CIVILNET

Foreign election interference and Armenia’s political future

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan faces mounting pressure over foreign interference concerns ahead of Armenia’s parliamentary elections, as Russia, the EU, the United States and the Baku regime all maneuver for influence. At the same time, escalating tensions between the United States and Iran could lead to a regional war. On Insights, Eric Hacopian examines the electoral stakes at home, the geopolitical risks abroad, and how both could reshape Armenia’s political future. #CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #insightswitherichacopian

Armenian government cancels summer water shutoff plan

📍Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan promotes irreversible regional peace and economic integration, while Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev will skip the European summit in Yerevan this May. 📍Facing public backlash ahead of parliamentary elections, the Armenian government reversed the water utility company’s plan to impose nightly water shutoffs throughout the country this summer. 📍Inside Armenia’s growing investment wave- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jicMho1UBg8#CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #dailyarmenia

Democracy Watch | Rewriting the constitution for narrow aims contradicts democratic principles

Democracy Watch – On February 12, at the congress of the newly established Strong Armenia party, it was announced [https://www.azatutyun.am/a/33675954.html] that the political force’s candidate for prime minister would be Russian-Armenian businessman Samvel Karapetyan. The main issue with this decision is that, under the Constitution of Armenia, only individuals who have been solely citizens of the Republic of Armenia during the previous four years may be elected as members of parliament or appointed to the government. Article 148 of the Constitution stipulates that a member of the government must meet the requirements set for a member of parliament. Any person may be elected to the National Assembly who is at least 25 years old, has been only an Armenian citizen for the last four years, has permanently resided in Armenia during that period, has voting rights, and is proficient in Armenian. In addition to Armenian citizenship, Samvel Karapetyan also holds Russian and Cypriot citizenship.

Ruben Vardanyan forgoes appeal of 20-year prison term in Azerbaijan

📍 The family of Ruben Vardanyan has announced that he will not appeal the 20-year prison sentence handed down by a military court in Baku last week.📍 The nomination of Russian-Armenian billionaire Samvel Karapetyan for prime minister contradicts democratic principles, as it would require unwarranted constitutional amendments, according to political analyst Tigran Grigoryan.#CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #dailyarmenia

Issue of Artsakh prisoners in Baku raised at UN Human Rights Council

📍 Armenian prosecutors are seeking to transfer the Yerevan building that serves as the permanent representation of the former Nagorno-Karabakh Republic back to the state. 📍 Major Jewish organizations have not publicly responded after Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev claimed that former Nagorno-Karabakh officials recently sentenced in Baku committed crimes worse than those of the Nazis, remarks commonly viewed as diminishing the gravity of the Holocaust. 📍 Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan told the UN Human Rights Council that Yerevan remains committed to democratic reform, genocide prevention and regional peace, while raising concerns about detainees held in Baku. 📍 Decades after earthquake, Gyumri lives in the shadow of “domiks”- https://www.civilnet.am/en/news/1004408/decades-after-earthquake-gyumri-lives-in-the-shadow-of-domiks/ #CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #dailyarmenia