March: 19, 2026
The statement of Kaya Kalas, head of EU diplomacy, about sending a “hybrid rapid reaction group” to Armenia was an exclusively anti-Russian statement. 168 TVof Revue this is how he assessed it on the air of the program Member of RPA council, political scientist Armen Hovasapyanspeaking on the topic of manipulation of the issue of “hybrid threats” and external interventions ahead of the National Assembly elections to be held in Armenia on June 7.
According to him, Nikol Pashinyan and his government have made a “hybrid war” during the last year, while in reality, as Armen Hovasapyan believes, they are conducting a “hybrid war” against Armenians and Armenianness.
“In my opinion, Turkey is also speaking through Kalas’ lips somewhere. Do you remember, don’t you, the Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s statement that they support Nikol Pashinyan in every way and will welcome him if he is re-elected and continues his policy in the Armenian-Turkish, Armenian-Azerbaijani processes? Translated from diplomatic language, it means that they want the power of Nikol Pashinyan to be reproduced in Armenia. Let’s not forget that Hakan Fidan was the head of Turkey’s counter-intelligence for a long time, and when Erdogan appointed him the minister of foreign affairs, it was not just a step taken because the head of counter-intelligence, becoming the foreign minister, we already understand what tactics and strategies he will adopt in the near future when conducting foreign policy, and this text of Fidan was expressed yesterday by Kalas, because Turkey is the representative of the West’s interests in the region, Armen added. Hovasapyan.
According to the political scientist, the “hybrid reaction” mission of the European Union itself is an open interference in the internal affairs of Armenia and in particular, in the parliamentary elections.
According to Armen Hovasapyan, Kaya Kalas is sending a “group of support” to Nikol Pashinyan. “Pashinyan and his team made the topic of “hybrid war” or “hybrid threats” a “mouthpiece”, but they don’t say it completely, they leave those loopholes, places for maneuvering, so that, for example, Allen or someone else could go to a meeting with Matvienko, Lavrov, and have a place to avoid saying, “we didn’t say anything to Russia”. In other words, this is another manipulation, when you say something, and everyone knows who you mean, but it seems that you didn’t say anything, but people who understand the case understand what it is about. The actual Kaya Kalas declares: “We listened to Nikol Pashinyan’s voice, heeded his plea in the European Parliament, and we will send a “gruppa support” to prevent a hybrid war in the elections in Armenia.”
In other words, in the elections of Armenia, when the political power should receive the primary mandate, and the National Assembly and Government will be formed, an external force will be involved in the process. This means that there will be a direct Western intervention in the internal affairs of Armenia, which will try to present reports, opinions and evaluations about the elections that are pleasing to its taste.”
Speaking about the ongoing military operations by the Israel-US coalition against neighboring Iran and the dangers and effects threatening Armenia, the political scientist expressed the opinion that the war against Iran makes the TRIPP project obsolete.
“Iran will not tolerate any program in the name of Trump near its borders. TRIPP is dead, and the war is settled as he wants. If the current regime is preserved in Iran, and the Iranian government is able to continue this whole large-scale war and preserve its civilizational model and its religious state system that exists today, the junction called TRIPP will not work,” comments the political scientist.
According to Armen Hovasapyan, if the United States takes ground operations against Iran, then Iran will not become the second “Iraq”, but the second “Vietnam” for the United States.
Let’s remind that the head of EU diplomacy Kaya Kalas at the press conference held on March 16 announced, that “the European Union, following Armenia’s request, will send a hybrid rapid response team to help counter threats ahead of the elections.” Kaya Kalas also noted. “Supporting the resilience of neighborhood democracy remains important. We will not leave Armenia alone to rebuke foreign interference. Democracies under pressure can count on Europe.”
Full interview in the video.
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They will not be able to stop us. people are tired of a weak leader. 81 days to m
March: 19, 2026
“OhandThe speech of Narek Karapetyan, a member of the board of the “Great Armenia” party, at the presentation of the “Strong Peace” security program by Samvel Karapetyan.
Dear compatriots,
During this event, we will hear from the world’s best security experts and present the smartest programs to make our children’s lives safer.
After the elections in Armenia in June, Samvel Karapetyan will assume the responsibility of governing the country, according to all independent polls, according to thousands of signals received from people. We have a lot of work to do, to restore the damage that Pashinyan has caused to the country’s economy and security.
During the past three months, we have worked non-stop to prepare and present our economic and security plans to our people.
Every commitment in the economic program is guaranteed by Samvel Karapetyan. They are not pre-election promises. our people do not like the word “promise”, “promise” is synonymous with failure. These are clear economic steps that will be applied from the first day after Samvel Karapetyan became the Prime Minister. This will help raise the standard of living of every citizen of our country, which will help stop the decline of the population of the marzes, revitalize our communities in poverty and give a new impetus to our capital.
Dear compatriots,
We have started the economic program because a strong economy is the solid foundation on which a strong and lasting peace can be built. In today’s world, those countries that do not have a strong economy cannot fully guarantee their security, especially in such a troubled and complex region as Armenia is today.
A stronger economy means more funds, which can be directed to the development of state-of-the-art defense capabilities and weaponry, to the military. Under the Prime Ministership of Samvel Karapetyan, Armenia will expand its strategic economic ties, and its international ties will bring new investments to Armenia from different parts of the world. Today, both the East and the West are interested in a safe road from China to Europe, and historically that road passed through Armenia, and it still passes today. This is an opportunity that only a strong leader like Samvel Karapetyan can take advantage of.
Under the conditions of a weak Pashinyan, Armenia will simply agree to such economic relations in which the other side will mainly benefit, as, for example, in the case of the import of gasoline from Azerbaijan, while our citizens are still being held as hostages in their prisons.
Dear compatriots,
Many heroes who bravely fought for the defense of our motherland are present in this hall. I would like to thank them from the bottom of my heart for their service. Unfortunately, they became victims of Pashinyan’s weak leadership. Armenia lost the war because of weak leadership. Today we have a historic opportunity to change that reality. They tried to stop us in the past, they failed, all of us. They will try to stop us in the future, but they will not succeed.
Who can stop your will to create a strong Armenia? People are present here whom Azerbaijan could not stop, Pashinyan will definitely not be able to.
Replacing the weak leadership of Nikol Pashinyan, which can only offer temporary peace, the strong leadership of Samvel Karapetyan guarantees a strong and lasting peace, guaranteed peace.
Today we will present in detail the security program developed by a team of leading security experts from Armenia and abroad. The security plan is based on six promises. As in the case of the economic program, as in the case of the security program, this is not a pre-election promise. This is a clear plan that Samvel Karapetyan will start implementing after becoming the prime minister, from the very first day.
The people of Armenia are desperately looking for a strong leader today. People are tired of being weak. People are tired of the weak Pashinyan, who eats corn on the bus, instead he could at least discuss regional processes with world leaders on the phone. According to polls, more than 80% of people fear that a weak government will create new challenges for Armenia, that Armenia may be attacked by the enemy again. 80% of our society is afraid of a new attack. Pashinyan has already lost three wars, and we must stop him before he starts a new war with his weakness.
A few days ago, I met an Armenian man who, talking about the situation, told me: “Peace is not achieved by begging, especially in this region. If you beg, all you will get is war.” He is right. the only guarantee of a strong and lasting peace is to have a strong Armenia.
Let us all unite around Samvel Karapetyan, a strong leader. Let’s go into every village, every city and tell people that a real strong leader is coming to lead.
Let’s work every day for a great victory – for the victory of all of us, for a historic victory that will enable us to quickly implement the changes that Armenia needs.
In 81 days our life will change, our security will change.
This is our mission, this is our will, for the sake of a strong Armenia.
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168: Trump is in a panic, Iran will demand a big price. Artsakh is in advance for Aliyev
March: 19, 2026
In the “Pressing” program Satik Seyranyan the guest is candidate of historical sciences Mihran Hakobyan is։
The main theses of the interview are below.
- Today, the US is actually in a deadlock because many people there have viewed Iran as a state similar to Iraq, which is not the case at all. Iran has never in history allowed anyone who wants to be an adversary to cross the Euphrates. In terms of resources, no country can beat Iran in a conventional war. A ground operation is needed to win, and Iran needs 6-7 million soldiers to win, which no one can afford. They will hurt Iran, but they cannot win. The US has already suffered $10 billion in damage, which will take a long time to recover. Two American aircraft carriers escaped because they understood that Iran can attack. In addition, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has seriously damaged the region.
- In 1979, when the USSR invaded Afghanistan, didn’t they calculate that they were entering a 10-year war? At first, they decided to solve the issue with the limited resources of the 40th Army. Now it is the same with the USA. Maybe there were calculations, maybe not. But the logic of war has changed. For example, if the PATRIOT used to shoot down missiles, now it pursues other goals. The US produces 600 of that system a year. What will he do with it: take care of his needs, provide allies? It’s complicated. In the case of Iran, the matter is complicated by the fact that Iran has been preparing for this war for many years, it knew that it would suffer heavy losses and is acting in advance. with a planned plan. Iran’s missiles are hidden in the mountains, almost undetectable. The overthrow of Iran’s military-political leadership will, of course, affect Iran, but it will not be of critical importance, because Iran knows when, who and with whom it will be replaced. Iran’s leadership consciously went to martyrdom:
- From Trump’s press conferences in recent days, it can be seen that he is also at a dead end, he doesn’t know what to do. Humanity, unfortunately, does not learn from history. There are already reports that Trump has asked Putin to help in negotiations with the leadership of Iran… The same Putin, whose country they allegedly did something against and demonized Putin…
- It is not excluded that they made an “assumption” against Trump, or presented something else, while the reality is completely different.
- Iran will demand a price for the ceasefire. Trump started the war together with Israel when he wanted, but ending the war will not be decided by the USA alone, because the other party will want a big price. Donald Trump has started a war in the Middle East that will be very difficult to stop. That’s not how life and politics work. Trump cannot say like Nicole: whatever happens, we will not consider ourselves defeated and go home:
- During the entire history of the existence of the Islamic Republic, Iran’s foreign policy actions did not contain elements of religious fanaticism.
- It is never possible to hear the representatives of the Shiite sect say, let’s do jihad in, for example, Denmark, or go blow up Paris.:
- It is a political and social axiom. the minority is always more purposeful, more organized, and therefore more passionate and aggressive. That’s what sectarian, religious groups are like in the US.
- In the last 30 years, everyone has understood that the United States is a paper tiger and cannot even compete with middle-class countries such as Iran. He’s targeting weak countries like Yugoslavia, Venezuela, and so on. At this point, it’s obvious that Trump is panicking, he doesn’t know how to end this war, because it’s obvious that nobody is going to go to a ground war against Iran. They start the war when they want and end it when they can. Now, I repeat, it does not depend on the USA. There is no expert in the USA who is not amazed by this war, they do not understand why it was needed. For the first time, a majority of the US population is not on the side of Israel. People see that led by Netanyahu Today, Israel is Mr. Genocide, they have seen what Israel has done in Palestine, Gaza and other areas, it is doing what the Nazis did in the past.:
- How did you decide that, for example, France or Israel should have nuclear weapons and Iran should not? What is missing, why can’t it have, is there a parameter by which it is possible to say that it is fair for the French to have nuclear weapons and, for example, the Iranians not?
- The developments of recent years have shown that the country that has nuclear weapons is sovereign. Well, let them try to do the same with North Korea as they are doing with Iran today. even nuclear weapons will fall on American cities. Life proved that the right one was North Korea. How can one allow the leader of one country to steal from the leader of another country? What is stealing or destroying a head of state? Throughout human history, there has always been respect for enemy leaders. The rules of the game have changed today. In the 21st century, a member of the United Nations, a democratically formed head of state is assassinated. What’s wrong with Trump, he’s over 80, he’s here today, he’s gone tomorrow, what about the others? Many countries realize this and try to distance themselves from the USA. Trump’s policies will have consequences in both the medium and long term:
- Of course, there are several different versions, but it is not excluded that Iran, although it denied it, sent an anti-aircraft missile in the direction of Nakhichevan itself as a warning to Azerbaijan. In Iran, they understand, don’t they, what small airports like Nakhijevan and similar airports are for. They are ideal for organizing UAV flights. And they understand it well in Iran. Aliyev Artsakh in 2020 Didn’t they give it just like that… Aliyev will have to pay the price for what he got in Nagorno Karabakh. that victory was given to him in advance in 2020, not because of Aliyev’s beautiful eyes…
- If Aliyev sends humanitarian aid to Iran, it means that he is in a very difficult situation. Aliyev himself will not decide whether to attack Iran from his territory or not. When they say, he will do it. The moment he refused, the next second he will not be in power, Gaddafi’s day will fall. Ahudoghov is waiting so that he doesn’t suddenly get a call like this, so that they don’t tell him that you have to give up your territory to carry out flights and strikes against Iran… We don’t know if Aliyev and Israel agreed on the price of Artsakh, or if they told him to wait, we will tell you.:
- As Aliyev says, we use Armenia’s airspace without asking, they have the same perception about land routes. Who should they ask, Nikol Pashinyan… are you serious… Nikol Pashinyan can be taken to participate in various events, political weaklings will be thrown against him, he will feel good wearing Gorbachev’s hat, he will come here, he will sell to the people…
- During the Soviet years, Moscow did not want Azerbaijan to have direct contact with Nakhichevan, because in 1920-21, when the borders were drawn, there is a writing about it, the Bolsheviks decided to give Karabakh to Azerbaijan, Zangezur remains uncertain, and they give Nakhichevan to Armenia. But it didn’t happen like that, an interim decision was made to create an autonomous republic. Why an autonomous republic, because 43% of the population were Armenians, the status was decided, the Armenians did not disintegrate, and the Syunik issue was resolved, because Syunik was the wedge that the Turks said was stuck between Azerbaijan and Nakhichevan. And we are indebted to Anastas for the road connecting Armenia to Iran Mikoyan. Like Heydar Aliyev in the 1980s, now his son wants a big road, a track on which Armenia will not have sovereignty. This was ensured by TRIPP, which has lost its relevance as a result of Trump’s watery policies. Trump solved the conflict of decades, the blood of thousands of victims with a watery approach, in front of the cameras, with his mouth open, with a smile… Trump was not solving a problem, but a PR issue for American domestic politics:
- European political elites are far more depraved and ignorant than American elites, and Europeans are paying the price. The European authorities today are a group of ignoramuses whose foreign policy is run by a gang of puppets. They are applauding for the loss of Karabakh, and this is when Aliyev did in Karabakh what the Nazis did in Germany:
- Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidani, US Vice President J.D. Vance, European officials, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaya Kalas, about support for Nikol Pashinyan in these elections. Nikol was given carte blanche, saying: go ahead, do whatever you want, fake the elections, the votes as much as you want, we stand behind you… Does the fact that the Armenian people are disappointed with the United States change much in the life of that country? They want to remove the Russians from the region, bring the Turks to their place, and that’s it, the Armenian people are very interested?
- What everyone has done and what to do is clear, but it is not clear: what do the Armenian people want, do they want to have a state or do they want to become Turkish vassals?
Armenia is preparing for elections, what do the election participants say? They are in the same populist line, and for some reason, they say: Armenian people want this, we give it. They do not take into account public opinion, they shape it. And have you tried to shape public opinion? Why did you decide that this is what the people want in this degraded information flow? What is the difference between you and Nicole? There is no word on what we will do about the Karabakh issue. Did we digest it? In the end, they will say: well, Nikol was a traitor, he gave away Karabakh, clap your hands, move on… Generations will pass, let’s wait, let’s see when Azerbaijan will collapse, how will this issue be resolved… Is this what he wants? our people. If this is what our nation wants, then I and many others are not from this nation. And since there are many of us who think like this, I think our nation does not want that. Our national elite, our political parties offer nothing for many different reasons. One considers that it is not worth being good or bad with Russia and the other with America. Well, can we at least talk about Karabakh?
- Armenians do not decide whether the Artsakh issue is open or closed. This is reality and geopolitics, and you cannot ignore it. When the Kremlin’s direct agent liberal Venediktov comes to Yerevan, he manages to give 50 interviews in a few days, he meets different people in different cafes all day, no one pays attention to the fact that in his interviews he draws a red line with the idea that you do not decide whether to open or close the issue of Artsakh. At some point, it will be in the interests of some superpower to open the issue of Artsakh, therefore, is it possible to be a subject, not an object?
- How many pennies are those pan-Armenian parties worth if they are not able to make noise about the Artsakh issue in the countries where they live? Don’t they have someone to go and stand in front of the White House with a poster? I’m not saying anything resourceful. I’m not saying that you haven’t been able to create a competitive media outlet in the US for so many years that will form an opinion. They cannot publish an article in the leading media. Let them, another time they will talk about pan-Armenian agendas, they will say: we are a global nation, we have pan-Armenian parties. What happened to Artsakh made it clear that all these are myths.
It turned out that dying for the Motherland was also a myth… It turned out that there can be a government in Armenia that Artsakh can hand over, bow to the Turks and remain glued to its seat until today. Do you remember, don’t you, that the land grantor was given the land for 800 hectares, which, later on, turned out to be a false number… Today, the public is in public drunkenness. its end is either death or awakening. When you wanted to stand up, achieve something, you did it, when you wanted to put yourself in the place of something big, you failed. If a person is sick, he must come to terms with that reality and be treated. A diagnosis must be made.
- There is no example in the history of the world when the country switched to a professional army and was not destroyed.
- You lost and you lost badly, Armenian people, you were humiliated. And until the Armenian nation accepts this and stops putting itself in the place of an ostrich, it will continue like this all the time. But it has a limit. It’s going to break somewhere. You cannot forever not understand that you have been defeated, humiliated. Well, what are we doing? you have to come together, go ahead and win.
- Our financial and economic elite, who take advantage of the benefits of this country, have a pirate mentality. He has rights and no responsibilities, their children should not serve. We should give the money, let other people’s children serve. There isn’t a country in the world that went through a professional army and didn’t rot in the end. This is how Rome exploded. There is no such example in the world.
- We are walking on the edge of a knife, anything can happen here, geopolitical interests can change, and after 48 hours, Nikol Pashinyan will not be there, because he is glued to the prime minister’s chair purely as a result of geopolitical consensus.:
- The favorite power of the opposition is the power of Samvel Karapetyan, who was subjected to political persecution for just one sentence, he was imprisoned and is still under house arrest because he said: we will protect the church in our own way. If Samvel Karapetyan was a member of a mafia clan, related to a terrorist organization, then one could think that his wording “in our way” could be dangerous, but the person was unjustly imprisoned, and today he is going to the elections in this anti-democratic environment…
- The political forces that want to go to the elections should be ready for 2021. the scenario that resulted in the depopulation of Artsakh. Let them decide. My approach was to achieve a change of power through street pressure, through impeachment, through constitutional means:
Details in the video.
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RFE/RL – Questions Raised Over Criminal Record Certificate In Case Involving R
- Mkrtich Karapetian
A criminal case involving the brother of a senior ruling party figure in Armenia has raised questions about the integrity of official records and lenient sentencing procedures amid concerns about potential influence peddling.
Avet Konjorian, 44, the elder brother of Hayk Konjorian, head of the parliamentary faction of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s ruling Civil Contract party, was fined in early 2026 after being prosecuted for driving while deprived of his license. However, the circumstances under which he received a relatively mild punishment have drawn scrutiny – particularly due to the appearance of a certificate stating he had no prior convictions despite a documented criminal record.
Repeat Offense, Lenient Punishment
According to official court data available on Datalex, the Armenian judiciary’s electronic database, Avet Konjorian was stripped of his driving license for one year in July 2025. Just three months later, patrol officers found him driving a Mercedes, prompting the initiation of criminal proceedings by the Investigation Department of Armenia’s Kotayk province.
Besides a substantial fine, driving while deprived of the right to operate a vehicle carries a range of penalties, including imprisonment of up to one month or community service of up to 150 hours.
However, within weeks, the case was sent to court and resolved through a “fine by agreement,” a procedure permitted under Armenia’s Code of Criminal Procedure for minor, first-time offenses committed by individuals without prior convictions. Avet Konjorian agreed to the arrangement and was fined 375,000 drams (about $1,000), with the court deferring payment after he claimed inability to pay the sum in full. The ruling entered into force on January 29.
“Clean Record” Certificate
Central to the court’s decision was a Form 8 certificate issued by the Police Information Center, stating that Avet Konjorian had no previous convictions. This document allowed the case to qualify for resolution through a fine by agreement, which requires that the accused have no prior criminal record.
However, Avet Konjorian had previously been convicted in 2010 of large-scale fraud. According to that case, he and an associate deceived a resident of the town of Abovian into paying approximately $15,000 under the pretense of purchasing an apartment, then embezzled the funds.
A court found Avet Konjorian guilty and sentenced him to four years’ imprisonment, suspended with a three-year probationary period. The verdict was upheld after prosecutors unsuccessfully sought a harsher sentence. Mitigating factors cited at the time for Avet Konjorian’s suspended sentence included full restitution of the $15,000, the presence of two young children, and character references from neighbors describing him as “a devoted son of the homeland.”
Contradictory Explanations
The presence of a certificate indicating no prior convictions has prompted conflicting explanations from Armenian authorities.
In response to inquiries from RFE/RL’s Armenian Service, the Ministry of Internal Affairs stated that its records do not show any Form 8 certificate indicating the absence of a criminal record that was issued for Avet Konjorian in 2025. The ministry added that it has requested a copy of the certificate from the court for further examination.
The Investigative Committee, which handled the case, has offered a different account, maintaining that the certificate was indeed obtained from the Crime Statistics and Research Center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and included in the case file.
The discrepancy leaves unresolved how the document entered the proceedings.
Expungement Argument
Avet Konjorian’s lawyer, Melanya Sargsian, argued that the issue hinges on the legal concept of expungement. She said that for minor or medium-gravity crimes, a conviction is considered expunged after a certain period, after which a person is treated as having no prior convictions.
“It does not matter whether it is Avet Konjorian or anyone else, if the conviction has been expunged, then the person is considered not to have a prior conviction,” she said.
However, the Ministry of Internal Affairs offered a different interpretation. In its response, it stated that Form 8 certificates should include all relevant data about individuals, including their past convictions and expungement status. The ministry emphasized that such records are retained in the operational database regardless of expungement, as stipulated by government Resolution 933-N.
Unanswered Questions
In one of his speeches in parliament in 2021, Hayk Konjorian stressed that “personal relationships and aspects of private life can become the subject of political debate when they in some way affect the public good.”
“We have seen such examples when sons-in-law, godparents, in-laws’ drivers and mistresses have used their positions to harm the public interest,” he said, referring to Armenia’s previous administrations.
RFE/RL’s Armenian Service asked Avet Konjorian’s lawyer whether external influence could have played a role in the appearance of the “clean” certificate, given her client’s family connections. Sargsian dismissed the suggestion.
“No, no, no… don’t look for any interference here. If a person has an expunged conviction, he is considered to have no conviction,” she said.
Avet Konjorian declined to comment on his prior conviction when contacted by RFE/RL’s Armenian Service, ending the phone call.
Beyond the criminal record issue, discrepancies also appear in Avet Konjorian’s employment records. While court documents describe him as unemployed and unable to pay the fine immediately, official records indicate that he continued to serve as director of a real estate company for most of the duration of the court proceedings, leaving the position only several weeks before the ruling entered into force. Presenting Avet Konjorian as unemployed may therefore have led the court to apply a more lenient standard in determining the final fine.
Armenian Minister Vague On Declaration Reference In Draft Constitution
Armenian Justice Minister Srbuhi Galian declined on Wednesday to clarify whether a newly drafted constitution retains a reference to the country’s Declaration of Independence, an issue that has lately become a key point of contention in relations with Azerbaijan.
Speaking to reporters in parliament, Galian said the current draft text does not yet include a preamble, where the reference appears in Armenia’s existing constitution. She added that discussions on the draft are still ongoing within the government and the ruling party’s parliamentary faction, and that the full text, including the preamble, will be published at a later stage.
Azerbaijan has argued that the reference to the 1990 Declaration of Independence in Armenia’s constitution amounts to a territorial claim to Nagorno-Karabakh, a region that was predominantly populated by ethnic Armenians and remained outside Baku’s control for decades until Azerbaijan completed its military takeover in 2023, triggering an exodus of the local Armenian population.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian recently reiterated his position that Armenia’s new constitution should not include any reference to the declaration. The document, adopted in 1990, cites a 1989 unification act between Soviet Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.
“Let me tell you why: because the Declaration of Independence is built on the logic of conflict. We cannot follow the logic of conflict if we want to build an independent state,” Pashinian said in a video message last week.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has repeatedly stated that Baku will not sign a peace treaty with Armenia, initialed last August, unless the reference is removed from Armenia’s constitution. Under Armenian law, such a change would require the adoption of a new constitution through a national referendum.
Pashinian has said the new constitution would be put to a referendum after parliamentary elections scheduled for June 7. Galian did not rule out that a draft could be published before the vote, but noted it would not be a final version and could still be revised.
She also stressed that Armenia should avoid legal provisions that contradict its peace agenda.
“I don’t want you to get the impression that we are avoiding presenting what exactly will be included in the preamble,” Galian said. “The Constitution isn’t just a bill. It’s the legal foundation of our state, and we certainly can’t summarize all of our approaches in a single discussion.”
Noting that while there is no date set for the referendum yet, the minister gave assurances that the public will be given sufficient time to review the draft before voting.
Opposition groups have criticized Pashinian’s stance, arguing that removing the reference to the Declaration of Independence from the constitution would amount to a unilateral concession to Azerbaijan and could lead to further demands without ensuring lasting peace.
Edmon Marukian, leader of the opposition Bright Armenia party formerly allied to Pashinian, likened the potential move to stripping Armenia from its birth certificate.
“When the leader of Armenia says that our Declaration of Independence is a declaration of conflict, he thereby testifies against his own state, that it is his country that provoked the conflict,” Marukian said.
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RFE/RL – Pashinian Ally Eyes High Court Job Amid Criticism
- Shoghik Galstian
A senior Armenian lawmaker nominated to the country’s Constitutional Court has stepped aside from a key parliamentary role as his candidacy continues to draw criticism from rights advocates and opposition members.
Vladimir Vardanian, who was until recently a prominent member of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s ruling Civil Contract party, declined on March 18 to chair a session of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs, citing what he described as a need to avoid a “conflict of interest.”
Although parliament has not officially announced the termination of his powers, Vardanian chose not to preside over the session, citing the likelihood of his election as a Constitutional Court judge.
The move comes less than a week after President Vahagn Khachaturian nominated Vardanian for the post. If elected, Vardanian would also relinquish his parliamentary mandate.
Vardanian, who had been affiliated with Civil Contract for eight years, resigned from the ruling party days earlier to become formally nonpartisan, which is a requirement for serving in what is considered an independent judicial body. He said he accepted the nomination “with the understanding that my professional and academic experience could better serve the preservation and development of democratic values in Armenia.”
Since 2018, Vardanian has served as a lawmaker elected on the ruling party’s list and has chaired the influential Committee on State and Legal Affairs. In that role, he has backed a number of controversial laws promoted by the government, including a recent legislation aimed at the nationalization of the Electric Networks of Armenia.
Vardanian’s nomination has sparked concern among human rights activists as well as opposition figures, who question the implications for judicial independence.
Civil activist Daniel Ioannisian described the move as controversial, arguing that appointing individuals with recent party affiliations to high judicial posts undermines trust in the Constitutional Court. He noted that similar concerns had been raised over previous appointments to other state bodies. “These are serious issues that cannot be ignored,” Ioannisian told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service.
Another rights advocate, Nina Karapetiants, went further, suggesting that the decision to nominate Vardanian, though formally made by the president, may in fact have been driven by the prime minister. She warned that the move could further erode public confidence in the Constitutional Court.
Karapetiants also argued that placing a loyal figure on the Constitutional Court could provide additional guarantees for the current government to maintain power, especially as the court may soon be called upon to consider such sensitive issues as election disputes, an Armenia-Azerbaijan peace agreement, and a new draft constitution.
“No matter how hard they try to assure us now that they quit the party half an hour ago or a week ago, it will naturally not be convincing to anyone, because we have already seen this practice many times,” Karapetiants told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service.
Vardanian is expected to replace former Constitutional Court Chairman Hrair Tovmasian, whose mandate was terminated after a court ruling, upheld last month, found him guilty of exceeding his authority while serving as justice minister in 2010-2013.
Incidentally, one of the main arguments used by Pashinian and his allies in pushing for Tovmasian’s resignation as Constitutional Court chairman in 2019 was that he had been a member of the former ruling Republican Party of Armenia prior to assuming the role.
Representatives of the parliamentary majority have defended their broader record, insisting that over the past eight years they have taken necessary steps to ensure judicial independence. However, they have yet to publicly articulate a position on Vardanian’s nomination, saying the issue still needs to be discussed within the ruling party’s faction.
It remains unclear when Vardanian’s appointment will be discussed in parliament. Representatives of the opposition factions say they have not yet taken up the issue or formed a position on Vardanian’s candidacy.
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An 11-year-old girl from one of Yerevan’s schools was taken to the hospital after being beaten
On March 12, an extraordinary incident took place in Yerevan. Around 7:55 p.m., the Malatiya Department of the Community Police Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Armenia received operative information that 11-year-old H., a resident of Yerevan, was taken to the “Surb Astvatmayr” Medical Center, accompanied by his parents, as a result of being hit by one of the schools operating in their administrative territory. E., reports Shamshyan.com.
The child’s mother, 38-year-old Yerevan resident M. M. informed that on the same day around 12:30 the child had a verbal disagreement with his classmate D. with D., and the latter struck several times with his hands and feet on different parts of his child’s body, as a result of which there are bruises on the latter’s abdomen and knees.
Documents were drawn up in the Malatia police department about the incident, which were transferred to the investigative department of the Yerevan City Investigation Department of the RA Investigative Committee of the Malatia-Sebastia administrative district.
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The Minister of Economy has promised to announce two very good news in the coming days
Economy Minister Gevorg Papoyan noted in a post on Facebook that in the coming days he will announce two more very good news, which are especially expected for small and medium farms.
“The first one will concern several hundreds of thousands of farms engaged in both plant breeding and animal husbandry, and the second – several tens of thousands of farms engaged in animal husbandry.
P.S. During my regional meetings, the most raised questions were:
mentioned in the first point, we will do it, I will publish it in the coming days,
rural insurance: done, in progress,
mentioned in the second point, we will do it, I will publish it in the coming days,
hail compensation done
50% support in case of plant breeding: done, in progress.
You say, we do,” he wrote.
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A complaint was filed against SOCAR Trading for financing the campaign against the Armenians of Artsakh
A complaint was filed in Switzerland against SOCAR Trading for its role in financing Azerbaijan’s campaign against the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh.
It was said in the statement of the committee for the protection of fundamental rights of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh.
“The committee for the protection of the fundamental rights of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh, established by the Parliament of Nagorno-Karabakh in December 2023, together with the “Switzerland-Armenia” association, in 2026. filed an official complaint against SOCAR Trading SA in Switzerland on March 18.
The complaint states that the company violated international standards of responsible business behavior by providing financial support to a state responsible for the ethnic cleansing of the indigenous Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh, NEWS.am writes.
“Material support” for ethnic cleansing
The complaint was formally submitted to the Swiss National Contact Point (SECO) in accordance with the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD / OECD) Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises 2011 and 2023. guidelines. According to the “Specific Instance” procedure of the OECD Guidelines, the Swiss National Contact Point will now investigate the complaint and decide on further actions and remedies.
“SOCAR Trading” is the Swiss-based subsidiary of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR), which is the commercial and financial link of Azerbaijan’s oil sector and a key source of revenue for the Azerbaijani state. In September 2023, Azerbaijan’s military offensive led to the complete displacement of the Armenian population of Nagorno Karabakh, effectively ending the centuries-old presence of Armenians in the region.
Based on the analysis of many respected experts, including the first chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Luis Moreno Ocampo, the organizations that filed the complaint allege that this campaign amounted to ethnic cleansing and possibly genocide.
The complaint alleges that SOCAR Trading, through its financial and commercial activities, has contributed to the replenishment of the economic resources of the Azerbaijani state and, therefore, according to OECD guidelines, had a clear obligation to conduct thorough human rights due diligence and respond to the risks arising from its activities.
“Forcible displacement of about 150,000 Armenians from their homeland in the South Caucasus is one of the most serious humanitarian crises of recent decades,” emphasized Garnik Kerkonyan, an international lawyer based in Chicago and a member of the Committee. “Companies that financially support the state responsible for these actions cannot ignore their obligations arising from international standards.”
Switzerland’s mandate for establishing peace in Nagorno-Karabakh
During the press conference held today in Geneva, the appellants also reminded that exactly one year ago, both chambers of the Swiss Federal Assembly adopted a petition instructing the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs to organize a peace forum between representatives of the people of Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh. A year later, no such forum has yet been convened.
The committee and its partners have expressed their continued expectation that the Swiss authorities will implement this recommendation of the parliament, which they believe can play an important role in building a just and lasting peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
“Switzerland should be actively involved in the protection of indigenous peoples and ensuring their right to self-determination, as guaranteed by the United Nations Charter,” said Sargis Shahinyan, the honorary president of the “Switzerland-Armenia” association. “As a neutral state, Switzerland is in a favorable position to play a constructive role in bringing a just resolution to this decades-long conflict.”
“Lasting peace cannot be built on ethnic cleansing,” said Joel Veldkamp, public interest director of Zurich-based Christian Solidarity International NGO, who also spoke at the press conference. “The new conflict with Iran has made clearer than ever the importance of building long-term peace and security in the vital South Caucasus region.”
Steps in the UN Human Rights Council:
At the same time, two members of the Committee for the Protection of Fundamental Rights of the People of Nagorno-Karabakh are participating in the annual session of the Human Rights Council of the United Nations in Geneva.
Addressing the plenary sessions through several accredited non-governmental organizations, they drew the Council’s attention to the facts of Azerbaijan’s continued illegal detention of Armenian hostages in Baku prisons, Azerbaijan’s refusal to comply with the November 17, 2023 decision of the International Court of Justice (requiring to ensure the safe return of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians to their historical homeland), as well as the ongoing destruction of Armenian spiritual and cultural monuments in Nagorno-Karabakh.
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“Armenia-Artsakh” youth union joined the “Offer to Armenia” program
The “Hayastan-Artsakh” Pan-Armenian Youth Union expresses its unconditional support to the “Offer to Armenia” program initiated by Gagik Tsarukyan and, fully sharing its ideas and strategic objectives, declares:
We are ready to support the “Offer to Armenia” program with all our potential.
We are ready to actively participate in the strengthening of the program and implementation of ideas.
We are ready to stand by Gagik Tsarukyan, as he stood by us, helping thousands of young people unite around the “Hayastan-Artsakh” Pan-Armenian Youth Union and implement our plans.
Guaranteed peace is the formula for confidence and staying in the homeland for the young generation.
We highly appreciate Gagik Tsarukyan’s support to Artsakh youth. Being by our side in a difficult time will never be forgotten.
For young people, a peaceful, safe and economically stable Armenia means decent and quality education.
work corresponding to the profession,
competitive salary, a realistic opportunity to purchase an apartment, clear and accessible mechanisms for starting business activities with state support.
We join the “Offer to Armenia” program and put forward our program proposals.
1. Systematic involvement of young people educated in military-industrial and strategic fields,
continuous development of knowledge and skills, expansion of international experience exchange programs,
2. Implementation of long-term state psychological and social support programs for displaced youth from Artsakh.
3. Systemic compatibility of education and labor market
4. Revision of educational programs in order to adapt them to the demands of the labor market
5. Promotion of youth entrepreneurship
6. Provision of interest-free or preferential credit instruments and targeted grants,
7. Creation of remote work and innovative tablets in regions
8. Expanding involvement in civic and political decision-making
9. Formation of youth advisory bodies in state structures.
We are ready to use our youth energy and knowledge for the implementation of the “Offer to Armenia” project.
“Hayastan-Artsakh” Pan-Armenian Youth Union
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