Armenia's opposition has declared the parliamentary elections illegitimate.

The Civil Contract Party won 61 seats in parliament, the Strong Armenia bloc won 28 seats, and the Armenia bloc won 12 seats, the Central Election Commission of Armenia announced. Six opposition parties announced elections and blamed Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan for further escalation of the situation.

As reported by the Caucasian Knot, the Central Election Commission of Armenia announced the final results after a recount, according to which Prosperous Armenia received 3.893% of the vote, failing to pass the parliamentary threshold. Three parties entered parliament: the Civil Contract party with 49.74% of the vote, the Strong Armenia bloc with 23.27%, and the Armenia bloc with 9.92%. The Central Election Commission is also considering re-voting at three polling stations where the results were annulled. Opposition supporters gathered outside the Central Election Commission building. Those gathered outside the Central Election Commission greeted the official parliamentary election results with shouts of "Shame." World boxing champion Israel Hakobyan has gone on a hunger strike, demanding new elections.

The decision to invalidate the vote results does not affect the overall election results, the Central Election Commission stated after reviewing applications from opposition parties.

It announced the results of the distribution of seats in parliament. The Civil Contract party received 61 mandates, the Strong Armenia bloc received 28 mandates, and the Armenia bloc received 12 mandates, Armenia Today reports.

Six opposition political forces issued a joint statement stating that the election results cannot serve as a basis for the formation of a legitimate government that enjoys the trust of the majority of the population, News.Am reports.

"Based on the results of the parliamentary elections held on June 7 and the political situation in the country, the parliamentary elections in the Republic of Armenia were held under conditions that fundamentally call into question the free, fair, and competitive nature of the electoral process. "We, the undersigned political forces, note that throughout the entire electoral process, including the pre-election period and election day, systematic and organized violations occurred that had a significant impact on the freedom of expression of the will of voters, ensuring equal political competition and public trust in electoral institutions, and the current administration allowed clear violations of the principles of electoral law," the opposition emphasized.

In particular, the statement refers to the widespread use of administrative resources and pressure, political persecution and arrests, targeted obstruction of the activities of opposition headquarters, including on election day itself, the use of pro-government, even state-owned media to discredit the opposition, violations and outright fraud at polling stations.

"The official election data presented do not reflect the real will of the people or the accurate election results. The results recorded under such conditions cannot serve as the basis for the formation of a legitimate government that enjoys the confidence of the majority of the population. "Full responsibility for the further escalation of the situation in the country lies solely with Nikol Pashinyan and his administration. We will continue to act exclusively within the framework of the Constitution, laws, and democratic principles, protecting citizens' rights to freedom of expression and the fundamental values ​​of statehood and democracy in the Republic of Armenia," reads the statement, signed by the Strong Armenia and Armenia blocs, the Prosperous Armenia, Bright Armenia, Armenian National Congress, and National People's Pole parties.

Representatives of opposition forces holding a protest outside the commission building responded to the CEC's decision.

"Before our very eyes, the CEC has refused to hold a repeat vote. This is a 'rape' of the law. "Our people are being deprived of 5 opposition mandates that should have belonged to the Prosperous Armenia Party, the opposition, and the people," Novosti Armenia quotes Avetik Chalabyan, coordinator of the Hayakve national-civic union.

Prosperous Armenia Party spokesperson Iveta Tonoyan stated that the Central Election Commission (CEC) is stealing voters' votes.

This is an obvious intent; all this is being done so that the Civil Contract party can try to get 3/5 of the seats in parliament, said Ishkhan Saghatelyan, a member of the Armenia bloc.

"Their overall desire is to have a constitutional majority. It is obvious that despite all the efforts made, the colossal lawlessness and violations during the elections, they were unable to achieve their goal. Now they are trying to openly "Hulliganism to overthrow the constitutional order. What these authorities are doing now is an attempt to ensure their own reproduction," Yerevan Today quotes him as saying.

Ishkhan Saghatelyan also emphasized that the mandate issue is largely an artificial agenda. "Citizens are interested in whether the election results will be annulled and whether a re-run will take place," he said.