Epress.am News from Armenia
Without the people's demand and cooperation of political parties, the prime minister's resignation would not have happened, said Heritage Party leader Raffi Hovannisian (pictured) on April 9 in Liberty Square, adding that, in his opinion, the resignation decision was made 1–2 months ago.
The opposition leader mentioned the events of April 9 last year, when Hovannisian's "alternative inauguration" was held in the public square at the same time as Serzh Sargsyan's official presidential inauguration; however, he added that he will try to no longer speak about the past.
"Last year, together we were unable to bring the struggle to its final destination, but political and civic forces should be able this month to insist the people's demand of a complete change of government. For us, April 9 is a symbolic day, a day of shame and false oaths. And if it continues this way, and we embrace the month of May without significant change, we can write off our country's sovereignty, national interest, the recognition of the Genocide, the independence of Artsakh, and Armenia's independence from our future textbooks, as Armenia loses its status as a subject," he said.
At the same time, Hovannisian stressed that since the leaders of parliamentary and extra-parliamentary forces have not yet met, there can be no talk of quartet (referring to the four parties not part of the ruling coalition: Heritage Party, Armenian National Congress, Armenian Revolutionary Federation, and Prosperous Armenia Party) or global cooperation.
"I am ready to meet with Mr. Ter-Petrossian, Mr. Tsarukyan, Mr. Margaryan and the leaders of extra-parliamentary forces to express a unified approach," he said.
Hovannisian added that the Heritage Party won't have a representative in government under the current regime.