The Armenian government has officially responded to a ruling by the Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce in favor of Samvel Karapetyan, the owner of Electric Networks of Armenia (ENA).

In a statement, the government said the arbitration ruling is separate from the domestic decision to place a temporary administrator in ENA. The move, it explained, was intended to protect national energy security and prevent abuses.

“The goal pursued by the appointment of a temporary administrator is, among others, preventing the risks of deliberately creating an energy crisis, ensuring public order, eliminating possible risks threatening state security, and excluding the concealment of abuses in the ENA and preventing further abuses,” the government said.

While acknowledging the legal weight of international arbitration decisions, the government also underlined that Armenian domestic law and international treaties guide the recognition and implementation of such rulings within the country.

Karapetyan’s legal team called the ruling a victory in a broader legal battle over the government’s intervention in ENA, which is owned by his Tashir Group.

Despite the ruling, the government signaled that it would continue monitoring ENA’s activities, citing risks to energy stability.

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