Pashinyan rules out Kocharyan’s political comeback
22.08.2018,
16:35
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan ruled out the possibility of former president Robert Kocharyan’s return to politics, announced by Kocharyan on August 16.
YEREVAN, August 22. /ARKA/. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan ruled out the possibility of former president Robert Kocharyan’s return to politics, announced by Kocharyan on August 16.
"This is an unrealistic scenario, do not ask me about it, go outside and ask any passer-by. It's not up to me to make such decisions," Pashinyan told journalists on Wednesday.
Pashinyan excluded the possibility of nominating Kocharyan as a candidate for the post of prime minister by the Republican Party of Armenia.
"I do not consider this option possible. It is necessary to realistically assess the situation in the country,” Pashinyan said.
Kocharyan announced his return to active politics on August 13 in an interview with the Yerkir Media TV channel. Kocharyan was arrested on July 27 for two months by a local court, but was released from pre-trial custody on August 13. He is accused of violating Armenia constitutional order in March 2008, when in a post-election standoff eight civilians and two police officers were killed. The polls were declared to have been won by then prime minister Serzh Sargsyan.
The decision angered the opposition, led by the first Armenian president Levon Ter-Petrosyan, who set off 10 days of nonstop protests that led to the crackdown on March 1, in which 10 people were killed and more than 200 injured.
Kocharyan was released from custody after Armenia’s Court of Appeals ruled that he could not be prosecuted for the post-election violence. The ruling was backed by Article 140 of the Armenian Constitution, which says that during the term of his or her powers and thereafter, the President of the Republic may not be prosecuted and subjected to liability for actions deriving from his or her status.
The ruling of the Court of Appeals was denounced by the Special Investigative Service, which described it as illegal, saying that the Court of Appeals “overstepped the bounds of its authority.” It said also that it will ask the Prosecutor General to appeal the decision at the Court of Cassation. -0-
"This is an unrealistic scenario, do not ask me about it, go outside and ask any passer-by. It's not up to me to make such decisions," Pashinyan told journalists on Wednesday.
Pashinyan excluded the possibility of nominating Kocharyan as a candidate for the post of prime minister by the Republican Party of Armenia.
"I do not consider this option possible. It is necessary to realistically assess the situation in the country,” Pashinyan said.
Kocharyan announced his return to active politics on August 13 in an interview with the Yerkir Media TV channel. Kocharyan was arrested on July 27 for two months by a local court, but was released from pre-trial custody on August 13. He is accused of violating Armenia constitutional order in March 2008, when in a post-election standoff eight civilians and two police officers were killed. The polls were declared to have been won by then prime minister Serzh Sargsyan.
The decision angered the opposition, led by the first Armenian president Levon Ter-Petrosyan, who set off 10 days of nonstop protests that led to the crackdown on March 1, in which 10 people were killed and more than 200 injured.
Kocharyan was released from custody after Armenia’s Court of Appeals ruled that he could not be prosecuted for the post-election violence. The ruling was backed by Article 140 of the Armenian Constitution, which says that during the term of his or her powers and thereafter, the President of the Republic may not be prosecuted and subjected to liability for actions deriving from his or her status.
The ruling of the Court of Appeals was denounced by the Special Investigative Service, which described it as illegal, saying that the Court of Appeals “overstepped the bounds of its authority.” It said also that it will ask the Prosecutor General to appeal the decision at the Court of Cassation. -0-
