Category: 2018

Holding snap elections continues to remain the primary goal of the new Cabinet of Armenia, PM Pashinyan told the reporters following the inauguration ceremony of the Cabinet members at the Presidential Residence.

“But this does not mean that it’s the only problem we have to solve”, Pashinyan as said.

He added that apart from the elections, the Cabinet has and will have a long-term program, assuring that one will not harm the other.

Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan announced today that all the governors of Armenia will be replaced, PM Pashinyan told the reporters following the inauguration ceremony of the Cabinet members at the Presidential Residence. “I think all the governors will be replaced”, Pashinyan said.

Referring to the possibility of replacing the heads of Special Investigation Service and Investigative Committee, Pashinyan emphasized that there are some legislative problems there. “We will observe those issues in the context of the legislation”, Pashinyan said.

Attended by RA President Armen Sarkissian, today, for the first time in Armenia’s history, the members of the new government were sworn in at the Presidential Palace.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan was the first to take the floor and read out the text of the oath: “For the sake of achieving the national goals and strengthening the Homeland, I swear to fulfill in good faith all the duties assumed before the people, observe the Constitution and laws, promote the sovereignty and the interests of the Republic of Armenia, remain committed to the high office of member of government.”

Then the other members of government took turns to swear solemnly to the nation. At the end of the oath-taking ceremony, President Sarkissian congratulated the Prime Minister and the Cabinet members, wishing them fruitful and productive work for the benefit of the Homeland and the Armenian people.

Note that the government’s oath-taking comes as a novelty in our country’s political and public management culture.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has appointed two deputy ministers of education and science.

Mr. Hovhannes Hovhannisyan and Ms. Arevik Anapionsyan were appointed to the posts, the government’s press service said.

Armenian President Armen Sarkissian has appointed Aghassi Kirakosyan to serve as deputy chief of police of Armenia, the President’s office said.

Vice Speaker of the Parliament of Armenia Eduard Sharmazanov says he doesn’t see legal and political grounds for holding snap parliamentary elections.

“At the moment I cannot give an answer on this issue. If we move on with this logic, the political situation can change in our country every five months, and we have to hold snap elections every time. We will discuss and see. There should be political and legal grounds for everything. At the moment I don’t see them”, Sharmazanov told reporters in the Parliament, commenting on Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s statement over the possibility to hold snap elections this year.

The Vice Speaker stated that the parliamentary majority Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) is opposition to the PM’s government, but added that they are not going to attack. Sharmazanov said they will be a constructive opposition. “We will act taking into account exclusively the interests of the Armenian people”, Sharmazanov added.

Commenting on rumors to eliminate the ranked voting system, Sharmazanov said he still believes that this electoral system has not been an obstacle. “I am not among the people who change their opinion under euphoric pressure. But changing the opinion depends on many things. We will see what the Electoral Code will look like, will discuss, we are ready”, he said.

At the invitation of Anna Hakobyan, wife of Armenia’s Prime Minister, the second meeting with the participation of the representatives of oncology and hematology charity funds and specialists of the field was held on May 22, Anna Hakobyan’s Office treported.

The meeting participants dispelled the concerns according to which the change of the political situation in the country could have undermined the normal activity of this very important field.

Moreover, the meeting participants happily stated that the statement issued based on the results of the previous meeting left a great impact, and the flow of donations to oncology and hematology charity funds have significantly increased. They reaffirmed readiness to unite all efforts and capacities to continue the treatment of children suffering from cancer.

For this purpose it is expected to create a major foundation with the participation of charity funds and specialists of the field which will coordinate the activities and will act on behalf of all specialists, organizations and individuals concerned over this issue. In this sense Anna Hakobyan was proposed to be included in the Board of Trustees.

Mrs. Anna Hakobyan gave her approval with pleasure and expressed confidence that the foundation will be open to cooperation with all concerned organizations and will operate exclusively in a transparent and coordinated manner.

Vice Speaker of Parliament Eduard Sharmazanov says he has deep ideological and political disagreements with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, but at the same time he says he has “got his back” during any negotiation over the NK conflict settlement.

“I am a statesman, Nikol Pashinyan isn’t the Prime Minister of my dreams, but I got his back in any negotiations, because he is the Prime Minister of my state. Let both Aliyev and Erdogan know that I will do my best during any meeting so that the Prime Minister of my country, with whom I have deep ideological and political disagreements, to succeed. If the Prime Minister of my country succeeds, Artsakh and Armenia will also succeed,” Sharmazanov said.

Speaking about PM Pashinyan’s statements regarding the settlement of the NK conflict, Sharmazanov emphasized that he has already countered Pashinyan’s statement on Armenia being a party to the conflict.

“I have said that Armenia is a party not to the conflict, but to negotiations and the international guarantor of security of Artsakh. I know Pashinyan very well, we’ve worked together for six years and I think he won’t make such statements again. Perhaps this was a political negligence, perhaps an emotional statement, or maybe he wanted to say something else but it turned out completely different, but this wasn’t a statement which stems from our negotiating interests,” he said.

Sharmazanov said he welcomes the other statement of Pashinyan that Artsakh must participate in the talks, because the Republican Party has also spoken about it often.