Artur Vanetsyan: Pashinyan's government has zero public support

Homeland Party Chairman Artur Vanetsyan has expressed serious concerns about the current state of Armenia’s law enforcement and national security institutions under Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s leadership.

In an interview with Sputnik Armenia on Friday, Vanetsyan, who formerly headed Armenia's National Security Service (NSS), claimed that the ruling regime's sole pillar of support is its control over the law enforcement system.

“The current government has zero public support. Its only means of survival is its control over the law enforcement system. The moment that control weakens, the regime won't last five minutes,” Vantsetsyan argued.

He further attributed the frequent leadership changes at the NSS to Pashinyan’s personal insecurities. Since Pashinyan came to power seven years ago, six individuals have served as head of the NSS. The most recent change occurred on June 28, when Andranik Simonyan, a former deputy NSS chief, was appointed to the post following the dismissal of Armen Abazyan on June 18.

Media reports suggest that Abazyan was dismissed after his refusal to comply with Pashinyan’s order to stage a dramatic arrest ("mask show") at the residence of businessman and philanthropist Samvel Karapetyan.

Vanetsyan also questioned Simonyan’s qualifications and the legality of his earlier appointment as deputy director, noting that he had no prior service within the NSS and was brought in from the outside.

“He was appointed deputy director with only the rank of captain, despite legal requirements mandating a minimum rank of colonel and prior experience in senior NSS roles,” Vanetsyan said, citing domestic legislation and media reports.

The former NSS chief also addressed recurring rumors suggesting that some current government officials may be serving the interests of foreign intelligence services. He clarified that during his tenure, the NSS had no such evidence.

“If there had been such evidence, those individuals would have been prosecuted. Today, however, the behavior of the current leaders raises legitimate suspicions of foreign influence,” he added.

Vanetsyan was also critical of the newly established Foreign Intelligence Service of Armenia, arguing that its purpose and operations remain unclear.

“No one seems to know what this agency is actually doing. As someone who has spent his entire career in the security field, I see no meaningful output from the FIS,” he said.

He also criticized the appointment of Kristine Grigoryan as head of the agency, citing her lack of intelligence background.

“When asked about the agency’s operational model, some officials referenced spy movies, saying they aim to operate in a ‘James Bond-style’. That’s not just funny, it’s deeply troubling,” Vanetsyan warned.

“This is not about one agency or individual function. It’s about the integrated structure of national security. Currently, Armenia’s security system is broken,” he added.