Day: July 18, 2024
Diaspora myths meet Armenian truths
In this episode of the CivilNet podcast, Eric Hacopian and Patrick Elliott tackle prevalent myths about…
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Ambitious Academic City project raises concerns over feasibility and vision
By Alexander Pracht For over a century, Yerevan has been Armenia’s higher education hub, following a model common in former Soviet states. The privately owned and centrally located trade schools of the imperial era were reclassified as universities under Bolshevik rule and evolved without distinct campuses, embedded in the city’s core. That may soon change. The government announced plans to build a vast suburban campus on Yerevan’s northwestern edge about four years ago, relocating all Yerevan-based universities. Though the site is within city limits, it remains mostly undeveloped. Critics cite the absence of a feasibility study, lack of public input, […]
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Rare meeting in Tbilisi brings together deputy foreign ministers of
By Alexander Pracht In a rare diplomatic move, the deputy foreign ministers of Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan met in Tbilisi on Thursday to outline their visions for potential areas of regional cooperation, according to a joint statement released by the three countries’ foreign ministries. “The meeting aimed to advance trilateral cooperation in areas of common interest, contributing to sustainable development and prosperity in the region,” the joint press release said, stressing that such cooperation could help address shared challenges and foster long-term stability in the South Caucasus. This marked the first-ever trilateral meeting at the deputy foreign minister level between […]
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Aliyev’s constitutional referendum & the war on Artsakh Armenians
In this episode of Insights, host Eric Hacopian dedicates the entire show to the sharp reduction in state support for Artsakh refugees and examines what appears to be a politically motivated campaign against them. He breaks down the cuts in financial aid, the housing crisis, and the barriers to integration faced by displaced families and former servicemen. Eric also discusses the rise in hate speech campaigns against them- which he links to the government’s push for a controversial constitutional referendum.
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Karabakh parliament in exile extends presidential term via constitutional amendment
By Hayk Ghazaryan On April 15, the National Assembly of Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh), currently operating in exile in Yerevan, adopted a constitutional amendment aimed at preserving the office of the president. The move seeks to ensure institutional continuity following the near-total collapse of local governance in the wake of Azerbaijan’s military takeover of the region in September 2023. The amendment was confirmed to CivilNet by Sevak Aghajanyan, chair of the Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs and a member of the “United Homeland” faction. He said the change modifies Article 168 of the Artsakh Constitution, which had previously been amended […]
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Newly elected Gyumri mayor vows to cooperate with central government
By Elen Muradyan Vardan Ghukasyan, Gyumri’s newly elected mayor, has pledged to work with Armenia’s central government despite his previous criticism of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. In an exclusive interview with CivilNet following his election, Ghukasyan outlined his plans for Armenia’s second-largest city while addressing the strained relationship with the ruling administration. Ghukasyan, a candidate nominated by the Armenian Communist Party, was elected mayor on Wednesday after receiving support from 18 out of 33 city council members during the inaugural session, which the ruling Civil Contract party boycotted. His appointment came after complex negotiations among opposition forces following the March […]
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Iran, Turkey, and Azerbaijan’s opposing paths on political Islam
In this in-depth interview, internationally renowned expert on the Middle East, Gilles Kepel, explores the complex dynamics of political Islam. He evaluates the future of Iran’s government in the face of internal struggles and international pressure, and considers what might be a fracture in the close alliance between Turkey and Azerbaijan amid their diverging political-religious paths.
