On June 30, Freedom House launched the 2009 edition of Nations in Transit, which indicates that 18 of the 29 former communist European and Eurasian countries, including Armenia. experienced setbacks in democratic reform in 2008. Armenia is once again defined as semi-consolidated authoritarian regime, having received a democracy score of 5.39. The most pronounced declines occurred as governments imposed restrictions on civil society, turned to questionable governance practices and weakened judicial frameworks and independence.

The study registered more losses than gains in the areas of electoral process, independent media, local democratic governance and corruption. "2008 was a dark year for democracy in the region, in particular in the former Soviet states," said Vladimir Shkolnikov, Freedom House Europe director. "With economic conditions worsening, the region is likely to see authoritarians resort to greater repression, rather than adopt needed reforms."

The full text of Nations in Transit 2009 on Armenia