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MP Tigran Abrahamyan of the opposition Pativ Unem faction has criticized Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s remarks on the “fifth column and traitors” in the army.

Speaking at a news conference on Tuesday, Pashinyan blamed the "fifth column" for Armenia’s defeat in the 2020 Artsakh war. He said more than 50 former military officers have been accused of espionage and treason.

Meanwhile, Pashinyan warned of a high risk of a new Azerbaijani attack on Armenia’s border and in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Addressing the parliament on Wednesday Defense Minister Suren Papikyan said statements on post-war problems in the army, including traitors, discredit the armed forces and discourage people to start a military career. He called for joint efforts to “root out” the negative phenomena in the army.

Abrahamyan praised the minister’s remarks in a social media post on Thursday, saying, “If a case of treason is revealed in the army, this stigma should not be attached to the whole military.”

“Papikyan should make it clear to his superior, Pashinyan, who talks about a high probability of an escalation, at the same time accusing the army of treason and a failure to fulfil its tasks,” the deputy wrote, stressing the claims “inflict a heavy blow on the wounded defense system.”

“The authorities should start the search for traitors and the fifth column within their own ranks to effectively solve the issue,” he added.