Armenian people name PM nominee

On May 26, a rally of the Tavush for the Homeland movement took place in Republic Square.

The event is significant for the Armenian domestic political agenda and requires a detailed analysis.

1. An important milestone in the natural evolution of the movement was not only that the name of the nominee for prime minister was announced, which was logically Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, but also that Galstanyan himself clearly indicated that the new government would have to hold elections to the National Assembly, and the prime minister should not claim authority but should be some kind of independent, nonpartisan arbitrator.

2. An important feature of the rally was that it was bigger than the rally on May 9, when Archbishop Bagrat and people marched from Tavush to Yerevan. This fact has destroyed the authorities’ thesis that the movement is winding down. It is quite reasonable to assume that if the weather conditions had become more favorable not half an hour before the rally but in the morning, and also if it had not been for the flood tragedy in Tavush and Lori, the number of demonstrators would have been greater.

3. In fact, there are no points in Bagrat Galstanyan’s speech that could be interpreted as a “geopolitical scheme” or as “revanchism”. Srbazan even said that talks with Baku should be continued, a peace treaty should be signed, and after that, delimitation should begin. Once again, we note that the monopoly on the “peace agenda” has been taken away from Pashinyan.

4. Many in Armenia have already noted that a number of Russian state media outlets (Sputnik, Ria Novosti, etc.) have been actively covering the events unfolding in Armenia. It is more than obvious that this is a signal that Moscow is very actively watching Armenia, and it just seems like Russia is passive.
Western media, including France24, the Associated Press, Le Monde, DW Deutsche Welle, and even Anadolu, also covered both the rally in Yerevan and the protests in the capital and other cities of the country.

5. It was also important to note how the pro-government media and telegram channels repeated the theses of the Azerbaijani media regarding Bagrat Galstanyan’s statements and the processes in Yerevan. And, of course, it was the height of cynicism that the Azerbaijani propagandist Igor Korotchenko appeared on the pages of Pashinyan’s media. An “expert” whose opinion is being imposed on Armenian society.

6. It is impossible not to note a certain passivity of the allegedly opposition parties, which somewhat distanced themselves from the process. In this regard, we should understand that the potential failure of the movement will turn the government into an uncontrollable political monster that will swallow up those who are going to remain silent today.
7. Pashinyan’s power, both after 2018 and after 2021, rested on several pillars, one of which was the street. Every day of numerous protests, numerous rallies proves that this “pillar of legitimacy” has been destroyed. There is nothing left of “the 2018 revolutionary shine”.

Think about it…