Category: 2018

Christian-Democratic Party says campaigning will be equally fair for everyone

12:11, 26 November, 2018

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 26, ARMENPRESS. The Christian-Democratic Party will utilize vehicles as mobile campaigning offices instead of traditional offices, chairman of the party Levon Shirinyan told reporters today.

“In our perception the campaigning will be fair and effective. We don’t have traditional campaigning headquarters, we have vehicles on locations. We have put the emphasis on presenting ourselves through news media, and presenting our program,” he said.

According to Shirinyan, the main specificity of their party is that the basis of its ideology are the church and philosophy of confession. The party also rejects liberalism in absolute terms.

Speaking about the party’s plan, Shirinyan said they must emphasis assistance for the socially vulnerable. “However, the resources of the budget are insufficient. If Armenia doesn’t become an industrial country then the solutions of many issues must be forgotten. If we don’t have an industrial Armenia, we won’t have [repatriation] also”, he said.

Shirinyan said they endorse Nikol Pashinyan as the leader of the revolution. “He remains such for us. We expect him to be pro-centrism. But the government doesn’t have a strategic planning, a strategy. We will endorse them as long as they’ll do things to be endorsed, and we will criticize if something deserving criticism happens,” he said.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

Caretaker First Deputy PM to replace Pashinyan during vacation

12:26, 26 November, 2018

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 26, ARMENPRESS. Caretaker First Deputy Prime Minister Ararat Mirzoyan will replace Caretaker Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan from November 26 to December 5 – the period that Pashinyan will be on a vacation for campaigning ahead of the general election.

“At the decision of the prime minister I will replace him during his vacation. I will represent Armenia at the EEU intergovernmental council,” Mirzoyan said on Facebook.

Caretaker Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan will be on an unpaid leave from November 26 to December 5, the PM’s office said earlier. 

Yesterday, Caretaker Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said he will take a vacation from Monday to campaign for his Im Kayl (My Step) bloc for the upcoming general election.

Pashinyan is member of the board of Civil Contract, a party that is within the Im Kayl bloc.

“I’m taking a vacation from tomorrow to fully participate in the campaigning,” Pashinyan said on Facebook.

Im Kayl will hold campaigning events today in four Armenian towns: 11:00 in Talin (Aragatsotn Province), 13:30 in Maralik (Shirak Province), 15:00 in Artik (Shirak Province) and 17:00 in Gyumri (Shirak Province).

Armenia will vote to elect a new parliament on December 9. 

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

Lusavor Hayastan Party kicks off campaign in Yerevan’s Nor Nork district

12:49, 26 November, 2018

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 26, ARMENPRESS. The Yerevan campaigning event of Lusavor Hayastan (Bright Armenia) Party kicked off at the city’s Nor Nork district.

The party is campaigning on three levels – provincial, Yerevan, and district.

Mane Tandilyan, number two on the proportional list, and Gevorg Gorgisyan, number 4 of the proportional list, were leading the campaign.

They walked across the streets and neighborhoods of the districts, talking to citizens and presenting their program.

Tandilyan said that Lusavor Hayastan, during its brief history, has been able to realize their vision of shaping a state of dreams.

“The path that our party has passed is short, but substantial. Edmon Marukyan, Mane Tandilyan, Arman Babajanyan, Gevorg Gorgisyan – the honest and clear struggle of these politicians has brought to the reality of the current new Armenia. The election of national assembly is highly important. This is the first post-revolution general election, that will decide in what kind of Armenia we will live in,” Tandilyan said.

She called on citizens to vote for them, and said that the party considers its mission to be ensuring the prosperous and dignified life of citizens.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

Prosperous Armenia Party presents priorities

12:52, 26 November, 2018

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 26, ARMENPRESS. The Prosperous Armenia Party has presented its program during a press conference today, the official launch of the campaigning period.

Deputy Speaker of Parliament Michael Melkumyan (Tsarukyan faction – includes Prosperous Armenia) told a news conference today that two main principles exist in the basis of their program. “First, we are going to be coherent toward all our previous programs. Second, the post-revolution period, when a new situation has been created in the republic, requires adequate response,” he said.

Speaking about the economic development issues and their priorities, he said: “We know how to bring the country out of this difficult social-economic situation”.

He said that the political revolution must be followed by an economic revolution. “A growth of 3-4% shouldn’t be talked about, we must have a double digit economic growth. 2-3 billion dollars must enter Armenia yearly,” he said.

“We must ensure a drastic change of branch structure in the economy. Meaning, the traditional industrial branches will remain where they are, but we must be able to change the technological structure,” Melkumyan said, adding that an economic breakthrough won’t happen unless the economy isn’t brought to a new technological level.

He said their party also plans to raise pensions and salaries if elected.

Speaking about businesses, he said that SMEs having up to 30 million drams in annual turnover should be exempt from taxes. According to Melkumyan, their program also includes lowering the gas and electricity tariffs.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

Citizen’s Decision Party highlights social-economic situation, says parliament is additional tool for struggle

12:59, 26 November, 2018

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 26, ARMENPRESS.  The Citizen’s Decision social-democratic party will tour electoral districts to interact with voters and distribute booklets about their programs, as well as mandarin oranges – the symbol of their party.

The party is running for parliament with its “The Future is Yours” motto.

Citizen’s Decision Executive Body member Michael Nahapetyan told ARMENPRESS that the mandarin orange symbolizes the values of justice and unity of the equality of those alike.

Asked why they are starting the campaigning from the Mashtots Park in Yerevan, Nahapetyan said they have returned to where they started from. “The Mashtots Park is a place where the representatives of the civil society that are today participating in formal political processes have developed. It is here that in 2012 the struggle for the public area began,” he said.

 Nahapetyan said citizens who highlight public solidarity and social justice will vote for them.

“The social-economic condition of Armenia speaks about the fact that those who should raise the issue of social justice are in the hundreds of thousands in Armenia,” he said.

Nahapetyan said they even if they don’t overcome the threshold for passing to parliament they will still be actively engaged. “It’s not a problem for us to work outside the parliament, the parliament is an additional tool for us. If citizens of Armenia will find it appropriate for us to possess this tool, we will take the pathway of utilizing it, if not, we will struggle for our ideas through the extra-parliamentary pathway,” he said.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

Formation of middle class priority issue in National Progress party’s program

13:13, 26 November, 2018

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 26, ARMENPRESS. The pre-election program of the National Progress party offers some changes in education and social sectors, reports Armenpress.

The party plans to depoliticize the management council of schools, and attaches importance to the formation of middle class for major changes in the social field.

“Our party’s slogan is “New Situation, New Solutions”. In the political field we are trying to push forward the ideology rather than individuals. We have a package for social reforms. We are trying to bring new solutions in accordance with the new situation”, party spokesperson Hayk Grigoryan told reporters.

Party’s district-list candidate Hayk Paytyan said they are planning to make major changes in education sector. He stated that they see education as a priority field of the economy. According to him, the universities must become so that many people will come from abroad to study here. This in its turn will boost the economic development.  

Hayk Grigoryan said they target the middle class in the social field. “In order to have stable democratic country it is necessary to have a middle class which is not vulnerable. The formation of middle class is a priority in our program. We propose for the income tax threshold to be more flexible. The salary up to 200.000 AMD must be taxed by 10%. We plan to make the accumulative pension payment on voluntary basis”, he said.

Another candidate Lusine Haroyan said among the reforms they attach importance to the change of the status of the member of Parliament. They will be consistent in the elimination of the institute of the MP’s immunity.

The party also has proposals for the foreign policy field. They highlight the decrease of gas price. “Works also must be carried out in the resettlement of some regions of Artsakh”, Paytyan said.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan

Pashinyan gives interview to China’s Phoenix TV

13:46, 26 November, 2018

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 26, ARMENPRESS. Caretaker Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan has given an interview to one of China’s most popular TV channels – Phoenix TV – accompanied by comprehensive coverage about Armenia, Pashinyan’s spokesperson Arman Yeghoyan said on Facebook.

“In addition to China, the channel is broadcast also in entire South-East Asia, and also in all major Chinese communities worldwide in the cable option. The interview is in English, with Chinese subtitles, and the reportage is only in Chinese,” Yeghoyan said.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

Sasna Tsrer Party starts election campaign outside parliament building

13:57, 26 November, 2018

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 26, ARMENPRESS. The Sasna Tsrer Pan-Armenian Party kicked off its election campaign today from the park outside the parliament building in Yerevan.

The party’s motto is “It’s Time”.

Sasna Tsrer spokesperson Varuzhan Avetisyan told reporters that starting the campaigning from this very park bears a special symbol.

“Finally, after our many years of struggle, we are able to run for parliament. This election is very encouraging and promise to be very legitimate and to reflect the Armenian people’s will to a significant extent,” Avetisyan said.

He expressed conviction that the people will be active in this election and that all kinds of electoral fraud will be ruled out.

Law and justice, state administration and staffing policy, social-economic development, security and defense, Artsakh unification, foreign relations and Fatherland-Diaspora are the main directions of the party’s campaigning program.

Asked about which specific economic issues are on the agenda for the party, Avetisyan pointed out reduction of tariffs, the true calculation of the minimal consumer basket, which are the systematization components of the economy.

“These two steps are sufficient for the domestic economic structure to be improves and for us to start breathing. For resolving these issues, a respective decision must exist in the parliamentary format, in order for state bodies to begin calculations. After all this it will be possible to present a strategy on how these issues must be resolved,” Avetisyan said.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

Pashinyan reiterates view on settling NK conflict by clarifying Artsakh’s status

14:07, 26 November, 2018

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 26, ARMENPRESS. Without the clarification of Artsakh’s status no settlement of the NK conflict can happen, caretaker Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in a speech during the campaigning rally of Im Kayl (My Step) bloc in Ani, Shirak Province.

“The Karabakh side must return to the negotiations table. There can’t be a settlement of the Karabakh issue without a clarification of the status of Karabakh. There is no difference up to even a millimeter in the desires and intentions between our people and the government in the Karabakh issue. This is a matter of pan-national responsibility,” Pashinyan said.

He said that first of all it is necessary to create a respective budget for solving numerous issues.

“We can’t solve the issue of Armenia, the issue of Artsakh and other issues with the budget that we have today. Our country is a home, we are one family, when a family has financial limitations, it sits down and makes a decision, and they decide to work together. We must work together for the revenues of our family and country to grow. We must be a strong and happy people,” Pashinyan said.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

Menk (We) bloc finds itself to be stable alternative for incumbent government

14:53, 26 November, 2018

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 26, ARMENPRESS. The Menk (We) bloc considers itself to be an alternative to the Im Kayl My Step bloc in terms of foreign policy in the upcoming election.

The bloc plans significant u-turns if elected, the bloc’s candidates told reporters today.

“Free democrats are the only emphasized pro-Western party bearing European views in the arena, it has never deviated from its path, that’s why we formed an alliance with this very party. We are an alternative to all parties and blocs, however first of all to the Im Kayl bloc led by the caretaker prime minister. We are a stable alternative for the incumbent government. The incumbent government is carrying out the previous government’s path in terms of foreign policy. However, the CSTO and the EEU gave nothing to Armenia. We think that Armenia should withdraw from these structures. Basically, there is no tangible result from them. However, the withdrawal should be smooth,” candidate for parliament Tehmina Vardanyan said, adding that they will tour the entire country to present their program.

Candidate for parliament Manvel Ghazaryan presented why they are pro-Western.

“The more developed traditions have been built by western states. We must take the best. The human being is the absolute and supreme value for us. We must take the human rights protection model from these countries,” he said.

Speaking about the NK conflict, he said that it must be solved only by respecting the self-determination right of the people of Artsakh.

He also said that contract regiments must be created so that young conscripts don’t serve on the frontline.

The motto of this bloc in the campaign is “Armenia First”.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan