Opposition Leaders Doubt Each Other: What is Happening Before the Major Rally?

According to the newspaper, the atmosphere among the opposition political forces is far from peaceful. The "Movement for the Salvation of the Homeland," consisting of 17 forces, de facto does not exist, and the opposition political forces have decided to reach a consensus in a different format regarding how to achieve the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

Currently, meetings are being held in this format with former Presidents of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan and Robert Kocharian, leader of the Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) Gagik Tsarukyan, representative of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Ishkhan Saghatelyan, and the head of the Homeland Party Arthur Vanetsyan, as well as Vazgen Manukyan, who has been nominated as a prime minister candidate by them. However, even these leaders do not trust each other and are expressing doubts about each other's loyalty in various circles.

Well-informed sources informed the newspaper that the leaders suspect each other may have connections with Nikol Pashinyan's government. For example, the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), led by Serzh Sargsyan, suspects that Gagik Tsarukyan of the BHK might secretly negotiate with the authorities. Similar suspicions exist regarding Arthur Vanetsyan of the Homeland Party, as many believe he may be tied to the current government through various channels and could reach some agreements with them.

All of them also suspect Serzh Sargsyan of being behind Nikol Pashinyan's political program and that there is still a connection between the two, which is why Sargsyan does not want elections. The only leader among them without suspicion is Robert Kocharian, who has set a clear task for everyone: to participate in the elections as a united front and to create a polarized political landscape between supporters and opponents of Nikol Pashinyan.

Gagik Tsarukyan has unequivocally stated that his party will not join any coalition and will run separately in the elections, while Serzh Sargsyan has expressed that his party has no intention of participating in snap parliamentary elections that would legitimize Pashinyan.

Serzh Sargsyan might change his mind, just as he changed his stance after promising not to become prime minister but then did. The ARF and the Homeland Party are also working constructively and are ready for both collective and individual options.

The resolution of these issues will depend on the timing of the elections. The newspaper clarified that despite Robert Kocharian returning to Yerevan from Moscow, the leaders have not yet met. It is only known that there is a decision to hold a major rally on February 20 and to begin various acts of disobedience.

The upcoming week is set to be crucial for the opposition as decisions need to be made. However, before that can happen, mutual suspicions must be cleared, and it is unclear how that will be accomplished.