Pashinyan's Unconditional Victory Surprises Moscow: Fake Polls Predicted Success for Kocharian

According to the results of the parliamentary elections in Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan retains power, reports the Коммерсантъ publication, whose analyst Maxim Yusin attempted to understand what consequences this will have for the country, the region, and Russian-Armenian relations. This was reported by Tert.am.

“The results of Nikol Pashinyan and his ‘Civil Contract’ party’s unconditional victory in the elections caught many in Moscow by surprise, as these individuals were effectively guided by fake ratings and fraudulent polls that predicted success for the former president Robert Kocharian’s allies. It seems that in general, the perspective of many of our compatriots regarding the situation is also severely distorted. What was the picture for an external observer who was not involved in the internal affairs of Armenia? Pashinyan is a defeated politician, a symbol and a culprit of one of the most humiliating and shocking defeats ever suffered by Armenians in history,” writes the analyst, drawing parallels with the 1990s when Armenia won against Azerbaijan in the first Nagorno-Karabakh war.

“And now such a crushing defeat, indeed, on all points, without a chance. According to logic, the leader who conducted irresponsible and reckless policies ahead of the war should bear responsibility, simultaneously provoking Baku and challenging Moscow—the only potential ally capable of preventing or at least regulating the conflict in its initial stages. Pashinyan did everything to ensure that the Kremlin had no such desire, and here is the disastrous outcome. But the paradox is that, as it turned out, the situation inside Armenia looks different,” writes the analyst.

According to Yusin, the issue with the Armenian opposition is that it failed to find new faces in its struggle against Pashinyan. He believes society does not need those who were the symbols of the opposition during the elections. In this case, Pashinyan became the lesser evil for them. “The Armenians are ready to forgive him for both defeat and humiliation. And this is the people's choice, however illogical, absurd, and masochistic it may seem from the outside. The neighboring countries—both partners and enemies—will have to reckon with this choice. And the only advice to the Armenian people is to free themselves from delusions as soon as possible. Humiliations, concessions, compromises will not end. Perhaps they are just beginning; this is the fate of all states and peoples that have lost in war. There are no exceptions, nor miracles. Sooner or later, they will have to make concessions to Baku both on border issues and on the transport corridor that must pass through Armenia, linking Nakhchivan with the rest of Azerbaijan. These are precisely the concessions that Pashinyan agreed to make when signing ceasefire agreements. It is unpleasant, disgusting, humiliating, but these points must be followed. And for this, perhaps without realizing it, the voters were those who granted Pashinyan victory in the elections,” concludes Yusin.