Intense political maneuvering has unfolded in Armenia on the eve of a decisive day. On Saturday, just 24 hours before voting began, the country's Central Electoral Commission (CEC) made a fateful decision: to reject the request to disqualify the opposition party "Strong Armenia" from the election. The bloc, led by Armenian-Russian billionaire Samvel Karapetyan, retains its right to participate in the race.
Allegations of bribery and "legal nonsense"
The initiator of the attempt to disqualify the rival was the pro-European party "Republic." In a statement submitted on behalf of party leader Arman Sargsyan, the political force accused the "Strong Armenia" alliance of massive violations. The document claimed that during the 2026 campaign, and with the acquiescence or consent of the bloc's leadership, numerous acts of distributing electoral bribes and concealing property interests were committed.
However, representatives of "Strong Armenia" categorically rejected these claims. Deputy candidate and lawyer Aram Vardevanyan called the opponents' appeal "legal nonsense." He pointed out that the electoral code requires proof of continuous violations, which, according to the defense, were not provided at all.
"You claim there is an accusation. There is no accusation," Vardevanyan emphasized, pointing to the lack of an evidentiary basis in the competitors' statement.
Commission decision: unanimous rejection
The consideration of the case took two hours. As a result of the meeting, the CEC unanimously rejected the application to cancel the registration of the "Strong Armenia" party. Commission head Vaagn Ovakimyan explained that there were no grounds for disqualification, and the arguments of the "Republic" party were based solely on assumptions rather than facts.
Political context and Pashinyan's position
According to Radio Liberty, the impetus for filing the lawsuit with the CEC arose after debates on Public Television held on June 4, which included Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. During the discussion, the idea was voiced to annul Karapetyan's party's participation based on reports and recordings of voter bribery.
Nevertheless, the incumbent Prime Minister, representing the ruling party, adopted a wait-and-see position. Pashinyan stated that his political force would not appeal to the CEC with such initiatives to avoid creating the impression that the authorities fear losing the upcoming elections.