Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan says he expects the opposition to make a statement ruling out violence and the use of weapons in political matters.

The PM made the remarks at an online press conference when asked about the existing hate speech in Armenia.

 “Thank God nothing close to what happened with the Speaker of Parliament has happened over the past 2,5 years with any opposition politician, and it won’t happen. If we were to conduct a monitoring on social media, it’s still a question who was more targeted during the past 2,5 years. It is a fact that the atmosphere in the country must be improved, that the atmosphere of hate must be ruled out, and we don’t argue with this. But this requires specific actions not only from the government. I am stating that the things they tried to attribute to us this night is ruled out, it is ruled out that our actions have such toolbox. Let the opposition itself state, are they ruling out violence and the use of weapons? If they rule it out, then we have necessary preconditions for dialogue, for discussions and for overcoming the situation with joint powers,” Pashinyan said.

He pointed out that most of the political forces didn’t even condemn the November 10 riots in Yerevan when the Government headquarters, the parliament building and his official residence were attacked.

“Is it because they had organized it? How can they accuse the government in advocating hate speech?”