YEREVAN. – The actions of disobedience will be every day, the city will always be in this state until Nikol Pashinyan leaves because what was done cannot be forgiven, and what continues now, every day is destructive for the Armenian people. Vazgen Manukyan, the opposition Homeland Salvation Movement’s candidate for Prime Minister, told this to reporters outside the main building of the government of Armenia Monday, speaking about the ongoing actions of civil disobedience.

Referring to PM Nikol Pashinyan's proposal to hold snap parliamentary elections in Armenia, Manukyan said that he did not believe that Pashinyan would actually go for snap elections. "He deliberately wants to divide the arena again into [political] parties who agree, who do not agree [to these elections]; [this ] is an ordinary trick (…). We have clearly said that there can be no election in Armenia under the leadership of Nikol Pashinyan," he said.

According to the Homeland Salvation Movement’s candidate for PM, first of all, Pashinyan must leave power, a new government must be formed, which at some point will at least regain some consciousness to the people, increase the army's combat-readiness, and negotiate regarding the borders—either trilaterally or with Azerbaijan. "Because what is happening is a disgrace. We [Armenia] continue to give and give. The borders are given [to Azerbaijan] without any negotiations, without any international law. Until this ends, a new government is formed, talking about elections is meaningless. Holding an election now, or in 1-2 months, means dividing Armenia again. The election means a battle; the parties must start battling with each other. In this situation, does it make sense to enter into that process? Such a thing cannot be done until we come to our senses," Manukyan said.

Asked whether snap parliamentary elections were announced: "We will not let [it]. He [Pashinyan] must go [from power] before the early elections. Until he leaves, there will be no election in Armenia, or the election will turn into clashes, there will be a fight inside Armenia. There will be a fight near every ballot box, blood will be shed. Does he want that?," Manukyan said, noting that the whole nation will oppose it.

According to Manukyan, tens of thousands of people take to the streets in Armenia, and although hundreds of thousands of others do not, they are in favor of change of power in Armenia.

To the remark that Pashinyan mentions that the citizens do not take to the streets, and therefore they do not want to, Manukyan responded: "I promise that they will take to the streets and change this government so that we can live as normal. He ruined all our dreams. I consider him an enemy. He is not a traitor, but the enemy of our people and state. He has never been with us to betray us. He has always been an outsider, an enemy. Armenia cannot develop in any way during his time [in power]. An enemy, not a traitor, has entered our country."

Vazgen Manukyan emphasized that now the people, not the opposition, are standing against Nikol Pashinyan. "There is opposition during the elections, whereas now it is a national struggle to save our country from the enemy [i.e., Pashinyan]," he concluded.