Armenian opposition MP accuses authorities of undermining army's combat readiness

Opposition lawmaker Tigran Abrahamyan, secretary of the Pativ Unem faction, warns that Armenia’s armed forces cannot achieve genuine combat readiness while being systematically undermined at the state level.

Speaking at a parliamentary briefing on Friday, Abrahamyan noted that the past five Septembers, once symbolic for Armenia’s independence and Artsakh’s statehood, have instead become associated with “tragedy and loss”. He pointed to the 44-day war in 2020, the occupation of Armenian territories in 2021 and the forced displacement of Artsakh’s population in 2023.

“Talking about reforms and strengthening the army is pointless when, at the same time, the state dishonors those who sacrificed their lives for the country’s defense,” Abrahamyan argued. “When the army is downgraded to a secondary institution and its structures are constantly attacked, there is no chance to boost its combat readiness.”

Commenting on Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s latest mention of the so-called “Zangezur corridor”, Abrahamyan stressed that since the 2020 war, the term has consistently been used to refer to a transit route through Armenia’s Meghri region, not elsewhere.