The European Commission’s first progress report on Armenia’s visa liberalization reforms highlights advances in border management, biometrics, anticorruption and digital governance, while identifying major gaps that still need to be addressed before Armenians can eventually secure visa-free travel to the European Union.

Ahead of Armenia’s parliamentary elections, political forces are placing domestic concerns at the center of their campaigns. In this primer, Hranoush Dermoyan examines competing visions on the economy, education, healthcare, governance, agriculture and social policy, revealing how different forces seek to address Armenia’s socioeconomic challenges.

The first-ever EU–Armenia Summit in Yerevan marked a major milestone in bilateral relations, advancing cooperation on connectivity, energy, digital infrastructure and reforms. The sides reaffirmed commitment to closer strategic partnership, resilience, regional integration and long-term political and economic alignment.

European leaders convene in Yerevan for the 8th European Political Community summit, spotlighting Armenia’s growing geopolitical role and turning Yerevan into a hub of diplomacy. Amid discussions on security, energy, and cooperation, the gathering reveals both opportunities for partnership and challenges.

A decades-long effort to expand Yerevan’s metro reveals a familiar cycle of ambitious promises, shifting timelines, and stalled execution. The long-delayed Ajapnyak station underscores deeper structural challenges in governance, planning and accountability behind Armenia’s unfinished infrastructure.

Syunik occupies a critical place in Armenia’s security and development calculus. The EU’s Resilient Syunik initiative represents one of the largest coordinated Western-funded regional programs in the country, combining infrastructure upgrades, economic support and governance reform.

Armenia has launched universal health coverage, replacing out-of-pocket payments with a national insurance system. After years of delay, the reform expands access and reframes healthcare as a social right rather than a privilege. The challenge is effective implementation, writes Hranoush Dermoyan.

A royal visit spotlighted Armenia’s forests, but also exposed how bureaucracy, competing land interests, and weak governance continue to undermine reforestation. As Armenia prepares for COP17, ambitious pledges collide with stalled permits, mining pressures and a system struggling to turn promises into forests. Hranoush Dermoyan reports.

Armenia’s political landscape has been shaken by leaked recordings, questionable surveillance, and criminal cases built on audio, sometimes of unknown origin. Hranoush Dermoyan examines the murky intersection of privacy, power and politics, revealing how wiretapping has become a tool of influence and pressure.

As young parents confront sleepless nights and conflicting advice, many are turning from tradition to science-based parenting. Through sleep consultants and Armenia’s first Parenting School, some families are redefining child-rearing with modern tools, research and empathy.