Armenian opposition shows red cards to demand Pashinyan's resignation

PanARMENIAN.Net - Representatives and followers of opposition parties on Wednesday, December 9 rallied in downtown Yerevan to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

The protesters marched to the building of the National Assembly and showed "red cards", chanting "Nikol-free Armenia". Gegham Manukyan from Dashnaktsutyun (Armenian Revolutionary Federation) said they are protesting Pashinyan's premiership by raising "red cards" against his policies.

According to founder of Homeland party, former director of the National Security Service Artur Vanetsyan, at least 22 parties have joined in what he described the "homeland salvation movement".

The country's opposition earlier proposed the candidacy of ex-Premier Vazgen Manukyan for the post of the head of government. Manukyan was the first Prime Minister of Armenia from 1990 to 1991 and was acting Minister of Defense from 1992 to 1993. Since the country's independence in 1991, he ran unsuccessfully for President in 1996, 1998, 2003 and 2008.

Demands for Pashinyan's resignation came immediately after he signed a trilateral statement with Russia and Azerbaijan to end the war in Karabakh after almost 45 days. Under the deal, the Armenian side has returned all the seven regions surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh, having lost a part of Karabakh itself in hostilities.