Tag: Armenia

If the EU is honest in its commitment to make peace possible in the South Caucasus, then it needs to address Baku’s ongoing anti-Armenian rhetoric and policy of creating permanent tensions on the borders to pressure Armenia for further concessions.

«1991 ստորաբաժանման» պարբերական նախապատրաստական դասընթացներին անդրադարձող հոդվածի ՁայնաԳիրը։

A training course for young men and women launched in 2019 by the FAST Foundation—Unit 1991—is a new military unit focused on the creation of arms using the latest technologies.

In EVN Report’s news roundup for the week of September 2: The leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan meet in Brussels; former Artsakh Defense Army commander arrested for negligence and abuse of power; three people arrested in connection with the deadly Surmalu market blast and more.

The excess symbolic power that comes with “Westernness” explains how some authors and commentators on the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict can get away with the most outrageous gaslighting, at times engaging in outright racism.

Համընդհանուր հայտարարագրման առավելություններին ու խնդիրներին անդրադարձող հոդվածի ՁայնաԳիրը։

Starting from 2024, the declaration of income and assets will become mandatory for all citizens of Armenia. Araks Mamulyan looks at the advantages and problems of the program.

In EVN Report’s news roundup for the week of August 26: The villages of Aghavno, Berdzor, and Sus were handed to Azerbaijan; a temporary road linking Armenia to Artsakh to be used starting September 1; Pashinyan and Aliyev to meet in Brussels on August 31

This year, Azerbaijan, along with seven other countries, is under review by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) in Geneva. Tamara Voskanian is the co-founder of the Center for Truth and Justice (CFTJ) and lawyer Talin Hitik is heading up the CFTJ’s delegation in Geneva, presenting the organization’s report based on primary evidence on Azerbaijan’s ongoing violations during the CERD hearing. They spoke to EVN Report about their ongoing efforts to bring to the world’s attention the crimes committed by Azerbaijan and the impact this will have on the Armenia v. Azerbaijan case at the International Court of Justice.

Zareh Zurabyan, the head of the Americas division at eLabNext, a European biotech company, joins us to discuss problems the biotech industry is currently working to solve. Zareh describes who the different players in biotech ecosystems are and what trends he is seeing in the industry in 2022. We also discussed his efforts to mentor Armenian start-ups and his thoughts on Armenia’s biotech scene.

In EVN Report’s news roundup for the week of August 19: Major blast at a shopping center in Yerevan leaves 16 dead; Russian diplomat says peacekeepers will not be redeployed until the new corridor is complete; Armenian government intends to open three checkpoints on border with Azerbaijan.

Exploring the emerging AI industry landscape in Armenia is necessary to ensure not only that the country is in a position to advance the benefits of the “ideologized” technology, but also the resolve to mitigate future risks.

This next installment in a series of articles on Yerevan looks at issues concerning the transportation infrastructure, most importantly, the need for a modern public transport system, something that has plagued the capital since independence.

Ethiopian-Armenians are emblematic as a diaspora community that balanced their civic and cultural identities to build a prosperous and trusted community.

Հայաստանում «ծանր վիրավորանքի» քրեականացմանն ու ապաքրեականացմանն անդրադարձող հոդվածի ՁայնաԳիրը։

The amendment that criminalized “grave insult” in Armenia was in effect for only ten months. On July 1, 2022, Armenia’s new Criminal Code decriminalized grave insult after public pressure. Araks Mamulyan explains.

Azerbaijan’s motivations, strategy, manipulation, and attempts to legitimize its every military aggression against Artsakh are gross violations of the November 9, 2020 tripartite statement that ended the 2020 Artsakh War.

Բաքվի կողմից 2020-ի նոյեմբերի 9-ի եռակողմ հայտարարության կոպիտ խախտումները ներկայացնող հոդվածի ՁայնաԳիրը։

In EVN Report’s news roundup for the week of August 12: Residents of the Armenian village of Aghavno, located on the Lachin Corridor have been told to leave their homes by August 25 when the village will be handed over to Azerbaijan; following another Azerbaijani attack in Artsakh, Armenia’s prime minister announces the necessity to clarify the actions of the Russian peacekeeping mission; Iran is set to open a consulate in Armenia’s southern town of Kapan in Syunik region and more.

While planned reforms in Armenia’s mental health sector are constantly being delayed, the rights of people continue to be violated. Sona Martirosyan explains.

Just days after Azerbaijan’s most recent military attack, local authorities in Nagorno-Karabakh instructed residents of the Armenian village of Aghavno to leave their homes by August 25, when it is scheduled to be handed over to Azerbaijani control.

Աշխատավայրերում դժբախտ պատահարները, առողջության և անվտանգության նորմերի պահպանման ու վերահսկողության խնդիրները դիտարկող հոդվածի ՁայնաԳիրը։

This week on EVN Disrupt, Manana Hakobyan, the founder and CEO of DataPoint Armenia, joins us to discuss the importance of data-driven culture, and how her organization is working to accelerate the development of data science in Armenia.

Health and security protocols are not always upheld in workplaces in Armenia, often leading to employees getting injured.

Russia’s war against Ukraine has thrust the South Caucasus into a contest for control over transport routes. Despite being landlocked, Armenia remains at the center of Russian-Turkish ambitions to deepen cooperation.

Հայկական դրամի արժևորման ու դրա հետևանքով ստեղծված խնդիրներին անդրադարձող հոդվածի ՁայնաԳիրը։

Armenia’s Science Committee has launched ambitious grant programs to attract scientists and researchers from around the world to come to Armenia and strengthen scientific excellence in the country.

Ներկա իրավիճակում Լեռնային Ղարաբաղի հակամարտության հնարավոր լուծում առաջարկող հոդվածի ՁայնաԳիրը։

Իրավակարգի, իրավական նորմերի աստիճանակարգության, օրենքների ընդունման մասին հոդվածի ՁայնաԳիրը։

To be law-abiding you must know the law, and to protect your rights, you must know the current legal norms. EVN Report launches a new series on Armenia’s current legislative and judicial system.

In EVN Report’s news roundup for the week of July 22: Human Rights Watch criticizes new EU-Azerbaijan energy deal; CIA director in Yerevan as part of a regional visit to the South Caucasus; Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei announces that Iran will not tolerate efforts to block its border with Armenia and more.

The 2020 Artsakh War exposed a number of myths and misconceptions in Armenia and among Armenians toward the West. Taline Papazian reviews some of those misconceptions and outlines current Western engagement in Armenia and the region.

Լեռնային Ղարաբաղի հակամարտության հետ համեմատելի՝ Նախիջևանի, Հարավային Օսեթիայի, Հյուսիսային Կիպրոսի, Բոսնիա և Հերցեգովինայի, Արևելյան Թիմորի և Կոսովոյի հակամարտությունների զարգացումը ներկայացնող Սոսի Թաթիկյանի հոդվածի ՁայնաԳիրը։

In EVN Report’s news roundup for the week of July 15: A new Chief of the General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces has finally been appointed; Armenia’s Prime Minister has a telephone conversation with Turkey’s President; Armenia’s parliament discusses the reestablishment of an Interior Ministry and more.

The 2007 discovery of a 6,000-year-old winery in a cave in the Vayots Dzor region was an invitation for Armenians to rediscover their ancient wine-making traditions. Armenia’s once-forgotten wine culture began to reemerge and take on new forms.

«Քաղաքականություն» բաժնում հրապարակված՝ Սոսի Թաթիկյանի «Մաս 1. Ի՞նչ կարող է պատահել Լեռնային Ղարաբաղի հայերին. նրանց անվտանգության և մարդու իրավունքների երաշխիքների բացակայությունից բխող անորոշություններ» հոդվածի ձայնագիրը: Ընթերցում է Սոնա Ներսեսյանը: Երեք մասից բաղկացած հոդվածաշարի առաջին մասում Սոսի Թաթիկյանը վերլուծում է Լեռնային Ղարաբաղի անորոշությունները և հնարավոր սցենարները, եթե Հայաստանի ղեկավարությունը ճանաչի Ադրբեջանի տարածքային ամբողջականությունը։

Liana Karapetyan, an associate at SmartGateVC and the director of Hero House Angels, joins us this week to discuss angel investing opportunities in Armenian start-ups. The Hero House Angels program allows individual investors from around the world to be connected with the Armenian start-up ecosystem and make investments. We also discussed Armenia’s ecosystem's trajectory as the number of start-ups in the country grows.

No one can refute the success stories and statistics of Armenian women in tech. Taking a more holistic view, however, one finds that the narrative isn’t quite so simple or straightforward.

In EVN Report’s news roundup for the week of July 8: Azerbaijani Armed Forces open fire on Armenian villages twice in the Vayots Dzor region of Armenia; Artsakh authorities report that the Kanach Zham Church in Shushi is being converted to an orthodox church under the pretense of restoration work; Russia responds to Canadian embassy opening in Yerevan and more.

A collection of articles about the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict through the lens of Moscow by Dr. Artyom Tonoyan entitled, “Black Garden Aflame” will become a classic and a major go-to resource for scholars, writes Dr. Pietro Shakarian.

This episode explores the “Lenin of the Caucasus” – Stepan Shahumyan. Originally from the Georgian capital Tbilisi, Shahumyan would forge his revolutionary legacy in Baku, as the leader of the Baku Commune during the Russian Revolution and Civil War. However, the story of Shahumyan is not only the story of the Baku Commune. He also played an instrumental role in developing the Bolshevik (and later Soviet) policy on nationalities. Executed by the British-aligned Socialist Revolutionaries in the Turkmen desert, Shahumyan continues to live on in the monuments and memories of Armenia today. The series is hosted by historian Pietro A. Shakarian and produced by Sona Nersesyan.

This week on EVN Disrupt, Arek Der-Sarkissian from Hero House Glendale joins us to recap the 2022 Armenia Tech Trip, a program that brings tech professionals from the Diaspora to Armenia to familiarize them with the country’s tech sector. During the program participants visit the offices of Armenia’s leading tech companies and participate in networking events with members of the industry. We also discussed Hero House Glendale, a start-up hub in Southern California.

Armenians, desperate for life-saving medical treatment, travel to Germany with hopes and great expectations. However, sometimes, those hopes remain unfulfilled.

«Մարդ և հասարակություն» բաժնում հրապարակված՝ Անահիտ Հարությունյանի «Հիվանդությունից ձերբազատվելու հրաշքի սպասումը Գերմանիայում. մաս 2» հոդվածի ձայնագիրը։ Ընթերցում է Գոհար Աբրահամյանը։ Բուժման նպատակով մարդիկ հաճախ նախընտրում են մեկնել Գերմանիա՝ հույսով ու մեծ ակնկալիքներով, սակայն որոշ դեպքերում «հեքիաթային երկրում» ապրելու պատկերացումները սխալ են լինում ու մնում են ձեռնունայն։

In EVN Report’s news roundup for the week of July 1: Parliament votes to strip two opposition MPs of their positions in the National Assembly for their prolonged absences; Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan says several Armenian villages will be handed over to Azerbaijan; Armenia has its first woman Prosecutor General and more.

In this next installment of a series on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Sossi Tatikyan presents a way forward given the current situation to ensure security guarantees for the Artsakh Armenians and mark progress in the conflict’s resolution.

Almost all systemic and structural political and military weaknesses of Armenia share a fundamental root cause: the chronic absence of a culture and tradition of Statehood, both in the mindset of the political leadership and the general public.

In EVN report’s news roundup for the week of June 24: An Armenian soldier is shot dead by Azerbaijani Armed Forces in Armenia’s Gegharkunik region; Artur Vanetsyan, head of the Fatherland Party and leader of the “I Have Honor” bloc resigns his seat in parliament; while in Baku, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says the OSCE Minsk Group ceased its activities because of the U.S. and France plus more.

The first in a series of articles about the challenges facing Armenia’s capital city, Yerevan, examines the issues of urban planning and development.

There are several million Greeks living in North America, Western Europe, Oceania and Africa. What are the specificities of the Greek diaspora model? This is part four of a series of studies on State-Diaspora relations.

A new security environment was created after the 2020 Artsakh War, requiring a revision of Armenia’s National Security Strategy that was adopted before Azerbaijan launched the war in Nagorno-Karabakh. Hovsep Kanadyan explains.

«Մարդ և հասարակություն» բաժնում հրապարակված՝ Գայանե Մկրտչյանի «Հայաստանը` ժողովրդագրական ճգնաժամում» հոդվածի ձայնագիրը: Ընթերցում է Գոհար Աբրահամյանը: Ժողովրդագրական վերջին տվյալները գուժում են Հայաստանում ճգնաժամային իրավիճակի մասին։ Ծերացման բարձր ցուցանիշ ունեցող երկրում ժողովրդագրական իրավիճակը բարելավելու և ծնելիությունը խթանելու նպատակով իրականացվում են ծրագրեր, սակայն արդյոք դրանք արդյունավետ են։

Recent data warns of a demographic crisis in Armenia. In a country with a high rate of aging, programs are being implemented to boost birth rates. But are they effective?

In EVN Report’s news roundup for the week of June 17: After more than six weeks of ongoing protests, the opposition Resistance Movement remove their tents from France Square; Armenia’s new Criminal Code will not include the article for grave insults; Armenia’s national airline FlyArna launches its first flight and more.

HyeTech, a gathering of Armenian professionals who share technical, business and entrepreneurship expertise, is a case study in the value that networking organizations create for both their members and the ecosystem they operate in.

What are the tools available to Israel that strengthen the synergies between Tel Aviv and Diasporan Jews? This is part three of a series of studies on State–Diaspora relations.

A native of Aleksandropol (Gyumri), Shushanik Kurghinyan was a prominent Armenian writer, feminist, and social activist. Inspired by the 1905 Russian Revolution, she became a tireless advocate of the working people and advocated for their cause in her poetry. She was also a staunch advocate for women's rights, and she cared for Armenian refugees fleeing the 1915 Genocide in Rostov-on-Don. She later returned to Armenia, at the urging of her old friend Aleksandr Myasnikyan, during the NEP period. The series is hosted by historian Pietro A. Shakarian and produced by Sona Nersesyan.

«Մարդ և հասարակություն» բաժնում հրապարակված՝ Անահիտ Հարությունյանի հոդվածը «Հիվանդությունից ձերբազատվելու հրաշքի սպասումը Գերմանիայում. մաս 1» հոդվածի ձայնագիրը։ Ընթերցում է Գոհար Աբրահամյանը։ Դյուսելդորֆի փախստական հայցողների կացարանում մարդիկ տարիներ շարունակ ապրում են, բուժվում ու միշտ սպասում՝ կամ լիարժեք բուժմանը, կամ արտաքսմանը։ Հոդվածաշարում հայերը ներկայացնում են, թե ինչպես են հասել Գերմանիա՝ հրաշքի սպասումով։

Refugees have been living in a Düsseldorf's shelter for years, receiving treatment and waiting to either fully recover or be deported. In this series of articles, Armenians reveal how they arrived in Germany in anticipation of a miracle.

Hovsep Patvakanyan, the CEO of Invest in Armenia, joins us today to discuss the investment climate in Armenia, and the recently launched Investin.am platform which allows investors to invest in Armenian companies. We also discussed what aspects of Armenia’s economy are attractive for investment, and what reforms are necessary to continue attracting interest from investors.

Instead of making Yerevan step back every time there is a deadlock in the negotiation process, the mediators should instead develop the tools to pressure Baku. If they do not, another war in the South Caucasus is likely.

In EVN Report’s news roundup for the week of June 10: While in Yerevan, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says that Armenia will control any transportation links between Azerbaijan and Nakhichevan; a Government bill proposes subordinating the Chief of the General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces to the Minister of Defense; an investigation has been launched following violent clashes between protesters and police in the country’s capital and more.

«Կարծիք» բաժնում հրապարակված՝ Գևորգ Օսկանյանի «Ինչու է Հայաստանին պետք ռեալպոլիտիկ, հիմա՛» հոդվածի ձայնագիրը։ Ընթերցում է Գոհար Աբրահամյանը։ Ավելի քան 30 տարիների ընթացքում մշտապես խոսվել է Հայաստանի ազգային նպատակների արդարացիության և չափազանց քիչ` այդ նպատակներին հասնելու միջոցների և ընտրված նպատակների իրագործելիության մասին:

In this article, journalist Tigran Yegavian looks at how Portugal has developed effective tools to strengthen its relationship with its diaspora and assert its international presence.

«ԵՎ այլն» բաժնում հրապարակված՝ Լիլիթ Սարգսյանի «Գլոբալ և լոկալ արվեստային պատերազմներ: Հայ նկարիչները «Պաղ և սառը: ԱՄՆ և ԽՍՀՄ արվեստը» ցուցահանդեսում» հոդվածի ձայնագիրը: Ընթերցում է Գոհար Աբրահամյանը: Համաշխարհային ժամանակակից արվեստի պատկառելի հարթակում հակադիր բևեռների հայ արվեստագետների ընդգրկումը բացահայտում է ոչ հեռու անցյալի հայկական գեղարվեստական ​​ժառանգության հիմնովին վերանայման և վերաիմաստավորման անհրաժեշտությունը:

The global response to secessionist inter-ethnic conflicts is shaped by a number of factors, from the extent of the threat of ethnic cleansing, to possession and instrumentalization of energy sources and more. Sossi Tatikyan explains.

The inclusion of two conflicting Armenian artists from different eras on a prestigious platform of global contemporary art reveals the need to fundamentally reconsider and rethink the Armenian artistic heritage of the recent past.

«Կարծիք» բաժնում հրապարակված՝ Կայծ Մինասեանի «Արցախ-Ուկրաինա. Հայաստանը` երկու պատերազմի արանքում» հոդվածի ձայնագիրը: Ընթերցում է Սոնա Ներսեսյանը: Փետրվարի 24-ին Ռուսաստանի ներխուժումից հետո Ուկրաինայում ծավալվող իրադարձությունների շուրջ չդադարող լարվածության պայմաններում և 2020 թվականին Արցախում պարտությունից հետո Հայաստանն ինչպե՞ս կարող է դուրս գալ ահագնացող հակամարտությունների այս շղթայից:

«Արվեստ և մշակույթ» բաժնում հրապարակված՝ Նորա Գրիգորյանի «Մարիամ Շահինեան. ստվերից դուրս» հոդվածի ձայնագիրը: Ընթերցում է Գոհար Աբրահամյանը: Թուրքիայի առաջին կին պրոֆեսիոնալ տաղավարային լուսանկարչուհի Մարիամ Շահինեանի նորօրյա բացահայտումով մի խումբ կանայք ոգեշնչվում և համագործակցելով փորձում են վերծանել ստվերում մնացած պատմության այս էջը։

As prosperous as Switzerland is, it has long been and remains a country of emigration, however, there are a number of structures available to Swiss communities abroad to ensure an optimal relationship with the country of origin.

For over 30 years, there has been a constant refrain on the righteousness of Armenia’s national aims and precious little about the means towards those ends, and the feasibility of those chosen goals.

In EVN Report’s news roundup for the week of May 20: the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan to meet in Brussels next week with European Council President Charles Michel; while in Moscow participating in a meeting of CSTO leaders, Armenia’s Prime Minister Pashinyan calls out the rapid reaction mechanisms of the organization; opposition protests and acts of civil disobedience continue for the third week in a row in Yerevan.

Estonia, Ukraine and Armenia inherited an appreciation for the hard sciences from the Soviet Union, helping to leave their mark on the global tech map. While Estonia is considered the rising star, Ukraine and Armenia still face challenges despite significant achievements in the field.

If those genuine activists who have genuine grievances want this government gone, then they must also get rid of the Kocharyans and Sargsyans from their ranks. Until this happens, the transition to mainstream legitimacy will be a Sisyphean endeavor.

The resilience to persevere through unspeakable trauma was embodied by the tenacity to celebrate the May 8 and 9 holidays in Artsakh with a full schedule of events.

In EVN Report’s news roundup for the week of May 13: Armenian and Azerbaijani delegations will meet in Moscow next week to discuss border demarcation issues; opposition protests continue in Yerevan; Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in the Netherlands on an official visit and more.

Today, there are ongoing excavations of archaeological sites throughout Armenia, including the excavation at the site of the ancient Armenian capital of Dvin. Despite the country’s huge archeological potential, specialists in the field often face numerous barriers.

Since the 2020 Artsakh War, discussions about Armenia-Diaspora collaboration have become more active. Through his own personal experience, scientist Hrant Khachatrian lays out his vision for effective cooperation.

In EVN Report’s news roundup for the week of May 6: Opposition protests demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan continue; special envoys for Armenian-Turkish rapprochement meet for the third time in Vienna; Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan in the U.S. on an official visit and more.

Are we headed toward a better, or a more worrying future? Is the pendulum swinging toward more uncertainty or toward a lull? Two fundamental questions stand out: the survival of Artsakh and the independence of Armenia.

There’s an air of restlessness in Artsakh. It derives from the uncertainty about where the Republic of Armenia stands. The feeling is that Artsakh and Armenia are on diverging paths, and a rift has appeared between their governments.

In EVN Report’s news roundup for the week of April 29: the Foreign Ministers of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia to meet in Dushanbe on May 13; ongoing opposition protests are calling for the resignation of PM Nikol Pashinyan; a number of former state officials issue statement on the critical situation in the country following the 2020 Artsakh War and more.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has shaken the European continent, and there is one non-conventional weapon—energy supply—that is playing a big role. What are the opportunities for Azerbaijan and the implications for Armenia and Artsakh?

Two decades ago, the IT sector was declared a priority for Armenia. With natural talent, innovation and state privileges, the sector seems to be growing relatively fast. Yet, its influence on the country’s economy remains relatively low.

In order to understand what may happen to Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh if appropriate international guarantees for security and human rights are not put in place for them, Sossi Tatikyan presents the evolution of several comparable conflicts.

In Part 1 of a three-part series, Sossi Tatikyan analyzes the uncertainties and possible scenarios for Nagorno-Karabakh if Armenia’s leadership goes ahead with the recognition of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity.

In EVN Report’s news roundup for the week of April 22: Leaders of Armenia and Russia issue a joint statement following bilateral talks in Moscow; Artur Vanetsyan, leader of the parliamentary opposition faction “I Have Honor” starts sit-in in Yerevan’s Freedom Square; during the Government session, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan says no document on Artsakh will be signed without public consultations.

The West is openly implying that it intends to remain involved in the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, even as its relations with Russia could potentially hobble the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairmanship.

In the wake of lingering concern over the events unfolding in Ukraine following Russia’s February 24 invasion and its defeat in Artsakh in 2020, how can Armenia pull itself out of this chain of elevated conflicts?

«ԵՎ այլն» բաժնում հրապարակված՝ Կարեն Ավետիսյանի «Ուժը` ճշմարտություն(ն) է» հոդվածի ձայնագիրը: Ընթերցում է Կարեն Ավետիսյանը:  2022-ի պատմական մարտ ամսվա հայ–ռուս–ուկրաինական մեր այս պայմանական նշանաբանական եռանկյունու արանքում Վիտրուվյան մարդու պես ջղաձիգ է Խոսքը՝ ոչ միայն այլաբանական, այլ հենց ամենուղիղ մարմնավորմամբ։

While the recent wave of Russians moving to Armenia following the invasion of Ukraine has been surprising to some, it’s worth pointing out that Yerevan has hosted successions of Russian emigre communities for quite a long time now.

In EVN Report’s news roundup for the week of April 15: Armenia’s Prime Minister says international community is asking Armenia to slightly lower its bar on the final status of Karabakh; opposition parliamentarians are barred from entering Artsakh by Russian peacekeepers; Azerbaijani President says that for there to be peace in the region, Armenia must be demilitarized and more.

Normally, the municipal election to elect a new city council for the city of Vedi would not have attracted much attention. However, it highlighted a number of trends taking root in Armenia’s post-war political environment.

The case for early detection of cancer and shifting cultural attitudes toward seeking medical treatment in Armenia.

Building cool products is one thing, successfully delivering them at scale is another. If the Armenian tech sector is to grow sustainability, it’s going to need to excel in both.

In EVN Report’s news roundup for the week of April 8: The leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan meet in Brussels; Russian Foreign Minister says French and U.S. co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group are refusing to cooperate with the Russian co-chair because of their “Russophobic stance” in light of the situation in Ukraine; parliamentary opposition factions stage a protest in Yerevan ahead of the Brussels meeting & more.

The leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan met in Brussels on April 6, 2022, on the initiative of the European Council president. Why is the EU taking an interest now when it was a mere observer during the 2020 Artsakh War?

The relationship between Armenians and “the political” (Le politique) embodies a dialectic of the village and of the Polity; more precisely, the unavoidable but asphyxiating spirit of the village pitted against the indispensable yet evanescent Polity.

Psychologist Arthur Tonoyan spent the 2020 Artsakh War on the frontlines, providing care in every way possible. His story, told in his own words, is retold through the images of photojournalist Vaghinak Ghazaryan.

Reckless steps or imposed decisions regarding demarcation and delimitation, which are part and parcel of the so-called peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan, might bring unintended historical consequences for the future of Armenia.

Latest developments in Nagorno-Karabakh demonstrate Azerbaijan’s intent to ethnically cleanse the indigenous Armenian population and highlight the necessity of introducing international norms in the peacekeeping architecture there.

Baku is consistently thwarting all post-war negotiations and existing formats, as the sole agenda of Aliyev’s regime is the total annihilation of Armenians from Artsakh, and possibly even the Republic of Armenia.

Media commentators, analysts and historians have all scrambled to draw historical parallels to make sense of Putin’s recent aggression toward Ukraine, but there have been relatively few nuanced references to World War I.

As Ukraine’s western city comes under Russian missile attack, the Armenian community is wrapping its treasures, but preparing to stay.

Azerbaijan openly announced that it would begin to destroy the Armenian cultural heritage of Artsakh and erase traces of the Armenian language from monuments. The European Parliament is one of the first institutions that has reacted to this Armenophobic policy.

In EVN Report’s news roundup for the week of March 18: the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Turkey meet on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum; Azerbaijan proposes a peace accord with Armenia; although a damaged natural gas pipeline supplying gas to residents of Artsakh has been repaired, gas supply has still not commenced.

In trying to understand what nationalism is or if it can be strictly national, this article re-examines the Armenian national movement of the 19th century in relation to the Italian Risorgimento.

Hrant Khachatrian, the founder and director of YerevaNN, a machine learning research lab, joins us this week on EVN Disrupt to tell us the story of how YerevaNN was built at a time when there was very little machine learning activity in Yerevan. We also spoke about the state of scientific research in Armenia and what is needed to significantly develop and boost research activity in the country.

«Մարդ և հասարակություն» բաժնում հրապարակված Սոնա Մարտիրոսյանի՝ «Սյունիքը՝ Աստծո, պետության ու հակառակորդի աչքի տակ» հոդվածի ձայնագիրը: Ընթերցում է Գոհար Աբրահամյանը: 2020 թվականի արցախյան պատերազմից հետո փոփոխված իրողությունները դժվար կացության առաջ են կանգնեցրել սահմանակից Սյունիքի մարզի մի շարք համայնքների բնակիչներին: Լրագրող Սոնա Մարտիրոսյանը եղել է պատերազմից հետո սահմանամերձ դարձած բնակավայրերում և կիսվում է նրանց խնդիրներով:

In EVN Report’s news roundup for the week of March 11: Azerbaijani Armed Forces are targeting Armenian settlements and military positions as the world’s attention is focused on the war in Ukraine; the European Parliament passes a resolution on the destruction of cultural heritage in Artsakh; Armenia’s National Security Service announces that it caught another spy network operating in Armenia and more.

Amid the war in Ukraine and economic turmoil in Russia, the Armenian government has been quick to open its doors to Ukrainian, Russian and Belarusian citizens who want to relocate to Armenia or find temporary refuge.

We are at an exciting inflection point for Armenia’s tech sector, as the potential for rapid growth and new activity in the coming years is high, writes Njdeh Satourian.

In EVN Report’s news roundup for the week of March 4: Armenia’s parliament elects new president; natural gas prices set to increase on April 1; Armenia abstains during UN vote on a resolution against the war in Ukraine and more.

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, several Russian financial institutions were disconnected from SWIFT. Justin Tomczyk explains what SWIFT is and how blocking Russia from accessing it could impact the Armenian economy.

In its historic “Uniting for Peace” session, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution reaffirming Ukrainian sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. Sossi Tatikyan explains why Armenia abstained.

Reviewing Armenia's national security policy and modernizing the Armed Forces should be based not only on the approaches and views of the government and other state bodies, but also on the active cross-section of civil society.

In EVN Report’s news roundup for the week of February 25: As Russia launches a full scale war in Ukraine, tensions in the greater region surge; Russia and Azerbaijan sign historic declaration on a strategic alliance; two Azerbaijani MPs cause a scandal in Yerevan during the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly session and Armenia’s government sacks five top military commanders.

The rise of China has shifted the geopolitical center of gravity to the Indo-Pacific. What does this paradigm shift entail? How can Armenia navigate the transition and find its place on the world stage?

By meeting Azerbaijan’s demand for a €2 billion financial package to participate in “restoration and reconstruction”, the European Union is casting into doubt its sincerity in supporting democratic values in the South Caucasus.

“We only get a small window of actually living in historical moments.” War photographer Jonathan Alpeyrie and French-Armenian Cellist Astrig Siranossian team up for a photography sale to benefit the children of Armenia and Artsakh.

In EVN Report’s news roundup for the week of February 18: An Armenian soldier is wounded by Azerbaijani gunfire in Artsakh; Baku threatens to arrest Artsakh President Arayik Harutyunyan; Armenia’s former President Robert Kocharyan says Armenia should consider joining the Union State of Russia and Belarus and more.

Armenia and Ukraine seem to have found themselves diametrically opposed on a variety of issues. However, Yerevan and Kyiv would benefit from a pragmatic relationship despite their seemingly disparate positions.

In 2021, Armenia’s parliament legalized the production and processing of industrial hemp. To date, six companies registered in the country have received licenses to begin production.

Electricity prices for middle-class families increased for the first time since the 2015 Electric Yerevan protests. Water prices increased for the first time since 2017. As in other countries, life is getting more expensive in Armenia.

In EVN Report’s news roundup for the week of February 4: The ruling Civil Contract Party announces its candidate for the office of president; Azerbaijan rejects Armenia’s proposals on the demarcation and delimitation process; Azerbaijani culture minister says a working group will restore “Armenianized” Albanian temples, raising serious concerns yet again.

The strategic limitations of the last 30 years are no longer tenable, and there is an acute need for innovation, creativity and sophistication in creating a new chapter in U.S.-Armenia relations.

A power vacuum was created after the pullout of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, allowing China, Russia, Iran, and also Turkey to play a greater role in Central Asia triggering new developments. What does that mean for the wider region?

This new series presents the Russo-Turkish wars of the 19th-20th centuries, which were of crucial importance for the two segments—eastern and western—of the Armenian people.

Representatives of Armenia and Turkey met in Moscow on January 14, 2022 for the first round of bilateral negotiations. Gaidz Minassian looks back at various stages of Armeno-Turkish dialogue before Armenia restored its independence in 1991.

In EVN Report’s news roundup for the week of January 21: Armenia’s Foreign Ministry denies that Armenia set preconditions for the demarcation of the border with Azerbaijan; the trial of former Defense Minister Davit Tonoyan kicks off; COVID numbers are on the rise again in Armenia and more.

In EVN Report’s news roundup for the week of January 14: Armenia sends peacekeepers to Kazakhstan as part of a CSTO-led peacekeeping mission; three soldiers have already been killed this year by Azerbaijani fire; the special envoys of Armenia and Turkey meet for the first time in Moscow.

2021 was a difficult year for the Armenian nation as it continued to confront external threats, Azerbaijani incursions into its sovereign territory and an unclear future for both Armenia and Artsakh. Here we present a brief overview of the main events from the past year.

Through a number of developing steps, the EU wants to open a space for a greater role in the South Caucasus and particularly in managing the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which is now dominated by Russia and Turkey, writes Anna Barseghyan.

In EVN Report’s news roundup for the week of December 24: Yerevan has a new mayor after City Council impeaches now former Mayor Hayk Marutyan; 10 POWs return to Armenia through EU mediation; Armenia appoints a special envoy to start dialogue with Turkey and more.

Human Rights Day is observed on December 10 each year to celebrate the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. There have been several cases in which the European Court of Human Rights has found Armenia violated the protected rights of citizens.

A new program is implementing art therapy classes to help children in one of Armenia’s poorest regions cope with the trauma of war and process the barrage of negative news and feelings.

As Armenia works to rebuild its positions following the 2020 Artsakh War, it must assess the challenges, threats and risks of the security environment and clarify a position that reflects state and national interests.

Are Armenians doomed to endure the contemptuous kleptocracy of the “old” and the cynical defeatism of the “new”? Gaidz Minassian proposes an alternate vision, one that was conceived of by Aram Manoukian over a century ago.

Western attempts to infiltrate into the sphere of Russian influence have meant to weaken Russia and maintain constant tension. Could this result in larger clashes with more unpredictable consequences, this time between large geopolitical players?

In light of Azerbaijan’s aggressive military operations, the international community’s response and the formation of a format for the delimitation and demarcation process, Sossi Tatikyan offers comprehensive suggestions on potential formats and phases.

In EVN Report’s news roundup for the week of December 10: Azerbaijani Armed Forces open fire along Armenia’s eastern border this afternoon, leaving one soldier dead and several others wounded; five Armenian POWs have been detained after their return for violating the duties of military service; the International Court of Justice orders provisional measures for Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Examining the dissonance between the importance ascribed to national values like cultural heritage and the less-than enviable conditions surrounding the profession of Armenia’s “heritage doctors”.

On December 7, the International Court of Justice announced its decision regarding the request for provisional measures by Armenia and Azerbaijan, marking the next stage in the ongoing conflict between the two states.

A year after the end of the war in Artsakh, Armenia and Azerbaijan are far from a sustainable peace. Regardless of how many olive branches are gifted to the leaders of the two sides, we are once again back to a “no war, no peace” situation, writes Tatev Hayrapetyan.

Turkey is Georgia’s main source of imports and finances strategic infrastructure such as energy projects. The imbalanced arrangement provided Turkey with “strategic depth” and opportunities for power projection. Armenians are apprehensive about the repercussions of going in the same direction.

On December 5, 2021, Armenia will be holding the most important municipal election in its 30 years since independence. This municipal race, and the two previous ones earlier in the autumn, serve as a kind of second round to provide greater insight into Armenia’s ever-changing political landscape.

Միրզոյան գրադարանի պատմությունը սկսվեց 100 գրքից և երևանյան հին բակերից մեկում: Ֆոտոլրագրող Կարեն Միրզոյանը պատմում է գրադարանի կայացման և կից գործող սրճարանի մասին և ոչ միայն:

This concept paper undertakes a reconfiguration of Armenia’s doctrinal policy on Nagorno-Karabakh, thus formulating the empirical and legal basis to develop a grand strategy on the concept of remedial sovereignty.

A professional in environmental management focusing on solar energy and water, Hasmik Barseghyan was part of Armenia’s delegation to COP26, the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow. She says that although Armenia has and continues to face many challenges, it is possible to benefit from the opportunities of Armenia’s geography as the “center of the world”, linking different regions together.

Between Paris and Yerevan, the declarations of friendship abound. But rare are those who evoke the failures of this friendship. What are the strengths and weaknesses of the Franco-Armenian affinity?

Since the end of the 2020 Artsakh War, Russia has enjoyed an effective monopoly over the negotiation process. Recent initiatives by the EU suggest that Europe may be taking a more proactive role in the South Caucasus.

Is it acceptable to throw your cigarette butt on the street? Is it understandable to be a draft dodger? Mikayel Yalanuzyan looks at how social responsibility is understood in Armenia.

The recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the U.S. stemmed from its own interests. Other allied powers are considering following suit. Will Armenia be able to take advantage of this shift in global geopolitics?

Philip Marsden’s “The Crossing Place: A Journey Among the Armenians” is atmospheric, gripping and revelatory. It delves into the seemingly exclusive club of a nation at the meeting point of cultures, writes Naneh Hovhannisyan.

On November 16, 2021, Azerbaijani Armed Forces launched a large-scale offensive along the eastern border of Armenia, resulting in intense battles. There are confirmed casualties and wounded. Live Updates.

There’s a new generation of artists, innovators and entrepreneurs that are writing a new story. One that goes beyond the classical interpretation of art, and dares to explore and combine different mediums at the intersection of art and entrepreneurship.

Writers and thinkers from Armenia and the diaspora are now linked, writes Tigran Yegavian, and argues that this rapprochement is indispensable for the liberation of Armenian thought.

In EVN Report’s news roundup for the week of November 12: This week marked one year since the November 9 trilateral statement that ended the 2020 Artsakh War; Azerbaijani forces place customs checkpoints on the portion of the Goris-Kapan highway that now runs through Azerbaijani controlled territory; a second Armenian civilian in Artsakh is killed and three others wounded by Azerbaijani forces.

With the proliferation of online gambling, Armenia’s government sets further restrictions on gambling ads to protect the interests of consumers. But is it effective?

This is not a story about war. This is the story of what happens after the bullets, missiles, bombs and drones no longer fly through the autumn air. Maria Titizian recounts her journey to Artsakh last year, two days after the signing of the trilateral statement ending the war.

A year has passed since the end of the 2020 Artsakh War. The ceasefire statement signed by the leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan on November 9, 2020, brought a new geopolitical reality to the region.

Ethiopia’s historic Armenian community is bracing for renewed fighting as the country’s year-long civil war reaches the outskirts of the capital, Addis Ababa. What will be the fate of the Armenians living there?

October is traditionally the highlight of Armenia’s technology-themed events calendar. This year saw two large-scale events: Engineering Week and DigiWeek 2021.

This policy analysis aims to explore the main reasons people volunteer, how volunteer work is regulated and the key issues the volunteering sector faces in the Republic of Armenia.

Armenia’s government has introduced a number of benefits for the tech industry. Will these benefits contribute to the development of the sector and are they sufficient to solve the existing challenges?

In EVN Report’s news roundup for the week of November 5: Covid numbers continue to surge in the country; the ECHR obliges Baku to pay compensation to the families of two Armenian captives in cases dating back to 2014; as the anniversary of the trilateral statement that ended the 2020 Artsakh War nears, the Kremlin says it will present a comprehensive report.

On September 16, 2021, Armenia instituted proceedings at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against Azerbaijan on the basis of violations of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD). Yeghishe Kirakosyan, Armenia’s agent at the ICJ and international law expert Levon Gevorgyan who was an advisor and part of Armenia’s legal team at The Hague speak to EVN Report about the landmark case.

Back in early October, a resident of Martakert was shot dead by Azerbaijani fire while he was driving a tractor. A Russian peacekeeper was sitting right beside him at the time. What is behind Azerbaijan’s provocations?

Armenia's bid to pursue an independent and sovereign policy as a democracy was perceived to have a geopolitical context. The danger was in not seeing that reality, not evaluating it, and not recalculating domestic, foreign and security policy accordingly.

Launched in 2005, DigiWeek is the marquee event for Armenia’s technology sector. The anchor event for DigiWeek is the Digitec Expo (the largest tech expo in the Caucasus) and the first ever Digitec Summit, an exclusive conference bringing together technologists from around the world. Raffi Kassarjian, the executive director of the Union of Advanced Technology Enterprises and Nerses Ohanian, founder of HyeTech speak to EVN Report about how the tech sector is turning challenges into opportunities.

The Treaty of Kars was signed under difficult geopolitical conditions. Turkey was able to use the “threat” of normalizing its relations with the West to extract maximum concessions from the Russian side, mainly at the expense of Armenia.

Academic programs around the world are not preparing enough bioinformaticians to deal with the exponential data growth we are observing. Armenia needs to catch up quickly.

Will the 2022 state budget be able to solve or alleviate the socio-economic and security problems Armenia is facing?

A unique combination of causal factors at different levels made the 44-day war possible. Tigran Grigoryan presents a systematic and comprehensive explanation of the structural conditions and circumstances behind Azerbaijan’s large-scale offensive.

Controversy erupted after the Hayastan All Armenian Fund transferred 60% of funds donated during and after the war to the state budget. The absence of a complete audit almost a year since it was first proposed leaves donors still asking “where is the money?”

While Baku prepared for war, Armenia relied on overconfidence, willful ignorance and underestimated the enemy leading to its defeat in 2020. But Azerbaijan, intoxicated by its own victory, will also lose because of Aliyev’s strategic narcissism.

The UK embassy in Azerbaijan and British companies were very active during and after the 2020 Artsakh War. While the spilled blood was still fresh, British businesses were already focused on the profits to be made.

The Crowdfunding Formula, is one of the most successful marketing agencies in the world. Co-founder and CEO, Narek Vardanyan, who is also the author of the best selling book “57 Secrets of Crowdfunding” explains how the idea started with a failure that led to identifying a gap in the innovation industry. His message: Have big ambitions, turn knowledge into valuable products that can solve global problems and most of all, eliminate the fear of coming from somewhere small.

Back in the 2010s, Armenian policymakers were too short-sighted to assess the implications that the Arab Spring had for our own country. Does the recent American withdrawal from Afghanistan have any significance for Armenia?

Gaidz Minassian delves into the turbulent spaces of history, memory and identity and deconstructs why the mother of all battles—the construction of a State on its sovereign pillars—was undermined.

Azerbaijan and Turkey are not interested in peace. With the new realities on the ground following Azerbaijan’s military success, the Armenian Government should be careful when promising an “era of peace” to its people.

In EVN Report’s news roundup for the week of October 8: Azerbaijan’s national air carrier operates its first flight through Armenian airspace since 2014; newly released Pandora Papers implicate former and current Armenian officials; Armenian-American molecular biologist Ardem Patapoutian is awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine and more.

What has Armenia’s defeat in the 2020 Artsakh War revealed? Tigran Yegavian reviews a recently published White Paper that looks at a number of misconceptions, failures and dysfunctions within Armenian statehood and attempts to diagnose those ills and offer possible solutions.

The 18th annual Golden Apricot International Film Festival (GAIFF) kicked off in Yerevan on October 3. Varvara Hovhannisyan, head of the festival’s international department and Sona Karapoghosyan, the project manager of GAIFF Pro (a Cross Border Regional Co-Production Feature Film Project and Work-in-Progress Markets for filmmakers from the Lesser Caucasus) speak to EVN Report about the films that are being featured this year and the position of GAIFF in the global film festival circuit.

Since the end of the 2020 Artsakh War, tensions between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Azerbaijan have been escalating. Although an outright military confrontation seems unlikely, it would have devastating consequences for the region.

Only a few years ago, hearing the word “unicorn” made us all imagine the character we know from fairy tales and cartoons. Today, the mythical creature is also associated with successful startup companies, such as Picsart and ServiceTitan.

Although norms prohibiting violence against, and sexual exploitation of, children have been enshrined in international and domestic legal mechanisms, violence against children remains one of the most serious challenges in the modern world.

Since the 2020 Artsakh War, France has been at the forefront of diplomatic activity in resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. What goal is Paris hoping to achieve with this issue that is so far removed from the concerns of the French?

Armenia instituted proceedings against Azerbaijan at the International Court of Justice on the basis of violations of the Convention on Elimination of Racial Discrimination. A week later, Azerbaijan submitted its own claim against Armenia. Gabriel Armas-Cardona breaks it down.

Dictators are emboldened by the silence of those who claim to be proponents of human rights and justice. Turkey’s Erdogan and Azerbaijan’s Aliyev must be held accountable for war crimes and crimes against humanity, writes Irina Ghaplanyan.

While the majority of women didn’t pick up guns to fight in the war, many used their skills to fight in their own way. On this first anniversary of the 2020 Artsakh War, Kushane Chobanyan presents the stories of six extraordinary women who were on the front lines.

Does the Armenian diaspora have a role in the process of state building? Tigran Yegavian presents a brief history of Armenia-Diaspora relations starting with Armenia’s independence and offers some insights to rectify the absence of an effective relationship.

While there have been some positive developments in the Armenian dairy industry, its further development is being hampered by a number of factors. Economist Suren Parsyan explains.

Armenia will be looking to take advantage of its chairmanship of the CSTO to create a new Crisis Response Center. If its supposed allies continue their indifference even at the organizational stage, they should all be asking themselves why they are together in the first place.

The high level of centralization in Armenia’s sugar market has been maintained, allowing the main sugar importer, producer, wholesaler and retailer to leverage its market power into an arbitrary pricing policy.

In EVN Report’s news roundup for the week of September 17: Armenia files a claim against Azerbaijan at the International Court of Justice; Azerbaijan sets up a checkpoint on the Goris-Kapan highway, charging road tax from Iranian truck drivers; U.S. Ambassador to Armenia reiterates that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict remains unresolved.

Armenia’s Nuclear Power Plant in Metsamor is vital for Armenia’s energy security; it also poses dangers that are often overlooked. While the focus has been its location, less public scrutiny has been paid to its ongoing environmental impact.

Municipal elections will take place in Armenia throughout the fall and serve as an important indicator for the future direction of Armenian politics. Harout Manougian breaks it down.

With the right choices in education, Armenia can build an IT community capable of creating its own secure and reliable systems, which will be beneficial from a business perspective as well as for social institutions, including government and national defense.

In EVN Report’s news roundup for the week of September 10: Two POWs are returned to Armenia in exchange for an Azerbaijani soldier; Turkey and Azerbaijan hold joint military exercises in Lachin; Armenia’s former Prosecutor General is arrested on corruption charges and more.