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Time in Yerevan: 11:07,   29 March 2024

Opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan says willing to meet ruling party faction, urges remaining political forces not to nominate PM candidate

Opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan says willing to meet ruling party faction, urges remaining 
political forces not to nominate PM candidate

YEREVAN, APRIL 28, ARMENPRESS. Opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan says if any other candidate them himself is elected Prime Minister during the May 1 election in the parliament then protests will continue throughout the country on a 10 times bigger scale. 

Pashinyan made the announcement during an April 28 rally in Vanadzor’s central square.

“HHK [ruling party] announced that it will not nominate a candidate for PM. However it will be correct that the Republican faction jointly with other factions nominates the people’s candidate as a candidate for Prime Minister. I am willing to meet with all lawmakers of the HHK. If they make their step, then they will become the co-authors of this historic achievement,” Pashinyan said, urging other political parties to not nominate their candidate.

Pashinyan says many are attempting to present as if the events are circling around individuals as to who must take office of the Prime Minister. According to Pashinyan, in reality it is about whether or not this crisis will be solved or will it continue in the future also.

Speaking about their plans for April 29, Pashinyan mentioned that they will resume mass civil disobediences across Armenia and in the capital city Yerevan from 12:00. All educational institutions declare a strike and all streets are shut down. A rally will take place 19:00 in Republic Square, Yerevan, therefore all roads will be re-opened 16:00 in order for the people to be able to reach the rally site.

The Republican Party (HHK) parliamentary faction will not nominate a candidate for Prime Minister, HHK spokesman Eduard Sharmazanov said on April 28, presenting the statement on behalf of the ruling party.

 

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








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