Ishkhan Saghatelyan: "Opposition campaign stopped process of lowering the bar on Nagorno-Karabakh’s status"

Ishkhan Saghatelyan, a deputy parliament speaker from the opposition Hayastan block, told at press conference in Yerevan's France Square that the Armenian opposition's protest campaign has stopped the authorities from "lowering the bar" on the status of separatist Nagorno-Karabakh.

"On April 25, we started the countrywide Resistance Movement, which began on May 1 with large-scale acts of civil disobedience, including as marches and rallies." The Armenian people have protested the present government's actions, according to Saghatelyan. "The movement has put a halt to the lowering of the threshold on Nagorno-Karabakh’s standing," he stated. "It has caused a serious political crisis, and the question of Nikol Pashinyan's legitimacy is clear to our foreign allies at this time."

The movement demonstrated that the Armenian people will not accept any concessions, and Nikol Pashinyan does not have the authority to lead the country to further compromises. "The movement has demonstrated that there is widespread support for the incumbent rulers' removal. In terms of magnitude and popularity, the movement is unprecedented in Armenia's independent history during the last 30 years. It is the second Karabakh movement,” according to Saghatelyan.

Artur Vanetsyan: “Armenia's and Nagorno-Karabakh’s struggle continues”

Armenia's opposition Homeland Party, led by Artur Vanetsyan, has released a short film on its Facebook page on the country's over-week-long rallies.

"The battle continues, we must not despair," Vanetsyan is quoted as saying. “The fight for a successful future for Armenia, separatist Nagorno-Karabakh, and the Armenian people continues. The number of sympathisers of the opposition is rapidly increasing."

Vanetsyan also said that if Armenia's opposition parties' protest campaign fails, he will resign as an MP. "If this movement fails, there will be no place for me in the Armenian National Assembly anymore," the opposition leader says in a video summing up Sunday's (15 May) protests posted on the Homeland Party's Facebook page. Vanetsyan, speaking at the event, ruled out a split in the protest movement. "When it comes to our nation, homeland, and people, there can be no division," he stated.

Azerbaijan is concerned about the rising anti-Pashinyan campaign, according to the Republican Party of Armenia spokesperson

Eduard Sharmazanov, a spokesperson for the previous ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), said that Azerbaijan is concerned about the increasing opposition movement aimed at pushing Nikol Pashinyan to resign as Armenian prime minister. He referenced Azerbaijani officials' assertions that if they gain power, they "would not discuss" the issue with Armenia's opposition leaders.

"In reality, our national fight poses a severe threat to the execution of Erdoğan, Aliyev, and Pashinyan's anti-Armenian agenda." As a result, Sharmazanov remarked on Facebook that the campaign is moving in the right direction. He emphasised the importance of increasing pressure on the government in order to "teach the adversary that the Armenian people will never kneel.Nikol, you've reached a position when the Baku propaganda is your main source of support," the lawmaker remarked.

Sargsyan: "War would end differently if Armenia asked Russia for help"

Former President Serzh Sargsyan believes that the Second Nagorno-Karabakh conflict might have ended differently if Armenia had openly requested Russian assistance. Sargsyan made the statements to French media during an opposition demonstration calling for Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's resignation.

When asked what role Moscow should play for Armenians, the third president stated that Russia has always been and would continue to be Armenia's ally.

"I believe that Russia is ready to fulfil its allied obligations. There is a need for the leadership of Armenia to move in the right direction – not to make any oral statements during the conflict, but to apply in the forms stipulated by the agreement, asking for help from Russia so that the latter fulfils its contractual obligations," Sargsyan said. "I am sure that if during the 44-day war Armenia asked Russia for help in the form prescribed by procedures, we would have a completely different situation today.”

“Regarding the future fate of Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia, I must say what I have always said. I have been saying for 30 years now: Karabakh will never be part of Azerbaijan. I am 100% sure,” Sargsyan concluded.