CIVILNET

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan says Armenia will soon apply for EU membership, while relations with Russia continue to deteriorate. What does Armenia’s move toward Europe actually entail, and how much further can Russia pressure the Armenian economy? CivilNet political commentator Eric Hacopian joins the podcast to discuss these and other major issues of the day, including the arrest of former President Robert Kocharyan and the ruling party’s effort to define post-election Armenia as the “Fourth Republic.” 0:00- EU membership application & Russian economic warfare 3:54- European vs Russian tracks for Armenia 6:14- Impact of Russia’s agricultural ban on Armenia8:55- Arrest of former President Robert Kocharyan 12:21- "2018 Forever"16:54- Declaration of the Fourth Armenian Republic 21:42- Pashinyan and the Armenian Genocide 26:59- Passing a new constitution #CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ

📍 Armenia’s Anti-Corruption Court has ordered former president Robert Kocharyan into pre-trial detention in a criminal case involving charges of abuse of authority, large-scale bribery, and money laundering.📍 Moscow has accused Armenia of cracking down on Kocharyan and other pro-Russian politicians, describing the charges as “repressions.” It has also claimed that the Armenian government’s calls on Moscow to give up concessions of Armenia’s railways are a result of “Western blackmail.”#CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #dailyarmenia

Armenian authorities have leveled new criminal charges against the country’s former presidents Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan. Both are accused of abusing public authority, while Kocharyan also faces charges of embezzlement, bribery, and money laundering.#CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #dailyarmenia

📍 Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has unveiled his government’s priorities through 2031, which focuses on normalizing relations with Azerbaijan, and is a stark departure from the Russia- and Karabakh-centered priorities of the previous 2021 plan. 📍 TRIPP’s unresolved risks for Armenia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRtxG0BnVKU#CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #dailyarmenia

In this episode of the CivilNet podcast, Timothy Straight, founder of Arm.wool, and Kirk Wallace, a social investor and consultant at Arm.wool, discuss Arm.wool - a venture which aims to end wool waste, transforming a discarded material into a viable alternative to plastic. The discussion covers how ethos and economics intersect, the challenges of aligning national, international, and private efforts, and what it means to respect a culture while embracing advancements.#CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ

One year after the Washington Summit, what has the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) actually achieved so far? Sergey Melkonian, Research Fellow at the Yerevan-based think tank APRI Armenia,joins CivilNet to discuss TRIPP’s geopolitical goals as well as the risk that it could enable a new form of blockade on Armenia. Melkonian notes how the project fits into Azerbaijan’s regional ambitions, including its “Western Azerbaijan” narrative against Armenia. The conversation also delves into TRIPP’s potential role in energy cooperation between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and what would need to happen for the project to meaningfully benefit Armenia. 0:00- Trump Route (TRIPP) one year on 2:01- Comparing benefits to Armenia & Azerbaijan from TRIPP 5:02- Layers behind the TRIPP project 7:37- A Pan-Turkic corridor? 10:50- Is there any way to push for opening the other borders? 11:38- Aliyev's plan for TRIPP as an energy route13:49- AZ & Turkish demands to close Metsamor Nuclear Plant 16:35- Future outcomes for TRIPP #CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ

📍 Narek Mkrtchyan, ⁠Armenia’s ambassador to the United States, has downplayed Azerbaijani obstructions to the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity. 📍 Davit Babayan, Nagorno-Karabakh’s former foreign minister, says he will appeal the life sentence Azerbaijan handed to him in an international court.📍 Surviving Russian import bans: https://youtu.be/8USjhtaRmAc?si=5iMyBqbCiWHmRATs #CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #dailyarmenia

📍 U.S. Representative Abraham Hamadeh met with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan in Yerevan today. He is known for co-authoring the bill that seeks to repeal Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act, which restricts U.S. assistance to Azerbaijan.📍 The AI factory that opened in the Armenian town of Hrazdan last month does not pose an environmental threat because it does not use water for cooling, the company’s co-founder Alexander Yesayan told CivilNet.#CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #dailyarmenia

📍 Alen Simonyan has been appointed Armenia’s new Security Council secretary, replacing Armen Grigoryan after eight years in the position. 📍 Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has ordered personnel changes in Armenia’s Military Police and Defense Ministry as scrutiny grows over a series of non-combat military deaths. 📍 Pashinyan says Armenia is preparing for rising energy demand from its growing AI industry while exploring expanded electricity and goods trade with Azerbaijan. #CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #dailyarmenia

Armenia today is a country of contrasts: rapid technological and economic development alongside a deep crisis of confidence following the wars and losses of recent years. On Insights, host Eric Hacopian examines this contradiction, from the launch of Firebird’s AI computing center in Hrazdan to the failure to adequately advocate for Armenian hostages held in Azerbaijan. He argues that with the state increasingly unable or unwilling to defend the national interest, Armenians must be prepared to use their own influence and agency to stand up for Armenia. #CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #insightswitherichacopian