Eurasianet

The speech was made before a large gathering of lawmakers, foreign diplomats and reporters with local and foreign media.

Little did I know that my four-day visit would end with $3,000 of the organizers' money burning a hole in my pocket.

The 52-year-old tycoon has made no secret of his strong support for Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan, who took office in September 2016 and has a reputation as a technocratic reformist.

While the defense minister refused to specify exactly how the budget growth would be allocated, he did suggest the increase would be utilized for new weapons systems for the Armenian military.

Western backers are making a tactical retreat, hoping that a quiet approach will ultimately help the controversial legislation pass.

The first in a three-part series on offshore finance, money laundering, and Trump’s real estate deals in the post-Soviet region.