YEREVAN, APRIL 30, ARMENPRESS. Armen Rustamyan, head of the ARF faction of the Armenian parliament, has presented their reasons from withdrawing from the ruling coalition memorandum with HHK – the Republican Party.

Speaking to reporters in the parliament, Rustamyan said that the memorandum couldn’t function in the force majeure situation in the country.

“In addition, in order for us to be able to be free in our decisions, in order to be able to endorse the candidate we want, who enjoys the people’s trust, we couldn’t remain bound to the provision of the coalition agreement which states that the HHK is entitled with nominating a candidate for PM. This was the reason why we refused the coalition,” he said.

Rustamyan assured that after the resolution of the political crisis everyone will see and feel that the ARF has had a great role in this.

The ARF signed a coalition deal with the Republican Party of Armenia in 2017. Amid the ongoing crisis, the ARF announced it is withdrawing from the coalition on April 25, 2018.

On April 23, at 16:00, Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan resigned as widespread protests entered the 11th day. 

On the same day, as required by law, the government resigned.

First Deputy PM Karen Karapetyan was named acting PM at an emergency Cabinet meeting.

The Speaker of Parliament announced that elections of a new Prime Minister will be held May 1.

On April 28, HHK, the ruling party, said it will not nominate a candidate for Prime Minister in the upcoming election.

The Tsarukyan faction also said it will not nominate a candidate and endorsed “the people’s candidate”.

On April 29, the ARF said they endorse the candidacy of Nikol Pashinyan for the upcoming election on May 1.

On April 30 the opposition Yelk faction officially nominated Pashinyan for the upcoming PM election.  The three other factions – the HHK, Tsarukyan, and ARF, announced they will not nominate a candidate.

There are 4 factions in the Armenian parliament. The Republican Party (HHK) faction, the ruling party of Armenia, has 58 seats in the 105-seat unicameral parliament of Armenia – known as the National Assembly.  The ARF faction – (Armenian Revolutionary Federation aka Dashnaktsutyun), has 7 seats. The Tsarukyan alliance has 31 seats, and the Yelk faction has 9 seats. 

English –translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan