Category: 2022

Political analyst Hrant Melik-Shahnazaryan, who heads the Voskanapat Analytical Center, has reflected on the rally of Armenia’s opposition alliances held in Yerevan on Tuesday.

“Yesterday’s rally sent several positive signals. Frankly speaking, I did not expect so many people to join it. Not only did people come, but also many held posters with clear political messages and positions. This, in my opinion, is the best news I’ve heard in recent months. Citizens came not only to listen, but to speak. That is, a social order is being formed, which is just great,” he wrote on Facebook on Wednesday.

“Second, the podium also changed. At the rally a statement was adopted and, for the first time, in addition to the demand for the removal of the current government, other important tasks were outlined,” the analyst said, adding it was a “people’s rally”.

“Third, the vast majority of people returned home uplifted. They found yesterday’s rally as a new start, and now it is extremely important for the next steps to be just as inspiring. People need small victories and new achievements, at least with installment of Artsakh flags in all cities of Armenia. That, too, is an action which can mark an important start for even bigger things to come.

“Fourth, the opposition forces, especially the parliamentary factions, received large public support. But this is still only support. Hopefully, they will be able to turn the support into trust, and then into a real tool to get the country out of the current situation.

“But most importantly, the international community, our enemies and allies have seen that Armenia has not given up and won’t do it in the future. Because Armenia is not Nikol Pashinyan, but an Armenian standing in the square who still has something to say to the world,” Melik-Shahnazaryan noted, also praising third President Serzh Sargsyan’s participation in the rally.

The Turkish-Azerbaijani duo continues the policy of imposing maximum losses on Armenia, Artsakh lawmaker David Galstyan, who leads the Justice faction, told a special sitting of the Artsakh Republic National Assembly on Wednesday.

He noted that after the 44-day war in 2020 the Armenian people are going through one of the most difficult times in history.

The MP stressed the two countries continued their crimes against Armenians after the ceasefire agreement signed on November 9, 2020, using the methods of hybrid war.

“The situation in Artsakh is getting worse. On the one hand, the enemy is slowly advancing towards different areas, occupying new positions, on the other hand, the people of Artsakh are growing desperate and losing heart. I hope we realize that we are facing difficult challenges, both external and internal. Yes, the homeland is in a difficult situation, we are all in a difficult situation. I hope we understand that consolidation is necessary to save Artsakh and to create a state,” Galstyan said.

He stressed the need for changes to the priorities of the state administration to prevent the complete exodus of Armenians from Artsakh and preserve its Armenian identity.

“The problems we are facing now could have been avoided if a qualitatively new government had been formed both in Artsakh and in Armenia, as we have repeatedly stated,” he said.

Referring to the statements about the opening of the “era of peace”, he called them a fake agenda. “In the current situation, a peace treaty would entail Artsakh within Azerbaijan,” the MP said, adding Artsakh would inevitably suffer the same fate as Nakhichevan.

“The withdrawal of Russian peacekeepers from Artsakh, and then the withdrawal of the Russian military base from Armenia can also be expected. And I think we understand that the main guarantor of security of our homeland today, along with the Defense Army, is the Russian peacekeeping mission,” Galstyan said.

“Today we are in a situation when we have to embark on a phase of active work. We have repeatedly stated that we have no time to hesitate, we must be prepared for all this in advance. It is necessary to reform the security system, support the process of increasing the number of Russian peacekeepers, set up bases, find alternatives to electricity, gas supplies and communications, step up diplomatic efforts and so on,” the deputy said.

Galstyan called for establishment of direct relations between Russia and Artsakh, regional consultations on security, humanitarian and economic cooperation between Armenia, Russia and Artsakh, where the issue of the political settlement of the Karabakh conflict should be raised, taking into account the right of nations to self-determination.

“The world should see that we are ready to fight for the Armenian future of Artsakh,” the MP said.