Citing its sources, “Zhoghovurd” suggests that the former ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) that still has the largest faction in parliament has been looking for – and has actually found some – allies in other parliamentary factions in the matter of preventing the adoption of any provision that would pave the way for preterm elections through the legislature’s self-dissolution. “As a reason they cite the fact that the National Assembly works normally, does not hinder the activities of the government, but passes government-drafted bills,” the paper writes.
On the subject of the parliament’s possible self-dissolution “Zhamanak” writes: “Why are the HHK and Dashnaktsutyun concerned about [Prime Minister Nikol] Pashinian’s initiative on creating a mechanism for the parliament’s self-dissolution through a constitutional amendment? Pashinian conditioned the passage of such a reform by the possibility that the former ruling party in parliament may think the premier’s resignation within a year to pave the way for early elections would be an opportunity to elect another prime minister [without holding general elections] and regaining power. And Pashinian wants to put in place the mechanism of self-dissolution to save the revolution the trouble of resorting to ‘force majeure’ solutions again. And now the HHK is openly discontent with this mechanism the adoption of which is in process, while Dashnaktsutyun is showing its discontent in a typically amorphous way. If the political agreement on early elections is in force and the HHK and Dashnaktsutyun do not intend to torpedo it, then why are they concerned about the mechanism of self-dissolution for parliament? This mechanism is no deviation from the political agreement, but an additional safeguard for Pashinian and the public that made the ‘velvet revolution’.”
The editor of “Aravot” writes: “Armen Martirosian, who is number two on the list of candidates of the Heritage party in the Yerevan municipal elections, recently expressed an opinion that this time the election period will be marked by unique campaigning – for the first time, he said, it will be a struggle not against something, but for something. I think that Heritage’s representative is too optimistic. The struggle again will be ‘against’. It will be directed against [former Yerevan mayor] Taron Markarian and the HHK. On the face of it, it seems illogical, because Markarian and the HHK do not participate in the elections and, consequently, there is no need to convince voters not to vote for these forces. But please tell me, which is easier – to offer solutions to multiple problems of the city or have speeches about how Taron Markarian ruined our city?”
(Tigran Avetisian)
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