EU pledges support to Armenia against hybrid threats ahead of elections

The European Union has pledged assistance to Armenia in countering hybrid threats ahead of the parliamentary elections scheduled for June next year.

Speaking on December 15, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas told reporters in Brussels that Armenia had "asked similar help to fight the malign influence, like we granted to Moldova," Caliber.Az reports per Armenian media.

According to Kallas, such assistance can help safeguard Armenia’s democratic processes against interference.

Commenting on Kallas’s remarks, Armenian Economy Minister and Deputy Chair of the ruling Civil Contract party, Gevorg Papoyan, warned that hybrid attacks could include attempts to undermine democracy through disinformation or voter bribery.

“Certain actors with vast financial resources, as well as some countries with a vested interest in destabilising Armenia, may try to influence the elections,” Papoyan said.

He added that protecting democracy and national interests is a sovereign right, noting that it was natural for Armenia to defend itself and its democratic institutions from such threats.

By Aghakazim Guliyev