Armenian activist urges Pashinyan's wife to address ZCMC allegations

Armenian activist Artur Danielyan has urged Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s wife, Anna Hakobyan, to address allegations concerning the Zangezur Copper Molybdenum Combine (ZCMC), following her recent denial of claims linking her to the 88 Supermarket Chain.

In a social media post on Tuesday, Hakobyan rejected claims that she is the true owner of the supermarket chain, dismissing the allegations as “slander”. In response, Danielyan said he “accepts” her denial, adding with pointed irony that he also “believes” reports from communities are untrue, including assertions that the chain operates without proper invoicing and benefits from state support in securing prime retail locations.

“Now I’m fully convinced those, too, are slanders, especially since the lady has called for a boycott of the supermarket chain as a sign of her impartiality,” he wrote. “The irony is that the chain is already subject to an unconscious boycott by large segments of society. People simply don’t shop at 88 stores and industry specialists say most outlets not only fail to recoup investment but operate at significant losses. This leads many to conclude the chain’s real purpose is to legalize cash inflows from unlawful sources – money laundering.”

Danielyan said that while it is “good political culture” for public officials to reject slander, he hopes Hakobyan will also publicly deny rumors suggesting she holds a transportation monopoly at ZCMC.

“The only problem is that unlike with the 88 stores, where we know what we’re supposed to boycott, I have no idea what part of ZCMC to boycott,” the activist said. “Our mobile phones, which contain molybdenum? Electric cars, which rely on copper? Or the endless procession of trucks that disturbs the majestic silence of the Syunik mountains? I don’t know how one is meant to boycott that. Should we close our eyes and pretend we don’t see it?”