Edgar Ghazaryan: "Despite all the difficulties being created, we will participate in the elections and we will win"

ArmInfo.A rally of the "Strong Armenia" party, led by businessman and philanthropist Samvel Karapetyan, is set to begin any moment now at Liberty Square in the center of Yerevan. The rally is taking place amid a massive gathering of people and units of the Police Guard.

Speaking to journalists, party representative Edgar Ghazaryan noted that the most important moment of today's event will be an address by Samvel Karapetyan. Since the public is unable to hear him directly at the square, the address will be broadcast via video link. Ghazaryan expressed hope that the preventive measure against Samvel Karapetyan will be changed very soon, allowing him to participate in the election campaign. He noted that the authorities are doing everything possible to restrict the party leader's participation in the electoral process, pointing specifically to amendments to the Electoral Code that prohibit parties from using first and last names in the titles of political forces. However, as Ghazaryan remarked, unlike the ruling group, the representatives of "Strong Armenia" rely on intellect and the ability to make decisions in any given situation. "Despite all the difficulties being created, we will participate in the elections and we will win them," the party representative stated confidently.

As a reminder, it became known on March 31 that the "Strong Armenia" party would participate in the upcoming parliamentary elections as part of the "Strong Armenia with Samvel Karapetyan" bloc. Immediately following this, on April 7, the ruling "Civil Contract" party convened an extraordinary session to adopt amendments to the Electoral Code. These changes, on one hand, introduce a ban on monitoring the voting process on election day and, on the other hand, prohibit the use of names and surnames in the titles of parties and blocs. This government initiative sparked bewilderment and indignation among the parliamentary opposition. They pointed out that international practice and the Venice Commission's recommendations for Armenia state that the "rules of the game" should not be changed at least one year before an election.

Earlier reports indicated that the criminal case against Samvel Karapetyan has been transferred to the RA Anti-Corruption Court. The case will be heard by Judge Vahe Dolmazyan, known for presiding over a number of high-profile cases. The first court hearing is expected to take place on April 15. The Investigative Committee announced the completion of the investigation into the criminal case against the businessman on charges of tax evasion, money laundering, and large-scale embezzlement. He is also accused of calling for a power grab.

It should also be noted that the businessman was arrested in June 2025 following statements made in defense of the Armenian Church. Last December, the preventive measure against Samvel Karapetyan was changed to house arrest.