Diaspora commissioner backs tighter requirements for Armenian citizenship

Citizenship should entail not only rights and privileges granted by the state, but also obligations towards it. Tightening citizenship requirements will not create a divide in Armenia–diaspora relations, High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs Zareh Sinanyan said during preliminary discussions of the draft 2027 state budget at a joint sitting of the National Assembly’s standing committees, responding to questions from Armenia Alliance MP Artur Khachatryan.

Khachatryan asked whether linking citizenship to a requirement to reside in Armenia would weaken ties between Armenia and the diaspora. The MP stressed that citizenship itself creates a stronger bond between an individual and the state.

Sinanyan replied that he supported tighter requirements and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s approach to the issue.

“I unequivocally agree with tightening the requirements and with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s approach, because I believe citizenship should involve not only privileges granted by the state, but also duties on the part of citizens. When you grant people citizenship, naturally, as a state, you should expect them to have certain obligations towards the state,” the high commissioner said.

He said the state needed to clarify its relationship with those wishing to obtain citizenship, including their participation in the country’s life.

Khachatryan countered that his question concerned the conditions for acquiring citizenship. He expressed concern that making the process more difficult could weaken Armenia–diaspora ties.

“Citizenship clearly creates an even stronger bond, does it not? Now you are making it more difficult to obtain citizenship. If you make it more difficult, relations between Armenia and the diaspora become more complicated, and the bond becomes weaker,” the MP said.

In response, Sinanyan said the technical details of the legislation fell outside his remit, but that he supported the principle behind the proposed policy. He stressed that ethnic Armenians continued to benefit from preferential conditions compared with other applicants.

“Preferential status is maintained for Armenians, but the state does not hand out citizenship like sweets. Rather, it says: if you become my citizen, I expect certain obligations in return,” Sinanyan said.