Tag: democracy

More than three decades after Armenia's independence, Canada finally opened its embassy in Yerevan. Canada's first resident Ambassador Andrew Turner, a career diplomat, speaks to EVN Report's Maria Titizian about the journey to establish an embassy and Canada's strong commitment to support Armenia's democracy and security.

In EVN Report’s news roundup for the week of March 24: An Armenian soldier is killed by Azerbaijani fire near the village of Yeraskh in Armenia; while in Talish, now under Azerbaijani control, Ilham Aliyev makes threatening statements against Armenia; Armenia’s Constitutional Court announces decision declaring obligations enshrined in the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court to be constitutional and more.

Georgia’s “foreign agent law” was introduced and subsequently pulled from parliament after massive protests erupted opposing the move. Karena Avedissian looks at the implications for the wider region had the law passed.

An interview by Gaidz Minassian with former French Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group and former French Ambassador to Ukraine, Jacques Faure, who discusses the Ukraine-Russia and Armenia-Azerbaijan wars.

Azerbaijan has made an enormous strategic mistake, Russia has allowed for a sizable power vacuum in the region, and the United States has determined to capitalize on these developments, undertaking a policy pivot in the South Caucasus.

A recent IRI survey provides expansive empirical evidence in understanding political developments in Armenia over the last six months; the activities and stated objectives of the opposition have enhanced the current government's favorability.

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.

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.

The impossible situation that Armenia finds itself in because of the Russo-Ukraine conflict can be mitigated through a policy known as strategic shirking, argues Nerses Kopalyan.

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?

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.

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?

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?

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.

July 5 marks Constitution Day in Armenia. Constitutional reform is still on the mind of the re-elected Prime Minister, whose approach to forming a constitutional package has so far greatly resembled that of his predecessors. But there are more participatory models that could be adopted.

Political efficacy has been replaced with a wave of voter alienation among a large percentage of Armenia’s electorate. With snap parliamentary elections set for June 20, these issues will be front and center.

Instead of playing semantics, PM Nikol Pashinyan should have taken responsibility for the war's disastrous outcome and resigned. A golden opportunity to push the democratic movement forward was squandered.

Several popular myths that had become deeply entrenched in Armenian society began collapsing after the war. Today, new myths are being constructed. Will Armenians risk fooling themselves into disingenuous politics and disastrous policy based on a set of new myths?

Armenia’s President expressed his desire to re-introduce direct presidential elections to Armenia. Doing so could place a stumbling block in the way of Armenia’s democratic consolidation.

That the same people who made a mockery of democracy are now lamenting an imaginary backsliding, is intellectually insulting to the Armenian citizen, writes Nerses Kopalyan.

The Caucasus Barometer survey conducted before the COVID-19 pandemic gripped the country, reveals that the overall mood of the Armenian public was optimistic.

The South Caucasus is a region with three unresolved armed conflicts that began in the 1990s: Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh). What is the state of democracy in these three statelets?

Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the three countries of the South Caucasus declared independence in 1991. This new instalment of “Understanding the Region” looks at the democratic trajectories of Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan. Part II will look at the state of democracy in the statelets of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh), South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

Alen Shadunts writes that being democratic should not be a party ideology; democracy is a pre-existing bedrock condition, not an agenda for a particular government.

The director of the Armenian Election Study, Rafael Oganesyan takes a critical look at the recent snap parliamentary elections that took place in Armenia and utilizing fresh data explores the transformation of the Armenian voter.

A historic post-revolution vote will take place across Armenia on December 7. As Armenians head to the polls to elect a new parliament, EVN Report brings you live updates of the vote.

After coming to power following the Velvet Revolution, acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan made references on several occasions about direct democracy, saying that the highest power belongs directly to the people. What is direct democracy and can it be applied in Armenia?

The divisive “black or white” tone of the political campaign is not lending itself to the very ideals that the Velvet Revolution promised - pluralism, choices, diversity and freedom. On Election Day, people should vote according to their conscience and preferences, not out of pressure to be with the “right” crowd.

The election campaign for the upcoming snap parliamentary elections is in full swing. In this second installment, read about the main provisions and principles (translated from the original Armenian) from the campaign programs of the following political forces: Bright Armenia, National Progress, Sasna Tsrer, Country of Law, Prosperous Armenia, Citizen's Decision.

The election campaign for the upcoming snap parliamentary elections is in full swing. There are nine political parties and two coalition forces running for a seat in the country’s National Assembly. In a series of installments, EVN Report will present the main provisions and principles (translated from the original Armenian) from the campaign programs of those political forces.

Following the resignation of Mayor Taron Margaryan, the city of Yerevan is now preparing for snap elections. EVN Report presents the parties and alliances that are running for City Council and more.

Dr. Donald Fuller writes that there is an observable pattern that small state characteristics differ from larger states, particularly those that are not afflicted by the ‘resource curse.’ Institutions appear to be critical, trade can burnish the lack of natural resources and human capital offers a level of comparative advantage if carefully nurtured.

One of the distinctive characteristics of the Karabakh Movement was that in less than three years, it drastically changed how the Soviet value system was perceived. The visual and verbal manifestation of this was evident through the transformation of the language and texts of the posters and signs used during the Movement.

Since 1997 and the coming to power of reformists in Iran, Western countries have refused to see anything else in Iran other than the symbiosis of the so-called reformers and hardliners within the regime. Sohrab Mobasheri, an Iranian political activist and journalist in exile explains: "The writings on the wall were present...Anybody who was willing to do so could see the signs..."

A valuable insight into how the Armenian youth perceive themselves and the world around them. Jenny Paturyan explores the political stance of youth in Armenia based on the finding of a study commissioned by the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, “Independence Generation Youth Study 2016 - Armenia”.

The 2017 "Nations in Transit: The False Promise of Populism" a project of Freedom House was released yesterday. Among the 29 former communist countries included in this report, Armenia is ranked 21st and considered to be Semi-Consolidated Authoritarian Regime.