YEREVAN, DECEMBER 4, ARMENPRESS. Member of Parliament from the Yelk faction Alen Simonyan, who is running for parliament in the general election from the My Step bloc, says that the campaign of the HHK (Republican Party) is built on criticizing the Civil Contract Party and its leader.

Simonyan was speaking to reporters today in parliament when a journliast argued that the My Step bloc is constantly criticizing the HHK.

“And on what have the HHK and other parties built their campaigns? They’ve built it on criticizing us. Their materials are built on criticizing us, by [manipulating] Nikol Pashinyan’s words,” Simonyan said.

He said that the HHK has ruled the country for 25 years, and it is normal that the critisizm is in this very direction from the My Step bloc.

He expressed certainty that after the election the criticism toward the HHK will decrease, “because I am sure that the HHK will no longer be represented in parliament”.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan tendered a tactical resignation on October 16 in a maneuver to trigger the process of dissolving the parliament.

In accordance to the Constitution, when a Prime Minister resigns the parliament must elect a new PM within two weeks. Lawmakers deliberately failed to elect a new PM as a formality in order to pave the way for dissolution.

Pashinyan took office after massive protests in April forced president-turned PM Serzh Sargsyan to resign. But Sargsyan’s Republican Party (HHK) still held 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.

The parliament was dissolved by virtue of law on November 1.  On the same day, President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian signed an order on calling early general election on December 9.

The incumbent parliament functions until the new parliament is elected.

The government is formally a caretaker government until a new Cabinet is formed after the election.

The campaigning period kicked off November 26 with 11 political parties and blocs running for parliament.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan