YEREVAN, MAY 2, ARMENPRESS. The defense ministry of Armenia has urged to ensure the unobstructed movements of military convoys and vehicles with defense ministry license plates in the country.

In a statement, the defense ministry said the military continues 24/7 service for ensuring the protection of the country.  “It is necessary to ensure the unobstructed movements of military convoys and official military vehicles in the entire territory of the country. This movement must take place without obstruction, unrestricted and in the right time,” the statement says.

Supporters of opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan, the lawmaker who didn’t get elected Prime Minister yesterday, began civil disobedience campaigns across Yerevan from early morning of May 2.

Demonstrators including school students on strike have blocked the road leading to Zvartnots airport.

Many tourists are seen exiting vehicles and going to the airport on foot, carrying their luggage.

A minor scuffle took place between drivers and demonstrators at the intersection of the road. A driver and his passengers were angrily demanding to open the road. They managed to resume traveling after a brief altercation.

Heavy police presence is seen at the scene.

The Ashtarak-Yerevan highway is also closed.

Demonstrations are also underway in other parts of the Armenian capital, namely in Abovyan Street, the Davitashen Bridge and several streets in the Nor Nork district.

After nearly 9 hours of debates on electing a Prime Minister on May 1, with opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan being the sole candidate, the Armenian parliament failed to make the election as 56 lawmakers voted against and 45 lawmakers voted in favor.

The only nominated candidate for Prime Minister was opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan, who spearheaded the latest protest campaigns which prompted the resignation of Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan on April 23.

Pashinyan was nominated by the opposition Yelk faction.

Two other factions – Tsarukyan and the ARF – have endorsed the opposition MPs candidacy.

Pashinyan needed at least 53 votes to be elected Prime Minister.

There are 4 factions in the Armenian parliament. The Republican Party (HHK) faction, the ruling party of Armenia, has 58 seats in the 105-seat unicameral parliament of Armenia – known as the National Assembly.  The ARF faction – (Armenian Revolutionary Federation aka Dashnaktsutyun), has 7 seats. The Tsarukyan alliance has 31 seats, and the Yelk faction has 9 seats. 

According to the Constitution, in case of failure to elect a Prime Minister in the parliament, a second round of election is held seven days later. In the second round, candidates nominated by at least one third of the total number of MPs are entitled to participate in the election. If a Prime Minister isn’t elected in the second round also, the parliament is dissolved by virtue of law.

English –translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan