A magnitude 5.2 earthquake that struck eastern Türkiye was felt at low intensity across Armenia, according to the country’s seismological agency.

The Armenian Ministry of Internal Affairs’ Seismic Protection Territorial Service said it detected the 5.2-magnitude earthquake at 9:52 a.m. local time (0552 GMT) Saturday, with an epicenter about 40 kilometers north of the Turkish city of Van, at a depth of 7 kilometers.

The agency said the quake was felt in Armenia, particularly in Yerevan, as well as in the provinces of Shirak and Ararat, at a low intensity of MSK-2.

Armenia’s ruling Civil Contract Party is expected to hold an extraordinary congress on Saturday.

Prime Minister and Civil Contract Chairman of the Board Nikol Pashinyan said on social media that the congress will vote on the party’s candidate list and pre-election program for the June 2026 parliamentary elections, as well as formally confirm him as the party’s nominee for prime minister.

Civil Contract Party members last week selected Pashinyan as the party’s candidate for prime minister in the upcoming election.

The extraordinary congress is scheduled for 2 p.m. local time at the Yerevan Sports and Concert Complex.

The Civil Contract list of candidates for parliament in the June 7 elections was determined through a closed vote and published online.

The party also released its election campaign program earlier on Friday. 

During its congress on Saturday, the Civil Contract Party unanimously confirmed its Chairman and Prime Minister, Nikol Pashinyan, as its candidate for Prime Minister in the upcoming June 7 elections.

The party also approved its electoral list.

Speaker of Parliament Alen Simonyan, a senior member of the Civil Contract party, said during the party congress that Civil Contract today has many experienced politicians whose work and words carry significant weight and play a decisive role in Armenia’s political arena.

He added that, together with the citizens, they have built and strengthened the most institutionalized, rapidly developing, and democratic party in the Armenian political landscape.

“At the same time, we have never ceased to be ordinary representatives of our people. We have remained their friends and partners, those who share their pain, grieve with them, and rejoice with them. We have stood by their side—from the moment we carried out the revolution together, through the war, and, despite everything, confirmed that Armenia has a future. We have remained the relative, the friend on whom one can be angry, with whom one can debate, cry over sorrows, or share joy—because we belong to the people,” Simonyan said.

He noted that it is natural that not everyone supports or praises them.

“All those who have sincere words to share, we must invite to conversation every day. We must tell, share, and speak again. This pre-election period is the best time and opportunity for these conversations—conversations during which we must hear about our mistakes and shortcomings and explain our vision to our citizens, because the discussion is about the most important thing: the real Armenia and the Armenian people,” he said.

Simonyan emphasized that many had dreamed of leaving peace, not war, as a legacy for future generations.

“And today, we have it. There will always be those who try, from within and from outside, to take our peace away from us, and they will attempt it again on June 7. They will try to play with our emotions, our pain, our pride, and our future, to drag us back into the past and keep us there—so that we feel pity, others pity us, and the fate of the Armenian people belongs to someone else—so that we neither live, grow, nor exist… But Armenians are no longer wretched; today we exist, independent and free. We will live forever, and we will remain free, independent, and secure in our peaceful statehood,” Simonyan said.

Parliamentary elections will be held in Armenia on June 7.

Defense Minister Suren Papikyan, a senior member of the Civil Contract party, has highlighted the military reforms undertaken by the ruling party.

Speaking at the Civil Contract party congress, Papikyan said that the military, as one of the guarantors of the country’s security, must be equipped with modern armaments and equipment to carry out its mission of defending Armenia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.

He highlighted the increase in defense spending and the growth in voluntary enlistment.

“Today, as Armenia moves steadily toward peace, it is very important to discuss the role of the army within the new security architecture, what kind of army we should have, and what we have done to modernize it. It must be stated that the Armenian army has no role outside the borders of the Republic of Armenia,” he said.

“Of course, there is a great temptation today to address the numerous ‘saviors’ who have recently become active, as well as foreign experts, instructors, and the highly respected texts generated by artificial intelligence. However, I would simply advise them to once again read the concept for the transformation of the Armenian army, where they will find a significant portion of their ideas presented not only as questions but also as solutions. I do not rule out that they may even come across direct quotations,” he added.

According to Papikyan, the concept for the transformation of the Armenian army provides a clear understanding of what the ruling political force has done to increase the army’s defensive capabilities.

“Since the launch of reforms in 2022, we have created systems whose main positive results will be widely discussed in the future. In order to achieve the goal of building a professional army, we have implemented numerous changes. On the path to establishing a professional military, we have introduced the ‘Defender of the Fatherland’ program, which has already become a key pillar of the transforming army. Thousands of young people are joining the program and becoming an important part of a professional military. They have the opportunity to undergo certification, receive higher salaries, and support both their families and the state. Their number currently stands at 5,319,” the minister elaborated.

Papikyan added that in recent years significant attention has been paid to the salaries and social welfare of contract servicemen. According to him, as a result of the certification program, thousands of servicemen have improved both their knowledge and level of preparedness while also gaining opportunities for social stability and well-being.

“Today, in addition to their base salary, certified servicemen receive bonuses ranging from 205,000 to 470,000 drams. These amounts are now competitive and motivating wages in the labor market,” Papikyan emphasized.

The minister also addressed changes in conscription and mobilization resource management, noting that compared to 2022, the number of conscripts in 2025 has increased by 25.3 percent.

“This is the result of the changes we have implemented and our consistent work. In fulfillment of our promise to reduce mandatory military service through the expansion of contract service, mandatory service in Armenia is now one and a half years. The army is not complete without a reserve force. For many years, reserve training in our country was treated negligently. Hundreds of thousands of reservists did not know what training exercises were, were unaware of their assigned units, or of the potential tasks and missions they might face. Previously, the relevant authorities did not have information about people’s whereabouts, their further education, changes in employment, health conditions, possible disabilities, or even deaths,” he noted.

He emphasized that a new system has now been established, through which 25-day training musters are conducted, with thousands of Armenian citizens participating each year.

The minister highlighted the substantive and fundamental reforms carried out at the Monte Melkonian Military Sports Lyceum and the Vazgen Sargsyan Military Academy as key to staffing, educating, and training the officer corps. He noted that educational programs have been revised, scholarship amounts increased, and both living and learning conditions improved.

“In 2026, at the Vazgen Sargsyan Military Academy, cadets’ scholarships—depending on their year of study—range from 75,000 to 175,000 drams for those with excellent academic performance. The same applies to the Monte Melkonian Military Sports Lyceum, where students receive scholarships ranging from 15,000 to 45,000 drams. Starting this year, graduates of the Military Academy, upon appointment, will receive housing certificates worth up to 35 million drams to purchase apartments. Upon entering service, they may receive salaries ranging from 620,000 to 750,000 drams,” he elaborated.

Papikyan recalled that during the years of Civil Contract’s governance, defense spending has increased several times over.

“In 2018, at the start of our administration, defense spending amounted to $640 million. In 2025, that figure reached $1.741 billion. Procurement of armaments and military equipment in 2022–2025 was 5.4 times higher than in 1998–2018, which demonstrates our commitment to the homeland and the army,” Suren Papikyan concluded.