One of their leaders, Ishkhan Saghatelian, dismissed the threats as “blackmail” when he addressed supporters demonstrating in Yerevan against Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian.
“Once again I must repeat what I’ve been saying for the last three months: if the opposition returns to the parliament it will do so only go with its own agenda formed by the people in this square,” said Saghatelian. “That agenda is clear: Nikol’s departure and our efforts to counter threats to Armenia and Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) and address vital issues facing them.”
“The clique controlling the National Assembly cannot draw us into its treasonous conspiracies with threats to strip us of our [parliament mandates,]” he told the crowd.
The 35 members of the 107-seat parliament representing the opposition Hayastan and Pativ Unem alliances began the boycott in April in advance of their daily demonstrations demanding Pashinian’s resignation. They failed to force him to step down before deciding in mid-June to scale back the protests sparked by Pashinian’s apparent readiness to make major concessions to Azerbaijan.
Saghatelian admitted that many opposition supporters are now “disheartened” by the failure to achieve regime change. But he said the opposition movement has succeeded in at least delaying a “new capitulation agreement” with Baku.
“We need to regroup, mobilize our forces, wage a prolonged struggle and chase victory … There is still no alternative to our fight in the streets,” declared the opposition leader.
Saghatelian also said that the opposition is unlikely to hold further rallies in August and plans instead to spend the next month reinforcing its regional chapters and organizing a “pan-Armenian” conference in Yerevan.