# Armenian security, constitutional reform, and election shift

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/armenian-security-and-border-dispute-tensions
> Updated: 2026-09-16T14:26:08.000Z. Sources: 12. Developments: 2.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has reaffirmed that territories including Sevan Lake and Jermuk remain part of Armenia. During parliamentary sessions, he also clarified that the government has never raised the issue of withdrawing the 102nd Russian military base located in Gyumri.

Regarding domestic legal frameworks, Minister of Justice Surbuh Galyan announced that a draft for a new Constitution is expected to be published by the end of the year following discussions with partners. She clarified that any previously circulated texts were not official working drafts from the Ministry. Additionally, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has ordered Armenia to pay 50,000 euros in non-material damages to the family of soldier Artur Margaryan following an investigation into his 2014 death that the court deemed insufficient.

Political analysis of the 2026 parliamentary elections indicates a shift in voter behavior, with the combined vote share of the four leading opposition forces nearly doubling compared to the 2021 elections. In preparation, the Central Electoral Commission reported that 2,005 polling stations have been formed, with video surveillance installed in 1,757 of them.

To ensure public service remains competitive, the government has approved a legislative package to implement substantial salary increases for high-ranking officials, effective January 1, 2027. This initiative, which includes the Prime Minister and ministers, is expected to cost an additional 25 billion AMD annually. Separately, new regulations for identity document fees will take effect by November 2026, with passports costing 28,650 drams and ID cards 5,950 drams. On a regional level, 1.1 billion drams have been allocated for infrastructure subvention programs across 19 communities.

## Claims

- The draft of the new Constitution is expected to be published by the end of the year. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- The Armenian government allocated over 1.1 billion AMD for subvention programs across 19 communities. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- Minister of Territorial Administration Davit Khudahtyan stated that co-financed subvention programs will reach 12.011 billion AMD in the 2026 state budget. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- Nikol Pashinyan stated that the occupied territories of Sev Lake and Jermuk are considered part of Armenia. (single source)
- The total votes for the leading four opposition forces in the 2026 parliamentary elections nearly doubled compared to 2021. (single source)
- Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that Armenia has never raised the issue of removing the 102nd Russian military base from Gyumri. (single source)
- The Armenian government approved a legislative package to increase salaries for high-ranking officials, costing an additional 25 billion AMD annually starting January 1, 2027. (single source)
- Under the new plan, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's salary will increase from 1.58 million to 2.66 million AMD. (single source)
- The proposed legislation will double ministers' salaries from 998,000 AMD to approximately 2 million AMD. (single source)

## Timeline

### 2026-09-16: Armenia approves official salary increases and new document fees

Armenia's government approved a 25 billion dram package to raise salaries for high-ranking officials by 2027, alongside new identity document fees and regional infrastructure funding.

12 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/armenia-conducts-diplomatic-and-cultural-outreach-in-france-and-the-us

### 2026-09-11: Armenia: Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan holds press conference

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan addressed journalists in a press conference covering domestic economic issues, political allegations, and regional security matters.

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/armenia-prime-minister-nikol-pashinyan-holds-press-conference

---
Cite as: Armenian security, constitutional reform, and election shift. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/armenian-security-and-border-dispute-tensions