Opposition Strong Armenia Party chairman, businessman and philanthropist Samvel Karapetyan believes that the possible snap parliamentary elections announced by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan will not take place.

Speaking with reporters Tuesday, Karapetyan expressed the opinion that Pashinyan will not go to snap parliamentary elections even if a gun is held to his head.

“The CC [i.e. Armenia’s ruling Civil Contract Party] did not win last time either. [Pashinyan] spent $1 billion and barely collected 49 percent. At the same time, Strong Armenia [party] is ready for the elections and is ready to win,” Karapetyan added.

Regarding Pashinyan’s statement that Armenia needs a pro-state opposition, Karapetyan noted that the country needs pro-state authorities, and the opposition is always pro-state.

“We are not lucky that we have pro-Azerbaijani-Turkish authorities,” the opposition politician explained.

Commenting on the recent arrests of Strong Armenia party representatives in Stepanavan city on charges of vote buying, the politician emphasized that no votes were bought, and the money seen in the respective video was intended for the current expenses of the party headquarters in Stepanavan.

To the question about the pressures, Karapetyan responded with a question: “Isn’t arresting team members five days before the elections pressure?”

Karapetyan did not rule out new arrests in the context of the upcoming local government elections as well, but reiterated that he will become prime minister.

“There will be no snap [parliamentary] elections [in Armenia]. We will ensure Pashinyan’s removal [from power],” Karapetyan half-jokingly promised, adding that the date for that will be announced soon. The local elections were the authorities’ “wake” and their “funeral” will be in few months, Karapetyan noted.

In response to the question of whether the crime—i.e. the fatal shooting tragedy in the Armenian parliament on October 27, 1999—had been solved, Karapetyan called what happened a disgrace, but expressed the opinion that the authorities have neither the intelligence, nor the ability, nor the will to solve it.

Commenting on Azerbaijani presidential aide Hikmet Hajiyev’s brazen statement Monday that Armenia “must apologize” to the Azerbaijani people, Karapetyan noted that this is proof that Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev will not stop, no matter what Pashinyan does, since Azerbaijan does not pursue the goal of peace.

In response to a reporter’s remark that peace has been established between Armenia and Azerbaijan and soldiers are no longer dying on the border, Karapetyan noted that soldiers are still dying, but the question is under what circumstances.

In response to the question as to when the promised—300 thousand—Azerbaijanis will come to Armenia, Karapetyan noted that two have already arrived: the Azerbaijani soldier who attacked a family in Shaki village, and the Azerbaijani shepherd.

“Let Pashinyan go there [i.e. Azerbaijan] himself. Let’s see if they [i.e. the Azerbaijanis] will return him or not. He can even pretend to be a shepherd,” the political figure added.

Karapetyan assured that he is in favor of a thorough examination of all the circumstances.

“If he [i.e. the Azerbaijani who recently ended up in Armenia] is really a shepherd, then, of course, he should be returned. But we know from their statements that he is a shepherd. But in reality, who knows?” Karapetyan noted.

And regarding the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) regional transport project, the Armenian opposition politician said he sees risks; in particular, in terms of turning it into a “corridor.”