PM Pashinyan vows never to visit Belarus under Lukashenko's rule

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has blamed the Catholicos of All Armenians and the former (second) president Robert Kocharyan for the clashes that took place outside the parliament on June 12.

He said in Parliament that supporters of the movement "led by Catholicos and Robert Kocharyan" attacked the police on June 12, Caliber.Az reports, citing Armenian media.

The prime minister called the law enforcers' response lawful and professional, and in all such cases, the guards of order will act in such a way.

"Protesters tried to forcefully break through the police cordon to launch an attack on the country's highest legislative body. The police defended the legislative institution, statehood. Incidentally, someone with the title of archbishop appealed to the police to remove their shields because they were in no danger - a short time later the same person arranged for stones to be thrown in their direction. This is what you need to know about the moral portrait of the two highest representatives of the Armenian Apostolic Church," the prime minister told parliament.

In addition, Pashinyan touched upon the topic of Armenia's withdrawal from the CSTO: "The next logical step will be the withdrawal from the CSTO, when it happens - we will decide."

Moreover, during his speech, the Armenian prime minister noted that he would never again visit the CSTO member country Belarus. "I want to emphasise that I will never again visit Belarus as long as Alexander Lukashenko is president," Pashinyan said.