Tag: politics

Allegations against European institutions of being Islamophobic, a serious assertion by Azerbaijan, is part of a much larger anti-West campaign which is often insufficiently understood and analyzed by Western partners, writes Tatev Hayrapetyan.

Reflecting on her experience in law school, Sheila Paylan highlights the prevalence of form over substance in many aspects of society and calls for cutting through the superficial glitz to appreciate the true value of what lies beneath and within.

The latest survey by the International Republican Institute, conducted in December 2023, reveals the consolidation of public distrust in Russia, strong support for the Government’s pivot toward the West, and a growing sophistication in the Armenian public’s understanding of its complex security concerns.

Azerbaijan has been using military and diplomatic coercion to achieve its maximalist and expansionist objectives, employing wide-ranging tools of hybrid war while also deceiving and harassing international actors. Sossi Tatikyan explains.

The issue of tiny but strategically placed Soviet-era enclaves in Armenia and Azerbaijan has come to the forefront of peace talks in recent months. Hovhannes Nazaretyan maps it out.

Iran will never accept any Azerbaijani military or political control of southern Armenia. While Tehran is pursuing a policy of strategic patience vis-à-vis Azerbaijan, it does have red lines that, if crossed, would likely produce a swift reaction.

In EVN Report’s news roundup for the week of February 3: The International Court of Justice hears cases presented by Armenia and Azerbaijan against each other on the application of CERD; Azerbaijan’s ongoing blockade of the Lachin Corridor is now in its 54th day; Russia’s Foreign Affairs Minister says that as a result of the 2020 Artsakh War, Azerbaijan was able to reclaim the territories which belonged to it and more.

In EVN Report’s news roundup for the week of January 27: The population of Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) continues to be under siege as Azerbaijan’s blockade of the Lachin Corridor is now in its 48th day; this week the EU approved the deployment of a 100-person civilian mission to Armenia for a two-year term, triggering a furious response from the Russian Foreign Ministry; U.S. State Secretary Antony Blinken tells Aliyev to reopen the Lachin Corridor, underscoring the risk of a humanitarian crisis and more.

In EVN Report’s news roundup for the week of January 20: Fifteen soldiers are killed when a fire erupts in a military barrack in Armenia’s Gegharkunik region; Azerbaijan’s blockade of the Lachin Corridor is now in its second month; Armenian children returning to Nagorno-Karabakh accompanied by Russian peacekeepers are harassed by masked Azerbaijanis and more.

For more than a month, Artsakh has been cut off from the rest of the world by the joint will of Azerbaijan and Russia as the international community watches silently because Artsakh is the blind spot of the peace negotiations, writes Gaidz Minassian.

In EVN Report’s news roundup for the week of January 13: The blockade of the Lachin Corridor by Azerbaijan enters second month; Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev says the road is not closed for those Armenians of Artsakh who do not wish to become citizens of Azerbaijan, they can leave; a delegation headed by the President of France’s National Assembly arrives in Yerevan and more.

In EVN Report’s news roundup for the week of December 16: Artsakh continues to remain in a blockade after so-called Azerbaijani “environmental activists” shut down the Lachin Corridor; after international pressure, Azerbaijani authorities restore natural gas supply to Artsakh; Armenia’s parliament adopts bill on creating a Ministry of Internal Affairs and more.

In EVN Report’s news roundup for the week of December 9: A group of Azerbaijanis in civilian clothes block only highway linking Armenia and Artsakh for several hours citing “illegal exploitation of minerals”; Armenia’s Parliament approves the Government’s 2023 budget and adopts number of new laws including the establishment of a Foreign Intelligence Service; airlines registered in Armenia to remain on the EU black list and more.

In EVN Report’s news roundup for the week of December 2: Azerbaijani Armed Forces consistently violated the ceasefire with Armenia and Artsakh over this past week, injuring three Armenian servicemen; France’s parliament unanimously adopts a resolution supporting Armenia and calls for sanctions against Azerbaijan; Russia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov states that asking Moscow to reconfirm its offer regarding leaving the status of Nagorno-Karabakh to the future is not in the spirit of the negotiations.

In EVN Report’s news roundup for the week of November 25: The CSTO Summit and Collective Security Council Session takes place in Yerevan; Armenia’s PM Nikol Pashinyan refuses to sign final CSTO document, says text does not include appropriate assessment of the September Azerbaijani attack against Armenia; Azerbaijani Armed Forces continue to violate ceasefire with Armenia and Artsakh on a daily basis and more.

In EVN Report’s news roundup for the week of November 18: Azerbaijani Armed Forces violate the ceasefire several times in Armenia and Artsakh; France’s Senate adopts resolution calling on the French Government to sanction Azerbaijan for its aggression against Armenia and Artsakh; Russian President Vladimir Putin will be in Armenia taking part in the summit of the leaders of CSTO member states next week.

In EVN Report’s news roundup for the week of November 11: Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan meet in Washington, agree to expedite negotiations; Azerbaijani President makes egregious comments in Shushi triggering a retaliation by PM Nikol Pashinyan; the Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention expresses grave concern regarding Aliyev’s speech; Russian President Vladimer Putin to visit Yerevan for the summit of CSTO leaders and more.

In EVN Report’s news roundup for the week of October 28: The Council of the Collective Security Treaty Organization holds extraordinary session about potentially providing assistance to Armenia; Russian President Vladimir Putin says Armenia has two options for settling the conflict; leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia to meet in Sochi on October 31 and more.

In EVN Report’s news roundup for the week of October 21: OSCE Needs Assessment Mission expected to arrive in Armenia today; while in India for an official visit, Defense Minister Suren Papikyan meets his counterpart and takes part in DEFEXPO defense exhibition; while in Yerevan, Iran’s Foreign Minister reiterates Tehran’s stance that it will not accept any change of historical borders in the region, which he called a red line for Iran.

In EVN Report’s news roundup for the week of October 14: The advance group of the European Civilian Monitoring Mission arrives in Yerevan; French President Emmanuel Macron accuses Russia of stoking the Armenia-Azerbaijani conflict as part of an effort to destabilize the South Caucasus; at the Summit of CIS leaders in Astana, PM Nikol Pashinyan says that the risk of a new aggression by Azerbaijan remains high while Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev says that if important points in the November 2020 ceasefire statement are not implemented, they will have no choice but to take “adequate action”.

An existential crisis has erupted within the Armenian public discourse since the defeat in the 2020 Artsakh War. Gaidz Minassian argues that “all for the state and the state for all” must be the slogan of Armenians in the 21st century.

Historian Suren Manukyan discusses the process, mechanisms and goals of the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

Հայոց ցեղասպանության միջազգային ճանաչման ընթացքին անդրադարձող հոդվածի ՁայնաԳիրը։

In EVN Report’s news roundup for the week of September 30: Three Armenian servicemen killed after another attack by Azerbaijani Armed Forces this week; Prime Minister Nikol Pahsinyan meets with French President Emmanuel Macron; diplomats accredited in Armenia visit Gegharkunik region to assess damage to civilian infrastructure following Azerbaijani attack and more.

Զոհրաբ Մնացականյանի՝ կայուն և ոչ միակողմ խաղաղության ձեռքբերման ճանապարհին հանդիպող մարտահրավերներն ու Հայաստանի անելիքները մատնանշող հոդվածի ՁայնաԳիրը։

In EVN Report’s news roundup for the week of September 23: After days of relative calm, Azerbaijani forces have started violating the ceasefire on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border; Armenia’s Prime Minister delivers speech at the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly; Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives leads a congressional delegation to Armenia and more.

Pursuing peace is a noble and vital objective, but only when it is genuine. Azerbaijani and Turkish rhetoric about peace is anything but convincing at this moment. Lopsided peace is unsustainable and fragile and will not work if it is pursued at our expense.

There’s a sense of powerlessness among the Armenian people surrounded by two states—Azerbaijan and Turkey—whose sole intention appears to be our annihilation. But we are not powerless if we remain vigilant, rational and resolute.

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.

In EVN Report’s news roundup for the week of September 9: Five Armenian POWs are repatriated following the Pashinyan-Aliyev meeting in Brussels; the new U.S. co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group is in Armenia; opposition forces announce that they will boycott parliament again; Starmus Festival kicks off in Yerevan and more.

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.

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.

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.

In EVN Report’s news roundup for the week of July 29: Azerbaijani Armed Forces fire on villages in Artsakh, damaging a home in Karmir Shuka; jailed government critic Avetik Chalabyan is released from pre-trial detention; Turkey sets preconditions for normalization of relations with Armenia and more.

Ներկա իրավիճակում Լեռնային Ղարաբաղի հակամարտության հնարավոր լուծում առաջարկող հոդվածի ՁայնաԳիրը։

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.

Born in Artvin (today northeastern Turkey), Yakov Zarobyan and his family fled as refugees to Rostov-on-Don. Later, the young Zarobyan began his career as a worker in NEP-era Ukraine. Eventually becoming a Party activist, he became engaged in the affairs of Soviet Armenia and rose to the position of the republic’s First Secretary in 1960. It was from that position that Zarobyan forged greater ties between Soviet Armenia and the Diaspora, and advocated for the commemoration of the Armenian Genocide of 1915. Although his tenure in Armenia was short, it would truly have a lasting impact on the republic. The series is hosted by historian Pietro A. Shakarian and produced by Sona Nersesyan. Illustration by Armine Shahbazyan.

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

A response to Gaidz Minassian’s article that explored the asphyxiating spirit of the “village” pitted against the “polity” argues that renouncing the village in favor of the polity may be redundant, since the village might be all that we have.

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.

«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։

Baku’s oil economy is not sustainable, as diminishing revenues in the long-term increase the probability of domestic instability in Azerbaijan, potentially triggering militarized interstate disputes.

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.

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.

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.

«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:

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.

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.

The general state of flux and lack of clarity on Artsakh and the negotiation process has produced a great deal of uncertainty, precipitating important questions about nationhood, state-building, and how to move forward.

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?

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 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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

A specialist in 19th and 20th century Russian and Eurasian history, Dr. Pietro Shakarian speaks to EVN Report about the intricate and complicated history surrounding Soviet Armenian statesman Anastas Mikoyan, how his ethnicity informed his politics, his role in the purges and later in the series of political reforms after Joseph Stalin’s death in 1953 known as de-Stalinization.

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.

Developments after the 2020 Artsakh War reveal that Azerbaijan has no intention to work toward regional peace and stability. Together with Turkey, Baku aims to change the regional structure at the expense of Armenia’s security interests and needs.

Following the 2020 Artsakh War, the creation of a new geopolitical reality in the region by Baku and Ankara opened a "Pandora's Box" forcing the main stakeholders to re-articulate their geopolitical agenda.

After remaining on the sidelines of the 2020 Artsakh War, the EU seems to be back with a renewed and impressive strategy for Armenia. With this new agenda, is the EU trying to counterbalance the influence of other regional players?

Today marks the one year anniversary of the Tavush clashes. This article looks into the chronology of events as they developed, the subsequent narrative that was perpetuated in Armenia and Azerbaijan, and the consequent reactions of regional and international powers.

Armenia’s defeat in the 2020 Artsakh War was a collective failure of all state bodies and institutions. The new Armenian government must construct a foreign policy doctrine defined by “strategic engagement.”

Suren says if he had a magic wand, he would change people to make things better. Children of the 2020 Artsakh War continue to struggle with trauma. A center in Kapan is trying to change that.

After a bitter election campaign, three political forces are poised to enter parliament. What they do and how they behave will determine the future of the country.

After its victory in the 2020 Artsakh War, Azerbaijan started massive restoration projects in the seven conquered regions of the Republic of Artsakh. These projects will undoubtedly impact Armenia.

After the shocking defeat in the war, the use of the notion of “remedial secession” has not been consistent, neither by the authorities nor by other political forces in Armenia. Sossi Tatikian explains.

Daniel Tahmazyan explores different perceptions of Time as it relates to the State, and the role they play in long-term vs. short-term planning.

More than two weeks after Azerbaijani Armed Forces crossed into Armenian territory, six Armenian soldiers were surrounded and captured, escalating the already tense situation in Armenia’s border regions.

Armenia’s security infrastructure requires a robust defense doctrine, expansive reforms, rearticulation of geopolitical and geostrategic realities, closing the gap in power disparity with regional actors and competent institutional structures.

Armenia is at the wrong end of global cyber security indexes. The lack of a comprehensive cyber security national policy makes the country's network and information systems vulnerable. The 2020 Artsakh War clearly proved this.

Three years ago today, Serzh Sargsyan resigned as Prime Minister. When it comes to unjustified constitutional amendments and rigged referendums, Armenian history should never repeat itself.

Armenia has about 15,000 active COVID-19 cases. Even if that number decreases by June 20, there will most likely be thousands of eligible voters who are positive. With no mail-in voting and no opportunity to vote in advance, election administrators face a constitutional conundrum.

Lucrative economic ties with Azerbaijan have influenced the United Kingdom, Italy and Hungary, among others, in their stance during and after the 2020 Artsakh War.

The Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement between Armenia and the EU came into force on March 1, 2021. Will it serve as a stepping stone to develop and extend the scope of the partnership?

With Russia and now Turkey having new footholds in the South Caucasus following the 2020 Artsakh War, will Washington under the Biden administration attempt to counter these new developments?

The lifting of blockades is presented as a benefit for Armenia, but some business leaders doubt that the Government is prepared for accompanying risks to the Armenian economy.

Along with a number of local fact-finding initiatives to collect evidence in relation to the loss of property following the 2020 Artsakh War, Armenia’s government has also filed an inter-state complaint with the ECHR, which includes issues related to property rights.

Many assumed that Turkey’s direct involvement in the 2020 Artsakh War and thereby its intrusion into Russia’s “near abroad” would be met with hostility by Russia, or at least vocal condemnation. The reaction was mild, writes Zaven Sargsian.

The military phase of the 2020 Artsakh War seems to have ended but the legal fight for restoring and upholding human rights is just beginning. Armenia’s Inter-State Application against Azerbaijan to the ECHR marks the beginning of that strategic process.

Armenia’s air defense systems were largely ineffective against the onslaught of combat and reconnaissance UAVs used by the Azerbaijani military. The single most important UAV used in the 2020 Artsakh War was the Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2.

The EU’s weak stance and incapacity to act during a time of great need for the Armenian people still reverberates. Today, Armenians are asking themselves if they can afford to trust the EU again.

The 2020 Artsakh War changed the geopolitical picture in the South Caucasus, impacting all the countries in the region. While there were clear winners and losers, some countries both won and lost.

Azerbaijan’s premeditated war against Karabakh was a blow to the prevailing world order, particularly the principle that international disputes be resolved through peaceful means. The world powers must condemn Azerbaijan’s violation and mitigate the damage it has caused.

In December 2020, the EU passed the Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy, equipping its foreign policy arsenal with a powerful new tool to protect human rights. Armenians should be paying close attention to how it will be used.

Will the formation of a Truth Commission on the 2020 Artsakh War make it possible to rectify persistent and systemic errors that led to such military and geopolitical failures?

EVN Report looks back at a year that forced the Armenian people to battle multiple fronts, from the COVID-19 pandemic to a 44-day war launched by Azerbaijan that resulted in devastating human and territorial losses.

A concerted effort is needed to overcome the crisis the Armenian nation is facing. To do that, we need to understand where we are now, be honest, admit mistakes, learn lessons and move forward, writes Hovsep Kanadyan.

Volunteers and mayors have been left to fend for themselves as Azerbaijani troops walk up to and past the edges of their border communities in an area that was never demarcated as an international border.

International human rights defending organizations have been speaking in a language of “neutrality” which, in the context of the war crimes committed by Azerbaijan during and after the 2020 Artsakh War, is anything but objective, writes Karena Avedissian.

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.

The Yezidis of Armenia fought alongside their Armenian comrades during the 2020 Artsakh War. One Yezidi volunteer says that “this is our country, the graves of our ancestors are here and the future of our children is here.”

As part of its mirroring propaganda operation during the war that was intended to cloud the information landscape, Azerbaijan also systematically mirrored the Armenian side’s visuals as well.

A coalition of 16 political parties and others have been demanding the resignation of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan following the Russian-brokered trilateral agreement that ended the 2020 Artsakh War.

Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan institutionalized their triangle long before the 2020 Artsakh War and have established deep roots of cooperation.

Throughout the 2020 Artsakh War, the UK Government was mostly impotent, writes James Derounian. It instead has and continues to provide blind, sometimes tacit, support for Turkey directly and its ally Azerbaijan indirectly.

The isolationism of former global powers in a fractured world has left vulnerable countries at the mercy of power-hungry regional players.

The defeat in Artsakh was a profound loss on multiple levels. The actions taken today, will impact the future of the Armenian nation.

Taking into account Turkey’s overt support to Azerbaijan during the 2020 Artsakh War, Armenia’s government has decided to ban the import of Turkish goods for six months. The ban will take effect on December 31 of this year.

Instead of presenting a detailed plan to help guide the country toward a number of clearly-defined national goals, PM Nikol Pashinyan’s road map resembled a laundry list of necessary post-war actions to take to mitigate the fallout.

During the Artsakh War, Azerbaijan used mirroring propaganda to try and keep the two sides on equal moral terms, creating an information fog until international journalists began arriving to the conflict zone.

In Artsakh, there is a somber air of loss, uncertainty and grief. During 45 days of war, everyone and everything from soldiers to villagers, trees to structures were afflicted and irreversibly altered. A collection of images from November 12-14, a few days after the "peace" agreement.

In the wake of the November 10 ceasefire agreement and introduction of Russian peacekeepers to Artsakh, details of its implementation are still being discussed. Meanwhile, opposition party leaders were arrested for allegedly planning Pashinyan’s assassination.

Following Armenia’s major military defeat in Artsakh, many people in the country, including a number of political forces, are calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Such a move could trigger a number of different scenarios.

OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship format to remain unchanged. Protests continue in Yerevan. Pashinyan meets with President and parliamentary caucus.

The country is shaken after crushing terms were imposed to end the 2020 Artsakh War. As government buildings were vandalized overnight, attention has shifted to Yerevan. Updates to be provided as they develop.

As fierce battles for the defense of Shushi continue, a number of opposition forces demand the resignation of the Prime Minister and the government; a Russian military helicopter is shot down by Azerbaijani forces from the exclave of Nakhichevan.

Armenian forces were able to hold the strategic and symbolic city of Shushi even as Azerbaijani forces brought in additional reinforcements. The battle for the fortress town continues to be bloody.

The ongoing war in Artsakh has profoundly impacted the Armenian world. Photojournalist Eric Grigorian's photo essay reflects on those who have had to bear the heavy human toll in protecting and safeguarding the homeland. Images are from Artsakh, Goris and Yerevan, taken between October 24 and November 5, 2020.

Intense battles have been taking place around Shushi. Azerbaijani forces were able to advance closer to the city today. According to the Defense Ministry, Azerbaijan is putting all of its power into capturing the symbolic fortress town.

Armenia’s Defense Ministry says that, after intense battles, the defense of Shushi has been successful. After heavy bombing the night before, an elderly woman and her two grandchildren were killed. Here is a chronology of official updates.

The Artsakh War has entered its 40th day. More than 1100 Armenian servicemen and 50 civilians have been killed. As Azerbaijani forces attempt to reach Shushi, the President of Artsakh says that everything is being done to ensure the town remains impregnable.

While today marks the 70th anniversary of the signature of the European Convention on Human Rights, civilian settlements in Artsakh continue to be targeted by Azerbaijani forces resulting in civilian casualties and damage to vital civilian infrastructure.

Stepanakert and Shushi came under shelling again this evening; Azerbaijani forces have started using banned incendiary cluster munitions; Lavrov says external players must use their powers to prevent mercenaries being sent to the Nagorno-Karabakh region. A chronology of official updates.

Forests in almost all the regions of Artsakh are burning because of incendiary munitions; Azerbaijani forces attempt a large-scale offensive in the northwestern direction of the front line; Artsakh’s Deputy Minister of Defense is killed in battle. Here is a chronology of official updates.

A second jihadist mercenary is captured by the Artsakh Defense Army, who admits to being offered a $2000/month salary, plus a bonus of $100 for each beheading. Here is a chronology of official updates.

Despite international calls, mediation efforts and urgent appeals to cease fire, the war in Artsakh continues unabated. There is evidence that Azerbaijani forces used phosphorus munitions signaling a new low in the hostilities. Here is a chronology of official updates.

The 2020 Karabakh War has had regional implications for neighboring countries, specifically on Iranian public and foreign policy. Hamed Kazemzadeh looks at the internal and external dimensions of Iran’s stance.

As Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan met in Geneva for mediated talks, Azerbaijani forces continued to shell peaceful settlements in Artsakh and Armenia. U.S. National Security Advisor says any Turkish mediation is a non-starter, suggests Scandinavian peacekeepers be deployed.

A meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan is expected to take place in Geneva tomorrow; Stepanakert and other towns and villages continue to come under constant shelling by Azerbaijani forces. Here is a chronology of official updates.

Stepanakert, the capital of Artsakh and the town of Shushi came under intensive shelling today by Azerbaijani forces. A maternity hospital in Stepanakert and other civilian infrastructure were heavily damaged resulting in casualties. Here is a chronology of official updates.

Ilham Aliyev’s gamble is doomed to fail. His risk calculation and management toolbox is inherently defective. The initial military advantage of his army had clear drivers which the Defense Army of Artsakh has now fully identified, unearthed and contextualized.

A month has passed since Azerbaijani Armed Forces launched a large-scale attack on Artsakh. To date, over 1000 Armenian servicemen have been killed, countless wounded while civilian settlements continue to be bombarded. Here is a chronology of official updates.

The U.S.-brokered humanitarian ceasefire that was to come into force at 8 a.m. local time on October 26 has not held. As battles continued, Artsrun Hovhannisyan admitted that Azerbaijani forces are at the gates of Armenia’s Syunik region, but said the situation is not dire. Here is a chronology of official updates.

Armenia and Azerbaijan have agreed to yet another humanitarian ceasefire in Artsakh/Nagorno-Karabakh that will come into effect at 8 a.m. local time on October 26, 2020. Here is a chronology of official updates.

While Azerbaijani forces continue to target peaceful settlements, Artsakh’s Ombudsman said civilians in Artsakh are at high risk as Azerbaijani subversive units move into civilian settlements and pull back. There are a number of civilians missing. Here is a chronology of official updates.

As Armenian and Azerbaijani forces continue to pummel one another, battle lines across Artsakh are being drawn, erased and redrawn. Diplomacy, at least for the time being, has broken down and the future remains uncertain. Here is a chronology of official updates.

As intense military operations continue in Artsakh, the number of COVID-19 cases in Armenia has skyrocketed. Healthcare officials warn that with the number of wounded soldiers requiring medical care, if people don’t start following the anti-epidemic guidelines, the healthcare system could collapse.

Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan said hope for a diplomatic solution is not viable at this stage as Azerbaijan is refusing to compromise. In fact, he said that Baku will not agree to anything less than the capitulation of Karabakh. Here is a chronology of official updates.

As the death toll mounts for both sides in the war, contact lines are constantly shifting as pitched battles are taking place, primarily in the south of Artsakh; some legislators in France and the U.S. are calling for the recognition of the Republic of Artsakh. Here is a chronology of official updates.

As PM Nikol Pashinyan and President Ilham Aliyev express willingness to meet in Moscow to discuss the ongoing war in Artsakh, the foreign ministers of the two countries are set to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Washington, D.C. this Friday. Here is a chronology of official updates.

A second attempt at a cessation of fire for humanitarian purposes failed after Azerbaijani forces began firing using artillery and small arms several minutes after the truce was supposed to come into effect. Here is a chronology of official updates.

Following a day that saw Azerbaijani drones being shot down over Armenian airspace, Stepanakert coming under heavy shelling and the Azerbaijani city of Ganja being hit, a humanitarian truce was announced. Here is a chronology of official updates.

As the number of casualties, both military and civilian, increases intense battles continue in Artsakh. The war, now in its 20th day, continues to rage. Here is a chronology of official updates.

The children of Artsakh are enduring displacement, loss and trauma. While Artsakh is not a recognized state, the children of Artsakh have a right to be recognized, protected and cared for. As the war rages, the human cost will be unbearable. Here is a chronology of official updates.

As Azerbaijani forces intensified their operations along the front line Artsakh President of Arayik Harutyunyan and Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan of Armenia addressed the nation. Here is a chronology of official updates.

As one of the most intense battles since the start of the war took place today, Artsakh’s President called for the participation of every Armenian to ensure future generations live in peace, while Armenia’s Foreign Affairs Minister met with the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs. Here is a chronology of official updates.

As the Foreign Affairs Ministers of Armenia and Russia met in Moscow to discuss the situation in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone, intense battles continued in the southern direction of the frontline. Here is a chronology of official updates.

Artsakh’s president says that if Azerbaijan does not show willingness to find a peaceful solution to the conflict in the next two days, he will request that Armenia and other countries formally recognize the independence of the Republic of Artsakh. Here is a chronology of official updates.

After almost two weeks of bloody battles in Artsakh, a humanitarian ceasefire was brokered in Moscow. As the deadline approached, Azerbaijani intensified their military operations. Here is a chronology of official updates.

As the foreign ministers of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia meet in Moscow to try and agree on a cessation of hostilities, Azerbaijani armed forces attack Stepanakert. Here is a chronology of official updates.

As battles continue along the Line of Contact, the Holy Savior Ghazanchetsots Church in Shushi was targeted twice today by Azerbaijani forces, considerably damaging the historic monument and wounding several foreign journalists. Here is a chronology of official updates.

Now in its eleventh day, the Artsakh War is proving to be one of the fiercest, bloodiest battles the region has seen since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Here is a chronology of official updates.

As civilian infrastructure continues to be targeted in Stepanakert, the Azerbaijani military launched another large-scale offensive in the southern direction of the Artsakh-Azerbaijan Line of Contact today. Here is a chronology of official updates.

Given the geography, tactics and methods of the Azerbaijani offensive, the autocratic regime of Ilham Aliyev is aiming to forcibly occupy the territory of Artsakh through committing large-scale atrocities.

As fierce battles continue on the Artsakh-Azerbaijan Line of Contact, a humanitarian crisis is unfolding in Artsakh as civilians and vital infrastructure come under fire, particularly in the capital Stepanakert.

As Stepanakert came under continuous bombardment today, Armenian forces went on the counter-offensive and targeted the military airport in Ganja, Azerbaijan. Here is a chronology of official updates.

In one of the worst days of fighting on the Artsakh-Azerbaijan Line of Contact, the President of Artsakh heads to the front line with special forces and Armenia’s Prime Minister addresses the nation. Here is a chronology of official updates.

After Azerbaijani armed forces launched a wide scale offensive in Artsakh, today, the capital Stepanakert came under the heaviest shelling since the end of the first Karabakh War. Here is a chronology of official updates.

As battles rage along the length of the Artsakh-Azerbaijan Contact Line, a number of foreign and Armenian journalists were wounded when the city of Martuni came under Azerbaijani fire.

Azerbaijan continues to target civilian populations in Artsakh using combat drones and artillery strikes which have resulted in civilian casualties in Martakert. Here is a chronology of official updates.

In a third day of fighting, Turkey is not hiding its direct involvement, including the use of its air force. Azerbaijan’s intense attacks against Artsakh have expanded to also include Armenia’s eastern Gegharkunik region around Lake Sevan.

Fighting continued on Monday, September 28, 2020 along the Line of Contact between Artsakh and Azerbaijan, after the launch of an assault by Azerbaijan the previous day that has been unprecedented. We present a briefing of the situation.

In the early morning hours of September 27, Azerbaijani Armed Forces launched an offensive along the Artsakh-Azerbaijan Line of Contact. We present a briefing of the situation.

Armenia’s new National Security Strategy has adopted a holistic approach to security as traditionally perceived by many in the country, but the structure of the document could be streamlined further.

The main catchphrase this month in Belarus is “We don’t want a Ukraine scenario, we want an Armenia scenario,” writes Ales Plotka about the ongoing protests in Belarus following fraudulent presidential elections in August.

Since the adoption of the constitutional changes, the reform process of the Constitutional Court has continued. Lusine Sargsyan looks back at some of key developments that have unfolded during the past two months.

Several political parties in Armenia are members of officially registered European political parties in the European Parliament. This affiliation offers an opportunity to deepen international cooperation and conduct parliamentary diplomacy.

Gayane Vardanyan, a Yerevan City Councillor from the My Step faction spoke to EVN Report about some of the biggest challenges that city officials have had to deal with since coming to power almost two years ago from waste collection to replacing elevators.

July 24 marked the first Muslim prayer service in the Hagia Sophia in almost 90 years. Erdogan’s neo-Ottoman policies are also reverting other aspects of Turkish society back to a bygone era.

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.

During an extraordinary session, Armenia’s National Assembly initiated and unanimously approved a set of Constitutional amendments to address the crisis of political and institutional legitimacy of the Constitutional Court.

Armenia’s transition in 1991 brought about a state with a blatant disregard for democracy. The current government should realize the importance of moving forward with a more systematic, effective and coordinated transitional justice platform.

Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov’s recent statement regarding a step-by-step approach to resolving the Nagorno Karabakh conflict reflects Russia’s centuries-old imperial instincts of using divide-and-conquer tactics on its periphery.

The EU’s policy toward its neighbors has had several transformations, including a shift from a “one size fits all” approach to a “pick and choose” one. Anna Barseghyan explains.

Exactly two years ago, MPs voted for Serzh Sargsyan to become Prime Minister and stay in office beyond his ten-year limit. That should never be allowed to happen again.

Justin Tomczyk traces the history of the Armenian-Turkish border spanning from Armenia’s incorporation into the USSR to the present day, touching upon the Zurich Protocols and reflecting on the viability of a future normalization process.

Artsakh voters will be heading to the polls on March 31. Incumbent President Bako Sahakyan is not seeking another term. Meet the political candidates vying for support and the political backdrop under which they are campaigning.

Armenia’s National Assembly voted to call a constitutional referendum yesterday, which, if passed, would dismiss seven of the nine judges currently sitting on the Constitutional Court.

While the short-term crisis between Iran and the United States is over, the situation is far from stable, or certain, specifically due to the volatile domestic situation in Iran.

Protests have gripped Georgia for the last week following a vote against promised constitutional amendments that would have changed the country’s electoral system.

Eight ethnic Armenians were elected to the First Constituent Assembly of Georgia in 1918. Four were members of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation and the others from the Georgian Social Democratic Party. This article explores their lives and political activities.

Can the popularity of the National Security Service be sustained after the dismissal of Artur Vanetsyan? It can, but only through one mechanism: rigid institutionalization and the complete alleviation of the personalization of politics in Armenia.

As an instrument of transitional justice, vetting is designed to “cleanse” state institutions that are tainted by systemic corruption, nepotism, and incompetence. Vetting of personnel is the first step toward the broader goal of institutional reform, writes Dr. Nerses Kopalyan.

While taking the reader through the complexities of international law, Dr. Nerses Kopalyan writes that when Armenia and Azerbaijan speak about peace, they mean completely different things. What they are actually saying is that they seek peace on their own terms.