Narek Karapetyan criticizes Armenian leadership for broken promises and rising debt

Narek Karapetyan, coordinator of the Mer Dzevov (In Our Way) movement, again criticized the Armenian authorities on Sunday, accusing them of failing to deliver on long-standing promises and burdening households with growing public debt, as the movement opened three local offices in Yerevan’s Shengavit district.

Speaking at the event, Karapetyan stressed Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan fulfilled none of the promises he had repeatedly made for years. He contrasted Armenia’s economic performance with that of neighboring countries, saying poverty there had been reduced significantly over the past eight years while Armenia continued to struggle.

“Now, five years later, the same promises are being made again – this time about peace,” Karapetyan said. “Was there anything promised that was actually delivered? No.”

Karapetyan also accused the current government of sharply increasing public borrowing, saying the debt burden was falling on families across the country. He said Armenia had taken on about $1.7 billion in loans in a single year, a figure he compared with roughly $1.6 billion borrowed during the country’s first 16 years of independence.

“Sixteen years did not see as much borrowing as the current leader has taken in one year,” he said, adding that the funds could have been used to create up to 80,000 new jobs.

“We need a leader who is not accustomed to deceiving people,” Karapetyan said, arguing that voters should not give the current leadership another chance.

Narek Karapetyan is the nephew of jailed businessman and philanthropist Samvel Karapetyan, founder of the Mer Dzevov movement.