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Armenian Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan walked out of a televised meeting with the leader of a burgeoning opposition movement on Sunday, after days of rallies calling for his resignation.
The protest movement, which has put thousands of people in the streets, is headed by opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan who has built and maintained a network of self-organising opposition supporters.
“I came here to discuss your resignation,” Pashinyan, the leader of the opposition Civil Contract party, had told the prime minister in front of the cameras.
“This is not a dialogue, this is blackmail, I only can advise you to return to a legal framework … otherwise you will bear the responsibility,” Sarkisian replied.
“You don’t understand the situation in Armenia. The power is now in people’s hands,” Pashinyan said.
Before walking out of the meeting room, Sarkisian said: “A party that scored eight percent in [parliamentary] elections can’t speak on behalf of the people.”
Pashinyan then vowed to “step up pressure” on Sarkisian to force him to resign.
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| A man waves an Armenian flag at a rally against the election of former President Sargsyan as Prime Minister [Artyom Geodakyan/TASS/Getty Images] |
Sargsyan was appointed prime minister this month after serving 10 years as the country’s president.
Protesters have called on him to step down, citing corruption and fears of oligarchic, authoritarian rule.
The former president was about to complete his second and final term before Armenia’s semi-presidential government was changed to a parliamentary system, removing term limits for the prime minister.
Sargsyan had promised not to assume the role of prime minister, but his majority in parliament appointed him premier.
SOURCE: Al Jazeera and news agencies
