Pashinyan declares former risks now overcome

PanARMENIAN.Net - Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan told the National Assembly that efforts to eradicate the “criminal-oligarchic regime” in Armenia were accompanied by external influences, stemming from both objective and subjective factors, Panorama.am reports.

“These processes could also have posed certain threats to Armenia’s security. Yes, there were situations — I no longer want to conceal this — when we reached a point where we understood that continuing our actions could provoke reactions that might have had existential consequences for Armenia in the form of heightened security threats. This is something I am obliged to state and put on record.

There was not a single minute during the previous period when we compromised with the criminal-oligarchic system. There were situations in which we needed double or triple caution, even to the point of moving slowly, in order not to provoke external reactions that would have consequences for Armenia similar to those we experienced in August–September 2022.

Now I state responsibly that all those risks have been overcome, they are under control and no longer exist. Therefore, nothing prevents the Armenian government, the political majority and the people from focusing on the process of eradicating the criminal oligarchy in Armenia, including forces engaged in vote-buying. That process has already begun, cannot be stopped in any way, and will continue to the end,” Pashinyan said.

He added that, in his view, the parliamentary opposition that is set to be formed in the 9th convocation of the National Assembly is “a political entity formed as a result of completely illegal activity.”

According to the prime minister, Armenia has the legitimate right to deprive those processes and circles of the opportunity to continue political activity.

On June 14, the final results of the June 7 parliamentary elections were published. Civil Contract received 726,819 votes, or 49.7456 percent. Strong Armenia won 340,006 votes, or 23.2710 percent, while the Hayastan Alliance received 144,983 votes, or 9.9231 percent. The Prosperous Armenia Party failed to pass the 4 percent threshold, receiving 58,287 votes, or 3.9893 percent.

Civil Contract will hold 64 seats in parliament, including three allocated to representatives of national minorities. Strong Armenia will have 29 seats, including one seat reserved for an Assyrian representative, while the Hayastan Alliance will hold 12 seats.