YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS. Acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said in his speech in parliament that during the ongoing final round of election a PM will not be elected and the parliament will be disbanded by virtue of law.

Pashinyan also noted the historicity of the moment in his speech.

“As a result of today’s debates a prime minister will not be elected and the National Assembly will be dissolved by virtue of law. I would like to appreciate the historicity of this moment, because the historicity isn’t in the National Assembly being dissolved, and that we will for the first time have early elections of parliament in our country. The historicity is that after the non-violent, velvet, democratic revolution that took place in April-May we are entirely returning the power in Armenia to the citizens and we are returning the entire authority of determining the fate of further political processes to the citizens and the people,” he said.

He said that today in the evening or tomorrow morning there will be a situation when the country’s won’t have a complete parliament or a government, because the Cabinet members are acting Cabinet members.

“We will be able to ensure the legality of the elections 100%, we will all be confident that the results of the elections were formed as result of the free expression of will of the people, therefore, today the revolution of May is reaching its completion. And the power that has been de-facto returned to the people is being returned de-jure, and the people have the chance to determine the future destiny of the power in Armenia through a de jure and de facto decision made in December,” he said.

In conclusion, Pashinyan expressed conviction that the people will firmly hold the power in their hands, not only now, but forever.

The special session of parliament convened by virtue of law has kicked off for the final round of electing a prime minister.

The sole candidate is incumbent acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

He has been nominated as a formality by the Yelk and Tsarukyan factions as lawmakers are expected to deliberately vote him down in order to dissolve the parliament – a requirement for calling early elections.

The first round failed to elect a prime minister, as intended.

During the first round, the Yelk faction nominated Nikol Pashinyan in a technical maneuver because the Constitution says that a “vote” must take place.

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.

He resigned on October 16 to trigger the process which is required to lead to early elections.

If everthing goes as expected, this will be the first time in the history of the Republic of Armenia when a parliament is being disbanded. 

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan