Pashinyan Urges Yerevan Voters To Reaffirm Victory Of ‘Revolution’

Under the current Constitution, snap general elections can be held only if the prime minister resigns and lawmakers twice fail to elect his or her replacement.

In the past several weeks Pashinyan publicly spoke of scenarios in which former President Serzh Sarkisian’s Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) that still dominates the National Assembly could break political agreements and try to install another prime minister if he steps down as prime minister. As an additional safeguard he, therefore, suggested a constitutional amendment that would allow the parliament to dissolve itself.

Addressing the pro-Marutyan rally, Pashinyan warned other political parties and groups, which he did not name, against planning a “counterrevolution.”

“Some political forces that present themselves as advocates of the revolution are conducting negotiations with the HHK for the latter to help them with their vote-rigging resource,” Pashinyan asserted. “Come to your senses, madmen!”

The head of the Armenian government said, therefore, the September 23 vote has an “exceptionally important political meaning.” “As at these elections people, citizens of Armenia at polling stations should reaffirm the victory that they registered in Republic Square…, reaffirm people’s power, the victory of the people’s nonviolent velvet revolution in Armenia,” Pashinyan underscored.

Marutyan, who was one of the active Pashinyan supporters during peaceful antigovernment protests in spring, was criticizes by political rivals last week for his remarks in which he made a division of the political spectrum into “whites and blacks” ahead of the Yerevan elections.