In Russia, There Are More Armenian NGOs Than Russian Ones in Armenia: Alen Simonyan

The Vice President of the National Assembly, Alen Simonyan, who recently returned from the 11th session of the Armenian-Russian Interparliamentary Commission, discussed whether there should be expectations for a shift in Russia's work style. Will Russia begin to engage not only with government structures but also with NGOs, as is done in the West?

“I believe our role here could be invaluable because civil society in Armenia is quite developed, and Russia is a somewhat more closed country compared to Armenia. I think our experience could be beneficial to them,” said Simonyan.

Regarding which organizations will be involved, Alen Simonyan stated, “There are 291 Armenian NGOs operating in Russia. The Armenian lobby in Russia is quite strong, and through these NGOs, we are also raising and addressing significant political issues in Russia.” He also noted that there are not significantly fewer Russian organizations operating in Armenia.