Vazgen Manukyan, the nominee of the anti-Pashinyan Homeland Salvation Movement (HSM) to serve as prime minister of a transitional government in Armenia, has called on his followers to barricade Baghramyan Avenue in downtown Yerevan.

The HSM staged an anti-Pashinyan rally in Yerevan’s Liberty Square that attracted thousands.

Manukyan ridiculed a statement issued by Pashinyan that he was ready to launch talks with political forces to resolve the domestic crisis.

Manukyan described Pashinyan as a “traitor to the homeland” who must resign.

"We will stay here. Let him come and we’ll dictate what our demands are, how he should leave. People, it is a historic moment, be brave, resilient, patient. We will close this street. We will wait. We must bring the deputies of the National Assembly so that they can vote and remove him,” Manukyan said, promising to remain on Baghramyan all night.

Photo: archive