Tsarukyan accuses Pashinyan of waging 'economic war' against Russia

Armenian opposition leader Gagik Tsarukyan has strongly criticized Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, accusing him of declaring an “economic war” against Russia as the country prepares for parliamentary elections on Sunday.

At a campaign stop in Yerevan’s Nor Nork district on Thursday, the Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) leader said Pashinyan’s eight years in office had left Armenia weakened, citing war, territorial losses, casualties, and prisoners held in Azerbaijan. “After all this, he now claims to have brought peace, while waging an economic war against Russia. The people will not be able to withstand this,” Tsarukyan told reporters.

He urged voters to decide what kind of Armenia they want to see after the June 7 vote – “developing and constructive, peaceful and united, or divided and intolerant.” Tsarukyan said his party’s platform, Proposal to Armenia, calls for halving property taxes, raising minimum wages and pensions, forgiving loans up to 3 million drams and ensuring free education and healthcare.

Framing the election as a choice between division and solidarity, Tsarukyan said Armenia’s future should be built on “unity, mutual respect and harmony.”