Armenian opposition announces youth rally amid ongoing protests

Bagrat Galstanyan, the leader of the Armenian opposition group Tavush for the Motherland, announced plans for a major youth rally this weekend as he participated in the June 17 protest.

The announcement follows a wave of demonstrations sparked by the news that Armenia and Azerbaijan had agreed to delimit their border in the Tavush region, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media.

"There will be a major youth get together on Saturday. The time and place are to be announced later. They are afraid to provide us with a venue. But it's not a problem," Galstanyan said in comments broadcast by local news websites. "Besides that, we are planning to go to some regions. The movement must step outside Yerevan and spread across the country."

Protests, led by Archbishop Bagrat of the Tavush Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church, erupted after reports emerged that Yerevan had agreed to cede four villages in the Tavush region to Baku. These villages were part of Azerbaijan before the Armenian occupation in the early 1990s.

Tavush for the Motherland is demanding the resignation of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, accusing him of surrendering land to Azerbaijan. "We cannot stand by as our government gives away our land," Galstanyan stated. "Prime Minister Pashinyan must step down. Our nation's sovereignty and the integrity of our borders are at stake."

The tension between Armenia and Azerbaijan remains high following the agreement. The opposition claims that ceding these territories compromises Armenian security and sovereignty.

The upcoming rally and regional mobilization signify the opposition's intention to broaden their movement beyond the capital.