MP Artur Khachatryan of the opposition Hayastan faction has condemned Nikol Pashinyan’s latest remarks on Tigranashen, a village in Armenia’s Ararat Province which may be handed over to Azerbaijan as part of a potential peace deal between Yerevan and Baku.
"If Nikol Pashinyan remains in power and continues with his current policy, Tigranashen will face a fate far worse than that of Shurnukh,” he told reporters on Friday, referring to the Armenian premier’s statements made at a meeting with the local Armenian community in Moldova on Thursday.
He claimed Pashinyan’s reference to a 1975 map was in line with Azerbaijan’s demands.
Khachatryan stated that according to the 1975 map, for example, the whole Goris-Kapan ran through Armenia’s territory.
"If he wants to cede any part of Armenian territory, it must be carried out through a referendum in compliance with the Armenian legislation," the opposition MP said.
As for an alternative to the road passing through Tigranashen, he noted that in all likelihood Pashinyan was referring to the Urtsadzor road, at the same time adding it was not intended for interstate freight shipments.
"You can't just give something away and say you’re doing the right thing, because there's an alternative to it,” Khachatryan noted.