Armenian capital calm after protests end

YEREVAN, Armenia — After weeks of raucous protests, the streets of the Armenian capital suddenly calmed Thursday, and the ruling party confirmed it would back an opposition leader to become prime minister next week.

The opposition lawmaker who led the protests in Yerevan, Nikol Pashinian, called for them to stop Thursday following the concession by the ruling party.

But the deal leaves the ruling Republican Party with a solid majority in parliament, suggesting real change in the landlocked former Soviet republic that is a key Russian ally could still be far away.

Many protesters were still skeptical.

“We just let off steam and didn’t achieve anything yet — the Republicans stay in power, and the old system won’t change,” said Bagram Oganian, a university instructor who a day earlier was among those blocking the capital’s airport.

In a move to calm the turmoil that has gripped Armenia for weeks, the Republican Party said it would support any candidate for premier nominated by one-third of the lawmakers in parliament — support Pashinian claims to have.

Pashinian then called on demonstrators to cease their protests.

In an interview Thursday with The Associated Press, party deputy head Armen Ashotyan reaffirmed the deal for the vote to be held Tuesday in parliament.

“We had two criteria to assist any candidate. The first is a necessary threshold of signatures … The second is to calm down the situation on the streets, not blocking interstate roads, airports, etc.,” he said. “So the man who could cope with these criteria is considered to be Nikol Pashinian.”

Ashotyan said if the streets stay calm “as agreed, we will assist his election.”