Opposition Strong Armenia party chairman, businessman, and philanthropist Samvel Karapetyan reacted to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's statements that he will be deprived of the opportunity to engage in charitable activities.

Speaking with reporters, Karapetyan noted that he was engaged in charity work when Pashinyan was not yet “born," referring to Pashinyan’s appearance on the scene.

"I have been engaged, am engaged, and will continue to be engaged because I do it for Armenia, our people, and all Armenians. No one can deprive me of that desire," the opposition figure emphasized.

He added that the incumbent Armenian authorities are not capable of properly managing the embezzled property and "will leave no stone unturned," also noting that no foreign investor has made any investments in Armenia during the rule of these authorities.

Referring to his promises to unite the political opposition in Armenia, Karapetyan said that meetings are held every week with representatives of the main opposition political forces. But the politician did not want to give names, only noted: “The first figures are under arrest, we have met with those who are not yet detained.”

Karapetyan clarified that they discussed the path of the struggle, adding that he did not meet with the second president Robert Kocharyan, but there were meetings with representatives of Kocharyan’s opposition “Armenia” Alliance.

He did not agree with the opinion that since the moment of taking the parliamentary mandates, the political struggle has been at a dead end. According to Karapetyan, they went to parliament to become part of that struggle.

When asked whether a “hot” autumn is expected in Armenia, the politician noted that he does not want to limit himself to the seasons.

“The time will come, we will start. I understand that everyone is tired of these authorities, but we are doing everything legally, and will not lead the country to upheavals,” Karapetyan promised.

According to him, the current Armenian authorities are like a mechanism that needs to be dismantled.

“It is difficult to dismantle it, because it was created by unfriendly, major countries. They were created to lead our country to destruction,” Karapetyan stated, adding that it is not only about Azerbaijan.

Returning to his role in the political struggle in Armenia, Karapetyan expressed confidence that the struggle will not be crowned with success without him.

“Our votes were stolen. Wait, there is a resource,” the politician noted.

He considers the work of the newly elected National Assembly of Armenia promising and is convinced that a serious struggle awaits.

“In the matter of the change of power [in Armenia], we cooperate with those who are honest in their struggle. But there are forces that position themselves as opposition, but are actually false forces,” Karapetyan continued.

As for Russia’s current restrictions on goods from Armenia, Karapetyan believes they are beneficial to Pashinyan. According to him, the worse it is for Armenia’s population, the easier it is to govern them.

He noted that Pashinyan can talk to the Russian president at any time.

“Why doesn’t he [i.e. Pashinyan] solve [it]? Let the people asses,” Samvel Karapetyan noted, adding that if he were Armenia’s prime minister, he would definitely solve this problem, but as an opposition leader under house arrest, he cannot do so.