Newly elected Armenian Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian called on Saturday the opposition to hold dialogue to discuss the country’s political crisis, which was sparked by his election and prompted days of protests. Protest leader Nikol Pashinyan responded by saying that the opposition would head to talks only if they were aimed at discussing the premier’s resignation. "We are only ready to discuss the conditions of his departure," news agencies quoted Pashinyan as saying. "This wont be a dialogue, as I already said, we do not want vendetta and we wish to secure the transfer of power to the people while avoiding shock as much as possible," he added. The opposition lawmaker has led mass protests against Sarkisians rule that started on April 13 in the capital Yerevan. Earlier on Saturday, Sarkisian sought a "political dialogue" with the protest leader. "I am deeply concerned about the unfolding internal political events. In order to avoid irreversible consequences, I call on deputy Nikol Pashinyan to sit at the table of political dialogue and negotiation," the 63-year-old leader said in a statement. Parliament voted on Tuesday to allow Sarkisian, who served as president of the small ex-Soviet republic from 2008 until this month, to become premier, in a job switch his opponents say show he wants to continue to wield power. Under a revised constitution approved by a referendum in 2015, the prime minister now has the most power in Armenia, while the presidency has become largely ceremonial. Sarkisian’s ally, Armen Sarkissian, was sworn in as president last week after being elected by parliament in March. Opposition activists marched through the capital Yerevan on Saturday, waving national flags and chanting: “Make a stand, say no to Serzh.” They blocked several streets in the center and staged sit-ins. Police had detained about 200 activists on Friday. The Defense Ministry called on demonstrators to unblock streets around the ministry and to stop preventing movement of cars with the ministry’s number plates. “Any such attempt will be strictly prevented,” the ministry said in a statement. "I believe we will win this time because when the youth is on the street the police can do nothing," said Hovik Haranyan, a 25-year-old protester blocking traffic, told AFP on Saturday. "Our generation has the right to live in a functioning country," he added. At a 30,000 strong rally in Yerevan on Friday evening, Pashinyan laid out his demands for the authorities. "First, Sarkisian resigns. Second, parliament elects a new prime minister that represents the people. Third, it forms a temporary government. Fourth, they schedule parliamentary elections. We will enter negotiations around these demands," he said, calling Sarkisian a "political corpse". "The whole world can see this is a peoples velvet revolution, which very soon will be victorious," Pashinyan told the rally. Opposition supporters have criticized Sarkisian over poverty, corruption and the influence of powerful oligarchs.