Anna Hakobyan
Armenian journalist and Second Lady of Armenia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Anna Vachiki Hakobyan (Armenian: Աննա Վաչիկի Հակոբյան; born 1 February 1978) is an Armenian journalist and the editor-in-chief of the Haykakan Zhamanak (Armenian Times) newspaper.[1] She is the former spouse of the current Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan.[2] Unofficially, Hakobyan was regarded as the "First Lady of Armenia", a position that is reserved for the spouses of the President of Armenia.[3][4][5]
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Anna Hakobyan | |
|---|---|
| Աննա Հակոբյան | |
Hakobyan in 2023 | |
| Spouse of the Prime Minister of Armenia | |
| In role 8 May 2018 – 27 February 2026 | |
| Prime Minister | Nikol Pashinyan |
| Preceded by | Lilit Karapetyan (Acting) |
| Succeeded by | Vacant |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1 February 1978 |
| Spouse | Nikol Pashinyan (div. 2026) |
| Children | 4 |
| Yerevan State University | |
| Profession | Journalist |
| Signature |  |
| Website | Official website |
Education and career
Anna Hakobyan was born on 1 February 1978, in the Armenian SSR. She graduated from the Yerevan State University.[6] After she graduated, she began working as a journalist in Armenia. She is currently the editor-in-chief of the largest newspaper in Armenia, Haykakan Zhamanak.[3]
2018 Velvet Revolution
Hakobyan played an active role in the 2018 Armenian Revolution, which were a series of anti-government peaceful mass protests in response to the past president's third consecutive term.[7] On 8 May 2018, Nikol Pashinyan was elected Prime Minister.[8]
Spouse of the Prime Minister
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Hakobyan became the official spouse of the prime minister on 8 May 2018, following her husband's election as prime minister.
On 27 February 2026, Hakobyan announced that she had broken off her relationship with Nikol Pashinyan.[9] Pashinyan noted their marriage was not registered with the Armenian Apostolic Church and wrote "In all my difficult days for the past 30 years, she has stood by my side and been my refuge and support. I am not sure that I have been like that for her. Perhaps I have caused her more bitterness, for which I apologize."[10]
Charity work
Just after the election, Hakobyan initiated a meeting with the charitable organisations involved in pediatric cancer and specialists. During the meeting session under her leadership, a working group to improve the state of pediatric cancer in Armenia was formed. Currently, a charitable foundation, of which Hakobyan is the Honorary President, is in the formation process to support the development of pediatric oncology and hematology in Armenia.[11]
On 7 September 2023, Hakobyan personally handed over 1,000+ smartphones, tablets and laptops for primary schoolchildren at the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine in Kyiv, Ukraine.[12] This was Armenia’s first humanitarian aid for Ukraine since the Russian invasion of Ukraine started in February 2022.[12]
Second Nagorno-Karabakh War
During the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War, Hakobyan went through a week-long training program for combat.[13] She founded the Erato Detachment, which is the first all-women military unit in the Armenian Armed Forces.[13]
