On September 21, following a celebratory march organized by the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF), Ishkhan Saghatelyan, representative of the ARF Supreme Body, called for the formation of a broad-based national front of “NO” in opposition to the government’s constitutional reform agenda.
“Today, they are trying to convince us that we are a people without national purpose or vision that our independent state exists only for full stomachs, paying taxes, and attending celebrations,” Saghatelyan said, according to Aysor.am .
He emphasized that Armenia’s historic struggles—from Avarayr to Sardarapat, the Artsakh liberation movements, and the 44-day war—were not about daily needs, but about identity, land, language, culture, and the Church. “Our struggle has been for being and remaining Armenian,” he declared.
Saghatelyan accused Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan of seeking to dissolve Armenia’s current constitutional framework and replace it with what he calls a Fourth Republic, a project he claims is aligned with Turkish-Azerbaijani goals of de-nationalizing Armenia.
“This vision entails a state with a constitution dictated by Azerbaijan, that renounces its history and heritage, surrenders its collective rights, and maintains minimal armed forces, becoming economically and strategically dependent on Turkey and Azerbaijan,” Saghatelyan warned.
He said this agenda would become reality if Pashinyan secures re-election and initiates a constitutional referendum, effectively “making the people complicit.”
“This is a challenge to our nation, political field, and every actor. It is an existential threat that requires a unified and pan-Armenian response. We accept that challenge and are ready for the battle ahead.”
He urged the formation of a NO national front comprising all forces and individuals who believe that:
- Denying the past destroys the future,
- Surrendering rights does not bring peace,
- Abandoning identity leads to misery.
The front’s mission, he said, would be to consistently and clearly expose the real goals of the Pashinyan–Aliyev plan and reveal its consequences to the public,“showing that under the name of peace and ‘Real Armenia,’ Armenian statehood is being dismantled.”
Saghatelyan reiterated that preventing Pashinyan’s re-election is a matter of national security: “One of the gravest threats to Armenia’s independence and sovereignty is Nikol Pashinyan himself.”
He concluded by declaring that Armenia belongs not only to its citizens but to all Armenians worldwide, and emphasized the vital role of the diaspora.
“Today we not only celebrate Independence Day, but here—at this symbolic site by the monument to First Republic founder Aram Manukyan—we renew our oath to defend our independence and identity. Aram Manukyan and our ancestors compel us to be strong, brave, and unwavering in pursuit of national goals.”
Parliamentary elections in Armenia are scheduled for June 2026.
