Epress.am News from Armenia
8:30pm: Excerpts from Nikol Pashinyan’s speech at today’s rally in Republic Square: “Yesterday you [the demonstrators] appointed me as the people’s candidate for Prime Minister, which is a very responsible position to be in. Naturally, we expect all National Assembly factions to make the same decision by consensus. But I want to clearly state that the goal is not to make me Prime Minister, but to topple the corrupt and anti-national system in Armenia.
“[…] I want the people to be confident that we do not plan to enter into any behind-the-curtain agreements, because we can’t make any deals behind the backs of those gathered here in this square. I will either become Prime Minister by the people’s demand and with their support, or there will not be a Prime Minister in Armenia at all.
“[…] The PM election will take place at the National Assembly on May 1, and on that day the people of Armenia have to demonstrate their full power.
“When I am Prime Minister, I will make sure that every Armenian citizen thinks of themselves as Prime Minister; there is no other option.”
“The Republican Party yesterday held a meeting and authorized Karen Karapetyan to negotiate with us on their behalf. We accept their decision and are willing to continue the negotiations around the agenda we’ve put forward. I invite Karen Karapetyan to start the second stage of the negotiations tomorrow at 12pm at the Marriott hotel
“The negotiations, however, have to take place in front of reporters so that the public is informed about what’s being discussed. We will not negotiate with the Republicans behind closed doors; we will only negotiate with them in front of the people because the people are the power, the people are our leaders, and we have to stand accountable before our leaders.”
Pashinyan added that tomorrow he will hold a rally in Gyumri: “All activities in Yerevan will temporarily be halted so that the demonstrators here have time to rest and recover their strength. Those of you, however, who think they don’t need any rest, can join our rally in Gyumri. The next day we’ll hold a rally in Vanadzor. Activities in Yerevan will resume on May 29-30.”
6:30pm: The My Step and Reject Serzh initiatives call on citizens to strictly stick to the following rules:
– follow traffic rules: do not exceed speed limit;do not remove or hide license plates – monitor the cleanliness of the territory;
– keep demonstration/rally areas as clean as possible;
– do not block regional roads to Yerevan;
– stop sounding car horns after 11pm.
The plan for acts of disobedience and their schedule will be announced in advance.
We urge everyone to comply with these rules; otherwise all illegal actions will be considered as a provocation. Those who do not follow these rules can not be considered a part of our movement.
6pm: A group of women march on Thursday afternoon from Komitas Avenue to the Republic Square in downtown Yerevan. The marchers held posters that read, “We’ve Driven the Daddy of the Republican Party Away – the Power is Ours!”, “I am the Struggle!”, “The End of the Republican Party Has Come”, “Woman-Life-Freedom!”
1։55pm: Acting ministers of Education and Science, Territorial Administration and Development, and Nature have submitted their resignation letters. They are all members of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (popularly known as Dashnaktsutyun), which yesterday left the coalition with the ruling Republican Party of Armenia.
Shirak Governor Artur Khachatryan and Aragatsotn Governor Ashot Simonyan, both from ARF, have also resigned.
1։40pm: Students of Vanadzor schools and universities continue their strikes. They are marching through the city streets, urging on passers by to join them. Over a hundred demonstrators have already gathered in the central Hayk square to discuss further actions. A rally is scheduled in the square at 7pm.
1։25pm: The villagers of the Noyemberyan region are marching towards the Baghratashen checkpoint. They have at the moment blocked the Armenia-Georgia interstate road near the Haghtanak village.
Photo by Koghb villager Artur Aghababyan
1:15pm: Yerevan Council of Elders Yelk faction member Sergey Ghahramanyan has published a video on Facebook, in which a police officer can be seen driving a car with no license plate. Note, Nikol Pashinyan had earlier urged people to stop stop driving with no or covered license plates.
https://www.facebook.com/serge.ghahramanyan/videos/vb.100001466695388/1802958986429640/?type=2&video_source=user_video_tab
1pm: Students of a number of schools and universities across Armenia continue boycotting classes.
12:55pm: Protesters across Armenia continue blocking roads; dozens of cars have paralyzed traffic on the Yerevan-Meghri highway near the Areni village in Vayots Dzor province. Among the demonstrators are residents of Chiva, Yelpin and Rind communities.
12:10pm: Opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan has called on demonstrators to temporarily stop paralyzing traffic in Yerevan.
“I’ve been warned that there are a lot of cars in Yerevan with closed license plates and that these cars fail to follow traffic rules.
“I urge everyone to temporarily stop blocking streets in Yerevan so that we are able to return traffic in the capital to normal. We can’t allow people to take advantage of the situation and turn the entire process into something uncontrollable. I am at the moment on Arshakunyats Street; some sections have already been blocked. I’m going to try to take care of it,” Pashinyan said on Facebook, adding that drivers with no or closed license plates “discredit the movement.”