January 18, 2020
National Salvation Movement supporters in Vanadzor on Jan. 16
Leaders of the National Salvation Movement held a town hall meeting in Armenia’s third largest city, Vanadzor on Saturday while its supporters staged a car rally in Yerevan on Sunday to amplify their demands for Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s resignation for signing the deplorable November 9 agreement that ended the military actions in Karabakh but forced the surrender of territories in Armenia and Artsakh to Azerbaijan.
Armenian Revolutionary Federation Supreme Council of Armenia chairman and the movement’s coordinator Ishkhan Saghatelyan and the group’s candidate for prime minister Vagen Manukyan met with hundreds of supporters in Vanadzor to share their vision for the way out of the impasse created by Pashinyan’s signing of the November 9 agreement.
National Salvation Leaders Vazgen Manukyan (left) and Ishkhan Saghatelyan in Vanadzor
In his remarks, Saghatelyan outlined the movement’s plans, which includes the establishment of the national accord government, which will be led by Manukyan. He said that the main priorities of the that body will be to unite all Armenians and do away with the enmity and divisions created in society.
He warned that the enemy has already crossed into the territory of Armenia and the country’s national defense is threatened. Saghatelyan added that the national accord government would prioritize the strengthening of the defense apparatus as well as the Armenia’s borders.
Manukyan told supporters gathered in Vanadzor that it was possible to end the war much earlier and prevent further losses of life, adding that the November 9 agreement and the realities of its implementation have proven that “the Armenian side did not negotiate anything.”
Supporters of the National Salvation Movement gathered in Yerevan and took part in a car rally across the city to demand Pashinyan’s resignation.
The cars were adorned by the Armenian tai-color and pictures of Pashinyan with the slogan “traitor” emblazoned on it.
There was heavy police presence at Republic Square, with some law enforcement officials confronting the peaceful protesters. Member of the Homeland Party Davit Baghdasarian was arrested.