“Do you understand that the army of a state at war was the subject of charity? They ask us why we spent money on soldiers’ food? And when people came, they entered our military units and threw candy at our soldiers. The soldiers were chasing after discarded candy. After that, you should have shot yourself, you rejected thief! Don’t make me open my mouth,” acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said during the pre-election campaign in the Parakar village of Armavir regarding a statement made by the third President of Armenia, Serzh Sargsyan.
Serzh Sargsyan had said in Jermuk, “If I were the commander-in-chief, I would have simply shot myself.”
According to Pashinyan, many people were donating UAZs to the army, but they would advertise themselves for $50,000 in exchange for a $10,000 car. “Is the army a subject of charity? That army was the biggest failure of our state. So the country’s economy and budget do not have money to cover the army, but the army is a charity? We must accept this truth and move forward.”
He assured that he has never clung to power and never will. Extraordinary elections were held to return the power received from the people to the people. Pashinyan said that if they are given that mandate, “they,” meaning the former regime, will fight in penitentiaries and return the debt owed to Armenia. “I apologize for not doing it yet, but give it a go, strengthen your mandate and we will do it with you.” After this speech, Pashinyan read the names of 10 soldiers who died from Parakar, and asked to observe a minute of silence in their memory.
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