CIVILNET

📍 Armenia’s former president Robert Kocharyan will run for prime minister in the June parliamentary elections.📍 The Armenian Church has removed Abraham Mkrtchyan, who leads the diocese of Vayots Dzor province, from his position. He is one of the clerics that sided with the government during the conflict with the church last November.📍 On average, more than one professional football club has folded each year in Armenia since independence, according to research by CivilNet. The trend is driven by low spectator interest, which has limited investment and advertising, and has placed a sustained financial strain on clubs.📍 Armenia’s election line‑up so far: https://www.civilnet.am/en/news/1001534/armenias-election-lineup-so-far/#CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #dailyarmenia

📍 Armenia’s justice minister says the draft text of a new constitution is complete and under review by the ruling party before publication. 📍 During a phone call with his family, former Nagorno-Karabakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan attempted to publicly appeal to Azerbaijan’s ombudsperson about his case, at which point the call was disconnected. 📍 This Week in Business: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3lwXzQGmME #CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #dailyarmenia

By Karen Harutyunyan

Palgrave Macmillan has published Hrair Balian’s substantial volume Anatomy of Peacemaking: Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict and Missed Opportunities. Newmag is expected to release the Armenian edition of the book soon.

Balian brings decades of experience in conflict resolution across various regions of the world, and in this work he successfully combines his practical knowledge with academic methodology through meticulous source comparison, comparative reconstruction of different phases of negotiations, and parallel reading of legal and political arguments within international frameworks.

The book presents the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict not only within its own historical and political context, but also alongside other international conflicts, revealing both structural similarities and distinctive characteristics.

The study is heavily document-based and often resembles a diplomatic chronicle, examining negotiations that lasted more than three decades. It is perhaps the first work to consolidate nearly the entire accessible documentary record of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Yet Balian does not limit himself to presenting archival material or retelling familiar political episodes. He places them within a broader framework of comparative conflict analysis, international law, and the interaction of major powers’ political calculations.

A particularly notable aspect of the book is its use of negotiation theory, especially the concept of BATNA (Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement). This provides a useful lens for understanding how the conflicting sides assessed their options beyond the negotiating table.

📍 The first batch of high-tech computer chips arrived in Armenia, as plans move forward to develop a massive data center to support the training of artificial intelligence models.📍 The parent company of one of Armenia’s biggest banks is set to join the FTSE 100, a major UK stock index, in a move that could boost Armenia’s visibility in global markets.#CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #civilnetbusiness

At the Agarak checkpoint on the Armenia–Iran border, CivilNet speaks with refugees crossing from Iran as the war continues. Many Iranians are reluctant to speak on camera, fearing that any incautious remark could be seen as disloyal by the Iranian authorities. Despite concerns that the conflict could trigger a mass exodus, there are no crowds of refugees here. Some travelers say Iranian authorities are only allowing foreign or dual citizens to leave for Armenia, while others say many people simply cannot afford the cost of travel or are afraid to leave their homes amid ongoing strikes.#CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ

📍 Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said he instructed Edita Gzoyan, director of the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute, to submit her resignation due to actions he said contradicted Armenia’s foreign policy. 📍 The Central Bank of Armenia warned that the war involving Iran could raise prices and disrupt trade routes for Armenia, even as officials say cross-border commerce remains open for now. 📍 Turkish Airlines launched its first direct flights between Istanbul and Yerevan, a move seen as symbolically linked to ongoing normalization efforts between Armenia and Turkey. 📍 Drone strikes on Azerbaijan and Iran gets a new leader- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8WnH9G5FIA #CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #dailyarmenia

Armenia’s economy continues to grow, outpacing neighboring Azerbaijan. At the same time, the European Union is increasing military assistance to Yerevan through the European Peace Facility, signaling deeper security cooperation. On Insights, Eric Hacopian examines Armenia’s rising economic and strategic position, the regional implications for Baku, and the troubling ties between the Aliyev regime and former prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. #CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #insightswitherichacopian

📍 The director of the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute in Yerevan has resigned after a dispute related to protocol issues surrounding last month’s visit by U.S. Vice President JD Vance.📍 The European Union would like to deepen political dialogue with Armenia in areas including security, trade and regional connectivity. Roberta Metsola, the President of the European Parliament, made the announcement today at a joint press conference with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.📍 Armenia’s fading tightrope walking tradition survives through family lines: https://www.civilnet.am/en/news/1007568/armenias-fading-tightrope-walking-tradition-survives-through-family-lines/ Credits: Ruptly

#DemocracyWatch – Three months remain before Armenia’s parliamentary elections, and discussions in the country are increasingly dominated by the topic of Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI). Practically all efforts by Armenia’s international partners are now focused on assisting the country in countering hybrid threats stemming from external actors, predominantly Russia. Nearly every discussion, round table, and conference today revolves around the risks of foreign interference and hybrid threats.

Some opposition parties, politicians, and media outlets have downplayed this threat, arguing that it simply does not exist. As a civil society organization that has systematically been targeted by foreign malign actors, we can refute that claim with concrete examples. Only in the past week, we at the Regional Center for Democracy and Security were subjected to two phishing attacks, in which unknown actors attempted to gain access to our data through emails sent in the name of fake accounts supposedly affiliated with the ruling party and the National Assembly. Cybersecurity experts have identified Russia-affiliated actors behind these campaigns.

📍 Armenia’s Foreign Intelligence Service says citizens and ethnic Armenians in an unnamed foreign country are being pressured to financially support certain political forces ahead of the parliamentary elections scheduled for June.📍 Economic cooperation between Yerevan and Tehran is continuing despite the ongoing strikes by the U.S.–Israeli coalition, according to Iran’s Ambassador to Armenia.#CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #dailyarmenia