‘Pashinyan is changing the program with which he came to power,’ says former My Step lawmaker Tatevik Hayrapetyan

Former lawmaker of the My Step faction, Tatevik Hayrapetyan, wrote on her Facebook page:

“Today, citizens who gave Nikol Pashinyan and his political force a second chance during the snap elections must actively stand against him and demand answers. Why? Because Pashinyan did not speak during the campaign about lowering the threshold or renouncing Artsakh. Now, under the promise of a 'peaceful era,' he is using the mandate given to him by those who trusted him to completely contradict the program proposed by himself and his party. The peace he promised during the campaign has nothing to do with the current 'peace.' The word has remained the same, but the content has been distorted and changed.

In fact, Nikol Pashinyan and the Civil Contract party are changing the program under which they came to power and received a mandate from the citizens of Armenia. What was the Civil Contract's program regarding Artsakh? I quote: 'In the coming years, our main problem should be the elimination of the disastrous consequences of the war, as well as ensuring the security of the people of Artsakh and the peaceful and comprehensive resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict based on the realization of the self-determination of the people of Artsakh without restrictions, which stems from the necessity to withstand the existential threats faced by the people of Artsakh.' The fact that all those territories where Azerbaijani control has been established have been emptied due to mass violations of human rights and mass crimes indicates that the people of Artsakh cannot survive under Azerbaijani subjugation.
The final resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is seen in the complete realization of the right to self-determination of the people of Artsakh and the final clarification of the status of Artsakh, based on the principle of 'Separation for Salvation.'

If the failure to fulfill the promises of 2018 could be justified by COVID and the war, then since 2021, there has been no change that would necessitate completely changing the program, especially concerning matters related to state interests. Azerbaijan has continued to speak the language of force and threats. What has the ruling force done since being re-elected for security? In fact, nothing.

Pashinyan must also be opposed by those members of the Civil Contract who, despite their various fears, do not see Artsakh as part of Azerbaijan; otherwise, they become an inseparable part of this criminal program. This can also be done non-publicly. In fact, those deceived are also misled, as they came to power under a different program and promised different things to people. No matter how much they were deceived into thinking they were fighting against the previous ones, it is clear that they are fighting against their own state and security interests, according to which there can be no Artsakh within Azerbaijan.

The non-voters will continue to fight against this anti-state program in various ways, even if it arises from very different, sometimes contradictory motivations. The issue is that the voters must make their voices heard and show that it is unacceptable to be deceived to this extent and remain unpunished. This is the way that will stop Pashinyan.”