On 31 May, the leader of the “Armenian bloc” Robert Kocharyan and his political allies from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation and Reviving Armenian parties presented various chapters of the extensive document at a meeting with several hundred members of their alliance called Hayastan (Armenia) held in Yerevan.

Kocharyan focused on what he regards as the key challenges facing Armenia, saying that its current government’s policies on defence and national security have been an “utter failure.” “The first necessary action we will take in the area of security will be to restore the combat-readiness of the armed forces, not for waging a war but for ensuring dignified peace,” he said in a speech. “There is just no other option. The army is the backbone of a country’s security.”

He went on to denounce the current government’s foreign policy as “cheap trickery” that has alienated Armenia’s allies and partners. “We will restore confidence in our country as a predictable and understandable partner,” he said. “The defeat in the war must not inhibit us through an inferiority complex… We do have a potential for quick recovery and will do everything to make that an important and vital issue for our allies and, first and foremost, Russia as well,” Kocharyan added.  

Kocharyan was also very critical towards the reform of the judiciary under the current government, saying that the goal was to usurp judicial power through the vetting of the judges. “Now how shall we discuss the vetting – vetting as a phenomenon in general or vetting in the context of its application. It is necessary to make reforms, heal the system, and find solutions to different issues. But vetting is another thing. They tried to spread the revolution in the judicial system too. They tried to spread, put under doubt everything, destroy and as a result today we got what we got,” Kocharyan underscored. 

In the meantime, Armenia’s acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan urged the population to hand his Civil Contract political party a landslide victory in the upcoming general elections, saying that it would usher in an “era of peaceful development” in Armenia. “If we want stability to be restored after the elections… we are asking, expecting, urging, and hoping that the Civil Contract will get 60% of the vote in the elections,” Pashinyan stated during a visit to Armenia’s Lori province. “We don’t need other scenarios. We want the elections to take place so that we get back to solving our security, economic, educational and social problems,” he added.

Pashinyan was also trading accusations with the leader of the Armenian National Congress (ANC) Levon Ter-Petrosyan over the handling of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Ter-Petrosyan blamed Pashinyan for the Second Karabakh war with Azerbaijan and its outcomes. He also accused the current authorities of failing to understand and cope with post-war security challenges facing Armenia. “I’m sure that Russia is frankly telling Pashinyan what it is going to do in this region and about the future of Armenia and Karabakh in general. Pashinyan’s problem is that he doesn’t understand what the Russians are telling him,” he stressed.

The country’s acting Prime Minister replied by saying that Ter-Petrosyan stood for placing Karabakh back under Azerbaijani control when he ruled Armenia from 1991-1998 and continues to favour the same policy. “What he is saying is: Karabakh is Azerbaijan. Period,’ Pashinyan emphasised.

The leader of the Prosperous Armenia party Gagik Tsarukyan ruled out the media speculations that his party would form a coalition with the Civil Contract after the elections. “There is no way I will join forces with My Step,” Tsarukyan told reporters, referring to the ruling political alliance mostly composed of members of the Civil Contract party. “I’m going it alone. I’m going to win [the elections] and implement my program,” he stated.

The leader of the “I have honour” bloc Serzh Sargsyan stated in a meeting with his supporters that Armenia would not grant any corridor to Azerbaijan if the current authorities are to be replaced. “I am not aware of that corridor. We cannot give a corridor to anyone. How can we give a corridor? Why should we give a corridor?" Sargsyan asked. 

And to the clarifying question as to whether he is against giving a corridor, Sargsyan responded: “One hundred percent. That those communications shall be opened in the region, there is no problem here. But what corridor is it about? That is, are we obligated to give Azerbaijan a corridor? With which paper? By which arrangement? For what?” he added.