Toggle navigation menu.
Helsinki Default Banner

Reform in Armenia

Assessing Progress and Opportunities for U.S. Policy

Members

PDF icon

Senator Ben Cardin

Ranking Member

Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe

PDF icon

Representative Marc Veasey

Commissioner

Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe

Representative Robert Aderholt

Commissioner

Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe

PDF icon

Representative Frank Pallone

Member of Congress

U.S. House of Representatives

PDF icon

Representative Jackie Speier

Member of Congress

U.S. House of Representatives

Representative Sheila Jackson Lee

Member of Congress

U.S. House of Representatives

Witnesses

PDF icon

Hamazasp Danielyan

Member of Parliament (My Step Alliance)

National Assembly of Armenia

PDF icon

Daniel Ioannisian

Program Director

Union of Informed Citizens

PDF icon

Jonathan D. Katz

Senior Fellow

German Marshall Fund

PDF icon

Arsen Kharatyan

Founder & Editor-in-Chief

Aliq Media

PDF icon

Miriam Lanskoy

Senior Director

National Endowment for Democracy

Last year, peaceful mass protests swept Armenia’s ruling party out of power, ending its more than two decades at the helm of Armenian politics. Protest leader and opposition legislator Nikol Pashinyan rode the wave of what has been termed Armenia’s Velvet Revolution to a landslide victory in national elections in December. Voters gave his My Step Alliance two-thirds of the seats in parliament, with a robust mandate to follow through on his promises to fight corruption, govern democratically, and grow the economy.

This democratic opening presents an historic opportunity to advance crucial reforms. Some U.S. assistance is already helping to strengthen Armenia’s democratic institutions and there are Congressional calls to double this aid. Even so, many Armenians have been critical of the pace of Pashinyan’s reforms, saying that his government has been too cautious and indecisive in its policymaking.

In light of these developments, the U.S. Helsinki Commission convened a hearing to assess the Armenian Government’s achievements thus far, identify priority areas for reform, and highlight opportunities for the U.S. to support the reform process.

Commissioner Marc Veasey presided over the hearing, voicing his interest in learning how to best orient U.S. and multilateral assistance to Armenia’s reform program. He expressed his regret over the closure of the OSCE Field Office in Yerevan in 2017 that resulted from the objections of the Azerbaijani government. Rep. Veasey further highlighted U.S. efforts to compensate for the loss of the OSCE Field Office by coordinating an Armenian Cooperation Program among OSCE participating states who contribute voluntarily to sustaining some OSCE programming in the country.

Two co-chairs of the Congressional Armenian Caucus, Rep. Jackie Speier and Rep. Frank Pallone, also gave opening statements. Drawing on their recent travel to Armenia, both remarked on the progress and reforms they observed there and stressed the importance of increasing United States aid to the country to strengthen Armenia’s democratic institutions.

During the hearing, the Commission heard testimony from a Member of Parliament from the My Step Alliance, Hamazasp Danielyan; the founder and editor-in-chief of Aliq Media, Arsen Kharatyan; the program director for the Union of Informed Citizens, Daniel Ioannisian; senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund, Jonathan Katz; and senior director at the National Endowment for Democracy, Miriam Lanskoy.

All the witnesses remarked on the remarkable nature of Armenia’s political transformation since the Velvet Revolution. Mr. Danielyan and Mr. Kharatyan explained that it was a revolution of values, where people were struggling for democratic principles and human rights over corruption and authoritarianism.

The witnesses noted that Armenia still has a long way to go in its reforms. Mr. Ioanissian and Ms. Lanskoy testified about the remaining corruption in Armenia. They each noted the continued power of oligarchs in the media, especially those with close ties to Russia, while independent media organizations lack the funding and institutional support to break in to the media market. They encouraged the United States to support independent media organizations in Armenia.

Mr. Ioanissian and Mr. Katz detailed the reliance Armenia has on energy imports, specifically natural gas from Russia. They both recommended that the United States assist Armenia in its pursuit for energy independence.

Mr. Ioanissian, Ms. Lanskoy and Mr. Katz analyzed the reasons for Armenia’s slow pace of reforms. They attributed the lagging pace to the inexperience of the new politicians and authorities swept into power by the revolution. All three witnesses stressed the importance of international assistance to strengthening Armenia’s democratic institutions—particularly the parliament and judiciary—to ensure the durability of future reforms.

Category
Country
Issue
Date
Filter Topics Open Close
In the News

Bipartisan House members push Biden to allow Poland ...

Oct 30, 2024

In the News

US Weighs NATO Ally’s Offer To Shoot Down Russ...

Nov 01, 2024

screen-reader-text
In the News

Bipartisan report urges rethink of America’s Russia ...

Sep 28, 2024

screen-reader-text
In the News

Wilson Talks Russia Strategy

Oct 02, 2024

screen-reader-text
Press Releases

Chairman Wilson Issues Statement on Government Raids...

Oct 25, 2024

WASHINGTON—Today, US Helsinki Commission Chairman Joe Wilson (SC-02), issued the following statement regarding the government raids on the homes of the two Tbilisi, Georgia-based researchers with the US-based Atlantic Council: “It […]

screen-reader-text
Press Releases

Senator Roger Wicker Appointed Chairman of the U.S. ...

Feb 12, 2025

WASHINGTON—The Presiding Officer, on behalf of the Vice President, last week announced the appointment of U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., as chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in […]

screen-reader-text
In the News

Congressman Steve Cohen: ‘Ivanishvili is steer...

Jan 13, 2025

screen-reader-text
In the News

Helsinki Commission Leaders Reintroduce MEGOBARI Act...

Jan 04, 2025

screen-reader-text
In the News

Bipartisan lawmakers renew push for legislation supp...

Jan 03, 2025

screen-reader-text
In the News

Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe...

Jan 01, 2025

screen-reader-text
In the News

Helsinki Commission Report on the war against NATO f...

Dec 31, 2024

screen-reader-text
Press Releases

NEW REPORT—Spotlight on the Shadow War: Inside Russi...

Dec 12, 2024

WASHINGTON—Today, the U.S. Helsinki Commission staff published a new report entitled, “Spotlight on the Shadow War: Inside Russia’s Attacks on NATO Territory.” Since the outset of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, […]

screen-reader-text
Publications

Spotlight on the Shadow War: Inside Russia’s A...

Dec 12, 2024

Executive Summary: Since the outset of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russian sabotage campaigns across North America and Europe have accelerated. Calculated campaigns of hybrid warfare show that Russia’s antagonistic […]

screen-reader-text
Statements

Chairman Wilson on the 30th Anniversary of the Budap...

Dec 05, 2024

WASHINGTON—Today, U.S. Helsinki Commission Chairman Representative Joe Wilson (SC-02) issued the following statement on the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Budapest Memorandum: “Thirty years ago, Ukraine, the United […]

screen-reader-text
Press Releases

HEARING – The Role of Belarus in Russia’s Crimes

Dec 05, 2024

Rayburn House Office Building 2118 Stream live here   Under the 30-year dictatorship of Alyaksandr Lukashenka, Belarus has become one of the most isolated and dangerous countries in Europe. Lukashenka […]

screen-reader-text
Hearings

The Role of Belarus in Russia’s Crimes

Dec 05, 2024

Under the 30-year dictatorship of Alyaksandr Lukashenka, Belarus has become one of the most isolated and dangerous countries in Europe. Lukashenka and his regime have destroyed and uprooted many lives—jailing […]

screen-reader-text
Press Releases

Chairman Wilson and Ranking Member Cohen Condemn Rus...

Dec 05, 2024

WASHINGTON—Today, U.S. Helsinki Commission Chairman Representative Joe Wilson (SC-02) and Ranking Member Representative Steve Cohen (TN-09) issued the following statement condemning Russia’s malign interference in the Romanian presidential election, the second round of which is scheduled […]

screen-reader-text