Now We Understand It Was a Coup: Arthur Vanetsyan on the 2018 Revolution

When I was appointed Director of the NSS, it was not a regular appointment; a revolution had taken place at that time, and now we understand that it was a coup. We were associated with an organization that had bad morals, and we had the problem of needing to break stereotypes so that there would be trust in us. This was stated today by Arthur Vanetsyan, the leader of the 'Homeland' party, during a conversation with reporters.

'In a short time, our organization became the most authoritative structure, and we have done a great deal of work to stabilize the country. In September 2018, I tried to explain in an accessible way why I submitted my resignation. We can see a trend: in three years, five NSS directors have changed. Mr. Hambardzumyan and I have clearly stated the reasons for our resignations; the others have not. By trying to weaken the NSS, this government has aimed to undermine the foundations of the state. Why publicly? We have no other option.'

When asked why they did not arrest certain officials when they had the opportunity, Vanetsyan replied that he would definitely speak about this, but for now he cannot say why they did not take action. 'We have taken actions against individuals who served foreign interests. There is a confused crowd that is still in disillusionment; people who have led the country to ruin and handed Artsakh over to the enemy continue to cling to their chairs because for years, people have been misled and remain in confusion. Our words today are directed at them.'