RA President: Contradictions should not turn into an atmosphere of  intolerance, mutual hatred, confrontation and disagreement

ArmInfo.On the morning of March 1, on behalf of RA President Armen Sargsyan, flowers were laid at the monument to Myasnikyan in the center of the Armenian capital  in honor of the memory of the victims of the tragic events of March  1, 2008. This was reported by the press service of the Armenian  leader.

In his address, the RA President noted that the events of March 1,  2008, which resulted in the victims of innocent people, are a pain  for everyone. The political struggle, Armen Sargsyan noted, should  not go beyond the framework of legitimacy, it should not lead to  shocks, instability. Contradictions, as the President stressed,  should not turn into an atmosphere of intolerance, mutual hatred,  confrontation and disagreement. "I once again call on everyone to  show unity, tolerance and solidarity, especially today, when unity is  vital for our state and people," reads  the address of the RA  President.

It should be noted that at the end of February 2008, the second  President of the Republic of Armenia, Robert Kocharian, was leaving  the presidential post, preparing to transfer powers to Serzh  Sargsyan, who won the elections. Supporters of presidential candidate  Levon Ter-Petrosyan, who disagreed with the voting results, including  the current RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, organized protest  actions in Yerevan. On the night of March 1, the participants in the  thousands-strong rally were dispersed, ten people died during the  riots, more than 250 were injured. The defendants in the criminal  case in the March 1 case are ex-President of Armenia Robert  Kocharian, former CSTO Secretary General Yuri Khachaturov, former  Deputy Prime Minister Armen Gevorgyan, ex-Minister of Defense Seyran  Ohanyan. They are accused of attempting to overthrow the  constitutional order in Armenia.

Today, on March 1, three actions will be held in Yerevan at once. At  15:00, the rally is organized by the Armenian National Congress party  led by the first president of Armenia Levon Ter-Petrosyan.  In memory  of the demonstrators and policemen who died on March 1, 2008, they  intend to visit the church, where a memorial prayer service will be  served, after which at 16:00 a procession will take place to the  monument to Myasnikyan, where the main clashes took place, and then  head to the Yerablur military pantheon, where an event will be held  in memory of those killed in the Karabakh war. Meanwhile, the  opposition of Armenia will hold a rally and march at 16:00 demanding  the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

And at 18:30 the meeting and procession will be organized by the  Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, at which, in his words,  the readiness of "our people to defend the civil, popular,  democratic, constitutional order in Armenia and the people's power  will be confirmed." He also noted that the rally participants will  honor the memory of those killed on March 1, 2008. We also add that  the network is actively circulating information that the heads of  Armenian communities are actively gathering citizens for the upcoming  rally tonight. Government officials are reportedly under serious  pressure to participate in the evening procession. According to the  same media, the heads of the communities promise from 10 to 20  thousand drams and a free bus to everyone who agrees to go to the  upcoming demonstration.  It was also reported that Artsakh President  Arayik Harutyunyan also promised to bring about 1000 citizens to the  rally. However, his press secretary Lusine Avanesyan, commenting on  the information that the people of Artsakh will take part in the  rally organized by Nikol Pashinyan, assured that this is absolute  disinformation.