YEREVAN, MAY 1, ARMENPRESS. As lawmakers are addressing a variety of questions to opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan, who seeks to become Prime Minister, Republican Party (HHK) lawmaker Jemma Baghdasaryan asked Pashinyan if he will follow the calls of his supporters who said that officials who haven’t served in the military should resign and get enlisted for service.
“Mr. Pashinyan, the development of military capacity is important for the security of Armenia and Artsakh. On this background questions about conscription are being raised on social media these days. For example, a question has been raised that if two sons from a family have served in the army then the third shouldn’t have to serve. What is your opinion in this regard. I am asking also for your opinion about the calls of your supporters who said that officials who didn’t serve, regardless of circumstances, should resign and go serve in the military. Will you, Mr. Pashinyan, act like this or not?” – Baghdasaryan asked.
In response, Pashinyan said that his son has reached the age of 18 in March and will be conscripted for military service in the summer draft.
“Regarding the question, no situation can be assessed regardless of circumstances. If we do so, then we will have senseless assessments, because we won’t take into account the causative ties. Regarding service, frankly speaking during my entire journalistic and political activities I have served and I serve Armenia and Artsakh. And in 2016, when there was need, we formed a volunteer unit in our party, which, until the last day of recalling the volunteer units was in combat service in the Jankatagh village of Nagorno Karabakh. I was a Member of Parliament then, and this status didn’t bother for carrying a rifle, dig a trench and stand in defense positions”, Pashinyan said.
He mentioned that he shares the viewpoint that the security of Armenia and Artsakh are absolute priority.
According to him all issues will be solved tactically, efficiently and coordinated with relevant bodies.
In response, the HHK MP said: “When the parliament was debating the status of servicemen and service bill, Yelk faction, under your leadership, was raising this issue, according to which officials who didn’t serve in the army should resign. For the record I want to say that your response was unsatisfactory”.
Pashinyan stressed that the Yelk faction didn’t raise such an issue and it is a misunderstanding.
The extraordinary sitting has kicked off in the Armenian parliament where lawmakers are debating the election of a new Prime Minister. 102 MPs are in attendance.
The only nominated candidate for Prime Minister is opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan.
Pashinyan was nominated by the opposition Yelk faction.
Two other factions – Tsarukyan and the ARF – have endorsed the opposition MPs candidacy.
Pashinyan will need at least 53 votes to be elected Prime Minister, which means he will require at least 6 votes from the ruling party.
There are 4 factions in the Armenian parliament. The Republican Party (HHK) faction, the ruling party of Armenia, has 58 seats in the 105-seat unicameral parliament of Armenia – known as the National Assembly. The ARF faction – (Armenian Revolutionary Federation aka Dashnaktsutyun), has 7 seats. The Tsarukyan alliance has 31 seats, and the Yelk faction has 9 seats.
English –translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan