Ahead of elections, Armenia will rely on democracy itself to safeguard democracy — FM at PACE

During the winter plenary session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Armenia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Ararat Mirzoyan addressed the parliamentary elections scheduled to be held in Armenia in June 2026, emphasizing that the Government of Armenia will rely on democracy and the mechanisms it provides to safeguard democracy in the country.

He said that the Armenian society has developed immunity to falsehoods, and the determination to protect the hard-won freedoms it now enjoys is stronger than any shadowy actions.

“The peaceful democratic revolution marked a turning point in our country’s modern history. After tasting the bitterness of all previous failures, in 2018 I myself walked alongside hundreds of thousands of my fellow citizens—my brothers and sisters—who filled the streets and cities of Armenia not with weapons, but with open hands, and with the burning conviction that we deserve better. We deserve fair and lawful elections, the right to form a government with our own voices and our own votes; open, accountable, and transparent governance; state institutions free of corruption; social justice; taxes spent on building schools and roads for the people rather than mansions and private estates for oligarchs and corrupt officials or businesses that do not pay bribes to officials and are free from artificial monopolies; and an independent and effective judicial system.

And we proved that a nation can choose its own destiny,” Ararat Mirzoyan emphasized in his speech.

According to the Minister, since 2019 Armenia has implemented large-scale reforms, and the achievements recorded are reflected in the texts and reports of reputable international organizations.

“Most importantly, Armenia has successfully held two snap elections, which were recognized—both domestically and internationally—as free and fair, including by this very esteemed body. These landmark events demonstrated that the will of citizens must be accurately reflected in the ballot boxes.

This June, parliamentary elections will be held in Armenia—an event of paramount importance for us in consolidating the irreversibility of our democracy. This is the moment when the Armenian people will once again demonstrate that their will is the sole source of power in our country.

At the same time, we are not naïve about the realities of the modern world. We know that the enemies of freedom do not sleep. We must acknowledge that they can be highly creative; they are prepared to invest millions of dollars in propaganda machines and illegal interference schemes. They possess nearly unlimited media resources, and they seek to undermine our sovereignty, our aspiration for peace and democracy. They want to drag us back into the darkness of authoritarianism, endless conflict with our neighbors, and weakened sovereignty. They seek to exploit the very tools and mechanisms of democracy in order to dismantle and destroy democracy itself,” Ararat Mirzoyan emphasized.

According to him, confronting these challenges can be made part of everyday practice. Naturally, this gives rise to a dilemma and a fine line: on the one hand, preserving freedom of expression and a pluralistic media environment, and on the other, demonstrating firm resolve in countering “malicious” actors whose aim is to abuse freedom and undermine public trust in society and democracy. Mirzoyan noted that such efforts will intensify as Armenia approaches its next parliamentary elections.

“I stand here today to say: they will not succeed. Our society has developed immunity to falsehoods, and our determination to defend the hard-won freedoms we enjoy is stronger than any shadowy actions. To protect democracy in Armenia, we will rely on democracy itself and the mechanisms it provides, as Prime Minister Pashinyan also stated in his address to this body just a few months ago.

We will be both vigilant and resolute together with our partners, including the Council of Europe and its Parliamentary Assembly, and we will ensure that these elections serve as proof of our democratic resilience,” the Foreign Minister said.