During the visit, the minister will meet, among others, with civil society organisations in the region. The Netherlands and Armenia work closely together in areas such as economic development and the rule of law. A key instrument in this cooperation is the Dutch MATRA programme, which provides financial and practical support to countries where democracy needs to be reinforced.

MATRA assistance now forms a core element of the Dutch presence in Armenia, particularly over the past two years, during which Armenia has been designated in the Dutch Coalition Agreement as a priority country for support to democratisation and its European trajectory. ‘Our MATRA projects are the most tangible and practical way to support Armenia’s ambitious reform agenda,’ says Dutch Deputy Ambassador in Armenia, Marijn Speth.

Marijn Speth (middle, with tie). 

Free press and independent justice

One of the NGOs that will meet Minister Berendsen during his visit is the Europe in Law Association (ELA), an organisation that supports human rights and judicial reform in Armenia.

‘We were founded in 2011 to support free media,’ says founding member and ELA president Lousineh Hakobyan. ‘Since then, our mission has broadened: through a monitoring system we work to ensure fair elections, including at the local level. Human rights and the right to a fair trial are also fundamental issues we are committed to.’

 

ELA now plays a role in strengthening the rule of law by supporting the Constitutional Court, Armenia’s highest body for constitutional review. The Court is responsible for overseeing the constitutionality of laws and other legal instruments. With ELA’s support, it is developing long‑term plans and drafting internal rules on ethical conduct for judges.

According to Hakobyan, cooperation with the Netherlands has been crucial in this process. ‘A group of seven judges and staff of the Constitutional Court   have visited their colleagues in the Netherlands,’ she recalls. ELA also wants democratic values and the rule of law to become more visible and understandable to society at large.

Lousineh Hakobyan (left)

‘We have, for example, produced a series of videos explaining the decisions of the Constitutional Court to the general public,’ says Hakobyan. Finally, an important component of the project is strengthening communication between the Armenian judiciary and law students.

Investing in young leaders

Another MATRA‑supported initiative is the Future Leaders Academy. Over the past two years, more than forty young adults have received training in democracy and civic activism. Many of them have since launched activities in different regions of Armenia.

‘Young people from very diverse backgrounds were given a unique opportunity to receive training on important extracurricular topics, such as geopolitical developments, public policy and education, environmental and social rights,’ says director Arnold Vardanyan of the organising IRISE International Legal Centre in Yerevan.

Arnold Vardanyan (standing) at a meeting of the Future Leaders Academy

The programme combines workshops and training sessions on debating, negotiation and conflict resolution with practical insights into how the rule of law functions in everyday life. Participants design and implement their own initiatives in various fields. These projects show that investing in young people and their activism can quickly generate a multiplier effect.

‘The Future Leaders Academy is highly practical and experience‑oriented,” says Vardanyan. ‘What does it mean to live in a democracy governed by the rule of law? What can you contribute as an engaged citizen, and what opportunities are there? These lessons are not meant to convey abstract theory. Concepts like ‘rule of law’ can sound very distant to many young people. We want to give them knowledge through experience.’

Partnership with the Netherlands

Both Hakobyan and Vardanyan stress the importance of working with the Dutch embassy. ‘I see the role of the Netherlands as very important,’ says Hakobyan. ‘Not only as a donor, but as an equal partner in cooperation. During the working visits, I see that we learn from each other.’

Vardanyan points to the broader impact of that partnership. ‘If we want to make democracy and everything it involves tangible and palpable for Armenians, we need the knowledge and experience of our European partners,’ he says. ‘In that context, cooperation with the Netherlands and the Dutch embassy is for us not only very pleasant, but also very important.’