Video: Serzh Sargsyan Reflects on Mistakes of 2018, Acknowledges Nikol Pashinyan Was Right

The third President of Armenia, Serzh Sargsyan, discussed the events of April 2018 in a conversation with filmmaker Mher Mkrtchyan.

"Mr. President, 'Nikol was right, I was wrong'—this phrase has become a mantra over the past three years. Everyone, including myself, uses this expression, and everyone, including myself, does not understand the meaning of those words. It is your expression. What does it mean, finally?"

— I can literally quote what I said in the interview, how it should have sounded after my penultimate editing—it is very simple. The text is understandable; I read this part: 'Nikol Pashinyan was right when he said that he must come to power at all costs, I was wrong thinking that every citizen's life in the Republic of Armenia was valuable to him.' I simplified these complex sentences, considering the following circumstance: although it wasn’t expressed very clearly, it could create unnecessary tension.

"I went to meet him at the Marriott Armenia hotel. Many of my colleagues said that I shouldn’t go to meet him, but I needed to personally ascertain whether this man has a red line or not. And in a very short time, I was convinced that, yes, he is right—he is ready to go to the end. And that end seemed very bad to me, it was a devilish end. That was it."

— After that, Nikol was arrested following the meeting at the Marriott.

— He was arrested on the 22nd—on April 22. I assume the question is as follows: why were you arrested, and then why were you released?

— Do you want me to wait to hear the answer before I ask another question? If he was not arrested after Radio Van, then why was he arrested after that meeting?

— The difference was very great. During Radio Van, they were few, but by that time, there were already quite a number of people in the streets, and they had already crossed the red lines. That is why I did not oppose the decision of the law enforcement agencies. I was already contemplating resignation in my mind. Thus, I thought that the decision of law enforcement, if it is correct, could bring about calm, so let them arrest him. Regardless, I was already thinking about my resignation on the evening of the 21st and the morning of the 22nd. Whether it calmed down or not, it didn’t matter; I was going to resign because there were reasons for that. Therefore, I again repeat, I did not oppose, thinking that if it calms down, I will resign in a peaceful manner; if it does not calm down, then whoever replaces me will also take him out of that position.