14:47,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 26, ARMENPRESS. The Homeland Salvation Movement – an alliance of various political parties and individuals demanding the resignation of PM Nikol Pashinyan – says it has nothing to do with the military’s February 25 statement.

“They are trying to attribute it, as if there is a secret agreement with political forces. There is no such thing,” said Artsvik Minasyan, a high ranking member of the ARF, one of the political parties coordinating the movement. “Yesterday the army stood by the people’s demand and demanded the resignation of the government and the prime minister.”

Vazgen Manukyan, the movement’s candidate for caretaker prime minister, responded to Pashinyan’s accusations that the military’s statement amounted to an attempted coup. “A military coup means when the troops enter the capital and take over power or transfer the power to the opposition. No such thing happened in Armenia,” Manukyan said. He stressed that the General Staff’s statement doesn’t amount to a coup attempt.

Artur Vanetsyan, the President of the Homeland Party and a former Director of the National Security Service, also stressed that the General Staff’s statement shouldn’t anyhow be perceived as the military’s endorsement to their movement or any political force. “[The General Staff] spoke about Pashinyan no longer being able to ensure our country’s security,” Vanetsyan said.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan