Snap parliamentary elections may trigger new crisis in Armenia, opposition leader says
The opposition Homeland Salvation Movement will continue its rallies and other acts of disobedience demanding the resignation of Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and his cabinet despite the statement on a snap parliamentary election on June 20.
Speaking to reporters on Yerevan’s Baghramyan Avenue on Friday, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF, Dashnaktsutyun) party’s Supreme Council of Armenia member Ishkhan Saghatelyan, who coordinates the activities of the opposition alliance, said they have “sufficient grounds” to doubt that Pashinyan actually intends to hold elections in June.
“The Facebook statement that an early election will be held on June 20 and the date is final is not trustworthy. During this period, they talked about snap elections several times, then quickly rejected it. During the [recent Artsakh] war we were fed lies and deception for 44 days,” he said. “We have sufficient grounds to doubt that an early election will be held on June 20.”
He highlighted that the organization of snap parliamentary elections was one of the demands of the Homeland Salvation Movement.
"Even if a parliamentary vote is held, it only partially satisfies the demands of the Homeland Salvation Movement,” Saghatelyan noted.
Meanwhile, the opposition leader said if the electoral processes are organized by Pashinyan’s government, it may trigger a new crisis in the country.
“We believe that snap parliamentary elections are a necessary condition for overcoming the current situation in the country, but if they are organized by Nikol Pashinyan or he acts as acting prime minister [during the election period], there is a great risk that the elections will not be competitive and will not ensure equal conditions. There is a high possibility that such elections will be rigged.
“In fact, these elections may trigger a new crisis instead of serving as a way out of the current situation,” he said, adding the Homeland Salvation Movement continues to insist that its agenda is the only effective way for overcoming the ongoing crisis.
Saghatelyan also said some “tactical changes” may take place in the struggle of the movement, but their protest actions will continue.
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