During a campaign event in Armenia’s northern town of Berd on June 11, acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan referred to speculation that Armenia and Azerbaijan could return to Soviet-era borders in the future and exchange enclaves. Pashinyan mentioned that during the negotiation stage in the run-up to the November 9 ceasefire agreement, which ended the 2020 Karabakh war, there was concern over the topic of the enclaves. According to the acting prime minister, the topic of enclaves has always been on the agenda of Armenia-Azerbaijan talks since 1999, and Azerbaijan has brought up the issue from time to time.
The Democratic Party of Armenia has issued a statement noting that it does not recognize the decision of the Central Electoral Commission on invalidating the party's PM candidate Tigran Arzakantsyan's registration, considering it to be an expression of political bias. "We think this decision was made under pressure, as the Democratic Party has become a serious force, and Tigran Arzakantsyan has gained such a reputation that enjoys the trust of tens of thousands of voters․ The law has no retroactive effect. The decision will be appealed in court soon. The removal of the leader of the Democratic Party puts under question the legitimacy of the June 20 elections in general. Together we must protect the state from any illegal actions," the statement notes.
PM candidate of the "Armenia" alliance, Armenia's second president Robert Kocharyan rules out that in case of coming to power there will be privileged people in Armenia. Kocharyan spoke about this in the Yeghvard community of the Kotayk region, answering the question of one of the citizens, whether he guarantees that everyone in the country will be equal before the law. Kocharyan also added that he has not had any relations with the authorities since 2008. "From 2009 to 2018 I wasn't even in touch, because there were many things I did not agree with, that is why I did not have direct contact. And now I'm telling you that it is excluded that we allow such manifestations, it is unequivocal," said the leader of the "Armenia" alliance.hetq.am
The leader of the "Bright Armenia" party, PM candidate Edmon Marukyan claims the first thing "Bright Armenia" wants to do is to make sure none of the political forces gets 51% of the votes. To the statement that Nikol Pashinyan announced they would get 63%, Marukyan responded "Neither he nor anyone else will get 63%. It is possible that we will force the formation of a national solidarity government. And if a force gets 51%, that force has an agenda to destroy its opponents. As a result, we will all be destroyed. We have seen those destruction processes during the last three years. No force brought anything good to the country," he said.
The electronic voting for the snap parliamentary elections of Armenia kicked off on June 11, at 08:00 Yerevan time. The e-voting will end on June 13, at 20:00. The results of the electronic voting will be summed up and the protocol on the voting results will be published on the voting day, that is on June 20 after 20:00. According to the list released by the Central Electoral Commission, 650 people are eligible to vote from abroad. Citizens of Armenia who are entitled to vote from abroad are diplomats and their family members, military servicemen and their family members, employees of representations of legal people registered in Armenia, and their family members.
The funds available in the declarations submitted by the candidates of the "Armenia" alliance, make 4 billion 468 million 687 thousand AMD, 7 million 849 thousand 780 dollars, 1 million 642 thousand 560 euros, 15 million 502 thousand 700 rubles, 40 thousand GEL, and 30 thousand Canadian dollars. The amount converted into AMD is 9 billion 930 million 286 thousand. The funds of the 13 deputy candidates mentioned above make 8 billion 512 million 127 thousand AMD, which is 85.7% of the funds of all the MP candidates who have submitted a declaration.
The first president of Armenia and the leader of the "Armenian National Congress" party, PM candidate Levon Ter-Petrosyan commented on Nikol Pashinyan's statement that in 2018 he has told Pashinyan that he should hand over the lands. " You should ask not me, but Nikol Pashinyan. I was at his house, he has definitely recorded it, let him show it. I told him that after knowing what kind of legacy he has received from Serzh Sargsyan in the Karabakh issue with a document he will bring a better solution and that will be his honor, and if he brings a worse solution, that will be his disgrace, ” said Levon Ter-Petrosyan
Armenia’s acting Prime Minister and the PM candidate of the “Civil Contract” party Nikol Pashinyan referred to the recording published by Armenia’s third President Serzh Sargsyan. During the election campaign in Armenia’s Lori Province, in the town of Spitak. “As much as I followed the public response, the people are a bit confused. They say – we don’t understand, Serzh Sargsyan wanted to harm or do a favor. What Serzh Sargsyan published fully substantiates our positions,” he said. Pashinyan also expressed confidence that everything could have been different if Armenia had an army with other weapons in 2016-2018. According to the PM candidate, this election is a unique opportunity for the Armenian people to assess the history of the past 30 years. He reminded that all the former leaders are participating in this election. |hetq.am|hetq.am
Freedom House, a human rights organization, has expressed concern over the use of hate speech and violence by politicians during the pre-election period in Armenia. The Freedom House statement notes that such actions contribute to the polarization of society and the spread of hate speech in a time when the country is in recovery from the war in Nagorno-Karabakh and is getting ready for historic parliamentary elections.
Mihran Poghosyan judicially disputes the CEC decision on declaring his candidacy invalid in court․ He has filed a lawsuit against the Central Electoral Commission on June 8, 2021, on invalidating decision No. 129-A and recognizing him as a candidate registered as number 11 on the electoral list of the alliance. It should be reminded that at the June 8 extraordinary sitting, the CEC invalidated Mihran Poghosyan's registration. According to the commission, the candidate has not been a permanent resident of Armenia for the last four years, therefore has no right to be elected.
#armvote2021. Daily News Digest [11.06.2021]
20:25 - 11 June, 2021Snap parliamentary elections 2021: election campaign day 5. Updates
16:01 - 11 June, 2021Pashinyan on "enclave for enclave" exchange between Armenia and Azerbaijan
14:52 - 11 June, 2021The Democratic Party of Armenia to dispute the CEC decision in court
13:49 - 11 June, 2021Robert Kocharyan claims he hasn't had any relations with the authorities since 2008 hetq.am
12:23 - 11 June, 2021“Bright Armenia” wants to make sure no political force gets 51% votes
11:54 - 11 June, 2021Electronic voting for Armenia’s snap parliamentary elections kicks off
09:56 - 11 June, 2021Snap parliamentary elections 2021: election campaign day 4. Updates
01:46 - 11 June, 2021#armvote2021. Daily News Digest [10.06.2021]
20:30 - 10 June, 2021Financial means of MP candidates: Part Two ["Armenia" alliance]
18:36 - 10 June, 2021#armvote2021. Daily News Digest [11.06.2021]
20:25 - 11 June, 2021Snap parliamentary elections 2021: election campaign day 5. Updates
16:01 - 11 June, 2021Pashinyan on "enclave for enclave" exchange between Armenia and Azerbaijan
14:52 - 11 June, 2021The Democratic Party of Armenia to dispute the CEC decision in court
13:49 - 11 June, 2021Robert Kocharyan claims he hasn't had any relations with the authorities since 2008 hetq.am
12:23 - 11 June, 2021“Bright Armenia” wants to make sure no political force gets 51% votes
11:54 - 11 June, 2021Electronic voting for Armenia’s snap parliamentary elections kicks off
09:56 - 11 June, 2021Snap parliamentary elections 2021: election campaign day 4. Updates
01:46 - 11 June, 2021#armvote2021. Daily News Digest [10.06.2021]
20:30 - 10 June, 2021Financial means of MP candidates: Part Two ["Armenia" alliance]
18:36 - 10 June, 2021