Groong Links:
Guest(s):
Topics:
- NATO summit in Ankara
- Iran War Update
- Taking Scissors to Armenia
- Shaping the Parliament
- OSCE vs. Garegin II
Episode 567 | Recorded: July 13, 2026
#ArmenianNews #NATOSummit #IranWar #TRIPP #ArmeniaAzerbaijan #ArmenianParliament #GareginII #OSCE
Groong Links:
Guest(s):
Topics:
- NATO summit in Ankara
- Iran War Update
- Taking Scissors to Armenia
- Shaping the Parliament
- OSCE vs. Garegin II
Episode 567 | Recorded: July 13, 2026
#ArmenianNews #NATOSummit #IranWar #TRIPP #ArmeniaAzerbaijan #ArmenianParliament #GareginII #OSCE
Hovik recounts a prank call where OSCE Secretary General Feridun Sinirlioğlu promised to help Pashinyan remove Catholicos Garegin II and agreed that OSCE’s election monitoring was unfair to Armenia.
In this Groong Week in Review episode, Hovik and Asbed cover the 36th NATO summit in Ankara, escalating Iran war developments, and Armenia’s removal of murals honoring fallen soldiers. We discuss NATO’s defense spending surge, Trump’s shift on Turkey and F-35 access, Ukraine aid commitments, and what these geopolitical shifts mean for Armenia and the South Caucasus amid ongoing Armenia-Azerbaijan peace negotiations.
Armenia’s June 7 parliamentary elections saw Pashinyan’s Civil Contract party secure a majority amid disputed fraud allegations, while the West celebrates the outcome and Russia withholds endorsement, setting the stage for constitutional conflicts over peace negotiations with Azerbaijan.
We analyze the disputed results of Armenia’s June 7, 2026 parliamentary election, examining Civil Contract’s contested majority, alleged irregularities and invalid ballots, the OSCE/ODIHR preliminary report, the last-minute exclusion of Prosperous Armenia, opposition arrests and pressure, and what a three-fifths majority could mean for Armenia’s courts, institutions, and foreign policy. Arthur G. Martirosyan examines Armenia’s contested 2026 Armenian Parliamentary Election, discussing whether the vote was free and fair, how state pressure and Western backing shaped the Read More
Groong Links:
Topics:
- Disputed mandate, unresolved majority
- Election-day irregularities in plain sight
- ODIHR’s mixed preliminary verdict
- Bribery replaced by state spending
- Opposition’s next steps uncertain
Try the Groong Podcast App
Episode 556 | Recorded: Jun 9, 2026
#ArmenianElections #ArmenianNews #CivilContract #Pashinyan #Election2026 #SouthCaucasus
Groong Links:
Topics:
- Disputed mandate, unresolved majority
- Election-day irregularities in plain sight
- ODIHR’s mixed preliminary verdict
- Bribery replaced by state spending
- Opposition’s next steps uncertain
Try the Groong Podcast App
Episode 556 | Recorded: Jun 9, 2026
#ArmenianElections #ArmenianNews #CivilContract #Pashinyan #Election2026 #SouthCaucasus
In this episode of Groong Week in Review, we analyze the disputed results of Armenia’s June 7, 2026 Armenian Parliamentary Election. We examine Civil Contract’s contested majority, alleged irregularities and invalid ballots, the OSCE/ODIHR preliminary report, the last-minute exclusion of Prosperous Armenia, opposition arrests and pressure, and what a three-fifths majority could mean for Armenia’s courts, institutions, and foreign policy.
Groong Links:
Guest(s):
Topics:
- Arrests of government critics
- State pressure on voters
- Public resources used for campaigns
- Selective prosecution before elections
- Election legitimacy under serious doubt
Episode 554 | Recorded: June 3, 2026
#Armenia #ArmenianElections #Election2026 #IODA #OSCE #ODIHR #Geopolitics #Democracy
Groong Links:
Guest(s):
Topics:
- Arrests of government critics
- State pressure on voters
- Public resources used for campaigns
- Selective prosecution before elections
- Election legitimacy under serious doubt
Episode 554 | Recorded: June 3, 2026
#Armenia #ArmenianElections #Election2026 #IODA #OSCE #ODIHR #Geopolitics #Democracy
In this episode of Conversations on Groong, we speak with Dr. Philippe Raffi Kalfayan about Armenia’s deteriorating democratic conditions ahead of the 2026 Armenian Parliamentary Election. We discuss IODA’s second election observation mission, widespread arrests of opposition figures, state intimidation of voters, selective prosecution, and the serious threats to electoral legitimacy and civil rights under the Civil Contract regime.
Groong Links:
Guest:
Mr. Balian’s book: https://www.amazon.com/Anatomy-Peacemaking-Nagorno-Karabakh-Opportunities-Rethinking/dp/3032124891
Topics:
- US-Iran war and failed diplomacy
- TRIPP and Armenia’s security risks
- Karabakh negotiations and missed chances
- Pashinyan’s Artsakh policy reversal
- Armenia’s June elections and monitoring
Episode 538 | Recorded: April 30, 2026
#HrairBalian #Groong #Armenia #Artsakh #NagornoKarabakh #TRIPP #ZangezurCorridor #ArmenianElections
Groong Links:
Guest:
Mr. Balian’s book: https://www.amazon.com/Anatomy-Peacemaking-Nagorno-Karabakh-Opportunities-Rethinking/dp/3032124891
Topics:
- US-Iran war and failed diplomacy
- TRIPP and Armenia’s security risks
- Karabakh negotiations and missed chances
- Pashinyan’s Artsakh policy reversal
- Armenia’s June elections and monitoring
Episode 538 | Recorded: April 30, 2026
#HrairBalian #Groong #Armenia #Artsakh #NagornoKarabakh #TRIPP #ZangezurCorridor #ArmenianElections
Hrair Balian joins us to discuss his book Anatomy of Peacemaking: Nagorno Karabakh Conflict & Missed Opportunities, the failure of diplomacy around Artsakh, and what Armenia should learn from the long collapse of the peace process. The conversation also looks at the Iran war, US and Israeli goals in the region, the TRIPP/Zangezur Corridor and its security impact on Armenia, and the role of outside powers in shaping outcomes in the South Caucasus. The episode closes with a discussion of Armenia’s June parliamentary elections, opposition repression, election monitoring, and whether international observers will judge the vote by facts on the ground or political convenience.
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- IODA’s mission and election observation work
- Armenia’s June 2026 parliamentary election risks
- Questions around international observer impartiality
- Suspect voter lists, fraud, and transparency concerns
- Pressure on opposition figures and parties
Episode 535 | Recorded: April 24, 2026
#Armenia #ArmenianElections #Election2026 #IODA #OSCE #ODIHR #Geopolitics #Democracy
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- IODA’s mission and election observation work
- Armenia’s June 2026 parliamentary election risks
- Questions around international observer impartiality
- Suspect voter lists, fraud, and transparency concerns
- Pressure on opposition figures and parties
Episode 535 | Recorded: April 24, 2026
#Armenia #ArmenianElections #Election2026 #IODA #OSCE #ODIHR #Geopolitics #Democracy
Dr. Philippe Raffi Kalfayan joined Groong to discuss the International Observatory for Democracy in Armenia (IODA), its work ahead of Armenia’s June 7, 2026 parliamentary elections, and the risks it sees in the pre-election environment. The conversation covered IODA’s mission, its first fact-finding trip to Armenia, concerns about judicial control and administrative resources, questions about OSCE/ODIHR and EU impartiality, and the pressure facing opposition figures and parties before election day.
Groong Links:
Topics:
- Iran Conflict
- Varchaband
- War on Armenian Church
- Mehmet Oz vs Armenian Americans
- Narek Karapetyan and Strong Armenia
- A Big Beautiful Noragyugh
Episode 512 | Recorded: February 2, 2026
#IranIsraelWar #TrumpArmada #ArmenianChurch #Pashinyan #ArmenianDiaspora
Groong Links:
Topics:
- Iran Conflict
- Varchaband
- War on Armenian Church
- Mehmet Oz vs Armenian Americans
- Narek Karapetyan and Strong Armenia
- A Big Beautiful Noragyugh
Episode 512 | Recorded: February 2, 2026
#IranIsraelWar #TrumpArmada #ArmenianChurch #Pashinyan #ArmenianDiaspora
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- 1988 Earthquake Remembered
- Pashinyanâs War on the Armenian Church
- EU-Armenia Relations
- Nagorno-Karabakh Negotiation Documents
- ARAR Foundation Poll
Episode 494 | Recorded: December 8, 2025
#ArmenianChurch #NSS #Pashinyan #ArarPoll #ArmeniaEU
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- 1988 Earthquake Remembered
- Pashinyanâs War on the Armenian Church
- EU-Armenia Relations
- Nagorno-Karabakh Negotiation Documents
- ARAR Foundation Poll
Episode 494 | Recorded: December 8, 2025
#ArmenianChurch #NSS #Pashinyan #ArarPoll #ArmeniaEU
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
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
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Azerbaijanâs war crimes and impunity
- Sham trials of Artsakh leaders
- Silence of the OSCE and the West
- Armeniaâs growing political repression
- Attacks on the Armenian Church
Episode 489 | Recorded: November 23, 2025
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Azerbaijanâs war crimes and impunity
- Sham trials of Artsakh leaders
- Silence of the OSCE and the West
- Armeniaâs growing political repression
- Attacks on the Armenian Church
Episode 489 | Recorded: November 23, 2025
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Nov 9: 44-Day War 5 years Hence
- Ukraine and Iran-Israel Conflicts
- Pres. Serge Sargsyanâs Interview
- Pres. Robert Kocharyanâs Interview
- Narek Karapetyan on Tucker Carlson
Episode 484 | Recorded: November 10, 2025
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Nov 9: 44-Day War 5 years Hence
- Ukraine and Iran-Israel Conflicts
- Pres. Serge Sargsyanâs Interview
- Pres. Robert Kocharyanâs Interview
- Narek Karapetyan on Tucker Carlson
Episode 484 | Recorded: November 10, 2025
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Trump, Aliyev, Pashinyan Meeting
- Iranian Reaction
- Russian Reaction
Episode 459 | Recorded: August 11, 2025
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Trump, Aliyev, Pashinyan Meeting
- Iranian Reaction
- Russian Reaction
Episode 459 | Recorded: August 11, 2025
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Artsakh Negotiations
- Armenian Domestic Politics
Episode 455 | Recorded: July 25, 2025
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Artsakh Negotiations
- Armenian Domestic Politics
Episode 455 | Recorded: July 25, 2025
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Armenia legalizes round-the-clock surveillance.
- Law enables political targeting, critics warn.
- No oversight, no privacy laws.
- Silence from Armenia’s new geopolitical allies.
Episode 446 | Recorded: June 12, 2025
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Armenia legalizes round-the-clock surveillance.
- Law enables political targeting, critics warn.
- No oversight, no privacy laws.
- Silence from Armenia’s new geopolitical allies.
Episode 446 | Recorded: June 12, 2025
In this episode of Groong: Spotlight on Silence, we speak with Rafael Ishkhanyan of the Armenian Center for Political Rights about Armenia’s sweeping new surveillance law. Passed quietly in March 2025, the law grants police 24/7 access to camera networks across public institutions and allows for real-time facial recognition, raising deep concerns about privacy, political targeting, and unchecked state power. We explore what the law says, what it leaves out, and why international silence—despite clear risks to civil liberties—has been so striking.
Groong Links:
Guest:
- Anna Karapetyan
Director of the Insight Analytical Center for Applied Policy and Research.
Topics:
- Iran-Armenia Military Exercises
- Armenian Villages Terrorized by Azerbaijan
- Mirzoyan in Antalya
- Armeniaâs Genocide Denial
Episode 428 | Recorded: April 14, 2025
Groong Links:
Guest:
- Anna Karapetyan
Director of the Insight Analytical Center for Applied Policy and Research.
Topics:
- Iran-Armenia Military Exercises
- Armenian Villages Terrorized by Azerbaijan
- Mirzoyan in Antalya
- Armeniaâs Genocide Denial
Episode 428 | Recorded: April 14, 2025
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Armenia-Azerbaijan “Treaty”: Concessions, secrecy, opposition backlash.
- Preconditions for Peace: OSCE Minsk dissolution, constitutional changes.
- Ukraine War Talks: Jeddah negotiations, UAV attacks, Trump-Putin call.
- Witkoffâs Baku Stop: Mysterious visit raising geopolitical questions.
Episode 423 | Recorded: March 17, 2025
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Armenia-Azerbaijan “Treaty”: Concessions, secrecy, opposition backlash.
- Preconditions for Peace: OSCE Minsk dissolution, constitutional changes.
- Ukraine War Talks: Jeddah negotiations, UAV attacks, Trump-Putin call.
- Witkoffâs Baku Stop: Mysterious visit raising geopolitical questions.
Episode 423 | Recorded: March 17, 2025
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Jean-Daniel Ruchâs Career & Background
- The Role of Diplomacy in Conflict Resolution
- Western Democracy Promotion & Geopolitical Power Plays
- The War in Ukraine & Failed Peace Efforts
- US & European Geopolitical Strategies
- The International Criminal Court & Selective Justice
- The Artsakh Conflict & Armenian Displacement
Episode 419 | Recorded: February 27, 2025
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Jean-Daniel Ruchâs Career & Background
- The Role of Diplomacy in Conflict Resolution
- Western Democracy Promotion & Geopolitical Power Plays
- The War in Ukraine & Failed Peace Efforts
- US & European Geopolitical Strategies
- The International Criminal Court & Selective Justice
- The Artsakh Conflict & Armenian Displacement
Episode 419 | Recorded: February 27, 2025
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- World Politics
- Plan, or No Plan?
- Corridor Talk
- Domestic Politics
Episode 416 | Recorded: February 17, 2025
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- World Politics
- Plan, or No Plan?
- Corridor Talk
- Domestic Politics
Episode 416 | Recorded: February 17, 2025
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Incoming Trump Admin
- Armenia Azerbaijan Talks Stalled
- Iran Security Chief Visit
- Armeniaâs Pro-West Signals
Episode 404 | Recorded: January 14, 2025
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Incoming Trump Admin
- Armenia Azerbaijan Talks Stalled
- Iran Security Chief Visit
- Armeniaâs Pro-West Signals
Episode 404 | Recorded: January 14, 2025
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Pashinyanâs Lies on Decades of Negotiations
- 17 Points to an Agreement
- 2024 Review and 2025 Outlook
Episode 403 | Recorded: December 31, 2024
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Pashinyanâs Lies on Decades of Negotiations
- 17 Points to an Agreement
- 2024 Review and 2025 Outlook
Episode 403 | Recorded: December 31, 2024
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Georgian Elections in 2024
- Election Landscape
- Themes of the Campaigns
- Comparison with Moldova 2024
- Outcomes and Expectations
Episode 377 | Recorded: October 23, 2024
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Georgian Elections in 2024
- Election Landscape
- Themes of the Campaigns
- Comparison with Moldova 2024
- Outcomes and Expectations
Episode 377 | Recorded: October 23, 2024
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Election, Politics, and The Geopolitical Context
- Who are the Major External Influencers in Georgiaâs Politics?
- Is Talk of Civilizational Catastrophe, or Rapprochement with Abkhazia/South Ossetia Election-time Populism?
- Neutrality and Georgian-Armenian Relations
Episode 370 | Recorded: September 21, 2024
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Election, Politics, and The Geopolitical Context
- Who are the Major External Influencers in Georgiaâs Politics?
- Is Talk of Civilizational Catastrophe, or Rapprochement with Abkhazia/South Ossetia Election-time Populism?
- Neutrality and Georgian-Armenian Relations
Episode 370 | Recorded: September 21, 2024
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Election and Politics, and The Geopolitical Context
- Who are the Major External Influencers in Georgiaâs Politics?
- Why is the EU hell bent against the Law on âForeign Agentsâ?
- Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Russia Relations
Episode 363 | Recorded: September 11, 2024
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Election and Politics, and The Geopolitical Context
- Who are the Major External Influencers in Georgiaâs Politics?
- Why is the EU hell bent against the Law on âForeign Agentsâ?
- Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Russia Relations
Episode 363 | Recorded: September 11, 2024
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Armenian-Azerbaijani Negotiations
- Armenian Diplomacy in the West
- Relations with Russia
Episode 296 | Recorded: December 3, 2023
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Armenian-Azerbaijani Negotiations
- Armenian Diplomacy in the West
- Relations with Russia
Episode 296 | Recorded: December 3, 2023
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Armenian National Congress (ANC)
- Democracy and Armenia
- Azerbaijan-Armenia Negotiations
- Artsakh
- Global Conflicts - Israel, Ukraine
Episode 290 | Recorded: October 27, 2023
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Armenian National Congress (ANC)
- Democracy and Armenia
- Azerbaijan-Armenia Negotiations
- Artsakh
- Global Conflicts - Israel, Ukraine
Episode 290 | Recorded: October 27, 2023
Guest:
Topics:
- The Game of Alternatives
- How does it apply to Negotiations?
- Is Armenia Negotiating Effectively?
Episode 281 | Recorded: October 1, 2023
Guest:
Topics:
- The Game of Alternatives
- How does it apply to Negotiations?
- Is Armenia Negotiating Effectively?
Episode 281 | Recorded: October 1, 2023
Guest:
Topics:
- Erdogan Reshuffles Cabinet, First Visit to Baku
- Latest Developments in Armenia-Azerbaijan Negotiations, Baku Postpones
- Economic Developments, More Subsidies to IT Sector
- MPG Poll: Pashinyan’s Rating is Falling
Episode 252 | Recorded: June 12, 2023