Political forces commemorate the memory of the March 1 victims
Representatives of Armenia’s political forces paid tribute on Wednesday to the memory of the victims of March 1, laying flowers at the Myasnikyan Monument.
To recall, in the wake of the Armenian Presidential elections of February 19, 2008, opposition forces headed by Armenia’s first president Levon Ter-Petrosyan contested the official elections results through holding round-the-clock rallies in Yerevan’s Liberty Square. The demonstrations ended in violent clashes between the protestors and the law enforcement forces on March 1, leaving 10 dead and around 200 people injured.
“Those to be blamed are then-leadership of Armenia,” Chairman of the Free Liberals party told reporters at a briefing. In his words all politicians, including himself, are to be blamed for the fact that no one has carried responsibility to date.
Representatives of the “Exit” political bloc, who were seen marching to Myasnikyan Monument from Yerevan Moscow Cinema House also participated in the commemorative event. One of the leaders of the bloc Nikol Pashinyan noted it remained inconceivable ‘the authorities would use force against protesters that regretfully took place.”
Naira Zohrabyan from the Prosperous Armenia Party raised the question why people had to die for voicing their principles.
To add, members of Armenia’s Parliament earlier today paid tribute to the victims of March 1 with a moment of silence ahead of the NA morning session.