The Past daily of Armenia writes as follows, in particular: The current authorities of Armenia are once again demonstrating their undisguised obsession with making the state apparatus and legislative levers serve their own political goals. The formal and 14-minute “hearings” organized under the pretext of recognizing the Electric Networks of Armenia [(ENA)] company as a public priority prove best that what is happening is nothing more than a blatant and illegal appropriation of private property.

Years ago, when well-known businessman and philanthropist Samvel Karapetyan and the Tashir group acquired ENA from the Russian side, the company was in an extremely dilapidated, loss-making, and paralyzed state from a management perspective. Thanks to huge investments, proper strategic planning, and the introduction of modern technologies, the [electricity] distribution networks [of Armenia] turned into a high-level, stable, and reliable system in a short time. However, today's authorities, completely ignoring the work done over the years and the billions invested, have directed the entire toolkit of the state machine to the seizure of private property.

The absurd proposal to alienate the company from the owner for a practically insignificant amount of money testifies to the bankruptcy and political subtext of the process. This is a direct and destructive signal to the entire business environment and potential investors. No serious businessman in Armenia can feel protected anymore when the state is capable of undertaking the takeover of an established and successful business.

It is obvious that this process, devoid of legal and economic foundations, will not go unanswered. The legal owners of ENA are going to fight for their rights with all determination, and there is no doubt that justice will be restored, and this strategic giant [in Armenia] will eventually be returned to its rightful owners.