Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has stressed that no one should be shielded from accountability in corruption cases because of their political affiliation, saying there should be no distinction when it comes to accountability.

Speaking at a ceremonial session marking the fifth anniversary of the establishment of the Anti-Corruption Committee, Pashinyan said accountability must apply equally to representatives of both the ruling party and the opposition.

He stressed that there should be no favoritism in the fight against corruption.

According to the Prime Minister, the activities of the Anti-Corruption Committee in Armenia are becoming increasingly visible, demonstrating the state’s intolerance of corruption.

Pashinyan said he regretted that the Anti-Corruption Committee’s work had also led to representatives of the ruling team and government circles being brought to trial. 

He stressed the importance of ensuring that no one evades accountability if involved in corrupt activities.

“If someone engages in corrupt activities, regardless of which political force they represent, whether the ruling party or the opposition, they must be held accountable. Otherwise, we will not achieve results. There must be no ‘us and them’ mentality in the fight against corruption,” the Prime Minister said.

He also stressed the importance of bringing to completion cases launched in 2018 that have since stalled under circumstances he said he could not understand.

“It is important that the cases launched in 2018 but which, for reasons I cannot understand, have ended up in a state of stagnation be brought to a principled conclusion. We must quickly close that chapter so that we can focus on today’s challenges,” Pashinyan said.

The Prime Minister expressed confidence that, thanks to the sincere political will of the Government and the political majority, the effective work of the Anti-Corruption Committee, and the involvement of other state bodies implementing anti-corruption policies, Armenia can become a corruption-free state.

Addressing the quality of corruption investigations, Pashinyan noted that some cases are sent to court in an inadequate state.

He said public dissatisfaction arises when court proceedings in corruption cases end in acquittals, while the reasons for those outcomes remain unclear.

“If certain dark corners continue to remain, and their presumed existence is invoked to justify the failure to achieve justice, this situation irritates the public, and the issue must be addressed. It must be explained why, for example, a case investigated by the Committee reaches court and ends in an acquittal. The public must ultimately receive an answer to this question: What happened, and why was the defendant acquitted?” the Prime Minister said, adding that he would soon propose that representatives of the judiciary develop a mechanism for providing the public with explanations in such cases.

Armenia’s Anti-Corruption Committee has investigated 7,524 criminal proceedings over the five years since its establishment.

Arthur Nahapetyan, Chairman of the Anti-Corruption Committee, presented the figures while speaking at a ceremonial session marking the fifth anniversary of the law enforcement agency.

Nahapetyan noted that of the 7,524 criminal proceedings, 1,050 were sent to court with indictments against 2,481 individuals. A total of 23,173 applications and reports were processed.

“Regarding the results for the first nine months of 2026, I would like to note that Anti-Corruption Committee investigators conducted preliminary investigations in 2,472 criminal proceedings. During the same period last year, preliminary investigations were conducted in 2,061 criminal proceedings. In the first nine months of this year, 286 criminal proceedings involving 799 individuals were sent to court with indictments. During the same period last year, 170 proceedings involving 431 individuals were sent to court. Thus, the number of proceedings sent to court increased by 116, while the number of defendants rose by approximately 85%. In ongoing and completed cases, approximately 327 million drams have been recovered. Movable and immovable property worth approximately 24 billion 300 million drams has been seized. Nineteen illegally alienated land plots have been returned to communities, with a total value of approximately 873 million drams,” Nahapetyan said.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said the government will seek to provide the Anti-Corruption Committee with new premises as soon as possible.

Speaking at a ceremonial session marking the fifth anniversary of the establishment of the Anti-Corruption Committee, Pashinyan said the government had been seeking solutions to the issue of the committee’s premises for quite some time.

“We have been looking for solutions to the issue of the committee’s premises for quite a long time. The committee operates from several locations and clearly needs new premises. It seems that we have already reached an agreement on when, where, how and within what timeframe the construction and commissioning of the Anti-Corruption Committee’s new complex should take place. I am confident that we will resolve this issue as quickly as possible,” Pashinyan said.

The Prime Minister said the government must continue supporting the committee by providing the material and technical resources necessary for its work and continuously improving its social benefits system.

Pashinyan said that during the committee’s initial period of operation, its employees’ remuneration system differed significantly from that of employees of other law enforcement agencies, but the systems have now been largely brought into line.

“At the proposal of the Chairman of the Anti-Corruption Committee, the government is also discussing improvements to the social benefits system to ensure the long-term effectiveness of the institution,” he added.

Addressing electoral processes, the Prime Minister emphasized the Anti-Corruption Committee’s particular role in detecting and preventing crimes aimed at undermining voters’ free _expression_ of their will.

“Any pressure exerted on citizens’ _expression_ of political will is absolutely unacceptable to me, the government and our political team. Vote-buying, abuse of administrative resources and pressure on people are absolutely unacceptable,” Pashinyan said, adding that the people’s free _expression_ of their will is a fundamental and absolute value that must be preserved and protected.

At the end of the session, the Prime Minister presented awards to heads of the Anti-Corruption Committee’s departments.

Arthur Nahapetyan, Chairman of Armenia’s Anti-Corruption Committee, has commented on the progress of the criminal proceedings into the events of March 1–2, 2008.

Nahapetyan noted that following the European Court of Human Rights’ judgment of September 18, 2025, an investigative group was formed, and extensive evidentiary and other procedural actions were carried out.

“Based on the evidence obtained, charges have also been brought against several former high-ranking officials. During the reporting period, five criminal proceedings were separated from the main proceedings and sent to court with indictments concerning 10 individuals. The preliminary investigation is continuing in respect of another 11 defendants. The Committee will continue its work consistently to ensure a comprehensive and impartial investigation of the case. All circumstances must receive an appropriate legal assessment. Establishing the circumstances of the violence used against peaceful demonstrators, working to restore violated rights, and providing an appropriate legal assessment of what happened are matters of state responsibility,” Nahapetyan said.

In its judgment published on September 18, 2025, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) found that Armenia had violated the right to life of those killed during the March 1, 2008 events. The ECHR found that, with the exception of Samvel Harutyunyan and Zakar Hovhannisyan, the state had violated Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights (the right to life) in the cases of the other victims. The Court also noted that the Armenian authorities had failed to ensure a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances of the victims’ deaths, thereby also violating Article 38 of the Convention.

A criminal investigation into the deadly post-election unrest in Yerevan in 2008 is still ongoing. Former President Levon Ter-Petrosyan had rallied supporters in Yerevan to protest what he described as rigged elections that resulted in Serzh Sargsyan being declared president-elect in 2008. Ten people, including two police officers, were killed during mass disturbances and clashes between demonstrators and security forces on March 1, 2008, in the final days of Robert Kocharyan’s presidency.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan will travel to Türkiye on November 11 to attend the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31), held in Antalya, the Prime Minister’s Office told Armenpress.

Pashinyan had earlier announced plans to attend COP31.

Armenia’s Anti-Corruption Committee initiated 243 criminal proceedings into electoral crimes recorded during the June 7 parliamentary elections and the pre-election period, Committee Chairman Arthur Nahapetyan has said.

Nahapetyan noted that criminal proceedings with indictments against 276 individuals have been sent to court.

“One of the key priorities of the Anti-Corruption Committee is protecting the legality of electoral processes and consistently combating electoral corruption. This principled approach was put into practice during the period surrounding the regular parliamentary elections held on June 7, 2026. During the electoral period, the Anti-Corruption Committee initiated 243 criminal proceedings. Public criminal prosecution was initiated against 321 individuals, and criminal proceedings with indictments against 276 individuals were sent to court. Notably, around 70% of the cases uncovered during the nationwide elections were initiated based on reports filed by Anti-Corruption Committee officers. At the same time, investigations revealed legislative gaps and other circumstances that contributed to electoral crimes. Relevant proposals have been submitted to the competent authorities to address these issues,” the Anti-Corruption Committee Chairman said.

During the election campaign ahead of the June 7 elections, the Anti-Corruption Committee uncovered several dozen alleged cases of election bribery involving the Strong Armenia party.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has travelled to France on a working visit, his press secretary, Melanya Harutyunyan, announced on her Facebook page.

She said the prime minister would attend the ninth Paris Peace Forum on 10 November.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has arrived in France on a working visit to attend the 9th Paris Peace Forum on November 10, his office said.

A total of 5,372 certificates have already been used under the state housing program for persons displaced from Karabakh, while the deadlines of several social assistance programs have been extended.

At the same time, new changes are planned to the housing program, and a new employment promotion program will launch on January 1, 2027.

Representatives of Armenia’s Ministry of Labor and Welfare provided an update on the progress of the programs during a press conference at Armenpress head office, presenting the current results of support programs for persons displaced from Karabakh and upcoming changes.

Gayane Gharagyozyan, Adviser coordinating individual functions of structural subdivisions of the Ministry of Labor and Welfare, said that the housing support program is currently experiencing a particularly active period, both in terms of applications and the issuance and use of certificates.

“We currently have 9,042 approved certificates, covering approximately 37,000 people in total. Of these, 5,372 families have already used their certificates. This means that approximately 25,000 displaced persons have acquired real estate in Armenia with state support or are currently in the construction phase,” Gharagyozyan said.

According to her, Kotayk Province leads in the number of certificates used, with 1,534 families having benefited from the housing support program. Armavir and Ararat provinces follow, with 830 and 748 families, respectively. In Yerevan, 537 families have used their certificates, compared with 442 in Lori, 264 in Syunik, 204 in Gegharkunik, 191 in Shirak, 184 in Aragatsotn, 111 in Tavush and 74 in Vayots Dzor.

Referring to the increase in real estate prices and the difficulties faced by smaller families in purchasing housing, Gharagyozyan said that the program encourages not the acquisition of property in Yerevan but balanced territorial development.

According to her, even families consisting of one or two members can use their certificates without having to secure additional financial resources.

In particular, 105 of the 188 one-member families, 267 of the 502 two-member families, and 336 of the 703 three-member families used their certificates without additional funds.

“A total of 1,462 families had a positive balance after using their certificates. These funds can be directed toward apartment renovations, the purchase of furniture and household appliances, as well as the acquisition of agricultural land. Currently, 1,086 families have received renovation loans totaling approximately 3.4 billion drams; 1.6 billion drams has been allocated from the state budget to 973 families for the purchase of furniture and household appliances; and 80 families have been provided with loans totaling 283 million drams to purchase agricultural land,” Gharagyozyan said.

A total of 31 billion drams has been allocated for the housing program in 2026, approximately half of which has already been used. The 2027 state budget allocates 42 billion drams for the program.

According to Gharagyozyan, a draft submitted for public discussion proposes extending the deadline for benefiting from the existing mortgage loan repayment assistance component from July 1, 2025, to December 31, 2026.

The second proposed change would allow families with a positive balance to use those funds toward repaying an additional mortgage loan as well.

The third change concerns children born into beneficiary families. It is proposed that children born up to and including December 31, 2027, also be considered beneficiaries of the program, with assistance of 3 million, 4 million or 5 million drams provided for each child, depending on the place of residence.

Edgar Bznuni, Head of the Family Social Assessment and Urgent Social Assistance Policy Division of the Ministry of Labor and Welfare, said that following the displacement of the Armenian population from Karabakh, a number of social assistance measures had been implemented, which had gradually become more targeted.

Two programs are currently being implemented: the assistance program for certain groups of persons displaced from Karabakh and the additional urgent assistance measure for vulnerable families displaced from Karabakh. According to October data, 46,000 people had received assistance under the first program, while 8,600 families had received assistance under the second.

By government decision, the assistance period has been extended through June 2027. From January through March 2027, beneficiaries will continue to receive 30,000 drams per month, while from April through June they will receive 15,000 drams per month.

“The assistance program is scheduled to be discontinued in July, but, for example, we will continue providing assistance to vulnerable families for another year, through December 2027, inclusive.”

He stressed that the revision of social assistance programs does not mean an end to the state’s obligations to provide support to displaced persons.

“We must understand that assistance should increasingly become targeted and tailored to specific needs. We have already reached the stage where we need to guide our beneficiaries more toward employment and self-reliance,” Bznuni said.

He also noted that a long-term rent compensation program was launched in July 2026 for small-sized and vulnerable families displaced from Karabakh.

The program is available to families consisting of one to three members that have not used a housing support certificate and meet the established criteria, including age-related or disability-related requirements. Rent compensation is envisaged for up to 10 years, at 40,000 drams per month for each displaced family member. One of the mandatory conditions is also registration on the waiting list for the social housing fund.

Ruzanna Pepanyan, Head of the Employment Programs Division of the Ministry of Labor and Welfare, said that ensuring stable employment is one of the key areas of the long-term integration of persons displaced from Karabakh.

According to her, approximately 1,800 beneficiaries were enrolled in the short-term training and work experience support program implemented since 2024 during its first year, instead of the planned 1,000. Subsequently, due to declining demand and problems identified during the program’s implementation, a new program was developed and is scheduled to launch on January 1, 2027. Under the new program, beneficiaries will receive education vouchers worth up to 250,000 drams, which can be used within six months to pursue vocational training.

“The program also provides incentives for employers. For the first three months, employers hiring a beneficiary will be reimbursed 50% of the calculated income tax, up to a maximum of 25,000 drams per month, and for the following three months, 100%, up to a maximum of 50,000 drams per month. The beneficiary will also receive support: a one-time payment of 100,000 drams if the employment relationship is maintained for three months, and an additional 200,000 drams if they work for 12 months or more,” Pepanyan said.

According to her, the program will not be limited to specific professional fields. Training areas will be determined based on labor market demand.

She also spoke about the self-employment promotion program launched in 2026, which has received applications from approximately 280 people, with 276 approved. The program provides business training, guidance for business initiatives and grants for positively assessed business plans.

Pepanyan added that information on state employment programs is available on the ministry’s official website, while citizens can use the e-work.am platform to apply for the programs and search for job vacancies.

Under Armenia’s 2027 state budget draft, 48 billion 766 million drams is earmarked for the Yerevan Municipality, of which 13.6 billion drams will come from loans and grants, Yerevan Mayor Tigran Avinyan told lawmakers.

Speaking at a joint meeting of parliamentary committees on the 2027 state budget, he said that the construction of the Isakov-Arshakunyats road section in Yerevan, which has already begun, is planned to continue with financing from external sources.

The second phase of major renovation works aimed at improving energy efficiency and saving energy in 38 public buildings, including 6 polyclinics and 32 kindergartens, which began this year, will also continue.

“1 billion 190 million drams has been earmarked for the implementation of subsidy programs, of which 765 million drams will be allocated for road markings, traffic signs and traffic light installation, while 419 million drams will go toward the implementation of educational programs. 1 billion drams has been earmarked under the program to address the problems of dilapidated buildings in Yerevan and provide housing,” he said.

This amount, he said, is intended for a specific project to ensure the resettlement of residents of two buildings slated for demolition at 66/1 and 68A Vardashen 6th Street.

Addressing the financial equalization grants provided to the Yerevan Municipality, Avinyan said that they have decreased almost fivefold over the past four years.

He said that the approaches to providing state financial support to the Yerevan Municipality need to be reviewed, with a new, financially sustainable and sound mechanism established.

“I think this requires fundamental discussion so that a new, financially sustainable and sound mechanism can be created, one that will not lead to a situation where the Yerevan Municipality works every year to increase its own revenues and actually does so through its own efforts and resources, using these funds to build kindergartens, courtyards, streets and sidewalks, while, on the other hand, our partners reduce state allocations year after year. I think this is something that truly needs to be reviewed,” Avinyan added.