CIVILNET

📍 Armenia and Turkey have discussed the possible restoration of the Kars–Gyumri railway as part of broader normalization efforts. 📍 A new analysis from APRI, a Yerevan-based think tank, argues that the TRIPP is a useful but insufficient step for South Caucasus connectivity, and that full regional prosperity depends on opening the Armenia–Azerbaijan and Armenia–Turkey borders. 📍 Business Week Ar...

📍 Moscow has temporarily banned the sale of Armenian Jermuk mineral water, as tensions grow over Yerevan’s deepening ties with the European Union. 📍 Armenia has denied unsourced media reports that it plans to hand over the border village of Jiliza to Georgia as part of ongoing demarcation talks. 📍 Armenia has unveiled a new biometric passport design aligned with EU standards, featuring updated...

📍 Moscow has accused Armenia’s civil society of undermining bilateral relations with Russia.📍 The European Union is not backing Armenia’s ruling Civil Contract party in the parliamentary election scheduled for June, EU Ambassador to Armenia Vasilis Maragos told CivilNet. Full interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqCzkezi7Gs 📍 CivilNetCheck found that the name of a senior aide to Armenia’s...

David Hovhannisyan, the founder of Voskevaz Winery shares how one of Armenia’s historic wineries blends tradition with modern winemaking. In this conversation with Paul Kalemkiarian, host of the podcast ‘Wine Talks with Paul K’, he discusses reviving karas (clay vessel) production, working with indigenous grape varieties, and staying true to an authentic Armenian wine identity. From Soviet-era roo...

Armenia’s election campaign heats up as arrests linked to Samvel Karapetyan’s campaign raise questions about whether Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is trying to shape the opposition field by sidelining his strongest rival. This episode of Insights examines what’s behind the crackdown and how it could impact the balance of power in parliament. Lastly, ahead of the 111th anniversary, Eric Hacopian b...

📍 The cost of the government’s planned expansion of the Yerevan metro has climbed to about $287 million, according to the latest projections.📍 Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan called the addition of another terminal at Armenia’s main airport a high priority.📍 Armenia improved its position in a yearly economic freedom index calculated by the Heritage Foundation, a prominent conservative think tank...

From the roots of winemaking in the Armenian Highlands to the unique challenges of growing grapes at high altitude,Vahe and Aimee Keushguerian share their journey of preserving tradition while pushing the boundaries of Armenian wine on the international stage. This intimate conversation reveals the passion, heritage, and family bond at the heart of Keush Winery — Armenia’s first traditional method...

Mariam Saghatelyan, co-founder of In Vino, Armenia’s first wine bar, shares how she helped build Armenia’s modern wine culture. In this conversation with Paul Kalemkiarian, she discusses the challenges of curating quality Armenian and international wines, educating staff and customers, and supporting a new generation of winemakers. In Vino has become a hub for wine lovers, fostering both appreciat...

Partner contentWith Armenia set to launch its first AI-native public school this fall, Founder & CEO of the Armenia Education Initiative Larisa Hovannisian discusses the thinking behind Seroond’s new education model for the AI era. She explains the need to move beyond traditional systems, the ways in which AI can support rather than replace experiential learning, and why Armenia is well positi...

📍 Armenia’s parliament is set to consider a new bill to regulate investments.📍 Russia reopened a criminal probe connected to one of Armenia’s main mineral water producers.📍 More than half of Armenia’s population has been covered in the first 100 days of a mandatory health care insurance rollout, the country’s health minister said. Read more: https://civilnet.am/en/news/1011291#CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆե...

A troubling pattern has emerged as the political language and agendas of Ilham Aliyev’s regime and Nikol Pashinyan’s government increasingly converge across key issues. From election rhetoric and peace narratives to international legal cases, diaspora relations, and constitutional changes, this episode of Insights breaks down how the messaging is shaping Armenia’s internal and external discourse....

Ahead of two major EU summits to be held in Armenia, France’s European Affairs Minister Benjamin Haddad outlines plans for a new strategic partnership between Yerevan and Paris. He highlights strong European solidarity with Armenia and stresses that it’s up to Armenians to decide their future trajectory, free from external pressure. À l’approche de deux grands sommets de l’Union européenne qui se...

📍 Armenia and France will sign a strategic partnership agreement during an upcoming visit by President Emmanuel Macron to Yerevan next month, a senior French official told CivilNet.📍 The European Union is preparing to deploy a new permanent civilian mission to Armenia to strengthen the country’s resilience against hybrid threats ahead of a crucial electoral cycle.📍 More than half of Armenia’s r...

📍 Russia may restrict the ability of the Proshyan Brandy Factory, one of Armenia’s biggest producers, to do business in the country. Brandy is one of Armenia’s main exports.📍 Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said Armenia is not secretly holding any discussions on transferring the right to operate the country’s railway from Russia to a third country.📍 Armenia welcomed 453,000 tourists in the first...

A meeting in Moscow between President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan last week revealed growing pressure on Armenia, as Russian officials issued warnings over Yerevan’s westward trajectory. Meanwhile, the Armenian election campaign continues to take shape, with Armenia’s international trajectory on the ballot. Eric closes with a review of the war on Iran, its sudden ceasefire, a...

📍 A group of six Armenian banks agreed to loan $300 million to a public-private, Armenian-American partnership that plans to develop the country’s first data center.📍 Russian e-commerce giant Wildberries opened a massive new distribution center in Yerevan, saying the 250,000-square-foot facility could help boost local entrepreneurs.📍 Armenia is in preliminary talks with Chinese tech giant Huawe...

📍 Yerevan has criticized Baku for accusing “radical Armenian groups” of committing what it called a “genocide of Azerbaijanis” in 1918, referring to the events known as the March Days during the Russian Civil War.📍 Armenia continues to import fodder wheat grain from Russia despite a reported mass outbreak of animal disease.#CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #dailyarmenia

📍 Armenia’s Anti-Corruption Committee has launched a criminal investigation into alleged vote buying involving a campaign office of the opposition Strong Armenia party.📍 A Yerevan court has banned the screening and distribution of a film about Armenia’s independence movement, siding with a copyright lawsuit filed by the country’s public broadcaster.📍 The American University of Armenia has reope...

📍 Three people were detained and a criminal case was launched after a man attempted to strike Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan during a Palm Sunday service at a Yerevan church. 📍 Iran’s foreign minister thanked Armenia for its humanitarian support and assistance to Iranian citizens amid the ongoing conflict. 📍 Armenia has reportedly spent around $400,000 promoting its Academic City project despit...

📍 Armenia plans to roll out courses in AI in most of the country’s schools by the end of the year, according to Education Minister Zhanna Andreasyan.📍 Armenia reached a deal with Chinese e-commerce giant Temu to allow Armenian companies to sell their products on the platform, Economy Minister Gevorg Papoyan said.📍 Lawmakers passed a bill to expand an existing ban on single-use plastic bags.#Civ...

In July 2025, when our think tank the Regional Center for Democracy and Security published a  report  on hate speech targeting refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh, we identified several important patterns related to this phenomenon. The first was that the volume of hate speech against refugees increases during periods of domestic political tension. In this regard, one of the main concerns ahead of the...

As war continues in Iran, Armenia faces refugee flows, rising energy risks and inflationary pressures. At the same time, the election campaign is heating up, with defense and security dominating the debate and opposition parties challenging the ruling government’s record. On Insights, Eric Hacopian examines the regional consequences of the Iran conflict, the Armenian leadership’s politics of fear...

📍 Pashinyan said Armenia is updating its National Security Strategy, pursuing constitutional reform, and focusing on providing stability and improved conditions for displaced Nagorno-Karabakh residents. 📍 The Armenian government denied characterizations of a planned May 28 event to showcase military equipment in Yerevan’s Republic Square as a military parade, but instead said that it will be a “...

Sponsored contentVisa’s Diana Kiguradze speaks with CivilNet about the growth of the She's Next, Empowered by Visa initiative in Armenia and the milestone of its first national pitch contest. She explains how the program supports women entrepreneurs beyond financial grants and why partnerships are key to its success. Kiguradze also shares Visa’s broader vision for expanding opportunities for w...

📍 A group of Armenian non-governmental organizations has criticized the nomination of ruling party lawmaker Vladimir Vardanyan as a judge of the Constitutional Court.📍 The European Union’s temporary monitoring mission on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border could be replaced by a permanent mission in Armenia with a broader mandate. #CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #dailyarmenia