“Azerbaijan is intensively entering markets that we are intensively leaving”: Gagik Tsarukyan

Gagik Tsarukyan, leader of the Prosperous Armenia party, delivered a message from the Kentron pretrial detention facility, noting that the main messages of his public activity in the recent period have been internal solidarity, the inadmissibility of dividing the economy into “pro-Russian” and “pro-Western” camps, and the need for cross-party cooperation, since no single political force can find the best solutions for Armenia in the current difficult situation on its own.

“Despite all the injustice toward me and my team, I insist on the same thing today. There is no alternative to internal solidarity. Division is the enemy’s dream. I am confident that this realization will prevail in the near future.

Although I currently have a certain lack of information, I can imagine the serious difficulties our businesspeople face in various fields. Everything that people have built and implemented step by step over many years could go to waste. I advocate for exports from Armenia in different directions, not only to Europe, but also to the Arab world, the US and elsewhere. But it is impossible to completely change the export market in a single day, month, or even year.

A new market must be entered calmly, competently and patiently, without destroying the old one, without destroying previous economic ties. Right now we are doing exactly the opposite.

In one of my previous messages, I noted that Azerbaijan is intensively entering markets that we are intensively leaving. Once traditional markets are lost, returning to previous positions will be extremely difficult, and in certain cases entirely impossible. Those who live and work in real life know this well. Those who live in offices cannot understand this.

If we do not take steps today, new industries will face problems tomorrow. There are steps to be taken, and everything must be done to ensure that the Armenian economic actor, the Armenian businessperson, the Armenian worker and the Armenian villager do not suffer irreversible losses. Unfortunately, I cannot give specific advice right now, but I assure you that there are steps to take, there are opportunities. Businesses and jobs are built over years, but they can be destroyed in just a few weeks.

I would also like to address the employees of enterprises who, for reasons beyond my control, have today lost normal working conditions and found themselves in an uncertain position. Your problems are my problems, your pain is my pain. It was unimaginable that in one’s own country people would deliberately harm labor institutions, halt the operation of enterprises and prevent thousands of workers from going to work, at a time when the country is already in a difficult economic situation, but that is our reality. I am confident that justice will prevail and that you will all return to your normal working days.

As for interparty cooperation, this is more a matter of mindset. Armenia is indeed facing serious challenges. The Iranian-American war alone, the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, acute risks to our economy, and Azerbaijan’s undisguised ambitions are enough to understand the enormous scale of the risks we face.

Under these conditions, we need the potential of all capable forces and individuals, both from Armenia and from the Diaspora. What talk can there be of party affiliation or party preferences under these circumstances? We have hundreds of industry specialists who don’t want to hear about any parties, but who can bring enormous benefit to our country as specialists and as people.

As a compassionate Armenian, as a person who has lived and worked his entire life in Armenia, I feel the importance of these ideas today more than ever,” Tsarukyan said.