Armenia’s three leading opposition parties campaigning against President Serzh Sarkisian have not yet worked out a plan of joint actions aimed at achieving “regime change” sought by them, a senior opposition figure said on Tuesday.
Ruben Hakobian, the parliamentary leader of the Zharangutyun (Heritage) party, said it is still not clear whether Zharangutyun, the Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) and the Armenian National Congress (HAK) will draw up such a “roadmap” in time for their next joint rally slated for Friday.
At their last rally held on October 10 the three parties warned Sarkisian to agree to leave power or face what a top HAK representative described as a “wave of civil disobedience.” Their leaders did not clarify, though, just what they will do if the president rejects their demand. It also remained unclear whether they want him to go now or after the next national elections due in 2017 and 2018.
The BHK, which is more influential than its opposition allies, has been particularly vague on that score. This has led some of the other Armenian opposition groups to claim that the trio is intent on cutting deals with Sarkisian, rather than forcing him to call snap elections.
Speaking to RFE/RL’s Armenian service (Azatutyun.am), Hakobian insisted that Zharangutyun, the HAK and the BHK want to achieve “regime change” before Sarkisian completes his second and final presidential term in 2018.