EVN Security Report
Why Aliyev Agreed to the American Proposal: Azerbaijan and the Washington Accords
Examining the Context: Why Aliyev Agreed to the American Proposal
Why did Ilham Aliyev agree to sign the Washington Accords and start the process of normalization? Nerses Kopalyan explains that the decision was rooted in a strategic recalibration, shifts in U.S. negotiation tactics, incentive structures and Baku’s internal calculations about its future leverage.
Politics
Church–State Relations in Independent Armenia
Church–state relations in Armenia have resurfaced as a pressing issue amid unprecedented tensions between the prime minister and the Catholicos. This primer traces three decades of relations under four administrations, exploring how legal frameworks and leadership dynamics shaped patterns of cooperation and tension.
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The Forced Displacement of Artsakh Armenians: Violated Rights and the Loss of Identity
Over 150,000 Armenians from Artsakh were forcibly displaced through war, blockade and systemic persecution. Examined through international law, these events constitute forcible transfer, violating fundamental rights and undermining the principle of return.
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Armenia’s Balancing Act in a Multipolar World
As global power shifts toward multipolarity, Armenia faces profound uncertainty. With Russia’s retreat and ongoing regional pressures, Yerevan is pursuing a “balanced and balancing” foreign policy—deepening Western ties while engaging Iran, India, China and others—in a bold recalibration of its security and diplomacy.
Read moreOpinion
Law, Power and Perception: Broadening the Debate on Judicial Independence
Judicial independence in Armenia is more than legal rules; it is a matter of culture, perception and action. Gor Samvel broadens the debate, examining how law, ethics, and societal forces intersect, and calling for rigorous research to inform public understanding.
Raw & Unfiltered
Frontline Observers: On Patrol with the EU Mission in Armenia
Following Azerbaijan’s large-scale attack on Armenia in September 2022, the EU deployed a monitoring mission to prevent further hostilities. The mission operates from a small town, patrolling borders and interacting with civilians. Michele Crestani reports.
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Portrait of a Nation: Armenia
From bustling streets to remote border villages, Armenia reveals itself not only through history and hardship, but through the resilience and quiet courage of its people. Sandra Sadek’s portrait captures a nation that remembers, rebuilds and carries its past while daring to hope for the future.
Read moreSpotlight Artsakh
Hung On a Line
Environment
Maps Show a Forest, But Where Are the Trees?
Armenia’s forests are vanishing under the pressure of illegal logging and rural dependence on firewood. Lori Youmshajekian follows volunteer rangers in Dilijan who risk their safety to defend fragile ecosystems, exposing corruption, weak enforcement, and the urgent fight to save Armenia’s trees.
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Subsoil Security: The State of Mining and Armenia’s Mineral Wealth
Could Armenia’s mineral wealth, long dominated by Russian companies, emerge as a strategic asset in the global race for critical minerals? Gibran Caroline Boyce explores how mining now intersects with economic independence, national security and Armenia’s geopolitical diversification.
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From Urtsadzor to COP17: Biodiversity at Armenia’s Crossroads
As peace negotiations with Azerbaijan and regional integration projects advance, biodiversity corridors could become vital connectors across fractured landscapes and divided societies. With Armenia preparing to host COP17, the urgency of protecting its extraordinary biodiversity amid mounting ecological and political threats takes center stage.
Read moreArts & Culture
Of Roland Barthes, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Photographs of Women Architects
Et Cetera
A Portrait of Trump Lost in Translation
In this essay, Karén Karslyan traces Donald Trump’s muddled rhetoric on Armenia and Azerbaijan, exploring how language, translation and spectacle mask authoritarian impulses. From Woolf’s Clarissa to Trump’s Nobel ambitions, words become warning signs of looming deeds.
Law & Society
Anatomy of a Process: Armenia’s Biometric Passport Journey
Armenia’s long, troubled journey toward biometric passports reveals much about its institutional weaknesses and European aspirations. As the EU moves forward with visa liberalization and new border controls, the country’s ability to deliver secure documents will shape its citizens’ access to Europe.
Creative Tech
The Uneven Digital Transformation of Armenian Businesses
Armenian businesses face an uneven digital transition. While some embrace online tools and integrated systems, many remain stuck in outdated practices. Qnarik Baghdasaryan explores the digital divide across size, sector, and region and what policies are needed to build an inclusive, future-ready economy.
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Armenia’s Young iGaming Workers: Opportunities and Ethical Considerations
Armenia’s rapidly expanding iGaming sector has created new opportunities for young professionals, yet also raises concerns about sustainability and ethics. Anna Sukiasyan examines its labor market impact, the social implications of recruitment practices, and the long-term consequences for national development.
Read moreColumns
Javakhk: A Story of What Did Not Happen
Javakhk, a highland region on the borders of Georgia, Armenia and Turkey, carries deep personal and historical weight. Olesya Vartanyan reflects on childhood memories, near-conflict in the 1990s, and the quiet resilience of a community that endured without war.
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Archbiases
From genocide trials to the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, Sheila Paylan explores the biases we all carry, how they shape our views, and what it takes to confront them honestly to find freedom on the other side.
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Linda Ganjian: “Her Memory, a Metropolis”
Honoring her grandmother and Armenian heritage, Linda Ganjian’s exhibition “Her Memory, a Metropolis” intertwines personal narrative with collective memory, using intricate geometric patterns, collage, and sculpture to explore survival, history, and past trauma alongside imaginative futures.
Read morePodcasts
Up Close & Personal with Yervant Zorian
A pioneer, innovator, and world authority on self-repairing electronic systems, Dr. Yervant Zorian bridges cutting-edge technology with a deep commitment to Armenia’s future. As Chief Architect at Synopsys, President of Synopsys Armenia, and founder of the Armenian Virtual College, he has spent decades shaping the global tech industry while expanding educational opportunities for Armenians worldwide.
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Armenian Graphic Novels: An Uncharted Territory
ReA Comics, a recently established publication focusing on graphic storytelling is presenting some of its inaugural publications to the readers this fall. Bedo Demirdjian, one of the co-founders of the publication, speaks not just of the vision behind the initiative, but of community, culture and the search for a new kind of an Armenian reader.
Read moreLIFESTYLE
On Heels
September’s SALT takes you from the hushed halls of the National Library turned unlikely coworking hub to the sculptor’s studio of Levon Tokmajyan. We trace Armenian culture through memes, and hear the story of a young woman navigating Yerevan’s streets in a wheelchair. SALT is where everyday struggles meet joy, creativity and reinvention.
