Former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili has addressed Armenian voters in a Facebook post, urging them not to “repeat Georgia’s mistake” and to avoid voting for the party of Russian-backed oligarch Samvel Karapetyan in Armenia’s June 7 parliamentary elections.
In his statement, Saakashvili expressed support for Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and drew parallels between Karapetyan and Georgia’s ruling figure Bidzina Ivanishvili.
“Samvel Karapetyan is Armenia’s Ivanishvili. I think Armenians know what Ivanishvili brought to Georgia — corruption based on dictatorship, crime, the plundering of national wealth, mass political repression, restrictions on freedom of expression on social media, international isolation, and dependence on Moscow,” Saakashvili wrote.
Addressing Armenians directly, the former Georgian president warned against choosing a political course similar to Georgia’s.
“Dear Armenian neighbors, is this really the kind of country you want? Do not repeat Georgia’s mistake, no matter how critical you may be of the current government. Georgia was also left without Russian gas, yet managed to buy it much cheaper from other neighbors. Armenia can do the same. Now that both Europe and the United States support you, do not lose this opportunity and do not cut yourselves off from the rest of the world,” he stated.
Saakashvili further argued that supporting an oligarch and opposing Pashinyan would be “virtually equal to suicide,” adding that he trusts “the wisdom of the great Armenian nation” not to make such a choice.
“Long live Armenia!” Saakashvili concluded.
