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May 4, 2018 www.intellinews.com I Page 2
Armenia crisis: Protesters pour on to streets after civil disobedience call
also blockaded as demonstrators made it clear that they would seek to bring the country to
a regular standstill if the Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) did not provide the votes to enable Pashinian to become prime minister by popular acclaim.
A countrywide strike was called for after Pashinian, following his defeat in an emergency session of parliament late on May 1, urged protesters in the small impoverished country of 2.9mn to help keep up the pressure on the HHK. "I call on you to block all airports and roads across the country starting from 08:15 on Wednesday," he said, addressing a rally in downtown Yerevan following the parliament’s rejection of his bid to become prime minister. "We will not let anyone steal the people’s victory. The Republican Party is dead.”
Mass protests, sometimes referred to as the “Armenian velvet revolution”, on April 23 triggered the resignation of prime minister Serzh Sargsyan. He stepped down after soldiers began joining the protesters on the streets.
Reopening roads at 5pm
In the latest development of the current phase of protests, Pashinian ordered roads to be reopened at 5pm. Presumably the blocking of the capital will be a daily occurrence until a new prime minister is appointed.
“My only power is my people. We are not going to give up,” Pashinian, a 42-year-old ex-newspaper editor, said in an interview with Reuters, dressed in his trademark camouflage T-shirt and cap. “We will continue our strike and disobedience.”
As the day of disobedience progressed, Pashinian posted a message on social media urging protesters to halt disruption at the airport – where even employees had joined in with the protest, according to local TV station Azatutyun – while other opposition politicians appealed to people to not impede emergency services. Police were seen trying to move protesters off roads, but no signs of violence were reported.
AFP reported that in Yerevan Pashinian supporters waved national flags, blew vuvuzelas and shouted “Free, independent Armenia!”
Pashinian – who spent two years in jail for fomenting unrest when Sargsyan was elected in 2008 for the first of his two terms as president – was eight votes short of the 53 he needed to claim a majority in the 105-seat parliament. He warned the HHK during a marathon nine-hour question- and-answer session of what would occur if they thwarted his candidacy. "Your behaviour, treating the tolerance of the people as a weakness, could become the cause of a tsunami," he said.
Local media reported that as well as in Yerevan there were protests in several other cities in Armenia, a country that is home to Russian military bases.
Second attempt on May 8
The constitution allows for a second attempt to appoint a new prime minister one week after the first vote fails. Parliament will meet again on May 8 to vote again.