Huawei, a Chinese tech giant increasingly sanctioned in the West, is in talks with the Armenian government to install its controversial “Smart City” technology.
In his new autobiography, Armenia’s second president portrays himself as a wise statesman, criticizes Nikol Pashinyan, and describes his respect for Heydar Aliyev.
The deal has raised questions of conflict of interest in a government that has made a priority of prosecuting corruption among members of the former regime.
The political opposition used the conference as a political weapon against Pashinyan, and organizers lamented the indifference of the police after they received threats.
The controversy pits the grassroots activists who brought a reformist government to power against foreign investors who promise the economic growth Armenia needs.
Pashinyan’s government is aggressively pursuing crimes allegedly committed by two previous administrations. But the old regime hasn't yet abandoned its trenches.
