Samvel Karapetyan
Last updated: May 29, 2026
Samvel Karapetyan is an Armenian businessman and the chairman of the Strong Armenia Alliance, which registered to compete in Armenia’s June 7, 2026 parliamentary elections. MPG polling consistently placed Strong Armenia in second place behind Civil Contract, making Karapetyan one of the most visible opposition figures in the pre-election period.
Groong has followed his emergence as a political actor, his party’s platform on Artsakh, the peace process with Azerbaijan, and foreign policy orientation, as well as the question of whether Strong Armenia can attract enough opposition voters to become a meaningful check on Civil Contract’s parliamentary dominance.
Spotlight on Silence: Selective Justice in Armenia’s Election Campaign | Ep 555, Jun 6, 2026 [EP555]
Posted on Saturday, Jun 6, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Nagorno Karabakh, Human Rights | Series: sos, video
Groong Links:
Guest(s):
Topics:
- Selective law enforcement before elections
- Wiretaps, leaks, and campaign pressure
- Hate speech laws against critics
- Official threats without consequences
- Military summons as political coercion
Episode 555 | Recorded: June 4, 2026
#Armenia #ArmenianElections #HumanRights #PoliticalPersecution #Artsakh #RafaelIshkhanyan #Groong
Philippe Raffi Kalfayan - IODA's Second Mission and Armenia's Dire Election Climate | Ep 554, Jun 4, 2026 [EP554]
Posted on Thursday, Jun 4, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Nagorno Karabakh, Human Rights, Artsakh | Series: cog
Groong Links:
Guest(s):
Topics:
- Arrests of government critics
- State pressure on voters
- Public resources used for campaigns
- Selective prosecution before elections
- Election legitimacy under serious doubt
Episode 554 | Recorded: June 3, 2026
#Armenia #ArmenianElections #Election2026 #IODA #OSCE #ODIHR #Geopolitics #Democracy
May 28, Rubio’s Armenia Deals, and the Cost of Strategic Drift | Ep 553, May 31, 2026 [EP553]
Posted on Tuesday, Jun 2, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Nagorno Karabakh, NATO, Artsakh, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russia, Iran, Georgia | Series: wir, video
Groong Links:
Topics:
- May 28 and Statehood
- Parade as Campaign Theater
- Rubio’s Armenia Agreements
- Minerals Without Guarantees
- TRIPP Risks in Syunik
- Russia and Iran Pushback
- Election Climate and Repression
Episode 553 | Recorded: June 1, 2026
#Armenia #May28 #MarcoRubio #TRIPP #Syunik #CriticalMinerals #ElectionFraud #RussiaArmenia
Arthur Khachatryan - Armenia Alliance in the 2026 Armenian Parliamentary Election | Ep 551, May 31, 2026 [EP551]
Posted on Sunday, May 31, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Nagorno Karabakh | Series: cog, video
Groong Links:
Guest(s):
Topics:
- Free and fair elections
- Polls and opposition unity
- Hayastan Dashinq platform
- TRIPP and foreign policy
- Economy and Russian pressure
Episode 551 | Recorded: May 30, 2026
#ArmeniaElections #ArthurKhachatryan #HayastanDashinq #ArmenianOpposition #Pashinyan #TRIPP #SouthCaucasus #Groong
Rubio Visit, New MPG and IRI Polls, Hidden Votes and Why Are You Alive? | Ep 550, May 24, 2026 [EP550]
Posted on Wednesday, May 27, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Poll, Armenian Church, Nagorno Karabakh, Armenian Genocide, Azerbaijan, Russia, China | Series: wir, video
Groong Links:
Topics:
- Rubio’s sudden Armenia visit
- Polls diverge before election
- Hidden vote raises questions
- TRIPP remains deeply polarizing
- “Western Azerbaijan” pressure grows
- Opposition faces arrests, threats
- “Why are you alive?” campaign rhetoric
Episode 550 | Recorded: May 25, 2026
#ArmeniaElections #Armenia #NikolPashinyan #TRIPP #ZangezurCorridor #WesternAzerbaijan #ArmenianOpposition
Edgar Elbakyan - The Battle for Armenia’s Political Future | Ep 549, May 24, 2026 [EP549]
Posted on Sunday, May 24, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Armenian Church, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan | Series: cog, video
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Armenia’s existential election
- Polling under fear
- Divergent polling results
- Church and state conflict
- Post-election street pressure
Episode 549 | Recorded: May 22, 2026
#Armenia #ArmenianPolitics #EdgarElbakyan #StrongArmenia #ArmeniaAlliance #ArmeniaElections
Parties and Alliances in the 2026 Armenian Parliamentary Election | Ep 548, May 22, 2026 [EP548]
Posted on Saturday, May 23, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Armenian Church, Nagorno Karabakh, Artsakh Blockade, BRICS, Russia, Iran, Azerbaijan, European Union | Series: cog, video
Groong Links:
Topics:
- Armenia’s election rules
- Parties and alliances competing
- MPG polling and thresholds
- Opposition challenges and turnout
- Geopolitical positions heatmap
Episode 548 | Recorded: May 22, 2026
#Armenia #ArmenianElections #ArmenianPolitics #Artsakh #SouthCaucasus #CivilContract #StrongArmenia #HayastanDashinq
Week in Review - EPC in Armenia, Russia, Parliamentary Election, Swiss Peace Initiative | Ep 545, May 10, 2026 [EP545]
Posted on Wednesday, May 13, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Nagorno Karabakh, Artsakh Blockade, Azerbaijan, Russia, Ukraine, NATO, European Union, Human Rights | Series: wir
Groong Links:
Topics:
- EPC fallout and Russia response
- Armenia-EU declaration controversies
- Pashinyan’s Artsakh campaign narrative
- Aliyev-Pashinyan tag-team messaging
- Swiss Peace Initiative
- Pollsters diverge on election forecasts
Episode 545 | Recorded: May 12, 2026
#WeekInReview #Armenia #SwissPeaceInitiative #NagornoKarabakh #Artsakh
Anna Grigoryan - Armenia Alliance in the 2026 Armenian Parliamentary Election | Ep 544, May 11, 2026 [EP544]
Posted on Monday, May 11, 2026 | Category: Nagorno Karabakh, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Iran, European Union, Economy, NATO, Human Rights | Series: cog
Groong Links:
Guest(s):
Topics:
- Election campaign and opposition strategy
- EPC, EU-Armenia summit, and foreign influence
- Foreign policy, security, and regional risks
- Domestic priorities and election integrity
Episode 544 | Recorded: May 9, 2026
#AnnaGrigoryan #Armenia #ArmenianPolitics #ArmeniaElections #HayastanDashinq #EPCSummit #TRIPP #Artsakh