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On October 8, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and leader of Prosperous Armenia Party Gagik Tsarukyan signed a memorandum on holding snap elections.
After the signing of the memorandum, members of the PAP party made related comments. In particular, Gevorg Petrosyan said that the Tsarukyan bloc decided to listen to people’s demand and hold the elections in December.
Another member of the Prosperous Armenia Party Vahe Enfiajyan said Tsarukyan’s statement is clear, he is with the people, and the people’s demands and aspirations are important for them, and it is reflected in the memorandum.
The Fact Investigation Platform decided to go back in time to see what positions these deputies had before signing the memorandum and after that.
Before the memorandum
On October 2, Vahe Enfiajyan told the journalists that the faction will make official statements, underlining that the normal activity of the National Assembly should nevertheless be secured.
But at the extraordinary session of the National Assembly, Prosperous Armenia, along with the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) and the ARF Dashnaktsutyun, voted for the draft law submitted by NA Deputy Speaker Arpine Hovhannisyan and PAP MP Gevorg Petrosyan. At the session, the Draft Law on Amending the NA Rules of Procedure was adopted, according to which, if for some reason the participation of MPs in the National Assembly session is hindered or quorum is not secured, the session shall be interrupted.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan described those who voted for the bill as anti-revolutionary forces.
Gevorg Petrosyan commented on the draft law as follows: “The problem is the need to ensure the normal course of activity of the National Assembly … I do not know who decides what here, this legal initiative was merely based on legal considerations.”
These MPs have repeatedly expressed their attitudes towards holding snap parliamentary elections.
In particular, Gevorg Petrosyan mentioned in his speech that he personally opposed hasty decisions: “The social demand for holding snap elections is not mature.”
After the memorandum
After the signing of the Tsarukyan-Pashinyan memorandum on October 8, Gevorg Petrosyan said that although he had wanted the elections to be held as is mentioned in the government program, there was a risk of conflict with the people.
Vahe Enfiajyan said that PAP favors holding debates on snap elections. “Up to one year period is clearly stated in the government program, we voted for the program, and we took part in implementing that program (…), a few months ago Mr. Tsarukyan announced that the PAP would discuss the possibility of early elections in July with Nikol Pashinyan, there were detail-related questions to be discussed …
He also noted that if people want to hold snap elections as soon as possible, the Tsarukyan bloc and the PAP do not see any problems there.
Karine Kirakosyan
