Armenian opposition figure criticizes Pashinyan's leadership record

A senior member of the opposition Strong Armenia party has criticized Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s leadership credentials, arguing that his past management experience raises doubts about his ability to govern effectively.

Speaking at a meeting with residents in the town of Artik, Narek Karapetyan claimed that prior to assuming national leadership, Pashinyan had employed ten staff members, eight of whom were replaced annually. He presented this as evidence of an inability to foster stability or cohesion within a team.

Karapetyan contended that such a track record casts doubt on his capacity to generate employment and cultivate a productive working environment on a national scale. “If he was unable to create jobs or sustain a healthy atmosphere within his own team, how can he ensure employment for hundreds of thousands across the country?” Karapetyan argued.

In contrast, Karapetyan highlighted the profile of the party’s prime ministerial candidate, businessman and philanthropist Samvel Karapetyan. He described him as a figure with firsthand experience of labor migration who achieved success abroad while maintaining close ties to his homeland.

He stressed Samvel Karapetyan has consistently contributed to his native community and Armenia more broadly.