The chair of the Coordinating Council of Armenian Organizations in France and member of the ARF Bureau, Murad Papazyan, considered Nikol Pashinyan’s visit to be of a propagandic nature.
“Capitulator,” “land-giver,” “traitor,” “Nikol, traitor,” “land-giving traitor” were some of the phrases French-Armenians chanted during the acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s visit.
Dozens of French-Armenians gathered in front of the Armenian Embassy in France yesterday in Paris and stated that Nikol Pashinyan has no right to set foot there. Intensified control was carried out on the street. The delegation led by Nikol Pashinyan was in the embassy building. One of the protesters said, “I came here to tell him not to set foot here. Emmanuel Macron told him to come in October if elected because now is not the time. But he insisted on coming now to collect votes for his election. He came here on his birthday; he is campaigning. But this is the end, this is the last time you will come, Nikol, at the expense of the people’s money. You’re coming here to have a party while leaving behind the corpses of 7,000 soldiers? This is the last time.”
The police wanted to remove the protesters from the embassy. The protesters tried to block Nikol Pashinyan’s motorcade, and it seems as though they were able to strike one of the cars. But the police even used some sort of gas to deter the protesters. One of the men said angrily, “They’re using gas against us, but it’s over for you, Nikol. Even if you spray tear gas in our eyes, you’re still done for. This is not Yerevan, but we have to show you in Yerevan. We will talk to you on June 20th.”
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In an interview with Aravot Daily, the chair of the Coordinating Council of Armenian Organizations in France and member of the ARF Bureau, Murad Papazyan, considered Nikol Pashinyan’s visit to be of a propagandic nature, and said, “It should have been more important for Pashinyan to stand by his people than to be photographed with Macron. When a country is in danger, the commander-in-chief must remain in order to provide protection. But it is clear that the country’s security is not a priority for Pashinyan. He prefers to focus on his campaign.”
When asked if rumors that Emmanuel Macron invited Nikol Pashinyan to France after the elections in October but Pashinyan insisted that he come now were credible, Murad Papazyan said, “Yes.”
When asked about how Emmanuel Macron welcomed Nikol Pashinyan, Papazyan said, “Thanks to our hard work, President Macron has pro-Armenian policies. Pashinyan did some political begging by insisting that the meeting take place now.”
Tatev Harutyunyan
