Knyaz Hasanov, a lawmaker from the Civil Contract faction in Armenia’s ninth-convocation National Assembly, who, as the oldest MP, chaired the inaugural sitting of the newly elected parliament, called on lawmakers to remain united, set aside their differences and rally around the state.

Hasanov made the remarks at the opening of the first session of the ninth-convocation National Assembly.

 “It is both a pleasure and a great honour, as well as a responsibility, for me. I feel very proud. As the oldest member of parliament, I have been given the opportunity, by virtue of my age, to open the inaugural sessions of the sixth, seventh, eighth and now the ninth convocations of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia. Perhaps my age also gives me the right to make one heartfelt request.

 I ask and urge all my fellow MPs, both from the governing majority and the opposition, to remain united, put all disagreements aside, rally around our state and government, and do everything possible to ensure that our country follows the right path of development,” Hasanov said.

 According to him, peace is as essential to Armenia and the Armenian people today as air and water.

 “Today, peace is as essential to us and our people as air and water. It is through peace that our country must develop economically and grow stronger. Only a strong state earns the respect of both its enemies and its friends. War brings nothing but destruction, bloodshed, human casualties and loss. Therefore, we must do everything possible to ensure that disputes are resolved not through war, but through diplomacy and peaceful means,” Hasanov said. He added that, thanks to the foreign policy pursued by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Armenia has established good neighbourly relations with a number of countries, including neighbouring states.

 “Thanks to the correct and forward-looking foreign policy pursued by the Prime Minister of our Republic, the esteemed Nikol Pashinyan, good neighbourly relations have been established with a number of major powers and neighbouring countries, allowing the Republic of Armenia to live, and continue to live, in lasting peace. Our wise and far-sighted people chose the party of peace; peace prevailed. I sincerely congratulate the newly elected members of parliament and wish them fruitful work, wisdom and inexhaustible energy,” Hasanov concluded.

He then officially declared open the first session of the ninth-convocation National Assembly.

In accordance with Article 158 of the Constitution, the Armenian government has submitted its resignation on the day of the inaugural session of the newly elected National Assembly.

 Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced the move during a livestream on his Facebook page.

“Dear compatriots, today the first session of the ninth convocation of the National Assembly has begun, and under Article 158 of the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia, the Government submits its resignation to the President of the Republic on the day of the first session of the National Assembly. I am now about to sign the Government’s resignation in accordance with Article 158 of the Constitution, addressed to the President of the Republic,” Pashinyan said.

The prime minister then read out the letter addressed to the president before signing it. 

“Your Excellency Mr President, pursuant to Article 158 of the Constitution, I respectfully request that you accept the resignation of the Government.” Pashinyan said the letter would be sent to the president later on Saturday and that, in accordance with the Constitution, the president would accept the government’s resignation. He added that the members of the government would continue performing their duties until a new cabinet is formed.

“The next step is set out in Article 149 of the Constitution, which states that, after the term of office of the newly elected National Assembly begins, the President of the Republic shall immediately appoint as prime minister the candidate nominated by the parliamentary majority.

Today, the parliamentary majority will nominate its candidate for prime minister to the President of the Republic, and the appointment will then take place in accordance with Article 148 of the Constitution. I wish you all a good day, and I love you all,” Pashinyan said.

Ruben Rubinyan, a lawmaker from the Civil Contract faction, is the sole candidate nominated for the post of Speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia.

His candidacy was presented during the inaugural session of the ninth-convocation National Assembly by Arusyak Manavazyan, leader of the Civil Contract faction.

“Dear colleagues, dear compatriots, it is a great honour for me to present Ruben Rubinyan’s candidacy for the position of Speaker of the National Assembly today. Before turning to his biography, I would first like to emphasise that Mr Rubinyan is, above all, an outstanding and principled individual, a decent, modest and honest public figure who has spent many years navigating the complex path of politics and state-building.

Throughout his political career, he has been, and remains, one of the most open and transparent public figures. Through both his political and diplomatic work, he has demonstrated his commitment and experience in representing the interests of the state at the highest level,” Manavazyan said.

According to the faction leader, Rubinyan’s organisational skills, balanced approach and political maturity will enable him to lead the work of the National Assembly effectively.

“I am confident that his organisational skills, balanced approach and political maturity will allow him to lead the work of the National Assembly with great efficiency and uphold the high standing of the legislature,” Arusyak Manavazyan said.

Ruben Rubinyan, candidate for Speaker of the National Assembly, has expressed confidence that the full normalisation of relations between Armenia and Türkiye is only a matter of time and is now very close.

Rubinyan made the remarks during the inaugural session of the ninth-convocation National Assembly in response to a question from Gegham Manukyan, a lawmaker from the Armenia faction.

Manukyan said the Armenia-Türkiye normalisation process had initially been presented as negotiations without preconditions but argued that Türkiye continued to link the process to Armenia-Azerbaijan relations.

“Over the past four years, Türkiye has made progress on all aspects of its policy conditional on the normalisation of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. This demonstrates that the phrase ‘without preconditions’ does not reflect reality, and Türkiye continues to speak to Armenia with preconditions while also exerting pressure on Armenia,” Manukyan said.

According to him, the establishment of diplomatic relations between Armenia and Türkiye remains unresolved.

Responding to the question, Rubinyan agreed that statements had been made by Türkiye and continue to be made from time to time linking the Armenia-Türkiye normalisation process to other developments.

“You are right that statements have been made by Türkiye, and are still made from time to time, linking the normalisation of Armenia-Türkiye relations to other processes,” he said.

According to Rubinyan, the Armenia-Azerbaijan process is currently further advanced than the Armenia-Türkiye normalisation process.

“In the Armenia-Azerbaijan process, for example, the Azerbaijani side lifted restrictions on railway transit from Armenia earlier than Türkiye did. Türkiye later did the same. There is now also direct trade between Armenia and Azerbaijan-I mean petroleum products,” Rubinyan said.

According to him, the time has come for Türkiye to take more active steps in the Armenia-Türkiye normalisation process.

“I cannot point to any reason why Armenia and Türkiye should not establish diplomatic relations as early as tomorrow, or why the Armenia-Türkiye border should not be open as early as tomorrow,” he said.

Rubinyan acknowledged that the process had not progressed at the pace the Armenian side would have wished.

“Has the process moved at the pace that we, or I, would have liked to see? No. I would have liked the process to have been completed years ago. But you will agree that the Armenia-Türkiye process has been a complicated one and that, in fact, every Armenian government since the first years of the country’s independence, including your government, has sought to bring it to a successful conclusion.

I am convinced that the full normalisation of Armenia-Türkiye relations is only a matter of time, and that this normalisation is very close,” he concluded.

The Civil Contract party, as the political force holding the parliamentary majority in the National Assembly, has submitted to the President of the Republic the required package of documents nominating Nikol Pashinyan for the post of Prime Minister, in accordance with Article 149 of the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia, to facilitate the constitutional procedure for appointing the prime minister.

The party announced the submission in a statement.

Earlier, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced that, in accordance with the Constitution, the government had submitted its resignation on the day of the first sitting of the newly elected National Assembly. He signed the letter of resignation addressed to the President of the Republic, which was subsequently sent to the President’s Office.

President Vahagn Khachaturyan accepted the government’s resignation.

The inaugural session of Armenia’s newly elected parliament is taking place on August 2.