Opposition MP warns Pashinyan against signing any ‘controversial document’ without people’s knowledge

Panorama, Armenia
May 20 2021

Lawmaker Edmon Marukyan, the leader of the opposition Bright Armenia faction, on Thursday reacted to the reports that the Armenian authorities are negotiating a new “controversial document” with Azerbaijan and Russia, and caretaker Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is going to sign it.

"The authorities told lies and manipulated the people during the 44 days of war, assuring that we were winning, but in the end it turned out that not only did we not win, but also we were crushed and defeated,” he wrote on Facebook.

He underlined the Armenian authorities assured the people that no decision would be made to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict without taking into account their opinion, however in the end it became clear that the prime minister had secretly signed a document, which even his teammates were not aware of.

“And what is happening now? Nobody knows. Having failed to learn lessons from the war, the authorities are again in shadow negotiations, again not telling the people what awaits them. People are in uncertainty or ignorant. Residents of Syunik, Gegharkunik, Tavush, Vayots Dzor and Ararat Provinces do not know what may happen to them tomorrow.

“I urge acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and members of the ruling force to talk to the people and explain in detail the actual course of events, not to tell lies, hide anything, reach shadow agreements or sign any controversial document without people’s knowledge,” Marukyan said.