Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan insists on his invitation for consultations on early parliamentary election.

“I have spoken about snap elections on several occasions, including at the National Assembly. I have asked why the forces demanding the Prime Minister’s resignation do not demand early parliamentary elections,” the Prime Minister said in an interview with Public TV.  

“At the end of the day the fate of the authorities is to be determined by people, and parliamentary elections are one of the ways to demonstrate the _expression_ of people’s will, especially considering that it’s obvious that the _expression_ of people’s will in the square has failed despite the huge financial, informational and organizational resources the opposition possesses,” the Prime Minister said.

Pashinyan noted that the existing legislation provides for only one mechanism for snap elections.

“The Prime Minister resigns, the Parliament fails to elect new PM twice, and this leads to parliamentary elections. For this to happen it’s necessary to reach a relevant agreement with parliamentary forces,” the Prime Minister further elaborated.

Another option, he said, is to implement amendments in the constitution to give the Parliament the authority to self-dissolve and call new elections.

“Why I invite political forces for consultations is simply to ensure that the decision is not made by the government or the parliamentary majority, but to form a certain understanding around the point,” the Prime Minister stated.