Arayik Harutyunyan, Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister of Armenia, commented on Armenia’s progress in the World Press Freedom Index, stating on Facebook that while the state has ensured press freedom, it is often perceived as a license for irresponsibility.

He emphasized the urgent need for swift self-regulation within the media sector.

“Dear journalists, media outlets, and journalist associations, today I followed comments on Armenia’s significant progress in the World Press Freedom Index. Clearly, the public recognizes that the state has ensured unprecedented press freedom, but many of you interpret that as a license for permissiveness, incitement to intolerance, and provocation,” he wrote.

Harutyunyan said the government will continue adopting practices from the most democratic countries, but warned that unless the media acts quickly to self-regulate, the public may pressure authorities to enforce stronger regulatory measures—which he noted journalists would then denounce as restrictions on freedom of speech.

He called on the media to work together to improve the situation, noting that the newly established Department for Participatory and Open Governance within his office is ready to facilitate these discussions.