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BREAKING: Armenian opposition forces plan to launch a coordinated street campaign on November 8, as three additional political groups join a nationwide unity initiative against Pashinyan’s government, according to “Strong Armenia” member Lilia Shushanyan. Shushanyan, a public administration expert, announced the plans after meeting Narek Karapetyan, head of the “Strong Armenia” parliamentary faction. She said opposition representatives would engage citizens in small groups to explain what they consider the damaging consequences of Pashinyan’s government’s policies. Other public actions are also planned. Shushanyan identified three additional political forces she said had joined the initiative: • The “Wings of Unity” party, led by former Human Rights Defender Arman Tatoyan • The “Democratic Party of Armenia,” led by Aram Sargsyan • The “Union for National Self-Determination,” led by Paruyr Hayrikyan The development follows a November 4 meeting of opposition forces at the residence of “Strong Armenia” leader Samvel Karapetyan, shortly after his detention during a large-scale security operation. Led by Narek Karapetyan and Aram Vardevanyan, the gathering produced a joint declaration calling for nationwide political consolidation despite differences among the parties. The signatories agreed on four priorities: rejecting Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s demands for constitutional changes in Armenia; securing peace without unilateral concessions or territorial losses; protecting Armenian national identity and the Armenian Apostolic Church; and restoring democratic freedoms and rights. On November 4, authorities searched 65 locations, including properties associated with Samvel and Narek Karapetyan. The following day, the Anti-Corruption Court ordered Samvel Karapetyan held in custody for one month. The planned campaign marks the opposition’s next effort to translate its joint declaration into coordinated public action.

Nikol Pashinyan declared on November 7 that international recognition of the Armenian Genocide is entirely absent from Armenia’s foreign policy agenda, calling for the country to abandon the pursuit. Speaking at the “MaskOFF” discussion organized by the “Restart” Foundation in Yerevan, Pashinyan said recognition was not simply a lower priority but was no longer on the agenda. He also characterized international recognition as a bargaining chip used by foreign powers in their relations with third countries. The declaration follows earlier statements by Pashinyan and members of his ruling “Civil Contract” party concerning the Armenian Genocide. In April 2024, ruling-party lawmaker Andranik Kocharyan called for compiling a comprehensive list of Armenian Genocide victims, raising questions about whether the death toll was 1.5 million, 2 million, or fewer. He later described the proposal as his personal opinion and denied questioning the genocide or its death toll. In January 2025, Pashinyan faced criticism after remarks in Switzerland calling for a reassessment of how Armenians understand the events of 1915 and the origins of the international recognition campaign. He subsequently maintained that the genocide was an indisputable historical fact. In March 2025, Pashinyan told Turkish journalists that international recognition was no longer a foreign policy priority. In August 2026, he explicitly declared in parliament that the issue would not be on the agenda at all. His latest remarks come amid Pashinyan’s administration’s efforts to normalize relations with Turkey, which continues to deny the Armenian Genocide. 1.5 million Armenians were killed during the genocide carried out by the Ottoman Empire beginning in 1915. Dozens of countries, including the France, Germany, and Russia, have formally recognized the Armenian Genocide. International recognition has remained a longstanding objective of Armenian communities worldwide, even as Pashinyan’s administration abandons its pursuit as a foreign policy goal.