Armenian opposition demands president’s resignation

By Tigran Liloyan

ITAR-TASS YEREVAN
April 10, 2004

The Armenian opposition demands resignation of incumbent President
Robert Kocharyan.

Albert Bazeyan, an opposition leader and chairman of the Republic
party, said the question of holding a referendum on no-confidence vote
for the Armenian president had nearly been exhausted. The ruling
pro-presidential coalition has refused to include the referendum issue
in the agenda of a regular three-day session of the Armenian
parliament.

“Robert Kocharyan should go. The sooner he does, the better,” Bazeyan
told a meeting in front of the Yerevan Opera House on
Saturday. Hundreds of demonstrators, including the participants in a
sit-in strike which the opposition is holding on the Opera’s steps,
listened to his speech.

Bazeyan said that the authorities had closed all entries to Yerevan in
order to prevent the influx of protesters from provinces. All trains
have been cancelled between Yerevan and Gyumri (former Leninakan).

Bazeyan warned that his party would order to organize solidarity
rallies in regions and would organize large columns of demonstrators
to help those who wish to join the rallies in Yerevan, if things
continue to develop according to the same scenario.