THE IRON LADLE OF POWER: HAYK KONJORYAN UNDER NIKOL PASHINYAN’S PATRONAGE
From Chameleon to Vice President
Hayk Konjoryan, who was elected Vice President of Parliament on August 4, 2026, has gone from being a member of “Bright Armenia” to becoming one of Nikol Pashinyan’s closest allies. For his political flexibility in switching between several camps, opponents have dubbed him the nickname “Chameleon.” He received his first mandate on May 25, 2018, as a result of the redistribution of seats within the “Yelk” Alliance, and by October had left Edmond Marukyan’s party, declaring that he was joining the “team of the revolution.” Within the party, he had formulated his position in extremely direct terms: “There is one wing in ‘Civil Contract’ — Nikol Pashinyan’s wing.” It was precisely this formula that explains his rapid rise, despite the scandals that followed one another.
The 54-Million-Dram Townhouse and the Family Business
At the center of the property investigation is the July 26, 2024 transaction, under which Konjoryan’s family acquired a townhouse in Arinj from “Milon Mining” LLC for 54 million drams. This was 19.8 million drams below the minimum price set by the developer — 410,000 drams per square meter. The transaction was formalized at the threshold of 55 million drams, thanks to which Konjoryan’s wife, Shushan Aleksanyan, was able to receive a 6.18 million dram income-tax refund.
An important detail is that the selling company had a connection with the MP’s brother. “Milon Realty” LLC, which was engaged in the sale of the properties, was headed until January 5, 2026, by Avet Konjoryan, Hayk Konjoryan’s brother. The brother himself did not answer journalists’ questions, but the developer’s lawyer, Lavrent Harutyunyan, made a statement about alleged financial abuses by Avet, estimating the damage at “more than $100,000.” Avet Konjoryan already has a criminal conviction: in 2010, he was sentenced to four years of imprisonment, suspended, for fraud during the sale of an apartment (Article 178 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia).
“Form 8” and the Strange Certificate
In 2025, Avet Konjoryan was deprived of his driving license and was subsequently caught behind the wheel again. He was fined 375,000 drams under a simplified procedure. The case contained a “Form 8” certificate confirming that the previously convicted person had not been subjected to criminal prosecution, whereas the 2010 judgment existed. The Ministry of Internal Affairs stated that it had no information regarding the issuance of such a document in 2025, while the Investigative Committee claims that it received it precisely from that institution. The origin of the document thus remains unclear. At the same time, the MP’s brother was presented as unemployed in the case, despite formally continuing to remain the director of “Milon Realty” LLC.
A State-Owned Company for the Wife
On November 22, 2024, Shushan Aleksanyan was appointed head of the state-owned company “HayPost.” The competition was conducted without the publication of minutes and criteria. The head’s salary increased sharply, from 10.4 million drams in 2023 to 43.7 million drams in 2025 (more than $10,000 per month). Konjoryan called that salary “the lowest in history,” but the documents necessary for verification were not published.
The paradox is that in 2025, “HayPost’s” revenue decreased by 7 percent, from 9.8 billion to 9.1 billion drams, gross profit decreased by 30 percent, while the salary fund of senior management increased by 28 percent. Aleksanyan explains the losses by depreciation and refers to 1 billion drams in dividends paid to the state. However, these were payments made against an old debt from 2011–2016, which the government had approved back in 2021.
Rhetoric and Double Standards
Konjoryan has been remembered for his aggressive attacks against the opposition: he has called his opponents “rebels,” “mafiosi,” “cannibals,” and “bloodthirsty wolves,” defended Article 137.1 of the Criminal Code (“grave insult”), and demanded that opposition MPs be stripped of their mandates for absences. However, when questions arose around his family, the authorities suddenly remembered that it was necessary to wait for court decisions.
In December 2025, Konjoryan submitted complaints to the staff of the National Assembly against journalists Sona Grigoryan and Knar Manukyan for asking uncomfortable questions. Both were deprived of their accreditation for one year. The court had previously already declared such deprivation unlawful in Manukyan’s case.
Political Response
Nikol Pashinyan stated that all the episodes should receive a legal assessment and, despite the scandals, ruled out reconsidering Konjoryan’s candidacy for the position of Vice President. In March 2026, materials concerning “Milon Mining” were transferred to the Anti-Corruption Committee. However, apart from the investigation, no separate political assessment was ever voiced. Konjoryan was confirmed as Vice President, and the “one wing” rule operated without interruption. In this story, what remained ironclad was not the ladle he had promised, but the political armor provided by the authorities.