Political situation in Armenia

Armenia's choice of path – towards the EU or back to Russia

Armenia goes to a parliamentary election on Sunday that could determine whether the country will continue on a more pro-European path or re-establish stronger ties with Russia, writes AP.

Incumbent pro-Western Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is being challenged primarily by three more pro-Russian parties supported by the Kremlin.

“This is the first time in Armenia's history that geopolitical direction has become a key issue,” says analyst and former member of parliament Mikayel Zolyan.

He points out that the country has always belonged to Russia's sphere of interest in the past, but that this is no longer self-evident.

The New York Times points out that the election is the first since Pashinyan signed the peace agreement that meant the country gave up control of the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh. Despite the challengers holding this against him, surveys show that Pashinyan is the most popular candidate.

But if his party misses its own majority, he could still be forced out as he lacks obvious coalition partners.

Russia pressures Armenia ahead of elections – halts trade

Ahead of Sunday's parliamentary elections in Armenia, the Kremlin has stepped up economic pressure on the country, reports the BBC. In the weeks leading up to the elections, Moscow has halted its imports of a number of Armenian goods, including flowers, mineral water, fruit and cognac.

Despite Armenia's rapprochement with the West under current Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Russia remains its largest trading partner. Just over a third of Armenia's foreign trade is with Russia. However, the country's military dependence on the Kremlin has decreased significantly in recent years.

- The only way Russia can influence Armenia now is economically, says Haykaz Fanyan at the Armenian Center for Socio-Economic Studies.

To counter Russian pressure, the EU has promised to support Armenia with 50 million euros. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has also opened up to simplifying trade in the goods that Moscow has stopped.