CoG: “Velvet Revolution” Two Years On - Part 1 | Ep 17 - Sep 25, 2020

It’s been two and a half years since the dramatic popular protests of 2018 that resulted in the resignation of Serge Sargsyan and the subsequent election of Nikol Pashinyan as Prime Minister in Armenia. The change in power, which is commonly referred to as “The Velvet Revolution”, gave many the hope of a more democratic Armenia. Many promises were made in 2018, and mid-way through this administration many of us want to know how the Armenian government is delivering on those promises.

In this

ANN/Groong Week in Review - 09/20/2020

Topics:

• Constitutional Court Appointment
• Armenia’s Growing National Debt
• Calls for the Resignation of the Minister of Education
• Escalated Tensions on the Armenian-Azerbaijan border
  • Armenian Soldier dies amidst escalation
  • Azerbaijan again slams negotiations, turns away Russian AWACS
• Khodorkovsky Publishes New Dossier on Armenian & Azerbaijan
• Bob Dole hired by Embassy of Armenia as a Lobbyist

Guests

• Hrant Mikaelyan
• Emil Sanamyan
• Alen Zamanyan

Hosts

• Asbed Bedrossian
• Hovik Manucharyan

Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20200920.html Episode 16 | Recorded on September 20, 2020

Armenian News Network/Groong: Telecommunications Security in Armenia - Sep 15, 2020)

Conversations on Groong

Background and formulation of the telecoms market in Armenia

Telecommunications market in Armenia started with the monopoly of the incumbent operator ArmenTel owned jointly by Greek state owned company OTE (90%) and Armenian government (10%). The sale-purchase agreement granted ArmenTel (recently rebranded to VEON) exclusive rights to provide basic telecommunications services including international Internet connectivity, mobile and fixed telephony. ArmenTel’s monopoly remained till

ANN/Groong Week in Review - 09/13/2020

Topics:

• Electoral Reforms in Armenia
• Journalist Dana Mazalová passes away
• ANSEF Reorganization
• My Step MP Arsen Julfalakyan Resigns from Parliament
• Russian Opposition Leader Navalny’s Poisoning and Recovery
• What is going on in Baku?
  • Azeri pressure on Arms Providers to Armenia
  • Aliyev vs. Aliyeva?
  • Caucasus 2020 Joint Military Exercises and those MIA

Guests

• Asbed Kotchikian
• Emil Sanamyan
• Alen Zamanyan

Hosts

• Hovik Manucharyan
• Asbed Bedrossian

Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20200913.html Episode 14 | Recorded on September 13, 2020

ANN/Groong Week in Review - 09/06/2020

Topics:

• Adios Madrid?
• A New Repatriation Package & iGorts
• Adios Torosyan?
• Update on Covid in Armenia / State of Emergency
• Panelist Soapboxes

Guests

• Asbed Kotchikian
• David Sandukhchyan
• Emil Sanamyan

Hosts

• Asbed Bedrossian
• Hovik Manucharyan

Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20200906.html Episode 13 | Recorded on September 6, 2020

Judicial Reforms, Data Protection and Privacy - 09/05/2020

Conversations on Groong

Armenia has European grade laws in the areas of finance, business, data protection and privacy. What is preventing Armenia from achieving its full potential in foreign direct investment (FDI)? Why do many Armenian startups incorporate in foreign countries, and use Armenia as their offshore labor resource?

Our Guest is David Sandukhchyan is a lawyer with 20 years of experience in telecommunications, cyber law, media and personal data protection. He started his legal career as an Internet freedom advocate and

ANN/Groong Week in Review - 08/30/2020

Topics:

• Armenian POW Gurgen Alaverdyan
• Armenia’s Humanitarian Aid to Aleppo
• Serge Sargsyan’s Interview and the Four-Day War Deliberations
• National Awards
• Vagharshak Harutyunyan’s Appointment as Chief Advisor to Pashinyan

Guests:

• Asbed Kotchikian
• Emil Sanamyan
• Alen Zamanyan

Hosts:

• Hovik Manucharyan
• Asbed Bedrossian

Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20200830.html Episode 11 | Recorded on August 30 2020

Education Reform in Armenia - 08/10/2020 Conversations on Groong Asbed Kotchikian talks with Ara Sanjian & Siranush Dvoyan

Topics:

Background of education reform(s) in Armenia In depth analysis of the content, standards & measurable outcomes of the proposed curriculum’s history & literature segments. Challenges of implementing the proposed curriculum

In recent months, Armenia’s government has published its proposal for K-12 curriculum reform in Armenian schools. The new curriculum, which includes education standards and learning outcomes, proved to be quite controversial with

Topics:

• Turkey: Zero Problems?
• Azerbaijan: The Myth of Brotherly Relations?
• Armenia: From Diplomatic Overtures to a Mini Cold War

Guests:

• Varuzhan Geghamyan
• Ara Sanjian
• Vahram Ter-Matevosyan
• Diana Yayloyan

Host:

• Asbed Kotchikian

Episode 10 | Recorded: August 2020