We Must Be Ready for a Lightning-Fast Rebellion: Vazgen Manukyan

In 2018, a group of people emerged, claiming, 'We will build a just state where there will be no corruption, there will be equality.' A large part of the population thought, 'This is what we have been fighting for.' No, it wasn't. This was stated by Vazgen Manukyan, the candidate for Prime Minister from the 'Homeland Salvation Movement,' during his remarks at a Liberty Square event.

'They say we were deceived. No, they did not deceive us; we deceived ourselves because had we read what these people were writing and saying, we would never have taken that path. And what do we have now? A tragedy. We've lost almost everything; we lost the war, the army was shattered, all our military victories were destroyed, the state is not independent, our security is ensured by Russia. In that sense, we are becoming completely dependent on Russia. They think they can go to Russia, flatter Putin, and work behind the scenes. That's not friendship,' Manukyan stated.

According to Manukyan, the current authorities have attempted to cast out national interests from our people. 'Slowly, it is becoming a police state. They are silencing reporters, arresting the most honest and devoted people to the country. We are strong and can emerge from this situation, but there’s a prerequisite: this administration must be expelled. After that, the real steps that need to be taken will begin,' he added.

Manukyan proposed two plans for the participants at the rally, noting: 'The one who resigns doesn’t. We need to break the scheme he has; that is the part of the population that does not realize what path the state is on and is waiting for misfortune to come to their door. The second base of support is the law enforcement agencies — the police, the NSS, who are sometimes convinced that they are fulfilling their state duties.'

He emphasized that the law enforcement agencies do not realize they serve the Turkish-Azerbaijani coalition. Manukyan also added that the third force consists of the MPs who support Nikol Pashinyan in the National Assembly.

'Armenia must rise; there have to be protests, the city must be paralyzed, there must be strikes. This requires work and time. But there is plan B. Whenever that may come — today, a week later, or 10 days later — we must be ready for a lightning-fast uprising to take the power,' Manukyan stated.