Opposition figures and war veterans on Thursday accused the Armenian government of gradually conceding territory and sovereignty to Azerbaijan under the banner of pursuing peace as they protested outside the government headquarters in Yerevan.

Shahen Harutyunyan, the leader of the Shant Alliance Nationalist Party, said the authorities had been making concessions in the name of peace for a long time.

“For a long time, the current authorities have been making concessions affecting our state borders and sovereignty under the pretext of peace,” Harutyunyan told protesters. He added that Armenia must learn lessons from its history and adopt the right political course.

Avetis Avetisyan, a war veteran, stressed that every part of Armenia had been defended through sacrifice.

“There is not a single square meter in Armenia for which blood has not been shed or a life has not been sacrificed,” Avetisyan said.

He argued that the government was gradually surrendering parts of the country under the slogan of peace and warned that such concessions could lead to a larger conflict in the future.

“If we do not stop this now, the 44-day war of 2020 will seem easier than what awaits us,” he said.

Avetisyan also said that peace terms were being dictated by Azerbaijan and expressed concern that the current negotiation process could weaken Armenia’s position.