Armenian parliament vice-speaker urges voters to 'burn bridges with oligarchs'
Armenia oligarchs election debate
Armenia’s upcoming elections will determine whether voters support the current authorities or back former president Robert Kocharyan together with “two oligarchs and their entourages”, parliament vice-speaker Ruben Rubinyan has said. By the two oligarchs, he referred to prominent local businessman Gagik Tsarukyan and Russian dollar billionaire Samvel Karapetyan. Parties led by both figures have already announced plans to take part in the parliamentary elections scheduled for 7 June 2026. Rubinyan stressed that he does not oppose votes going to “other political forces”, but not to Kocharyan or the “two oligarchs”.
He said the ruling Civil Contract faction aims to secure a constitutional majority in the elections.
“We believe that Robert Kocharyan and the two oligarchs — in fact all oligarchs — must leave the political arena and parliament,” Rubinyan said.
Rubinyan argued that parliament would become a platform for “normal political debate” only if voters “burn all bridges with Kocharyan and the oligarchs” at the ballot box.
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“Opposition figures are trying to create a false impression”
The vice-speaker said that, according to all opinion polls, support for the ruling party is several times higher than that of opposition forces. However, Rubinyan did not specify which surveys he referred to or provide any figures.
He said the ruling party does not fear defeat. At the same time, he added that voters should understand what is happening on the political stage.
“They must know that opposition forces are trying to create a false impression that they have separated from one another. For example, they send people from one political force to another,” he said.
Rubinyan cited specific examples of former MPs from the Armenia faction, led by former president Robert Kocharyan, who later joined other opposition groups.
“For example, Aram Vardevanyan first worked in Kocharyan’s team and acted as his lawyer. Now he represents the Russian oligarch [Samvel Karapetyan] and serves as a member of his team. Andranik Tevanyan was first an MP in Kocharyan’s team, and now he works with Tsarukyan.”
“The established peace is under threat”
The vice-speaker said voters should pay attention to the programmes of political forces and their vision for the country’s future ahead of the elections. He also warned about possible consequences if opposition groups come to power.
“The election and rise to power of Kocharyan and the two oligarchs would mean a return to corruption. The established peace [with Azerbaijan], at the very least, would come under threat,” Rubinyan said.
According to him, the country must not allow the former president and allied opposition forces to take power, otherwise “the country will turn into a breeding ground for looting”.
In recent days, several representatives of the ruling party have warned that opposition groups planning to take part in the elections intend to carry out what they describe as “Operation Gyumri-2”. The vice-speaker also referred to the municipal elections in Gyumri. He noted that only a few months after his election, opposition mayor Vardan Ghukasyan faced arrest on bribery charges.
In the spring of 2025, Gyumri held snap municipal elections. No party secured the required 50% plus one vote. The ruling Civil Contract party received the largest share of the vote, but opposition forces refused to form a coalition with it.
Three of the four opposition groups that crossed the electoral threshold joined forces and backed Armenian Communist Party candidate Vardan Ghukasyan. He then became mayor of the country’s second-largest city. The outcome of the parliamentary elections will now determine who becomes Armenia’s next prime minister.
Ruben Rubinyan said that if Kocharyan and other pro-Russian opposition figures come to power, corrupt officials would no longer face prison sentences, unlike under the current authorities. He argued that this would happen because “they will not allow law enforcement officers to do their jobs — just as during their own years in power”.
He added that the Electoral Code allows political forces to form coalitions and establish a government.
“This is not a crime. But not everything that is not a crime is good. We believe that the rise to power of Kocharyan and the two oligarchs would be bad. This must be avoided. How can it be prevented? People must not give a single vote to Kocharyan and the two oligarchs. We have already seen them in power. I think we do not want that kind of rule to return.”
Armenia oligarchs election debate
