Inspections on Yerevan’s public transport will continue as part of efforts to ensure fares are duly paid. During a regular work meeting, Mayor Tigran Avinyan reported that the number of fare-paying passengers saw an increase of 15–30% over the previous week.
“We have around 70–80 million drams in unpaid fares each week. This means that, with the revenue lost due to non-payment, we could have purchased two new buses every week. I would like to express my appreciation for the tolerance shown by our drivers, whose professional and contractual obligations include ensuring that fares are duly paid. It is truly impressive. No matter how much different individuals attempt to provoke them, the drivers have remained calm and professional. Their work is already difficult, and I sincerely thank them for carrying out this vital supervisory role,” stated the Mayor. 
Addressing recent incidents on public transport, including physical attacks on the drivers, the Mayor instructed that those responsible be punished to the fullest extent of the law.
“Any assault on a driver is not merely an attack on an individual, it is an attack on the city and the entire system. I want to assure all drivers that the city authorities stand firmly behind them,” Avinyan emphasized.  
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The Yerevan Municipality plans to procure an additional 170 buses, which will replace the “Higer” buses and small-capacity “GAZelle” minibuses.
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A 1.1-kilometre road section, connecting the Arin-Berd–Artsakh intersection to the intersection of the 5th Lane of Arin-Berd Street, will undergo major reconstruction. The tender has already been completed. The project involves the complete replacement of underground utility infrastructure, including water supply, irrigation, and drainage systems. External gas pipelines will be reinstalled. The reconstruction will also include the installation of retaining walls, parking bays, sidewalks, ramps, and lawns. 
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At the initiative of the Mayor of Yerevan, a number of important projects are being implemented and planned in the cultural sector.
Following its premiere on December 18 and 19, 2025, at the Armenian National Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet, the ballet-oratorio “Sasuntsi Davit” received a warm reception and has been added to the theatre’s permanent repertoire. In this short time, it has been performed eight times. The project involves around 400 students from music and art schools in Yerevan. The next performances of the ballet-oratorio will be held on May 5 and 6. Subsequently, ahead of the new theatre season, an additional 250 students will be involved in the project on a rotational basis. 
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During the ballet festival scheduled for June, another major initiative will be presented. At the invitation of the Mayor of Yerevan, world-renowned ballet master Ilya Zhivoi is currently in Yerevan staging a new ballet titled “Tamar,” based on the Armenian legend “Akhtamar”. This performance with new staging will also be added to the opera theatre’s repertoire. Composed by Valeri Tolstov, the work will be staged in a modern neoclassical style. The decorations for the performance, as well as costumes are currently being prepared; rehearsals are progressing at full pace.  
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Within the framework of the “Artist to the School” initiative, masterclasses were conducted by Hrant Tadevosyan (Tatos), People’s Artist of the Republic of Armenia. The program was implemented in 20 municipal art schools in Yerevan, involving around 1,000 students. More than 200 of the best works created during the masterclasses were exhibited at the Union of Artists of Armenia. In addition, a picture book featuring the children’s works was published.
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For the first time in Armenia, children and youth fine art print festival is being held. At the invitation of the Mayor, leading specialists in the field have arrived in Yerevan from Brazil, Mexico, China, and Poland and are currently conducting daily masterclasses in community schools. The program will run for over a month and a half. On June 1, the first exhibition of children’s works created in the fine art print genre will be held at the HayArt Cultural Center. A festival picture book will also be published.
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In four municipal music and art schools, classrooms have been equipped with advanced technology designed for modern pedagogy — integrating video, audio recordings, and interactive digital tools. The schools have been fitted with interactive whiteboards, specialized computer software, as well as high-speed internet. This technical overhaul is expected to significantly contribute to the professional development of students in music and art schools, ensuring their competitiveness at subsequent stages of specialized training. 
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For the first time in nearly 60 years, a comprehensive program to procure pianos and grand pianos for music and art schools is being implemented this year. A total of 30 grand pianos, including 14 from the renowned Japanese brand “Kawai”, have already been procured and are expected to arrive in Armenia shortly. A tender will soon be announced for the remaining 16 units. Most of the musical instruments used currently in music and art schools (pianos and grand pianos) no longer meet even the basic requirements of teaching and learning, as their last replenishment dates back to the Soviet period. 
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In the area adjacent to the Music School named after Mikayel Mirzoyan and School No. 188 in the Ajapnyak administrative district, a new cultural venue, the open-air “Arev Arena” concert hall, is currently being developed. Following its partial renovation and technical upgrading, the facility will serve as a versatile cultural platform for concerts, summer camps, exhibitions, and other cultural and educational events. According to preliminary estimates, “Arev Arena” will accommodate around 8,000 beneficiaries annually. During the summer months, a tuition-free cultural-educational camp for approximately 400 children will also be organized.   
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Activities in the sports sector during the first quarter of 2026

In February and March, the Yerevan championships in fencing, checkers, and handball were held, with the participation of 253 athletes.
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In February, the "Yerevan Mayor's Cup 2026" international adult basketball tournament was held at the Sports Management Center. The teams that took 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places were awarded prizes of 3 million, 2 million, and 1 million Armenian drams, respectively.
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Since March, in cooperation with "STREET BALL ARMENIA," the "Yerevan Cup 2026" street football competition has started in 12 administrative districts. Over 1,620 children in the U-12 and U-15 age groups have submitted applications to participate. 
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From March 16 to 19, the Yerevan Municipality, in cooperation with the Wrestling Federation of Armenia, held the Lyova Vardanyan international freestyle wrestling memorial tournament at the "Dynamo" sports hall in Yerevan. The competition brought together 270 freestyle wrestlers from 12 countries. 
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From March 14 to 22, with the support of the Yerevan Municipality, representatives of the Powerlifting Federation of Armenia also participated in the World Power Festival held in Poland, where they took the 2nd and 3rd places.
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From March 31 to April 5, the "Yerevan Mayor's Cup" international figure skating tournament was held at the Yerevan Figure Skating and Hockey Sports School, featuring approximately 150 participants from 7 countries. 
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From April 1 to 7, the Artistic Gymnastics World Cup tournament took place in Cairo, the capital of Egypt. Athletes from the Albert Azaryan Children and Youth Gymnastics School of Olympic Reserve, Arthur Davtyan and Hamlet Manukyan, won gold medals, while Arthur Avetisyan became a silver medalist. 
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During its second year of operation, the "Active Citizen" mobile application continues to serve as an effective and practical tool for the rapid reporting and response to urban issues. The platform enables citizens to submit reports directly from their location, attaching texts, audio messages, photos or videos. Since its launch, a total of 95,158 reports have been registered on the platform, 52,150 of which were submitted via the mobile application. The app currently has 18,498 registered users.
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On April 18, starting at 10:00 a.m., the Yerevan Municipality, in cooperation with the "Green Green" environmental organization and with the support of the ADB, will organize a cleanup event in the Hrazdan Gorge to mark the upcoming Earth Day. The aim of the initiative is not only to clean the area but also to carry out waste sorting, thereby reducing the volume of waste sent to landfill. The program will also include environmental competitions, presentations of concepts and solutions developed within the framework of the Hrazdan Gorge and Yerevan Lake improvement program, an exhibition of artworks made from recycled materials, and more.