Ara Abrahamyan: Pashinyan is turning election race into an arena of  blackmail, revenge, and outright threats

ArmInfo.  Ara Abrahamyan, head of the Union of Armenians of Russia (UAR), responded to the conflict that arose on May 18 between Yerevan residents and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan during the campaign for the upcoming parliamentary elections, expressing his conviction that the head of the Armenian cabinet is turning the election race into an arena of  blackmail, revenge, and outright threats.

"I'll bring you to your knees! Are you talking nonsense? I'll grab  your puppy back by the scruff of the neck." It's hard to believe that  these words, addressed to the leader of one of Armenia's largest  political parties, a renowned businessman and philanthropist who has  done much to develop Armenia's economy and sports, creating thousands  of jobs - Gagik Tsarukyan - belong to none other than the head of  state! "A prime minister who, in the morning, is pushing hearts and  his 'love' on the population online, and just a few hours later,  dropping his mask, displays aggression and malice," the head of the  SAR remarked.

He added that everyone remembers how Pashinyan, twice now - in the  2018 and 2021 elections - lured the public into every possible trap  with deceptive promises and demonstrated the true value of his words.   According to Abrahamyan, once, clinging to his seat, he already  ruined the lives of 120,000 of his compatriots, and not only them, by  surrendering Artsakh, which, as he himself declared, is "Armenia -  period!"

"And today, for the sake of maintaining his power, skillfully playing  on emotions, he is ready to surrender the interests of his state and  people, destroying the established Armenian-Russian ties. As a  result, finding itself without the support of Russia and the EAEU,  and with dubious prospects for EU membership (Georgia and Ukraine are  already on the horizon), Armenia will face the risk of repeating  infamous historical events, which carry the risk of losing its  sovereignty. As is well known, history does not forgive unlearned  lessons. For Armenia, maintaining and developing relations with  various countries is not only expedient but also necessary-after all,  Armenian communities exist practically everywhere. But why is the  current government doing this at the expense of relations with  Russia?, the head of the SAR asked.

Abrahamyan is confident that the Armenian authorities understand that  no one, absolutely no one, can replace Russia's key role as Armenia's  economic and military-strategic partner. He also expressed his  conviction that Pashinyan, who has done everything to worsen  Armenian-Russian relations and has completely lost the trust of not  only Armenia but also Russia, is not the person capable of achieving  this.

At the same time, Abrahamyan noted that until 2018, Armenia, despite  certain internal political and social problems, was a fully-fledged  subject of international relations, a universally recognized and  respected state within borders that no one, until the "velvet" regime  came to power, had questioned.

"But Pashinyan's policies, which declared he was starting from  scratch, have drawn the country into geopolitical games and  confrontations, making it a weak link in this global chain. As a  result, on June 7, Armenians will choose not between local parties  and candidates, but between Russia and the so-called West.

So-called because, under the guise of the "West," Armenia will find  itself drawn into the orbit of Azerbaijan-the guarantor of  Pashinyan's own security, but not of the Armenian people. The EU  summit in Armenia in early May definitively demonstrated that  Pashinyan is prepared to do anything to maintain his grip on power.  The fact that Europeans are indifferent to the lack of democracy and  freedom of speech in Armenia, the persecution of the ancient  Christian church, and the Armenians held in Baku is not particularly  surprising. For them, Armenia is merely a tool in their confrontation  with Russia, nothing more," the head of the SAR expressed his  conviction.

"But how can we explain the fact that the Armenian Prime Minister,  while giving the floor to Zelensky, didn't even consider using the  unique opportunity to raise, in the presence of all European leaders,  from this same podium the issues of importance to the Armenian  people: the Armenian lands occupied by Azerbaijanis, the ethnic  cleansing in Artsakh, Baku's new encroachments-now on Armenia  itself-the illegally held Armenians, and so on?" Abrahamyan asked.

He added that he remains convinced of the need for serious  constitutional, systemic, and substantive reforms in the  military-political, economic, and spiritual spheres. However, the  head of the SAR is confident that these changes must be based, first  and foremost, on the interests of the Armenian people and Armenia,  which the current clan-based government, incapable of overcoming the  Azerbaijani armed forces that have occupied nearly 300 square  kilometers of sovereign Armenian territory while simultaneously  instigating shameful persecution of the Armenian Holy Apostolic  Church, is incapable of defending. "I am also convinced that  Armenia's future depends, literally, on each and every one of us. On  everyone who goes to the polls and votes! Those who think they are  neutral by not participating in the elections are mistaken.  By  staying home, you are voting for Pashinyan and for the past seven  years-full of human and territorial losses, humiliation, and division  into us and them. For the return of Armenians to vassalage to  neighboring states, where our ancestors built for centuries, and  where today their homes, churches, and cemeteries have disappeared or  are in danger of disappearing," Abrahamyan believes.

"Where are the Armenians of Artsakh, Baku, Nakhichevan today? Where  are the Armenians of the village of Chardakhlu - the birthplace of  heroes, the birthplace of two Marshals of the Soviet Union -  Baghramyan and Babajanyan? What happened to the legendary local  museum of the Great Patriotic War, which kept the history of 1,250  Chardakhlu residents who went to the front, twelve of whom became  generals, and seven - Heroes of the Soviet Union? The descendants of  the marshals cannot visit their native village today. Where are the  Armenians of Kirovobad, Utik, Tigranakert and other once Armenian  lands? What happened to the graves of our ancestors? If in 2018,  thanks to false promises and manipulative technologies, anti-Armenian  forces had not come to power, then today Artsakh would remain  Armenian, as it has been for millennia, and Aliyev would not publicly  humiliate Pashinyan and the Armenian people, waving his fist, and in  Baku "Karabakh leaders and prisoners of war wouldn't be in prison,  and the issue of Armenia's sovereignty and its recognized borders  wouldn't be a subject of discussion," the head of the SAR emphasized.

In conclusion, he expressed his conviction that on June 7, the  Armenian people will choose a new path for Armenia, different from  the one proposed by Pashinyan, who deprives Armenians of dignity and  honor.  "This, I repeat, depends on each of us!" he concluded.