Pashinyan: Systemic Corruption in Armenia Has Been Eliminated Since 2018

YEREVAN — Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan declared that systemic corruption has been eradicated in Armenia since 2018, noting that no such cases exist today.

Speaking at a discussion organized within the framework of the Armenian Democracy Forum, Pashinyan emphasized that refusing to compromise with corruption is sometimes used against his government. He pointed out that it is unprecedented in Armenia’s history for sitting ministers or high-ranking officials, such as the head of the Urban Development Committee, to be prosecuted or arrested for bribery.

At the same time, he reminded the audience of the presumption of innocence, criticizing what he called “unfair practices” of using the anti-corruption fight as a political weapon. He stressed that in a democracy, people should not be publicly condemned based on media headlines.

Pashinyan stated that if systemic corruption still existed, he himself would have had a “share” in the known corruption cases — something he firmly denied. “There has been no systemic corruption in Armenia since 2018, and there will not be,” he said.

However, he acknowledged that isolated cases and manifestations of corruption do occur, as they do in many countries. Despite improvements to the procurement system, he admitted that problems continue to arise.

Would you like me to make this even more concise and journalistic newswire style (around 4–5 paragraphs, short and punchy), or keep it as a more expanded article style like above?