YEREVAN, APRIL 27, ARMENPRESS. Opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan says he doesn’t know yet how the Tsarukyan and ARF factions of the parliament will vote in the upcoming election of a Prime Minister due on May 1.

During a press conference on April 27, Pashinyan expressed hope that the Tsarukyan alliance and the ARF will publicly present their stance until May 1.

“They haven’t specified their stance now, and I expect that Dashnaktsutyun [ARF] and the Tsarukyan alliance will express their stance publicly,” Pashinyan said.

To a reporter’s argument that even in the event of having the support of Tsarukyan alliance and the ARF they will still need votes from HHK (ruling party) lawmakers, Pashinyan said: “I think it makes sense for the phone numbers of all lawmakers to be made public, and for citizens to try to contact their lawmakers and present their stance”.

Commenting on rumors that former President Robert Kocharyan might be nominated for Prime Minister, Pashinyan said he treats the rumors as unserious chatter.

He mentioned that the comparisons of the developments in Armenia with the Ukrainian maidan are simply a result of misunderstanding. Pashinyan says he thinks this is so obvious that there is even no sense in talking about it.

“This process took place entirely before your eyes. Even our financial resources are being presented transparently. Everyone has the opportunity to check our contacts, our financial sources. This is a clear, 100% Armenian process. Not a single dime has been invested here from a foreign organization or state,” he said.

 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.

On April 25, the President announced he is starting consultations with both parliamentary and extra-parliamentary political parties.

Later in the day Serzh Sargsyan, President of the ruling party – the Republican Party of Armenia – HHK – said he has requested a meeting with members of the Republican faction of the parliament. At the meeting, Sargsyan presented the reasons of his recent resignation in detail and spoke about different formats of working in the parliament – urging to prioritize domestic stability and security of the country in everything, which in case of any decision can be implemented only through unity of Republicans.

An agreement was reached to announce that the Republican faction is ready to discuss any issue with all sides without preconditions. An agreement was also reached to start discussing in the HHK executive bodies the issue of changing the party’s president.

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

“In accordance to paragraph 3, article 140 of the constitutional law on the parliament’s rules of procedure, I announce that the issue of election of a Prime Minister will be debated on May 1 at 12:00, in an extraordinary session of parliament convened by virtue of law,” Speaker Ara Babloyan said.

According to the Constitution, parliamentary factions are entitled to nominate candidates for PM within 7 days after the resignation of the PM, after which the election is held through an open voting in the parliament.

The opposition Yelk faction announced that their candidate for PM is Nikol Pashinyan.

English –translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan