On May 26, thousands of supporters of the Tavush for the Homeland movement held a rally in Yerevan to announce the opposition candidate, urging Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to resign after his government transferred four villages to Azerbaijan following an agreement to end hostilities between the two.

During the rally, influential Armenian Professor Gurgen Melikyan announced that the opposition movement's candidate for Armenia's prime minister is Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, who has been leading the Tavush for the Homeland movement over the past weeks.

"We have been in meetings and consultations for a month. Meetings were held with representatives of all spheres, and groups, from political parties to public entities, universities, scientific, cultural, and economic circles, security specialists, diplomats, businessmen, lawyers, various social groups, and many, many others. The vast majority of the participants of all meetings and discussions agreed that that person is, of course, Bagrat Archbishop Galstanyan," Melikyan said.

"There is a clear consensus among our political forces and people that the leader of the movement, Bagrat Srbazan should also be the prime minister. We understand that this is a difficult decision for the archbishop because it changes the whole course of his life. It’s a tough decision, but it’s part of the service," the professor added before emphasizing "This is the most important part of spiritual service that a person who serves his country, his land, his people can perform."

Archbishop calls on Pashinyan to 'meet with the present'

Following the announcement, the Archbishop took to the stage and addressed the Armenian people, saying he is ready to accept the candidacy and that he had already asked Catholicos Garegin II, the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, to "freeze my 30-year spiritual service" and allow him to enter politics.

Beyond that, he assured the people of his intention to defend the "holy homeland" and to prepare to hold an election in which he would not see a political future for himself.

🔴This government is not only criminally surrendering our state with its physical existence but, more terrifyingly, it seeks to change the essence of our homeland-its identity & values-by stealing & denying our symbols, our dreams & aspirations, our right to exist, & our history. pic.twitter.com/5BFhDPtZf4

— Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan (@SrbazanBagrat) May 26, 2024

Speaking to the incumbent prime minister, Galstanyan proclaimed, "I invite [Pashinyan]: Come to speak with these people not only as a politician but also as a man. If you don’t come, you will have no moral legitimacy. From this square, I will go to the governmental summer cottages to meet with you."

"We will force these authorities to reckon with people’s demands. Tomorrow morning, everyone, including myself, must be on the Republic Square," Galstanyan added, stressing, "We have come for a straightforward conversation on one topic: your peaceful, smooth departure. Without unnecessary resistance, just go. You are already the past, we are the present. I invite you to meet with the present," he said.

Civil disobedience as a tool to pressure Pashinyan

Archbishop Galstanyan led the civil disobedience movement since May, 27 as he and Armenian protesters marched through central Yerevan and blocked primary roads and highways.

"[Karapet] Ulnetsi Street in Yerevan and the Yerevan-Ashtarak highway are blocked," the demonstrators said on Telegram.

In turn, the Armenian government deployed Armenia's red beret, Armenian special forces, in massive numbers in order to face the protesters and bar them from their acts of civil disobedience.

As a result, since the morning, at least 137 protesters have been detained according to the Armenian Ministry of Interior.

Red berets used brute force against "Armenia" Alliance parliamentarian, Ashot Simonyan and detained him.#HolyStruggle #ՀանունՀայրենիքի pic.twitter.com/PoWV6sPYmN

— 301🇦🇲 (@301arm) May 27, 2024

Galstanyan had repeatedly called on Pashinyan to step down peacefully, while the latter claimed the people were under the influence of "drug lords," "criminals," and "foreign special services," seeking to "incite war" and the "de facto dissolution of Armenian sovereignty and statehood."

To that, the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the governing body of the Armenian Apostolic Church, responded to Pashinyan's claims saying they are "false, baseless, and unfounded" accusations against the church, and urged the Prime Minister to "review" his position on the church, noting that the current government in Armenia has been at odds with Catholicos Garegin II.

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