Republican Party of Armenia ready for snap elections next spring
03.10.2018,
15:22
The Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) is ready for holding early parliamentary elections next spring, the head of the party’s parliamentary faction Vahram Baghdasaryan said today.
YEREVAN, October 3. /ARKA/. The Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) is ready for holding early parliamentary elections next spring, the head of the party’s parliamentary faction Vahram Baghdasaryan said today.
Thousands of people gathered outside the Armenian parliament on the evening of October 2 after an extraordinary session of parliament controlled by the HHK passed a controversial bill that could prevent the government of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan from calling snap elections.
The bill, put forward by the Republican Party, was also supported by lawmakers from the Prosperous Armenia (Tsarukyan bloc) and ARF/Dashnaktsutyun parties.
Later, after negotiating with parliamentary leaders Pashinyan told his supporters that a verbal agreement was reached that the HHK, the Prosperous Armenia and ARF/Dashnaktsutyun would not nominate their candidates for the post of prime minister, the parliament would be dissolved, and early elections would be held no later than in the first half of December.
"We are ready for elections in spring. And we did not hold any discussions on holding elections in December," said Baghdasaryan.
Mikael Melkumyan from the Prosperous Armenia said in turn that early elections to the National Assembly should be held in May or June 2019. He said his party did not reach specific agreements with the Prime Minister.
According to Eduard Sharmazanov from HHK, no concrete agreement was reached with Pashinyan except for the decision to continue consultations.
Under the Armenian constitution, snap elections can be held only if the prime minister resigns and the parliament fails to replace him or her within two weeks. Local analysts claimed that in case of Pashiniyn’s resignation his supporters would blockade the parliament to prevent HHK from electing another premier during the two-week period. The controversial bill passed on Tuesday may make that period indefinite. -0-
Thousands of people gathered outside the Armenian parliament on the evening of October 2 after an extraordinary session of parliament controlled by the HHK passed a controversial bill that could prevent the government of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan from calling snap elections.
The bill, put forward by the Republican Party, was also supported by lawmakers from the Prosperous Armenia (Tsarukyan bloc) and ARF/Dashnaktsutyun parties.
Later, after negotiating with parliamentary leaders Pashinyan told his supporters that a verbal agreement was reached that the HHK, the Prosperous Armenia and ARF/Dashnaktsutyun would not nominate their candidates for the post of prime minister, the parliament would be dissolved, and early elections would be held no later than in the first half of December.
"We are ready for elections in spring. And we did not hold any discussions on holding elections in December," said Baghdasaryan.
Mikael Melkumyan from the Prosperous Armenia said in turn that early elections to the National Assembly should be held in May or June 2019. He said his party did not reach specific agreements with the Prime Minister.
According to Eduard Sharmazanov from HHK, no concrete agreement was reached with Pashinyan except for the decision to continue consultations.
Under the Armenian constitution, snap elections can be held only if the prime minister resigns and the parliament fails to replace him or her within two weeks. Local analysts claimed that in case of Pashiniyn’s resignation his supporters would blockade the parliament to prevent HHK from electing another premier during the two-week period. The controversial bill passed on Tuesday may make that period indefinite. -0-
