YEREVAN, November 28. /ARKA/. The first deputy chairman of the former ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) Vigen Sargsyan has asked the acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan for a televised debate ahead of December 9 early parliamentary elections.
Sargsyan wrote on his Facebook page that his decision is prompted by the fact that Pashinyan’s campaigning for his My Step alliance is based on scaring the voters by the Republicans, which he describes as ‘vicious’ policy of dividing the society into ‘blacks’ and ‘whites.’ Sargsyan then accuses the acting Prime Minister of making the entire electoral process ‘ugly and unworthy.’
Sargsyan says he wants a face-to-face debate with Pashinyan, although the Public Televison is set to hold December 5 such a debate among the heads of all the parties and bloc contesting the polls. He proposed also that the debate be on 4-6 topics, half of which is to be chosen by Pashinyan and the other half by him with the opportunity to ask one another questions. Sargsyan also said that the date could be chosen by Pashinyan because of his busy schedule.
Acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan resigned October 16 to clear way for the dissolution of the parliament and holding early parliamentary elections. Under the Armenian Constitution, early elections are held if lawmakers fail twice within 14 days to appoint a prime minister.
Pashinyan was elected as PM by the country's National Assembly after former president turned-prime minister Serzh Sargsyan resigned on April 23 under immense public pressure provided by weeks of nationwide protest against Sargsyan and his Republican Party.
Nine political parties and 2 blocs will be contesting the polls. They are My Step bloc, the Prosperous Armenia Party, the National Progress Party, the Christian-National Revival, the Sasna Tsrer All-Armenian Party, the Orinats Yerkir Party, the We bloc, the ARF Dashnaktsutyun Party, the Bright Armenia bloc, the Republican Party of Armenia, the Social Democratic Party and the Decision of Citizen party. -0-