
ArmInfo. Just recently, few could have imagined that schoolchildren and students in prosperous European countries would one day take to the streets and put forward strict demands for reform in the education system, adding new demands to purely educational ones: numerous problems and issues related to the lives and well-being of young people, the new generation. It was difficult to predict. This was written on his Facebook page by businessman Gagik Tsarukyan, leader of the Prosperous Armenia party and currently under arrest at the Yerevan Center penitentiary.
According to Tsarukyan, European governments are also unable to offer quick solutions because the problems are truly deep-seated.
"Following this theme, I want to remind you of something. A few months ago, I had an idea: let's give young people, schoolchildren and students, the opportunity to submit proposals for solving their own problems. This is how the "Youth Offers the Best Solutions" project was born. It's a well-known story, which I've told several times before. At first, applications were very few and sporadic. Then I started asking questions, and one day a student clearly explained to me the reason: he didn't believe the competition would be fair. To be honest, at first I was a little offended that my proposed project was being questioned. But then I realized the problem was much deeper: the new generation has a keen desire for fairness. When I declared in front of numerous cameras that I personally guaranteed the project's fairness, the number of applications began to grow exponentially. In a short time, if I'm not mistaken, 600-700 applications were received. The second striking thing for me was the quality of the applications. Systemic thinking, clearly formulated problems, proposed solutions, each one more competent and interesting than the last. "Quality education, the problems of students coming to Yerevan from the regions, housing issues, the opportunity to work while studying, finding their first job, etc.—these are real challenges that still need to be addressed. The list is long. Along with all this, there are also national issues, determination, and a willingness to be masters of the country. I was amazed by the thinking and literacy of our young generation. I can confidently say that any developed country would envy youth of this caliber. This gives me great optimism. The most important task of all future governments will be not only addressing the problems of young people, but also addressing them based on their ideas and proposals," Tsarukyan wrote.
He added that this will also ensure a healthy dialogue between generations. The new generation, with its own thinking and worldview, truly stands out. "They have solutions not only to their own problems, but also to the problems of their state and their future," the politician and businessman stated.
As a reminder, on November 5, 2026, a Yerevan court extended Gagik Tsarukyan's arrest for three months. He has been in custody since July 7, 2026. He is accused of large-scale fraud and money laundering. According to investigators, joint ventures were created between 2022 and 2024 with the participation of Iranian citizens, through which more than $22 million was stolen. In August, Tsarukyan was charged with extorting $2.5 million in connection with events in 2008-2009. He is also involved in cases of tax evasion and illegal hunting. Tsarukyan himself and his lawyers call the criminal case fabricated for political reasons and claim that his continued detention has no reasonable basis. The defense intends to appeal the decision.
In October 2026, the Anti-Corruption Court and the Compulsory Enforcement Service of Armenia imposed a large-scale seizure of Tsarukyan's assets. The seizure included approximately 29 real estate properties, 33 vehicles, 488 units of movable property, as well as shares in 27 personal companies and the stocks of another 40 related legal entities. Some of the large enterprises he owned (including the Ararat Brandy-Wine-Vodka Factory / Noah brand, the Ararat Cement plant, the Multi Wellness sports complex and the Arinj Mall shopping mall) were previously transferred to the control or management of the state and the Yerevan municipality.