PROTESTERS STORM GOVERNMENT BUILDING IN ARMENIAN CAPITAL YEREVAN

Mon 01 March 2021:

A crowd of Armenian protesters forced their way into a government building in the capital Yerevan on Monday, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian, Russia’s state-run news agency RIA Novosti reported Monday.

Protesters demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan chanted slogans in the building where some ministries are located.

“We wanted to show that we can enter any building we want,” protesters said. They left the building after a short stay.

Tensions continue

The dispute on the dismissal of Chief of General Staff Onik Gasparyan after he called for the premier’s resignation last week also continued between Pashinyan and Armenian President Armen Sargsyan.

Though Sargsyan rejected Pashinyan’s order to sack the chief of General Staff, Pashinyan sent the same decree to the presidency again.

Government supporters and the opposition are set to hold demonstrations in Yerevan at the same time.

Pashinyan invited his supporters to gather at the Republic Square in Yerevan on Monday evening 30 minutes after the opposition is expected to gather at Marshal Baghramyan Square.

According to a statement by the Prime Ministry, Pashinyan convened the country’s Security Council and discussed internal and external security issues.

Coup attempt

Earlier this week, Gasparyan, along with other senior commanders, released a statement calling for Pashinyan’s resignation.

Pashinyan blasted the military’s call as a coup attempt, and urged his supporters to take to the streets to resist.

He later announced the dismissal of the chief of General Staff on Facebook.

Anti-Pashinian demonstrations shook Yerevan last week with 15,000 protesters marching through the capital Saturday as pressure on the leader intensified after the country’s president rejected his order to dismiss the chief of the military general staff.

Protests against Pashinian arose in November after he signed a cease-fire ending a six-week war with Azerbaijan that conceded territory occupied by Armenian forces. The agreement concluded a six-week war over the Nagorno-Karabakh territory in which thousands died.

The political crisis is being watched closely, particularly in Russia and Turkey, which compete for influence in the South Caucasus region. The South Caucasus has strategic importance as a bridge between Europe and Asia and major pipelines transporting Azerbaijani oil to the West pass through the region.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Friday that Ankara opposes all types of coup attempts.

“We are against all types of coups. We simply cannot accept coup attempts,” Erdoğan told reporters in a brief news conference following Friday prayers in Istanbul. He continued by saying that the Armenian military’s attempt is “unacceptable,” adding that the Armenian people should have the final say if the existing administration needs to be changed.

“They need to leave this decision to the Armenian people’s will,” Erdoğan added.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke to Pashinian and “called on all parties to show restraint,” the Kremlin’s spokesperson said.

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