Pashinian expressed late on Friday his readiness to hold such elections next year but again rejected opposition demands to step down. “I can abandon the post of prime minister only if the people decide so,” he wrote on Facebook.
A coalition of more than a dozen opposition parties trying to unseat Pashinian with street protests dismissed the proposed consultations as a “manipulative attempt to deflect the public demand for the prime minister’s resignation.”
In a weekend statement, the grouping called the Homeland Salvation Movement said Pashinian lost his “moral and political legitimacy” as a result of the recent war in Nagorno-Karabakh, “betrayed our national interests” and cannot hold democratic elections. It again demanded that he hand over power to an interim government that would hold such polls within a year.
In separate comments, one of the movement’s leaders, Ishkhan Saghatelian, branded Pashinian “the country’s number one evil.” “There is only one solution: to oust the traitor,” he said.
The Bright Armenia Party (LHK), another major opposition group which is not part of the movement, also insisted on the prime minister’s resignation. LHK leader Edmon Marukian claimed that the fresh elections will be rigged if they are held by the current government.
Pashinian brushed aside the opposition claims in an interview with Armenian Public Television aired late on Sunday. He argued that all elections held in Armenia during his rule have been free and fair.
Pashinian would not be drawn on when exactly he believes the snap polls should take place. The continuing coronavirus pandemic would seriously complicate their possible conduct in the coming months.
Virtually all Armenian opposition parties have blamed Pashinian for the Armenian side’s defeat in the recent war in Azerbaijan and demanded his resignation. Their demands have been backed by President Armen Sarkissian, the Armenian Apostolic Church and many public figures.
Pashinian pointed on Friday to what described as a poor attendance of the anti-government rallies held by the Homeland Salvation Movement. He said it shows that the opposition campaign has not won popular support.
The movement claimed the opposite in its statement. It said the embattled premier offered to hold elections because of the ongoing protests.