Kocharyan calls Pashinyan 'Einstein of corruption'

Former Armenian President Robert Kocharyan has launched a scathing critique of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, accusing him of elevating corruption to unprecedented levels.

“Pashinyan has taken corruption to a new level. I consider him the Einstein of corruption,” Kocharyan told reporters on  Monday, addressing issues related to anti-corruption efforts and the recovery of illicit assets.

He specifically highlighted the controversial operations of the now-defunct Armenian National Interests Fund (ANIF), claiming that $65 million in taxpayer money disappeared under highly suspicious circumstances. “They created a foundation, funneled public funds into it, brought in friends and relatives and the money disappeared within two months. This is like David Copperfield-level magic,” Kocharyan said sarcastically, dubbing the current leaders “geniuses of corruption".

Kocharyan also pointed to the $100 million transferred from the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund to the state budget, criticizing the lack of transparency and accountability. According to the ex-president, these incidents far surpass previous corruption scandals and expose a deeper, systemic problem.

Criticizing the government's economic management, he claimed that Armenia’s external debt has increased by $7 billion under Pashinyan’s leadership, with minimal visible benefit. "At least $2 billion has simply evaporated," he asserted.

Kocharyan further accused Pashinyan of hypocrisy, recalling how he once praised the Armenian people in 2018, but now blames them for ongoing poverty and stagnation. “If poverty hasn’t changed and nothing has improved, the biggest thief now must be him. I have good reasons to believe that Nikol Pashinyan is Armenia's richest man now,” Kocharyan said.