Galstanian pulled a visibly smaller crowd in the city’s Republic Square than he did during the antigovernment protests in May and June triggered by Pashinian’s territorial concessions to Azerbaijan. He appeared to downplay this fact, telling journalists that his renewed push for regime change is only just getting underway.
Still, his speech at the latest rally was clearly aimed at attracting a larger following. Galstanian appealed for a “broad consolidation” of opposition groups around his movement, saying that they must drop their “ambitions and arrogance” and put aside their differences. He also lambasted wealthy businesspeople for “openly serving this regime” because of what he described as a fear of losing their wealth.
The outspoken cleric went on to demand live airtime on Armenian Public Television denounced by him as a “hotbed of propaganda of lies.” Together with hundreds of supporters, he marched to the government-controlled broadcasters’ headquarters for that purpose after the rally.
Shortly after reaching the building heavily guarded by riot police, Galstanian was allowed to air an appeal to citizens in return for agreeing to also answer questions from Public Television’s pro-government news chief and main talk show host, Petros Ghazarian.
In his 12-minute monologue broadcast shortly after midnight, the protest leader urged Armenians to “wake up and sober up and understand what severe developments we are facing.” He said his next rally be held on Sunday.
Galstanian again attacked Pashinian, labelling him as a “liar” who is executing Azerbaijan’s and Turkey’s orders and “begging for a fake peace agreement” with Baku in hopes of clinging to power.
“We will keep fighting until you go,” he said, appealing to Pashinian.
In ensuing tense verbal exchanges with Ghazarian, Galstanian essentially refused to answer questions about concrete policy alternatives favored by him and details of his further actions.
Pashinian’s political allies expressed confidence last month that fresh protests planned by Galstanian will also fail to unseat the prime minister and his government.