YEREVAN. – There is an apparent crisis in the dialogue process between the ruling coalition and the opposition Armenian National Congress (ANC), but it is highly probable for this discourse to resume, specifically since both parties wish to come out of this crisis, Caucasus Institute Director, political scientist Alexander Iskandaryan stated during a press conference on Friday. 

And reflecting on ANC member Nikol Pashinyan’s declaration toward gathering 500 thousand people in capital Yerevan’s Liberty Square, Iskandaryan noted that such-capacity rallies were not held even between February 19 and March 1, 2008. “What’s more important is the quality of those masses,” the political scientist maintained.

According to Iskandaryan, the rallies will continue. “The closer the elections come, the rhetoric will become that much radical. So, the reaction will always be there,” the political scientist concluded.   

The opposition had suspended talks with the authorities on August 26, stating that it would resume the dialogue only in the case when ANC activist Tigran Arakelyan—whom ANC views as a political prisoner—is set free.