Those Participating in Elections Cannot Call Themselves Opposition: Sefilian

The Sardarapat civic movement hasn’t changed its position — it won’t be participating in the upcoming parliamentary elections, said Jirair Sefilian, commander of the Shushi battalion during the Nagorno-Karabakh War and one of the founders of Sardarapat, speaking to journalists in Yerevan today.

“In the country there’s a tyrant who dictates the rules. The elections are going to be buffoonery, and any political party or group participating in them shouldn’t have the right to consider itself opposition. Whoever participates in the elections only supports the authorities and their re-entry into office,” he said, adding that Sardarapat will run in the elections if the despotic government topples and a transitional government is formed.

According to Sefilian, a transitional government can be formed by youth engaged in spontaneous civic initiatives, who are fighting against specific forms of injustice.