In this episode of the Civilnet podcast, host Patrick Elliott interviews Hovsep Patvakanyan, Head of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development’s Investment Council for Armenia. They discuss the council’s vision for transforming Armenia into a regional trade and logistics hub through strategic investments and support for reforms. Patvakanyan shares insights into the challenges facing Armenia as a landlocked country and how the organization plans to help overcome obstacles to unlock greater prosperity.
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Armenia and United States sign historic strategic partnership charter
In a ceremony held at the U.S. State Department in Washington, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan signed the “Strategic Partnership Charter,” marking a significant milestone in bilateral relations. The comprehensive partnership, as outlined by Secretary Blinken, rests on four main pillars: economic cooperation, security and defense collaboration, democratic development, and people-to-people exchanges. A key economic highlight is the upcoming negotiations for a “123 Agreement,” establishing a legal framework for peaceful nuclear cooperation, including transferring nuclear materials, equipment, and technology under strict security protocols. On security matters, Blinken announced that a U.S. Customs and Border […]
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Pashinyan’s one-man rule threatens Armenia’s democratic development
By Aram Tadevosyan Armenia entered a phase of democratic transition in 2018, marking some initial achievements – particularly two nationwide elections that were notably free and competitive. However, the country’s democratic consolidation faces significant challenges, primarily stemming from Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s increasingly personalistic style of governance. Democratic theorists, including Samuel Huntington, consider the peaceful transfer of power between different political forces through free and transparent elections at least twice a key indicator of democratic consolidation. Armenia has yet to achieve even a single peaceful transfer of power through elections. Moreover, in the Armenian context, it’s difficult to envision a […]
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No plans to leave EAEU despite Armenia’s EU aspirations: Economy
By Arshaluys Mghdesyan Armenia’s Economy Minister Gevorg Papoyan announced today that the government has no plans to withdraw from the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), even as the country pursues closer ties with the European Union. “Our main goal is to strengthen economic stability, regardless of our membership in any organization,” Papoyan stated at a press conference. “We need to grow our industry and focus on producing more complex products and delivering quality services.” The statement comes after the Armenian government approved a draft law last week, initiating the process of EU membership consideration, which was subsequently sent to parliament. The […]
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Yerevan mayor reimburses $19,000 for controversial business class flight
By Alexander Pracht Yerevan Mayor Tigran Avinyan has reimbursed approximately $19,000 to the municipal budget, his spokesperson Hayk Kostanyan reported today. The reimbursement comes after controversy surrounding Avinyan’s November business trip to Los Angeles, where taxpayer funds were used to purchase an expensive flight. Municipal regulations require a competitive bidding process for such procurement contracts, which was not followed in this case. Back in November, the Yerevan Municipality signed an agreement with a private contractor to purchase nine airplane tickets from Yerevan to Los Angeles, with a stopover in Doha, Qatar, worth approximately $31,700, including a single business class ticket […]
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Armenia’s concessions legitimize Azerbaijan’s coercive actions, expert warns
By Karen Harutyunyan Armenia’s continuous compliance with Azerbaijan’s preconditions under the threat of force is legitimizing Baku’s illegal actions, warns Benyamin Poghosyan, senior analyst at APRI Armenia think tank. In an interview with CivilNet, Poghosyan argues that Armenia is inadvertently sending a message that Azerbaijan has legitimate grounds for making certain demands, which further legitimizes Azerbaijan’s coercive approach. This dynamic was clearly demonstrated in April 2024, when under the threat of war, Armenia agreed to a 12.5 km border delimitation in the Tavush and Qazakh regions. The process resulted in Azerbaijan reclaiming its four abandoned villages while retaining Armenian agricultural […]
