Azatutyun.am. Armenia’s main opposition groups announced another change of tactics on Friday, citing the failure of their attempts to topple Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian with street protests launched in May.
“One of our main failings was that we did not manage to present the dangers facing our county to our public,” one of their leaders, Ishkhan Saghatelian, told opposition supporters rallying in Yerevan. “Our struggle was often regarded as a struggle for power, a struggle for former rulers’ return [to power.]”
“We must start presenting our vision, strategy and programs about Armenia after Nikol,” he said. “We must present our program, strategy for all areas and directions so that people see that there is a way out and there is no chance with Nikol [in power.]”
To that end, Saghatelian went on, the opposition Hayastan and I Have Honor alliances will start on Saturday “consultations” with other political forces as well as prominent intellectuals and other public figures. They hope to “expand and strengthen” their movement, he said.
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The opposition blocs began daily protests in Yerevan on May 1 two weeks after Pashinian signaled his readiness to recognize Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and “lower the bar” on Karabakh’s status acceptable to the Armenian side.
They scaled back the protests six week later after failing to unseat the prime minister. Saghatelian cited at the time the need to “change the structure and tactic of our resistance movement.”
Pashinian and his political allies have dismissed the opposition demands for his resignation, saying the opposition has failed to attract popular support for regime change.
Saghatelian on Friday again warned Pashinian’s government against making far-reaching concessions to Azerbaijan.