HHK MP Khosrov Harutyunyan in favor of snap elections, but argues timing

Republican (HHK) faction MP Khosrov Harutyunyan says he believes that early elections of parliament should take place in Armenia.

He says that there is no second opinion in this matter. He argues that there can only be opinion on when the elections should take place. “After these political cataclysms the public is entitled to re-evaluate the role of political forces and give assessments through voting,” he said.

He says that the public must have the chance to vote in calm conditions, and not on emotional backgrounds. “ I believe that it requires time. Since I am not aware on what has taken place in the past days, please, give me time, I will study and express my stance,” he told reporters, adding that he was on a business trip.

He was unaware that a group of lawmakers have begun a petition calling for early elections.

He also refused to comment on the memorandum signed between Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Prosperous Armenia Party leader Gagik Tsarukyan, under which the Tsarukyan faction won’t nominate a candidate for prime minister in case of Pashinyan’s resignation, thus paving way for dissolution of parliament.

A group of Members of Parliament, mostly from the Republican (HHK) faction, also former faction members-turned independent, have signed a petition endorsing PM Nikol Pashinyan’s stance on holding early elections of parliament in December, 2018. Lawmakers who signed the petition include Alik Sargsyan, a former national police chief, Artak Sargsyan, an businessman owning the SAS supermarket chain and Samvel Aleksanyan, an influential businessman owning the Yerevan City supermarket chain, and other companies.

The lawmakers who signed the statement are:

Rafik Grigoryan, HHK faction

Avet Sargsyan, HHK faction

Ashot Arsenyan, Independent, formerly from HHK faction

Alik Sargsyan, HHK faction

Artak Sargsyan. Independent, formerly from HHK

Arman Sahakyan, independent, formerly from HHK

Tatchat Vardapetyan, HHK faction

Hakob G. Hakobyan, HHK faction

Shirak Torosyan, independent, formerly from HHK

Knyaz Hasanov, HHK faction

Arsen Mikhaylov, HHK faction

Harutyun Karapoghosyan, HHK faction

Samvel Aleksanyan, independent, formerly from HHK

Nahapet Gevorgyan, HHK faction

Arayik Grigoryan, HHK action

Ishkhan Zakaryan, Tsarukyan faction

“We endorse Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s stance on holding early elections of parliament in December of 2018. After Nikol Pashinyan’s resignation as Prime Minister, a new Prime Minister shouldn’t be elected until early elections and the incumbent parliament should be dissolved,” the statement signed by the MPs says.