Candidates for Deputy Passed Armenian Language Test: Only 1 Out of 5 Survived the Testing Phase

On May 30, five citizens aspiring to run for the National Assembly passed an Armenian language proficiency test conducted by the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Armenia. According to Gegham Melikbekyan, the spokesperson for the Minister of Education, Science, Culture, and Sport, “One of the five was ill and did not attend, and out of the remaining four, only one passed the testing phase,” he stated in an interview with 168.am.

The spokesperson emphasized that the Armenian language test is administered in the absence of a valid diploma certifying proficiency in the language. When asked about the identities and party affiliations of the aforementioned five candidates, Melikbekyan responded that this information is personal and cannot be disclosed unless the candidates agree to it in writing.

Hermione Harutyunyan, spokesperson for the Central Electoral Commission, also reported that candidates who have graduated from any university in Armenia are not required to take the Armenian language test, as the commission considers their diplomas as proof of language proficiency. In response to the query regarding individuals who studied abroad needing to take the test, the CEC spokesperson replied, “No, there could be various reasons why a certain person does not possess such a certificate or document.”

The spokesperson for the Ministry of Education noted that it is possible that an individual has lost their diploma and various other issues might arise.

It is worth mentioning that the questionnaire consists of three sections: spelling (35%), pronunciation (35%), and vocabulary (30%).