Gegham Manukyan, deputy of RA NA faction “Armenia” sent an official request to the director of the National Security Service, demanding to clarify the circumstances of the leakage of the security camera recordings of “Zvartnots” airport. The occasion is the publication of footage with the participation of the second president Robert Kocharyan in the media.
In his statement, the parliamentarian raised the question of how the videos of the specially protected zone under the control of the NSS border guard troops appeared in the Telegram channel of the “Haykakan Zhamanak” daily newspaper. Manukyan emphasized that previously in the National Assembly he repeatedly referred to the issue of transferring videos from specially protected areas for political purposes. According to the MP, similar incidents seriously question the impartiality of the law enforcement system.
In addition to the incident related to the video, the deputy informed about many alarms received from the border checkpoints. According to his information, in the days preceding the elections, thousands of citizens were banned from leaving the territory of Armenia based on the Military Police records.
The deputy described these restrictions as a gross violation of the legislation, which can lead to severe criminal consequences. Let’s remind that yesterday photos and videos were published in the press, where the presence of Robert Kocharyan at the airport of the capital was recorded.
—
The elections were a national protest, not geopolitics. Oskanian
Former RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian strongly criticized the international perception of the last parliamentary elections, stating that the vote was not a geopolitical competition between the West and Russia, but a nationwide protest against the disintegration of Armenian statehood and new concessions.
In his statement published on social networks, the former foreign minister noted that foreign observers and the press superficially interpret the internal political crisis in the country, turning it into a simple struggle between the pro-Western government and the pro-Russian opposition. According to Oskanyan, such talk deeply misleads the international audience and distorts reality.
The former diplomat questioned the legitimacy of the elections, stressing that the official results do not reflect the true will of the citizens. He stated that the process was accompanied by administrative pressures, manipulations and an atmosphere of intimidation, as a result of which Nikol Pashinyan did not receive the vote of confidence of the Armenian people. Oskanyan emphasized that the pro-Western rhetoric of the authorities cannot be an excuse for electoral fraud and pressure on political opponents.
Referring to the external challenges, Vardan Oskanyan noticed that the Armenian society is aware of the dangers hidden under the process of “regulating” relations. According to him, the voters categorically reject the demands of Azerbaijan, the compulsion to change the Constitution of Armenia, further territorial concessions and the prospect of renouncing Artsakh’s heritage.
Summarizing his speech, the former minister noted that the real choice of the citizens was not the search for external sponsors, but the protection of sovereignty, constitutional order and national dignity under the conditions of the threat of forced capitulation.
According to the final data of the CEC, the “Civil Agreement” party, as well as the opposition “Hzor Armenia” and “Hazor Armenia” alliances, are entering the Armenian parliament based on the results of the June 7 elections.
According to these data, the “Civil Agreement” party collected 49.7% of the votes, the “Mighty Armenia” alliance – 23.27%, and the “Armenia” alliance (former president Robert Kocharyan – ed.) – 9.9%. The opposition “Prosperous Armenia” party received 3.989% of the votes and did not enter the parliament.
—
The EU and France will allocate 112 million euros to the development of the water sector in Armenia
The Finance, Credit and Budgetary Affairs Committee of the Armenian Parliament has approved the involvement of more than 112 million euros by the French Development Agency (AFD) and the European Union for the comprehensive modernization of the country’s water economy and agriculture.
As explained by the Deputy Chairman of the Water Committee Nvard Vardanyan, the main part of the financing is the multi-tranche credit line of 100 million euros provided by the French side. From this budget, 70 million euros will be directed to the WISE program implemented at the national level, and 30 million euros will be purposefully allocated to the programs planned in Syunik marz. In addition, the European Union will provide a grant of 12.4 million euros, which will serve for technical re-equipment and capacity building.
The need for such large-scale investments is dictated by the severe wear and tear of existing irrigation systems, large-scale water losses, and the growing risks posed by climate change. The framework agreement signed by the government in December 2025 paves the way for the launch of complex and phased reforms covering water resources management at both local and national levels.
The project is structurally divided into two main directions. The first is nationwide infrastructure investments, which will be co-financed by the World Bank. The second component is focused on Syunik. In the communities of Sisian, Goris and Meghri, it is planned to modernize pumping stations, develop gravity irrigation networks and introduce modern water reuse systems. It should be noted that the French Development Agency has been supporting infrastructure and environmental projects in Armenia since 2013.
—
The court deprived the NAOC headed by Gagik Tsarukyan of 225 hectares of land in Tsaghkadzor
The Administrative Court of the Republic of Armenia satisfied the request of the General Prosecutor’s Office, recognizing as invalid the ownership rights of the National Olympic Committee of Armenia (NAOC) headed by the big businessman and politician Gagik Tsarukyan to the 225-hectare plot of land adjacent to the Tsaghkadzor cable car.
The area worth more than 36 billion drams was transferred to the sports structure in December 2005. Gagik Tsarukyan has been leading the NAOC without change since 2004, so for almost two decades this large infrastructure asset has actually been under the management of the structure headed by him. As a result of the court investigation, it was recorded that the expropriation of the property was carried out in violation of the requirements of the land legislation. The court ruled that at the time of allocating the site, the legal grounds for transferring the state property to the committee were actually absent.
After the judicial act enters into legal force, it is planned to officially return the plot to the state balance sheet. However, the legal process is not over yet. The representatives of the committee led by Tsarukyan do not agree with the decision and have already filed an appeal.
—
Verelq: Moscow strives to maintain multilateral partnership with Yerevan.
Director of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, Sergey Naryshkin, emphasized the strategic importance of maintaining full neighborly relations with Armenia. This statement is made against the background of the rapprochement of Yerevan and European structures in the conditions of the recent cooling observed in the bilateral dialogue.
According to the head of the Russian department, the continuous development of cooperation in all key directions is of fundamental importance for Moscow. In particular, Naryshkin singled out the need to maintain close cooperation in the economic and humanitarian spheres, as well as emphasized the importance of maintaining military and military-technical ties.
Let’s remind that in recent months, Armenian-Russian relations have become somewhat strained, which Moscow attributes to the activation of the European vector of Armenia’s foreign policy. Earlier, the Russian side pointed out the incompatibility of integration into the structures of the European Union and membership of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU).
The practical manifestation of these differences became the restrictions applied to the export of a wide range of Armenian agricultural products, including vegetables, fruits, berries and flowers, to the Russian market from the end of May.
Despite emerging commercial and political contacts, the parties maintain diplomatic rhetoric at the highest level. RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan earlier announced the positive transformation of bilateral cooperation, and the President of Russia Vladimir Putin described the relations between the states as friendly.
—
Armenia’s public debt reached $14.07 billion as of March 2026
As of March 31, 2026, Armenia’s public debt amounted to 5 trillion 311 billion drams, or 14 billion 68 million dollars, according to Finance Minister Vahe Hovhannisyan.
The minister told lawmakers at a committee hearing that, compared to December 31, 2025, public debt had increased by 11 billion drams.
“As of March 31, the public debt amounts to 5 trillion 311 billion drams, which is only 11 billion drams more than on December 31,” Hovhannisyan said. “Expressed in dollars, our debt amounts to 14 billion 68 million dollars.”
Published by Armenpress, original at
—
EU Commissioner for Enlargement to visit Armenia on July 5
European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos has announced that she will visit Armenia on July 5.
In a statement on X, Commissioner Kos said she met with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan ahead of the Foreign Affairs Council session in Luxembourg, where member states will discuss continued support for Armenia.
“Russia continues to intensify pressure on Armenia, trying to influence the country away from the democratic choice made by its people in the last elections. I met Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan ahead of tomorrow’s Foreign Affairs Council, where we will discuss with Members [how to] continue supporting Armenia, showing our solidarity. We will provide financial assistance and help make it easier for Armenia to trade with its neighbours and with Europe. I will travel to Yerevan on 5 July to take forward concrete steps,” Kos said on Sunday.
Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan is visiting Luxembourg at the invitation of EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas to participate in an EU Foreign Affairs Council discussion on June 15.
Russia has been imposing growing restrictions and bans on Armenian goods ahead of the June 7 parliamentary elections, and the measures remain in force. The move has prompted exporters to seek new markets, including in the EU. The EU has introduced support measures to help Armenian producers access new markets.
Published by Armenpress, original at
—
EU ministers discuss support for Armenia at Foreign Affairs Council-format mee
Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan participated in an EU Foreign Affairs Council-format meeting at the invitation of EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos, and the foreign ministers of EU member states participated in the meeting, which was held over breakfast, according to the Armenian Foreign Ministry.
The EU Council earlier reported that, before the beginning of the FAC meeting, EU foreign affairs ministers would have an informal exchange over breakfast with Mirzoyan.
According to the Foreign Ministry’s readout, the “EU partners congratulated Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan on the democratic parliamentary elections held in Armenia and on the victory of the Civil Contract party.”
They underscored the EU’s and its member states’ support for the consistent implementation of the Armenia–EU strategic partnership agenda and their political commitment to advancing European integration.
“Minister Mirzoyan presented the developments in and around Armenia during the pre-election and post-election periods, emphasizing that through their vote, Armenia’s citizens reaffirmed their desire to live in peace and to safeguard the country’s independence, sovereignty, the irreversibility of democratic reforms, the chosen path toward prosperity, and Armenia’s aspirations for a European future,” the Foreign Ministry said.
Minister Mirzoyan noted that the fact that his first post-election visit is taking place in this format with the EU, with the aim of further deepening Armenia–EU cooperation, demonstrates the mutual commitment of both sides.
The parties exchanged views on practical mechanisms and possible steps to increase Armenia–EU trade, as well as to strengthen Armenia’s economic and energy resilience. Minister Mirzoyan highly valued the support provided thus far by the EU and its member states in countering hybrid threats and diversifying economic ties.
An agreement was reached to continue work in these areas through active cooperation with both EU institutions and individual EU member states.
Published by Armenpress, original at
—
Firebird and the Government of Kazakhstan sign strategic agreements to advance
Firebird press release
Firebird Inc. announced the signing of strategic cooperation agreements with the Government of Kazakhstan aimed at supporting the development of national next-generation artificial intelligence infrastructure, advanced computing capacity, and a globally competitive digital AI ecosystem.
The discussions and signing of cooperation agreements were held in Astana with the participation of Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov, Vice President of Omniverse and Simulation Technology at NVIDIA Rev Lebaredian, Firebird Co-Founders Razmig Hovaghimian and Alexander Yesayan, senior officials of the Government and representatives of the country’s leading technology organizations.
The cooperation establishes a foundation for future collaboration in AI infrastructure, advanced computing systems, cloud technologies, research initiatives, and digital economy development. It supports Kazakhstan’s ambition to strengthen its position as a leading technology and innovation hub in Central Eurasia.
The agreements follow a high-level meeting earlier this year between President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, NVIDIA Vice President of Global AI Infrastructure Growth Nico Caprez, and Firebird Co-Founders, where the parties discussed opportunities for collaboration in the design, construction, and operation of large-scale next-generation computing platforms.
“Countries that invest today in advanced AI computing capacity, talent development, and innovation ecosystems will shape the economic opportunities of tomorrow. Firebird combines proven deployment experience with cutting edge U.S. technology stack, deep partnerships across the global AI ecosystem, and the ability to execute large-scale AI infrastructure projects securely, with exceptional speed. We are proud to support Kazakhstan’s vision and look forward to helping build long-term national AI capacity,” said Razmig Hovaghimian.
“Artificial intelligence is becoming the new foundational infrastructure of the global economy. To develop our own AI solutions, individual digital products are not enough: a holistic ecosystem is needed, encompassing energy, modern data centers, computing power, data, and access to advanced technologies. Kazakhstan is consistently building such a foundation. Our goal is to transform the country’s infrastructural advantages into a long-term driver of economic growth and strengthen Kazakhstan’s position as one of the key digital hubs in Eurasia,” noted Zhaslan Madiyev, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Firebird is currently completing the first phase of its flagship AI Factory in Armenia, scheduled to become operational in July 2026. Developed from initial construction to deployment readiness in just over six months, the project represents one of the fastest AI infrastructure rollouts of its kind globally. Under Firebird’s approved three-phase expansion strategy, the platform is designed to scale beyond 100,000 NVIDIA Blackwell and Vera Rubin GPUs by the end of 2027, creating one of the world’s largest AI computing platforms.
Firebird’s experience demonstrates that large-scale AI infrastructure projects can be successfully delivered through collaboration between governments, technology companies, financial institutions, and research communities.
Firebird is not just building data centers. The company creates national AI capacity that allows countries to participate in the AI economy at global scale.
About Firebird
Firebird is a U.S.-based AI cloud and infrastructure company designed to provide secure, scalable, and globally accessible GPU infrastructure. Its mission is to democratize access to advanced AI computing, enabling innovation across research and enterprise in both the private and public sectors.
Published by Armenpress, original at
—
Armenia and Belgium strengthen cultural cooperation through Queen Elisabeth Mu
Armenia and Belgium are developing cultural ties, with the CEO of the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel, Grégor Chapelle, currently visiting Yerevan to establish partnerships.
The Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel is a Belgian academic institution for artistic training of young musicians. It was inaugurated by Queen Elisabeth of Belgium in 1939.
Belgian Ambassador to Armenia Eric de Muynck said at a press conference that many meetings and a concert program are expected during the visit.
“We aim to build bridges between Belgium and Armenia, both between institutions and between peoples and professionals. Grégor Chapelle is in Armenia to help create a new bridge with the goal of expanding cooperation between the two countries. Armenia has excellent cultural institutions, and in recent years we have tried to establish connections with Belgian partners. And now we want to strengthen the ties between Armenian institutions and the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel,” said the ambassador.
Previously, individuals from Armenia have applied to and received their education at this prestigious institution. Grégor Chapelle, CEO of the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel, noted that the current effort is to place the process on an institutional footing and, through cooperation between state bodies and partners, guide more young people toward the institution.
“I consider this not the beginning of a friendship, but its continuation. The cooperation between the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel and Armenians dates back to 1939. It is known that even then there were warm relations between Queen Elisabeth and composer Aram Khachaturian. Taking this into account, we can say that we are here not to establish new ties, but to continue the relationship,” said Grégor Chapelle.
The Armenian diaspora living in Belgium and Armenians in the diaspora play a major role in strengthening Armenia–Belgium cultural ties and expanding cooperation. The Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) has contributed to forming this new bridge of cooperation through various educational programs that encourage young professionals.
AGBU Armenia President and AGBU Central Board member Vasken Yacoubian noted that this year is symbolic for AGBU, as the organization is celebrating the 120th anniversary of its founding.
“We are working in several directions, including education and culture. And cooperation with the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel is no coincidence. We provide grants in various fields, including performing arts. Previously, we have also had students who continued their education at the Music Chapel through our grants, so we expect more applicants, and we will also consider possibilities for support,” he said, emphasizing that diaspora involvement is significant in programs implemented in Armenia.
Armenian musicians can apply to the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel in six fields—piano, cello, violin, viola, chamber music, and vocal—through a competitive process involving recordings, auditions in Belgium, and a three-year study program.
Published by Armenpress, original at
—