17:11, 21 December 2020

Nikol Pashinyan interrupts his visit to Syunik Region

Nikol Pashinyan pays visit to the Syunik Region, December 21, 2020. Screenshot: https://www.facebook.com/nikol.pashinyan/videos/909317746503673

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said that it is unacceptable to disperse protesters on the day of mourning and returned to Yerevan without visiting the main cities of Syunik Region.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that today, residents of Syunik Region blocked the road to prevent the arrival of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. In anticipation of his visit, about 2000 policemen were sent to the Syunik Region, and clashes broke out between protesters and the police.

The protests in the Syunik Region began on December 17, when the Ministry of Defence (MoD) of Armenia decided to liberate the heights near the city of Kapan. Gevorg Parsyan, Mayor of Kapan, explains that if the heights are not liberated the Azerbaijani forces will stay only a kilometre from the city, and the road from Kapan to four villages – Khdrants, Kapan, Yegvard, and Uzhanis – will be on the territory controlled by Azerbaijan.

Upon his arrival in Sisian, one of the cities of the Syunik Region, Nikol Pashinyan announced that he cancelled his planned visits to the largest cities in the region, including Goris, the regional centre of Kapan and Megri.

"We will not succumb to provocations. Today, we have met residents of Syunik and paid tribute at graves of the deceased military personnel," said the Armenian Prime Minister as quoted by the "News".

Nikol Pashinyan believes that he was received kindly in Sisian. The Prime Minister also suggests that the same kind reception awaited him in other cities and that the protesters deliberately did not let him go there. Meanwhile, Nikol Pashinyan also emphasized he considered it unacceptable to use force against the protesters on the day of mourning.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on December 21, 2020 at 02:45 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.