“Through War We Achieved Statehood and Independence” — Pashinyan in Arabkir

YEREVAN — Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said Armenia’s parliamentary election campaign ahead of the June 7, 2026 vote is proceeding in a positive atmosphere despite the country’s ongoing challenges.

Speaking to residents during a campaign meeting, Pashinyan stated that Armenia has moved beyond a phase of mere struggle and survival and has entered a new stage focused on development.

“This does not mean all problems in Armenia have been solved, nor that we have forgotten any tragedy or challenge we have faced. It means that the Republic of Armenia has overcome numerous difficulties and transitioned from a survival agenda to a development agenda,” he said.

Pashinyan also claimed that housing construction in Armenia has doubled compared to previous decades and said the government has provided approximately $1 billion in assistance to citizens purchasing homes since 2018.

The prime minister further emphasized that, for the first time in Armenia’s modern history, the minimum pension now exceeds the minimum consumer basket.

According to Pashinyan, the minimum pension has risen from 16,000 drams in 2018 to more than 50,000 drams today, including cashback incentives from cashless transactions.

“We are proud to say today that the Republic of Armenia is flourishing as a state,” Pashinyan declared, adding that the 2018 Velvet Revolution had brought an additional $6.6 billion into the state budget.

He argued that without the revolution, those funds would have gone into the pockets of the former “criminal oligarchy,” as he described Armenia’s previous ruling system.