Yerevan, September 18, 2025
Armenia’s decision to remove the image of Mount Ararat from its passport entry stamp starting November 1 has ignited a charged debate over identity and symbolism that is already shaping the pre-election landscape, according to a weekly round-up on CivilNet hosted by Stella Meghrabekyan and Arshaluis Mgdesyan.
Officials insist the move is unrelated to Turkish demands and is part of a broader “state resilience” strategy. But the change touches raw nerves: Ararat – visible from much of Armenia but located inside Turkey – has long served as a powerful national symbol. Commentators on the program argued that such symbols are not ceremonial details but political signals with real social impact.
Politics through the prism of symbols
The hosts said nearly every major domestic message now fits a campaign frame:
Civil Contract (Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan) is campaigning on delivering peace “by all possible means” and removing obstacles along that path.
The “With Honor” faction linked to former President Serzh Sargsyan vows to remove Pashinyan, accusing him of undermining Armenia’s security and territorial integrity.
Businessman Gagik Tsarukyan and his Prosperous Armenia party are courting attention with splashy proposals – including erecting what they tout as the world’s largest statue of Jesus Christ.
Allies of detained Russian-Armenian tycoon Samvel Karapetyan have launched a political movement widely expected to morph into a party.
Former President Robert Kocharyan is still searching for a viable pre-election formula as the opposition struggles to redefine itself.
With public apathy hovering around 60% in recent polling cited on the program, the opposition lacks a clear alternative narrative, the hosts said, while the government continues to set the agenda – even if some initiatives “overshoot” and spark backlash.
Peace track rebranded, not resolved
Meghrabekyan and Mgdesyan described a “rebranding” of the Armenian-Azerbaijani peace process – moving from Russia’s orbit toward U.S. stewardship after the August 8 Washington announcements.
They stressed that de facto border stability matters politically, even if the eventual text of a peace deal and its on-the-ground implementation remain uncertain. In that context, Pashinyan’s camp currently looks strengthened; the opposition has yet to articulate what it would do differently.
Beyond the stamp: a broader identity reset?
Removing Ararat from the passport stamp, the hosts argued, fits a deeper push by authorities to align state symbols and narratives with legally defined borders and obligations.
They warned, however, that changes have sometimes been rolled out with clumsy strategic communication, risking unnecessary social friction. Debate may extend to other emblems – such as the national coat of arms, which also features Ararat – if the government pursues a full symbolic recalibration.
Regional notes
The show briefly flagged the visit of EU Enlargement and Neighborhood Commissioner Marta Kos to Baku this week, with Yerevan on her itinerary next – another sign that external actors are re-engaging as the campaign season heats up.
