On February 27, 2026, Armenia's political landscape was jolted by an announcement that seemed personal but carried unmistakable political implications: Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and his wife Anna Hakobyan were separating after 30 years of marriage. The timing — exactly three months before anticipated snap elections — immediately fueled speculation about the true motives behind the split.
The Foundation Question
Anna Hakobyan's charitable foundation has been a subject of scrutiny for years. Investigative journalists have documented that the foundation received funding through state procurement contracts classified as state secrets — making independent auditing virtually impossible. The arrangement raises serious questions about whether public funds were being channeled to the PM's family under the cover of charitable work.
$4 Million in US Assets
Records obtained by Cerebro.am reveal that Hakobyan's My Step Foundation accumulated approximately $4 million in assets in the United States. The nature and purpose of these holdings remain unclear. Critics argue the divorce may be designed to shield these assets from potential anti-corruption investigations or asset declarations required of the Prime Minister.
The Timing Problem
An anti-corruption probe targeting entities linked to Hakobyan was opened just days before the separation was announced. Whether the divorce is a genuine personal decision or a calculated legal maneuver to separate personal assets from official scrutiny remains an open question.
In Armenian politics, where the line between personal and political has always been blurred, the Pashinyan-Hakobyan divorce may prove to be the most consequential separation in the nation's modern history.