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MP Gegham Manukyan of the opposition Hayastan bloc urged the pro-government majority of the Armenian parliament to back their push for a change of government in Armenia in an effort to save the country.

Addressing the parliament on Thursday, he denounced Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s latest “dangerous” statement which sparked spontaneous protests in Yerevan and the Artsakh capital of Stepanakert late on Wednesday.

Pashinyan told MPs from his Civil Contract party earlier in the day that he was ready to make “tough decisions for the sake of peace.”

“We want to sign a document as a result of which a lot of people will criticize, curse and call us traitors,” he said, apparently referring to an Armenian-Azerbaijani peace treaty.

“The people could even decide to remove us from power. We will still be grateful if as a result of this the Republic of Armenia gets a lasting peace and security on its 29,800 square-kilometer territory,” the PM said.

Tens of thousands of people gathered outside the parliament and government buildings in Yerevan following his statement, accusing Pashinyan of planning unacceptable concessions to Azerbaijan and demanding his ouster.

In a live video on Facebook at around midnight, Pashinyan assured that “no document has been signed or is about to be signed”, claiming his remarks had been misinterpreted.

His teammates and the National Security Service (NSS) echoed Pashinian’s assurances in statements issued shortly afterwards.

Manukyan claims the “dangerous statements” on Artsakh and its future made repeatedly by pro-government MPs recently have not been denied.

He stresses Wednesday’s big rallies indicate that the people are “on the verge of explosion”.

“Dear colleagues, you should finally realize that the situation is critical and there's only one way out of it: we need a new prime minister and a new government. This is a significant moment. It's not time to save Nikol, it's time to save the homeland,” the deputy said.

His comments sparked outrage among Civil Contract faction MPs. Deputy Speaker Hakob Arshakyan had to announce a 30-minute break.