Pashinyan Accuses Karapetyan and Others of Being ‘Foreign Agents’

At the time, Pashinyan said that “those who want to undermine Armenian–Russian friendship and brotherhood are simply foreign agents”  in response to remarks by Karapetyan, who heads the opposition Strong Armenia party.

Earlier in April, Karapetyan claimed there would be an “economic war” with Russia in July if Pashinyan remained in power. The warning appeared to be a response to what has become a regular talking point by Pashinyan — that a victory by the opposition in the upcoming parliamentary election would lead to war with Azerbaijan in September.

“Our deepest economic ties are with Russia. It is Russia that supplies us with cheap gas, gladly accepts our seasonal workers, and buys a significant portion of our agricultural products. And if all of that stops, what answer will you give to our people, who will become poorer,” Karapetyan said, adding that he was “angry” about Pashinyan’s talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier in April.

Russia appears to be exerting economic pressure on Armenia following the tense meeting between Pashinyan and Putin in Moscow, having announced ’stricter requirements” on the import of Armenian products and reopened a criminal case regarding the Armenian major mineral water producer Jermuk.

During their meeting, Putin appeared to touch on Karateptyan’s arrest within the context of Armenia’s upcoming parliamentary elections on June 7.

Despite the tensions, Pashinyan claimed on 15 April that the Armenian–Russian relations were at their “highest level,” adding that rumors of a fallout were aimed at provoking tensions with Russia and paralyzing the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).