ANC: Pashinyan`s threats to nationalize Tsarukyan`s Ararat cement  plant politically motivated

ArmInfo. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's threats to nationalize the Ararat Cement Plant, owned by Prosperous Armenia Party leader Gagik Tsarukyan, are politically motivated. This was stated by Levon Zurabyan, the  Armenian National Congress (ANC) candidate for prime minister in the  upcoming June elections.

The politician noted that these threats were made precisely during  the pre-election period. Zurabyan emphasized that Pashinyan only  mentions justice and the need to return something to the people  during the pre-election period, and only as long as no one threatens  his power. He cited the arrests of the opposition mayors of Vanadzor  and Gyumri who won the elections as an example.

"For eight years, no one touched them (the politicians - ed.), no one  spoke about them. But as soon as they began to pose a political  threat to Pashinyan, he began political persecution by initiating  criminal cases against them. The same thing is now happening in the  case of Gagik Tsarukyan - as long as this man posed no threat, Nikol  Pashinyan calculated that everything was calm. As soon as he begins  to pose a threat, Pashinyan resorts to settling scores,  expropriation, and so on," Zurabyan noted.

The ANC representative noted that all this points to one thing:  Pashinyan does not recognize either the constitution or the law.  Zurabyan also expressed his conviction that the consequences of such  steps will be very severe for investment, since if the state were to  attack private business for political reasons, this would lead to  very grave consequences. "And most importantly, Pashinyan has no  principles. He only remembers them when he's about to be re-elected.  We once again see that the constitution and laws are not respected in  Pashinyan's government," Zurabyan concluded.

On May 20, during the election campaign in the Lori region, Nikol  Pashinyan threatened to nationalize Gagik Tsarukyan's business. He  emphasized that the prosecutor's office has already submitted a  corresponding memorandum to initiate the process.