Armenian FM lambasts Russian public figures, politicians for encroachment against sovereignty

Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said the recent statements made by Russian politicians and public figures about the situation around business tycoon Samvel Karapetyan constitute “interference into domestic matters and encroachment against Armenian sovereignty.”

An MP asked Mirzoyan in parliament to comment on the statements made by several Russian figures in support of Karapetyan, which apparently called for interfering into the domestic affairs of the country.

Karapetyan is facing criminal charges for statements made on June 17 which authorities said constitute publicly calling for usurping power. 

Mirzoyan said that “unacceptable calls, distorted assessments and insults, including personal insults targeting the Armenian leadership” were voiced during the June 17 Russian public television program Evening with Solovyov. 

“Immediately afterwards similar expressions were made by Russian politicians, including members of the Duma, including by legislators representing the ruling majority,” Mirzoyan said.

The FM said Armenia views such statements as contradicting the friendly relations between the two countries and principles of international law.

“We, the Republic of Armenia, find this to be not only contradictory to the Armenian-Russian traditional friendship and the legal documents enshrining this friendship, but also an explicit interference into domestic affairs of the Republic of Armenia and encroachment against our sovereignty and democracy,” Mirzoyan said, adding that Yerevan has officially informed its stance to Moscow over the matter.