Artur Vanetsyan, former head of the National Security Service and leader of the Homeland Party, stated that the upcoming 2026 parliamentary elections transcend traditional political contests, framing them instead as a national liberation struggle against internal adversaries. Speaking on the LurjCast program, he underscored the imperative of ousting the current government.

Vanetsyan emphasized that all political forces must prepare for the elections, asserting, "There cannot be a political force that does not prepare for elections." However, he clarified that the immediate focus is on removing the current authorities, not merely on electoral preparations.

He articulated a dual strategy: while not excluding street protests or any actions leading to the government's removal, simultaneous preparation for the 2026 elections is essential. He warned that if only the ruling party is ready when elections arrive, it could secure a significant number of votes, leaving the opposition to question how this occurred.

Vanetsyan stressed that Armenia cannot afford to leave the current government in power again, describing the situation as a national liberation struggle against internal enemies, rather than a conventional political battle.

Addressing internal opposition criticisms, Vanetsyan refrained from commenting on other parties' relationships but highlighted his party's healthy and cooperative relations with teams of the second and third presidents, as well as other opposition forces. He believes genuine opposition forces cannot have insurmountable disagreements regarding the goal of removing the current authorities.

He acknowledged tactical differences among opposition groups, such as the timing of employing impeachment procedures, but affirmed consensus on the primary objective.

When asked about the possibility of opposition forces jointly nominating him as a candidate, Vanetsyan stated that such decisions lie with those legitimately entitled to propose a prime ministerial candidate. He mentioned having had discussions without a clear agenda and emphasized that if a decision is made to rally around a particular individual to remove Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, that person must accept the responsibility.

In a related development, former President Serzh Sargsyan responded to an interview by former President Robert Kocharyan, stating that Kocharyan's targeting of him began in 2008, not 2018 as some believe. Kocharyan had remarked that the Republican Party came to power during his presidency and questioned who supported whom during their establishment, suggesting that forming a coalition might be necessary to remove the current authorities, though he sees no possibility of running together in elections.