Armenia: Opposition leader Pashinyan calls for strike

By Ali Cura

YEREVAN, Armenia (AA) - Armenia's opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan called for a nationwide strike on Tuesday after he failed to be elected interim prime minister.

Despite running as the only candidate, Pashinyan failed to secure the necessary 53 votes in parliament.

In a heated address after the voting resulted, Pashinyan called on Armenian people to strike, block the streets, airports, railway stations in order to protest the ruling party.

Talks with the ruling Republican Party failed last week, leading the opposition to take the streets on April 25.

Other political parties in Armenia including Prosperous Armenia -- which has the second largest group in the parliament -- as well as Heritage Party and Social Democrat Party also announced their support for the protests, according to local media.

Pashinyan, in his address, also called on the police to put down their shields and join the movement.