The European Union highly values its partnership with Armenia in advancing justice sector reforms and strengthening the rule of law.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the two-day Armenian Platform for European Prosecutors’ Dialogue in Yerevan, EU Ambassador to Armenia Vassilis Maragos said Armenia has made significant efforts in recent years to modernize its legal and institutional framework, improve the effectiveness of law enforcement and prosecution services, and align its practices with European standards.

Referring to the significance of the conference, Maragos noted that through the Partnership for Good Governance, the European Union and the Council of Europe continue to work together to support the rule of law, democratic governance, and reforms aimed at strengthening justice institutions. According to him, this applies to the entire Eastern Partnership region.

“The challenges we face today do not stop at national borders. Criminal networks operate internationally, and our response must be equally well coordinated. Conferences such as this provide a valuable opportunity to learn from one another, exchange practical experience, identify emerging threats, and build professional networks that are essential for effective international cooperation and for fostering trust across borders. I reaffirm the European Union’s strong support for this initiative and our continued partnership with Armenia and the Council of Europe,” Maragos said.

He added that Armenia stands out for its commitment to democracy and its determination to implement important reforms.

Maragos noted that the European Union has placed asset recovery and confiscation at the centre of its efforts to combat serious and organized crime.

“Following the money is often the most effective way to dismantle criminal networks. Depriving criminals of their illicit profits not only delivers justice but also removes the financial incentives that drive criminal activity. Effective asset recovery directly contributes to strengthening public trust in the justice system, democracy, and democratic institutions.

At the same time, our efforts must remain firmly grounded in respect for human rights, due process, and legal certainty. The protection of property rights, judicial oversight, proportionality, and procedural safeguards are essential elements of any successful asset recovery framework.

The European Union welcomes the growing attention being given to the management of seized and confiscated assets. Proper asset management is often an overlooked, yet crucial, component of the asset recovery process,” the EU ambassador to Armenia said.

Armenian Minister of Environment Hambardzum Matevosyan and Kim Sung-hwan, Minister of Climate, Energy and Environment of the Republic of Korea, discussed opportunities to expand bilateral cooperation in environmental protection, climate change, water resources management, and biodiversity conservation.

Matevosyan shared details of the meeting in a Facebook post.

“During the meeting, I presented Armenia’s priorities, emphasizing that, in the context of climate change, the country’s key priorities include effective water resources management, the development of flood forecasting and early warning systems, integrated river basin management, and ecosystem restoration.

I was particularly interested in learning about the Republic of Korea’s experience in using artificial intelligence and digital technologies for flood forecasting, water resources management, and enhancing climate resilience. We agreed that exchanging experience and strengthening professional cooperation in these areas could make an important contribution to developing Armenia’s capacities.

As the country presiding over COP17, I thanked the Republic of Korea for its active engagement under the Convention on Biological Diversity and invited it to participate at a high level in COP17, which will be held in Yerevan.

I am confident that this meeting will provide new momentum for Armenia–Republic of Korea environmental cooperation and contribute to the implementation of joint projects for the benefit of climate resilience, sustainable water resources management, and biodiversity conservation,” the minister wrote.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan attended a ceremonial session marking the establishment day of the State Protection Service.

Congratulating the personnel on the occasion, the prime minister thanked them for their service to the Republic of Armenia.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, Pashinyan noted that the development of the State Protection Service is clearly visible, from its everyday uniforms to its equipment, weapons and technical capabilities.

The prime minister also referred to the service’s funding, stressing that it has increased significantly.

“A very substantial investment is being made in improving the qualifications of the service’s personnel. We are doing everything possible to ensure that employees themselves are motivated by these changes, by continuous education, knowledge of foreign languages and the ongoing development of their professional skills,” he said.

In this context, Pashinyan highlighted the expansion of international cooperation, which provides broader opportunities for engagement and communication.

The prime minister also stressed the importance of ensuring an adequate level of social guarantees for State Protection Service personnel.

“The mechanism should be voluntary certification, and each round of voluntary certification should be accompanied by a higher level of social guarantees. This process must be continuous,” he said.

Pashinyan also underscored the need for the institutional development of the State Protection Service, noting that it is one of the country’s key special services.

“In the past, this perception was not as strong because the service was part of the National Security Service, and the development of its independent capacities was not considered particularly necessary. I believe we have now reached the stage where the service must continue to develop independently as a special service, with all the responsibilities and requirements that this entails. This will also require certain structural changes,” the prime minister said.

He also welcomed the growing attractiveness of the service for young people, stressing that this trend should continue to be encouraged.

State Protection Service Director Artur Gasparyan also addressed the event, outlining ongoing efforts and programmes aimed at the consistent improvement of the service.

A group of State Protection Service employees received awards from Prime Minister Pashinyan in recognition of their dedication in the performance of their official duties.

A two-day high-level international conference titled “Following the Trail of Illicit Assets: Criminal Prosecution, Asset Recovery and Management of Confiscated Assets, Strengthening the Victim-Centred Approach in Criminal Justice” opened in Yerevan on July 1 within the framework of the Armenian Platform for Prosecutors’ Dialogue. The event is being held on the occasion of Prosecutor’s Day and the 108th anniversary of the establishment of Armenia’s Prosecutor’s Office.

The conference was jointly organized with the Prosecutor General’s Office under the “Strengthening National Capacities for Effective Prevention of and Fight against Economic Crime in Armenia” and “Support to the Implementation of Judicial Reforms in Armenia” programmes, implemented by the Council of Europe and co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe under the Partnership for Good Governance programme.

Following the success of the annual high-level prosecutorial conferences held in Armenia between 2023 and 2025, the Armenian Platform for Prosecutors’ Dialogue was established. More than 10 countries are represented at this year’s event by prosecutors, senior justice officials and international experts.

According to the Prosecutor General’s Office, participants include Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, National Assembly Speaker Alen Simonyan, Prosecutor General Anna Vardapetyan, senior representatives of the executive and judicial branches, Council of Europe Director for Security, Integrity and Rule of Law Hanna Junker (online), Head of the European Union Delegation to Armenia Ambassador Vassilis Maragos, ambassadors accredited to Armenia, Head of the Council of Europe Office in Yerevan Maxime Longangué, Deputy Head of the Programmes Cooperation Division of the Department for the Implementation of Human Rights, Justice and Legal Co-operation Standards of the Council of Europe Lilit Daneghyan, heads of Armenia’s law enforcement agencies, Prosecutor General of Lithuania Nida Grunskienė, Prosecutor General of Estonia Astrid Asi, Prosecutor General of Latvia Armīns Meisters, as well as prosecutorial delegations from Austria, Switzerland, Romania, Italy and Poland, prosecutors and other participants.

During the two-day conference, participants will discuss current issues related to the investigation and prosecution of financial crimes, the identification, freezing, management and confiscation of illicitly acquired assets, as well as victim-centred justice.

Particular attention will be given to emerging forms of financial crime, including fraud involving artificial intelligence, criminal schemes using crypto-assets, and effective mechanisms for detecting and investigating money laundering and corruption offences.

The conference will also examine effective models for managing illicitly acquired assets, the case law of the European Court of Human Rights concerning assets obtained through illegal means, and international best practices for protecting the rights and interests of crime victims.

The organizers expect the conference to contribute to strengthening participating countries’ capacities in combating financial crime, recovering illicit assets and enhancing international cooperation, while also reinforcing professional networks and partnerships.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin held a telephone conversation, according to a statement issued by the Russian government’s press service.

The statement said the conversation took place at the initiative of the Armenian side.

“The heads of government discussed current issues related to Armenian-Russian cooperation in the fields of trade and the economy, science, technology, and culture and humanitarian affairs,” the statement said.

Armenian National Assembly Vice Speaker Ruben Rubinyan received a delegation led by Johannes Volkmann, Chair of the Subcommittee on Crisis Prevention, Strategic Foresight, Stabilisation and Peacebuilding of the German Bundestag and a member of its Committee on Foreign Affairs, on July 1.

According to a statement issued by the National Assembly’s Public Relations and Communication Department, Rubinyan welcomed the delegation and underscored Armenia’s aspiration to deepen relations with the European Union, highly valuing Armenia-Germany cooperation in that context.

The National Assembly vice speaker also answered questions from members of the delegation, addressing the results of the parliamentary elections, as well as the parliament’s future work and plans.

The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 1 July, USD exchange rate up by 0.16 drams to 368.05 drams. EUR exchange rate stood at 419.47 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate up by 0.0011 drams to 4.7071 drams. GBP exchange rate up by 0.83 drams to 487.7 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price up by 16 drams to 47641 drams.

Armenia’s Constitutional Court has retired to the deliberation room to issue a ruling on a case seeking to invalidate the results of the parliamentary elections held on June 7.

Seven political forces that participated in the parliamentary elections — the Strong Armenia Alliance, the Armenia Alliance, the Prosperous Armenia Party, the Wings of Unity Party, the Democracy, Law and Discipline Party, the New Force Party and the For the Republic Party — petitioned the Constitutional Court, challenging the election results and requesting that they be declared invalid. The court began hearing the case on June 26.

The ruling Civil Contract party joined the proceedings as a third party, while the Central Election Commission, the Prosecutor’s Office, the Anti-Corruption Committee and the Ministry of Internal Affairs were involved as respondents.

The Constitutional Court’s deadline for publishing its ruling is July 4.

According to the results of the June 7 parliamentary elections, the Civil Contract party, which secured a parliamentary majority and will form the next government, as well as the Strong Armenia Alliance and the Armenia Alliance, won seats in parliament. Civil Contract will hold 64 seats in the new parliament, the Strong Armenia Alliance 29 seats and the Armenia Alliance 12 seats.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has arrived in Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku.

The European Commission president announced her arrival in a post on X.

“Touchdown in Baku.

The EU believes in a bright future for the South Caucasus: connected, peaceful and prosperous.

We want to help build that future.

I’m also here to deepen the EU-Azerbaijan partnership.

From trade to transport. From energy to the economy.”

The European Commission president is also due to pay a working visit to Armenia on July 2.

As part of the visit, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will hold a meeting.

Following the meeting, they will make statements and answer questions from media representatives.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in Baku that the European Union plans to deepen its partnership with Azerbaijan across a number of key areas. She made the remarks in a post on X.

“The EU believes in a bright future for the South Caucasus: peaceful and prosperous.

We want to help build that future.

I’m also here to deepen the EU-Azerbaijan partnership.

From trade to transport. From energy to the economy.”

The European Commission president arrived in Azerbaijan on a working visit on July 1, where she is scheduled to hold talks with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

On July 2, von der Leyen will travel to Armenia, where she is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.