Opposition activist and political analyst Karen Bekaryan accused Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan of “directly provoking a civil war” in the country after the premier urged supporters to rally at Yerevan’s Republic Square in the wake of a call of the Armenian army’s General Staff for his resignation.
The opposition Homeland Salvation Movement also urged supporters to gather at Liberty Square in Yerevan today to voice support for the army’s top brass.
Speaking to reporters, Bekaryan backed the call, noting by its statement the General Staff “gave a chance to the authorities to stop the destruction of the Armenian statehood” and step down peacefully.
“When the so-called prime minister makes a statement urging supporters to gather at Republic Square, he directly provokes a civil war,” the analyst said, warning it could lead to “clashes and bloodshed” and urging the people not to “succumb to provocations”.
Also, he called on the law enforcement agencies and residents of Armenia’s regions to stand by the military and “stop the destruction of the country.”
"They [the current authorities] are capable of fully destroying the country," he said.
