Armenian PM Facebook post – a call for civil war?

Last night, the Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan published a Facebook post that has caused uproar and bewilderment in the country:

“I have watched dozens of videos of soldiers from the front line today. I’m amazed at these guys’ shrewdness. You guys are right. I am waiting for you in Yerevan. For the ultimate solution to the problems of the whiners under the walls. Proud of you.”

Many have perceived of Pashinyan’s as a call for civil war, as the soldiers from the front line would return with arms in hand. At the same time, it is not clear what the prime minister had in mind when he spoke about the ‘insight of the soldiers.’

The Ombudsman of Armenia condemned Pashinyan’s appeal, which comes during an already difficult situation in the country. It arose in Armenia after the signing of the truce in Karabakh, because thousands of people and the opposition believe that the truce is practically a voluntary surrender of Karabakh to Azerbaijan and are holding protest demonstrations.

“In fact, this is a call for civil clashes. This post is especially reprehensible against the background of videos of armed men in military uniform, regularly published in recent days, which contain hatred, calls for violence and reprisals,” Ombudsman Arman Tatoyan said in a statement.

At the same time, Arman Tatoyan urges people to show restraint, and law enforcement agencies to act in strict accordance with the law in order to prevent any clashes.

President Armen Sargsyan also called for restraint.

A couple of MPs of the ruling My Step bloc, after the prime minister’s statement, decided to lay down their mandates.

In the morning, the PM published another status on Facebook, where he said that all the explanations of what he specifically wanted to say would be given during his interviews to 12 publications, expected at 10.30.