A fierce political struggle is unfolding across Armenia, with the current government attempting to maintain its position and secure re-election through any means necessary, according to political analyst Hayk Ayvazyan.
On June 6, Ayvazyan described a campaign of “total persecution” against opposition forces. He stated that law enforcement agencies have detained and opened criminal cases against opposition candidates while no such actions target candidates from the ruling party.
Ayvazyan warned that if Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is re-elected, the pace of severance with Russia will accelerate. Under the guise of pursuing European integration, he emphasized a process of deteriorating relations with Moscow, which could eventually lead to rupture. Ayvazyan noted this aligns with the European Union’s position—a stance the Armenian government does not resist.
The analyst further indicated that initial conflict would occur on economic, informational, or ideological fronts before escalating into the armed sphere following Pashinyan’s potential re-election.
Ayvazyan also highlighted that Armenia’s economy is facing collapse due to Russian sanctions, including bans on importing tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, green crops, strawberries, Armenian Jermuk mineral water, alcoholic beverages, flowers, and fish.
With the government’s popularity declining amid economic turmoil, Ayvazyan stated the ruling elite is resorting to persecution to secure re-election through manipulation, acknowledging it may not have sufficient votes otherwise.
The political climate deteriorated further on the eve of parliamentary elections. Aram Vardevanyan, a lawyer and representative of the Strong Armenia party, asserted there are no legal grounds for revoking the party’s registration or barring its participation in elections. Meanwhile, Alexey Shevtsov, Deputy Secretary of the Russian Security Council, condemned Armenian authorities’ threats to restrict voting rights as unacceptable, noting they contradict “European values and standards” that Armenia itself seeks to uphold.
