YEREVAN (RFE/RL, news.am) — As all roads lead to the election of Member of Parliament Nikol Pashinyan of the Yelk Alliance to the post of prime minister on May 8, the Velvet Revolution is continuing to make news.
- Edmon Marukyan, a member of the opposition Yelk faction at the National Assembly of Armenia, on Friday, May 4, tried to explain who the opposition bloc would be in parlament once Pashinyan takes over.
Once Pashinyan is premier, there will be a paradox because parliament will no longer have an opposition faction — which is a requirement of the law on parliamentary procedure. Marukyan said Yelk members are not discussing the issue right now.
He noted that, in actual fact, it will be a force-majeure situation, and it will not be clear as to who is the stable majority in parliament.
“But there is the following example in international practice that he [Pashinyan] will be the [parliamentary] minority PM,” Marukyan stressed. “A government is formed which is called a minority government, which will be of temporary nature.”
Marukyan expressed confidence, however, that this interim government will be able to resolve matters.
“I believe amendments to constitutional laws also can be achieved; otherwise, the crisis will continue,” he added. “Pashinyan’s government can do many things, make changes in our daily lives, without coming to parliament [to get parliamentary approval].”
