Protesters in Yerevan demand resignation of Nikol Pashinyan
YEREVAN, May 9. /ARKA/. Supporters of the protest movement led by the Primate of the Tavush Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan gathered in the Republic Square in the center of Yerevan demanding the government to stop the process of border delimitation with Azerbaijan in Tavush region.
They were joined by local residents from different districts of the capital, as well as residents of Armenia's provinces.
Police deployed hundreds of officers at the site. Speaking to reporters, Police Chief Aram Hovhannisyan said that police intend to maintain public order and will act within the law.
Addressing his supporters, the Archbishop said PM Nikol Pashinyan has one hour to submit his resignation.
"I am ready to meet and discuss all the terms of resignation within one hour. You no longer have any power in the Republic of Armenia," he said.
In a statement released Wednesday, the leadership of the Armenian Apostolic Church officially expressed support for the movement led by one of its high-ranking clerics.
It called on Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's government to accept the "legitimate" demands of the protesters.
"We consider extremely dangerous the actions in the border areas of Tavush, which are undertaken in the name of border delimitation and demarcation without comprehensive and guaranteed solutions and create new threats to our people," the church's Supreme Spiritual Council said in the statement.-0-