People-Power prevails in Armenia
After two weeks of demonstrations, the protesters' choice to become next Prime Minister, Nikol Pashinyan, looks set to be approved by parliament.
The ruling Republican Party, the target of the protests led by Pashinyan, says it won't stand in his way when parliament meets on Tuesday to choose the next Prime Minister. Pashinyan is the only candidate and the Republican Party says it won't be fielding one.
Party Vice-President Armen Ashotyan told Euronews: "We see the support of public opinion, of the people to Nikol Pashinyan. And it makes him very legitimate to come and to talk, to sum up this situation and to find the proper solution. I think it's very important to hear from the only candidate for being elected Prime Minister: his conceptual position, his solid position about the main issues that Armenia has now. So we want to hear maybe some program messages, some visions about possible ways out of this situation."
Euronews' Apostolos Staikos asked Pashinyan how he felt winning this high-stakes political battle.
"You know, I think that the winner is people, people of Armenia," he replies. "Armenian people supported our idea, that we need changes and we need new government in Armenia. So I think the question is: does the Republican Party want to solve this political crisis? If yes, they should vote for the candidate from the people. And the reality is that within the last 20 years we have permanently, we had governments without support of people, without belief of people for them. And, so, our people until now were disappointed, our people didn't believe his own future, and now our people believe his own future."
Our correspondent says from Yerevan: "many expected that here in the parliament of Armenia we would be witnessing a political thriller for the election of the new prime minister. Now, Nikol Pasiniyan is one step away from office, but his mission is not easy, since he has to work with those who, up until yesterday, accused of corruption and obsession with power."