Pashinyan set to discuss snap parliamentary elections with Tsarukyan
08.10.2018,
15:37
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan was to hold a meeting today with the chairman of the Prosperous Armenia Party Gagik Tsarukyan to discuss early parliamentary elections.
YEREVAN, October 8. /ARKA/. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan was to hold a meeting today with the chairman of the Prosperous Armenia Party Gagik Tsarukyan to discuss early parliamentary elections.
Speaking to reporters today Pashinyan cited a statement made by Gagik Tsarukyan in a TV interview in which, he, as a matter of fact, supported the idea of holding extraordinary elections to the National Assembly in December.
Tsarukyan, who is one of the richest people in Armenia, in an interview with Kentron TV channel on October 5 said he was ready for discussions on snap parliamentary elections, but o noted that everything should move ahead in accordance with the government program.
Nikol Pashinyan stated also that he has not yet decided when to resign. Earlier, on October 2, Pashinyan said he would resign only after a Francophonie summit that will be hosted by Armenia’s capital Yerevan on October 11-12. His remarks came after the Prosperous Armenia (BHK) and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) parties 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 Pashinyan'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 argued today that his announcement has triggered a vigorous reaction in the society with the bulk of comments suggesting that he must not do so. Nevertheless, he said the early parliamentary elections should be held in December.
In comments on media stories which claim that in case of his resignation the Republican Party of Armenia would field its own candidate for prime minister and elect him/her quickly and, as a result, Pashinyan would lose control over the security forces, Pashinyan said that all that was fiction.
"The people and we will not let such a scenario materialize," he stressed, adding that he sees a very large public discontent over his decision to resign.
"When we talk about resignation, we mean a situation in which the resignation occurs de jure to enable implementation of purely legal procedures. This situation should be understood correctly with all its subtleties. I should not do anything that would even in theory put a threat to the power of the people. But on the other hand we must have early elections so that to move to concrete results, "he said.
In response to a question whether President Armen Sarkissian intends to sign a bill blocking the dissolution of the parliament, the prime minister said he does not know, and the president himself will make a statement about his actions. At the same time, he added that he had discussed this issue with him while in Paris.
“We are preparing to hold early parliamentary elections in December. The president is expected back to Armenia on October 9, and after returning we will hold another meeting,” Pashinyan explained. -0-
Speaking to reporters today Pashinyan cited a statement made by Gagik Tsarukyan in a TV interview in which, he, as a matter of fact, supported the idea of holding extraordinary elections to the National Assembly in December.
Tsarukyan, who is one of the richest people in Armenia, in an interview with Kentron TV channel on October 5 said he was ready for discussions on snap parliamentary elections, but o noted that everything should move ahead in accordance with the government program.
Nikol Pashinyan stated also that he has not yet decided when to resign. Earlier, on October 2, Pashinyan said he would resign only after a Francophonie summit that will be hosted by Armenia’s capital Yerevan on October 11-12. His remarks came after the Prosperous Armenia (BHK) and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) parties 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 Pashinyan'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 argued today that his announcement has triggered a vigorous reaction in the society with the bulk of comments suggesting that he must not do so. Nevertheless, he said the early parliamentary elections should be held in December.
In comments on media stories which claim that in case of his resignation the Republican Party of Armenia would field its own candidate for prime minister and elect him/her quickly and, as a result, Pashinyan would lose control over the security forces, Pashinyan said that all that was fiction.
"The people and we will not let such a scenario materialize," he stressed, adding that he sees a very large public discontent over his decision to resign.
"When we talk about resignation, we mean a situation in which the resignation occurs de jure to enable implementation of purely legal procedures. This situation should be understood correctly with all its subtleties. I should not do anything that would even in theory put a threat to the power of the people. But on the other hand we must have early elections so that to move to concrete results, "he said.
In response to a question whether President Armen Sarkissian intends to sign a bill blocking the dissolution of the parliament, the prime minister said he does not know, and the president himself will make a statement about his actions. At the same time, he added that he had discussed this issue with him while in Paris.
“We are preparing to hold early parliamentary elections in December. The president is expected back to Armenia on October 9, and after returning we will hold another meeting,” Pashinyan explained. -0-
