Eleven opposition forces unite at Samvel Karapetyan’s home against the “Aliyev constitution”
- Published
- Place
- Yerevan, Armenia
- Event date
- Past event —
Summary
Hours after Samvel Karapetyan was detained, eleven opposition forces met on the evening of Wednesday 4 November at the Strong Armenia leader’s home in Yerevan. The meeting was led by Narek Karapetyan, head of the party’s parliamentary group. Around the table were the Armenia bloc, the Armenian National Congress, Hayakve, Prosperous Armenia, the Republican Party, Country to Live, Heritage, Together, Democratic Alternative, New Era and United Armenians. Participants signed a joint text and announced a “nationwide consolidation” around four goals: rejecting the “constitution imposed by Aliyev”, achieving peace without unilateral concessions or territorial losses, defending national identity and the Armenian Apostolic Church, and restoring democratic rights and freedoms. At the same time, the Investigative Committee was asking the Anti-Corruption Court to remand nine people in custody, including Samvel Karapetyan.
Analysis
Armenia’s opposition is usually deeply divided, and several of these forces have clashed bitterly in the past. “We have many disagreements, but on one thing we all agreed,” Narek Karapetyan acknowledged. That one thing is the draft new Constitution backed by Nikol Pashinyan, which the opposition describes as a demand from Baku. According to Azatutyun, the ruling Civil Contract party needs at least six opposition votes in parliament to put it to a referendum.
Possible consequences
Narek Karapetyan says he wants to widen the agreement to public figures and rules out no means “permitted by the Constitution”. Former prime minister Hrant Bagratyan said street protests were not discussed. Shortly before 1 a.m., Samvel Karapetyan’s case had still not been assigned to a judge, and supporters were told to go home.
