Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Wednesday escalated his war of words with businessman Samvel Karapetyan, threatening in coarse language to reduce him to a “tramp” by the end of the year, as tensions continued to rise between the Armenian government and opposition figures ahead of the June 7 parliamentary elections.
The latest exchange came after Karapetyan’s political team on Tuesday denounced the ruling Civil Contract party for rushing legal amendments through parliament that would prohibit his opposition alliance from bearing his name. The bloc, unveiled only a week earlier, had been announced under the title Strong Armenia with Samvel Karapetyan.
Representatives of Karapetyan’s camp said the move was politically motivated and aimed at placing administrative obstacles before opposition forces contesting the upcoming vote. Later that day, Narek Karapetyan, the businessman’s nephew and close associate, released a short video message ridiculing Pashinyan and suggesting that the prime minister had reason to fear public discontent.
“He won’t do anything bad to you,” Narek Karapetyan said mockingly. “When he comes out [of house arrest,] he has a couple of things to tell you.”
Pashinyan responded the following morning with a sharp personal attack. “How can I not be afraid?” he said sarcastically. “I’m afraid that by the end of the year you’ll go from being a billionaire to a tramp.”
Narek Karapetyan answered in kind, saying, “This is what happens when a tramp by soul becomes prime minister.”
Samvel Karapetyan, whose fortune has been estimated by Forbes at more than $4 billion, built the core of his business empire in Russia, where he has spent much of his adult life. In Armenia, his most significant holding has been the Electric Networks of Armenia, the country’s national power distribution company. The utility was effectively taken over by the Armenian government last July, shortly after Karapetyan publicly criticized Pashinyan’s controversial campaign targeting Catholicos Garegin II, the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church.
Karapetyan has challenged that move before an international arbitration body, seeking $500 million in damages. Despite the ongoing legal dispute, the Armenian government is expected to proceed with formal nationalization of the company.
He was initially charged with calling for violent regime change. After later signaling his intention to challenge Pashinyan’s party in the 2026 parliamentary elections, investigators also brought tax evasion, fraud and money laundering charges against him. Karapetyan, who was transferred to house arrest in late December, has rejected all of the accusations as politically motivated.
The latest verbal clash also followed Pashinyan’s harsh reaction to Karapetyan’s criticism of the prime minister’s April 1 visit to Moscow. Late on Tuesday, Pashinyan vowed to “finally shut down your money laundering system” in response to a scathing statement from Karapetyan regarding the trip.
That Moscow visit drew particular attention because Russian President Vladimir Putin publicly warned Armenian authorities against excluding what he described as pro-Russian opposition forces or political figures from participation in the upcoming parliamentary elections. Karapetyan later argued that Pashinyan had embarrassed himself in Moscow and had helped set the stage for a potentially damaging economic confrontation with Russia.
The deepening confrontation reflects the increasingly tense political atmosphere in Armenia as the election campaign intensifies, with the government continuing to use state and legislative mechanisms against opposition actors while opposition forces accuse Pashinyan of attempting to narrow the political field before the country heads to the polls.
