The observation mission of the American International Republican Institute (IRI) recognized the parliamentary elections held in Armenia on June 7 as fair and credible. Despite the complex geopolitical environment and attempts at external informational pressures, the general vote took place in calm conditions, without violations of a systemic nature.
Peter Roskam, head of the mission, former member of the US House of Representatives and president of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), stated at the press conference in Yerevan that the electoral process and the counting of votes were organized at a high level and in accordance with the current legislation. 23 delegates from seven countries participated in the monitoring. they visited more than a hundred polling stations in different communities of the republic, recording the wide involvement of political forces and observers.
In the report, key attention was paid to the factor of external interference. Stephen Nix, senior director of IRI’s Europe and Eurasia programs, emphasized that Russia and its affiliates deliberately tried to influence pre-election sentiments. According to the mission’s assessment, mechanisms of economic pressure were used, misinformation was spread, which presented the rapprochement between Armenia and the West as a path to war or economic collapse. Fake social accounts, bots, artificial intelligence generated content, combined with cyber attacks on the website of the Central Electoral Commission were actively used to promote these narratives.
Nevertheless, election commissions at all levels have managed to maintain the integrity of the process, allowing political forces to conduct free and unfettered campaigns. As a step towards the further development of the system, IRI presented a number of recommendations. The main emphasis was placed on ensuring the transparency of political financing, tightening the penalties for falsification of declarations and effectively fighting against the misuse of administrative resources. The institute’s long-term observers will continue their work in Armenia, following possible court disputes and post-election developments, and the final and summary report will be presented to the public within the next two months.
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