The Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute is first of all an academic structure. Therefore, the key principle of its leader should be the non-negotiable protection of academic freedom.

No academic institution is obligated to serve the government’s agenda, be it in the field of foreign or domestic policy. And if it turns into a service tool for that agenda, it ceases to be a scientific institution and turns into a propaganda platform.

For your information, presenting a book about Artsakh to a foreign official is not politics, as the head of the government thinks. It is unfortunate that the understanding of foreign policy is limited to such superficial perceptions. Although, it must be admitted that this circumstance explains a lot.

Moreover, conducting research that does not fit into the state agenda and publicizing its results cannot under any circumstances contradict statehood. On the contrary, this is the natural function of a scientific institution. The question “Are we a state or a self-made group?” is just a misleading trick here. The state is not built by mind control and adapting political conjuncture science. Unless, of course, there is an intention to adopt Orwell’s “thought police” model.

Unfortunately, this distortion of ideas about the state and statehood reveals a deeper problem, which is the government’s incomplete understanding of the nature of science and the role of public institutions. When science is tried to be measured by the standards of political convenience, the state begins to lose one of its most important pillars: free thought.

Energy security expert Vahe Davtyan

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CP member R. Rubinyan spoke again. Unfortunately, these people do not imagine the rules of normal coexistence, norms of a humane game. I have to answer.

Whatever accusations are leveled against any opposition force or leader, any of them.

1. Artsakh was not handed over

2. The Azerbaijani army did not leave Jermuk and Armenian territories

3. He did not sacrifice five thousand victims, he did not sacrifice an entire generation

4. He did not turn a whole people against each other

5. He did not organize attacks against the Armenian Apostolic Church at the behest of the Turks

6. He did not say thank you to Aliyev, who killed thousands of Armenian boys.

7. He did not say thank you to Aliyev, who destroyed our cities and villages, and to Aliyev, who turned Amaras and Gandzasar into a barn.

8. The soul of Enver Pasha glorified Erdogan did not receive pre-election support from the government

9. He did not promise the “return” of 300,000 Azerbaijanis to Armenia

10. …The list of other achievements of this government is left to R. Rubinyan.

We want one thing. to form a new government that, instead of thanking Aliyev, will negotiate with dignity to solve complex problems peacefully, to get guaranteed peace. What we want is a dignified settlement and mutually beneficial progress of relations with Turkey and all neighbors.

What we want, yes, is mutually beneficial, long-term and deep cooperation with Russia, USA, EU, Belarus, China, Iran, India and everyone who considers us friends, as a result of which our country will have guaranteed peace and our people will have a prosperous life.

I apply to R. Rubinyan. the reason for your outburst is understandable. the numbers of the last public opinion poll and the public mood towards you forced you to express that text. But I have a direct question. Is it a shame to have normal relations with Russia and Belarus, or to say thank you day and night to Aliyev, who killed you and destroyed your cities and villages? Thank you for what?

Political analyst Arman Abovyan

https://verelq.am/hy/node/170792?fbclid=IwY2xjawQh0alleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeHIQIZS13wS2XyHcNHHO1vPKtDzN_bn6Ij-u5gUYqBNOfYrIW1mnJG8uvW24_aem_RmCXu4MPvN4ZniQAsQA85Q

Precipitation is expected in some regions on March 14, 15-16, in most regions due to the penetration of the cyclone from the Mediterranean region, in the form of snow in the mountain zones, sleet and rain in the foothills and valley zones.

The hydrometeorology and monitoring center reports that on March 15-16, snow will fall in Shirak, Lori, Tavush high zones, Aragatsotn, Kotayk, Vaits Dzor, Syunik mountain zones, Gegharkunik, snowfall will be significant in some areas, accompanied by snow and low horizontal visibility, ice will be observed on the roads.

Drivers are urged to drive with winter tires in the indicated sections and to exercise vigilance.

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The Cyber ​​Police of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Armenia warns the citizens that recently the cases of phone frauds, which are carried out under the name of “5G” service, have become active. This is reported by the Cyber ​​Police of the RA Ministry of Internal Affairs.

“Criminals call from various phone numbers, pretend to be employees of a mobile operator and claim that you need to install a special application on your phone to connect to the 5G network or to improve the quality of the connection.

The software you download allows fraudsters to remotely control your phone, gain access to banking apps, and steal money from your accounts in seconds.

You can protect yourself from these scams with the very simple steps below

Do not install unknown applications at the urging of unknown persons.

Mobile operators never require software to be downloaded via a phone call.

When you receive a suspicious call, stop the conversation immediately and call the official service center of your operator,” the message states.

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Pashinyan says: “Speaking Artsakh Republic during the liturgy is a call for war.

And what was the point of shouting “Artsakh is Armenia and that’s it” during the negotiations with the mediation of the Minsk Group? It was a direct provocation of war, which led to the loss of Artsakh and the sacrifice of an entire generation. The citizen of Armenia should clearly understand this.

A direct incitement to the war was to take pictures of people holding pomegranates in Aghdam with the slogan “Aghdam is our homeland”. You instigated a war and brought it to our country and now you are talking about peace?

At least one person from the team should be found and explain to the “reverend” that at the moment there are graves in Artsakh, very old and very new, including people who believed in your call “Artsakh is Armenia and that’s it” and gave their lives, and their relatives cannot forget that with your new calls or your new “foreign policy” slur. Someone should explain that there are holy places in Artsakh, Amaras, Gandzasar and many others, that cannot be forgotten and will not be forgotten, and that remembering all of them is not a “call for war” in any way.

To have memory, to have sanctities, to have courage, to have hope, to formulate just rights are not a call to war, but a prerequisite for living.

And as a summary, I repeat my offer from yesterday to all opposition systems and public layers. The content of the election should be simplified to one question. Are you ready to thank Aliyev with Nikol’s example? Yes or no. This is the real choice.

Vahe Hovhannisyan
Alternative projects group

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There are protests in Yerevan. Samvel Karapetyan’s supporters are on the street. As far as I understand, and there were publications about it in the press, the “Strong Armenia” party is going to the streets.

I think it’s a good idea. There will be no change of power without the streets. And it will be on the street. Even sooner than everyone expects. For example, on June 6. Or, on May 6th…

If the street is formed, everything will take a completely different course. Therefore, I think it would be very good if other opposition centers also work in that direction. And do it as soon as possible. Do not be surprised, but I still believe that the opposition is fighting for a change of power and not for a few mandates. I really believe.

Political scientist Hrant Melik-Shahnazaryan

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Statements of public units, political forces and figures with professional and public authority about joining the “Offer to Armenia” program initiated by Gagik Tsarukyan continue. In the near future, this process will continue with greater momentum. I am happy to report that the public support is really great and we treat every such initiative with deep respect.

“Proposal to Armenia” rightfully becomes a popular program. We are sure that it is possible to get the country out of the difficult situation only by united forces, by uniting around the initiative with a public, cross-party approach. And that way is possible only thanks to the broad support of society.

At the core of the idea of ​​the “Offer to Armenia” program is a broad consolidation of all capable, compassionate and professional forces and individuals, and it is open to all decent, compassionate, professional and responsible people.

It is also noteworthy that sometimes our team learns about such announcements from the media. This proves once again that this support is honest and spontaneous. In such cases, sometimes we hear: “Did this have to happen?” and other expressions.

We will not put it in a division. We are not judges and we do not pretend to be such. Who is good, who is better, who is worthy or not?

I am happy to note that at this moment, no force, no individual, who has joined our great team, has set a prerequisite for a list or a position. We appreciate it.

The principle of cooperation with us was formulated very simply by Gagik Tsarukyan: “the position is not important, the country is important, the mandate is not important, the result of the work is important.”

And also, all capable forces and individuals, decent, capable, hardworking people will have their rightful place in our great team and in the restoration of Armenia.

Iveta Tonoyan

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Members of the “Strong Armenia” party and their affiliated citizens have been holding protests in different parts of Yerevan since this morning in support of Samvel Karapetyan.

They walk around the city demanding “Freedom to Samvel Karapetyan, Freedom to Armenia”.  

The members of the party declare that the prisons of Armenia are full of political prisoners today, many are under house arrest, and all this is the evidence that Nikol Pashinyan is exclusively acting within the framework of his fear, fearing to lose his seat. According to economist Hayk Farmanyan, a member of the “Strong Armenia” party, the internal problems of the country seriously affect the state interests.

“First, it is in the interest of our country that there are no unjustly detained people. Detention has become a tool of punishment,” he said.

The participants of the protest action note that there are 86 days left in the history of the bitter reality of the last 8 years of the small group and RA.

At the government building, they demanded that one of the members of the government come down because they have something to convey to him.

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Armenian and foreign Genocide scholars have sent an open letter, expressing deep concern for Edita Gzoyan, the former director of the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute, for writing a dismissal application under pressure and coercion, rather than by free choice.

Earlier, it became known that the director of the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute, Edita Gzoyan, has written an application for dismissal. There were reports that he did it under duress. A day later, RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan confirmed that Gzoyan wrote the application on his instructions, because during the visit of Vice President J.D. Vance, the United Arab Emirates presented him with a book on the Artsakh issue, while the Prime Minister announced that the Karabakh movement would not continue. According to Pashinyan, Gzoyan’s act was a provocative act.

“Dr. Gzoyan raised the international academic reputation of HCTI, under his leadership, the institute expanded its archival collections, organized important symposia and conferences, as well as created scientific works that significantly advanced genocide studies worldwide. He has been a tireless defender of the Armenian Genocide, which has strengthened global understanding of past injustices and supported the restoration of historical truth. The timing and context of his forced removal is particularly worrying,” the letter of the Genocide experts stated.

They emphasized that Gzoyan presented to US Vice President Vance not only the genocide of 1915, but also the subsequent massacres of Armenians in Sumgait, Kirovabad and Baku, emphasizing the historical continuity of violence against Armenians in the region. He also presented Vice President Vance with scientific works on the Armenian Genocide and the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which, according to experts, is an important context for understanding Armenia’s history and contemporary challenges.

“The sequence of events points to a broader and deeply troubling pattern: the silencing of independent academic voices in favor of political convenience. There is every reason to believe that this is more about the management of the museum than about the reorganization of the HCTI, aligning the work with geopolitical priorities, in particular, trying to avoid a frank discussion of the atrocities related to Azerbaijan, against the background of the ongoing settlement process,” the letter states.

They emphasize that the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute is not just a tourist destination. It is a center of historical memory and science, a defense against denial and distortion. This means that the leadership of the institute should be protected from political interference. According to genocide scholars, Gzoyan’s forced departure sends a terrible message to scholars and historians everywhere that serious research and true memory can be replaced by diplomatic convenience. They are sure that the removal of Gzoyan will seriously endanger the future of the institute and undermine its reputation in the international scientific community.

“Such a decision will not only disrupt the current work of the institute, but will also send a worrying signal to leading scholars in the field of genocide studies, deterring them from collaborating with HCTI and weakening global academic partnerships that are important to its mission,” the open letter states.

Genocide experts call on the RA government to refrain from interfering in the management of the institute and to allow Gzoyan to continue his work without political pressure.

The letter was signed by around 3 dozen reputable genocide scholars.
Edita Gzoyan will continue working at the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute. Tashchyan

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When the Prime Minister of Armenia speaks about the country’s European aspirations from the podium of the European Parliament, why does he point to the frozen relations between Georgia and the EU as the main obstacle? Is this a simple diplomatic gesture, an agreement to advance Georgian lobbying, or a calculated “alibi” to justify possible delays on the way to European integration and soften Europe’s skepticism?

VERELQin a conversation with a political analyst Hakob Badalyan decodes Nikol Pashinyan the footnotes of the speech, discussing the deep interconnectedness of the complex Armenian-Georgian logistical nodes, regional interests, and domestic political and pre-election agendas.

Hakob Badalyan is in the photo, the photo is from 168.am

VERELQ: What do you attribute to RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s speech in the European Parliament, where he, as if speaking on behalf of Georgia, clearly emphasized that the biggest obstacle to Armenia’s integration into the European Union is the frozen relations between Georgia and the EU? Why did he speak about it in such an open text for the first time? 

Hakob Badalyan. Considering that just a few days before the speech, he was on a working visit to Georgia, we can assume that this statement was pre-agreed, because otherwise it would at least sound strange. Even if agreed upon, the statement is somewhat strange. Armenia-EU relations are primarily about the acceptance and enforcement of standards, and in the foreseeable future, or at least at this stage, they do not imply a question of a physical road. It is extraordinary in itself to arrange Armenia-Europe relations with a third country, in this case Georgia, as a physical route. Therefore, I also tend to think that it was a pre-agreed move with Georgia.

I think that Georgia, in turn, contributing to Armenia-Azerbaijan communication (which is very important for Nikol Pashinyan from the point of view of pre-election campaign), expects that in return, Pashinyan will carry out a kind of Georgian lobbying in Europe. On the other hand, in my opinion, there is another context for Pashinyan here. He perfectly understands and imagines that Armenia’s great drive towards European integration and EU membership is not in demand in Europe itself.

From this point of view, the mention of the Georgian factor is a unique alibi for Nikol Pashinyan. He realizes that there is no great political prospect for the settlement of Georgia-EU relations for now. Therefore, this circumstance is a suitable excuse for him to explain the delay of some steps in the relations with the European Union in the future or to face the possible demands and doubts arising from the EU. The Georgian topic becomes a very good alibi in this respect.

VERELQ: In other words, the message is that we want to integrate with Europe, but there are problems and physical obstacles in our way, so don’t ask us more than we are able to give.

Hakob Badalyan. I think the relations with the European Union have the following logic. It is simply not in Europe’s interest to assume too much responsibility towards Armenia.

VERELQ: Of course, it is logical.

Hakob Badalyan. Based on this, the European Union will always try to question Nikol Pashinyan’s steps and will express this skepticism in different formats (both in plain text and in contexts). In response to this, Pashinyan, in turn, needs a counter-argument and a playing card. In my deep conviction, Europe-Georgia relations are used as such a card and an alibi, and raising the issue had this very purpose.

VERELQ: As you already mentioned, before that Nikol Pashinyan was in Tbilisi. We all know that in Armenian-Georgian relations there are cargo transportation and other logistical problems. Did his gesture towards Georgia also aim to contribute to the settlement of these issues? And according to you, as a result of the visit, were those logistical complications alleviated or resolved at least to some extent?

Hakob Badalyan. It is difficult for me to say clearly, because people who are directly related to these problems should talk about it, evaluating the presence or absence of solutions. In this regard, I do not have exhaustive information, but there is no doubt that they have become the subject of discussion. Especially in the conditions of the military tension created around Iran, when it is objectively expected that Iranian logistics will have problems, the importance of the northern routes for Armenia increases dramatically.

As I mentioned, the Azerbaijan component is particularly important for Nikol Pashinyan in the context of pre-election campaigning. For example, we see that Georgia announces the establishment of a symbolic price for the transit of Azerbaijani gasoline. It is noteworthy that no such privilege is established for fuel imported from Russia or other places. This suggests that the gasoline coming from Azerbaijan is one of the essential components of Pashinyan’s “peace propaganda”. From this point of view, all issues are interrelated. Georgia, for its part, is undoubtedly trying to use the current dynamics of Armenia-EU relations, expecting that Yerevan will try to protect and represent Georgian interests on that platform.

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