Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Monday canceled his planned visits to Goris, Kapan, and Meghri towns of Syunik Province; he himself announced this in Sisian town.

"We will not give in to provocations. Meghri, Kapan, and Goris are in their place. Today we met with the people of Syunik, brought our homage and burned incense at the graves of Syunik soldiers, and we will continue this process," Pashinyan added.

According to him, the people of Goris closed off the Yerevan-Goris motorway because they know that he will be received well in the aforesaid cities. "I offer a deal: let them open the road, let's go, see what the mood is in those cities. If they don’t open [the road], it’s ok, we will go next time. I said that I as coming to look into the eyes of the people of Syunik; I looked into the eyes of the people of Syunik. I am guilty of many things before you, you deserve much more. Sadly, no government of Armenia, including our government, has been able to do and bring the country to what you deserve," said Nikol Pashinyan.

Pashinyan had earlier announced that he would visit Kapan, Goris and Meghri towns, too, but he visited only Sarnakunk village, then Sisian town, and accompanied by a large number of bodyguards.

Ever since early Monday morning, many residents of Goris have tried to block the road entering Syunik at the Zanger section, but a large number of police forces have blocked their road and not allowed them to reach Zanger.

As reported earlier, from the night, 2,000 officers from the police troops moved to the Syunik gates near Zanger where the people of Syunik were to carry out their protest against Pashinyan’s visit to the province.

To note, Goris Mayor Arush Arushanyan, who had announced in advance the town residents’ aforesaid protest, was detained early Monday morning.