Yerevan: oppositional rally invites Armenian citizens to join protests

An oppositional rally held in France Square in Yerevan gathered up to 7000 people, the police have informed. After Nikol Pashinyan's resignation, an interim government will be formed, Ishkhan Sagatelyan, an oppositional MP, has stated.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on Tuesday (May 3), the opposition resumed disobedience actions in Yerevan. 209 protesters were detained for disobeying the police in the city.

Ishkhan Sagatelyan, who is also Vice Speaker of the National Assembly (Parliament) of Armenia, has called on the citizens of Armenia not to succumb to provocations, and go out into streets and join protests.

"We have no right to surrender Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh, – note of the "Caucasian Knot") to Azerbaijan. Artsakh was, is and will be Armenian!" he has stated.

Mr Sagatelyan also believes that Pashinyan's resignation is inevitable.

Tents have been set up in France Place for the third day, and oppositional activists stay here for the night.

Lusine Karamyan, a Yerevan resident, came to the rally with her three-year-old child. "We must remove the treacherous authorities and build our own country," the woman said.

Karine Serobyan, another participant in the action, blames Pashinyan for losing the Karabakh war and treats any concessions to Azerbaijan as unacceptable.