Thousands rally for Pashinyan as Armenia PM slams ‘coup attempt’

Addressing some 20,000 supporters in central Yerevan, Pashinyan told military officers it was their duty to obey the people after top generals issued a statement calling on him to resign.

“As an elected prime minister, I am ordering all generals, officers and soldiers to do your job of protecting the country’s borders and territorial integrity,” he said during the rally.

He further added, "The army must obey the people and elected authorities".

The defense ministry also issued a statement declaring that the army had no political institution.

“The army is not a political institution and attempts to involve it in political processes are unacceptable,” said statement.

Pashinyan has been under intense pressure over his handling of the conflict for control of the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Armenia’s opposition, who in November, urged him to heed the military’s demand.

Last November, the conflict with Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh region ended, and gathered pace again. The conflict saw thousands killed on both sides and swathes of territory in and around the mountainous region ceded to Azerbaijan.

Hence, military have been calling for Pashinyan’s resignation since the ceasefire deal but he has ignored repeated calls to resign for losing swathes of territory to Azerbaijan.

Moreover, Pashinyan responded by firing Onik Gasparyan, the head of the army’s General Staff.

He then took to the streets of the capital city Yerevan, in a bid to rally supporters behind him.

A large number of protestors also came out in the city, chanting ‘Nikol, you traitor’ and ‘Nikol, resign’ blocking streets and paralysing traffic around the city.