The “Democracy, Law, Discipline” party said its chairman Vardan Ghukasyan will regularly present the key provisions and strategic directions of the party’s election platform.
Ghukasyan stated that Armenia cannot become an anti-Russian state.
“Regardless of political assessments, Russia continues to remain a major military, energy and security actor in the region, whether one likes it or not,” he said.
According to him, Armenia’s strategic partner should be a country that respects Armenia’s sovereignty “rather than viewing Armenia as a colony, project or sphere of influence.”
He added that cooperation with Russia should be built on the basis of respect for Armenia’s security and dignity.
Ghukasyan also emphasized the importance of partnership with the West, provided there are no attempts to undermine Armenian identity or turn the country into a platform for external control.
He also highlighted the importance of relations with Iran based on mutual respect and security balance, as well as the development of ties with France, India, China and European countries, which, in his view, should contribute to strengthening Armenia.
According to Ghukasyan, Armenia’s primary strategic ally should be its own statehood, the Armenian army and the will of the Armenian people.
“A weak state has no allies; a weak state is used,” he stressed.
The DOK party leader also stated that before moving toward state-building, it is necessary to carry out a “sanitary cleansing” within the country.
“Until the country is cleansed from within, we will not have a normal state — forget it,” he said.
Although the Central Electoral Commission rejected Ghukasyan’s registration due to issues related to permanent residence and citizenship documents in recent years, the DOK party continues to participate in the elections and still considers him its candidate for prime minister.
According to U.S. Customs and Immigration Service data, Vardan Ghukasyan entered the United States in 2022 but did not leave within the required period. As a result, he became subject to immigration proceedings and is currently being held in U.S. immigration detention in Las Vegas, Nevada.
