By Asif Aydinly
Amid growing turbulence within Armenia, intensifying pressure from the opposition, and increasing international isolation, the Armenian authorities are struggling to maintain political balance. However, whether Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan will succeed in completing the process of normalizing relations with Azerbaijan-or whether internal divisions and external pressures will once again plunge the country into political crisis-remains an open question.
In an interview with The Caspian Post, Armenian activist Ishkhan Verdyan shared his perspective on the current developments in Armenia, offering his analysis of recent polls and controversial statements made by certain political figures.
- How would you assess the current political situation in Armenia?
The political situation in Armenia appears stable on the surface, but this stability is deceptive-more like the calm before another storm. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is facing serious challenges in communicating with society. He has failed not only to convey his vision for the country’s future but even to clearly formulate it for himself.
It is evident that his primary objective is to normalize relations with Azerbaijan. However, it seems he has no clear strategy for achieving this goal. Armenian society as a whole, including Pashinyan himself, is not ready for dialogue with Azerbaijanis. This lack of readiness has created a deadlock that Pashinyan cannot resolve.
Paradoxically, this fear of dialogue makes him vulnerable to the opposition led by Robert Kocharyan. Kocharyan and his allies are actively fueling anti-Turkish sentiment to weaken Pashinyan’s position and regain political influence. While their efforts have not yet yielded significant results, time is working against the Prime Minister-as demonstrated by his recent defeat in the elections in Gyumri.
- How do you interpret Nikol Pashinyan’s visit to Moscow to attend the Victory Day Parade?
Photo: Press service of the Armenian government
It is difficult to predict Pashinyan’s intentions when he travels to Moscow. There have been instances when he returned from Russia with a dramatically altered position-sometimes moving toward peace, and other times toward escalation. Nevertheless, the fact remains that Moscow is Armenia’s key economic partner. Pashinyan cannot afford to ignore an invitation from President Putin. Doing so would be far too risky under the current circumstances.
- According to a Gallup International poll, 86% of Armenians demand that the draft peace agreement with Azerbaijan be made public before it is signed. Is Armenian society prepared for such a step?
Absolutely not. Armenian society is simply not ready to recognize Azerbaijan as an equal negotiating partner. This is a heavy legacy of the past. Pashinyan faces a monumental internal task-to change the deeply rooted perceptions within Armenian society. Without this transformation, real peace will remain impossible. Peace must first be established in the minds of the people, and only then can it be formalized on paper.
- Former Armenian Defense Ministry spokesperson Artsrun Hovhannisyan recently claimed that a victory by Hitler would have supposedly benefited Armenia. How would you respond to that?
Photo: Caliber.az
In my personal opinion, Artsrun Hovhannisyan is a professional provocateur and lobbyist. At the same time, he is an extremely intelligent person, which has allowed him to remain close to Pashinyan despite his, to put it mildly, controversial views.
His apparent sympathy for fascism is not accidental. He represents the ideology of the Dashnaktsutyun party, whose historical figures-Garegin Nzhdeh and Drastamat Kanayan (Dro)-are known to have collaborated with the Nazis. Hovhannisyan would likely have felt right at home in Goebbels’ headquarters if he had been born a few decades earlier.
That is why his statements should not be taken seriously. He tends to raise more questions than provide meaningful answers.
