Transparency International Executive Director: Armenia`s NA must  ensure transparency of political parties` financial flows before  parliamentary elections

ArmInfo.The National Assembly of Armenia must amend the republic's Electoral Code and ensure transparency of information on the financial flows of political parties before the parliamentary elections scheduled for June 7, 2026. Sona Ayvazyan, Executive Director of the Transparency  International Anti-Corruption Center, stated this at a press conference in Yerevan entitled "What Prevents a Good Electoral Code from Ensuring Democratic Elections."

She noted that the country is facing new problems that were  identified during the elections to the Vagharshapat and Gyumri  Councils of Elders. According to Ayvazyan, party funding remains  opaque, making it difficult to monitor the movement of these funds.  "Not only is civil society unable to exercise control, but the  Corruption Prevention Commission is also facing certain difficulties  in this regard. It will be impossible to gain full access to  financial revenue data before the elections," Ayvazyan emphasized,  recalling that the problem arose after the Armenian parliament  adopted amendments.

She explained that information on party fund revenues was previously  available before the elections. Now, however, as the Executive  Director of the Anti-Corruption Center noted, funding data for 2025  will only be available at the end of May 2026, and information from  June 2025 to May 2026 will only be available in 2027.

"Therefore, given risks such as possible foreign interference,  'dirty' money in the lead-up to elections, and the activities of  third parties affiliated with parties and not accountable, we remain  without full access to financial details. This raises serious  concerns. Despite the approaching elections, we continue to insist  that the Armenian parliament adopt amendments that will ensure access  to party financial flows before the elections," Ayvazyan concluded.

As a reminder, at a press conference in Yerevan on February 4,  Justice Minister Srbuhi Galyan acknowledged gaps in party financial  transparency. Specifically, she pointed to the lack of regulations to  monitor financial flows, including from third parties.