The Hayastan opposition bloc says Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has "declared war on the Armenian people" and warns he will lose it.
The Hayastan faction in parliament released a statement claiming that recent events in Gyumri represent “yet another attack by the current regime against the will of the people,” according to a post on the bloc’s official Facebook page.
“The demonstrative arrest of elected Mayor Vardan Ghukasyan, the siege of Gyumri and its municipality, and the use of law enforcement to instill fear in the country prove that the authorities cannot tolerate the people's choice. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has declared war on the Armenian people, and he will lose that war,” the statement reads.
It recalls Pashinyan’s recent parliamentary remarks in which he expressed his intention to forcibly remove the head of the Gyumri community. “That intention has now turned into violent action,” the statement adds, also noting that mayors of Vanadzor, Berd, Goris and other municipalities had previously faced prosecution or arrest based on what the opposition calls “fabricated charges.”
The arrest of Gyumri’s mayor just ahead of scheduled elections in the enlarged Vagharshapat community, according to the statement, sends a clear message to local governments: “The authorities will not tolerate any autonomy or self-governance.”
The Hayastan bloc condemns what it describes as another assault on democracy and urges international organizations including the European Union, Council of Europe, OSCE, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and diplomatic missions in Armenia to respond immediately to what it calls a “systematic campaign” against democracy.
The faction calls on the citizens of Gyumri to defend their choice and urges local council members to unite and resist what it describes as a power grab by the authorities.
“We urge all Armenian citizens to reject this regime wherever they are. Nikol Pashinyan has declared war on the Armenian people. Be assured—he will lose that war,” the statement concludes.
The Anti-Corruption Committee reports that several officials from Gyumri’s municipality, including the mayor and chief architect, were arrested on charges of giving and receiving large-scale bribes. Eight individuals were detained in total.
