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Opposition rallies do not in any way hinder the return of the Armenian prisoners of war (POWs) from Azerbaijani captivity and the solution of security issues in general, former Director of the National Security Service and opposition Homeland Party leader Artur Vanetsyan told reporters ahead of the rally of the Homeland Salvation Movement on Yerevan’s Marshal Baghramyan Avenue on Tuesday.

He noted that the current authorities once again try to blame others for their “incompetence and inability to take action”.

Vanetsyan expressed hope that the president will eventually ask the Constitutional Court to determine the legality of the dismissal of the Armenian army’s General Staff chief, Onik Gasparyan, by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, after refusing to sign the draft decree on his dismissal twice.

“We hope that today we will receive news from the President's Office that the president has nevertheless applied to the Constitutional Court. Otherwise, we will decide what next steps to take on the spot,” the opposition leader said.

He is convinced that their persistent struggle and increased public pressure will yield results.

“From now on, the political agenda will be dictated from Baghramyan Avenue, and all issues related to further developments in Armenia will be resolved here,” Vanetsyan said.

Asked whether his Homeland Party plans to team up with the opposition Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF, Dashnaktsutyun) party and nominate Robert Kocharyan as their candidate for prime minister in the event of snap elections in the country, as suggested by some media reports, Vanetsyan said: “We have a primary task – the removal of Pashinyan from office, followed by the formation of an interim government and early elections. Once we get to that point, we will talk about it. During my activity of the past year, I realized that nothing can be ruled out in politics, but now it is also impossible to make any assertions.”