Opposition MP slams restrictions on access to Armenian army units

Opposition lawmaker Tigran Abrahamyan has criticized the Defense Ministry for blocking MPs' visits to army units and frontline positions, while instead promoting visits by cultural figures.

In a Facebook post on Tuesday, the Pativ Unem faction MP claimed the authorities are deliberately restricting access to those capable of realistically assessing the situation on the ground.

“the government finds it concerning when people who actually understand the situation enter military bases or combat posts and make assessments based on real conditions,” he wrote.

According to Abrahamyan, the army has been turned into a “closed world” shielded from outside scrutiny, while the public is shown “fairy-tale changes” through staged cultural visits and symbolic campaigns. He accused the authorities of trying to conceal troubling developments within the armed forces, even as they disclose sensitive details in other areas that should remain confidential.

“The people making these decisions often hold their positions by accident,” Abrahamyan said, adding that they serve the interests of the Armenian premier, who even "restricts officials from visiting the Yerablur Military Pantheon".