Armenians go to the polls on Sunday in parliamentary elections as the ruling government, under increasing pressure from Russia, seeks to loosen ties with Moscow and deepen cooperation with the West.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and his ruling Civil Pact party are seeking a decisive mandate for a new course in geopolitics. The opposition they face includes some pro-Russian parties.
Casting his vote on Sunday, Pashinyan said that Armenia will continue to strengthen its independence, government, democracy and the rule of law. “The European Union is our main partner in the implementation of democratic reforms and we will continue on that path,” he said.
However, he also stressed that there was no tension between Armenia and Moscow, saying, “our relations with Russia are institutional and based on mutual respect,” Armenia’s state news agency reported.
Russian officials have banned the sale of Armenian goods in recent weeks, with top officials, including President Vladimir Putin, issuing veiled threats comparing Armenia’s path to that already taken by Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Armenian investigators said they issued six arrest warrants for members of the opposition party Strong Armenia a day before the vote, accusing them of vote-buying. The country’s Central Election Committee confirmed on Saturday that the party could run after a member of another opposition party, Jamhuri, appealed Strong Armenia’s ban on corruption charges.
