Chief of Staff of the Prime Minister’s Office Arayik Harutyunyan, who served as campaign manager for the Civil Contract party in the run-up to the June 7 elections, said on Sunday that the election process is going smoothly.

“We also note that some partners and some media outlets are creating unnecessary hype around the elections, and we are aware of the intentions behind it. However, it is obvious that the majority of the alerts are not fact-based, and in all cases where there are facts, both we and law enforcement respond to them,” Harutyunyan said at a briefing at the Civil Contract party headquarters.

He also said that, from a legal perspective, several proceedings have already been initiated over violations related to election silence day and campaign restrictions.

A senior Civil Contract party member has called on citizens to participate more actively in the elections by going to polling stations and casting their votes.

Arayik Harutyunyan, Chief of Staff of the Prime Minister’s Office and a member of the Civil Contract board, expressed confidence that democracy would take another step forward following these elections.

“We call on citizens to be more active in participating in the elections in the coming hours, and I am confident that after 8:00 p.m., when the election results are summarized, we will once again note that democracy in Armenia has taken another step forward, and that our institutions have demonstrated they are functioning much better than, for example, five years ago,” Harutyunyan said at a briefing.

President Vahagn Khachaturyan on Sunday cast his ballot in the parliamentary election at polling station 7/46.

“I have voted for a peaceful, developing, strong and stable future for the Republic of Armenia,” President Khachaturyan told reporters afterwards.

Arusyak Julhakyan, a parliamentary candidate for the Civil Contract Party and a member of the National Assembly’s Civil Contract faction, said she does not expect any serious post-election developments, arguing that elections in Armenia are no longer subject to fraud.

Julhakyan made the remarks at a press conference held at the Civil Contract Party’s election headquarters on June 7.

“The logic of post-election developments is understandable when elections are rigged. When elections are not rigged, and the chapter of election fraud in the Republic of Armenia has been closed since 2018, then there can be no post-election developments. Of course, several individuals may decide to take to the streets, but that cannot generate any process because there cannot be a public perception that the elections were falsified,” Julhakyan said.

A total of 18 political forces – including two alliances and 16 political parties – have registered to participate in Armenia’s June 7 parliamentary elections. Voting began at 8:00 a.m. and will continue until 8:00 p.m. A total of 2,005 polling stations have been established across Armenia for the vote. To cover the elections, 71 media outlets have been accredited, while 13 domestic and eight international observer missions are monitoring the electoral process.

Armenia’s Migration and Citizenship Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs has commented on reports circulating in the media claiming that another individual is registered at the residence address of Robert Kocharyan, leader of the Armenia Alliance. The service issued a clarification regarding the matter.

“Responding to reports concerning an additional person registered at the residence of Armenia’s second president, Robert Kocharyan, at 23/7 Isakov Street, we inform that the State Population Register of the Republic of Armenia contains the addresses ‘Land Plot Adjacent to 23/7 Isakov Street,’ ‘Building Adjacent to 23/7 Isakov Street,’ as well as ‘23/7 Land Plot: Adjacent Cabin.’

With regard to the photograph circulated in the media, we clarify that the individual in question is registered in one of the buildings located in the area adjacent to the address 23/7 Isakov Street.

The detailed address information was not reflected in the voters’ list.

The legal grounds for the registration have been properly examined. The registration is lawful, and no violations have been identified.

Preliminary voter lists are published 40 days before election day to provide voters with sufficient time to review them and raise any concerns regarding inaccuracies. We note that no such concern was raised by Robert Kocharyan’s family.

We once again remind the public that registration neither grants nor deprives a person of the right to vote. Registration is a technical mechanism used to assign an individual to a particular polling station list. Even persons without registration can exercise their right to vote.

Therefore, portraying any registration as a source of election fraud is simply misleading,” the statement said.

Earlier, media reports claimed that another individual was registered at Kocharyan’s residential address, presenting the situation as a possible source of electoral fraud.

A criminal scheme involving the distribution of election bribes totaling approximately 7.5 million Armenian drams to around 45 voters has been uncovered and neutralized by officers of Armenia’s Anti-Corruption Committee and the Kotayk Regional Department of the Criminal Police of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Seven individuals have been detained in connection with the case.

“Factual evidence has been obtained indicating that individuals appointed as responsible officials at the Charentsavan office of the Strong Armenia Party in Kotayk Province, including a person registered as a parliamentary candidate of the same political force, acting as part of a group and in prior agreement with other supporters, promised and distributed election bribes totaling 7.5 million Armenian drams to approximately 45 voters,” Armenia’s Anti-Corruption Committee said.

The world’s largest international floriculture marketplace is opening its doors to Armenian flower producers, connecting them with buyers across Europe and beyond.

The announcement was made by Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen in a post on X. The Dutch foreign minister said that the Netherlands supports the European Union assistance package for Armenia announced earlier by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

“The Netherlands stands behind the EU support package announced by European Commission President Von der Leyen, and has also explored how to contribute with practical support for affected sectors, such as Armenian flowers.

As a result, Royal Flora Holland is now opening its marketplace to Armenian flower producers, connecting them with buyers across Europe and beyond. The Netherlands underlines the importance of free and fair elections as the foundation of a stable, democratic future. One that Armenia itself determines,” wrote the Dutch foreign minister.

Russia has banned imports of Armenian flowers. In addition to flowers, Russia had imposed restrictions on several other Armenian products ahead of the parliamentary elections in Armenia. In particular, imports of Jermuk mineral water, fish products and certain alcoholic beverages were banned, while restrictions were also introduced on imports of Armenian fruit and vegetable products. In that context, the European Union announced a support package for Armenia, including more than 50 million euros in immediate assistance, as well as additional measures aimed at expanding export opportunities for Armenian products and facilitating trade.

Criminal proceedings have been initiated following an alleged incident involving the guidance of a group of individuals during the election process. According to a report of an apparent crime received by the Investigative Committee of Armenia, A.H., an authorized representative of the Strong Armenia, directed a group of individuals to vote for the political party participating in the election under a specific ballot number.

The Investigative Committee said that A.H. was detained by officers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Police on reasonable suspicion arising directly from the alleged commission of a crime.

Criminal proceedings have been launched at the Ararat Regional Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee under Part 1 of Article 210 of the Criminal Code (obstructing the exercise of electoral rights or the exercise of the rights or duties of persons participating in elections).

A preliminary investigation is underway.

Notice: A person charged with a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty in accordance with the procedure established by the Criminal Procedure Code and by a court verdict that has entered into legal force.

Voting in Armenia’s parliamentary elections has concluded, with all 2,005 polling stations across the country closing at 8:00 p.m., including nine polling stations operating in penitentiary institutions.

The vote-counting process has now begun.

As of 5:00 p.m., 1,224,957 voters, or 48.92% of Armenia’s 2,503,976 eligible voters, had cast their ballots.

The Central Electoral Commission (CEC) publishes voter turnout data every three hours. Turnout figures as of the close of polling are scheduled to be released at 9:00 p.m.

During the voting process, 4,000 technical devices were used for the electronic registration of voters. Cameras providing live streaming were installed at 1,758 polling stations – those serving 300 or more voters.

Of the country’s polling stations, 612 out of 1,996 were accessible to voters with mobility impairments.

A total of 71 domestic media outlets and approximately 180 representatives of foreign media organizations were accredited to cover the elections and the voting process.

To monitor the elections, 13 domestic and eight international observer missions were accredited.

In addition, representatives from 35 diplomatic and consular missions accredited in Armenia observed the elections with visitor status, alongside representatives from 14 electoral bodies.

A total of 18 political forces – including 16 political parties and two electoral alliances – were registered to participate in the parliamentary elections.