Armenia has exported hundreds of tonnes of agricultural produce and nearly two million flowers so far this month, while exports of apricots have also begun, Economy Minister Gevorg Papoyan said on Thursday amid efforts to diversify export markets.

Speaking at the Cabinet meeting, Papoyan said Armenia exported 411 tonnes of greenhouse-grown vegetables and strawberries, as well as around 1.8 million flowers, between June 1 and June 17.

By export volume, the main destinations were Georgia, Uzbekistan, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Latvia, Romania, the Czech Republic, Austria, the Netherlands, France, Belarus and Kazakhstan.

According to Papoyan, exports of apricots have also begun.

“We have exported 162 tonnes of apricots. The first shipments were sent yesterday to Ukraine and Georgia,” the economy minister said.

The delegation of the Union of Communities of Armenia will participate in the World Congress of United Cities and Local Governments: Eurasia, which will take place on June 22-26 in Tangier, Morocco. This year’s congress is being held under the theme “The New Generation of Universal Local Public Services.”

The Armenian delegation includes Armen Harutyunyan, Director General of the Union of Communities of Armenia, and Garik Sargsyan, Mayor of Vedi, the Union of Communities of Armenia said in a press release. 

“United Cities and Local Governments: Eurasia” is the Eurasian regional branch of the global organization “United Cities and Local Governments” (UCLG). The global organization brings together more than 240,000 cities, communities, regions, and metropolises from 140 countries around the world, representing the interests of more than 70% of the world’s population. It is recognized by the United Nations as the main partner of local and regional authorities and has played an important role in shaping the Sustainable Development Goal focused on “Sustainable Cities and Communities.”

The World Congress in Tangier will bring together more than 3,000 local and regional leaders, mayors, governors, members of municipal councils, civil society representatives, and partners from international organizations. Within the framework of the congress, meetings of the General Assembly, World Council, and Executive Bureau will take place, during which key decisions regarding the future development of the international local government movement will be discussed and adopted.

The event will also provide an opportunity for regional structures to present their priorities, share best practices in local governance, and showcase innovative solutions. Participants will discuss current challenges facing communities, as well as present successful initiatives and development models.

During his speech, Armen Harutyunyan, Director General of the Union of Communities of Armenia, will address the key role of communities in national development, strengthening democracy, and ensuring sustainable progress. He will present Armenia’s experience in community development, recent achievements, and future prospects, emphasizing that strong communities are the foundation of a strong and competitive state.

The speech, built around the idea that “A strong community is the foundation of a strong country,” will also highlight initiatives aimed at developing local self-government, improving the efficiency of community management, enhancing public services, and improving citizens’ quality of life.

Garik Sargsyan’s speech will focus on Armenia’s practical experience in the fields of climate planning and adaptation. In particular, he will present the results of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development’s “Green Cities” program, within the framework of which, in cooperation with GCoM (Global Covenant of Mayors), climate adaptation action plans have been developed and implemented in several Armenian cities. This experience demonstrates the effectiveness of combining international cooperation with local solutions in strengthening the climate resilience of communities.

“United Cities and Local Governments: Eurasia” represents the interests of local and regional authorities from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Mongolia, covering a vast geographic area with a population of around 300 million people. The organization’s headquarters are located in Kazan.

Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš has congratulated Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on his electoral victory.

The letter from PM Babiš was published by Pashinyan’s office.

“Dear Prime Minister, allow me, on behalf of myself and the Czech Republic, to sincerely congratulate you on your victory in the recent parliamentary elections. The results of these elections clearly demonstrate the trust that the citizens of your country have in you. I warmly recall our meeting in Yerevan this May and am pleased that the Republic of Armenia hosted the European Political Community summit, which can be considered successful and was accompanied by a positive international response.

I am confident that, under your leadership, the Republic of Armenia will successfully overcome existing challenges, continue to prosper, and maintain its pro-Western orientation.

Relations between our countries have traditionally been friendly, based on shared values, mutual respect, and close cooperation in a number of areas, particularly trade, transport, and the defense industry. I greatly value this partnership and look forward to our future personal cooperation both bilaterally and within international organizations.

I wish you success, good health, and great strength in carrying out your demanding and responsible duties.”

Green Rock press release 

The international forum “Hospitality Investment Forum Yerevan 2026” brought together more than 1,000 leading representatives of the hospitality and tourism sectors, investors, and experts from over 28 countries in Yerevan.

At the official opening ceremony of the forum, Armenia’s Minister of Economy, Gevorg Papoyan, delivered a speech highlighting the importance of the event as a leading regional platform for stimulating investment in hospitality and tourism. He emphasized that the forum, year after year, contributes to the creation of new partnerships, the exchange of international experience, and the presentation of investment opportunities.

The Minister also presented Armenia’s tourism potential and recent positive trends in the sector, noting that approximately 825,000 tourists visited the country in the first five months of 2026.

Katerina Danekina, CEO of Green Rock, gave a keynote speech titled “Unlocking the Potential of Small Cities: Private Capital for Sustainable Tourism and Hospitality Development.”

She described small cities as a promising new focus for hospitality investment, where private capital can support local growth while opening new opportunities for investors. Tourism, she added, remains a powerful economic driver — creating jobs, attracting investment, and strengthening regions’ links to the global economy.

According to Danekina, Armenia remains an emerging and relatively undiscovered market, which requires a realistic approach and increased international competitiveness in order to attract both tourists and foreign capital.

She stressed that the real foundation of sustainable development is formed only when two factors come together — tourism demand and investment capital — and that this combination ensures long-term and effective growth.

As a practical example, she presented the multifunctional development model implemented by Green Rock in Dilijan.

“Hotel infrastructure alone is not enough for the sustainable development of small cities. Alongside building a hotel, Green Rock is developing cultural and social infrastructure — a music hall, an art park, the Villa3 community hub, PPLS Rooms co-living, and the Cabinet café-restaurant. Projects like these help attract professionals, entrepreneurs, and digital nomads, while also creating social connections between tourists and residents of Dilijan,” Danekina said, adding that PPLS Rooms and the Villa3 community hub had opened just a few days earlier.

The CEO of Green Rock also highlighted the importance of education in the hospitality sector, noting the launch of Apicius Armenia, developed in partnership with the Apicius International School of Hospitality in Florence. With the involvement of Italian experts teaching in Dilijan, the school aims to train professionals for the sector and support long-term human capital development.

Addressing the importance of community engagement, Danekina emphasized that sustainable tourism is impossible without the involvement of local residents. For this purpose, the Green Rock Foundation has been established, implementing cultural, educational, and community programs.

In the forum’s exhibition area, Green Rock and the Green Rock Foundation presented two initiatives: Meet Dilijan, focused on developing Dilijan as a destination, and Apicius Armenia, focused on hospitality education.

Armenia’s Davit Chaloyan has reached the semifinals of the European Cup Gold Grand Prix Ústí nad Labem 2026 in the Czech Republic after defeating Germany’s Delil Yazgan in the men’s super heavyweight bout by unanimous decision, following a clear advantage in all rounds of the quarterfinal.

Chaloyan, the silver medallist at the 2021 World Boxing Championships and bronze medallist at the 2025 IBA World Boxing Championships, has thus secured at least a bronze medal.

He will face Clinton Achusin of England in a semifinal bout for a place in the final. Achusin had earlier defeated 2024 Olympic bronze medallist Djamili Aboudou in the quarterfinals.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan visited the Meridian Expo Center to review the progress of preparations for the 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17), which will be held in Armenia in October this year. According to the Prime Minister’s Office, Minister of Environment Hambardzum Matevosyan presented to the Prime Minister the construction work being carried out at the center, as well as the conditions and technical capabilities being created. Nikol Pashinyan was briefed on efforts to ensure the accessibility and compliance of infrastructure and services, as well as on the work aimed at developing the infrastructure necessary for hosting the conference. The Prime Minister stressed the importance of organizing and holding COP17 at a high level and gave relevant instructions regarding a number of issues.

Armen Nikoghosyan, Vice-President of the Football Federation of Armenia (FFA), has stepped down from his position. “Our country, together with Georgia, secured the right to host the 2029 FIFA U-20 World Cup, the second-largest football tournament in the world in terms of significance. To be honest, I could not even have dreamed that during my tenure I would be directly involved in events of such magnitude that seemed unattainable not long ago. But now this is a reality. It is time to pursue new goals, and I will take part in the preparatory work for organizing this tournament. Therefore, I announce my resignation from the position of FFA Vice-President and membership of the Executive Committee,” Armen Nikoghosyan said in a statement. In November 2017, Armen Nikoghosyan was appointed Adviser to the President of the Football Federation of Armenia. Since September 2018, he had served as Vice-President of the Football Federation of Armenia. In December 2019, he was re-elected to the position.

A session of the Council coordinating police reforms was held at the Government under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the agenda included discussion of the progress in implementing the 2024-2026 strategic program for police reforms. Minister of Internal Affairs Arpine Sargsyan presented the progress and results of the measures envisaged under the strategic program for implementation in 2025, as well as the measures and reforms carried out so far in 2026. Details were presented on the priorities of the strategic program and the achievements of the governance model formed through the establishment of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, including the creation of a single educational complex of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the 112 operational management center, the four pillars of policing, and the crime statistics and research center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, as well as the streamlining of public services and their transfer to the ministry’s domain. Details were also presented on the work carried out within the framework of the reforms in the areas of human resources management, strengthening integrity, modernization of the operational management center, launch of the Police Guard, and development of the Patrol Service and Criminal Police. The Minister of Internal Affairs noted that basic education has been set as a mandatory entry requirement for joining the services. Work has also been carried out to improve the certification system and introduce a new performance evaluation system. According to Arpine Sargsyan, the number of crimes has decreased by 3.2% compared to the previous year. The agenda also included proposals on improving the effectiveness of investigative functions. A discussion followed, during which members of the Council presented their observations and positions on the work carried out. Various proposals were made to improve the effectiveness of community policing. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan emphasized the importance of further increasing the effectiveness of the reforms, introducing new approaches and ensuring more effective implementation of the goals set under the strategic program. The Head of Government instructed that, taking into account the discussions held during the Council session, the issues raised be identified, in-depth analyses be carried out, and proposals be presented at the next session.