THE ARMENIAN MIRRORc SPECTATOR Since 1932 Volume LXXXXI, NO. 33, Issue 4675 MARCH 6, 2021 $2.00 Boston Proclaims February 26 Khojaly Commemoration Day Mayor’s Office Apologizes To Armenians By Aram Arkun Mirror-Spectator Staff BOSTON (defence.az, Azernews.az, Twitter, Press Herald) - Mayor Marty Walsh of Boston proclaimed Febru- ary 26 to be Khojaly Commemora- tion Day. The proclamation quotes Human Rights Watch as stating this was the largest massacre of the 1990s and that it was com- mitted by Ar- Boston Mayor menian armed Marty Walsh forces with the Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan greets his supporters during a rally in his support in Yerevan on March 1 support of a Soviet Russian rifle regiment. According to Azerbaijani sources, the proclamation was adopted on the initiative of Roza Shahzade, director of the New England-based Azerbaijan Pashinyan Agrees to Snap Elections Center. In addition, Azerbaijanis held a demonstration at Harvard Square in By Raffi Elliott minister also reiterated that the only way to tions, the prime minister would first need to Cambridge, according to the Azerbai- Special to the Mirror-Spectator change the composition of the current gov- submit his resignation in accordance with jani State Committee for Work with ernment is through legal, free and fair elec- Article 149 of the Constitution at which Diaspora, to commemorate the 29th YEREVAN — Prime Minister Nikol tions. “You elected me, and only you can point Parliament is given two attempts to anniversary of the Khojaly killings or- Pashinyan announced his readiness to hold oust me” Pashinyan shouted as supporters nominate a replacement candidate before ganized with the support of the same snap elections on the evening of March 1. chanted “Nikol, prime minister.” being dissolved and elections triggered. Azerbaijan Center. Some of the posters Addressing a large crowd in the capital’s Armenia’s current electoral code features These elections must take place within a pe- displayed used the word genocide to Republic Square at an event commemo- a complex mechanism for dissolving the riod of 30 to 45 days later. Any citizen describe the Khojaly event, in contra- rating the March 1, 2008, shooting of 10 government. In order to trigger fresh elec- see ELECTIONS, page 2 diction with the accepted definition of demonstrators by the Army, Pashinyan dis- this term. cussed allegations by opposition groups that Armenians in turn contacted the his previous suggestion for fresh elections mayor’s office in large numbers to pro- were insincere. test the proclamation, as confirmed by Open Letter to Foreign Minister a telephone respondent at the mayor’s office. Ara Ayvazyan In response to a question from the Mirror-Spectator about why and how The advent of a new sented in Washington, DC the mayoral proclamation was issued, US Administration and by a seasoned ambassador on March 2 Nick Martin, Chief Com- the start of the 117th Ses- with long years of experience munications Officer of the Office of sion of the US Congress, effectively advancing Arme- Mayor Walsh, stated: “We receive a in the wake of Turkey’s nia’s national interests at the high volume of requests for mayoral and Azerbaijan’s six-week war on Art- highest levels of international diplo- proclamations throughout the year, sakh, mark an era of new opportunities macy. He and his professional team are and our systems for processing them Opposition demonstrators rally near to foster stronger US-Armenia relations, well regarded by their US counterparts, are currently in flux as part of the may- the government buildings in Yerevan on check Turkish and Azerbaijani aggres- the Armenian American community, a oral transition. This situation is a re- February 27 to pressure Prime Minister sion, support the security of Artsakh, and broad array of allied organizations, and minder that, no matter the challenges, Pashinyan to resign realize the national and democratic aspi- the Washington, DC foreign policy com- it’s important and necessary to scru- rations of the Armenian people. munity. tinize all of those requests, especially The Republic of Armenia – through As a community – deeply integrat- ones having to do with international “Since the opposition flatly rejected our her diplomatic representation – and the ed into American civil society and with conflict, more closely before issuing proposals for snap elections, we concluded Armenian American community – as more than a century of experience work- a proclamation. We regret upsetting that holding one would be pointless without citizens of our great nation – each have ing with the U.S. government – we have, anyone with this proclamation, and we their approval” Pashinyan said, adding that vital roles to play in this regard. For her since the rebirth of an independent sincerely apologize to the Armenian if parliamentary quorum could be assured, part, Armenia is fortunate to be repre- see LETTER, page 2 see PROCLAMATION, PAGE 16 his party was ready to call a vote. The prime SAINT LOUIS NEW YORK INTERVIEW Super Grandmaster Flame of Vilen Galstyan Levon Aronian to Faith “My life was spent in Move to Saint Louis, a wonderful creative Represent the US atmosphere” Page 7 Page 7 Page 12 2 SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 2021 ARMENIAN MIRROR-SPECTATOR NEWS from ARMENIA Pashinyan Agrees to Snap Elections EU-Armenia Accord Takes ELECTIONS, from page 1 dent has 3 days to confirm or reject an or- — the Republican, Prosperous Armenia Effect March 1 of Armenia — not just sitting parliamentar- der from the National Assembly, failing to and Armenian Revolutionary Federation YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — The Com- ians — is eligible for nomination provided take action results in it automatically com- (ARF) parties — formed the government prehensive and Enhanced Partnership that they are over 25 years of age, speak ing into force. The president did add that he at the time of that incident. Former Chief Agreement (CEPA) signed by the Eu- Armenian and reside in the country. would submit a separate application to the of the Army General Staff Yuri Khatcha- ropean Union (EU) and Armenia more Given that only 67 parliamentary votes Constitutional Court to clarify the “legally turov and Former Defense Minister Seyran than three years ago entered into force are required to confirm a replacement prime on March 1, after being ratified by all minister, the government has been seek- EU member states. ing guarantees from the opposition that it The 350-page agreement commits the Armenian authorities to carrying would not nominate competing candidates out political reforms that will democra- in order to go to elections. On Monday, tize the country’s political system and March 1, Edmon Marukyan, who heads the boost human rights protection. They opposition Bright Armenia Faction, sig- must gradually “approximate” Arme- naled his readiness to recuse himself from nian economic laws and regulations to nomination and greenlight an election if those of the EU. the government agreed to reinstate General The EU’s foreign policy chief, Jo- sep Borrell, said the CEPA’s entry into Onnik Gasparyan. force “sends a strong signal that the EU Pashinyan promptly sacked Gasparyan and Armenia are committed to dem- after the latter called on the government ocratic principles and the rule of law, to resign — an act which the government as well as to a wider reform agenda.” considers to be illegal. The prime minister Oliver Varhelyi, the EU commis- called Gasparyan’s call a “coup attempt.” sioner for neighborhood and enlarge- Article 14 of the Armenian Constitution ment, was quoted in a statement as saying: “The entry into force of the states that the armed forces must “maintain bilateral EU-Armenia agreement on neutrality in political matters and shall be March 1 will allow us to strengthen under civilian control.” our work on the economy, connectivity, The Army’s statement likewise drew digitalization and the green transforma- concern from the European Union whose tion as priority areas. These will have spokesperson called for the crisis to be re- concrete benefits for the people and solved “peacefully and in strict adherence are key for socio-economic recovery and the longer-term resilience of the to the principles and processes of parlia- country.” mentary democracy.” The decision to sack the Chief of the The Armenian Foreign Ministry last Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan greets his supporters on March 1 month described the CEPA as a “solid Army General Staff, and the president’s legal basis” for deepening Armenia’s subsequent objection have pushed the ongo- ties with the EU in a wide range of ing political crisis towards a constitutional areas. The CEPA was signed in No- one. Several constitutional experts and civ- problematic” wording on the matter. Ohanyan were among the invited speakers. vember 2017 as a less ambitious sub- stitute for an Association Agreement il society organizations have criticized the Invoking the memory of the victims of Both men are currently facing charges of which Armenian and EU negotiators presidewnt for what they call a violation of the March 1, 2008 massacre, Pashinyan toppling constitutional order for their in- nearly finalized in 2013. Armenian Articles 133 and 155 of the Constitution. reiterated once more that “tanks cannot volvement in the 2008 shooting incident. President Serzh Sargsyan in its place Pashinyan reiterated his belief that the change governments, only the power of the At the rally, ARF Supreme Body mem- arranged Armenian membership in a Army’s statement was the result of pressure people”. He also asked the people of Arme- ber Ishkhan Saghatelyan reiterated his par- Russian-led trade bloc. from former-President Serzh Sargsyan. He nia, Artsakh and the diaspora to forgive his ty’s demand that the prime minister resign once again insisted on Gasparyan’s remov- government for what he called “many mis- immediately.