August 20 important news

Armenia

• The Prime Minister announced the deadline for the adoption of the new constitution: 2027. He noted that work on the draft is ongoing. Pashinyan added that if the peace agreement contradicts the Constitution, he will initiate the process of amendments.

• Relatives of the Artsakh residents have once again protested near the government building. They demand clear actions regarding the missing persons and prisoners. According to Ombudsman Gegham Stepanyan, the new director of the NSS is not fully aware of the process.

• The government has allocated $3.2 million to protect Armenia's interests in the Stockholm arbitration. The claim concerns the Electric Networks of Armenia. Armenia's interests will be represented by the international company Arnold and Porter.

• The State Revenue Committee recorded 649 violations of cash register regulations in July, with a total fine of 253.6 million drams. There have been cases of unregistered employees at 67 taxpayers. 30 taxpayers have been fined for not registering three or more employees.

• From August 13 to 15, illegal drug trafficking was uncovered in Gyumri and Yerevan. Two individuals were arrested, one foreign and one local. About 1.8 kg of marijuana and explosives were seized from them.

• The Dilijan tunnel will be closed for medium repairs from August 21 to 23. Vehicles weighing up to 7 tons can use the detour. Traffic will be restricted for larger vehicles.

• In July, 263,592 tourists visited Armenia. This is an increase compared to the same month last year. The majority of visitors were from Russia, Georgia, and Iran.

• In June, 796,476 employees were registered in Armenia. Of these, 219,743 are in the public sector. The leading sector is wholesale and retail trade, with 136,187 employees.

• There have been no major issues related to the export of apricots. A total of 2500 trucks of apricots have been exported to Russia. Only 15 trucks reported documentation issues.

Region and World

• NATO's next summit will be held in Ankara in 2026. It is planned to take place at the Turkish presidential residence. Ways to strengthen the alliance will be discussed.

• Belarusian President Lukashenko has stated that Iran wants to accelerate the launch of the Russia–Armenia–Iran transport route. This refers to the road leading to the Persian Gulf. Belarus is also interested in this project.

• The Russian Foreign Ministry announced that the likelihood of a Putin–Zelensky meeting is almost zero. Sergey Lavrov noted that such discussions are only conditioned by comments. The possibility is also almost excluded after September.

• Construction of the railway from Kars to Dilucu will begin on August 22. It is considered part of the "Zangezur Corridor." The construction cost is estimated at around 2.4 billion euros.

• The cultural representative of the Russian president, Shvidkoy, has deemed the demolition of monuments in Karabakh disgraceful. He emphasized that culture should remain outside of politics. According to Shvidkoy, distorting history is dangerous.

• US Vice President Pence noted that a Putin–Zelensky meeting could advance negotiations. In his opinion, personal contact often breaks deadlocks. He emphasized that this could also relate to security issues.

• Russian forces have launched a massive attack in Ukraine. Missile strikes have been carried out on several cities. Gas distribution stations and an airport have been damaged.

• Ukraine is ready to coordinate the preparation of negotiations with the US. Zelensky proposes that they take place in a neutral European country. Security guarantees are also being discussed.

• Zelensky's office has indicated possible locations for a Putin–Zelensky meeting. These include the Vatican and Geneva. According to Yermak, Budapest is not a favorite.

• Macron and Erdogan discussed the resolution of Armenian–Azerbaijani relations. They referred to the declaration signed in Washington. According to Macron, peace requires the participation of all parties.

• Azerbaijani President Aliyev has stated that the resolution process is almost complete. He emphasized that Baku has achieved all its goals. According to Aliyev, the Minsk Group will soon cease to exist.

• The Israeli army has begun its assault on Gaza. The outskirts of the city are already under control. The population has been urged to evacuate.

Economy and Business

• The government plans to reduce defense spending in the upcoming budget. According to the Minister of Finance, the share of defense spending will decrease. Fitch Ratings estimates that this is due to the peace agreement.

• Trump has purchased over $100 million in bonds. These include corporate and government issues. The purchases have been made since January.

• In Saudi Arabia, oil production increased by 6.2% in June. However, exports decreased by 0.8%. On an annual basis, production volume has nevertheless increased.

• In the EU, inflation remained at 2% in July. The increase in food and alcohol prices was 3.3%. The increase in service prices has slowed to 3.2%.