Yelk faction dismisses administrative resource accusations over Pashinyan’s provincial visit ahead of election
13:18,
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 21, ARMENPRESS. Yelk faction MP Lena Nazaryan is reassuring that there was no administrative resource usage in the meeting of caretaker PM Nikol Pashinyan with residents of Gegharkunik province.
She was speaking about accusations from Republicans alleging that Pashinyan has begun campaigning ahead of time.
The representative of any party is entitled to visit provinces and meet with the locals, Nazaryan said.
“The caretaker prime minister participated in the opening of a high school in Gegharkunik province, and also had the opportunity to meet with residents of the province. Nikol Pashinyan has regularly met with citizens during his entire time in office. And there is nothing unusual in this. What Pashinyan is able to to – interact with citizens and answer their questions, Republican candidates can also do, no one is disturbing them from going to Gegharkunik or other provinces and interact with the people through a rally. It is another matter that in my opinion they won’t succeed in doing it,” she said.
Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan resigned on October 16 to trigger the process of disbanding the parliament.
Pashinyan took office after massive protests in April forced president-turned PM Serzh Sargsyan to resign. But Sargsyan’s Republican Party (HHK) still has most seats in the 105-seat parliament. Since taking office, Nikol Pashinyan has numerously said that the incumbent parliament doesn’t represent the people and that early elections should take place as soon as possible.
In accordance to the Constitution, when a Prime Minister resigns the parliament must elect a new PM within two weeks. Lawmakers deliberately failed to elect a new PM as a formality in order to pave the way for dissolution.
The last round took place on November 1 and the parliament was dissolved by virtue of law.
Later on the same day, President Armen Sarkissian signed an order on dissolving the parliament and calling early elections on December 9.
The parliament will function until the new parliament is elected.
The government is formally a caretaker government until a new government is formed after the election.
Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan