CIVILNET

Democracy Watch | Labeling Independent Actors “Pro-Russian”: A New Instrument for Censoring Critics

#DemocracyWatch – A couple of months ago, I was invited to a working lunch with a foreign delegation, together with several other colleagues representing Armenia’s civil society and think tank community. As the discussion turned to Armenia’s domestic dynamics, I pointed out the anti-constitutional and anti-democratic nature of some of the domestic processes initiated by Armenia’s ruling party–namely, the instrumentalization of law-enforcement and the judicial system in the ruling party’s confrontation with the Church leadership and other political opponents. These actions are often justified by the broader goal of countering hybrid threats and foreign interference.

EU approves $24M in non-lethal military assistance to Armenia

📍 Trump administration official Dr. Mehmet Oz faces backlash for allegedly targeting Armenian-American businesses in a social media video about medical fraud. 📍 Former President Robert Kocharyan criticizes the U.S.-backed TRIPP project, warning that Armenia faces new risks amid great power rivalries. 📍 The European Union has approved $24 million in non-lethal military assistance to Armenia after Hungary lifted its long-standing veto. #CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #dailyarmenia

Armenia’s race to build an AI future

Yerevan State University has launched Armenia’s first AI supercomputing center, as the government moves forward with a $500 million AI data center project powered by NVIDIA chips. CivilNet examines how these initiatives could strengthen Armenia’s national AI capacity, and what is still needed to turn major investments into a competitive role in the global AI ecosystem.#CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ

Armenia reports 2.26 million tourists in 2025: THIS WEEK IN BUSINESS

📍 Armenia agreed to extend a deal that grants control of Zvartnots International Airport to Eduardo Eurnekian’s Corporacion America Airports to 2067, in exchange for a $425 million investment package.📍 Armenia welcomed 2.26 million tourists in 2025, according to official figures, marking a 2.5% year-over-year increase.📍 The ratings agency Fitch upgraded Armenia’s outlook to “positive,” while affirming the country’s sovereign credit rating at “BB-.”#CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #civilnetbusiness

Pashinyan signs on to Trump-backed Board of Peace

📍 Armenia became a founding member of the newly-launched Board of Peace at the invitation of U.S. President Donald Trump, while questions remain over the body's operations and scope months after it was announced as part of Trump’s peace plan for Gaza.📍 Armenia and Azerbaijan intend to connect their energy systems under the U.S.-backed Trump Route initiative. 📍 US, Armenia announce terms of lease for ‘Trump route’: THIS WEEK IN BUSINESS- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJ50iCMsSIU#CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #dailyarmenia