Pashinyan claims to know exact day he became Armenia's 'true PM'

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan claims no government in history has ever been immune to criticism.

“In political history, there has never been, and will never be, a government that cannot or should not be criticized objectively. This is an essential part of democracies, where the opposition criticizes and the authorities respond,” Pashinyan said, addressing the parliament on Thursday.

His remarks came after MP Tadevos Avetisyan from the opposition Hayastan faction presented statistical data suggesting that living standards in Armenia had declined rather than improved under Pashinyan’s rule.

“When I was elected prime minister in June 2018, I quickly came to the realization that I was only nominally the prime minister of the Republic of Armenia – more like a de facto or symbolic leader. But by June 2025, what has changed most for me is that I now truly consider myself Armenia’s full-fledged prime minister,” he remarked.

“I know the exact day I became the true prime minister of Armenia. From that moment on, I have acted entirely within that framework. That day was October 6, 2022 when I became the first Armenian leader to formally recognize the country’s territorial integrity.”

The date refers to Pashinyan's recognition of Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) as part of Azerbaijan.