia
adopted Christianity?
Scholars believe it survived because it was repurposed as
part of a royal residence rather than continuing as an active pagan shrine.
Q4. Is Garni Temple original or reconstructed?
The temple collapsed in the 1679 earthquake and was
reconstructed between 1969 and 1975 using many of its original stones.
Q5. What else can visitors see at Garni?
The site includes Roman bath mosaics, ancient fortress
ruins, a medieval church, and views of the Symphony of Stones in the Azat
Gorge.
By Rooplekha Das
Outlook Traveler
There is something undeniably unexpected about seeing a
Greco-Roman temple in Armenia.
Drive less than an hour east of Yerevan and, instead of
the stone churches and monasteries that have come to define the country’s
identity, you arrive at a row of Ionic columns rising above a rugged gorge. It
feels almost misplaced, as though a fragment of the ancient Mediterranean
wandered into the Caucasus and never left.
That sense of surprise is exactly what makes Garni Temple
so compelling. It is not only Armenia’s only surviving pagan temple but also
the easternmost standing example of Hellenistic architecture in the South
Caucasus. In a country celebrated as the first to adopt Christianity as its
state religion in 301 CE, Garni is a reminder that another spiritual and
cultural world existed long before church bells echoed across the mountains. Its
survival, collapse, and eventual reconstruction tell a story that is every bit
as fascinating as the monument itself.
A Temple Born Between Rome & Armenia
Garni Temple stands on the edge of a rocky promontory
overlooking the Azat River Gorge in Kotayk Province, around 30 kilometers from
Yerevan. Its location was no accident. The site had long served as a royal
fortress, protected naturally by steep cliffs on three sides while offering
commanding views across the surrounding landscape. Even before the temple was
built, Garni had strategic importance, with evidence of settlements dating back
to the Bronze Age and inscriptions left behind by the ancient kingdom of
Urartu.
Most historians attribute the temple’s construction to
King Tiridates I during the first century CE, likely around 77 CE. Tiridates
had recently returned from Rome, where Emperor Nero formally recognized him as
King of Armenia after years of political negotiations between the Roman and
Parthian empires. His visit exposed him to Roman architecture and imperial
grandeur, influences that appear to have found _expression_ back home in Garni.
Built in the Ionic order from locally quarried grey
basalt, the temple reflects the spread of Hellenistic culture across the
eastern Mediterranean and western Asia. Rather than copying Roman architecture
outright, Garni blends classical proportions with regional craftsmanship,
creating a building that feels familiar yet distinctly Armenian.
Traditionally, the structure has been identified as a
temple dedicated to Mihr, the Armenian sun god closely associated with the
Persian Mithra. A Greek inscription discovered at the site in the twentieth
century links Tiridates I with the construction of both the temple and the
fortress, strengthening this interpretation. Yet not everyone agrees. Some
scholars argue that the building may instead have served as a royal mausoleum,
pointing to similarities with monumental tombs found in Asia Minor. The debate
continues, adding another layer of intrigue to a monument that still keeps some
of its secrets.
The Mystery Of Its Survival
Garni’s greatest mystery is not how it was built but why
it survived. When Armenia embraced Christianity in the early fourth century,
pagan sanctuaries across the kingdom were dismantled as the new faith reshaped
the country’s religious landscape. Temples disappeared, shrines were abandoned,
and older places of worship were either destroyed or converted.
Garni escaped that fate. No single explanation fully
answers why. Medieval Armenian sources suggest that the complex became a royal
summer residence associated with Princess Khosrovidukht, the sister of King
Tiridates III. If the building had already lost its religious role and become
part of a royal estate, it may have been spared during the widespread
destruction of pagan sanctuaries. Other historians believe its close connection
to Armenia’s royal lineage made demolition politically undesirable.
Over the centuries, the temple appears to have served
different purposes. Some researchers suggest it functioned as a bathhouse or
palace building, while others argue it may even have been adapted into a
baptistery for a period. Whatever its exact role, Garni gradually became less a
place of worship and more a valuable part of an evolving royal complex.
The site itself continued to grow. Roman baths with
beautifully preserved mosaic floors were built nearby, medieval churches rose
within the fortress walls, and Arabic inscriptions carved into the stone bear
witness to centuries of changing rulers and shifting empires. Far from being
frozen in time, Garni evolved alongside Armenia’s own history.
From Ruins To Reconstruction
The temple’s greatest threat arrived not through war or
religion but through nature. A devastating earthquake struck the region in
1679, bringing the entire colonnaded structure crashing to the ground. Massive
basalt columns, capitals and carved stone blocks lay scattered across the
hillside, where they remained for nearly three centuries. Travelers passing
through the region sketched the ruins, while archaeologists gradually
documented and catalogued the surviving fragments. Although there were
proposals to relocate the stones elsewhere during the Russian imperial period,
none materialized.
It was only during the Soviet era that Garni received the
attention needed for its revival. Beginning in 1969, Armenian architect
Alexander Shahinian led an ambitious reconstruction using the method of
anastylosis, a conservation technique that reassembles surviving original
elements while replacing only the missing pieces with carefully matched new
stone.
The work, completed in 1975, remains one of the most
discussed architectural restorations in the region. Around a third of the original
material was incorporated into the rebuilt structure, while new basalt was
sourced locally to complete the missing sections. Rather than disguising the
additions, conservators intentionally made subtle distinctions between original
and replacement stones, allowing specialists to identify what is ancient and
what belongs to the twentieth century.
The reconstruction continues to spark debate among
historians. For some, Garni is no longer entirely authentic because much of
what visitors see today was painstakingly rebuilt. Others argue that leaving
thousands of stone fragments scattered across the site would have revealed far
less about Armenia’s classical past than a carefully researched reconstruction
ever could. Regardless of where one stands, the restoration has allowed
generations of visitors to understand the scale, proportions and architectural
language of a monument that would otherwise exist only in archaeological
drawings.
More Than A Monument
Today, Garni is far more than a solitary temple overlooking
a gorge. The wider archaeological complex reveals layer upon layer of Armenian
history, from ancient fortress walls and Roman bathhouses to medieval churches
and carved inscriptions left by successive civilizations. Just below the
cliffs, the Symphony of Stones forms one of Armenia’s most striking natural
landmarks, where towering basalt columns resemble an immense pipe organ
sculpted by volcanic activity millions of years ago.
Most travelers pair Garni with the nearby Geghard
Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site carved into the mountainside, creating
a journey that moves seamlessly between Armenia’s pagan past and its Christian
heritage. Few destinations illustrate that transition as vividly.
Garni remains an anomaly in the Armenian landscape, but
perhaps that is precisely why it endures in the imagination. It is the
country’s lone surviving bridge to a pre-Christian world, shaped by Roman
influence, transformed through centuries of changing beliefs, reduced to rubble
by an earthquake, and brought back together stone by stone. Its columns may
belong to antiquity, but the story they tell stretches across two thousand
years of Armenian history.
FAQs
Q1. Why is Garni Temple famous?
Garni Temple is Armenia’s only surviving pagan temple and
the country’s best-preserved example of Greco-Roman architecture.
Q2. Who built Garni Temple?
Most historians believe King Tiridates I built the temple
in the first century CE, likely around 77 CE.
Q3. Why was Garni Temple not destroyed after Armenia
adopted Christianity?
Scholars believe it survived because it was repurposed as
part of a royal residence rather than continuing as an active pagan shrine.
Q4. Is Garni Temple original or reconstructed?
The temple collapsed in the 1679 earthquake and was
reconstructed between 1969 and 1975 using many of its original stones.
Q5. What else can visitors see at Garni?
ruins, a medieval church, and views of the Symphony of Stones in the Azat
Gorge.
Starlink has donated another 56 devices to Armenia to help the country prepare for potential future emergencies and strengthen the resilience of its internet connectivity.
Armenian Minister of High-Tech Industry Mkhitar Hayrapetyan announced the donation in a Facebook post.
According to the minister, the equipment was provided to the Armenian government following negotiations between the Ministry of High-Tech Industry and the U.S.-based company Starlink.
“These devices will help ensure reliable, high-speed internet connectivity for effective response during disasters and other emergency situations,” Hayrapetyan wrote.
According to the minister, the initiative was implemented through cooperation between the Ministries of High-Tech Industry and Internal Affairs. The equipment has already arrived in Armenia and is to be transferred to the Ministry of Internal Affairs for use by the Rescue Service.
The devices will help strengthen communications redundancy during emergencies, particularly in rescue operations, natural disasters and crisis situations, as well as in cases where traditional communications infrastructure is limited, overloaded or disrupted.
Starlink is a low Earth orbit satellite system that provides reliable, high-speed broadband internet to millions of users worldwide. It plays an important role in supporting emergency response services, particularly by ensuring uninterrupted connectivity in remote areas and during crises.
According to the minister, the donation is a continuation of the cooperation established between Starlink and Armenia’s Ministry of High-Tech Industry. Under that cooperation, 110 Starlink devices already provide internet connectivity for thousands of students in schools located in Armenia’s remote communities.
On 5 April 2026, Russian-Israeli blogger and journalist Alexander Lapshin was denied entry to Armenia upon arrival at Yerevan airport. According to public statements by Lapshin, Armenian authorities refused him entry after previously declining to issue him an electronic visa.
Lapshin stated that officials referred to an interview he had conducted with a former Armenian prisoner of war concerning allegations of torture in Azerbaijani detention. He also suggested that the decision may have been linked to earlier requests by the Belarusian authorities concerning him. Armenian authorities have not publicly provided detailed grounds for the entry ban beyond visa-related explanations reported in the media.The blogger had previously been detained several times in Armenia following requests from Belarusian authorities, who reportedly sought his extradition. In February 2026, an Armenian court reportedly found that the Belarusian charges against him were incompatible with Armenian legal norms.
Follow-up actions expectedThe authorities are invited to provide information on the legal and factual grounds for the refusal of entry imposed on Alexander Lapshin, including whether his journalistic activities or public commentary played any role in the decision. The authorities are also invited to clarify the safeguards in place to ensure that restrictions affecting journalists and bloggers are necessary, proportionate and compatible with freedom of _expression_ obligations under Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Tha Armenian government has until August 12, 2026 to respond to the Council of Europe’s inquiry.
A 34-year-old man from Armenia has pleaded guilty to targeting five U.S. companies and one private school with Ryuk ransomware attacks, including a business in Oregon that had its data and credentials stolen in 2019, according to court records.
Karen Serobovich Vardanyan on Wednesday pleaded guilty to conspiracy and computer fraud in federal court in Portland.
Ryuk ransomware is a type of malicious software designed to encrypt data on a computer or network and prevent access to encrypted files until the victim pays a ransom.
As part of the plea agreement, Vardanyan has agreed to pay over $1.1 million in restitution, federal prosecutors said. He’ll be sentenced on Sept. 22.
Prosecutors did not identify the companies or school attacked.
But prior news accounts reported a major cyberattack hit the Norwegian aluminum and renewable energy company Norsk Hydro in 2019, forcing its Portland area plant to use manual operations after at least 15 workstations were compromised and company credentials and data were stolen. The coverage noted that the plant didn’t pay the ransom, which is consistent with the indictment in this case.
Vardanyan and three accomplices from March 2019 through September 2020 accessed hundreds of computer servers and workstations at the Oregon company, at four other companies in Virginia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and California and at a private school in Texas, according to federal prosecutors.
Vardanyan and his alleged accomplices were paid 200 Bitcoin, valued at $1.1 million at the time, to restore access to the unidentified Michigan company’s network, according to federal prosecutors.
In Virginia, an unidentified company in March 2019 paid a total of 110 Bitcoin following a ransomware attack that compromised 100 servers and 300 workstations, according to court records.
The unidentified company hit in Pennsylvania in September 2020 paid 1,300 Bitcoin following the ransomware attack that compromised 100 servers, prosecutors said.
The hackers were paid a total of 1,610 Bitcoin, worth about $15 million, in their extortion scheme, according to the U.S. government.
Vardanyan was extradited from Ukraine to the United States last year.
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Serzh Sargsyan to be absent from court hearings during trial
Armenia’s Anti-Corruption Court has granted a motion filed by defence lawyer Amram Makinyan, allowing Armenia’s third president, Serzh Sargsyan, to be absent from court hearings during the examination of his criminal case. In the motion, the defence stated that Sargsyan remains at liberty, is represented by legal counsel and does not object to the proceedings continuing in his absence. According to Makinyan, the defence has already established its legal position in the case, and Sargsyan’s interests will be fully represented in court by his lawyers. “Serzh Sargsyan is in no way waiving his procedural rights or obstructing the proceedings. He will appear before the court if his presence is deemed mandatory,” Makinyan said. The court granted the motion, ruling that Sargsyan’s presence is not required during the examination of written evidence. It added that he would be summoned if the court later considers his attendance necessary. The court also granted a motion filed by Barsegh Beglaryan, owner of Flash LLC, allowing future hearings to proceed in his absence. The prosecution did not object to either motion. At the July 13 hearing, the court proceeded to the main trial stage, with the prosecution delivering its opening statement. Several criminal cases involving Sargsyan have been merged and are being examined in a single proceeding. Sargsyan is charged, among other offences, with organising the embezzlement of an especially large amount of state funds. According to the prosecution, AMD 489,160,310 allocated under a state subsidy programme in 2013 was misappropriated in connection with a diesel fuel procurement scheme. In another merged case, Sargsyan is accused of alleged abuses committed during his tenure as defence minister. According to the prosecution, 17 real estate properties on the balance sheet of the Ministry of Defence were sold to various individuals at prices substantially below market value. Sargsyan denies all the charges.
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Anna Hakobyan to travel to Ethiopia to attend international conference
Anna Hakobyan, the wife of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, will travel to the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia on July 19-21. The decision was signed by Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan. According to the decision, Hakobyan will travel to Addis Ababa to attend the international conference titled “Peace and Sustainable Development: A Philosophical Inquiry.” The Office of the Prime Minister has been instructed to reimburse the actual expenses related to the trip in accordance with the established procedure. The decision also specifies that the daily allowance for July 19 will be calculated based on the transit location of Dubai. It further stipulates that, within three working days of returning from the trip, Hakobyan will submit the required reports to the Office of the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia and Civilian Operations Commander and Manag
On July 13, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia, jointly with the new European Union Partnership Mission in Armenia (EUPM Armenia), organised a roundtable event hosted by Vahan Kostanyan, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, and Stefano Tomat, Civilian Operations Commander and Managing Director of the EEAS, together with Vassilis Maragos, Ambassador of the European Union to Armenia, and Cosmin Dinescu, Head of EUPM Armenia. The joint event was timed to coincide with the adoption of the Council Decision on the launch of EUPM Armenia. The launch of EUPM Armenia marks an important new chapter in the partnership between Armenia and the European Union. Through this Mission, the EU is reaffirming its commitment to supporting Armenia’s resilience and institutional capacity in the face of increasingly evolving challenges. Through strategic advice, technical expertise and institutional capacity-building, the Mission will work in close partnership with Armenia’s institutions to strengthen policy frameworks, enhance government capacities in the mandate areas and support coordination across relevant state bodies. The event brought together representatives from civil society, academia and policy experts for a presentation of EUPM Armenia as a partner for Armenia’s resilience and provided the opportunity for an exchange of views on the topic of strengthening Armenia’s resilience against evolving threats such as cyber threats, foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI) as well as illicit financial flows. Background The European Union Partnership Mission in Armenia (EUPM Armenia) is a civilian advisory mission, under the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). The Mission was established on 21 April 2026 and launched on 13 July 2026. EUPM Armenia has been established at the request of the Armenian government. The mission is part of a broader and coherent EU approach, combining short and longer-term support to help strengthen Armenia’s resilience. EUPM Armenia has no executive mandate. It has no role in the decision-making processes of the Armenian authorities
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Armenpress: Knesset vote on Armenian Genocide recognition suspended, JNS repor
A vote on a resolution to recognise the Armenian Genocide has been suspended in Israel’s parliament, the Knesset. JNS reported the development, citing an Israeli official. In late June, the Israeli government unanimously approved a proposal to officially recognise the Armenian Genocide. The proposal was subsequently due to be submitted to the Knesset for approval. According to JNS, the vote was suspended during a diplomatically sensitive period amid renewed tensions in the region. The publication noted that relations between Israel and Türkiye have deteriorated in recent months over the war in Gaza and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s sharp criticism of Israel. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, who presented the recognition proposal to the government, previously described it as the right decision and a matter of historical justice. According to the Associated Press, the Israeli government also justified the decision by citing Türkiye’s policy of denying and downplaying historical facts. Türkiye described the Israeli government’s decision as politically motivated. According to JNS, the decision to suspend the parliamentary vote may be seen as part of international efforts to ease tensions between Israel and Türkiye. JNS also reported that Azerbaijani authorities had condemned the Israeli government’s decision last month and called for it to be reversed. The publication noted that Azerbaijan maintains longstanding ties with both Türkiye and Israel and has long sought to play a mediating role between the two countries. The Knesset is scheduled to begin its summer recess later this week and, according to JNS, will not reconvene before the national elections scheduled for October 27.
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