Pashinyan says he will resign after Francophonie summit in Yerevan
03.10.2018,
18:38
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said today he will resign only after a Francophonie summit that will be hosted by Armenia’s capital Yerevan on October 11-12.
YEREVAN, October 3. /ARKA/. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said today he will resign only after a Francophonie summit that will be hosted by Armenia’s capital Yerevan on October 11-12.
Earlier today Armenian President Armen Sarkisian has dismissed six government ministers, affiliated with the Prosperous Armenia (BHK) and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) parties, which backed a bill, designed by the Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) that makes it harder to hold early parliamentary elections later this year.
The passage of the bill prompted thousands of Pashinian's supporters to rally outside parliament to demand fresh elections, which can be held if the parliament fails twice to choose a new prime minister within two weeks. Then the legislature is dissolved and new elections are called.
After talks with the parliamentary leaders of HHK, BHK, and Dashnaktsutyun in the early hours of October 3 Pashinyan said they assured him that they would not field any prime-ministerial candidates if he resigns to force new elections.
Pashinyan said today when choosing candidates for ministerial posts party affiliation will not be a priority. ‘Professional skills will be top priorities. But this does not mean that the new ministers will be party-affiliated or non-partisan," Pashinyan told reporters on Wednesday.
Pashinyan said also he will discuss his resignation with leaders of several countries that will arrive in Yerevan for Francophonie summit before making his final decision. Pashinyan is due to fly to Paris October 4 to attend the funeral of French-Armenian singer Charles Aznavour, who died on October 1. -0-
Earlier today Armenian President Armen Sarkisian has dismissed six government ministers, affiliated with the Prosperous Armenia (BHK) and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) parties, which backed a bill, designed by the Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) that makes it harder to hold early parliamentary elections later this year.
The passage of the bill prompted thousands of Pashinian's supporters to rally outside parliament to demand fresh elections, which can be held if the parliament fails twice to choose a new prime minister within two weeks. Then the legislature is dissolved and new elections are called.
After talks with the parliamentary leaders of HHK, BHK, and Dashnaktsutyun in the early hours of October 3 Pashinyan said they assured him that they would not field any prime-ministerial candidates if he resigns to force new elections.
Pashinyan said today when choosing candidates for ministerial posts party affiliation will not be a priority. ‘Professional skills will be top priorities. But this does not mean that the new ministers will be party-affiliated or non-partisan," Pashinyan told reporters on Wednesday.
Pashinyan said also he will discuss his resignation with leaders of several countries that will arrive in Yerevan for Francophonie summit before making his final decision. Pashinyan is due to fly to Paris October 4 to attend the funeral of French-Armenian singer Charles Aznavour, who died on October 1. -0-
