YEREVAN (A.W.)—Negotiations scheduled for tomorrow between acting Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan and Nikol Pashinyan—a central figure in the demonstrations that ousted Prime Minister Serge Sarkisian on Monday—will not take place, after all.
“I would like to inform that the scheduled meeting will not take place as Nikol Pashinyan has unilaterally put forward new conditions with respect to the format, the agenda, and [media] coverage of the meeting,” read a statement released by Karapetyan’s office.
A fresh call for demonstrations and acts of civil disobedience was issued by Pashinyan following the news of the canceled meeting.
Sarkisian resigned from his post as Armenia’s Prime Minister on April 23, after nearly two weeks of protests, demonstrations, and acts of civil disobedience across Yerevan and other parts of the country calling for his resignation.
According to Karapetyan, Pashinyan has tried to dictate the list of participants from the government and has stated that he would exclusively discuss his own agenda. “This is not a negotiation or dialogue, but presentation of one’s own agenda and point of view,” the statement read.
Karapetyan noted that he had never heard of such a format of one-sidedness throughout his years of experience in negotiating.
“Concerned about the current situation, as the head of the executive power I appeal to the President of the Republic of Armenia to organize a meeting with a board range of parliamentary and extra-parliamentary political forces, to discuss the current internal political situation and find possible ways out of it,” noted Karapetyan.
At a press conference, which was streamed live through various news outlets, Pashinyan said that no member of the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), including Karen Karapetyan, can become the Prime Minister of Armenia.
“The RPA does not exist, only its ghost remains,” Pashinyan told reporters. “I do not need any guarantees from the RPA. We have a stronger guarantee, a guarantee of the people and the Diaspora. I do not see any force that can resist the people of Armenia,” he added. Pashinyan also said that he would be against Karapetyan’s nomination even if he left the RPA.
When asked about his own potential nomination for the post, Pashinyan noted that he would not refuse “if the people put such responsibility” on him. “We must ensure free elections in Armenia. The political crisis began at the time when people totally stopped trusting elections. The first thing we need to do is reform the election code,” Pashinyan said.
Following the press conference, Pashinyan noted on his Facebook that the RPA should not be able to retain its power by sacrificing its leader.
“The issue is not in the person—Serge Sarkisian—but in the system. And we can not accept that a RPA representative will become the prime minister. There is every reason to suspect that the RPA is trying to use citizens’ jubilation about Sarkisian’s resignation in order to retain its power. The RPA can not remain in power. The people won, and victory must be secured,” Pashinyan noted.
The opposition leader then urged citizen’s to resume demonstrations at Republic Square at 11 am on Wednesday.
Pashinyan’s conditions were unconstitutional, and it went against what he had said yesterday, which was the step by step break down of the events to come. He completely diverted from the constitution and was dictating his own terms. Like I said revolutions introduce people who are entitled, entitled people bring dictators. Robust changes come slow, not over night via “revolution”.
Once again, this movement (not revolution, if you think this is a revolution then you haven’t seen a revolution) is getting rid of corruption in Armenia, corruption in Armenia is not only within HHK party but everywhere in Armenia, within the society, HENCE IT WILL TAKE TIME TO REMOVE. By removing Serzh Sarkissian all Armenia got was a face lift.
Karen Karapetyan is a HHK member because Serzh brought him last year (he was an independent) to help with the governing of the country and was made to accept HHK. I would ask everyone to stop painting this hard working politician as HHK member (even though he technically is). Google him and read about the numerous changes that he brought to Armenia only in the last 12 months.
* 16% Tax collection income
* 7% economic growth
* 3 Utility Scale Solar Panel Power Station built and operational. (Largest one being 50MW)
* Building a Economic Free Trade Zone in Meghri (Iran/Armenia boarder) with Iran
* Moving the North/South highway project forward from its stagnated state.
* Created an opportunity for a Switzerland Armenian businessman to build and operate a high end clothing factory that makes brand name clothing (It is already Built and Operating) – housing 200 employees.
* The list goes on…
I like to see Karen Karapetyan as our Prime Minister, I judge a man by his actions. That’s what he said when reporters asked him if he is going to be a good PM, he said “Judge me by my actions and my work.”
You make your conclusions, this was mine. Viva Armenia ~
Well said Vartan.
I also judge a politician (man or woman) by his/her actions.
Կեցցէ Հայաստան
You – Vartan and Nikol – are both right. It’s a balancing act.
Rumors circulating on social media such as FB that acting Prime Minister of Armenia, Karen Karapetyan, has resigned. It is one hundred percent not true, made up news, and it does not constitute to reality.
Nikol and gang are scoundrels. The Armenian street is too emotional and politically illiterate. This combination is a match made in hell. The political situation in Yerevan will prove detrimental to the long term health and well being of the Armenian state. This all also proves beyond any doubt that we Armenians are self-destructive peasants and that we as a people deserve the hardships that have befallen our homeland. The only way to fix what was broken this week is for serious men backed by Moscow, like Karen Karapetyan, to step up and take control. If this is not done, Armenia will suffer terribly in the coming months/years and we will most probably lose major parts of Artsakh.
God save Armenia from Democracy and its self-destructive peasantry.
Also, Nikol is no “anti Russia” like you are pretending. The difference is, he is pro Armenia, and that is what counts the most.
I’d rather see Karen Karapetyan as PM and this ‘former’ levonakan Pashinyan as either vice-premier or, even better, speaker of the National Assembly where he belongs. We’ve seen Pashinyan as a radical oppositioner. I can’t imagine him acting as the head of the government. Ochlocracy never contributed to the betterment of a state.
So john he may been a Levonakan before and I agree that’s concerning but I want to know is he still of that mentality? He may have been due to his seeing there was no other choice for the changes he wants to see, we will see what Nikol’s position on Artsakh independence is, that’s what’s important.
I’m not sure about being a levonakan ‘before’. If he quit the ranks after LTP was forced to resign back in 1998, why did he actively support LTP and joined forces with him again in 2008? He should have known by that time that Levon’s plan was to give up lands around Artsakh. Then how could he decide to support such an opposition leader? I guess people want to see what Nikol’s position on Artsakh, oligarchy, corruption etc. is before he comes to power. Will he hold accountable those responsible for crimes during Armenia’s independence starting with his former boss LTP? I have serious doubts about it…
Norserunt
Stop insulting people. I consider myself a part of the “Armenian street” and I am neither emotional nor politically illiterate. In fact, I am more than convinced that Armenians are far more politically literate than your beloved Russians. If you want to be taken seriously try presenting facts instead of fearmongering. If you do not believe in democracy then at least let us know what is your alternative, dictatorship?!
John,
People already know what Nikol’s position is on Artsakh, oligarchy and corruption. The fact that you are not familiar with his position makes me think that you don’t know much about Armenia’s political parties. LTP has never really been Nikol’s boss. Nikol and many other politicians in Armenia supported LTP in 2008 with the sole goal of getting rid of Rob and Serjik. Later, they formed the Armenian National Congress which was a loose alliance of different political parties in the parliament. Nikol himself was expelled from university due to his political activism in 1995 when LTP was the president. I am not sure what do you mean by radical. If being against corruption and monopolies is radicalism then consider 90 percent of people in Armenia as radicals. Unlike a bunch of fake opposition politicians who claim they are going to change the system by forming coalitions with oligarchs, Pashinyan has always been honest in his fight against corruption and oligarchy. Probably, the only politician in Armenia who has never sold himself in return for money or job. Like many others in diaspora, you are obsessed with LTP but Nikol has very little to do with him.
ritooli,
You’ve done a poor homework before you decided to post your comment. As a matter of fact, during the recent protests which were preemptively named “velvet revolution,” although normally a revolution or a war may acquire a specific name only after the smoke clears, Pashinyan not once has made known his position on Artsakh, oligarchy and corruption. It is still unclear for the large masses of people what he plans to do, if elected the PM, with the crimes committed during the LTP, Kocharian and Sargsyan’s presidencies and whether he intends to bring back from offshore banks the public money that was siphoned off by these regimes, starting with the regime of his ‘former’ boss LTP. And here you expose your unfamiliarity with Armenia’s political parties. LTP has been Pashinyan’s boss, because in 2008 he was a senior member of the LTP’s campaign office and supported LTP in the 2008 presidential elections when he was known as Ter-Petrosyan’s ‘customary crowd-warmer.’ He then became a leading member of the Armenian National Congress (ANC), an opposition movement led by LTP which you described as “a loose alliance of different political parties in the parliament”, but which in reality was known among the people as the same LTP-led Armenian National Movement (HHSH) acting under a different name. And mind you, he’s joined the ANC with the full awareness of Ter-Petrosyan’s defeatist plans for Artsakh. In 1995 Pashinyan was expelled from the Yerevan State University based on the school’s administrative decision. As for LTP, not only many in diaspora are obsessed with him, but many in Armenia proper despise him for the artificial hardships he brought on in the 1990s. Your argument just doesn’t hold water.
By ‘radical’ I mean the following definition by the Oxford English Dictionary: “2. Advocating complete political or social change; representing an extreme section of a political establishment.” Of course, being against corruption and monopolies is not radicalism, but Armenia is too insecure a nation in a volatile regional setting to allow a luxury of advocating a complete political or social change, which will inevitably affect Armenia’s defense and national security commitments.
Armenia’s future? There is no such thing in Russian politics. Russia envisions good and friendly relations with Armenia’s two enemies because it is more profitable. Russia could care less if Armenians lose Artsakh or not. It has proven that since the beginning over and over. And so long as one of the two keeps killing Armenian young men defending their homeland and Armenia’s leaders stay put under orders from Moscow – Armenia can never have any “future” anyway. And if in the coming months and years if Nikol’s movement proves to be a good thing and Artsakh is recognized etc what will you do then will you give up your Russia is Armenia’s best friend preaching?
This was reply to Norserunt. In addition, Russia agreed that they will not meddle in this movement since they consider it to be an internal matter. Nikol’s movement is not calling to boot the Russians and join NATO or something similar. This is about saving Armenia’s future in the hands of those who care about their own pockets before the future generations.
Zartir Lao, very well put. It is in Russia’s interest not to lose Armenia. We should focus on our well being and why not keep the current relations with Russia. Armenia should be drained from the oligarchs (not an easy job but it should start from somewhere like it happened with Serj and hopefully HHK party next.) so and that free enterprise starts thriving, people feel ownership of their business, trust the government (not HHK) in their justice and caring for the citizen.
Watching today’s demonstrations in Gyumri, via Civilnet, I smiled when Arsinee Khanjian pronounced that Nikol had united Armenians all around the world, smiled because her assertion was far from accurate. As voices among the responses here indicate, there are too many who promote delay and caution to oppose change, promote fear to silence desire for change, and promote cynicism to neutralize opponents and imply that change will change nothing. The grass-roots opposition that emerged in Armenia over the last decade, especially environmental protest groups, eventually came to believe that the whole current system in Armenia was so corrupt, entrenched, and unreformable that it should simply be ignored and that a parallel system was needed that would entirely replace it. Nikol Pashinyan is now taking that to its logical end: those belonging to the old system need to be ignored; they cannot be negotiated with and all that is up for negotiation is the manner of their departure.
Armenians are indeed united and the overwhelming majority support Pashinyan. Armenia was gradually turning into an Azerbaijan-style dictatorship. A few days before the PM election, HHK clown Sharmazanov declared Serjik the father of Armenian nation! I am afraid in a few years they would start erecting Serjiks statues. Pashinyan was simply the catalyst, people were waiting for someone to take that first step.
I don’t know what kind of politician will move from Russia to Armenia to become PM and then a year later nominate someone else for that same position! If Karapetyan had respect for himself, he would never become a pawn in Serjik’s dirty game. He is a Russian stooge. Only two days ago, there was rumors of his resignation but today after Edward Nalbandyan’s visit to Moscow he once again wants to stay. He is being supported by a bunch of Russian-Armenian oligarchs who are only concerned about the impact any problem in Russian-Armenian relations can have on their businesses in Russia.
Just ignore these Russophiles who live in West but are in love with mother Russia. Armenians in Armenia itself are fed up with Russian interference.
Pashinyan claims, he has been ‘chosen’ by the people to become the next prime minister. Yeah right, and how does he intends to override the Armenia’s constitution to get there?
The same way he kicked serjik out of office. The constitution was specifically tailored to keep serjik in office for another 20 years. The country belongs to people and judging by what we have seen of demonstrations and the fact that hhk failed for decades to organize normal elections, Pashinyan can rightfully claim that he is chosen by people to form a temporary government and hold normal election. Or else once again millions will be spent on an election which has zero legitimacy.
” The constitution was tailored”? Let’s check it out. On April 2nd 2017 the first parliamentary elections took place in Armenia, the Republican party received 49 percent of the votes, followed by Tsarugyan Alliance 29 percent, Way out Alliance 11 percent and lastly Tashnagtsutyun party 9 percent. As a result of these elections the Republican party received 58 seats in the National Assembly, Tsarugyan Alliance 31 seats, Way Out-Yelq
( Pashinyan faction ) 9 seats and Tashnagtsutyun 7 seats. However, as usual Pashinyan and el al cried out electoral fraud and requested a new elections. The National Assembly voted for Serj Sargsyan to become the first Prime Minister of Armenia. Now, what part of these elections suggests electoral fraud. Also, the constitution dictates, in the event the Prime Minister resigns, a new elections should take place in the National Assembly within seven days. NOT ON THE STREETS. In addition, you say Pashinyan is rightfully chosen? One hundred thousand demonstrators DO NOT REPRESENT the voice of the majority, Pashinyan’s attempt is considered power grab and NOT people’s choice. I suggest you RADICALS go on home ,stay off the streets, quit yer destroying the country and let the democratic process take it’s course.
A National Assembly that has most of its seats filled either by criminals, by enablers of criminals, by protectors of criminals, and by those who appear to feel no obligation to change that reality, cannot be a part of a democratic process and can never be the legitimate result of a democratic process. Where is the satisfied with the way things are “voice of the majority” Jay claims exists? Where are the 100,000s marching in support of it?