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YEREVAN, APRIL 25, ARMENPRESS. Acting Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan says it is unacceptable when a politician is speaking with ultimatums and is trying to dictate his will.
“I highly respect the opinion of all our politicians and leaders, but when we are talking about political culture and tolerance, we must understand that we can’t say ultimatums that this can’t happen and that can happen, who is deciding it?
There is one option to decide, it is election, perhaps a segment of the people like the [person] whom Nikol Pashinyan dislikes. And vice versa. Now what, the opposing side comes out and says this party must be eliminated? Where are we heading? Dictatorship? Dictation? Let’s hold elections and understand whom our segment wants”, he said.
According to Karapetyan, the issues existing in the society are shifting into political parties, these are present among all forces, including their own political team. That’s why the acting PM advises to carry out continuous work for correcting these issues.
“The next elections will also have flaws, I’m not saying this in advance to justify something in the future, but we must understand that the diseases, problems, which our society has are being shifted into political parties also,” Karapetyan said.
Earlier on April 24, opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan told a press conference that the people’s candidate should be decided in the Republic Square of Yerevan. Pashinyan suggested announcing the name of the candidate and it will be decided by the people’s response.
Acting PM Karen Karapetyan said the only way to determine a choice of the people are elections. Karapetyan said he is in favor of snap elections.
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.
Later it was announced that Mr. Karapetyan will have a meeting with Mr. Pashinyan – leader of the opposition – on April 25. But around midnight of April 24, the government said that the meeting has been cancelled because the opposition leader unilaterally made new demands. Acting PM Karen Karapetyan addressed the President to organize a meeting in a format of his preference, with participation of a wide spectrum of political parties within and outside the parliament.
The President said Wednesday that he has commenced consultations with both parliamentary and extra-parliamentary political forces.
English –translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan