In this episode of the CivilNet Podcast, host Patrick Elliott sits down with Hovsep Patvakanyan from the Investment Council of Armenia, to explore the country’s ambitious economic reforms. Patvakanyan provides insider insights into the ongoing transformations in Armenia’s manufacturing sector, the impact of recent tax reforms, and the driving forces behind the nation’s construction boom. This conversation offers a comprehensive look at Armenia’s economic landscape, highlighting the strategies and challenges in positioning the country for sustainable growth and increased foreign investment.
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Armenian flower growers sound alarm as Russian imports ban persists
By Alexander Pracht A growing sense of alarm is spreading among Armenia’s flower producers, as Russia’s ban on floral imports from the country, introduced last month, remains in effect. Last Friday, dozens of greenhouse owners in Armavir province, one of Armenia’s main floriculture hubs, staged a protest demanding swift government action to resolve the standoff with Russia. The demonstrators, who rely heavily on the Russian market, warned that without a breakthrough, they would escalate their protest by blocking a highway to Yerevan. “I don’t know what I’m going to do with my 60,000 flowers that are about to blossom,” one […]
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Jailed Armenian tycoon Karapetyan signals launch of new political force
By Zhanna Avagyan Jailed Armenian businessman Samvel Karapetyan has announced plans to form a new political force, marking his most direct challenge yet to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s government. In a statement released on Monday, Karapetyan said his team was beginning the process of establishing a political force aimed at uniting the public around “justice and a better future.” “I deeply respect the political forces and figures who have fought against Nikol Pashinyan’s anti-national regime,” the statement read. “But we have our own vision for building a better Armenia. We will move forward with our own team, without ruling out […]
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Yerevan protest calls for urgent action for Artsakh Armenians
On July 12, demonstrators gathered in Freedom Square in Yerevan to protest the Armenian government’s declining support for displaced Artsakh Armenians. The rally drew roughly hundreds of people and included both Armenians from Artsakh and others showing solidarity.
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Armenia’s $500M AI Supercomputer: Meet the Visionaries Behind Firebird
Razmig Hovaghimian, Co-founder of Firebird AI, and Alexander Yesayan, Co-founder of Team Group of Companies, are two of the key visionaries behind Firebird — Armenia’s most ambitious tech project to date. They speak with CivilNet’s Eric Hacopian about the vision, scope, and future of this unprecedented AI supercomputing hub. Backed by NVIDIA, Noubar Afeyan, and the Armenian government, Firebird is a thinking center, built to power cutting-edge research, next-gen startups, and breakthrough innovation across industries.
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Pashinyan and Aliyev reaffirm dialogue in Abu Dhabi
On Thursday, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev held a bilateral meeting in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, to discuss various aspects of the Armenia-Azerbaijan normalization agenda. The negotiations lasted for roughly five hours. According to the official statement of the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, both sides reaffirmed that bilateral talks are the most effective format for addressing all issues in the normalization process.
