Pro-Russian opposition party calls for Armenian election result annulment 

The pro-Russian Strong Armenia party has called on Armenia’s election commission to annul Sunday’s parliamentary election result due to “voting irregularities”.

The opposition alliance’s Aram Vardevanyan told reporters in the capital Yerevan that the petition was submitted on Friday, alleging that the victory claimed by incumbent Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s governing Civil Contract party should not be allowed to stand, despite the huge margin.

The ruling party, which has bolstered ties with Western countries since coming to power in 2018, won 49.8 percent of votes. Strong Armenia secured 23.2 percent in the June 7 election, running on a pledge to maintain Armenia’s traditionally close ties to Russia.

The annulment call came despite Russia’s obvious efforts to influence the race. Moscow was accused of seeking to tip the scales by exerting economic and diplomatic pressure on Pashinyan’s government.

Moscow was quick to condemn the result as soon as it became clear that Pashinyan had won, claiming the vote had been marred by Western interference.

On Thursday, Armenia’s Central Election Commission declared tallies at two polling stations invalid citing a concentration of military personnel at voting sites after polls closed.

Opposition groups have also complained of a spate of arrests before the vote that targeted their parliamentary candidates and supporters.

A group of international electoral observers, while noting allegations of vote-buying and other electoral violations, said voting had gone smoothly in most polling stations.

Analysts accused Russia of online misinformation and spreading Kremlin-friendly narratives portraying Western cooperation as dangerous.

Russia has a military base in the mountainous Caucasian country and is among Yerevan’s top trading partners.

Despite freezing its participation in the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) in 2024, Armenia has remained in the economic bloc, as Pashinyan has sought to maintain pragmatic relations with Armenia’s larger neighbour.

The Kremlin has warned that it would be impossible for Armenia to be part of both the European Union and EAEU.

Ahead of the vote, Russia’s agricultural watchdog suspended seafood imports from Armenia, a vital sector for the economy that sends 30 percent of its exports to Russia.

Bans were also implemented on Armenian flowers, mineral water and alcohol. Trade bans are a common tactic employed by Moscow displeased by former colonies.

The European Union accused Russia of attempting to cripple Armenia’s economy to influence the election’s outcome.

The Election Commission is expected to publish the final results on Sunday.