Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan sharply responded at an election rally to a favorite argument often used by Aliaksandr Lukashenka when addressing Belarusians, officials and even partners in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and CIS: that no one needs them anywhere.
Parliamentary elections are scheduled to take place in Armenia on June 7. Pashinyan is formally on leave and is leading the list of the ruling Civil Contract party. Because of the election campaign, Pashinyan did not attend the EAEU summit being held in Kazakhstan today and tomorrow.
According to News.am, during the rally Pashinyan decided to recall that Aliaksandr Lukashenka had publicly stated that he helped Azerbaijan and had also said that Armenia was not needed by anyone.
“Now the same person says that Armenia is moving toward the European Union and has activated his agent here in order to bind Armenia the way it was before 2018.
I will say this directly. Armenia is not only not planning to leave the EAEU, but I am the only official who simultaneously serves on two governing bodies of the Union. I intend to use these levers and will use them so that Lukashenka cannot use the EAEU against Armenia.
All these statements being made are empty statements. Those making them do not understand that they are digging the grave of the EAEU.
After the elections I will return, while at the upcoming summit Armenia will be represented by the acting head of government, the deputy prime minister of Armenia.
After June 7, if I receive the people’s mandate, I will return to work and you will see that all alarming statements will be neutralized.
The three-headed party of war does not understand that it is digging the grave of the EAEU. I advise them to step away from this path,” he said.
Pashinyan also stressed that Armenia would not rely on only one ally.
“We will not rely on one road, one ally or one pipeline. We have a railway running from West to East, the Akhalkalaki-Kars railway was previously opened, and before that the railway through Azerbaijani territory was opened.
TRIPP will soon be launched, a gas pipeline will pass through our territory, and we will receive our own gas through this transit. We will be paid in gas for this transit. We will develop alternative energy.
As long as Armenia can remain a member of the EAEU and continue reforms according to European standards, we will follow this path. As soon as the time comes to make a choice, the Armenian people will make that choice. My great achievement is that the people have an alternative, so that no one can say: ‘Who needs Armenia, where will it go?’
Today Armenia is becoming a crossroads of peace. Armenia is vitally needed by the East, the West, the North and the South. All these sides must make the best offer to the Armenian people, who will make their choice. We are no longer a conflict-ridden dead end, we are a crossroads of peace, and the Armenian people have a choice.
I say this directly: you are behaving incorrectly by making threatening hints, because it is no longer possible to say that potatoes have become 7 drams more expensive and that the blood pressure of the Armenian people will rise because of it.
Armenia is no longer a country of thousands and tens of thousands, but a country of billions and trillions. This is no longer a country robbed by you and your partners,” he said.
It should be noted that today U.S. President Donald Trump publicly endorsed Pashinyan ahead of the upcoming elections.
