Nikol Pashinyan, who heads the Yelk (Way Out) faction in Armenia’s National Assembly and is participating in a march through the country to prevent outgoing Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan from becoming the country’s next prime minister, told Hetq that tens of thousands of people would have to take to the streets for such a goal to be achieved.

Armenia’s parliament will nominate candidates for the post of prime minister and Serzh Sargsyan’s Rebublican Party of Armenia faction holds a majority of seats.       

Despite promises made in the past that he would not seek the post of prime minister after ending his second term as president, which he did yesterday, Sargsyan recently hinted at the possibility that he would accept the post if nominated. He argued that Armenia faces a number of challenges, both domestic and foreign, and he feels a moral obligation to steer Armenia clear of the danger.

Pashinyan’s Yelk Alliance has organized a rally to be held on April 13 at Yerevan’s Liberty Square.

The hope is that thousands will show up to voice their opposition to any move designed to swear in Serzh Sargsyan as the next prime minister.

Pashinyan said that his party might even nominate a candidate of its own at the rally if conditions warranted such a move.

When this reporter asked Pashinyan about his recent Facebook post in which he says that his supporters are preparing to blockade the homes of Republican Party of Armenia MPs, not allowing them to reach the parliament and nominate Sargsyan, he said that such a plan would need the participation of the whole society.

Whether people heed their call and attend the Yerevan rally in their thousands, Pashinyan says he and his supporters do not plan to simply give up and go home.

Some fifty or so marchers today made their way through the town of Hrazdan.

Photo: Narek Aleksanyan