YEREVAN (Realist English). Armenia remains at the epicenter of a political and economic crisis following the parliamentary elections of June 7.
The opposition Strong Armenia bloc has officially demanded that the election results be annulled, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has stated that he is ready for the country’s exclusion from the CSTO, and Russia has imposed a total ban on the import of all regulated products from the republic.
The events of the past two days point to a rapid deterioration in relations between Yerevan and Moscow and a growing domestic political crisis in Armenia.
Strong Armenia Demands Elections Be Declared Invalid
On June 12, the opposition Strong Armenia bloc, led by Russian entrepreneur Samvel Karapetyan, filed an official application with Armenia’s Central Election Commission (CEC) demanding that the results of the parliamentary elections held on June 7 be declared invalid.
Aram Vardevanyan, a representative of the bloc, explained that the appeal to the CEC is a legal formality necessary for subsequently challenging the results in the Constitutional Court. According to him, the entire electoral process, starting from February 7, 2026, “took place with numerous violations; the authorities employed the entire repressive machinery and administrative resources.”
Earlier, on June 11, the CEC invalidated the voting results at two polling stations — one in Yerevan and one in the city of Meghri. The reason was that a large number of military personnel were brought to the polling stations minutes before voting ended and continued to vote after the official closing time.
According to the Prosperous Armenia party, as a result of this decision, it lost 213 votes, which finally dashed its chances of crossing the 4% threshold (the party received 3.996% of the vote).
A representative of the Strong Armenia bloc also pointed to a number of circumstances requiring additional verification: about 100,000 questionable votes, approximately 16,000–17,000 votes cast by military personnel, 17,000 invalid ballots, and about 5,000 voters whose applications to change their polling station were rejected.
Pashinyan: Exclusion from CSTO “Will Be Noted”
At a government meeting on June 11, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that the republic does not intend to change its position regarding the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and is not concerned about the possibility of being expelled from the alliance.
“I know that there is a mechanism for expulsion from the CSTO, and it works. If the CSTO member states decide to expel Armenia from the organization, we will be forced to take note of it,” Pashinyan said.
The statement came a day after Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced that the CSTO member states had agreed to apply the relevant article of the organization’s charter to Armenia due to its non-payment of membership dues for more than two years. Pashinyan also stressed that he “does not intend to change anything” and that he is not worried about the country’s possible expulsion from the organization.
Earlier, during pre-election debates, Pashinyan had already declared that Armenia would not return to active participation in the CSTO and had stated that the government would decide on officially leaving the organization when “the right moment” arrives.
Russia Bans Imports of All Armenian Agricultural Products
Russia’s Rosselkhoznadzor announced a total ban on the import of all regulated products originating from or shipped from Armenia, as well as their transit through Russia to EAEU member states, effective June 12.
The restrictions were imposed due to the “systematic detection of quarantine objects.” The agency reported three cases of infestation with the khapra beetle (one of the most dangerous pests) in walnuts, dried peaches and dried tomatoes imported from Armenia. Rosselkhoznadzor stressed that despite repeated warnings and phased restrictions introduced since May 2026, the violations continue.
The agency stated that the decision indicates insufficient control by the competent authority of Armenia and erodes trust in the phytosanitary certification system. The ban will remain in effect “until a specific algorithm is developed to ensure the safety and traceability of shipped goods.”
Earlier, from June 2, restrictions were imposed on the import of grapes and stone fruits (cherries, sweet cherries, apricots, plums, peaches), as well as fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, leafy greens and strawberries. Experts note that the Russian market is unlikely to notice the disappearance of Armenian fruits and vegetables, but for Armenian producers, these restrictions could be a serious economic blow.
