The leader of the Resistance movement, Ishkhan Saghatelyan, referring to the statements of the authorities on depriving the opposition deputies of their mandate, said on June 16, “Can they? Let them do it?”
According to him, there is no public demand to deprive them of their mandate, there is a demand to get rid of the government that has “spread evil, defeat, disaster, and chaos.” To start the impeachment process in the parliament, 1/3 of the deputies’ votes are needed, so to the question about it there are any deputies from the Civil Contract who will support them in that issue, Ishkhan Saghatelyan answered, “We will start the impeachment process when there are sufficient conditions for that.” Referring to the question why he was “appointed” leader of the opposition and whether Serzh Sargsyan and Kocharyan want to leave the responsibility for the failure of the opposition only on his shoulders, he said, “No one has appointed me responsible. The first day we entered this process, we understood the extent of its responsibility. We understood that the struggle presupposes will, determination, sacrifice. The work that has been done during these two months, many do not imagine the full extent… I still do not say that I am the leader, that leader is not self-proclaimed or appointed. Serzh Sargsyan said very clearly, and I answered clearly: we did not gather in this square to look for leaders. We have gathered around the idea and the goal. All those who carry this idea and are ready to bring it to victorious end are the leaders of our movement.”
Saghatelyan also said that he is in discussions with the second and third presidents, Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan, and he can say with confidence that their primary goal is never to come to power. “I can say that for sure, they have said it during all our discussions. Our struggle is not for power. If the presidents were not in this square during this period, how would they comment, they would say there is no hope, there is no opportunity, they would say that the young people were taken out there, they do not come. One thing I can say for sure is that the main goal of us, especially the presidents, is not to come to power. The goal is to get out of this situation, the struggle is to succeed.”
Hripsime JEBEJYAN
