Pashinyan–Tsarukyan Meeting Will Not Take Place Today, Awaiting Political Council Decision

The proposal by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan for snap elections has not been discussed by the Prosperous Armenia party (BHK). This information was disclosed today by BHK member Iveta Tonoyan during a press briefing in the National Assembly.

“Since there is no meeting of the party’s political council scheduled for today, therefore, there is no meeting planned between Nikol Pashinyan and Gagik Tsarukyan,” said Tonoyan, adding that this decision should be made exclusively in the format of the political council. This means that there should be a discussion of the emerging new realities, an examination of the current political situation, analysis, and based on that, a political stance.

“At this moment, we are refraining from presenting our personal stance on the matter until the political council, chaired by Gagik Tsarukyan, discusses the decision,” said Tonoyan in response to the question of whether the BHK could abandon its stance in favor of an opposition movement led by Vazgen Manukyan to form a temporary government and accept Pashinyan's proposal to dissolve the parliament and conduct new elections.

Another BHK deputy, Mikayel Melkumyan, emphasized that holding snap elections is also among their agenda. “The issue lies in the timing and format of their conduct. But it is definitely clear that there is a crisis, and it cannot continue for long,” he stated.

Melkumyan noted that the governance system is not functioning, and in his estimation, as a result, Armenia's economy is losing $5-7 million daily. According to him, this situation cannot persist for months.

It is worth mentioning that on March 4, a meeting took place between Marukyan and Pashinyan. The leader of the LHK announced that the way out of the current political situation in Armenia is through snap elections, which the Prime Minister also has the will to conduct. The Prosperous Armenia party did not attend the meeting with the Prime Minister, stating that they had not received an invitation from him.