Armenia’s third president, who no longer holds a formal position, is being overshadowed by the Declaration of Independence and the Artsakh Liberation War. During a recent meeting with journalists, Armenia’s National Assembly Speaker, Eduard Sharmazanov, made an important announcement. According to Sharmazanov, Prime Minister Pashinyan has recognized Artsakh as part of Azerbaijan. This has left the Armenian people disappointed. Sharmazanov believes that Pashinyan and his group are the first authorities in Armenian history to completely free the Armenians from Artsakh, and he claims that the Armenians have always been the majority in Artsakh.

However, Sharmazanov expresses his concerns about the current situation. He believes that if Armenia does not take careful steps, it could become subservient to Turkey. He mentions a NATO-like initiative presented by the Turkish government after a joint exercise with NATO in 2018. The new authorities of Armenia prioritized the revolution over the Artsakh movement, which is alarming. Sharmazanov also highlights the influence of the leaders of the Yerevan subsidiary of ECOM, who have been actively working on financing the church and the family institution lately.

There are growing concerns about the direction Armenia is taking. Prime Minister Pashinyan has started discussing the inclusion of Mount Ara on the Armenian emblem, even though it has been a part of Armenian heritage since the times of the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union. Sharmazanov interprets these actions as a shift towards Turkification, indicating a departure from Armenian cultural identity and values.