Samvel Karapetyan announces formation of new political team

Detained businessman and philanthropist Samvel Karapetyan has announced the formation of a new political team. In a message from his detention facility on Monday, he criticized the current government and called for unity. The full message is provided below.

“Dear compatriots,

Our very first rally confirmed the authorities’ greatest fear: our people believe in their strength and will not break under repression. I want to once again express my gratitude to the tens of thousands of people who showed civic courage on July 4 and beyond.

I’m sincerely grateful to everyone who has expressed their support for me during these challenging times. My recent statement was widely discussed, but, unfortunately, some interpretations were detached from reality. I believe I made it clear – we will establish a fundamentally new political force.

I deeply respect those political figures and forces who have genuinely fought against Nikol Pashinyan’s anti-national policies. However, we have our own vision for Armenia’s future. We will move forward with our new team, while remaining open to cooperation with allies. We aim to unite people around justice and greater goals, rejecting the black-and-white divisions imposed by the current leadership that have fragmented and weakened the country.

Even within the current administration, there are dedicated professionals who do not share the values of the small ruling clique, but cannot find a viable exit strategy at the moment.

The formation of our political team is underway.

We will act in our own way.”