PM accuses Armenia’s first president of irresponsible leadership

PanARMENIAN.Net - Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan published a Facebook post titled “Portrait: Levon Ter-Petrosyan, the First President of Armenia,” where he accuses Ter-Petrosyan of turning Armenia into a puppet state from the early years of independence.

Pashinyan wrote that Ter-Petrosyan, allegedly collaborating with the Soviet KGB (according to past media claims), deliberately guided Armenia’s independence in the 1990s toward strategic failure under KGB influence. He stated that Armenia quickly became a puppet state.

According to the post, Ter-Petrosyan was overshadowed by charismatic figures—Defense Minister Vazgen Sargsyan and Interior Minister Vano Siradeghyan—and adopted a tactic of playing them against each other. Pashinyan claims this was meant to neutralize potential successors and preserve power by installing compliant figures like Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan.

Pashinyan further accused Ter-Petrosyan of resigning due to personal fear and irresponsibility, allegedly ensuring a non-legitimate government would follow to maintain the puppet system. He asserts that since 2007, Ter-Petrosyan resumed politics to block any shift away from the puppet-state trajectory, being a loyal opponent of both Kocharyan and Sargsyan.

He also criticized Ter-Petrosyan for failing to act during the March 1, 2008 crisis, claiming he did not leave his home and refused entry to visitor Ktrich Nersisyan. Pashinyan added that Ter-Petrosyan slept soundly that night, assured the puppet strategy would continue.

Describing Ter-Petrosyan’s character, Pashinyan called him “cowardly, spineless, irresponsible,” with puppet tendencies. He added labels such as lazy, vulgar, gossipy, narcissistic, and arrogant, saying he manipulates people and despises charisma, preferring faceless and submissive followers.

In a follow-up post, Pashinyan mocked a reported meeting between Ter-Petrosyan and Catholicos Garegin II, writing: “Just saw that the state-wrecking scourge—LTP—met the church-wrecking scourge—Ktrich. Let’s see what nonsense they spouted.”

On June 25, former president Ter-Petrosyan received Catholicos Garegin II at his residence. According to a statement, the hour-long meeting addressed Armenia’s current situation and Pashinyan’s actions against businessman Samvel Karapetyan. Ter-Petrosyan reportedly called Pashinyan ‘the embodiment of defeat,’ referencing both the war and his conflict with the church.