ARMENIAN LEADERSHIP TO PROVOKE CLASHES AMONG PEOPLE TO KEEP POWER

YEREVAN, APRIL 10. ARMINFO. Today the question of confidence referendum in
Armenia is almost exhausted, the chairman of the political council of
the Republic party Albert Bazeyan said during today’s sit down strike.

The coalition parties and Pres. Kocharyan were obliged to ensure the
conduct of the referendum within a year but did not do that. Now the
opposition’s only demand is Kocharyan’s resignation. For this purpose
the opposition is going to hold rallies, processions and strikes all
over Armenia up to civil disobedience.

“We don’t want to fight with the government or provoke clashes among
civilians. The government will do it itself to keep its power.” Dozens
of opposition members have already been arrested. Their flats have
been searched. The opposition has informed human rights and
international organizations of the arrests. For example, MP Viktor
Dallakyan was released only after OSCE Yerevan Office director
Vladimir Pryakhin had met with Armenia’s Prosecutor General. The
arrests will give no results as this is a nationwide struggle and the
government cannot arrest everybody.

Justice bloc leader Stepan Demirtchyan, MP from Justice faction Tatul
Manaseryan, representative of People’ Party Stepan Zakaryan, member of
the political council of the Republic party Artak Zeynalyan and some
other opposition members joined the strikers but not for long.