Serzh Sargsyan’s Top 10 Lies

It is more than 9 years Serzh Sargsyan has been president of the Republic of Armenia. About 280 days are left for him to remain in office, and today is his last birthday as leader of Armenia. We have tried to gather Sargsyan’s Top 10 lies and false promises here.

Thus,

1. In May 2017, during the first session of the newly-formed National Assembly, Serzh Sargsyan stated in his speech that it is envisaged to ensure an average of 5% annual economic growth during 2016-2040, thus making the current GDP rate from 10.5 billion USD to 60 billion USD. If the current GDP rate of 10.5 billion USD has annual 5% growth during 2016-2040, it will reach 33.9 billion USD in 2040. You can find more details about this arithmetic discrepancy here.

2. During April war in 2016, Serzh Sargsyan announced at the meeting with the foreign ambassadors, “I assure you that the Azerbaijani have not liberated any territory… they have occupied only 200-300 meter area”. During his meeting with journalists in May 17, he announced that the Azerbaijanis had occupied 800 ha area.

3. During his New Year address on December 31, 2015, Sargsyan stated, “The Armenian armed forces are as strong as ever. The Armenian army today has as high technical capacity and combat readiness as never before”. Three months later the Armenian army in Artsakh, in fact, was not able to fully resist the Azerbaijani attack and lost territories (while the situation in 1990s was the opposite). And in April 2016, during the meeting with Angela Merkel, Sargsyan noted, “Yes, we mainly fight with weapons from the 80s”.

4. On April 10, 2014, Serzh Sargsyan stated that he will never ever run for the post of the President of the Republic of Armenia, and neither will he intend to occupy the office of the prime minister. In response to a question from the journalist during the interview to Al Jazeera in October 2016, namely, “Would you consider running for prime minister under the new Constitution?”, Sargsyan answered, “I think it is far too early for these kind of conversations to take place… In order for me to consider such an option, our party has to receive a very high vote in the elections”. Thus, he did not exclude the possibility of running for prime minister.

5. During his interview to journalists in March 2013, Serzh Sargsyan urged not to believe the people who claim that Russia is forcing Armenia to become member of the Customs Union. About five months later Sargsyan had a meeting with Vladimir Putin in Moscow, during which he decided that Armenia will become member of the Soviet Union.

6. During the aforementioned press conference, Sargsyan also noted that the Government that will not ensure 7% economic growth during 2013-2017 should resign. So far no government has ensured the 7% growth, but no government has resigned for that reason.

7. In April 2011, Serzh Sargsyan stated,”I will be the first passenger of Yerevan-Stepanakert flight, but so far only two-seat planes have flown from Yerevan to Stepanakert, and without Serzh Sargsyan.

8. In December 2008, Sargsyan announced in Gyumri, “In just a few years we will be able to overcome all the consequences of the disaster. When I say all the consequences, I mean that there will be no homeless people because of the earthquake”. But until today a large number of families in Gyumri live in temporary houses. You can find the collection of promises related to elimination of disaster area here.

9. On October 2, 2008, during the address to the people and to the Parliament, Sargsyan stated, “Armenia will start the construction of a new nuclear power plant during the coming months”. Until now, the construction of the new nuclear power plant has not started, and there is no such prospect in the foreseeable future.

10. During the same address, Sargsyan also stated, “The construction of Iran-Armenia railway will start during the coming years”. Until now the construction of the railway has not started yet. Instead, Iran-Azerbaijan railway bypassing Armenia is being constructed with Russian investments.