Social commentator Tigran Paskevichyan disagreed with the view that the political opposition in Armenia was in the throes of a stupor and that there is no demand for such forces.

Paskevichyan said the advances had been registered in the political arena but that they often aren’t visible upon first glance. He pointed to the failure of Tigran Karapetyan, leader of the People’s Party, to rally people under his populist banner as just one piece of evidence that ordinary Armenians can no longer be enticed by mere oratory and slogans.

“If you present an ultimatum to the authorities and give them seven days in which to comply, you will wind up as the laughing stock before the eyes of the people,” said Paskevichyan, referring to a list of demands Karapetyan recently addressed to the government.

“At one time, Geghamyan and others were declaring the same type of rhetoric. Today, the people have matured to the point that such statements aren’t viewed as credible. This is the reason why the HAK doesn’t engage in populist politics,” said Paskevichyan.

The commentator argued that the political battle to ensue will pit the government against the HAK and that he doesn’t see new political forces entering the fray.