Ex-President accuses flag burning critics of hypocrisy

PanARMENIAN.Net - Former Armenian President Robert Kocharyan warned that renouncing the Declaration of Independence and denying the Armenian Genocide could lead to those responsible being forgotten by the people. He shared these views while speaking to journalists at the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex.

Addressing Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s recent remarks labeling the burning of Turkish and Azerbaijani flags as provocative, Kocharyan pointed out that back in 2015, those same acts were attempted against the Russian flag. He claimed that those responsible for trying to burn and trample on the Russian flag outside its embassy are now high-ranking officials, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs, prime minister’s aides, and former press secretaries, according to Sputnik Armenia.

“If this is considered unacceptable, then it raises the issue of double standards regarding Russia and Turkey. It’s simply shameful. At the very least, they have no right to speak on this topic,” Kocharyan asserted.

He criticized the government's continuous concessions since the war, saying, “We suffered a heavy defeat in the war, and this administration has turned that loss into a constant process—giving away, yielding, renouncing something. This has become a deeply exhausting experience for our people. On this background, the denial of the Genocide might be even more deeply felt by many.”

Commenting on Civil Contract Party MP Artur Hovhannisyan’s statement that the Genocide should not be exploited for political gain and that harsh responses will follow any such attempts, Kocharyan replied, “Seriously? I’m supposed to explain that stupidity?”

He emphasized that during his presidency, the Armenian Genocide was placed firmly on the country’s foreign policy agenda, and several countries officially recognized it during that period.

“These current authorities are the ones who’ve done absolutely nothing on this issue. They just talk nonsense, and I’m not going to comment on it,” Kocharyan stressed.

When journalists mentioned that Prime Minister Pashinyan had linked recent Azerbaijani gunfire near Khoznavar to the flag burning, Kocharyan dismissed the idea: “They prepare for a month just to burn flags, and the gunfire was preparatory too, for a month? Let’s not enter the realm of absurdity.”

He declined to answer further questions but hinted at the possibility of another press conference soon.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan condemned the flag-burning of Azerbaijan and Turkey. His press secretary Nazeli Baghdasaryan said the Prime Minister considers the act irresponsible and unacceptable. On April 23, a traditional torchlit march was held in Yerevan under the slogan “Do not deny.” Before it began, participants burned the flags of Turkey and Azerbaijan in protest against denialist policies.