Speaker of Parliament Alen Simonyan has met with the Francophonie Electoral Mission deployed by the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF) in Armenia for the June 7 elections, led by Philippe Courard. 

The parties discussed matters pertaining to the campaigning process and electoral procedures, the parliament’s press service said in a readout.

Speaker Simonyan stated that the Republic of Armenia is determined to ensure the free, fair, and transparent exercise of citizens’ electoral rights, as well as the conduct of elections in line with democratic principles. The parties also discussed other issues of mutual interest.

Speaker of Parliament Alen Simonyan met with a delegation of observers from the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly, led by Zhakip Asanov, Deputy Chairman of the Senate of the Parliament of Kazakhstan.

Simonyan welcomed the representatives of the observation mission and wished them success in carrying out their monitoring activities during the upcoming parliamentary elections, which are of great importance to Armenia, the parliament’s press service reported.

The parties also discussed other issues related to the election campaign and the electoral process.

The Embassy of Japan in Armenia invites the public to attend a traditional Japanese music concert titled “From Japan to Armenia: A Traditional Music Concert.”

The concert will take place at the Yerevan’s Komitas Chamber Music Hall on June 13 at 7:30 p.m.

The programme will feature performances on traditional Japanese instruments, including the shō, wagon, and Tsugaru shamisen, as well as presentations of traditional Japanese dance.

The concert will also include collaborative performances with Armenian artists and piano pieces.

Admission is free.

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has lauded Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s personal role in relations between the two neighboring countries. Kobakhidze extended congratulations to Pashinyan on his electoral victory.

“During Nikol Pashinyan’s tenure as Prime Minister, relations between Georgia and Armenia are at an unprecedented high level. I am very glad that these relations will continue,” Sputnik Georgia quoted Kobakhidze as saying.

“Pashinyan’s personal role in relations between Georgia and Armenia is very important,” Kobakhidze stressed.

The Central Electoral Commission has published scanned extracts of the protocols of voting results from the June 7 parliamentary elections.

The protocols of voting results from all 38 territorial electoral commissions have been published and are available for download.

According to preliminary voting results, the Civil Contract party secured a majority in the next parliament. The Strong Armenia bloc and the Armenia alliance have also secured seats.

The Prosperous Armenia party is also very close to the parliamentary threshold of 4%, with 3.996%. The party has already announced that it will apply to the Central Electoral Commission for a recount in several polling stations. Several other political forces have also called for a recount.

The Armenia alliance, led by former President Robert Kocharyan, which garnered 9.9% in the parliamentary elections, announced on Tuesday that it will challenge the results in the Constitutional Court.

A representative of the bloc, MP Ishkhan Saghatelyan, told reporters that they are now preparing a package of facts to submit to the high court.

Despite international observers stating that the vote proceeded in a calm and fair environment, Saghatelyan alleged that they have “numerous facts” indicating pressure and unfair conditions.

He said the bloc will dispute the results as soon as the Central Electoral Commission publishes the final results.

Saghatelyan also said that they have requested a recount in several polling stations. 

The Civil Contract party secured 727,827 votes, or 49.825%, securing a majority in the next parliament, according to preliminary results. 

The Strong Armenia alliance received 340,088 votes, or 23.281%, while the Armenia alliance gained 145,113 votes, or 9.934%.

Preliminary figures also show that the Prosperous Armenia party is just below the 4% threshold, with 3.996%. Prosperous Armenia has also said it will dispute the results.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has claimed that Russia is losing influence in many countries and highlighted that the Armenian parliamentary elections held on June 7 were a “major success” for the country’s independence.

“The political influence of Russia over other countries is decreasing. Azerbaijan: they are independent. Armenia: yesterday’s elections became a major success for Armenia’s independence. I also believe that the Russians have lost Moldova. Of course, they do not want to lose Ukraine, because an independent and free Ukraine is the largest and most politically dangerous country for Russia. When Ukraine joins the European Union, Putin will face internal problems with various peoples, especially in the Caucasus. Different peoples across Russia will raise questions,” Zelenskyy told The Guardian in an interview.

Zelenskyy had earlier congratulated Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on his electoral victory.

The Chief of the General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces, Lt. Gen. Edward Asryan, has denied accusations that the military has specifically called up opposition politicians and their supporters for regular reserve musters as a “punitive measure.”

“The military has never been a punitive measure. You ought to be proud of the military, where our sons are serving,” the top general told reporters.

He said the reserve musters have been a routine initiative since 2023 and that tens of thousands of citizens registered in the reserve have been called up regularly.

Earlier media reports alleged that Armenians arriving from Russia, who were purportedly involved in a vote-swaying scheme involving a brief visit to cast ballots for the opposition, were being summoned for the musters at the airport.

“Regardless of the country from which they arrive, if an Armenian citizen who is subject to military registration enters the country and their arrival is recorded by the relevant systems, the military commissariat has the authority to send them an electronic notice regarding their conscription for military training exercises,” the general said on the matter.

Armenia’s air defense capabilities are stronger today than they were before 2018, Chief of the General Staff Lt. Gen. Edward Asryan said on Tuesday, stressing that the country must rely on its own resources to protect its airspace.

Asked about a defense deal with Russia inked over a decade ago by the previous government, the general said that Armenia must rely exclusively on its own capabilities to ensure its air defense, missile defense and counter-drone protection.

“When it comes to Armenia’s air defense, missile defense and counter-drone systems, we must rely solely on ourselves,” the top general said when asked by reporters whether the military reforms envision a separation of the joint air defense system with Russia, which has been in force since 2015.

“We should not rely on anyone else. We must become strong enough to be able to independently carry out the tasks assigned to us on the territory of Armenia,” the Chief of the General Staff said.

The Central Electoral Commission announced on Tuesday that it will conduct a recount of votes in the parliamentary elections held on June 7.

The recount will be conducted in 86 polling stations across 20 territorial electoral commissions.