Armen Ashotyan - Pashinyan Vote of No Confidence, Opposition Strategies | Ep 473, Sep 19, 2025 [EP473]

Posted on Friday, Sep 19, 2025 | Category: Armenia | Series: cog

Guest:

Topics:

  • TRIPP / Trump Route / Zangezur Corridor
  • Vote of No Confidence
  • “Pashinyan or War”?

Episode 473 | Recorded on September 17, 2025

Show Notes

Summary

Armen Ashotyan, vice president of the Republican Party of Armenia, explains the opposition’s plan for a no-confidence path against Pashinyan, how impeachment procedure pairs with street mobilization, and why opposition unity matters ahead of 2026. We also unpack TRIPP, the announced U.S. funding, and the gap between “up to 99 years” language heard in Washington and what appears in the MoUs published by Yerevan. Ashotyan rejects the “Pashinyan or war” binary and says real peace requires security first.

Main Topics Addressed

  • Why Pativ Unem issued a statement to initiate a no-confidence process, and how hearings could involve non-parliamentary actors.
  • Impeachment math, the 36-signature and 54-vote thresholds, and why public action must complement procedure.
  • TRIPP: U.S. funding announcements, “up to 99 years” remarks in Washington, and what is, and is not, in the published MoUs.
  • Opposition unity: differences with Hayastan, the role of Samvel Karapetyan’s “Mer Dzevov,” and priorities for coordination.
  • Responding to “Pashinyan or war,” readiness under repression, and turning public sentiment into public action.

Key Questions Discussed

  • What does the no-confidence statement aim to achieve, and how do hearings broaden participation beyond parliament?
  • Given 32 opposition MPs vs the 36-signature threshold, what is the realistic path to place the motion on the agenda and reach 54 votes?
  • What are the real commitments behind TRIPP if the MoUs omit “lease” and “99 years,” yet officials cite large funding and long duration?
  • Are the differences between Pativ Unem and Hayastan tactical or deeper, and how can the opposition present a united front?
  • If removing Pashinyan risks Azeri pressure, how does the opposition think about deterrence, security, and avoiding war while changing course?

Referenced Articles & Sources

Wrap-up

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Guests

Armen Ashotyan

Armen Ashotyan

Armen Ashotyan is the vice president of the Republican Party of Armenia. From 2005 to 2007, Mr. Ashotyan was a member of the National Assembly, and chaired the Committee on Foreign Relations. From 2009 to 2017, Ashotyan served as Minister of Education and Science. In 2017, Ashotyan was elected to the parliament again and served there until the Dec 2018 snap parliamentary elections.

Hosts

Hovik Manucharyan

Hovik Manucharyan

Hovik Manucharyan is an information security engineer who moved from Seattle to Armenia in 2022. He co-founded the ANN/Groong podcast in 2020 and has been a contributor to Groong News since the late 1990s.

Disclaimer: The views expressed by Hovik Manucharyan on the ANN/Groong podcast are his own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of his employer or any other organization.

Asbed Bedrossian

Asbed Bedrossian

Asbed Bedrossian is an IT professional with extensive experience in enterprise IT infrastructure, IT security, enterprise applications, data center operations, high performance computing, ITSM, ITPM, and more.

Asbed is founder of the Armenian News Network Groong (ca. 1989/1990) and co-founder of the ANN/Groong podcast in 2020.

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