The parliamentary session scheduled to begin on Tuesday morning failed to start due to a lack of quorum, with only five lawmakers registered.

Vice Speaker of Parliament Hakob Arshakyan, who was presiding over the session, said that registration would remain open for up to four hours in accordance with the rules of procedure.

The ruling Civil Contract party and the opposition Armenia Alliance are currently campaigning for the June 7 elections.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has conveyed greetings to his Georgian counterpart Irakli Kobakhidze on the occasion of the country’s national day, the Day of Restoration of State Independence.

“On behalf of the Government of the Republic of Armenia and myself, I sincerely congratulate you on Georgia’s national day, the Day of Restoration of State Independence,” Pashinyan said in a letter addressed to PM Kobakhidze, published by his office. “Further strengthening of fraternal relations with Georgia is one of the main goals of our government’s foreign policy, which already has the character of a practical and institutionalized strategic partnership. I particularly note with satisfaction the participation of the delegation led by you in the 8th Summit of the European Political Community held in Yerevan. We also highly appreciate the efforts of the Government of Georgia and your personal contribution aimed at strengthening regional cooperation. Once again, I congratulate you on the occasion of Independence Day and wish you fruitful work, as well as peace and prosperity for your country.”

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has stated that the guarantee of Armenia’s security and peace is a strong, defense-capable military.

“Our military is needed first and foremost for peace,” Pashinyan said during a campaign event for the Civil Contract party in Hrazdan, Kotayk Province. “We are preparing for peace because we understand that a strong, defense-capable army is very important for peace. A country without a strong, defense-capable army can be an attractive target for aggression. Therefore, we must always have a strong, defense-capable army whose task should be the protection of Armenia’s internationally recognized territory. And this is the guarantee of security and peace; this is the guarantee that we will pass our state from generation to generation,” Pashinyan said.

The Armenian Defense Ministry notified the public that Air Force aircraft would conduct training flights over central Yerevan on Tuesday morning as part of preparations for the May 28 military parade.

In a statement, it also said that three salute charges were fired from cannons in downtown Yerevan as part of the preparations.

The military parade, scheduled to take place on May 28 — Republic Day — will be held at Yerevan’s Republic Square, beginning at 10:00.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Tuesday that his administration created the country’s military from scratch.

Speaking at a campaigning event for the Civil Contract party in Meghradzor, Kotayk Province, Pashinyan said that his administration inherited the “ruins” of a military from previous governments.

He said that the upcoming military parade, scheduled to take place on Republic Day, May 28, in Republic Square in central Yerevan, will showcase defense acquisitions made since 2022.

Pashinyan said the military parade will serve as a “report” to citizens.

“They have spread so many rumors that we destroyed the army. We did not destroy the army; we set aside what they called an army, which was actually a ruin, and built an army from scratch. Come to Republic Square and see that army,” the prime minister told voters.

According to him, around 90 percent of the military equipment that will be presented in the parade was acquired after 2022.

Pashinyan also noted that Armenia first received the D-30 artillery system, one of the main artillery assets of the Armenian Armed Forces, in factory-produced form in 2023, whereas in the past only second-hand systems were supplied to the country.

“We are the first users; it came straight from the factory to the Republic of Armenia,” he said.

He accused his predecessors of neglecting the military and equipping the armed forces with outdated weapons.

“Seventy percent of our army’s weapons were from the 1970s, 1960s, and 1950s,” Pashinyan stated.

According to him, after Armenia and Azerbaijan recognized each other’s territorial integrity, new opportunities have emerged for Armenia in international defense markets to acquire military equipment.

“When we recognized the territorial integrity of our neighbors, and our neighbors recognized ours, the arms market opened up for us, because it is a legitimate right to protect the security and inviolability of one’s own territory,” Pashinyan said.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced on Tuesday that the Armenian army will unveil its new field and ceremonial uniforms during the military parade scheduled to take place on Republic Day, May 28, in Yerevan.

Speaking at a campaign event for the Civil Contract party in Tsaghkadzor, Kotayk Province, Pashinyan said the parade would showcase Armenia’s modernizing army and growing domestic defense industry.

“Our people will be in the mood to celebrate after that military parade because they will see their new army, with new uniforms and new military equipment. Some of the military equipment on display is foreign-made, but a very important part of it has also been produced in the Republic of Armenia,” Pashinyan said.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Tuesday that Armenia is currently buying arms from up to seven countries.

A few years ago, Russia was Armenia’s main arms supplier. But after 2022, the Pashinyan administration diversified its defense partnerships and began buying weapons from other countries, notably France and India.

Pashinyan, speaking at a campaign event in Charentsavan, Kotayk Province, said that modern weapons purchased from partner countries will be showcased at the May 28 military parade in Yerevan.

“We will present modern foreign-made weapons at the parade. It is very important that we have diversified our sources of arms procurement,” the Prime Minister said.

He said Armenia buys arms from up to seven different countries.

“We do not acquire weapons from two or three countries. We acquire weapons from six or seven countries. It is important that we have a choice,” Pashinyan noted.

The Prime Minister also announced that modern weapons produced in Armenia will be showcased at the military parade.

“Most importantly, there will also be a certain amount of modern weaponry produced in the Republic of Armenia,” he said.

The Anti-Corruption Committee said on Tuesday that an investigation has uncovered another alleged vote-buying scheme involving the Strong Armenia party.

The law enforcement agency said in a statement that the Strong Armenia party’s coordinator in Goris, Syunik Province, allegedly gave bribes to citizens in exchange for votes for the Strong Armenia alliance in the June 7 elections. 

A criminal investigation is underway, and searches have been conducted.

The Anti-Corruption Committee also released an audio recording obtained through surveillance, reportedly showing a phone conversation between suspects discussing the scheme.

Armenian Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Zhanna Andreasyan and Carlos Campo, CEO and President of the Washington-based Museum of the Bible, signed a letter of intent on cooperation in the fields of Armenian Christian heritage and museums.

Armenia’s Ambassador to the United States, Narek Mkrtchyan, also attended the signing ceremony.

The letter of intent establishes institutional cooperation between the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports and the Museum of the Bible, with the main objectives including the promotion of Armenian Christian heritage, particularly through the establishment of a permanent exhibition on Armenian Christian heritage at the Museum of the Bible. In addition, the letter envisions the launch of research, educational, experience-sharing, and other joint programs.

Minister Zhanna Andreasyan welcomed the attendees, emphasizing the importance of the cooperation in terms of promoting Christian heritage. “When we speak about Christian heritage, it is very important to show that it is not only part of our historical life, but also part of our present and future. The Museum of the Bible plays a very important role because bringing together Christian heritage in one place is truly a great mission for visitors. I am very pleased that the Republic of Armenia has the opportunity to contribute to this very important mission,” the minister said.

She stressed that Armenia attaches great importance to the exchange of experience in museum management, digitization, preservation, and educational programs, especially for young specialists and researchers. Zhanna Andreasyan also underlined the government’s readiness to deepen cooperation by involving museums in Armenia as well.

CEO of the Museum of the Bible Carlos Campo also expressed gratitude for the cooperation, noting that the signing of the letter of intent would open broad opportunities for interaction in various fields while also fostering connections between the museum’s experts and researchers.

Lauding the beginning of cooperation, Carlos Campo said that both Americans and others from across the world will henceforth be able to learn more about Armenia and its heritage.

As a result of preliminary discussions between the two sides, the Museum of the Bible plans not only to establish a permanent exhibition dedicated to Armenia but also to implement a year-long Armenian program. It will include research activities, lectures, and other initiatives.

The Museum of the Bible is a museum in Washington, D.C., United States, owned by Museum of the Bible, Inc., a nonprofit Christian missionary organization established in 2010 by the Green family. The museum documents the narrative, history, and impact of the Bible. The museum, which opened on November 17, 2017, exhibits around 1,500 objects and artifacts, ranging across 4,000 years of history.

Armenia is implementing large-scale, systemic reforms in the field of air quality protection aimed at establishing a science-based, predictable management system aligned with international standards and focused on effective air quality monitoring and safeguarding public health, Minister of Environment Hambardzum Matevosyan has said.

In a video posted on social media, the minister said that in recent years Armenia has been carrying out deep and systemic reforms in the field of air quality protection, aiming to provide long-term solutions to reduce air pollution.

To this end, a five-year atmospheric air protection program has been developed, which sets out clear steps, a sequence of actions, and responsible institutions for effective sector management, he said.

The entire air quality assessment system has been revised to align with international standards. Measurement and analysis methods have been upgraded, enabling more accurate, reliable, and comparable data on air conditions.

Under the new approach, air quality will also be assessed on a territorial basis, taking into account the specific characteristics and environmental challenges of each region.

In parallel, the country is being equipped with modern monitoring stations that allow real-time tracking of air quality changes, ensuring greater data accessibility and transparency for the public.

Control over organizations operating in the construction and mining sectors has also been tightened. Mandatory requirements have been introduced to reduce dust emissions, and clear accountability mechanisms are envisaged in cases of non-compliance.

“The aim of the ongoing reforms is to ensure cleaner air, a healthier environment, and an improved quality of life for the citizens of the Republic of Armenia,” the minister said.