Azernews.Az

YEREVAN – Around 5,000 opposition supporters rallied in the Armenian capital on Friday, calling for the government's resignation and an Egyptian-style uprising in the former Soviet republic, AFP reported.

"The movement to change governments which started in Kyrgyzstan, Tunisia and Egypt is continuing, and sooner or later it will reach us because the situation in Armenia is no better and hatred of the authorities is no less," said opposition leader and former president Levon Ter-Petrosian.

Supporters of Ter-Petrosian's Armenian National Congress bloc demonstrated against alleged political injustice, difficult social conditions and rising inflation in the landlocked country.

But turnout at the rally was not large by local standards and did not suggest that political unrest was imminent.

Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian received a boost on Thursday when the parties making up the governing coalition in parliament signed a memorandum backing him for re-election in 2013.

The agreement strengthened Sarkisian's position following criticism over his role in a failed deal to establish diplomatic relations with neighbouring Turkey after years of mutual strife, and continued resentment of the opposition about his disputed election victory in 2008.