Pashinyan has shown himself to be a very talented politician, Armenian President Armen Sarkissian said in an interview with The Independent.

According to him, even as one of the scientists behind the Tetris computer game, he could not predict the latest developments in Armenia.

“Humans are not machines, they are much more complex,” Sarkissian noted.

Asked to comment on his role as a mediator, Sarkissian said: “It was quite hard work bringing the sides together. I did things that are not usually expected of a president, such as going into the crowds. But you couldn’t do your job by simply sitting in an office.” 

During the protest actions, Armenian President visited the Republic Square to talk with opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan.

According to the President, he convened a meeting with Serzh Sargsyan and officials the next day after the protest leader and two fellow MPs were detained by police.

“Confidential meetings will remain confidential, but you can make your judgments from the results,” says Sarkissian.

Asked to speak about future developments, Sarkissian noted, that he intends to stay on in his role.

“We are all learning, and I’m ready to get involved again if things go wrong. I’m ready to stand between police and protesters if I have to,” added the President.

According to him, the new leadership may face a lot of problems in the near future.

“Mr Pashinyan has shown himself to be a very talented politician, with an acute sense of public opinion. But running the government provides a completely a different challenge. He will have to provide answers to all the questions he has asked. And people will have to realise that not everything that went before was black, and not everything will be white tomorrow,” Armen Sarkissian noted.