Armenian opposition leader outlines his first steps if elected prime minister

YEREVAN, April 30. /ARKA/. Armenian opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan who was on Monday formally nominated for the post of prime minister by his supporters after two weeks of mass protests, spoke about the first steps he would take in case of being elected prime minister in May 1 vote in the parliament.

 "The first steps should be aimed at solving the accumulated problems. Since we are short of time, we should start forming the basis for holding free, fair and legitimate elections, "Pashinyan said to reporters.

He said another important task is creation of a quiet working atmosphere, in which different opinions will be taken into account. Asked about the composition of his government he said it was premature to speak about it.

"Now I am only a candidate for prime ministers. We will work on this issue after I am elected. We must discuss the issues in turn. Now we must discuss the issue of electing the prime minister, after which we will turn to other issues,» said Pashinyan. The second step will be the formation of the government in a 15-day period.

Asked to outline his position on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict Pashinyan said security is a priority. “I fully support Nagorno-Karabakh and its authorities, and if I am elected prime minister I will get acquainted with the situation and take appropriate measures," Pashinyan said. According to him, Azerbaijan's position is destructive and aggressive.

"Our task is to increase the fighting capacity of the army and create an appropriate spirit in the society, so we can lead Azerbaijan into a constructive field," Pashinyan said.

He noted that the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group should also help suppress the aggressive rhetoric of Azerbaijan. 

Pashinyan is the only candidate in the running for the premiership. He says only he can rid Armenia of corruption, poverty and nepotism.

To be elected as prime minister Pashinyan needs to win 53 votes in the 105-member National Assembly. 
The Republican Party has 58 seats in the National Assembly, the Tsarukyan faction controls 31 seats, the Yelk bloc of Pashinyan has 9 seats and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) has 7 seats.

The Tasrukyan bloc and the ARF said they would vote for Pashinyan. The Republican Party is expected to unveil its position today, though a senior lawmaker, Vahram Baghdasaryan, has said it would not stand in the way of Pashinyan's candidacy. -0-

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14:10 04/30/2018