A total of 120 young Diaspora Armenians participated in the first phase of the “Step Towards Home” educational and cultural programme organized by the Office of the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs of Armenia.

The Office of the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs said the first phase of the programme began on June 12.

During the two-week programme, Armenian teenagers from Russia, Georgia, Spain and the United States had the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of Armenia’s historical and cultural heritage, improve their knowledge of the Armenian language, make new friends and strengthen their ties with their homeland.

According to the statement, participants in the first phase of the programme are returning to their countries of residence on June 23, taking with them new knowledge, valuable experiences, new friendships and a stronger connection to their homeland.

The second phase of the “Step Towards Home” programme will begin on June 26 and continue through July 8, bringing together a new group of participants from various countries around the world.

Armenian National Assembly Vice Speaker Ruben Rubinyan told the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) that Armenia’s June 7 parliamentary elections were marked by vote-buying schemes allegedly carried out by representatives of three opposition forces, foreign interference, and a foreign disinformation campaign targeting the ruling party.

The remarks were made during a speech at PACE, according to a video published on Rubinyan’s Facebook page.

Referring to the parliamentary elections held in Armenia on June 7, Rubinyan said they were notable for three particular reasons.

“The first reason was, oddly enough, a massive and systematic vote-buying scheme carried out by the three main opposition parties. Almost every day, the relevant Armenian authorities were publishing recordings of members or representatives of these parties discussing how they were giving money to people in exchange for their votes.

The second feature was a massive disinformation campaign launched against Armenia’s ruling party. Again, almost every day, certain fake stories were published in foreign countries and were then imported into and disseminated in Armenia by these opposition parties.

The third and main feature was foreign interference in Armenia’s politics and elections. There were even economic measures taken from abroad, and all of this was aimed at influencing the outcome of Armenia’s elections.

Fortunately, despite all these vote-buying schemes, foreign interference and disinformation campaigns, the people of Armenia made a clear choice, and that choice was peace and democracy. Armenia chose democracy, which means that Armenia will continue its path toward institutionalizing the peace we have achieved through the process of normalizing relations with Azerbaijan and Turkey, as well as through the continuation of democratic reforms, and, we hope, with the support of this organization,” Rubinyan said.

The vice speaker also stated that there is a public demand for justice in Armenia to hold accountable all those who coordinated and carried out the alleged vote-buying schemes.

Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanyan participated in the high-level launch event of the Connectivity Agenda Platform initiated by the European Union.

According to Armenia’s Foreign Ministry, the event also brought together delegations from Türkiye, Ukraine, Moldova, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, as well as representatives of international financial institutions and the European Commission.

The ministry said the platform was established to strengthen the connectivity agenda among the countries of the South Caucasus, the Black Sea region, Türkiye and Central Asia, and to advance interregional connectivity within the framework of the EU’s Global Gateway strategy.

As part of the conference, Kostanyan participated as a speaker in a panel discussion titled “Future Prospects of the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor in the Black Sea and South Caucasus Regions: Towards 2030”.

The panel also featured Moldova’s deputy prime minister, Türkiye’s minister of transport and infrastructure, Ukraine’s minister for communities and territorial development, a vice president of the World Bank, as well as the European Commission’s deputy director-general for mobility and transport and director for the Eastern Neighbourhood and Türkiye.

In his remarks, Kostanyan stressed the importance of developing regional connectivity and promoting dialogue with neighboring countries in that context, noting that initiatives in this area could help fully realize the potential of the South Caucasus as an important link between Europe and Asia.

In this regard, he also highlighted the importance of advancing Armenia-EU partnership, particularly in the fields of transport, energy and digital connectivity.

Addressing the development of regional communications, the deputy foreign minister presented the Armenian government’s Crossroads of Peace initiative. He emphasized that inclusive connectivity contributes to regional cooperation, economic development and confidence-building.

At the conclusion of the conference, letters of intent were signed between Armenia and the European Commission, as well as separately between Armenia and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the European Investment Bank (EIB), concerning feasibility studies for three Armenian border crossing points and two northern highways.

Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanyan held meetings with Simon Mordue, Chief Diplomatic Adviser to the President of the European Commission, and Maja Bakran, Deputy Director-General of the Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport, on the sidelines of the high-level launch event of the EU-initiated Connectivity Agenda Platform.

According to Armenia’s Foreign Ministry, during Kostanyan’s meeting with Simon Mordue, the parties emphasized the importance of continuing and deepening bilateral efforts aimed at expanding export opportunities for Armenian products amid existing trade and economic restrictions.

The sides also discussed the importance of financial assistance provided by the European Union to the Armenian government in the form of budget support.

The interlocutors stressed the importance of maintaining high-level contacts in the context of advancing the existing bilateral agenda.

During the meeting between Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanyan and Maja Bakran, Deputy Director-General of the Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport, the parties, among other issues, discussed the implementation of agreements reached at the Armenia-EU Summit held in Yerevan on May 5, particularly matters related to the implementation of the transport component of the Connectivity Partnership document.

The participants highlighted the importance of deepening Armenia-EU cooperation in the field of connectivity, developing sustainable transport infrastructure, and advancing projects of mutual interest.

The sides also discussed issues related to the process of removing Armenian air carriers from the European Union Air Safety List and cooperation in that direction.

Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanyan met with Gert Jan Koopman, Director-General for Enlargement and the Eastern Neighbourhood at the European Commission, on the sidelines of the high-level Connectivity Agenda Platform event held in Brussels on June 23.

According to Armenia’s Foreign Ministry, the interlocutors discussed agreed initiatives aimed at developing economic and transport connectivity, as well as other issues related to this area of Armenia-EU partnership.

In this context, both sides highlighted the importance of the Joint Declaration on the Armenia-EU Connectivity Partnership signed during the first Armenia-EU Summit.

The deputy foreign minister briefed his interlocutor on recent developments related to the situation created by economic restrictions imposed on products of Armenian origin and welcomed the support provided by the European Union and its member states.

The parties also outlined further steps to be taken in this direction.

The sides agreed to continue joint efforts aimed at strengthening Armenia’s economic resilience and identifying new markets for Armenian products.

A meeting of the Council for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence was held at the initiative of Armenia’s Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, during which participants discussed ongoing reforms and existing challenges in the healthcare sector related to efforts to combat domestic and family violence.

According to the ministry, Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Affairs Tatevik Stepanyan stressed the importance of systematic and continuous work in the field, noting that the prevention of violence requires close cooperation among state institutions, local self-government bodies and civil society organizations.

She highlighted the importance of ensuring access to support services for victims of domestic violence and strengthening the capacities of frontline professionals.

Deputy Health Minister Armen Gasparyan, in turn, noted that domestic and family violence is not only a social and legal issue but also an important public health concern that can have serious consequences for a person’s physical and mental well-being.

He emphasized the role of healthcare workers in the early identification of victims of violence, the provision of necessary medical assistance and referrals to relevant support services.

The meeting also addressed issues related to medical and psychological support for victims of violence, as well as the training of healthcare professionals.

Participants discussed opportunities to improve access to services and expand cooperation among relevant stakeholders.

Members of the council presented their observations and put forward a number of proposals.

The meeting was also attended by Deputy Justice Minister Anna Karapetyan, Head of the Armenia Office of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Lusine Sargsyan, as well as representatives of state institutions, sectoral civil society organizations and international organizations.

The session of the Council for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence was organized by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs in cooperation with the United Nations Population Fund and with funding from the European Union under the programme “Promoting Human Rights Protection and Strengthening National Institutions.”

Armenian Economy Minister Gevorg Papoyan met with heads and chargés d’affaires of the European Union and EU member states’ diplomatic missions accredited to Armenia.

According to the Ministry of Economy, the meeting focused on ways to strengthen Armenia’s economic resilience and support the country’s development.

The participants emphasized the importance of expanding export opportunities for Armenian products and facilitating trade.

Minister Papoyan stated that Armenian products are fully competitive with those offered on the European market in terms of quality and meet the highest standards, possessing the relevant GLOBALG.A.P. and other required certifications.

“We have made significant progress in improving the business environment and raising quality standards. Today, many Armenian companies are ready not only to increase their exports, but also to establish long-term partnerships with European buyers,” the minister said.

The participants also discussed the implementation of export support programmes targeting European Union member states and other countries, as well as the existing state support mechanisms available to exporters.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the minister answered questions from the ambassadors and presented the government’s policies and priorities aimed at developing the sector.