- Satenik Kaghzvantsian
- Robert Zargarian
A genuine peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan is possible only if it is guaranteed by major foreign powers, former President Robert Kocharian insisted on Wednesday as he campaigned for next month’s parliamentary elections.
“Give me just one example of post-conflict peace established without a system of guarantees,” Kocharian said during a meeting with voters in the northwestern town of Maralik. “Of course it’s not possible. The absence of a system of guarantees can only mean one thing: peace depends on the whims of one person. This is not peace. This means that there is a strong party and a weak party, and the weak party will always be suppressed. In this case it’s Armenia.”
“Alternatively, you have to create a balance of forces. But that will take years,” argued the 71-year-old ex-president whose Hayastan alliance is one of the main opposition contenders in the June 7 elections.
Kocharian said that the United States, Russian and France could act as such guarantors, having for decades co-headed the OSCE Minsk Group on Nagorno-Karabakh. The group was dissolved last September as a result of yet another concession made by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian during his talks with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev hosted by U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House.
The August 2025 talks resulted in the initialing of an Armenian-Azerbaijani peace treaty. Baku continues to make its signing conditional on a change of Armenia’s constitution and the opening of a land corridor for Azerbaijan through a key Armenian region. Nevertheless, Pashinian has since regularly asserted that peace has already been established between the two South Caucasus countries. This is the central theme of his and his Civil Contract party’s election campaign.
“I congratulate all of you on this peace,” Pashinian told supporters on Wednesday during a campaign trip to the Aragatsotn province.
“But this peace has enemies today,” he added, seemingly alluding to his opposition challengers.
Kocharian and other Armenian opposition leaders say that Baku will clinch further unilateral concessions from Yerevan if Pashinian remains in power. They claim that Aliyev’s ultimate goal is to end Armenia’s existence as a viable state.
Aliyev has repeatedly demanded that Yerevan ensure the return of Azerbaijanis who lived in Soviet Armenia until the late 1980s. He has said that as many as 300,000 Azerbaijanis must be allowed to settle in Armenia. Pashinian rejected late last month opposition claims that he will bow to this demand if reelected.
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RFE/RL – Uproar As Schoolteachers, Students Attend Pashinian Rallies In Armeni
- Robert Zargarian
Scores of schoolteachers and students in Armenia’s central Aragatsotn province interrupted classes on Wednesday to attend Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s election campaign rallies in what vote-monitoring groups condemned as a gross violation of Armenian law.
One of those groups, Akanates (Eyewitness), said that the underage students were ordered by their teachers, school principals as well as local government officials to greet Pashinian with flags and chants in Aparan, a town 55 kilometers north of Yerevan, and surrounding villages.
“Observers have personally witnessed how some school principals and teachers gave loud and strict instructions by phone, demanding the mandatory and organized participation of children,” it said in a statement.
“Observers have documented that the organizer of the recruitment of schoolchildren and teaching personnel was Edgar Parvanian, the deputy governor of Aragatsotn. The latter actively coordinated the movement of people on site, personally welcomed the children, handed out propaganda flags to them, and gave clear instructions on who should be stationed where during the event,” added the statement.
Akanates said that these actions amount to abuse of power and warrant criminal proceedings. The group already accused the ruling Civil Contract party late last month of forcing schoolteachers and kindergarten workers to attend a pre-election concert in Gyumri. The alleged practice is a criminal offense under Armenian law.
The Independent Observer, a coalition of three other civic groups, likewise suggested that the teachers’ and students’ attendance of the ruling Civil Contact party’s campaign events in and around Aparan violated Armenia’s electoral and labor legislation. But it said it has no evidence yet that they did so against their will.
The Armenian Ministry of Education pledged to investigate their participation. For its part, the Central Election Commission (CEC) warned that public sector employees are not allowed to use their “administrative resources” for political purposes. Neither the ministry nor the CEC mentioned Civil Contract in their responses to the uproar.
Meanwhile, Pashinian assured reporters that “no violation can remain without consequences.”
“I have ordered an internal investigation, everything will be clarified,” he said on the campaign trail, answering a question from RFE/RL’s Armenian Service.
Pashinian and his party have for years been accused of illegally forcing public sector employees to attend their campaign rallies or other gatherings. They have always denied that.
In the run-up to the June 7 parliamentary elections, Armenian law-enforcement authorities have prosecuted only opposition figures on election-related charges. Billionaire Samvel Karapetian’s Strong Armenia bloc, which is expected to be Civil Contract’s main election challenger, has been on the receiving end of such criminal proceedings. Dozens of its members and supporters have been detained in recent weeks on vote-buying charges strongly denied by Strong Armenia.
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2 plots of land in the park area will be returned to Vagharshapati
On May 14, 2025, the Prosecutor’s Office of Armavir region, within the framework of the authority to protect state (community) interests, submitted a lawsuit to the Anti-Corruption Court against the head of Vagharshapat community, “Echmiadzin Shuka” SP company and third party Karen Manveli Grigoryan, the Cadastre Committee, among others, with demands to declare the tenders of 2015 invalid and apply the consequences of invalidity.
“On April 16, 2026, the anti-corruption court satisfied the claim of the prosecutor’s office of Armavir region. By the decision, the tenders regarding the provision of the 1175 sq.m. and 587 sq.m. 2 plots of land, which are parks, with the right of development, provided for in Article 60 of the Land Code, were declared invalid.
As a consequence of the invalidity, among others, the state registrations of ownership rights made in the name of natural persons to plots of land were also declared invalid.
“After the verdict enters into legal force, the land plots with the area of 1175 square meters and 587 square meters will be returned to the Vagharshapat community of Armavir marz,” the prosecutor’s office said in a statement.
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From roadside crops to government procurement. “Strong Armenia” Tesla
The lack of government procurement points for agricultural products puts farmers in border communities in a humiliating situation, forcing them to sell their crops on the side of the roads for years instead of systematically exporting. Narek Karapetyan, who heads the proportional list of the alliance of “Strong Armenia” parties, announced this in a video message published on his Facebook page on May 13 within the framework of the pre-election campaign in Tavush region.
Sharing the impressions of the meetings held in Noyemberyan, Berd and Bagratashen, the opposition figure emphasized that the potential of the region is not being used effectively due to the inaction of the authorities. Narek Karapetyan noted the paradoxical situation when in fertile regions, where almost everything grows, from peaches to oranges and olives, the villagers are deprived of the basic conditions for the sale of products.
“It is surprising that until now no one in Armenia has dealt with this issue, which is why our villages are in such a wretched state,” he emphasized, promising to introduce a program for the creation of procurement stations in every village. Karapetyan also proposed clear support mechanisms for the border zone, in particular, provision of cheap gas to greenhouse farms. This will allow to promote the development of production in the border regions.
Summarizing the visit, Narek Karapetyan thanked the residents of Tavush region for their warm welcome and expressed his confidence that with the right economic approach and the activation of agriculture, great progress is expected for the region.
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Regular criminal proceedings against a member of “Strong Armenia”.
As a result of operative investigative measures carried out by the RA anti-corruption committee officers, factual information was obtained that the head of the office of the non-governmental organization for the protection of national values ”Our way” paid electoral bribes to a number of citizens who had the right to vote on the condition of voting for the “Strong Armenia” party during the National Assembly elections. This is reported by the Anti-Corruption Committee.
“Besides, the same person gave free money for surgery to a resident of the city of Yerevan, who is a voter, under the name of charity, from the day the decision on the appointment of the National Assembly elections came into force until the summary of the election results.
In connection with the case, the Anti-Corruption Committee initiated criminal proceedings, arrested a number of persons, carried out searches and other administrative actions.
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Serdar Kilic on bilateral trade restrictions between Turkey and Armenia
Serdar Kılıç, Turkey’s special representative for relations with Armenia, commented on the removal of restrictions on bilateral trade with Armenia.
“Within the framework of the process of normalization of Turkish-Armenian relations implemented by the President’s instruction, another important step has been taken in the direction of establishing lasting peace and stability in the region. I wish that this will be useful both for the business circles and peoples of both countries, and for our entire region,” he wrote in X.
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RA authorities are following the path of falsifying elections
From the 3rd-4th day of the campaign before the elections have even started, it is already clear that the authorities are following the path of falsifying the elections. Pashinyan’s statements already testify to this, when he endlessly links domestic political forces with foreign forces.
What is the connection between Putin, Lukashenko and others? He sees very well that from the very beginning of the campaign he is losing in all cities and other settlements. And taking all this into account, he goes on the path of falsifying elections. And neither the west nor the north and the south have anything to do with these elections.
These elections answer only one question: do we choose Armenia or “Western Azerbaijan”? We are choosing whether we will be able to live in Armenia or whether we will repeat the fate of the people of Artsakh.
And since he has decided to disrupt the program debate, we must talk to our people in every possible way, explain this simple truth.
The opposition should be alert and try to quickly understand under which scenario it will try to disrupt the normal course of the elections: a “Moldovan” scenario, a “Romanian” one, or a “Nicolanian” one.
Vahe Hovhannisyan Alternative projects group
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Supporters and office workers of “Strong Armenia” were detained
“Strong Armenia” party supporters and office workers have been brought to the anti-corruption committee for several hours now, and the participation of the defenders is hindered. Lawyer Lusine Martirosyan alerted about this on her Facebook page.
In particular, he noted: “We applied to the Human Rights Council and as always, now we will intervene, now they will be contacted. In the end, the individuals do not want a private defender, they want a public defender… Now it’s a question of logic, criminal procedure, principle, unjustified waste of state resources, in which format all this fits.”
Earlier today, the RA Anti-Corruption Committee issued a message stating that it received factual data that the head of the NGO “Our Way” office paid electoral bribes to a number of citizens who had the right to vote for the “Strong Armenia” party during the NA elections. The anti-corruption committee also published another intercepted transcript.
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Third Installment of Literary Lights 2026 Reading Series to Feature Editor and
Third Installment of Literary Lights 2026 Reading Series to Feature Editor and Contributors of Landmark Anthology Remain In Light
The third installment of Literary Lights 2026 will feature the editor and poetry contributors of the landmark anthology, Remain in Light: Visions of Homeland and Diaspora. Event host and contributor Shahé Mankerian will be joined by editor Gassia Armenian and fellow Los Angeles-based poets, Tina Demirdjian, Arminé Iknadossian, Arthur Kayzakian and Raffi Joe Wartanian.
The free and virtual event, cosponsored by the Fowler Museum at UCLA, will take place on May 17, 2026, at 10:00 AM Pacific | 1:00 PM Eastern | 9:00 PM Armenia Time. Register here.
Remain in Light endeavors to visualize the contemporary Armenian experience in the homeland and in Los Angeles, home to the largest Armenian population in diaspora. The first wave of immigrants came to California in the late 1800s; the second was spurred by the Armenian genocide of 1915. Further Armenian migrants, from Soviet Armenia, the Middle East, Iran, and other countries, continue to find solace, pride, and connection in the traditions, customs, religion, language, and memories they brought with them.
Sossi Madzounian, Ara Mgrdichian, and Ara Oshagan, three diaspora-born Armenian artists living in Los Angeles, share their perspectives on the life of their people in the old world and the new, illuminating the evolving social fabric of Armenian life: survival in the homeland, the immigrant experience in diaspora, and the rebirth of Armenian Americans on new soil. This book pairs their photographs with poems by LA-based poets Tina Demirdjian, Arminé Iknadossian, Arthur Kayzakian, Shahé Mankerian, and Raffi Joe Wartanian. The volume is a tribute to all these artists, and to Armenians across the globe.
Anthology Editor
Gassia Armenian is a curator and researcher at the Fowler Museum at UCLA, where she conducts collections research and manages exhibitions. She has curated notable exhibitions on Armenian textiles and diaspora, recognized by the Armenian Academy of Sciences in 2023, and pioneering shows featuring interactive technology. Her current exhibition focuses on the Ifugao people of the Philippines. Previously, she worked with USAID in Armenia on civics education curricula.
Anthology Poetry Contributors
Tina Demirdjian is a poet and teaches poetry in schools and museums in Los Angeles. She is a culture bearer through her art practice, and founder of the Armenian Dress & Textile Project. She is the author of the poetry collection IMPRINT. She is on the Board at Brand Library & Art Center, where she co-facilitates ARTful Conversations in the gallery.
Armine Iknadossian is the author of All That Wasted Fruit (Main Street Rag).In 2022, Iknadossian received two grants from the Arts Council of Long Beach to write her second volume of poetry. She has also received fellowships from Idyllwild Arts, The Los Angeles Writing Project and Otis College of Art and Design. She serves on the Advisory Board of IALA.
Arthur Kayzakian is the finalist for the 2024 Kate Tufts Award, and the winner of the 2021 inaugural Black Lawrence Immigrant Writing Series for his collection, The Book of Redacted Paintings (Black Lawrence Press, 2023), which was also selected as a finalist for the 2021 Philip Levine Prize for Poetry. He is the recipient of the 2023 creative writing fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts. He is a founding member and serves as the Poetry Chair for the International Armenian Literary Alliance (IALA). His work has appeared in several publications, including The Adroit Journal, Chicago Review, Cincinnati Review, The Southern Review, among other journals.
Shahé Mankerian is principal of St. Gregory Hovsepian School in Pasadena and Director of Mentorship at the International Armenian Literary Alliance. A former co-director of the Los Angeles Writing Project, he is the author of History of Forgetfulness (2021), a semifinalist for the Khayrallah Prize and finalist for several national poetry awards.
Raffi Joe Wartanian is a writer, musician, and educator who teaches writing at UCLA and serves as the inaugural Poet Laureate in the City of Glendale, California. A 2025-2026 Laureate Fellow with the Academy of American Poets, his writing has appeared in The New York Times, Academy of American Poets, and elsewhere.
Literary Lights 2026 is a monthly reading series organized by the International Armenian Literary Alliance, the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research, and the Krikor and Clara Zohrab Information Center. Each event—held online or in-person—will feature a writer reading from their work, followed by a discussion with an interviewer and audience members. Read along with the series by purchasing Remain in Light and more titles at IALA’s Bookshop.org storefront.
Missed the last Literary Lights 2026 event featuring Rose by the Sea author Rebecca Rose Mooradian? Watch the full recording here.
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“Iran’s Literary Heritage and Firdousi”
The aim of the seminar is to reevaluate the role of Firdous and his “Shahnameh” in the development of the Persian language, the formation of Iranian identity and the preservation of Iran’s cultural heritage.
🗓 Time:in 2026 on May 15 at 10:30.
📍Place:“Firdusu” Hall of YSU Oriental Studies Faculty.
We cordially invite all lecturers, Iranologists, Persian language learners and all persons interested in Persian language and Persian literature to participate in this event.
Culture Center of the Embassy of the Republic of Iran in the Republic of Armenia in cooperation with the Yerevan State University
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The Cultural Center of The Embassy of The Islamic Republic of Iran in The Republic of Armenia
Armenia, Yerevan, M. Chailakhyan Ave. 2a.
M: 094901034
T: 010 229053/ 010 229054
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