Armenian opposition plans to block the roads in Yerevan

20.04.2018, Yerevan.

Armenian opposition member Nikol Pashinyan called to block transport arteries in Yerevan, RIA Novosti News Agency reported on April 20.

 “We are starting the operation to block the roads with trucks. Today is a very important day,” he said. According to him, the success of the blockade will show that the government cannot control the situation. Pashinyan believes that the opposition can gain victory in the course of several days, should they be able to realize their plans.

Armenia changed transitioned to a parliamentary form of government. The opposition started rallying against re-election of the former President Serzh Sargsyan as the new prime minister of the country. At the beginning of the week, the opposition members tried to break to the Parliament, but were forced back by the police. Two days after Sargsyan appointment to the post was confirmed, Pashinyan declared the beginning of a “velvet revolution” in Armenia.

Editorial comment

Pashinyan is a representative of liberal opposition supporting Armenia’s distancing from Russia and reorientating to the European Union. After the change of the form of governance, the top official is not the president, but the head of the government. For the opposition, it means that the country will continue to pursue cooperation with Russia and EurAsEC. And if it is so, liberals, having not enough public support, are trying to change the course through the street dictatorship of the minority. Blocking roads is one of 198 methods of “non-violent protest and persuasion” by Gene Sharp.

Source: Rossa Primavera News Agency

Leave a Reply