Armenian opposition calls for revolution

The Armenian National Congress (ANC) has decided to change the current ruling regime, Nikol Pashinyan, an oppositional activist and editor-in-chief of the "Armenian Time" newspaper, said today at a rally. He called the audience to revolution.

"Robert Kocharyan (President of Armenia in 1998-2008, - note of the "Caucasian Knot"), Serzh Sargsyan (incumbent President from 2008, - note of the "Caucasian Knot") and their oligarchs shall return all the loot to the last penny to the people. They will face trial and made responsible for the murders of March 1, 2008, and for oppressing their people," said Nikol Pashinyan.

He said that a decision was made that this "regime will be liquidated." "We've decided; and we'll implement our decision - it can't be revised. Thus: long live the revolution; long live our children in a free country!" said Pashinyan.

The rally started today at 5:55 p.m. Moscow time in Freedom Square of Yerevan.

The residents of the city of Razdan, named Mger and Manuk, who were present at the rally, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that they had specially arrived at the rally, as they hope to change the situation in the country through the actions of the opposition.

"The power shall be changed for sure: in Armenia, everything belongs to oligarchs; members of the government are all the time on trips abroad - they'd have better raised pensions. Our relatives live in villages; they've sold their cattle and are starving. The only hope is to leave the country," the participants of the rally have noted.

"I trust nobody; I don't trust Levon Ter-Petrosyan (leader of the ANC, - note of the "Caucasian Knot") either - he won't be able to do anything. Everything here belongs to and obeys the authorities - secret services, police and others. What can Levon do?" asked Zhanna, a pensioner from Yerevan.