Anyone voting for Republicans will directly cast ballot for Serzh Sargsyan, argues Yelk MP Alen Simonyan

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 22, ARMENPRESS. Yelk faction MP Alen Simonyan argues that former President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan, the incumbent chairman of the HHK (Republican Party of Armenia), will cause great problems for the Republicans in the upcoming general election.

Simonyan was speaking at a press briefing in parliament in response to arguments by Republicans addressed to caretaker Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

“Republicans ought to deal with their party leader, Serzh Sargsyan, who will cause a great problem for them during the upcoming election. Meaning anyone who will vote for the Republican Party, will directly give a vote for Serzh Sargsyan. Let them [HHK] deal with relieving [themselves] from the leader that left a number of times, but, nevertheless, remained,” Simonyan said.

Addressing the arguments of Republicans that claimed that Pashinyan’s appointments show that there was no widespread corruption in the past, Simonyan emphasized that they have never said that all agencies in the country are corrupt.

“There are employees in all agencies who aren’t corrupt, who are professionals. We’ve said that we won’t commit a personnel slaughter,” he said, mentioning national Police Chief Colonel Valery Osipyan as an example.

Simonyan said that everyone shouldn’t get a generalized assessment, and that it can’t be said that all Repuvlicans are bad, or all police officers are bad. “A revolution of love and solidarity took place in Armenia. Those who consider themselves to be above the law and ordinary citizens are the ones that will be laid down on the asphalt,” he said, referring to an earlier speech of Pashinyan who said that criminals will be tackled and brought to justice.

Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan resigned on October 16 to trigger the process of disbanding the parliament.

Pashinyan took office after massive protests in April forced president-turned PM Serzh Sargsyan to resign. But Sargsyan’s Republican Party (HHK) still has most seats in the 105-seat parliament. Since taking office, Nikol Pashinyan has numerously said that the incumbent parliament doesn’t represent the people and that early elections should take place as soon as possible.

In accordance to the Constitution, when a Prime Minister resigns the parliament must elect a new PM within two weeks. Lawmakers deliberately failed to elect a new PM as a formality in order to pave the way for dissolution.

The last round took place on November 1 and the parliament was dissolved by virtue of law.

Later on the same day, President Armen Sarkissian signed an order on dissolving the parliament and calling early elections on December 9.

The parliament will function until the new parliament is elected.

The government is formally a caretaker government until a new government is formed after the election.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan