Pashinyan’s wife’s campaign funded by public money via secret procurement

By Elen Muradyan

A campaign titled “Education Is Fashionable,” led by Anna Hakobyan, the wife of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, has been funded with public money through a government procurement process that remains shielded from public oversight.

In response to a formal inquiry by CivilNet, the Prime Minister’s Office confirmed that the initiative “Education Is Fashionable” was funded under the framework of official state events. The office stated that the procurement fell under a specific clause regulating “the organization of the procurement process” for protocol-related services.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the initiative’s expenses were incorporated into the government’s classified procurement plan on the grounds that they relate to individuals under special state protection, in this case, the Prime Minister. This classification effectively exempts the campaign from standard transparency and competitive bidding requirements.

The office further noted that it has no information about any additional sources of funding or co-sponsoring organizations. The official statement stressed that the campaign was financed solely as part of events involving the Prime Minister’s participation.

The use of state funds to support an initiative closely associated with the Prime Minister’s spouse, and the decision to classify the procurement as secret, have raised questions about transparency and public oversight.

This development stands in contrast to the principles Pashinyan championed during the 2018 Velvet Revolution, when he rose to power on promises of accountability, transparency, and the elimination of government abuse.