Opposition leader insists on regime change in Armenia
The Armenian opposition will continue to push for a change of government in Armenia to end the “defeatist” policies pursued by the current leaders, MP Seyran Ohanyan, the leader of the opposition Hayastan faction, said on Tuesday.
“Our country must get rid of the defeatist government which is under constant pressure. We used up all our tools and capabilities to oust the current authorities,” he told reporters, referring to opposition protests in Yerevan and elsewhere in Armenia in May and June this year.
The opposition Hayastan and Pativ Unem factions announced a parliament boycott to attend the anti-government street protests which, as Ohanyan says, stopped the Armenian authorities from signing a document at the time.
“The street struggle is now over and our supporters have given us a mandate to continue working in the National Assembly. The opposition will carry out parliamentary activities focusing on its agenda,” he said, adding the Artsakh issue, Armenia's security challenges, social and economic problems remain among their priorities.
Ohanyan, a former defense minister, said the opposition failed to drum up greater popular support for its anti-government campaign due to a number of circumstances, including political pressure and arrests of opposition activists.
“Thus, we did not succeed in generating the popular support we needed to oust the current government. And now we believe that during our parliamentary activities, our ideological supporters should have our back,” the deputy said.