Edmon Marukyan: Pashinyan knows exactly what he wants and what he is doing

Armenia’s former MP and ambassador-at-large Edmon Marukyan has commented on the recent court decision to extend businessman and philanthropist Samvel Karapetyan’s pre-trial detention by another 30 days until November 18.

In a social media post on Thursday, Marukyan suggested that the authorities plan to send at least part of Karapetyan’s case, specifically the portion related to his interview to court before that date. “The goal is to start the trial while keeping the detention order unchanged,” he wrote.

Marukyan noted that Karapetyan’s trial is unlikely to proceed as swiftly as that of Archbishop Mikayel Ajapahyan, who was “quickly tried so that he could not run as a unified opposition candidate in the upcoming elections.” Karapetyan, who holds multiple citizenships, faces no such electoral constraints, he added.

“The court hearings will likely drag on until they result in a final sentence involving imprisonment,” Marukyan said. “I continue to maintain that Nikol Pashinyan knows exactly what he wants and what he is doing."

“The question is whether opposition figures know what they want, when they want it and with whom. I know what needs to be done, it’s time to come together, talk and take action,” he added.