The election season starts on April 8th – learn how it works from this quick tutorial.
Two Minute Election Tutorial
-
Pashinyan’s one-man rule threatens Armenia’s democratic development
By Aram Tadevosyan Armenia entered a phase of democratic transition in 2018, marking some initial achievements – particularly two nationwide elections that were notably free and competitive. However, the country’s democratic consolidation faces significant challenges, primarily stemming from Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s increasingly personalistic style of governance. Democratic theorists, including Samuel Huntington, consider the peaceful transfer of power between different political forces through free and transparent elections at least twice a key indicator of democratic consolidation. Armenia has yet to achieve even a single peaceful transfer of power through elections. Moreover, in the Armenian context, it’s difficult to envision a […]
-
No plans to leave EAEU despite Armenia’s EU aspirations: Economy
By Arshaluys Mghdesyan Armenia’s Economy Minister Gevorg Papoyan announced today that the government has no plans to withdraw from the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), even as the country pursues closer ties with the European Union. “Our main goal is to strengthen economic stability, regardless of our membership in any organization,” Papoyan stated at a press conference. “We need to grow our industry and focus on producing more complex products and delivering quality services.” The statement comes after the Armenian government approved a draft law last week, initiating the process of EU membership consideration, which was subsequently sent to parliament. The […]
-
Yerevan mayor reimburses $19,000 for controversial business class flight
By Alexander Pracht Yerevan Mayor Tigran Avinyan has reimbursed approximately $19,000 to the municipal budget, his spokesperson Hayk Kostanyan reported today. The reimbursement comes after controversy surrounding Avinyan’s November business trip to Los Angeles, where taxpayer funds were used to purchase an expensive flight. Municipal regulations require a competitive bidding process for such procurement contracts, which was not followed in this case. Back in November, the Yerevan Municipality signed an agreement with a private contractor to purchase nine airplane tickets from Yerevan to Los Angeles, with a stopover in Doha, Qatar, worth approximately $31,700, including a single business class ticket […]
-
Armenia’s concessions legitimize Azerbaijan’s coercive actions, expert warns
By Karen Harutyunyan Armenia’s continuous compliance with Azerbaijan’s preconditions under the threat of force is legitimizing Baku’s illegal actions, warns Benyamin Poghosyan, senior analyst at APRI Armenia think tank. In an interview with CivilNet, Poghosyan argues that Armenia is inadvertently sending a message that Azerbaijan has legitimate grounds for making certain demands, which further legitimizes Azerbaijan’s coercive approach. This dynamic was clearly demonstrated in April 2024, when under the threat of war, Armenia agreed to a 12.5 km border delimitation in the Tavush and Qazakh regions. The process resulted in Azerbaijan reclaiming its four abandoned villages while retaining Armenian agricultural […]
-
Armenia’s EU Law: A Political Symbol or a Practical Path?
By Siranush Adamyan On January 9, the Armenian government approved and sent to the National Assembly a draft law to initiate the country’s EU membership. The draft law comes after a 2024 petition campaign on EU membership, which gathered over 52,000 signatures, exceeding the required 50,000. The discussions that have begun in Armenia have received significant attention both domestically and internationally, often with far-reaching conclusions. What does the EU membership process entail? The EU membership process involves several key steps, including: – Presenting an official application to the EU Council – Receiving European Commission’s opinion on the application – Granting […]
