According to witnesses, the incident began with a woman's reproach, accusing Pashinyan of allowing the loss of Karabakh. In response, he pointed out that the government had spent significant resources to ensure that Armenians could continue living in this region, and asked why she herself did not stay there. “We did everything possible for you to live in Karabakh, and now you are blaming me for closing the borders to prevent people from moving to Armenia. Today you are here and saying that you want to return,” Pashinyan was quoted by News.am.
When the woman remarked that he should not raise his voice or point at her, the prime minister replied that he would speak louder and did not intend to take the blame for what happened. He also asked his interlocutor to avoid a dismissive tone when speaking about the map of Armenia that he was holding.
Later, Pashinyan apologized to the woman. In his Telegram channel, he posted a video in which he admitted that he could not control his emotions during the discussion about the Karabakh issue, calling it a significant oversight. “I apologize to the woman from Karabakh and her child and invite her for a new meeting,” he wrote.
When it became known that the passenger's name was Armine Mosiayan, Pashinyan addressed her by name and expressed hope for the possibility of a calm conversation in the future. “I would like this dialogue to take place, although I know that you may refuse and say something rude to me. I will accept that, but if you suddenly want to talk without emotions and on camera, I would be happy about that,” he added.
Nagorno-Karabakh was lost by Armenia as a result of Azerbaijan's military operation in September 2023. More than 100,000 Armenians left the region, and the unrecognized republic ceased to exist as of January 1, 2024. Currently, the parties are negotiating the terms of a peace agreement; however, Azerbaijan is demanding changes to the Armenian constitution before signing it.
