Mikayel Minasyan Announces He Will Not Participate in Upcoming Early Parliamentary Elections

The former ambassador of Armenia to the Holy See, Mikayel Minasyan, announced on his Facebook page that he will not participate in the upcoming early parliamentary elections.

Here is his statement:

“The disaster and crisis established in Armenia will not only not be resolved after the elections, but will deepen further. At least, that is how I see it. Armenia today needs silence, hard work, and solidarity. Meanwhile, the meaningless chatter of Nikol’s pre-election campaign and the 'vote harvest' built on lies, which we have already witnessed, will deepen the problems of our ailing country, polarize society, and exacerbate the internal political crisis.

I keep my promise and declare that I will not participate in the upcoming snap elections. My decision has several reasons.

1. I have always said that as long as Nikol Pashinyan is involved in politics and 'nikolism' has not been politically assessed—with its criminal consequences—going to the elections means drawing a line and de facto accepting that the issue is political, excluding all other aspects. And the day after the election, if Nikol remains in politics and does not end up in prison, a deeper crisis will establish itself in Armenia.
2. Going to elections under Nikol’s leadership means finally accepting Armenia's non-democratic reality and the game rules of Nikol, which are immoral, arrogant, and change according to his whims every day.
3. Competing in elections with Nikol and his clowns means either failing to acknowledge that you are competing with traitors of the nation and state, or accepting the fact of their treason while ignoring it and entering into political struggle.
4. I am well aware of what former and current authorities, as well as former and current opposition figures, think and say about my political persona, who prefer to ignore the facts based on their own fears and perceptions. Therefore, I have decided not to enter this electoral cycle, to finally prove that my struggle was for the state—neither a fight for office nor personal gain.
5. I will not participate in the elections because I know that doing so may, to put it mildly, upset the fighters for the anti-Nikol cause, who think that being in Armenia, they have conducted the real struggle, and that those struggling from abroad should remain in the shadows or in a supportive role. I understand and respect such approaches. I realize that my presence may create unnecessary tension and jealousy within the anti-Nikol bloc, regardless of my intentions. As my struggle is solely against Nikol and 'nikolism' and for salvation, I will continue it with a total absence of ambition, allowing an opportunity to fight without internal competition. And since the unification did not work out, at least it will reduce segmentation and resource depletion.
6. I once said that I am a well-mannered person and know how to respect elders—both in age and in merit. And today, people are participating in the anti-Nikol struggle in one way or another, particularly the first, second, and third presidents, whom I hold in the highest regard regardless of ideological agreements or disagreements. If they think that their method of struggle is more effective and their active involvement is necessary to save Armenia, that decision deserves respect. I fully understand that the direct involvement of the presidents and their supporting forces will allow Nikol to cover his treachery and divert the public discourse towards meaningless topics like 'the former-the current,' 'looting-asphalt,' turning the pre-election struggle into a show. A significant portion of our society continues to find itself in that trap, and so I do not share the strategy of the presidents, but I also do not want to submit to those game rules and continue to insist that under Nikol’s prime ministership, the elections are not the most effective option in the struggle against Nikol.

This method of fighting against Nikol was chosen against my will and urgings. I will not be running in the elections, but I will continue to fight. I urge my like-minded friends and companions to go and vote; choose neither Nikol nor the traitors. I will choose the force that will bring peace, public harmony, and hope for a better life to Armenia. Go and vote, even if you have had or currently have disagreements with that force. Make your choice as I do—humbly, consciously, and clearly knowing who should not be chosen. We must not be destroyed.”