Tag: Civil Contract
Last updated: May 29, 2026
Civil Contract is the ruling political party of Armenia, founded and led by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. It rose to power following the 2018 so-called “Velvet Revolution” (which critics term a “regime change”) and obtained parliamentary majority in the 2021 snap elections, giving it the supermajority that has defined Armenia’s legislative landscape for the past several years. The opposition challenged the results of the election as unfair.
With more than 80 episodes referencing the party, Groong’s coverage of Civil Contract is extensive. Topics include the government’s handling of the 2020 Nagorno Karabakh war and its aftermath, the peace negotiation process with Azerbaijan, Armenia’s pivot away from Russia and toward the European Union and the United States, the crackdown on opposition and civic institutions, the 2025 confrontation with the Armenian Apostolic Church, and the party’s campaign positioning ahead of the June 7, 2026 parliamentary elections.
Critics of Civil Contract covered in Groong episodes argue that the party has used its supermajority to consolidate power, weaken state institutions, suppress political opposition, and pursue a foreign policy that has left Armenia isolated and vulnerable. Supporters counter that it represents a genuine break from the corruption and military adventurism of previous governments.
Anna Grigoryan - Armenia’s Political Crisis | Ep 507, Jan 17, 2026 [EP507]
Posted on Saturday, Jan 17, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Artsakh, Elections, Politics, Armenian Church, Nagorno Karabakh | Series: cog, video
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Return of Four Hostages
- Pashinyan vs. Church
- TRIPP
- Armenia Parliamentary Election
Episode 507 | Recorded: January 16, 2026
#AnnaGrigoryan #Armenia #ArmenianPolitics #TRIPP #ArmenianChurch #POWs
Anna Grigoryan - Armenia’s Political Crisis | Ep 507, Jan 17, 2026 [EP507]
Posted on Saturday, Jan 17, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Artsakh, Elections, Politics, Armenian Church, Nagorno KarabakhGroong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Return of Four Hostages
- Pashinyan vs. Church
- TRIPP
- Armenia Parliamentary Election
Episode 507 | Recorded: January 16, 2026
#AnnaGrigoryan #Armenia #ArmenianPolitics #TRIPP #ArmenianChurch #POWs
Dziunik Aghajanian - EU Ukraine Rift, Church Siege, and TRIPP Power Games | Ep 498, Dec 21, 2025 [EP498]
Posted on Thursday, Dec 25, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russia | Series: wir, video
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Ukraine War and EU Rift
- Siege on Etchmiadzin and the Church
- Peace Dividend or Political Theater
- TRIPP and Competing Power Claims
Episode 498 | Recorded: December 23, 2025
#ArmenianChurch #Etchmiadzin #TRIPP #ArmeniaPolitics #Groong
Dziunik Aghajanian - EU Ukraine Rift, Church Siege, and TRIPP Power Games | Ep 498, Dec 21, 2025 [EP498]
Posted on Thursday, Dec 25, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Turkey, RussiaGroong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Ukraine War and EU Rift
- Siege on Etchmiadzin and the Church
- Peace Dividend or Political Theater
- TRIPP and Competing Power Claims
Episode 498 | Recorded: December 23, 2025
#ArmenianChurch #Etchmiadzin #TRIPP #ArmeniaPolitics #Groong
Spotlight on Silence: InJustice in Armenia | Ep 497, Dec 18, 2025 [EP497]
Posted on Thursday, Dec 18, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Spotlight on Silence, Political Prisoners | Series: video, sos
Groong Links:
Guest:
Follow ACPR on Facebook: Քաղաքական իրավունքների հայկական կենտրոն - ՔԻՀԿ / ACPR
Topics:
- Criminalization of Speech and Dissent in Armenia
- Legal Pressure on Lawyers, Journalists, and Clergy
- Selective Justice and Coordinated Propaganda
- Article 236 and the Policing of Protest
Episode 497 | Recorded: December 14, 2025
#SpotlightOnSilence #ArmeniaJustice #PoliticalPrisoners #FreedomOfSpeech #RuleOfLaw #HumanRights #Groong
Read MoreSpotlight on Silence: InJustice in Armenia | Ep 497, Dec 18, 2025 [EP497]
Posted on Thursday, Dec 18, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Spotlight on Silence, Political PrisonersGroong Links:
Guest:
Follow ACPR on Facebook: Քաղաքական իրավունքների հայկական կենտրոն - ՔԻՀԿ / ACPR
Topics:
- Criminalization of Speech and Dissent in Armenia
- Legal Pressure on Lawyers, Journalists, and Clergy
- Selective Justice and Coordinated Propaganda
- Article 236 and the Policing of Protest
Episode 497 | Recorded: December 14, 2025
#SpotlightOnSilence #ArmeniaJustice #PoliticalPrisoners #FreedomOfSpeech #RuleOfLaw #HumanRights #Groong
Read MoreArthur Khachikyan - OSCE MG Dissolved, Libaridian on Submission, New Constitution, Armenian Church, Prayer Breakfast, Border Commissions meet in Baku | Ep 493, Nov 30, 2025 [EP493]
Posted on Wednesday, Dec 3, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Nagorno Karabakh, Artsakh, Azerbaijan, Armenian Genocide | Series: wir, video
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- OSCE MG Dissolved
- Libaridian on Submitting to Turkey and Azerbaijan
- News Constitution to be Drafted by March 2026
- Archbishops, Letters, Attacks on the Church
- Border Commissions Meet in Baku
- Comments from Jacob Pursley
Episode 493 | Recorded: December 2, 2025
Arthur Khachikyan - OSCE MG Dissolved, Libaridian on Submission, New Constitution, Armenian Church, Prayer Breakfast, Border Commissions meet in Baku | Ep 493, Nov 30, 2025 [EP493]
Posted on Wednesday, Dec 3, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Nagorno Karabakh, Artsakh, Azerbaijan, Armenian GenocideGroong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- OSCE MG Dissolved
- Libaridian on Submitting to Turkey and Azerbaijan
- News Constitution to be Drafted by March 2026
- Archbishops, Letters, Attacks on the Church
- Border Commissions Meet in Baku
- Comments from Jacob Pursley
Episode 493 | Recorded: December 2, 2025
Joel Veldkamp - Armenia’s Prayer Breakfast and the Crackdown on the Church | Ep 490, Nov 27, 2025 [EP490]
Posted on Thursday, Nov 27, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Armenian Church, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Human Rights | Series: cog, video
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Clergy Arrests in Armenia
- Church Under Pressure
- Prayer Breakfast Controversy
- Western Silence on Repression
- CSIâs Findings in Yerevan
Episode 490 | Recorded: November 25, 2025
#ArmenianChurch #ReligiousFreedom #ClergyArrests #ChristianSolidarityInternational #HumanRightsInArmenia