Ruling party MP considers EU funds for pre-election support not  interference in Armenian affairs, but rather  "exchange of  experience"

ArmInfo.  Sargis Khandanyan, MP from the ruling Civil Contract Party and Chair of the  National Assembly Committee on Foreign Relations, shifted the blame  to disgraced businessman Samvel Karapetyan, thereby "justifying" the  Armenian authorities' request to the EU for funds to counter  so-called "foreign information influence" ahead of the 2026  parliamentary elections. Responding to journalists' questions about  the opposition's concerns regarding the statement by EU High  Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas  that Armenia had asked the EU for assistance to prevent external  interference ahead of the 2026 parliamentary elections, Khandanyan  urged them to consider whether the statement by what he called a  Russian oligarch (Samvel Karapetyan - ed.) constitutes interference  in the country's internal affairs.

In this regard, he pointed out the statements made by Russian state  media and prominent figures regarding the situation in Armenia and  its democratic processes. Khandanyan noted that, in his view, these  statements also constitute a type of hybrid attack. However, despite  this, the ruling party MP urged a multifaceted approach to the  situation, adding that hybrid attacks can be carried out not only  from abroad but also from within the country. Specifically, the MP  urged attention to media headlines.

"The issue of hybrid warfare and disinformation in not unique to  Armenia. The EU and other international structures in this regard  have the appropriate tools to combat such challenges, which have  already demonstrated their effectiveness. Under the signed  agreements, Armenia plans to cooperate with the EU in this area,  while the country also interacts with the EU on other issues," he  noted. According to the MP, there can be no talk of interference in  Armenia's internal affairs, as cooperation with the EU is carried out  through the exchange of experience.