Arsen Torosyan, Armenia’s Minister of Labor and Social Affairs and board member of the Civil Contract party, addressed criticism of the September 11 government decision to remove the image of Mount Ararat from the country’s passport entry and exit stamps. Writing on his Facebook page, Torosyan explained the rationale behind the controversial move.
He stated that the stamp design has been updated to meet modern border-crossing standards and to reflect the ideology of what he called the “Real Armenia.”
“Certain opposition groups have launched a fresh wave of disinformation regarding a government decision made last Thursday, which defines the format of passport stamps used when crossing Armenia’s state border.
First, I want to clarify that in many countries, stamps are no longer placed in passports at all during border crossings. In fact, with our neighbor Georgia, we can cross the border using only an ID card without any stamp, as all movements are digitally recorded.
The new stamps will only include basic crossing information, without any images, including Mount Ararat, which is in line with the global norm. The stamp size has also been reduced to ensure longer passport usability for frequent travelers.
The reasoning is simple: the stamps have been aligned with modern border management standards, and with the vision of the Real Armenia. I’ve attached examples of the new stamp design defined by the decision, as well as stamps from other countries in my own passport to illustrate the point. I’m sure many of you also have similar examples in your passports,” Torosyan wrote.
The decision, adopted as a non-reportable agenda item, sparked backlash across social media platforms.
