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Armenian Government Makes Removal of Catholicos Karekin II an Official Policy Goal
Armenia’s government has made the removal of Catholicos Karekin II an official policy goal, putting its escalating confrontation with the Armenian Apostolic Church into the government’s five-year program. The 2026-2031 program, approved by the Cabinet on Thursday and set to go before parliament, outlines a process that would begin with Karekin II leaving office and ultimately lead to the election of a new Catholicos of All Armenians. The government says the measures are neede
The Armenian Report Team
Aug 20
‘To Weaken the Diaspora Is to Weaken Armenia’: French-Armenian Leader Mourad Papazian Responds to Pashinyan Government
A public dispute over the role of Armenia’s global Diaspora intensified Wednesday after a senior Armenian Revolutionary Federation official accused Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s governing party of trying to discredit long-established Armenian organizations abroad. The Armenian Report reached out to Mourad Papazian following remarks by Civil Contract MP Arman Yeghoyan in parliament, seeking his response to the lawmaker’s comments. Papazian, a member of the ARF Bureau and co
The Armenian Report Team
Aug 19
Armenia’s Foreign Ministry Contacts Ruben Vardanyan’s Wife After She Says Government Had Not Reached Out
Armenia’s Foreign Ministry contacted Veronika Zonabend, the wife of Armenian prisoner Ruben Vardanyan, on Monday after she publicly said no government official had reached out to her about her proposed humanitarian mission to Azerbaijan. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ani Badalyan told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Armenian Service that Zonabend had been verbally offered a meeting. The date is now being coordinated, according to RFE/RL. The outreach followed remarks from Z
The Armenian Report Team
Aug 10
Rights Groups Accuse Armenian Government of Failing Released POWs
A coalition of Armenian and international civil society organizations, including the Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention and Human Security, has signed an open letter denouncing the Armenian government’s failure to provide adequate rehabilitation, psychological and physical medical care, housing, and social support to former Armenian POWs released from Azerbaijani captivity. The appeal focuses on former hostage Vicken Euljekjian, who spent more than five years in Azerbai
World Council of Churches Backs Armenian Apostolic Church, Raises Concern Over Government Interference
The World Council of Churches has raised concern over what it called “undue interference” in the internal affairs of the Armenian Apostolic Church, weighing in as a confrontation between Armenia’s government and church leadership increasingly spills into the courts. The WCC, a global fellowship of Christian churches, said the Armenian Apostolic Church holds a vital place in Armenian spiritual, cultural and historical life, as well as in the broader Christian world. “As WCC, w
Armenian Government Takes Over Another Gagik Tsarukyan Business, Places NOY Brandy Factory Under State Management
Armenia’s government has taken control of another company owned by opposition leader Gagik Tsarukyan, with an anti-corruption court ordering the shares of the Yerevan Ararat Brandy-Wine-Vodka Factory, one of the country’s best-known alcohol producers, transferred to the state while a sweeping illicit assets case against him moves forward. The Prosecutor General's Office said the Anti-Corruption Court approved its request to place the company's shares under state management, a
The Armenian Report Team
Jul 31
Pashinyan Says Government Will Step Down Sunday Before Forming New Cabinet
Armenia's government will formally resign on Sunday as the country's newly elected National Assembly begins its work, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced Thursday, triggering the constitutional process for forming a new cabinet. The announcement came during what Pashinyan said was the government's final regular meeting in its current composition. Under Armenia's Constitution, the cabinet must resign after a new parliament is convened. The president will then appoint a pr
The Armenian Report Team
Jul 30
Armenia’s Famous Round Zvartnots Airport Terminal Could Be Demolished Under Government Plan
The Armenian government has taken the first official step toward removing legal protections from the iconic old terminal at Yerevan's Zvartnots International Airport, a move that could ultimately lead to the demolition of one of the country's most recognizable architectural landmarks. A draft government decision published on Armenia's legal portal, e-draft.am, proposes removing the circular terminal—known for decades simply as the "round building"—from the state register of i
The Armenian Report Team
Jul 22
Opposition Demands Probe After Airport Footage of Robert Kocharyan Appears in Pro-Government Media
Fresh concerns over privacy, state surveillance, and the treatment of opposition figures have emerged in Armenia after opposition lawmaker Gegham Manukyan formally requested an investigation into how footage of former President Robert Kocharyan at Yerevan's Zvartnots International Airport appeared on a media platform linked to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's family. Manukyan, a member of the Armenia Alliance parliamentary faction, announced that he had appealed to National S
The Armenian Report Team
Jun 15
Armenian Film Producers Accuse Government of Corruption, Favoritism After Cannes Festival
The 79th edition of the Cannes Film Festival has sparked sharp criticism from the Pan-Armenian Federation of Film Producers, which accused Armenia’s state film institutions of favoritism, stagnation, and misrepresenting the country’s role at one of the world’s most important cinema events. In a statement released on May 27, the organization said this year’s festival shows both the international achievements connected to Armenian cinema and what it described as serious problem
The Armenian Report Team
May 27
Armenian Court Lifts Travel Ban on Catholicos Karekin II as Government-Church Clash Continues
An Armenian court has lifted a travel ban that had been placed on Karekin II earlier this year, in a case that shows the deepening tensions between the Armenian Apostolic Church and the government of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. The restrictions were introduced about two months ago by law-enforcement authorities and applied not only to the Catholicos but also to six bishops. The move came after charges were filed in connection with Karekin II’s decision in January to defro
The Armenian Report Team
Apr 13
Armenian Government Pushes to Require AI Labels on TV Content
Image generated using artificial intelligence (AI) Armenia may soon require TV channels to tell viewers when what they’re watching isn’t entirely real. On April 7, the country’s National Assembly took up a new proposal that would force television broadcasters to clearly label any content created using artificial intelligence(AI). The goal is simple: make sure people know when what they’re seeing has been generated by machines, not humans. The proposal was introduced by Minist
Armenian Government Tries to Change Election Rules Days Before Registration, Opposition Pushes Back
Armenia’s parliament has entered a tense and fast-moving debate over election rules—just days before the election process officially begins—raising questions about fairness, timing, and political intent. On April 7, Armenia’s National Assembly opened an extraordinary session to review proposed changes to the country’s Electoral Code of Armenia. While the proposal may sound technical, it has quickly turned into a political flashpoint, drawing strong reactions from both the rul
Independence Movement Film Banned as Pashinyan Government Moves to Rewrite Constitution
A film about Armenia’s independence movement has been banned from airing on television, as the country debates changes to its Constitution that could remove references to the Declaration of Independence. The timing of the decision has raised concerns about whether historical narratives tied to Armenia’s path to statehood are being restricted during a sensitive political moment. A court in Armenia has ruled that the film “Our Path to Independence,” created by Tigran Paskevichy
The Armenian Report Team
Mar 31
Pashinyan Orders Genocide Museum Director to Resign Over Action “Contradicting” Government Policy on Artsakh
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has confirmed that he personally instructed Edita Gzoyan, the director of the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute, to submit a resignation letter after an incident that he said contradicted the government’s foreign policy. The prime minister made the statement during a government briefing on March 12. His remarks came a day after it became publicly known that Gzoyan had written a resignation letter. Despite the announcement, no official
The Armenian Report Team
Mar 12
Mirzoyan: Tourists Who Can Afford Long Vacations Abroad Should Not Expect Government to Cover Return Flight Costs Amid War-Related Evacuations
More than one hundred Armenian citizens have returned to Armenia from the Middle East over the past two days as the government continues efforts to assist nationals abroad. The update was announced by Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan during the National Assembly–Government question-and-answer session held on March 4. According to the minister, 110 Armenian citizens were able to return to the country through special arrangements organized by the government. These efforts are p
Pashinyan Says Armenia Is Not Preparing for War, as Peace Is His Government’s Primary Security Guarantee
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan used Armenia’s Army Day to speak on recent military reforms, explain changes in the country’s security policy, and insist that his government is focused on peace rather than preparing for another war. The message was delivered on the 34th anniversary of the creation of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia. In it, Pashinyan described the army’s difficult early years and said that major efforts in recent times had begun to reshape the insti
The Armenian Report Team
Jan 28
Armenia to Host One of the World’s Most Prestigious Wine Competitions: Concours Mondial de Bruxelles 2026
Armenia is set to host one of the world’s most influential international wine tasting events, the “Concours Mondial de Bruxelles 2026.” The Government of Armenia has approved the full program of events for bringing this global competition to the country. The Concours Mondial de Bruxelles is known as one of the largest and most respected wine competitions worldwide. The event has a 30-year history and gathers wine experts, producers, and specialists from many countries. The co
The Armenian Report Team
Dec 11, 2025
Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem Calls on Pashinyan Government to Stop Interfering in Church Affairs
The Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem, Archbishop Nourhan Manougian, has issued a strong statement in support of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and Catholicos of All Armenians, Karekin II, urging Armenia’s authorities to refrain from intervening in the internal matters of the Armenian Apostolic Church. According to the statement, the recent actions taken by a defrocked clergyman—allegedly with the backing of Armenian state institutions—are described as illegal and against c
The Armenian Report Team
Nov 3, 2025
Armenian Government Approves Shorter Military Service Term, Bill Advances to National Assembly
The Armenian government has approved a new bill to reduce the term of mandatory military service from 24 months to 18 months. The decision was made during a cabinet meeting on October 30 and was classified as urgent, meaning the bill will soon be discussed in parliament. According to the government, this change reflects ongoing reforms in the defense system aimed at increasing the share of professional and contract-based service in the Armed Forces. Officials said that in rec
The Armenian Report Team
Oct 30, 2025
