Pashinyan increases fire under cauldron, expert says

Speaking with Alpha News, Russian political scientist Nikolai Starikov commented on the statement by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan that the referendum on Armenia’s accession to the EU should be postponed.

According to Starikov, Pashinyan’s inconsistencies in rhetoric are his method. The Armenian prime minister simply cannot make unambiguous statements.

“When you are not sure of the outcome, it is foolish to start the process itself. That is why there were no referendums on Sweden and Finland joining NATO-for exactly the same reason, because the outcome was unpredictable. Although earlier in these countries they said exactly the same thing-that, of course, this important, complex, fundamental issue should be decided by the full expression of the people’s will.

Today, Pashinyan avoids a direct question because, otherwise, he will have to give Armenia a choice. You are either there or you are here. And Pashinyan’s policy is, unfortunately, a constant maneuver toward the West. So, on the one hand, Armenia is friends with Russia and does not refuse partnership, but on the other hand, Pashinyan constantly scolds Russia, accuses it of something, and moves closer and closer to the West. Therefore, it is an absolutely logical policy for him. He does not tell the frog that it is going to be boiled. He simply increases the fire under the cauldron,” the political scientist said.