Investigative Committee to examine circumstances surrounding lion’s death afte

Law19:42, 7 July 2026
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The circumstances surrounding the death of a lion transferred from the residence of businessman and Prosperous Armenia Party leader Gagik Tsarukyan to Yerevan Zoo after failing to recover from sedation will be examined by Armenia’s Investigative Committee.

 The Investigative Committee confirmed the information.

“The circumstances surrounding the female lion’s failure to recover from sedation will be examined,” the Investigative Committee said. Earlier, Yerevan Zoo confirmed reports that one of the lions transferred from Tsarukyan’s residence had not recovered after being sedated. “With deep regret, we can confirm that the female lion transferred to the zoo the previous day did not recover from sedation due to her advanced age and underlying medical conditions, as confirmed by the post-mortem examination.

The animal’s organ systems had been affected: the spleen, liver, lungs and heart showed pathological changes; there were signs of cholecystitis in the gallbladder, obesity, and free fluid in the abdominal cavity, all of which were the result of age-related changes,” the zoo said in its statement. 

On July 6, law enforcement officers carried out searches at Tsarukyan’s residence and around 70 properties linked to him. As part of the searches, the animals kept at his reception residence — three lions and one tiger — were sedated and transferred to Yerevan Zoo.

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Gagik Tsarukyan placed in pre-trial detention

Law19:57, 7 July 2026
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Businessman and Prosperous Armenia Party leader Gagik Tsarukyan has been placed in pre-trial detention for two months.

The information was confirmed by Armenia’s Investigative Committee. Tsarukyan has been charged with fraud and money laundering.

On July 6, Tsarukyan was detained and taken to the Investigative Committee. He was later transferred from the committee to court. 

The Investigative Committee had earlier said that, as part of the criminal proceedings, simultaneous searches were carried out at more than 70 locations in cooperation with the National Security Service, the State Revenue Committee and the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ Police.

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Another person remanded in custody, one more detained in criminal case involvi

Law20:35, 7 July 2026
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Another person has been remanded in custody and one more has been detained as part of the criminal proceedings involving businessman and Prosperous Armenia Party leader Gagik Tsarukyan.

The information was confirmed by Armenia’s Investigative Committee. Tsarukyan has been charged with particularly large-scale fraud and money laundering. He was detained on July 6, and on July 7 a court ordered his pre-trial detention for two months.

The Investigative Committee said on July 6 that, in addition to Tsarukyan, another individual had been detained in the same criminal case, while a detention order had been issued for one more suspect. The person detained alongside Tsarukyan was remanded in custody on July 7, while the suspect who had been the subject of the detention order was later located and detained.

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Sargis Khandanyan re-elected chair of OSCE PA committee on democracy, human ri

Politics21:21, 7 July 2026
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Sargis Khandanyan, Chair of the Standing Committee on Foreign Relations of the Armenian National Assembly and head of the Armenian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE PA), has been re-elected Chair of the OSCE PA Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions.

The Armenian National Assembly announced the re-election in a statement. Following his re-election, Khandanyan said: 

“It has been a great honour to serve as Chair of the General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions over the past year. I am grateful for your confidence and for the opportunity to work closely with colleagues from across the OSCE region in promoting our shared values. 

During this period, our committee has remained focused on the most pressing challenges facing our societies, from protecting democratic institutions and human rights to addressing the humanitarian crises caused by conflicts and instability.

I have sought to lead our work with a strong commitment to impartiality, dialogue and cooperation.” 

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s annual session is taking place in The Hague from July 4 to 8.

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Armenpress: First direct charter flight successfully connects Burgas and Yerev

Tourism22:26, 7 July 2026
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The first direct seasonal charter flight between Burgas, Bulgaria, and Yerevan, Armenia, was successfully operated today, the Armenian Embassy in Bulgaria reported.

The inaugural flight, operated by Bulgaria Air, departed from Burgas this morning and arrived in Yerevan, marking the launch of a new seasonal connection between the two cities.

The route will operate once a week, every Tuesday, until the end of August, providing travellers with a direct connection between Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast and the Armenian capital during the summer season.

The new charter service is expected to strengthen tourism, encourage cultural exchange, and create new opportunities for cooperation between Bulgaria and Armenia. The direct route is also expected to facilitate travel between the two countries during the summer season.

The organisers expressed their gratitude to all partners, airport authorities, tour operators and the teams whose efforts made the launch of the new route possible. They also thanked the passengers who travelled on the inaugural flight.

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Bagrat Srbazan filed a lawsuit against Nikol Pashinyan

Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan filed a lawsuit against Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. 


The basis is the following statement of Nikol Pashinyan. “KP got 100% organic vote, those other forces got 100% bribed vote… Without money, none of them voted for them, absolutely none.” The bishop, as a person who elected the opposition, demands to deny the slanderous statements made regarding election bribery.


According to Bagrat Srbazan, Pashinyan has slandered, tarnished his honor, dignity and good reputation in this way and demands from the court that within 5 working days after the court verdict enters into legal force, Nikol Pashinyan publicly denies the factual information that tarnishes his honor, dignity and good reputation, which does not correspond to reality.


Bagrat Srbazan demanded Nikol Pashinyan to confiscate 49.7 drams in his favor as compensation for non-material damage. As well as confiscating from Nikol Pashinyan the amount of state duty paid in advance.


The case was brought to the court on July 6, but the proceedings have not yet been accepted.

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Azerbaijan actually took over the administration of Armenia

Nikol Pashinyan met with Ilham Aliyev for the last time on February 4, 2026, that is, about five months ago. That meeting took place in Abu Dhabi on the occasion of receiving an award together. Before that, they met five months before that meeting in Copenhagen. The meetings preceding it were more intense.

It turns out that after the documents signed in Washington, the contacts between Nikol Pashinyan and Ilham Aliyev actually stopped, which indicates the absence of any negotiation process. In fact, contacts between the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan have also been stopped.

This is a testimony to the fact that the so-called “peace” is actually a deception and a fraud, otherwise, under the conditions of such a process, contacts, negotiations, political and organizational issues should have been of a more intense nature.

Instead, high-ranking officials of Azerbaijan started visiting Armenia. Deputy Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Shahin Mustafayev and Security Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan Hikmet Hajiyev. This is the evidence of the fact that there are no negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, but Azerbaijan has taken over the actual management of Armenia.


Edgar Ghazaryan, politician, deputy candidate




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The government gave 14 million drams to the company of Pashinyan’s friend

At the session of July 2, the Government adopted a decision in an unreported manner, exempting “Ijevanyan Bacon” LLC from the customs duty of 14 million drams. The main shareholder of the company is Prime Minister Pashinyan’s roommate Frunze Ghazaryan.


According to Hetq, the draft decision was prepared by the Ministry of Economy. According to the justification of the decision, the company plans to establish a pig breeding complex in Mayisyan village of Armavir marz. Within the framework of this program, LLC imports grain storage systems (silos) and equipment from Georgia (the country of origin is Turkey) valued at 140 million drams, and their import duty is 10 percent – 14 million drams.


The silo is planned to be used for the storage of raw materials (grain) purchased for the production of combined feed for pigs. We are talking about 2 sets with a weight of 93 tons and a volume of 3260 cubic meters.


“Ijevanyan bacon” LLC plans to invest 2.1 billion drams for the construction of the pig breeding complex, according to the justification of the Government’s decision. This money will be spent for construction works, acquisition of land and basic assets, construction of pig breeding complex.


Currently, the company has 7 jobs, 240 thousand. AMD with an average monthly salary. Within the framework of the investment program until 2027. it is planned to increase the number of jobs to 20, 340 thousand. AMD with an average monthly salary.


It was also mentioned that silos and equipment are not imported from EAEU member countries, as they do not meet the company’s technical requirements. According to the justification, the privilege of exemption from import duty will be a serious incentive for the implementation of new investment programs and, as a result, creation of new jobs, attraction of investments, promotion of local production and export.


Pashinyan’s government has supported “Ijevan Bacon” in the past as well
This is not the first time when the Government supports “Ijevanyan Bacon” LLC. In July 2025, the executive made a decision by which he approved the investment plan of this company to establish a pig farm and agreed that the Armavir community, which includes the village of Mayisyan, will sell two plots of land in this village to the LLC without an auction, and lease one of them without a tender for 25 years.


Thus, “Ijevanyan Bacon” had the right to buy communal plots of 0.6 ha and 10 ha in Mayisyan without a tender, paying 7 million and 575 thousand, respectively. AMD The company could lease another 4.6 hectares of land for 25 years without a tender (the rent was to be decided by the Armavir community). In other words, Nikol Pashinyan’s government supported the LLC belonging to the prime minister’s friend to acquire 15.2 hectares of land without competition.


Apart from that, before the Government’s decision, LLC had already bought 2 more plots of land next to these lands.


As we have already written, the discussion of the draft decision to support “Ijevan Bacon” in the matter of land acquisition did not go smoothly behind the scenes of the Government, but the Ministry of Territorial Management and Infrastructures, which drafted the draft, opposed all the “opponents”. For example, he rejected Finnach’s proposal to expropriate the plots by tender.


According to the investment program presented by “Ijevanyan Bacon”, it is planned to breed pigs with a live weight of 110 kg. At full capacity, the piggery should produce 2,280 tons of live weight pork per year. It is planned to open 49 new jobs.


Ghazaryans-Pashinyans relations
“Ijevanyan Bacon” LLC was founded in 2019. in the city of Ijevan. In 2025, the address was moved to Yerevan. The founder is Frunze Ghazaryan, a citizen of Ukraine, who was joined in 2023 by Sanasar Kuyumchyan, who is also a citizen of Ukraine. Ghazaryan owns 67% of the company, and Kuyumchyan owns 33%.


Both Ghazaryan and Kuyumchyan have experience in the pig farming business. The latter, for example, has had such a company in the Dnepropetrovsk region of Ukraine since 2001 (S. Kuyumchyan is originally from Vanadzor, but lives in Ukraine, where the co-owner of the pig breeding business is his son; details here).


Frunze, Andranik and Petros Ghazaryan, who are brothers, are originally from Izhevantsi and, according to press publications, they are from the same neighborhood (“Zhami neighborhood”) as Nikol Pashinyan, and have close relations with the latter.


The Ghazaryans live and do business in Cherkasy, Ukraine. But this super dish is famous not only in the city of Cherkasy, but also in the whole region of Cherkasy. Among them, Andranik Ghazaryan is the honorary consul of RA in Cherkasy. He is also the chairman of TIME (formerly “Nadia”) group of companies. Ghazaryans work in companies of this group. The group includes companies from various sectors: construction and real estate, trade, food industry, poultry farming, pig breeding, horticulture, plant breeding. The “Nadia” construction company, which is a leading developer in the Cherkasy region, is particularly well-known. of the TIME group the story began in 2005, when the first company was founded – pig breeding “Zolotonoshsky Bacon” LLC.


The Ghazaryans also invested in Ijevan. They built a new church in their district of Ijevan on the site of the destroyed church of the 19th century (hence the name “Zhami Tagh”), which was consecrated in 2012. The brothers invested in the city economy of Ijevan, as a result of which the council of the community awarded Andranik and Frunze Ghazaryans the title of honorary citizens of Ijevan.


Nikol Pashinyan’s nephew, Sipan Pashinyan, who was a member of the National Assembly in 2019-2021, started a joint woodworking business with the sons of Petros from the Ghazaryan brothers in 2022.


Later, the latter left the joint venture and started his own car maintenance and repair business as an individual entrepreneur. Sipan Pashinyan also acquired 3 units of real estate (1 parking space and 2 non-residential spaces) in the parking lot building being built by Ghazaryans in Cherkasy.


Nikol Pashinyan, beneficiary of Ghazaryan construction
Nikol Pashinyan himself also acquired property from the Ghazaryans. It is about an apartment in a building under construction in Yerevan by “Ijevanatun” CJSC (Andranik Ghazaryan is a 37.5% shareholder here) and “Ar and Ar” LLC belonging to it. The mentioned companies received a construction permit to build a multi-functional residential complex in the 1st lane of Hovsep Emini Street in the Arabkir administrative district, next to the Armenian-Russian University, in November 2024 (the permit is valid until May 2029).


In the same year, Nikol Pashinyan and his wife Anna Hakobyan bought an apartment here. We learn about this from their declarations. The cost of the apartment is AMD 49,350,000, which both Pashinyan and Hakobyan declared as a loan given to “Ijevanatun” CJSC and “Ar and Ar” LLC (in the case of the property under construction, the payment is considered by the buyer as a loan to the seller). For the purchase of the apartment, the couple took a loan of 44,415,000 drams from “Ameriabank” CJSC, which can also be seen in their declarations.


HG. On July 2, the Government also exempted “Marnik” LLC, “Saranist” LLC, “AKBA Leasing” CJSC (the beneficiary of the latter privilege is “Aluminum Constructions” LLC), “Modus Granum” LLC and “Builder Home” LLC from the import duty.

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I don’t remember any case that is empty, fictitious, exaggerated. Iveta To

The search of Gagik Tsarukyan’s house can perhaps be recorded in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest search, it continued for about 13 hours. PAP spokesperson Iveta Tonoyan said this in a conversation with journalists in the courtyard of the court.


“I don’t remember any case that is empty, fictitious, inflated like this,” he said.


He informed that dozens of companies included in the “Multi Group” concern were sold the day before, and more than 10,000 employees were put on forced leave.


“I understand that the authorities of the day are insatiable and have a great desire to achieve the goal at any cost, motivated by political revenge, but I regret to inform you that this process aimed at destroying the economy will be full of many dangerous consequences. Tens of thousands of people have become unemployed,” he said.


Then he reminded the authorities. “No one rejected the boomerang law.”


To remind, the court has been examining the issue of Gagik Tsarukyan’s failure since morning. PAP leader was arrested last night.

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