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.
Published by Armenpress, original at
—
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.
Published by Armenpress, original at
—
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.
Published by Armenpress, original at
—
Armenia’s parliamentary speaker Alen Simonyan said his country would leave the Collective Security Treaty Organization and the Eurasian Economic Union if Russia raises the price of gas it supplies to the republic.
“If they make that decision, Armenia will make its own decision and withdraw completely from the CSTO, from the Eurasian Economic Union,” Simonyan said at a briefing for journalists on Saturday, April 4, the Russian news agency Interfax reported.
He added that he did not think it would come to that, since Armenia’s prime minister and Russia’s president had held a very productive conversation.
At a meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Russian President Vladimir Putin noted that Armenia receives Russian gas at a favorable price. “Today, as you know, energy prices — gas prices in Europe — are going off the charts, above $600 per thousand cubic meters. Russia sells gas to Armenia for $177.50. The difference is large. The difference is substantial,” Putin said.
Armenia has suspended its CSTO membership since 2024 and stopped paying dues to the organization. Formally, Armenia has not withdrawn, though Pashinyan said as far back as December 2024: “In essence, we already consider ourselves outside the CSTO.”
—
“The range and quantity of products coming from Armenia give reason to believe that not all of them are of Armenian origin. We addressed this issue in both 2024 and 2023,” Dankvert stated in an interview with the Rossiya 24 television channel.
First and foremost, this concerns the illogical increase in product supplies, which is a consequence of the simplified market access procedures within the EAEU. “For example, over three years, Armenia increased its flower shipments from 36 million to over 100 million. There was also an increase in other types of produce. We were forced to move phytosanitary inspections closer to the border,” he said. “We also saw that a large quantity of produce sent to Russia was not reaching its intended destinations.”
“We’ve been regulating (these issues – IF) for quite some time and are seeing a truly large number of quarantined items – over 900 quarantined items are being detected in Armenia, which significantly complicates our work. For example, disinfection is necessary. For flowers, we must certify production sites; we’ve tried video inspections,” the service’s head said. Speaking about problems with livestock product supplies, Dankvert stated that in this sector, “some of the products shipped may also be of non-Armenian origin.” “We’ve seen shipments of untraceable products such as butter, cheeses, and trout. Trout from Armenia’s mountain rivers cannot in any way resemble Norwegian trout,” he said.
According to him, all of this has led to stricter requirements being applied to supplies from Armenia, including product traceability.
Dankvert sees the solution to this situation in the integration of security control information systems within the EAEU. “Our electronic systems allow us to quickly track [delivered products – IF] and operate effectively,” he said, noting that within the commonwealth, “this has not yet been achieved.”
—
“Therefore, from the perspective of building relations, the visit had a negative effect,” he told ARKA news agency.
However, Mikaelyan thinks that assessments of Pashinyan’s visit are mixed: on the one hand, the lack of new economic initiatives and increased risks for bilateral relations and the country’s strategic balance; on the other, the strengthening of his pre-election position and the rise of anti-Russian sentiment in Armenia.
“If we speak, for example, from a pre-election perspective, Pashinyan certainly won because he sparked a new wave of anti-Russian sentiment,” the expert noted.
On April 1, Pashinyan paid a one-day working visit to the Russian capital, during which he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Prime Minister called his visit to Moscow a very successful one.
—
Iran specialist Vardan Voskanyan claims Azerbaijan’s leadership has come to understand the risks of issuing threats toward Iran, arguing that recent conciliatory messaging reflects caution rather than a genuine shift in policy.
Speaking about developments over the past month, Voskanyan noted that Ilham Aliyev, who had previously used strong rhetoric toward Iran, appears to have moderated his tone after recognizing that such actions could carry consequences.
His remarks follow Aliyev’s recent post on social media, where the Azerbaijani president stated that Azerbaijan and Iran “will continue to stand by each other in both good and difficult times.”
Despite the softer language, Voskanyan argued that Azerbaijan’s state-aligned media and messaging channels continue to promote anti-Iranian narratives. He said this indicates there has been no substantive change in Baku’s approach.
“After the end of the war, Iran will remember who its genuine allies and adversaries are,” the analyst added.
—
Former Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan delivered a message of support to former Artsakh leaders unlawfully held in Azerbaijan.
Addressing delegates at the Republican Party of Armenia’s congress on Saturday, Sargsyan underscored his personal bond with them. “My thoughts are with you constantly, every day and every hour. I believe that one day we will meet,” he declared.
Sargsyan lauded the prisoners’ “dignified stance under inhumane conditions”, asserting that their composure behind bars surpasses the conduct of many living in freedom.
—
Public discontent is growing in Armenia over stark disparities between hefty bonuses awarded to government officials and a modest 10,000-dram increase in pensions.
Citizens widely describe the gap as unfair, pointing to heavy fines imposed on ordinary people alongside generous payouts to officials. “It’s shameful,” one resident told Panorama.am, recalling a 110,000-dram fine issued over a minor meter issue. “Then they received millions.”
Many frame the issue as both economic and moral. “Of course it’s not fair,” said another citizen, comparing the situation to neglecting a parent after benefiting from their sacrifices. “If these people didn’t exist, who would they govern?”
While some acknowledge the pension rise offers limited relief, others dismiss it as insufficient or symbolic.
—
U.S. and Armenian officials have held another meeting of a bilateral task force that was set up last fall to deal with practical modalities of opening a U.S.-administered transit corridor for Azerbaijan through Armenia.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian committed himself to such an arrangement during talks with U.S. President Donald Trump and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev held at the White House last August. The working group is tasked with helping to implement these and other U.S.-Armenian understandings reached during the summit.
A third session of the group co-headed by U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Sonata Coulter and Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanian took place via video link on Wednesday.
“The Working Group members exchanged views on steps aimed at strengthening strategic partnership between Armenia and the U.S., including economic cooperation, energy, critical and emerging technologies,” the Armenian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The statement made no mention of the planned Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) which is due to connect Azerbaijan to its Nakhichevan exclave through Armenia’s strategic Syunik region bordering Iran.
According to a joint U.S.-Armenian “implementation framework” signed in January, a special company controlled by the U.S. government will build a railway, a road, energy supply lines and other infrastructure along the Armenian-Iranian border and manage them for at least 49 years. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian said late last year that work on that infrastructure will start this summer.
Pashinian told reporters on March 12, however, that it will likely be delayed by the ongoing war in the Middle East. He said the TRIPP is “not a priority for the U.S. administration today.”
Iranian officials spoke out against the transit arrangement in the months leading up to the war. They feared that it could undermine Armenian control of the border and lead to U.S. security presence there. Some observers believe that Tehran will now be even more opposed to the TRIPP even if the war is stopped in the coming weeks.
—