20:27,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 25, ARMENPRESS.  The administration of the President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian has responded to the questions of media outlets referring to the offer of the Prime Minister to remove from office Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Armenia Onik Gasparyan.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the President’s Office, the President’s administration received the offer to remove Onik Gasparyan from office following the statement of the top military leadership.

According to the Constitution, the President has 3 days for presenting his position, and the President, pursuing the goal of ensuring the normal operation of the state bodies, has never had any fundamental objections to the appointment or dismissal of officials.

‘’But, under the light of the martial law and the existing crisis, dismissing the Chief of the General Staff following the mentioned statement is nor an ordinary personnel reshuffle, given the fact that according to the Constitution of Armenia, the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia ensure the defense, security, territorial integrity and the inviolability of the borders of the Republic of Armenia’’, reads the statement issued by the President’s administration.

The President’s Office also notes that in the existing situation no one should try to involve the President in political developments in any way. Any attempts to exert pressure against the President is inadmissible.

‘’The President of the Republic does not support anyone or any political force, and never did so and will never do so. While implementing his functions, the President is guided exclusively by the interests of the state and the people.

President Sarkissian highlights the atmosphere of stability and tolerance in the country and continue to make all efforts for that, confident that the problems must be solved through a dialogue, but not confrontation’’, reads the statement, adding that the priority issue for the President for this moment is the de-escalation of the tensions in the country and the solution of the situation without any shocks, and all his efforts are aimed at that goal.

‘’I think the President of the Republic should sign the decree of releasing the Chief of the General Staff of the post, or Onik Gasparyan should himself submit a resignation letter’’, PM Pashinyan said earlier today, during the rally organized by him.