12:00 News in Brief: Baku's Harsh Reaction to Armenian Opposition, Torosyan Responds to Reports of Repression

News from the past hour summarised and detailed:

• David Khudatyan denied reports about nationalizing the factory to isolate the opposition, emphasizing that all illegally seized properties will be returned to the state and citizens.
• The leader of the Prosperous Armenia Party stated that the authorities are turning the pre-election campaign into political blackmail, threats, and an atmosphere of fear, intolerant of any dissent.
• The Minister of Labor and Social Affairs insisted that there is no political repression in the country, and law enforcement is simply combating voter bribery and violations of the law.
• Arsen Torosyan declared that there are no threats in the statements made by Nikol Pashinyan, but rather clear political assessments, as they are not pursuing an ostrich-like policy.
• The Azerbaijani side has severely criticized the promise made by the candidate of the “Strong Armenia” alliance, Samvel Karapetyan, to legally prohibit Azerbaijanis from purchasing land and real estate or receiving gifts in Armenia if he comes to power.
• The Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation emphasized that it was thanks to Moscow's efforts and support that Armenia was able to maintain its sovereignty at the end of the 20th century and overcome the energy blockade.
• The former Secretary General of the alliance stated that NATO cannot survive without the USA, and the European Union is unable to take on the role of the organization in defense and security matters.