Yerevan lights

2021-02-26 18:00:10 PACE rapporteurs today said that the statement of the army is unacceptable for them, Armenian ex-justice minister Arpine Hovhannisyan wrote on her Facebook noting that PACE has exhausted itself as a legitimate body expressing opinions on Armenia.

"This structure has long exhausted itself as a legitimate body expressing opinions and points of view on the internal political processes in Armenia," she said. "Where were you during the attacks on the courts - on the Constitutional Court, where were you when there was a hit parade of lawlessness and arrests in the country, where were you during the crimes of Azerbaijan that took place during the war?"

"And, FINALLY, where are you now, today, at this moment, when our prisoners are illegally held in the country of the enemy, who today said that there are no more prisoners and no one to return to Armenia?" Hovhannisyan wonders. Open / Comment

2021-02-26 17:55:44 A performance of Ceausescu's "Execution or death to traitors!" was shown near the Armenian parliament, before the planned demonstration at 18:00 Open / Comment

2021-02-26 16:49:57 Baku will not object to the normalization of relations between Turkey and Armenia, as well as the opening of the border between these countries, TASS reported referring to President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.

"Considering the new situation, we are positive about the normalization of relations between Turkey and Armenia. We do not currently have a special opinion regarding the normalization of these relations. Turkey itself will determine when borders can be opened and relations with Armenia normalized. In any case, there will be no negative opinion from Azerbaijan," he said on Friday in an interview with foreign media.

Aliyev said that his country does not intend to abandon the purchase of military equipment in Turkey.

"Contacts with Turkey through the military-industrial complex will continue. I can inform you that new contracts have been signed, agreements have been reached on the supply of the most modern Turkish-made weapons." Open / Comment

2021-02-26 16:30:38 At 18:00, a rally on [Marshal] Baghramyan Avenue [in Yerevan]. Ishkhan Saghatelyan—a representative of the Armenia Supreme Body of the opposition Armenian Revolutionary Federation-ARF Dashnaktsutyun Party and coordinator of the Homeland Salvation Movement, which demands the resignation of PM Nikol Pashinyan—wrote this on Facebook Friday.

"Before that, we will meet with President Armen Sarkissian soon. But now our march continues—we are returning to Baghramyan Avenue. Join the struggle, save the homeland!," Saghatelyan added. Open / Comment

2021-02-26 16:27:29 French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian called on all sides in Armenia for dialogue to resolve the current political crisis, Interfax reported citing French media.

At a press conference on Friday with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmitry Kuleba in Paris, the French minister called for dialogue to preserve democracy.

France hopes that dialogue will begin in Armenia, based on the legitimacy of the president and the prime minister. Open / Comment

2021-02-26 16:26:49 Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan commented on the current situation in Armenia, saying that "Turkey is against any attempt at a coup d'etat."

"We are against all kinds of coups. We simply cannot accept coup attempts," Erdogan told reporters after Friday’s Muslim prayers in Istanbul.

According to him, "a coup attempt by the Armenian military is unacceptable, and in case of the need to change the current government, the last word should belong to the Armenian people."

"They should leave that decision to the discretion of the Armenian people," Erdogan added. Open / Comment

2021-02-26 16:09:13 "The information disseminated in the press that the RA President Armen Sarkissian returned the proposal to dismiss Onik Gasparyan from office with his objections is not true," said Assistant to the RA President Hasmik Petrosyan Open / Comment

2021-02-26 14:56:22 The opposition have now marched down to Republic Square, down Amiryan st. and are now marching northwards on Mashtots Avenue Open / Comment

2021-02-26 14:22:49 The Homeland Rescue Movement has issued a statement announcing the place and venue of the upcoming meeting.

The delegation of the Homeland Salvation Movement headed by Vazgen Manukyan will meet with the President of the Republic Armen Sargsyan at 15:40. "At 18:00 a rally will be held in front of the National Assembly building, during which the representatives of the movement will present the results of the meeting with the president and the further steps of the movement," the statement reads. Open / Comment

2021-02-26 14:11:14 A regular meeting of the working group will be held on Saturday in Moscow under the joint chairmanship of the deputy prime ministers of Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Russia.

According to Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk, all parties have confirmed their participation. Open / Comment