The Information Environment of the Republic of Armenia and the Dynamics of Narratives April 27 – May 3

Analytical Monitoring Report

1. Context

During the week under review, the information environment continued to be shaped by discussions surrounding the pre-election process, foreign policy orientations, and security-related issues. Criticism over the design of the new biometric passports, reactions to statements made by Arsen Torosyan, as well as debates surrounding the “There Is No Armenia Without Pashinyan” poster evolved into broader discussions on identity, statehood, and the legitimacy of the government.

At the same time, preparations for the Armenia-EU Summit were portrayed as an important stage in the country’s European integration process, while a number of opposition circles interpreted them as evidence of growing external influence.

2. Summary Statistics

2.1. Analysis of Narratives and Their Frequency

Key trends and narratives of the week:

1. Discrediting of Opponents (369 publications) - The leading narrative of the week was primarily shaped around two key developments. The first concerned criticism directed at the authorities regarding the design of the new biometric passports. In particular, claims circulated on social media and opposition platforms alleging that the depiction of Khor Virap in the document was deliberately designed in a way that obscures Mount Ararat. This was framed as a “downgrading” of national symbols and yet another manifestation of the authorities’ “rejection of identity.” The government, however, explained this as a representation consistent with the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia. The second key episode was linked to statements made by Arsen Torosyan. Commenting on the issue of the destruction of a church in Stepanakert, he stated that “Azerbaijan is doing something within its sovereign territory.” This statement drew strong criticism from opposition circles. It was presented as an example of the authorities’ “concessionary stance” on the protection of Artsakh’s cultural heritage and as a reproduction of Azerbaijani narratives. At the same time, pro-government circles attempted to frame the issue within the logic of the peace process, emphasizing the priority of normalization of relations.

2. Borders and Trade (318 publications) - One of the key topics was the issue of reactivating regional connectivity routes and opening communication corridors. The EU Special Representative Magdalena Grono welcomed the meeting of the Armenia–Turkey joint working group on the restoration of the Gyumri-Kars railway. Within the framework of this narrative, attention was also drawn to reports regarding the transportation of fertilizers to Armenia via Azerbaijani territory. According to the Azerbaijani APA news agency, a shipment consisting of eight railcars was to be sent to Armenia.

3. External Influence (305 publications) - This week, the narrative intersected with the “Europe and Armenia” topic. The preparatory process for the Armenia–EU Summit was presented in a number of opposition circles as an increase in the influence of European actors over Armenia’s pre-election processes.

4. Armed Forces (262 publications) - The focus was on the deepening of Armenia-India military cooperation. A publication by The New Indian Express circulated in the information space, reporting that Yerevan and New Delhi are discussing the joint development of military equipment and the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia. According to the report, the Armenian side is also considering the production of Indian-made weaponry on the territory of Armenia, which was presented as a new stage of defense sector partnership and a step toward the diversification of armaments.

5. Europe and Armenia (262 publications) - Preparations for the Armenia-EU Summit scheduled to take place in Yerevan on May 4-5 occupied a central place in the information space. The event was presented as an important milestone in Armenia’s European integration process and in advancing the regional peace agenda. At the same time, the opposition “Armenia” Alliance characterized the summit as “European support” for what it described as manipulative actions by the Armenian authorities.

6. Energy and Infrastructure (261 publications) - The central topic was the discussion surrounding the potential nationalization of Electric Networks of Armenia (ENA). A widely circulated report stated that the government had offered approximately 23.3 billion AMD to the Karapetyan family for the acquisition of ENA, on the condition that dividends received over the past ten years be returned.

7. Peace and TRIPP (243 publications) - The focus was on the delimitation process and discussions regarding the strategic importance of regional connectivity routes. The 13th meeting of the delimitation commission took place in Aghveran, chaired by Mher Grigoryan and Shahin Mustafayev, during which the sides discussed organizational and technical issues related to border delimitation. In parallel, concerns were circulated on social media in the form of commentary suggesting that the delimitation process could lead to further territorial concessions by Armenia. At the same time, Vahan Kostanyan’s statement gained traction in the information space, according to which TRIPP is not merely a project ensuring connectivity between Azerbaijan and Nakhichevan, but a broader regional initiative aimed at linking Central Asia with Europe and fostering mutual economic interests.

8. Existential Threat (228 publications) - Within this narrative, a photograph of a banner reading “There Is No Armenia Without Pashinyan” spread widely on social media and was criticized by opposition circles. In particular, Gohar Meloyan, a member of the “Strong Armenia” party, stated that “according to the logic of the authorities, Armenia ends with Pashinyan,” arguing that it is unacceptable to condition the existence of a state on any single individual.

9. Church and State (200 publications) - The central focus of this narrative was the court case involving Archbishop Bagrat, which was framed by some actors as a form of “political persecution.”

10. Elections and the CEC (174 publications) - Active discussion emerged around a criminal investigation into alleged vote-buying and voter inducement involving representatives of the “Strong Armenia” party. The Anti-Corruption Committee announced that individuals acting on behalf of the party had offered citizens electoral bribes in exchange for votes in the June 7 elections. Within this framework, searches were conducted and five individuals were detained. Some political forces interpreted the vote-buying allegations as evidence of the opposition’s inefficiency and reliance on outdated political practices, while opposition circles characterized the authorities as a force “fulfilling Aliyev’s aspirations.”

2.2. Analysis of Narrative Intersections

A particularly notable intersection was observed between the “Elections and the CEC” and “Discrediting of Opponents” narratives in relation to the vote-buying allegations. Government and opposition actors used the same incident to challenge each other’s legitimacy: the authorities framed it as evidence of the opposition’s “outdated political culture” and inefficiency, while opposition circles presented it as proof that the government was “serving Azerbaijani interests.”

Another significant intersection emerged between the “External Influence” and “Europe and Armenia” narratives. The deepening of Armenia-EU relations and European support were portrayed in several opposition platforms not only as diplomatic engagement, but also as an attempt to influence domestic political processes.

2.3. Platform Analysis

• Telegram (1141) - During the monitoring period, discussions on this platform were most active around the “Borders and Trade” (154), “Europe and Armenia” (140), and “Armed Forces” (124) narratives. Telegram maintained its role as the primary platform for the rapid dissemination of political content.
• Facebook (773) - The most active narratives were “Discrediting Opponents,” as well as “Europe and Armenia” and “Borders and Trade.” Facebook continues to serve as one of the main platforms for political commentary and mutual accusations.
• YouTube (559) - The platform was dominated by programs and analytical discussions related to the “External Influence” and “Discrediting of Opponents” narratives.
• TikTok (149) - The most widespread narrative on this platform was “Discrediting Opponents,” where emotionally charged and politically oriented videos prevailed.

2.4. Actor Analysis

• RA media platforms and news outlets (2083 publications) - During the week, the main focus areas included reporting on allegations of vote-buying and coverage of preparations for the EU Summit.
• Anonymous and/or unidentified information websites (211 publications) - Newly emerging anonymous pages actively entered the information space, focusing primarily on the “Church and State” and “External Influence” narratives.
• Political figures and actors (203 publications) - These actors were particularly active on Facebook, using live broadcasts, short video messages, and rapid responses to ongoing political developments.

3. Chronological Dynamics

4. Conclusions and Key Findings

1. Reactions surrounding the delimitation process indicate that territorial and security-related issues remain among the most sensitive topics for the public. Meetings of an organizational nature are rapidly transformed in the information space into discussions on sovereignty, territorial losses, and “new concessions,” thereby contributing to the reproduction of narratives of fear and distrust.
2. Reactions to the depiction of Khor Virap in the new biometric passports, particularly the absence of Mount Ararat, demonstrate that issues related to historical memory, national symbols, and identity have a strong emotional impact on citizens.
3. Discussions around the Armenia-EU Summit further highlighted that the topic of European integration continues to be associated in several circles with the strengthening of external influence, particularly among actors who are more cautious about the expansion of Armenia’s Western foreign policy orientation.

The monitoring was conducted by the “Media Diversity Institute” (MDI) informational NGO.

The report was developed in accordance with the methodology for monitoring the 2026 parliamentary elections in the Republic of Armenia. Data collection and report generation were carried out using AI-powered tools:

•  the Letsdata digital monitoring tool was used for collecting primary source data,
• while Claude, NotebookLM, and Gemini were used for report generation.

The analysis is based on a pre-selected list of 250 sources (i.e., actors). The process was accompanied by professional oversight, involving a monitoring specialist and a data collection specialist, to ensure reliability.