Armen Ashotyan - Opposition Talks | Ep 44, Jan 19, 2021 [EP44]

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Guest:

• Armen Ashotyan, MP, VP Republican Party of Armenia (HHK)

Topics:

• What took place in 2018?
• Why did RPA support Vazgen Manukyan as PM candidate?
• Nov. 9/10 ceasefire agreement & Jan 11 statement
• Is the RPA truly serious about removing Pashinyan? Why hasn’t the opposition mobilized more people onto the streets?
• Lessons learned from Dec. 2018 elections.

Episode 44 | Recorded on January 17, 2021

Show Notes

Main Topics Addressed

• It’s been just over two years since the 2018 elections that resulted in the RPA, the Republican Party of Armenia, became an extra-parliamentary party for the first time in over two decades. There have been many questions about what exactly happened in 2018. What happened in April-May, what took place in October, and then what happened during the elections in December?
• Vazgen Manukyan has been critical of foreign-funded Western NGOs and during his various speeches he has talked about more regulation for such funding. Does that also represent the RPA’s position? Where does the RPA stand on these NGOs?
• The Homeland Salvation Movement has accused Nikol Pashinyan of treason for signing the capitulation agreement of Nov 9/10. We also heard your movement raise alarm signals prior to Pashinyan’s trip to Moscon on January 11, with the movement warning that:
• “any decision taken against the interests of Armenia and Artsakh will be recognized as illegitimate, will be rejected by the Armenian people, will not be ratified and will be annulled after the change of power.”

Key Questions Discussed

• Do you believe that the January 11 agreement to open rail communications was against the interests of Armenia or Artsakh?
• If, as the opposition claims, Pashinyan truly is a traitor then many, even among your supporters, are wondering why the movement isn’t more active in protesting or removing Pashinyan? Why aren’t there more people in the streets?
• What is your party’s position on the electoral reform currently being discussed in the NA? On that note why did the RPA not vote for the government’s proposal to reduce the threshold for parties and electoral alliances to 4% and 6% respectively back in 2018?
• What were the lessons learned from the results of the December 2018 elections for the RPA? What is your party’s vision for Armenia and for RPA’s role in that new Armenia, over the next 5-10 years?

Wrap-up

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