Recent reports from Hraparak daily in Armenia suggest that the authorities are determined to prevent the opening of a Russian consulate in Kapan, no matter the cost. Despite the permission granted by the Armenian authorities and the allocation of space by Kapan’s head, Gevorg Parsyan, members of the ruling Civil Contract Party have been actively working to thwart the process.
A key figure in opposing the consulate is CC MP Marina Ghazaryan, who has even initiated a signature campaign on behalf of the Kapan residents against the opening. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Evgeniy Ivanov has expressed Moscow’s eagerness to establish the consulate soon, following the approval of the agreement by the Russian government on November 2, 2023.
Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan has confirmed Yerevan’s consent to the opening, noting that currently, Kapan only hosts Iran’s consulate while Russia’s presence in Armenia is limited to Gyumri.