Armenia at Historical Milestone: The Cost of a Wrong Choice
In today’s world, old illusions no longer work. The rhetoric of values, rights, and equality in international relations has been replaced by an open and often brutal politics of force. Major powers no longer conceal their interests or attempt to cloak them in moral language. This reality is not new, but it has become increasingly explicit and commonplace. In such conditions, small and vulnerable states either possess strategic thinking and the capacity to resist, or they pay the price for the mistakes of their governments. Unfortunately, Armenia is paying that price today.
Armenia’s current vulnerability is neither accidental nor solely the result of external interference. The country did not lose because of its difficult geography alone or because of foreign pressure. While these factors played a role, the decisive defeat occurred when Armenian society succumbed to illusions and, following the so-called “revolution” orchestrated by Serzh Sargsyan, transferred power to the incompetent, unprofessional, and, traitorous team led by Nikol Pashinyan. This government replaced state governance with chaos, self-deception, and systemic corruption, placing national interests up for auction.
The government of Nikol Pashinyan and the political, administrative, and media structures that support it have not merely failed at state governance; for years, they have consistently undermined it. After the loss of Artsakh, the authorities should have carried out a comprehensive revision of their policies. Instead, the defeat was presented as a “window for peace,” and state capitulation as a “rational choice.” Empty rhetoric about democracy replaced security considerations, while a coherent national strategy never emerged.
Today, as the world openly operates according to spheres of influence, power, and interests, Armenia finds itself with authorities who lack strategy, reliable allies, and even internal unity. Their primary instrument is fear-based propaganda: “either us or war.” This is not a political program, but a form of political blackmail directed at their own people.
The forces supporting Pashinyan, along with sections of the intellectual elite, remained silent for years despite territorial concessions, national humiliation, and systemic governance failures. They bear collective responsibility for Armenia’s current condition. There is no longer room for excuses about “inherited problems,” “difficult times,” or “mistakes.” A state is not destroyed in a single day; it is dismantled through sustained irresponsibility.
Under these circumstances, the upcoming elections are not an ordinary political process. The responsibility now lies with the citizens of Armenia. At this historical milestone, they face a choice that will determine whether the state is preserved and whether the future interests of the nation are safeguarded.
The reality is clear and unforgiving: the incumbent authorities do not enjoy the support of the majority of the population. If more than 50 percent of eligible voters participate in the elections, the re-election of Nikol Pashinyan becomes highly unlikely. His continued hold on power rests largely on public despair, fear, and low voter turnout.
Abstaining from voting effectively means endorsing the very policies that led to defeat. Silence becomes consent. Staying at home contributes to the continuation of an incompetent and, as critics argue, traitorous government.
Armenia was not doomed to lose. It suffered defeat because of a wrong political choice. The sooner that choice receives a clear political assessment, the greater the chances of restoring statehood and reclaiming lost positions in the region.
