Author Sergey Solodovnik
In normal cases, parties and individuals are admitted to the elections by the local Central Election Commission. Or they are not admitted.
But in the modern Yerevan variant, this function has been taken over by the current Prime Minister Pashinyan.
Well, anyone would say: that is how it is done in authoritarian societies.
He stated that «he cannot even entertain the thought of such forces as "Strong Armenia" (Samvel Karapetyan), the "Armenia" bloc (former President Robert Kocharyan), and "Prosperous Armenia" (Gagik Tsarukyan) entering the National Assembly».
Is this pressure on the Central Election Commission of Armenia?
No, it will be even more than that. This is a direct assessment of those voters who are ready to vote for the listed parties and personalities from Pashinyan's «black list».
Let's listen to the Prime Minister further:
If they get into Parliament, «it will mean that I am entertaining the thought that there are so many "dogs and wolves" in the Republic of Armenia that they could vote for them».
A small explanation is required here. There is such an idiomatic expression in Armenian: «shun u shangyal», which means not just dogs and wolves in the same natural pack. After all, everyone knows that in reality – it is impossible.
This formula is used in the Armenian language to denote an unorganized mob. A rabble. Scum.
What does the phrase mean in a political context, besides being an insult?
This is the first step towards excluding voters who voted for the opposition from the category of normal people. With their constitutional rights.
It looks like preliminary hysteria stoking by Pashinyan among his supporters. So that they go wall-to-wall against their own compatriots if the Pashinyan supporters lose the elections.
It remains to express the hope that these insults by Pashinyan were merely a manifestation of hysteria due to the results of social polls.
In favor of the opposition.