1 May 2018 20:55

Pashinyan announces total civil disobedience in Armenia starting on Wed

YEREVAN. May 1 (Interfax) - Nikol Pashinyan, the leader of the protest movement and the head of the Yelk opposition faction, has called on his supporters to go on a strike and block all roads on Wednesday morning.

"All motorways are being blocked, a total strike is being announced, the airport, railways are being blocked tomorrow on 8:15 a.m. Our movement is bound to conclude in victory. Total acts of civil disobedience are starting tomorrow. We demand to recognize the people's victory and elect the people's candidate," Pashinyan said at a rally of thousands in Yerevan.

The ruling Republican Party of Armenia hoped that clashes would begin following its decision to vote against Pashinyan, he said.

"They wanted to provoke use. But no. It is a peace movement. I announce that negotiations with them can be held only on one issue, on the Republican Party's political funeral," Pashinyan said.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Armenian parliament failed to elect Pashinyan the prime minister. He was the sole candidate, but only 45 deputies voted for him, while 56 against, because the Republican Party, which has the majority of votes in the parliament, refused to support Pashinyan.