📍A second Azerbaijani fuel shipment is headed to Armenia, officials confirmed.📍Reported financial troubles at Russia’s state-run rail company are renewing questions over Moscow’s management of Armenia’s rail network.📍The former owner of Armenia’s main utility company, Samvel Karapetyan, was moved to house arrest.#CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #civilnetbusiness

By Tigran Grigoryan

#DemocracyWatch – As the 2026 parliamentary elections draw closer, every sphere of Armenia’s public life is gradually turning into an instrument of domestic political struggle. This politicization has extended even to traditionally unifying moments, including the festive season. Accordingly, many of the negative trends observed throughout 2025 found clear expression in Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s New Year address.

First, it was ensured that Pashinyan would be the sole official addressing the nation immediately before midnight on New Year’s Eve. Since Armenia’s 2015 constitutional reform, which transformed the country into a parliamentary republic, three figures traditionally addressed the nation on this occasion: the President, the Catholicos of All Armenians, and the Prime Minister. Starting in 2024, the President’s address was moved several hours earlier. The Catholicos was also offered an earlier time slot on Public Television that year, but he declined and instead broadcast his address through private television channels and other platforms. This year, the Catholicos was most likely not offered any airtime ahead of the New Year at all, due to his ongoing confrontation with Prime Minister Pashinyan.

The fact that the President’s address – the head of state’s speech – has been shifted to an earlier time slot for the second year in a row, allowing Prime Minister Pashinyan to monopolize the moment of addressing the nation at the arrival of the New Year, is particularly indicative of the current state of Armenian politics. This development reflects both the increasingly personalist style of governance under Pashinyan and the erosion of even a nominal separation of powers, as the presidency has effectively become another institution under the de facto subordination of the Prime Minister.

The content of Pashinyan’s address highlighted another defining feature of the current political system: the use of administrative resources for political purposes. The New Year address itself was transformed into such a resource. A speech that is traditionally meant to unify the nation and emphasize shared values and narratives, regardless of political preferences, contained pronounced elements of pre-election campaigning. In his address, Pashinyan notably stated: “In 2021, we were saying ‘there is a future’; today we say ‘the future is today.’” “There is a future” was the ruling party’s campaign slogan during the snap parliamentary elections of 2021, and it is rumored that “The future is today” will be the party’s slogan for the 2026 elections. Pashinyan reiterated this mantra at the conclusion of his address, explicitly referring to the upcoming elections and declaring that the future – which has already arrived – will prevail.

Pashinyan ended his speech with a “hand-heart” gesture, which moments later was replicated by a drone performance in the sky above Yerevan’s Republic Square. This “hand-heart” gesture is part of the Prime Minister’s and the ruling party’s new social media strategy, under which Pashinyan uploads short, viral videos where he listens to random songs and concludes with the same gesture. It has also been observed at ruling party gatherings. BBC Russian recently published an article analyzing the logic and objectives behind this new communication strategy.

In this episode of the CivilNet podcast, CivilNet’s Eric Hacopian sets the record straight on some of the most contentious disputes in Armenia, from tensions between the government and the Armenian Apostolic Church to debates over foreign influence and electoral interference. He explains how such portrayals are harming Armenia’s institutions and global reputation. 0:00- The First Armenian Prayer Breakfast1:57- Who funded the Prayer Breakfast? 5:00- Any truth to the PM's claim that the Catholicos is a foreign agent? 8:16- What is behind the campaign against the Armenian Church? 9:37- How did Armenian issues get on the Tucker Carlson Show? 15:25- What's behind European Union assistance in the upcoming election? 21:35- What to look for by way of election interference from the government? 23:09- What’s the reason behind Pashinyan’s “Real Armenia” ideology 31:17- Pashinyan’s offer to give up the right of return for Artsakh refugees #CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ

📍 Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan held a rally on Christmas Day and used the holiday to once again address his standoff with Catholicos Karekin II.📍 As Armenia launches its historic universal health insurance system on January 1, critics argue the government is not adequately prepared to ensure its effective implementation.#CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #dailyarmenia

In this special year-end episode of Insights, host Eric Hacopian shares his Christmas wish list for Armenia in 2026: from peace and security to better governance, institutions, and public discourse. #CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #insightswitherichacopian

By Tigran Grigoryan

The year 2025 proved to be deeply troubling for Armenia’s democratic development. Over the course of the year, a series of negative developments and entrenched trends cast serious doubt on the prospects for democratic consolidation in the country. Equally alarming were the growing questions about society’s capacity to resist increasingly overt anti-democratic practices.

Throughout 2025, Democracy Watch consistently sought to draw attention to these developments. Taken together, the evidence allows for a clear and sobering conclusion: 2025 was a year of democratic backsliding for Armenia.

One of the most consequential shifts of the year was the completed transformation of Armenia’s ruling party. The political force that came to power in 2018 on the wave of the Velvet Revolution, promising democratic reforms and a break with post-Soviet governance practices, has now fully evolved into a classic post-Soviet administrative resource party. The dominant feature of 2025 was the systematic use of state resources, law enforcement bodies, and the judicial system by the ruling party for domestic political purposes.

📍 A company linked to Khachatur Sukiasyan, a pro-government Armenian tycoon, is among the buyers of an Azerbaijani fuel shipment, RFE/RL’s Armenian service reported.📍 Armenia could take back control of some sections of its railroads, currently operated by Russia under a 30-year concession deal, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said.📍 Speaking with CivilNet, Babken Tunyan, a leading pro-government lawmaker, defended the government's takeover of Electric Networks of Armenia, a major utility company.📍 Full interview with Babken Tunyan (in Armenian): https://shorturl.at/W1tWX#CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #civilnetbusiness

By Tigran Grigoryan

In recent days, the confrontation between Armenia’s ruling party and the Armenian Apostolic Church has reached a new level of escalation. On December 17, a group of bishops–who had earlier publicly demanded the resignation of Catholicos Karekin II and had also met with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan–issued a statement calling on the public to gather the following day, December 18, at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin to demand the Catholicos’s resignation.

Shortly thereafter, the Aragatsotn Diocese, which has remained loyal to Catholicos Karekin II, announced that the joint prayer service scheduled for December 18 would no longer take place at St. Hovhannes Church in Byurakan. Instead, it would be held at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin at 5:00 PM. The diocese called on the faithful to attend and pray together for “imprisoned clergy, detained and captive compatriots, and for the steadfastness of the Armenian Apostolic Church.” It soon became known that Catholicos Karekin II himself would attend the service.

At the same time, major actors in Armenia’s opposition issued their own calls, urging supporters to be present at the Mother Cathedral of Etchmiadzin on December 18 at 5:00 PM.

As a result, two distinct groups gathered near the cathedral the following day. The first–and significantly larger–consisted of supporters of the Catholicos, including members and sympathizers of various opposition forces. The second group comprised those demanding the Catholicos’s resignation, including representatives of the ruling camp and their supporters.

During the prayer service, Catholicos Karekin II was present inside the Mother Cathedral. Outside, opposing chants from the two groups were heard. Attempts by some protesters opposing the Catholicos’s entry into the cathedral were blocked.

An estimated 8-10 million Armenians live in over 100 countries across the world, spanning different time zones, political systems, languages and cultural traditions. This diversity brings richness, but also, a multiplicity of beliefs, attitudes and perspectives, especially when it comes to the place that’s become a unifying point for all - the Republic of Armenia. From its political and social direction to its economy and global alliances, the question of Armenia’s development and the role the diaspora will play in its evolution remains a pressing question. #CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ

📍 Armenian and U.S. officials launched talks to establish a joint venture to oversee the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity, a major new transit proposal.📍 U.S. ambassador talks ‘Trump route’ and border security: https://shorturl.at/R2Q6l📍 Azerbaijan sent a fuel shipment to Armenia via Georgia, the first in decades.📍 Armenia lowered interest rates to 6.5%, after holding steady for several months.#CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #civilnetbusiness

📍 Azerbaijan has launched gasoline shipments to Armenia via Georgia, reviving debate over rail connectivity, transit politics, and strategic dependence.📍 Authorities and church leaders urged calm ahead of planned gatherings at Holy Etchmiadzin of Catholicos with both opponents and supporters. 📍 Armenia at the Oscars: What does it take?- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZgUIe-53iU#CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #dailyarmenia

In this episode of Insights, host Eric Hacopian breaks down Turkey’s repeated insistence on linking normalization with Armenia to the signing of an Armenia-Azerbaijan peace treaty, and explains why Ankara’s long-standing promises to open the border are unlikely to be kept. He also reviews Armenia’s 2026 state budget and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s problematic response to Baku’s renewed “Western Azerbaijan” narrative.#CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #insightswitherichacopian

📍 There is no organized ethnic Armenian crime in Europe, a fact acknowledged by the European Union, Deputy Interior Minister Armen Ghazaryan said. This is expected to ease Armenia’s path toward a visa-free regime under the EU visa liberalization action plan unveiled last month.📍 Armenia has signed a strategic partnership declaration with Luxembourg, following similar agreements with Germany and the EU earlier this month.#CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #dailyarmenia

On the occasion of TUMO’s 15th anniversary, CivilNet’s Eric Hacopian speaks with Pegor Papazian, Chief Development Officer at TUMO, about the evolution and global reach of Armenia’s flagship education initiative. They cover TUMO’s expansion to more than a dozen countries, its role in shaping “Brand Armenia,” and its focus on intrinsic motivation and soft skills. Papazian also reflects on how AI is reshaping education and why TUMO’s model may be particularly relevant in the post-AI era.#CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ

Claire Mouradian, director of research at the French National Center for Scientific Research in Paris, examines some of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s most controversial statements about Armenia’s history and regional conflicts. She provides historical context on Karabakh, the formation of Azerbaijani identity, and the use of the Armenian Genocide in politics. Mouradian’s insights help separate historical fact from political narrative and better understand the debates shaping Armenia today. 0:00- A historian’s take on contemporary political context 0:57- Pashinyan’s claim that Armenian-Azerbaijani animosity stems from KGB manipulations 3:18- Pashinyan on questioning the use of the Armenian Genocide by the Russians 6:45- Did the Soviets construct the concept of Azerbaijani statehood? 13:21- Reasons behind Aliyev’s use of the “Western Azerbaijan” narrative 19:01- Closest analogies of the Karabakh movement to other liberation struggles 24:00- What kind of damage can political historical revisionism do to a nation? #CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ

Armenia’s domestic political life continues to be dominated by the ruling party’s confrontation with the Church leadership. In its attempt to dethrone Catholicos Garegin II, Prime Minister Pashinyan has adopted a two-fold approach in recent months. On the one hand, he has sought to create cleavages within the Church by finding loyalists willing either to speak out publicly against the Catholicos or to defy his authority by serving liturgies attended by the prime minister. The second element of this approach is the instrumentalization of law-enforcement bodies against Church figures who publicly oppose the prime minister’s policies, as well as the direct intervention of security agencies in the internal procedures and functioning of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

📍 Armenia’s standoff between government and church deepened as Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan unveiled a controversial roadmap to restructure the Apostolic Church. Leading Armenian clerics abroad have expressed solidarity with Catholicos Karekin II, the prime minister’s main target. 📍 Georgia has agreed to provide the first transit of Azerbaijani fuel to Armenia free of charge. 📍 Inside Armenia’s breakthrough moment in global tech- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAlI0sn0XAc#CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #dailyarmenia

📍 The International Monetary Fund approved a new $175 million credit line for Armenia.📍 The industrial city of Hrazdan was named as the home for Armenia’s first data center.📍 Inside Armenia’s breakthrough moment in global tech: https://shorturl.at/gY2yb#CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #civilnetbusiness

📍 Armenia’s Prime Minister Pashinyan refuses to attend liturgies that mention Catholicos Karekin II and implies he is a foreign operative. 📍 Armenia’s Justice Minister calls for fewer pre-trial detentions, but critics warn structural judicial practices continue to fuel public distrust. 📍 Armenia’s parliament has advanced a plan for mandatory universal health insurance, despite expert warnings that the system may overwhelm clinics and limit patient choice.📍 “A Winter’s Song”: Armenia’s first Christmas rom-com- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Q5woTLGzM8#CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #dailyarmenia

This week’s episode of Insights tracks two stories with major implications: Armenia’s global tech developments and civil society engagement with Azerbaijan. Host Eric Hacopian explains why the Firebird supercomputer project’s approval, a new partnership with Dell, and recent high-level Silicon Valley meetings could mark a turning point for Armenia’s economic and security capacity. He also comments on the recent visit of Armenian civil society figures to Baku, questioning the purpose and impact of the trip.#CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #insightswitherichacopian