Alen Simonyan votes, rules out post-election unrest

Armenia’s Speaker of Parliament, Alen Simonyan, cast his ballot in Sunday's parliamentary elections, expressing absolute confidence that the democratic transparency of the vote will prevent any post-election unrest.

Simonyan, a senior member of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's ruling Civil Contract party, arrived at his polling station accompanied by his daughter. Speaking to reporters, the Speaker voiced his aspirations for her to grow up in a “peaceful, rich, and open country” while urging all Armenian citizens to actively participate to safeguard the nation's free and democratic landscape, News.Az reports, citing Armenpress.

Addressing the wave of recent law enforcement crackdowns and incriminating audio leaks regarding election bribery, Simonyan emphasized that the public harbors a deeply negative stance against corruption. He noted that the unfolding investigations are fundamentally altering voter behavior.

“People who had no intention of voting, and those who were inclined to vote for those forces, are now either refraining or are going to vote very actively,” Simonyan stated, adding that he expects law enforcement agencies to hold every perpetrator legally accountable.

Most high-profile vote-buying allegations during this election cycle have centered around the opposition Strong Armenia bloc. The Speaker sharply criticized these tactics, arguing that only corrupt actors should fear the law and that desperate political factions resort to bribery because they lack authentic public support.

“I am sure they understand that they are going to lose and may stop engaging in politics," Simonyan asserted. "Seven or eight years ago we were fighting to ensure that the authorities did not distribute money; now we are fighting to ensure that the opposition does not distribute money.” He also revealed that a new legislative bill has been introduced to stiffen penal guidelines, raising the maximum prison sentence for vote-buying from 7–8 years to 9–10 years.

Dismissing the potential for political volatility after the ballots are tallied, Simonyan declared that public unrest is a thing of the past. “If elections are free and fair, as they have been since 2018, regardless of who wins, such a thing cannot happen. It is impossible.”

Reflecting on Civil Contract’s campaign run, the Speaker lauded the "fantastic energy" and high voter engagement across the country, comparing the atmosphere to the historic 2018 revolution. Looking toward the future, Simonyan concluded by expressing his hope that Nikol Pashinyan would remain the party's prime ministerial candidate well into 2031.

News.Az 

By Aysel Mammadzada