16:57, 25 February, 2021

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 25, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan told the military to carry on with their mission of protecting the borders and territorial integrity of Armenia and to stay away from politics.

“First of all as a representative elected by the people, as Prime Minister, my order to all soldiers, officers and generals of the Armed Forces is – gentlemen, do your job – the protection of the Armenian borders and its territorial integrity. This is my order, and no one can dare to [violate] this order,” Pashinyan said at a rally in Republic Square, Yerevan, after the General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces demanded his resignation.

“Some [people] have attempted to draw our army, our armed forces into anti-democratic, anti-constitutional process, and today I have clearly assessed that the statement initiated by the General Staff is an attempted military coup, and the people will not allow a military coup in Armenia. But I’d also like to say that our army is our army, adored by us. And I am sure that many generals and high-ranking officers signed that statement under the orders of their superior officers. I have one thing to say to them – gentlemen, deal with the protection of the Armenian borders and territorial integrity, you must fulfill your work, the army cannot look back, the army cannot look in the rear, the army cannot be drawn into political processes, the army must be subordinate to the people and their elected political government only. Those who are acting outside of this logic are acting against the people, against the state, against the rule of law and the security of Armenia,” Pashinyan said.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan