Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said there is only one way to put an end to the “formers versus currents” debate in the country: the Strong Armenia party led by Samvel Karapetyan, the Armenia Alliance led by former President Robert Kocharyan and Prosperous Armenia Party should not enter parliament in the upcoming elections.

Pashinyan made the remarks in parliament.

Pashinyan called out the opposition for clocking in during debates and then leaving, a tactic he said is used to keep their payrolls. He added that the opposition began attending the session after he called them out the previous day.

“Opposition MPs come to register at parliamentary sessions in order to keep receiving salaries. For eight years, we have been accused of receiving salary bonuses, but they themselves secretly register and leave just to earn a few extra drams. As a result, I noted this and made it public, and they were forced to come and participate in the speech phase,” he said.

The prime minister added that participation in the session’s speech segment once again led to a “former vs. current” political debate, noting that he has repeatedly stated the need to move beyond this narrative.

He further stated that the 2026 parliamentary elections are the “last chance for the coalition of the years of Robert Kocharyan’s and Serzh Sargsyan’s rule.”

“This further highlights the need to overcome the ‘former-current’ confrontation. It is now clear that there is only one way to do this: in the 2026 parliamentary elections, the ‘Strong Armenia’ party, the ‘Armenia’ alliance and Prosperous Armenia Party must fail to cross the electoral threshold to enter parliament. And with each passing day, this becomes a more realistic political objective,” the prime minister said.

The “formers versus currents” debate has been a recurring narrative in Armenian domestic politics since the 2018 Velvet Revolution, reflecting a sharp divide between Pashinyan’s government and the earlier administrations of second and third presidents Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan. The largest parliamentary opposition force, known as the Armenia Alliance, is led by Kocharyan. Meanwhile, business tycoon Samvel Karapetyan is Strong Armenia’s candidate for prime minister in the June 7 elections. Pashinyan has repeatedly described Karapetyan, Kocharyan, as well as another opposition figure and business magnate Gagik Tsarukyan as the “tripartite war party.” Meanwhile, Sargsyan has said his Republican Party would skip the elections.

Future has shared on his Instagram account a video posted by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan showing him in his car listening to “Mask Off.”

“Mask Off” is a song by American rapper Future from his eponymous fifth studio album (2017).

Pashinyan has recently been posting short viral videos of himself listening to music from various genres.

Seventeen individuals were detained from among a group gathered outside a court in support of Strong Armenia party leader Samvel Karapetyan for what authorities said was a failure to obey a lawful police order.

The Ministry of Interior confirmed the detention to Armenpress.

Karapetyan’s supporters gathered outside the Anti-Corruption Court building in Yerevan, where the business magnate and party leader’s hearing was ongoing in a case involving alleged money laundering and public calls for a coup, which he denies.

The criminal proceedings were initiated last year, and Karapetyan was initially jailed before being released on bail. He has since been under house arrest.

Videos from outside the courthouse showed a brawl between demonstrators and police officers, followed by the detentions. Some individuals were seen throwing various objects at officers.

Armenian Speaker of Parliament Alen Simonyan met on Friday with his Azerbaijani counterpart Sahiba Gafarova during the 152nd Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly in Istanbul, Türkiye, Simonyan’s spokesperson, Movses Harutyunyan, confirmed to Armenpress. 

Simonyan had earlier said that he would meet Gafarova, among other counterparts, during the IPU Assembly.

Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanyan met with the Secretary for Multilateral Political Affairs of the Brazilian Foreign Ministry, Carlos Márcio Bicalho Cozendey, during the Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF2026) in Türkiye.

The parties discussed the positive momentum in political and trade-economic cooperation between Armenia and Brazil, as well as prospects for deepening collaboration in education, information technology, artificial intelligence, and engagement on international platforms, according to the Foreign Ministry’s readout.

They also exchanged views on recent international and regional developments.

The Armenian and Azerbaijani parliament speakers, during their bilateral meeting in Istanbul on Friday, lauded recent developments in the normalization process, according to a readout by the Armenian Parliament’s press service.

Armenian Speaker of Parliament Alen Simonyan met with his Azerbaijani counterpart, Sahiba Gafarova, in Istanbul during the 152nd Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly.

“During the meeting, the recent processes within the framework of normalization of relations between the two countries were noted with satisfaction, including steps aimed at strengthening peace and stability, as well as the establishment and expansion of trade ties,” according to the readout.

“The importance of the Inter-Parliamentary Union as a key platform for inter-parliamentary cooperation was emphasized. In this context, the sides highly valued and expressed gratitude to IPU Secretary General Martin Chungong for his personal efforts in facilitating dialogue between the Speakers of the Armenian and Azerbaijani parliaments. The Speakers of the parliaments positively assessed contacts between parliamentary delegations within international organizations, which began after their meeting in Geneva in October 2025, and agreed to continue these engagements. The Speakers of the Armenian and Azerbaijani parliaments underscored the importance of continuing constructive parliamentary dialogue to further strengthen trust between the two societies,” it added.

Armenian Speaker of Parliament Alen Simonyan met with his Georgian counterpart, Shalva Papuashvili, during the 152nd Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly in Istanbul, Türkiye.

The speakers discussed a wide range of issues related to inter-parliamentary cooperation, according to the Armenian Parliament’s press service.

They also addressed regional developments as well as other topics of mutual interest.

Simonyan also met earlier with his Azerbaijani counterpart, Sahiba Gafarova, during the event.

Armenian Speaker of Parliament Alen Simonyan met with his Turkish counterpart, Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye Numan Kurtulmuş, during the 152nd Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly in Istanbul.

“I had a meeting with the Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye, Numan Kurtulmuş, within the framework of the 152nd Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly,” Simonyan said on social media.

He also earlier held meetings with his Azerbaijani and Georgian counterparts during the assembly.

Armenian Speaker of Parliament Alen Simonyan lauded the meeting with his Azerbaijani counterpart Sahiba Gafarova, which was held on Friday in Istanbul during the 152nd IPU Assembly.

“The meeting went well; there were no disagreements. You may be surprised, but there are no disagreements. There is mutual understanding, cooperation, and plans for the future. During the discussions, we did not encounter any obstacles, and I hope there will be none,” Simonyan told the Azerbaijani Real TV.

Referring to the established trade and economic ties between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Alen Simonyan emphasized the need to develop mutual trade.

“I have been saying for a long time that we need trade. I believe we should expand this cooperation. As far as I know, businesspeople, governments, and relevant institutions are already working in this direction, and that is very good. It is necessary to continue deepening this work for the benefit of both countries,” Speaker Simonyan said.

Simonyan also positively assessed reciprocal visits by civil society groups in the two countries.

Within the framework of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, Armenia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanyan met with Turkey’s Deputy Foreign Minister Berris Ekinci, the Armenian Foreign Ministry said in a readout.

The interlocutors discussed issues related to the bilateral agenda and regional developments, emphasizing the importance of strengthening peace and cooperation.

 They also touched upon projects aimed at ensuring bilateral and regional connectivity.