Category: News

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.

The Armenian military has rejected claims by opposition figures that recently acquired weapons are incompatible with the army’s existing arsenal, saying all new procurements are carefully assessed for integration and operational compatibility before being adopted.

Speaking to reporters in parliament, Lt. Gen. Edward Asryan, the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, addressed claims that newly purchased weapons during the Pashinyan administration allegedly face integration issues with the Armed Forces’ overall equipment.

The top general said all parameters are taken into account when acquiring new weapons, including their compatibility with the Armed Forces’ arsenal and equipment.

“We do not buy weapons randomly. We assess all parameters and criteria—whether we can integrate the weapon into our arsenal and equipment, whether we are capable of learning to use it, whether our troops will be able to operate it, and how we will manage it within the overall automated system,” he said.

During a military parade held on May 28 at Republic Square in Yerevan, the Pashinyan administration showcased modern weapons systems, such as air defense systems and multiple rocket launchers, acquired over the past four years. Following the parade, various groups claimed that the newly acquired weapons are not compatible with the Armenian Armed Forces’ arsenal.

Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, Lt. Gen. Edward Asryan, reaffirmed that Armenia will not cede any territory from its declared 29,743 square kilometers during the ongoing border delimitation process with Azerbaijan.

He told reporters that the delimitation of the Armenia–Azerbaijan border is based on a specific map, which serves as the foundation for ongoing work in this direction.

“The delimitation process has a basis, and that basis is the map of a specific year,” he said when asked whether there are cases where he personally has disagreements in the process. “The General Staff also possesses this map, and we carry out our work in accordance with its requirements. There is also a representative of the Armed Forces in the delimitation commission who is very well versed in military cartography and fully familiar with all the requirements of that map,” Lt. Gen. Asryan explained, ruling out any disagreements on his part, since delimitation is being carried out along the state border of Armenia’s sovereign territory.

He reiterated that not an inch will be ceded from the declared 29,743 square kilometers of Armenia’s territory.

Referring to Armenian sovereign territories currently under Azerbaijani occupation following the incursions of 2021–2022, Asryan stressed that Armenia shall re-establish control over these areas as a result of the delimitation process.

Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan has said that anyone involved in electoral bribery must face strict accountability, stressing that the issue is a matter of both national security and democracy.

“If it is necessary to implement legislative and institutional changes for this, then those changes should be made now, without delay. However, I do not think such changes are necessary,” Pashinyan told members of his Cabinet during a live-streamed meeting.

“There is tolerance toward electoral bribery. I would not be surprised if it turns out that none of those caught taking or giving electoral bribes in previous elections are in prison today. Those who were caught during local elections continued their activities in parliamentary elections, and they will continue in the upcoming local elections as well.

I clearly demand that those who are caught taking or giving electoral bribes, regardless of their social status or position, be in prison at least until the official conclusion of the next national elections,” the Prime Minister added.

Prosperous Armenia Party President and business tycoon Gagik Tsarukyan has been indicted amid an ongoing criminal investigation, prosecutors said on Tuesday.

The criminal proceedings against Tsarukyan have been initiated on charges of tax evasion on a particularly large scale, according to the Prosecutor-General’s Office.

A travel ban has been imposed on him as a restraint measure as part of the investigation.

President of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides has congratulated Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on his electoral victory.

“Warmest congratulations, Nikol Pashinyan, on your election victory. The people of Armenia have reaffirmed their commitment to a European future. Cyprus stands ready to further elevate our bilateral cooperation and EU-Armenia relations,” Christodoulides said in a post on X.