‘It is false to claim that former Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan is not taking part in election’ – Nikol Pashinyan

Armenian Prime Minister Dismisses Former President Sargsyan’s Election Intentions

Yerevan, Armenia – Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has refuted claims made by former President Serzh Sargsyan regarding his intention to participate in the upcoming June parliamentary elections. Sargsyan’s statement, issued on April 23rd marking eight years since his resignation, asserted that the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) would not participate if it risked “reproducing the current authorities.”

Pashinyan responded, stating that Sargsyan’s party’s decision reflects a desire for “revenge and the restoration of the 2016-2017 coalition,” which includes the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun), Prosperous Armenia, and the RPA. Pashinyan, who led the “Velvet Revolution” in 2018, emphasized the RPA’s commitment to allowing a genuine expression of public will without emotional manipulation.

Sargsyan’s statement highlighted a perceived need for unity among opposition forces to secure a victory and prevent the fragmentation of votes, aligning with his rationale for intervening in the 2021 elections. He cited concerns about the potential for a negative outcome if his participation risked bolstering the current government. Sargsyan also referenced his 2018 resignation, stating he believed that a change in negotiator at that time would have led to negative consequences.

The former president acknowledged a past decision to run for prime minister, describing it as both a correct and a significant mistake, driven by a desire to safeguard Karabakh and Armenia. Pashinyan countered that the “Karabakh movement” had led Armenia into a “dead-end situation.”

The situation is further complicated by ongoing political maneuvering, with accusations of “fake accounts” supporting certain candidates and parliamentary statements characterizing opposition forces as “parties of war.” The upcoming elections are viewed as a critical juncture in Armenia’s political landscape, with both sides vying for the support of voters.

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