ArmInfo. Azerbaijan is actively occupying the markets that Armenia is rapidly abandoning. Gagik Tsarukyan, leader of the Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP), stated this in his new address, delivered from the Kentron Penitentiary Institution.
He recalled that one of the main messages of his recent public activities has been calls for internal unity, the inadmissibility of dividing the economy into "pro-Russian" and "pro-Western," and the need for cross-party cooperation, as no single political force can find the best solutions for Armenia in such a difficult situation. "Despite all the injustice my team and I have faced, I continue to maintain the same thing today: internal consolidation has no alternative. This is our enemy's dream (internal division - ed.). I am convinced that we will soon realize this. Although I don't have all the information right now, I am well aware of the serious difficulties our entrepreneurs are facing in various sectors. What people have built up step by step over the years can be destroyed overnight," Tsarukyan noted in a message published on Facebook.
The PAP leader noted that he personally advocates for Armenia to export its products to a wide variety of destinations - not only to Europe, but also to the Arab world, the United States, and other countries. Tsarukyan also emphasized that it is impossible to completely reorient the export market in a day, a month, or even a year. He emphasized that entering new markets must be gradual, professional, and patient, without disrupting existing economic ties. "Today, however, we are doing the exact opposite. In one of my previous addresses, I mentioned that Azerbaijan is actively occupying the markets we are rapidly abandoning. After losing traditional markets, regaining our former positions will be extremely difficult, and in some cases, simply impossible. Those who live and work in the real world understand this perfectly well. Those who live in their offices, however, cannot imagine this," the PAP leader noted.
Tsarukyan is convinced that if the necessary steps are not taken today, problems will arise tomorrow in new sectors as well. He believes that such steps exist, and that everything possible must be done to ensure that Armenian entrepreneurs, Armenian businesses, Armenian workers, and Armenian farmers do not face irreparable losses. "Unfortunately, I can't provide specific assistance right now, but I assure you that opportunities and solutions exist. After all, businesses and jobs take years to build, but can be destroyed in just a few weeks. I also want to address the employees of companies who, for reasons beyond my control, have lost the ability to work normally and find themselves in a state of uncertainty. Your problems are my problems, your pain is my pain. Until recently, it seemed unthinkable that in one's own country, one could deliberately damage existing enterprises, shut down production, and deprive thousands of people of the opportunity to go to work, especially when the country is already experiencing a difficult economic situation. But, unfortunately, this is today's reality. I am confident that justice will be restored, and all of you will be able to return to your daily work," the politician emphasized.
Speaking about cross-party cooperation, Tsarukyan noted that at present, it is more a question of thinking. "Armenia truly faces the most serious challenges. The Iranian-American standoff, the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, the acute risks to our economy, and Azerbaijan's open claims alone are enough to understand the scale of the threats our country faces," the PAP leader emphasized.
Under these circumstances, he said, the potential of all capable forces and individuals is needed-both in Armenia and in the diaspora. "Under these circumstances, how can there be any question of party preferences or affiliations? We have hundreds of industry specialists who don't want to hear anything about parties, yet who are capable of bringing enormous benefits to their country-both as professionals and as individuals. As a compassionate Armenian, as someone who has lived and created here my entire life, today I feel the importance of these ideas more strongly than ever," Tsarukyan concluded.
As a reminder, on July 6, Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) leader Gagik Tsarukyan was detained and taken to the Investigative Committee of Armenia. He is accused of organizing fraud and money laundering on an especially large scale. According to investigators, between 2022 and 2024, a group operating under his leadership, under the pretext of developing trade and economic ties between Armenia and Iran, created joint legal entities with Iranian citizens, after which they carried out a fraudulent scheme, causing damages totaling over $21 million. Furthermore, Gagik Tsarukyan faces another charge of illegal hunting. On July 7, the court granted the prosecution's motion to remand Tsarukyan in custody for two months. As part of the case, law enforcement agencies conducted searches at more than 70 addresses associated with Tsarukyan on July 6. The doors of all businesses were subsequently sealed.
It should be noted that on July 16, the Prosecutor General's Office announced that the Anti-Corruption Court of Armenia had upheld their claim to transfer Tsarukyan's Arat cement plant to state control. The nationalization process for Tsarukyan's plant began after Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan threatened to nationalize Gagik Tsarukyan's business during the May 20 election campaign in the Lori region. On July 16, it was also announced that the Multi Wellness building, owned by Gagik Tsarukyan, had been transferred to the Yerevan Municipality. And on July 23, law enforcement officers sealed off some of the pavilions of the Arinj Mall shopping center, owned by Tsarukyan.
