By Susan Badalian
YEREVAN (Azatutyun) — Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and his influential common law wife, Anna Hakobyan, announced the breakup of their long-term de facto marriage on February 27 in a surprise move dismissed by their detractors as a pre-election ploy.
Hakobyan made the announcement in a video message recorded on February 25. She gave no clear reason for the divorce confirmed by Pashinyan in a separate Facebook post.
“In all my difficult days for the past 30 years, she has stood by my side and been my refuge and support,” wrote Pashinyan. “I am not sure that I have been like that for her. Perhaps I have caused her more bitterness, for which I apologize.”
Hakobyan already stated on February 17 that her 30-year marriage with Pashinyan has come to an end. Many suggested then that the couple has finally formalized it. Pashinyan previously revealed that their marriage was not registered with the Armenian Apostolic Church or a relevant state body. On February 14, Hakobyan and Pashinyan attended a public discussion of a book written by him nearly two decades ago.
Their divorce was officially announced just days after the head of Armenia’s Anti-Corruption Committee (ACC) said that the law-enforcement agency is looking into opposition claims that a charity run by Hakobyan is breaching a law that bans politicians and individuals linked to them from engaging in benevolent activities in the run-up to elections.
