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CIVILNET

CivilNet is an independent online media platform covering culture, politics, and business, committed to advancing Armenia’s democratic and economic growth.

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  • 23 episodes
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Episodes 23

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  • September 17 · 5 min

    Russian gas price hike would cause ‘economic shock’, Armenia’s Central Bank

    📍 A possible increase in Russian natural gas price for Armenia would be an egregious economic shock that would require a stronger than usual monetary policy response, Central Bank Governor Martin Galstyan said.📍 Armenia’s Security Council Secretary Alen Simonyan said he spoke with Azerbaijani presidential aide Hikmet Hajiyev over the latter’s remarks regarding Armenian cultural heritage in Nagorno-Karabakh that caused major controversy in Armenia and beyond last week.📍 Can Armenia afford going green? https://youtu.be/YsOBq7w4z0g?si=pcuYsSwgUDGFkUzV #CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #dailyarmenia

  • September 11 · 4 min

    Samvel Karapetyan counter-sues Pashinyan in ‘shrooms’ defamation case

    📍 Opposition politician and Russian-Armenian billionaire Samvel Karapetyan has sued Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan for defamation in a months-long dispute over alleged hallucinogenic mushroom use.📍 During a working visit to France, Pashinyan met with President Emmanuel Macron.#CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #dailyarmenia

  • September 11 · 22 min

    What survives once the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace deal fails

    The future of the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace agreement remains uncertain, but some elements of the process are likely to outlast it. CivilNet political commentator Eric Hacopian explains how TRIPP and other regional transport links could move forward even without a final agreement. Yet Hacopian says Baku’s “Western Azerbaijan” campaign exposes Aliyev’s true intentions, calling it a “declaration of war.” The discussion then delves into Baku’s increasingly troubled oil-dependent economy and how it’s likely to lead to new political and security challenges for the region. 0:00- What will survive the current Arm-Az peace process 3:10- Could TRIPP open but not the borders? 5:18- Railroads & “Pan-Turkic” concerns 8:17- Turkish normalization with Armenia is dead 9:53- Armenia’s next nuclear plant 12:25- How far can the “Western Azerbaijan” provocation go 14:55- How Armenia should respond 17:46- Azerbaijan’s struggling economy#CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ

  • September 10 · 22 min

    What survives once the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace deal fails

    The future of the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace agreement remains uncertain, but some elements of the process are likely to outlast it. CivilNet political commentator Eric Hacopian explains how TRIPP and other regional transport links could move forward even without a final agreement. Yet Hacopian says Baku’s “Western Azerbaijan” campaign exposes Aliyev’s true intentions, calling it a “declaration of war.” The discussion then delves into Baku’s increasingly troubled oil-dependent economy and how it’s likely to lead to new political and security challenges for the region. 0:00- What will survive the current Arm-Az peace process 3:10- Could TRIPP open but not the borders? 5:18- Railroads & “Pan-Turkic” concerns 8:17- Turkish normalization with Armenia is dead 9:53- Armenia’s next nuclear plant 12:25- How far can the “Western Azerbaijan” provocation go 14:55- How Armenia should respond 17:46- Azerbaijan’s struggling economy#CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ

  • September 10 · 3 min

    Yerevan proposes 2-year residency for ethnic Armenians to get citizenship

    📍 Armenia’s government has proposed major amendments to the country’s citizenship law, introducing a two-year residence requirement for ethnic Armenians who wish to become citizens.📍 Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov repeated calls for Armenia to amend its constitution, but said that when this happens is Armenia’s own business.#CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #dailyarmenia

  • September 9 · 4 min

    Armenia continues efforts for visa free travel to EU

    📍 Armenia will have completed about 40% of the work required for visa-free travel to the European Union by November 1, Interior Minister Arpine Sargsyan told CivilNet.📍 Armenia has appealed Russia’s trade restrictions through institutions of the Eurasian Economic Union.#CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #dailyarmenia

  • August 28 · 31 min

    How Russia is making Armenia’s EU pivot easier

    Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan says Armenia will soon apply for EU membership, while relations with Russia continue to deteriorate. What does Armenia’s move toward Europe actually entail, and how much further can Russia pressure the Armenian economy? CivilNet political commentator Eric Hacopian joins the podcast to discuss these and other major issues of the day, including the arrest of former President Robert Kocharyan and the ruling party’s effort to define post-election Armenia as the “Fourth Republic.” 0:00- EU membership application & Russian economic warfare 3:54- European vs Russian tracks for Armenia 6:14- Impact of Russia’s agricultural ban on Armenia8:55- Arrest of former President Robert Kocharyan 12:21- "2018 Forever"16:54- Declaration of the Fourth Armenian Republic 21:42- Pashinyan and the Armenian Genocide 26:59- Passing a new constitution #CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ

  • August 28 · 5 min

    Russia accuses Western countries of ‘blackmailing Armenia’

    📍 Armenia’s Anti-Corruption Court has ordered former president Robert Kocharyan into pre-trial detention in a criminal case involving charges of abuse of authority, large-scale bribery, and money laundering.📍 Moscow has accused Armenia of cracking down on Kocharyan and other pro-Russian politicians, describing the charges as “repressions.” It has also claimed that the Armenian government’s calls on Moscow to give up concessions of Armenia’s railways are a result of “Western blackmail.”#CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #dailyarmenia

  • August 21 · 7 min

    Armenia unveils government agenda through 2031

    📍 Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has unveiled his government’s priorities through 2031, which focuses on normalizing relations with Azerbaijan, and is a stark departure from the Russia- and Karabakh-centered priorities of the previous 2021 plan. 📍 TRIPP’s unresolved risks for Armenia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRtxG0BnVKU#CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #dailyarmenia

  • August 21 · 1 hr 8 min

    How wasted wool could unlock economic possibilities while reducing reliance on synthetics

    In this episode of the CivilNet podcast, Timothy Straight, founder of Arm.wool, and Kirk Wallace, a social investor and consultant at Arm.wool, discuss Arm.wool - a venture which aims to end wool waste, transforming a discarded material into a viable alternative to plastic. The discussion covers how ethos and economics intersect, the challenges of aligning national, international, and private efforts, and what it means to respect a culture while embracing advancements.#CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ

  • August 20 · 19 min

    TRIPP’s unresolved risks for Armenia

    One year after the Washington Summit, what has the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) actually achieved so far? Sergey Melkonian, Research Fellow at the Yerevan-based think tank APRI Armenia,joins CivilNet to discuss TRIPP’s geopolitical goals as well as the risk that it could enable a new form of blockade on Armenia. Melkonian notes how the project fits into Azerbaijan’s regional ambitions, including its “Western Azerbaijan” narrative against Armenia. The conversation also delves into TRIPP’s potential role in energy cooperation between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and what would need to happen for the project to meaningfully benefit Armenia. 0:00- Trump Route (TRIPP) one year on 2:01- Comparing benefits to Armenia & Azerbaijan from TRIPP 5:02- Layers behind the TRIPP project 7:37- A Pan-Turkic corridor? 10:50- Is there any way to push for opening the other borders? 11:38- Aliyev's plan for TRIPP as an energy route13:49- AZ & Turkish demands to close Metsamor Nuclear Plant 16:35- Future outcomes for TRIPP #CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ

  • August 20 · 5 min

    Baku does not obstruct TRIPP, Armenia’s ambassador to U.S. says

    📍 Narek Mkrtchyan, ⁠Armenia’s ambassador to the United States, has downplayed Azerbaijani obstructions to the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity. 📍 Davit Babayan, Nagorno-Karabakh’s former foreign minister, says he will appeal the life sentence Azerbaijan handed to him in an international court.📍 Surviving Russian import bans: https://youtu.be/8USjhtaRmAc?si=5iMyBqbCiWHmRATs #CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #dailyarmenia

  • August 19 · 4 min

    U.S. Congressman arrives in Yerevan

    📍 U.S. Representative Abraham Hamadeh met with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan in Yerevan today. He is known for co-authoring the bill that seeks to repeal Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act, which restricts U.S. assistance to Azerbaijan.📍 The AI factory that opened in the Armenian town of Hrazdan last month does not pose an environmental threat because it does not use water for cooling, the company’s co-founder Alexander Yesayan told CivilNet.#CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #dailyarmenia

  • August 14 · 6 min

    Pashinyan orders military shake-up after latest serviceman death

    📍 Alen Simonyan has been appointed Armenia’s new Security Council secretary, replacing Armen Grigoryan after eight years in the position. 📍 Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has ordered personnel changes in Armenia’s Military Police and Defense Ministry as scrutiny grows over a series of non-combat military deaths. 📍 Pashinyan says Armenia is preparing for rising energy demand from its growing AI industry while exploring expanded electricity and goods trade with Azerbaijan. #CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #dailyarmenia

  • August 14 · 15 min

    Armenians need to own their future

    Armenia today is a country of contrasts: rapid technological and economic development alongside a deep crisis of confidence following the wars and losses of recent years. On Insights, host Eric Hacopian examines this contradiction, from the launch of Firebird’s AI computing center in Hrazdan to the failure to adequately advocate for Armenian hostages held in Azerbaijan. He argues that with the state increasingly unable or unwilling to defend the national interest, Armenians must be prepared to use their own influence and agency to stand up for Armenia. #CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #insightswitherichacopian

  • August 13 · 4 min

    Aliyev suggests Armenia could use TRIPP to source Azerbaijani energy

    📍 Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has raised the prospect of broader Yerevan-Baku cooperation on regional infrastructure and energy as part of the Trump Route project.📍 A new report from the European Union argues that Armenia continues to advance its human rights reform agenda, but raises concerns around judicial independence, police abuses, and the speed of reforms.#CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #dailyarmenia

  • August 12 · 6 min

    Russia sets deadline for Armenia to plan EAEU referendum

    📍 A senior Russian diplomat has insisted that Armenia must announce a referendum deciding its future in the Moscow-led Eurasian Economic Union by the end of this year.📍 Armenia may use a planned gas pipeline through Syunik to diversify its fuel supplies with Azerbaijani natural gas if Russia raises its gas price, a ruling party lawmaker said.📍 Armenia’s new constitution will not reference the country’s Declaration of Independence, which Azerbaijan considers an obstacle to signing a peace treaty, a ruling party lawmaker announced.#CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #dailyarmenia

  • August 11 · 7 min

    Firebird launches first phase of AI factory in Armenia

    📍 Firebird has opened the first $500 million phase of its planned $4 billion AI project in the central Armenian town of Hrazdan, with the facility expected to expand into a major regional computing hub. 📍 One year after the Washington summit, the U.S. is touting progress in Armenia-Azerbaijan peace efforts and the TRIPP project, even as the peace treaty remains unsigned. 📍 This week in business- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vB0ZnU2FGg#CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #dailyarmenia

  • August 7 · 12 min

    The real story behind Israel's Armenian Genocide reversal

    Israel’s decision to cancel a parliamentary vote recognizing the Armenian Genocide has raised questions about Azerbaijan’s influence and the political calculations behind the reversal. Insights host Eric Hacopian examines what this reveals about regional politics and why the issue extends beyond recognition itself. He also discusses Armenia’s efforts to expand gas-for-electricity cooperation with Iran as Yerevan seeks alternatives to its dependence on Russian energy. Finally, Hacopian analyzes the escalating conflict between the Armenian government and the Armenian Apostolic Church and the political consequences of the legal case against Catholicos Karekin II. #CivilNet #ՍիվիլՆեթ #insightswitherichacopian

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