How did Saint Kitts citizen become Armenia’s president? The case of Armen Sarkissian

A shocking investigation into the foreign citizenship of former Armenian President Armen Sarkissian is still unfolding, raising serious legal and political questions in Yerevan.

Armenia’s Investigative Committee confirmed that the probe is ongoing, but declined to provide further details in response to Armenian media inquiries, Caliber.Az reports.

Notably, the case was recently transferred from the National Security Service to the Investigative Committee, suggesting heightened scrutiny.

Sarkissian served as Armenia’s president from 2018 to 2022, before abruptly resigning in January 2022. He claimed his departure was due to insufficient authority to influence political affairs. But just a day later, the Armenian investigative outlet Hetq.am dropped a bombshell: Sarkissian allegedly held citizenship of Saint Kitts and Nevis — a small Caribbean nation — at least until his election.

According to the report, he acquired citizenship by investing $500,000 in the country’s economy. This revelation sent shockwaves through Armenia, as the Armenian Constitution explicitly bars anyone with foreign citizenship from becoming president.

The news has ignited a firestorm of controversy. How did a man with foreign citizenship manage to become Armenia’s head of state? Was this a failure of oversight or something more deliberate? These questions now loom over the investigation, which could have far-reaching implications for Armenia’s political landscape.

 By Tamilla Hasanova