PM claims multi-million dollar smear campaign is underway against government, but domestic political situation is stable as never before
13:50,
YEREVAN, MARCH 19, ARMENPRESS. The domestic political situation in Armenia has never been as stable as today, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said at a news conference today, noting that this stability isn’t a repressive one, but a democratic stability. He said that the government’s report on its action plan’s performance gives an in-depth description on the changes that took place in this period.
“I don’t think I have to speak much about these changes, but I would like to say one thing. There’s talk about polls, there was this same talk in the summer, autumn of 2018, before and after elections. This isn’t the case when the prime minister isn’t in control of the situation, I am very often in direct contact with people. They write as if the country is in a period of instability, that once again the cycle will begin, a heated spring, a heated summer, look what’s gonna happen. Nothing is going to happen. People must understand their [ship has sailed] long ago, they wouldn’t catch up with it even on a Ferrari if they wanted to, their chapter is closed. They have one way, stand before the people, repent and ask for forgiveness. But let me say, we will guarantee all their desires on being engaged in public and political activities,” Pashinyan said. He expressed certainty that if today elections were to be held, his My Step Alliance would once again win, this time even bigger. In the December 2018 election, My Step won a landslide victory with over 70%.
He claimed that millions of dollars are being spent on a smear campaign against his government, but the government is not taking any actions against this. Pashinyan did not specify who the propagandists are.
The PM stressed that the freedom of speech is an absolute value for the incumbent government.
“These circles must understand they cannot have this kind of business in Armenia, they cannot garner support among the Armenian people,” he said.
Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan