Unlike Western leaders, Russian President Vladimir Putin has still not congratulated Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian on his party’s victory in the elections shown by their preliminary official results. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has cited “numerous irregularities” reported during the Armenian parliamentary race and said Moscow is waiting for the release of the final vote results expected on Sunday.
The Russian Foreign Ministry reiterated on Wednesday its negative assessment of the Armenian authorities’ handling of the June 7 polls. Its spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, singled out mass arrests of opposition members and supporters which continued on election day.
“This is absolutely unacceptable for us,” Zakharova told a news briefing. “I don't know to what extent it is acceptable for a modern democratic state to arrest people participating in electoral processes on election day or on the eve of elections on absolutely fabricated pretexts and [have] this absolutely unacceptable, monstrous atmosphere of repression.”
The Russian reaction reflected the views of the main Armenian opposition groups but sharply contrasted with statements by EU leaders welcoming the election conduct and outcome. EU Council President Antonio Costa praised Pashinian on Monday for “strengthening Armenia’s resilience, stability and prosperity.”
Russian-Armenian tensions rose further in the run-up to the June 7 elections, with Moscow saying that Yerevan can no longer remain part of a Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) while continuing to strive for EU membership. Putin said on May 9 that Pashinian’s administration must make such a choice “as soon as possible.” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reaffirmed that demand on Wednesday, saying that Armenia’s continued membership in the EEU “has to be sorted out quickly”
“It is not because we don’t respect the choice of the Armenian people. We want to know this choice,” Russian news agencies quoted Lavrov as saying.
Pashinian remains reluctant to make such a choice, mindful of his country’s heavy dependence on Russia for trade and energy. He said on Monday that his government will carry on with its European integration policy. Zakharova insisted that Moscow will not put up with this stance anymore.
Later in May and earlier this month, Russian authorities imposed de facto bans on the vast majority of Armenian-made products exported to Russia. During the election campaign, Pashinian downplayed the embargo’s impact on the Armenian economy while pledging to have it lifted if we wins reelection. He said he will visit Moscow and meet with Putin for that purpose. Peskov indicated on Wednesday that no such talks are planned by the Russian side yet.