The Zhoghovurd newspaper of Armenia writes as follows, in particular: After the incidents recorded in [PM] Nikol Pashinyan’s [parliamentary election] campaign in recent days, and, in particular, the tense situations that occurred in the Arabkir administrative district [of Yerevan], the prime minister’s campaigning behavior has changed dramatically.

According to the Zhoghovurd daily’s information, there were people in Pashinyan’s team who have advised him not to engage in long conversations with citizens during the campaign in order to avoid possible new incidents and scandals. And during the campaign held yesterday in Ararat Province, it was noticeable that Nikol Pashinyan was not engaging in long conversations with citizens. After brief greetings, he was mainly speaking through a loudspeaker, conveying his message without emotional outbursts and entering into direct debates.

If in the past Pashinyan used to stand, talk for a long time with citizens, listen to complaints and try to create the impression of direct contact, now the picture is different: fast walking, leaflets distributed from a distance, strict security control, and minimal contact with people.

According to information, in the CC [i.e. Armenia’s ruling Civil Contract party], Pashinyan has been urged to change his behavior. That is, even his own team understands that the street reality [in Armenia] is no longer what it was in 2018. People today do not approach [him] with admiration, but with demands, complaints, and difficult questions.

In this way, Pashinyan and his teammates are trying to control the course of the campaign and avoid situations that could become a reason for new scandals as much as possible.

Another circumstance is also interesting: Pashinyan, avoiding direct clashes with citizens, continues to target political opponents in his speeches. His rhetoric, vocabulary, and threats against the opposition continue to be heard in public speeches—already no longer in face-to-face clashes, but through loudspeakers.

[The] Arabkir [incident], it seems, became not just another campaign stop for Pashinyan, but a political sobering impulse. And judging by everything, the authorities have understood that impulse very well.

Source: https://news.am/en/news/1037388