Armenia’s ruling party receives synchronized donations from hospital directors, investigation finds

By Lia Avagyan

A new investigation by Armenian outlet Infocom found that at least 23 directors of hospitals and medical centers had donated money to the ruling Civil Contract party within a short period in March 2025, in what critics say appears to be a coordinated pattern of contributions by state-linked officials.

According to the report published on Wednesday, the directors transferred more than $15,000 to the ruling party between March 4 and March 11. Most of the donations were relatively modest, ranging from tens of thousands to several hundred thousand drams, but the synchronized timing drew attention because many of the donors head medical institutions subordinate to either Armenia’s Health Ministry or regional authorities.

The investigation identified donations from directors of hospitals and clinics in Gyumri, Vanadzor, Hrazdan, Abovyan, Sevan and other places in Armenia, with clusters of transfers made on the same days. Some officials reportedly made repeated donations later in the year as well.

Armenia’s Health Ministry denied any coordination, telling Infocom that there was “nothing extraordinary” about the donations and that those who wished to contribute had done so voluntarily.

The findings add to broader scrutiny over the financing practices of Civil Contract in recent years.

Earlier investigations by CivilNet and Infocom found that the ruling party raised around $1.3 million during the 2023 Yerevan municipal election campaign, with many large donations allegedly made in the names of ordinary citizens who later claimed they were unaware of the transfers. The same report identified donations by business executives, municipal officials and individuals linked to companies receiving government contracts.

Although Armenian authorities opened investigations into some of the earlier allegations, no major prosecutions followed. Critics and watchdog groups say the repeated appearance of synchronized donations by public-sector officials raises concerns about the use of administrative influence and the blurred line between the Armenian state and the ruling party.