Armenian PM orders revision of national security strategy, hints at constitutional reform

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has signed a decree establishing an interdepartmental commission to oversee the revision of the country’s National Security Strategy.

The commission will be led by Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan and will include heads of two parliamentary committees, Caliber.Az reports citing Armenian media. Deputy ministers from all 12 ministries, as well as senior officials from the State Revenue Committee, National Security Service, Foreign Intelligence Service, and the General Staff of the Armed Forces will also participate in the commission.

In February 2024, Pashinyan stated that Armenia needed a revised National Security Strategy to safeguard the country's legitimate territorial integrity, as the current strategy, which has been adopted in 2020, no longer addresses existing challenges.

Additionally, Pashinyan once again pointed to the necessity of drafting a new Armenian Constitution. Addressing the nation, he emphasized that Armenian citizens should see themselves not only as founders of the Republic but also as creators of the system of rights and responsibilities.

According to the prime minister, Armenians have historically lived under systems imposed by others, which has shaped their perception of governance. He stated that both historical and political factors contribute to the prevailing view that the current system was externally imposed rather than chosen by the people.

By Nazrin Sadigova