New Constitution Sparks Fierce Debate in Armenian Parliament
Yerevan, August 11, 2026 – The Armenian National Assembly is currently a scene of intense debate and controversy surrounding the proposed new Constitution and its potential implications for the Declaration of Independence. These discussions, alongside other significant events, have dominated the media landscape, with a total of 3,412 media publications analyzed using media monitoring tools.
The parliamentary sessions have been marked by a scandal over the new Constitution, the nomination of Arusyak Julhakyan, and the ‘Ktrich Nersisyan’ tension, garnering 410 mentions.
Parliamentary Tensions Over New Constitution and Catholicos’s Name
Elections for standing committee chairs are ongoing in the National Assembly. The ‘Civil Contract’ faction has nominated Arusyak Julhakyan for the position of Chair of the Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs. During the session, Julhakyan stated that the government is ‘taking a blank slate’ and writing a new Constitution that will not reference the Declaration of Independence in its preamble. This statement provoked a strong reaction from opposition MPs, including Artur Khachatryan and Anna Grigoryan.
Tensions escalated further when Julhakyan referred to the Catholicos of All Armenians by his secular name, ‘Ktrich Nersisyan,’ leading opposition members to bang on their desks in protest. Media outlets have focused on the ‘horror film-like’ atmosphere in parliament, characterized by personal insults and mutual accusations. Analysts emphasize that abandoning the Declaration of Independence would effectively mean the abolition of the Republic of Armenia and a unilateral fulfillment of Azerbaijani-Turkish demands.
Representatives of the ruling faction, such as Arusyak Julhakyan and Ruben Rubinyan, insist that not referencing the Declaration of Independence has no connection to Aliyev’s demands and that they are solely drafting a new fundamental law for a sovereign state. The opposition, including Anna Grigoryan, Lilit Galstyan, and Aram Vardevanyan, counters that the ruling power lacks a constitutional majority to implement a Constitution demanded by Aliyev. Additionally, Lilit Galstyan and legal expert Artur Ghambaryan have characterized the government’s behavior towards the Catholicos as political persecution and strange logic, where he is addressed by his secular name but judged as Catholicos.
Former Kasakh Community Leader Arrested in Land Alienation Case
The arrest of Ara Mkrtchyan, former head of the Kasakh community in Kotayk province (1996-2021) and father of opposition MP Anna Mkrtchyan, on charges of illegal alienation of Kasakh lands, received 355 mentions.
By court order, Ara Mkrtchyan has been arrested for one month. The Investigative Committee reported that Mkrtchyan and five former community administration employees are accused of illegally alienating 28 community-owned land plots with a market value of 228 million drams through fake auctions between 2016 and 2019.
Media attention has focused on the legal and political aspects of the arrest of an opposition figure’s father. Opposition media narratives portray this as overt political pressure and an attempt to spread fear against Anna Mkrtchyan, who is known for her active criticism. Pro-government circles argue that this is solely an anti-corruption and rule-of-law process to address past official falsifications and abuses. Opposition figures and supporters, however, maintain that the government is using the law enforcement system to silence all opposition members.
Abandoned Newborn Rescued in Yerevan, Sparks Public Discussion
The rescue of an abandoned newborn in a playground on Halabyan Street in Yerevan and the subsequent reactions garnered 310 mentions.
On August 10, at 8:43 PM, an alarm was raised about a newborn girl found wrapped in cloth under iron sheets in a playground near building 13 on Halabyan Street in Yerevan. The child was found by local resident Narek Petrosyan, who immediately called an ambulance. Upon admission to the hospital, the child’s condition was critical, with her body temperature dropping to a critical 30 degrees (hypothermia), and her umbilical cord tied with gauze. The Ministry of Health announced that the child’s life is no longer in danger and she is breathing with the assistance of a CPAP machine. The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs clarified that the child is not currently eligible for adoption and will be transferred to an orphanage after completing her treatment.
The press and social media have been deeply affected by the incident. Emotional interviews with Narek, the rescuer, have been widely circulated. Narek stated his intention to care for the child for the rest of his life and has already chosen the name Angel for her. Law enforcement agencies are attempting to identify the mother as part of a criminal investigation.
Moscow’s December Ultimatum and Threats of ‘Second Wave’ of Russian Repression
Mikhail Galuzin, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister, declared that the EAEU expects Armenia to decide by December whether to join the EU or remain in the EAEU, or to hold a referendum on the matter. He also noted that the issue of revoking Armenia’s voting rights in the CSTO may be discussed at the CSTO summit on November 11. ‘Hraparak’ daily, citing government sources, reported that Moscow has given Nikol Pashinyan one month to make a decision, causing panic within the Civil Contract party. This issue received 280 mentions.
The media is actively analyzing terrifying scenarios of a potential ‘second wave’ of Russian sanctions, including the expulsion of 500,000 Armenian migrant workers from Russia, the closure of airspace for flights to Armenia, which would cripple tourism, and an increase in gas prices.
Civil Contract MP Sargis Khandanyan stated that the referendum agenda for leaving the EAEU is artificial, and there is no reason to activate Armenia’s participation in the CSTO. He also noted that if Russia increases gas prices, Armenia could build a new gas pipeline within the TRIPP project and diversify its sources, not excluding the option of importing gas directly from Azerbaijan. Opposition figure Eduard Sharmazanov and political scientist Ara Poghosyan have described this as irresponsibility towards their own citizens and an overt colonization of the state, where the ‘government acts defiantly against Russia,’ harming 8 billion dollars in trade and its own farmers.
State Revenue Committee Uncovers 1.1 Billion Dram Tax Evasion at ‘Multi Transport’
The State Revenue Committee’s (SRC) operational measures revealed that an inter-regional and intra-regional regular passenger transportation company under-declared approximately 4.3 billion drams in turnover during 2025-2026, resulting in 1.1 billion drams in unpaid tax obligations to the state budget. A criminal case has been initiated, and the company’s director, Artur Dallakyan, has been placed under house arrest with a bail of 15 million drams. This case received 235 mentions.
Media outlets are discussing the issue in the context of a systematic campaign against Gagik Tsarukyan’s assets. Opposition MP Agnesa Khamoyan stated that the ruling team has not only stripped Tsarukyan of his wealth and stolen his mandates but is now trying to morally destroy him.
The SRC and pro-government sources present this as an example of tightening tax administration and fighting the shadow economy. Opposition members, however, argue that this is a new manifestation of political revenge, and the publication of personal data of Tsarukyan’s daughter and son-in-law (Argam Abrahamyan) by the Investigative Committee is a disgrace and a gross violation of the presumption of innocence.
Source: Hraparak.am
