23:57, 25 February 2021

Nikol Pashinyan threatens to arrest oppositionists

The police officers and protesters. Yerevan, February 25, 2021. Photo: REUTERS/Artem Mikryukov

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that the army must obey the authorities. He called the General Headquarters' statement an attempt of a military coup d'etat. The Armenian Prime Minister regarded the protests as an attempt of revenge from the previous authorities and threatened to severely suppress them.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that today, residents of Yerevan have taken to the streets with the demand of Nikol Pashinyan's resignation. Supporters of the Prime Minister also took to the streets, and clashes broke out between two groups of activists in front of the Opera Theatre.

The rallies with the demand of Nikol Pashinyan's resignation have been held since November 2020, when Armenia signed the peace agreement on the ceasefire in Karabakh. The opposition regarded the signing of the above peace agreement as a capitulation.

Nikol Pashinyan said that he thought a lot about resignation after the defeat in the war, but decided he had no right to do it arbitrarily, so he announced early elections. The Prime Minister called on the opposition to end the protests and start discussions to find a way out of the situation.

Ishkhan Sagatelyan, a member of the ARF "Dashnaktsutyun" office, accused Nikol Pashinyan of unleashing a civil war.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on February 25, 2021 at 05:39 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.

Author: Armine Martirosyan

Source: CK correspondent