PPA Press Secretary: Actions by the Armenian Authorities Against Tsarukyan’s Business Will Lead to a Wave of Emigration

ArmInfo. Iveta Tonoyan, press secretary of the Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) leader Gagik Tsarukyan, spoke about the losses incurred by the state as a result of the Armenian authorities’ short-sighted policy of persecuting opposition leaders.

In this regard, during a press conference in Yerevan on September 10, Tonoyan recalled that over the past two months, the operations of more than a dozen companies comprising the "Multi Group Concern" organization (owned by PAP leader Gagik Tsarukyan - ed.) have still not been restored. According to her, the exceptions are the "Ararat-Cement" plant and the "Noy" Yerevan Wine-Brandy-Vodka Factory, which were nationalized, as well as the "Multi Wellness" sports complex, which, she said, was transferred to the management of the Yerevan Municipality on unlawful grounds.

"Regarding the "Multi Wellness" sports complex, two criminal cases have been initiated, one against the Yerevan Municipality and the second against the Cadastre Committee. Since the Yerevan Municipality has no right whatsoever to operate "Multi Wellness." That is, all of this is being carried out illegally. As for the "Ararat-Cement" plant and the brandy factory, where the government appointed its own managers, we are also facing an alarming situation here. For example, regarding the "Ararat-Cement" plant, we have information that over the past two months the price of cement has increased by 20%, which will clearly affect the construction business, raise apartment prices and more. That is, here we are dealing with a lack of professional management. And from the "Noy" factory, we are receiving information that mass layoffs are taking place," the PAP press secretary reported.

The suspension of the operations of the companies comprising the "Multi Group Concern" (these companies have been sealed, and their operations suspended - ed.), as Tonoyan noted, also carries economic consequences. "Here we have tragic economic statistics demonstrating that, in addition to the enormous damage to the organization itself, harm is also being inflicted on the state budget. For example, over the past two months, the "Multi Tobacco" company has suffered approximately 4 billion drams in losses. And it is easy to calculate how much tax could have been paid into the state budget. This raises an objective question: what benefit does the state derive from deliberately harming itself? This government has such a strong desire to take revenge at any cost that this circumstance does not interest them at all," the PAP press secretary believes.

Tonoyan believes that the Armenian authorities’ actions toward the PAP leader’s businesses will lead to a wave of  emigration, which the current authorities simply do not care about. In this context, she drew attention to the fact that more than 10,000 employees of companies linked to Tsarukyan are on involuntary leave and, consequently, are not receiving salaries. "In the Republic of Armenia, proclaimed a bastion of democracy, the protection of human rights has turned into a sphere that itself needs assistance. The processes taking place today in Armenia against opposition figures are nothing other than political vendetta. Everyone who is even somewhat familiar with the criminal cases initiated against PAP leader Gagik Tsarukyan, "Strong Armenia" bloc leader Samvel Karapetyan, Armenia’s second president Robert Kocharyan and other political prisoners can see that they lack a legal component," the PAP press secretary concluded.

It should be recalled that on July 6, Prosperous Armenia Party leader and businessman Gagik Tsarukyan was detained and taken to the Investigative Committee of Armenia. He is accused of organizing fraud and the legalization (laundering) of funds on an especially large scale. According to the investigation, in 2022- 2024 a group operating under his leadership, under the pretext of developing trade and economic ties between Armenia and Iran, established joint legal entities involving Iranian citizens, after which it implemented a fraudulent scheme, causing damage amounting to more than $21 million.  In addition, Gagik Tsarukyan was charged with another offense—illegal hunting. On July 7, the court granted the prosecution’s motion to remand Tsarukyan in custody for two months. On September 4, the court extended Tsarukyan’s detention for another two months. As part of the case, on July 6 law enforcement agencies conducted searches at more than 70 addresses linked to Tsarukyan. The doors of all the enterprises were sealed afterward. Some of them were nationalized by the state.

It should also be noted that Armenia’s second president, Robert Kocharyan, is also under arrest.  He has been charged with laundering funds on an especially large scale, abuse of official position and receiving a large bribe. Charges were also brought against 9 other individuals as part of the case. On August 27, Kocharyan was remanded in custody for two months by a decision of the Anti-Corruption Court. Meanwhile, "Strong Armenia" bloc leader Samvel Karapetyan is under house arrest. He is accused of publicly calling for the seizure of power in the country. Later, new charges were brought against the party leader—money laundering and embezzlement of property on an especially large scale.