Tsarukyan says he has no regrets, pledges to continue building Armenia

Detained Armenian opposition leader Gagik Tsarukyan has vowed to continue investing in Armenia and pursuing development projects despite his imprisonment, saying he has no regrets about his life's work.

In a statement issued from the Kentron Penitentiary on Tuesday, Tsarukyan said time in detention had given him an opportunity to reflect on his achievements and the legacy he hopes to leave behind.

"I have spent my entire life building," Tsarukyan said. "I built in Armenia. I never took what belonged to others or sought to profit from someone else's property."

The Prosperous Armenia Party leader said he had built or restored factories, hotels, residential buildings, sports facilities, roads, an Olympic complex and educational institutions. He also pointed to his planned Christ statue project, saying it would be unlike any other in the world.

Tsarukyan said construction had become inseparable from both his personal identity and family name.

"I regret nothing," he said. "As long as I have the strength, I will continue to build — and I will continue to build in Armenia."

He said recent remarks by Azerbaijani officials, which included new demands and threats against Armenia, had only strengthened his determination to invest in the country's future. He added that his children and grandchildren would continue that mission.

"Even 200 years from now, something meaningful will be built in Armenia," Tsarukyan said. "Whether it is a church, a factory or a school, it will bear the inscription: 'Built by Tsarukyan.'"

Tsarukyan also said representatives of one of the world's leading universities had recently proposed him to establish a branch campus in Armenia. He said he had instructed his associates to move forward with negotiations and urged them not to abandon the project despite the current challenges.

"I have nothing to gain personally from this project," he said. "But Armenia has everything to gain. Keep working. Let us continue working for the country. Armenia will prosper through building."