YEREVAN, DECEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. Acting Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, who heads the list of My Step alliance, cast his ballot today in the snap parliamentary elections, reports Armenpress.

He came to the polling station with his family.

Pashinyan told reporters that he has voted for free, happy and powerful Armenia.

“We have already achieved our goal. These are really free, transparent and democratic elections. Our main goal was to achieve democracy which we succeeded in. In the future we are going to further strengthen the Armenian democracy from institutional terms”, he told reporters. Pashinyan noted that the voters decide who should be in the parliament and who not. “We will know who is the main opposition of the Armenian government based on the election results”, he added.

Commenting on the statement of Naira Zohrabyan from the Prosperous Armenia party, according to which the governors are working in favor of My Step alliance, Pashinyan said: “Most of our governors are candidates and carry out campaign as prescribed by law. It would be illogical if they worked in favor of another during the campaign. The law allows them to be a candidate. Of course, they were on vacation during this period”. The acting PM also ruled out the possibility of guiding cases in provinces. “In all my meetings in provinces, I have told the Armenian citizens that no one can tell them whom to vote for”, he added.

Pashinyan also commented on the 2008 March 1 case and the arrest of 2nd President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan. “As you know, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has started releasing the decisions over the March 1 case which already shows that the version of the previous leadership on the March 1 case is fake from the beginning up to the end. Actually the real picture is revealed. The details and responsible persons will be revealed”, he said.

He denied the rumors according to which there has been a pressure on the judicial system over Robert Kocharyan’s case. “No instruction has ever been given to the judicial system, including over Kocharyan’s case. I officially announce that the judiciary in Armenia has never been as independent as it is today”, Nikol Pashinyan said.

Commenting on the statement of RPA candidate Davit Shahnazaryan regarding the accusations in state betrayal, Pashinyan said: “If someone hides the fact of a state betrayal, he/she at least contributes to and supports the state betrayal. Therefore, those who blame us in state betrayal, they are the strait traitors who do not go to the National Security Service to testify. Or they may hold a press conference to present details”.

As for the issue of the CSTO Secretary General, Pashinyan said there is no decision yet.

“The decisions in the CSTO are being made through a consensus. Armenia has expressed its position, and I have stated that the issue of the Secretary General is not the most important one. In any case, Armenia’s term should be exhausted. There are much more serious issues which are being discussed very seriously”, the acting PM said.

Early parliamentary elections kicked off in Armenia on December 9. All polling stations opened at 08:00. The voting will be over at 20:00.

11 political forces - 9 parties and 2 party blocs, are participating in the elections. They are the followings: The Republican Party of Armenia, the Citizen’s Decision Socio-Democratic party, the ARF, My Step party bloc, Bright Armenia party, Christian-People’s Rebirth party, National Progress party, We party bloc, Rule of Law party, Sasna Tsrer party and Prosperous Armenia party.

The total number of eligible voters is 2 million 573 thousand 779.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan