Vazgen Manukyan on Levon Ter-Petrosyan's Statement

“I disagree with the opinion regarding the movement, but I welcome the atmosphere in which people are not attacking each other, but rather discussing options for overcoming this situation,” said Vazgen Manukyan, the Prime Minister candidate of the “Homeland Salvation Movement,” in an interview with 168.am, referring to the statement made yesterday by Armenia's first President, Levon Ter-Petrosyan.

“Everyone can find something positive or negative in any option, but it is positive when people talk about options, that is commendable. I cannot say much more right now, I am busy,” added Vazgen Manukyan.

It is noteworthy that Levon Ter-Petrosyan, the first President of Armenia, yesterday presented his vision for overcoming the internal political crisis, addressing the proposals made by Vazgen Manukyan and the “Homeland Salvation Movement.”

He specifically mentioned: “Today, Vazgen Manukyan has three options for resolving the internal political crisis: a. a military coup, b. achieving the resignation of the Prime Minister through the popular pressure organized by the ‘Homeland Salvation Movement,’ and c. the unacceptability of conducting snap elections by the current Prime Minister.

However, he does not take into account the following circumstances: the first option is absolutely unconstitutional, and recognizing this, the army resolutely rejected it despite the pressure exerted by the opposition. Regarding the Homeland Salvation Movement, it has become outdated, as more than four months of public events and sharp internal disagreements have shown that it absolutely does not enjoy broad public support and is completely depleted.

On the matter of the third option, I fully agree with Manukyan. Why? Because the Prime Minister and the political force supporting him are guided not by concerns about strengthening and empowering the state, but exclusively by a blatant obsession with maintaining their power at any cost. I also agree with the claims circulating in society that if early elections are organized by the ruling party, they will not hesitate to use administrative resources widely, resulting in all polling stations potentially becoming hotspots of tension. I am convinced that in this case we will witness the most disgraceful elections in Armenian history. This could mean the end of the Armenian statehood or a prolonged nightmarish existence.

Therefore, the only option that serves the interests of both the state and the people, as well as personally the Prime Minister, in my opinion, is his immediate and voluntary resignation and the provision of legal guarantees of immunity by the National Assembly, granting him, even temporarily, asylum abroad. In that case, the duties of the Prime Minister should be transferred to a non-partisan Deputy Prime Minister, who, due to his neutrality, is able to ensure the conduct of fair elections.”