Armenia’s political landscape is forming around two opposing logics — a “party of peace” and a “party of war”, and society must choose between them, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said in a video message posted on Facebook.
He stated that continuing the Karabakh movement would mean a new war.
“In the upcoming elections, the people must say whether they will continue the Karabakh movement or not. If we continue it, that means a new war. There is no other way,” Pashinyan said.
According to the prime minister, the Civil Contract party is the only political force openly stating that the Karabakh movement should not be continued, and, therefore, voters should support it.
Pashinyan also said that “Ktrich Nersisyan (the secular name of Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II) has taken on the leadership of what he called the “party of war.”
He added that other political figures, including Levon Ter-Petrosyan, Robert Kocharyan, Serzh Sargsyan, and others, fit within the same logic.
“The people must make this choice. If they decide to continue the Karabakh movement, they should vote for the forces under Ktrich Nersisyan’s pyramid. If they decide not to continue it, they should vote for the Civil Contract party,” Pashinyan said.
The prime minister also argued that Armenia’s Constitution should not contain a reference to the Declaration of Independence.
“It is not a declaration of independence but a declaration of conflict,” he said.
Earlier, Pashinyan explained why he believes Catholicos Karekin II has assumed the leadership of the “party of war.”
According to him, references to the Republic of Artsakh appear in the text of church liturgy.
“When we refer to the Republic of Artsakh, that means conflict,” he said, adding that each such sentence effectively becomes a call for war.
