Mass Demonstrations in Armenian Capital Call for Prime Minister's Resignation
- Tens of thousands of protesters gathered in Armenia's capital demanding Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's resignation.
- The demonstrations were sparked by Armenia agreeing to cede control of border villages to Azerbaijan.
- The calls for resignation reflect the escalating political turmoil in the country.
YEREVAN, Armenia -- Many people protested in the capital of Armenia on Sunday. They wanted the Prime Minister, Nikol Pashinyan, to quit because Armenia agreed to give some villages to Azerbaijan. The protests have been happening for weeks, led by a church leader named Bagrat Galstanyan. He started a group called Tavush For The Homeland after Armenia agreed to give four villages to Azerbaijan. The group is not just about the villages now, but also about many complaints against Pashinyan and his government. At the protest, the leaders said they want Galstanyan to be the next prime minister. The decision to give the villages to Azerbaijan came after a quick military attack in September. Azerbaijan's military made the Armenian separatist leaders in the Karabakh region surrender. After this, many people, mostly Armenians, left the region. Armenians had taken control of Karabakh in 1994 after a war, but Azerbaijan got some of it back in 2020. This led to a ceasefire with Russian peacekeepers, who are now leaving. Pashinyan thinks Armenia should decide its border with Azerbaijan fast to avoid more fighting. For more news about Europe, visit https://apnews.com/hub/europe.