Marukyan Responds to Vice Speaker Alen Simonian's Statement

The leader of the "Enlightened Armenia" parliamentary group, Edmond Marukyan, has responded to the statement of Vice Speaker Alen Simonian, who claimed that the LHK does not actually want early parliamentary elections to take place.

“LHK is the third parliamentary force, and for over a month, we have been advocating for early elections, making concessions to all our initial conditions,” said Marukyan during a briefing with journalists.

According to him, the primary issue for resolving the political crisis in Armenia remains the agenda of early elections. “If symbolic elections are organized before June 1, the LHK has officially announced that in the case of the Prime Minister's resignation, it will not propose a candidate for Prime Minister and will not obstruct the process even if another faction proposes a Prime Minister candidate; we will not vote for it, as long as the parliament is dissolved and we go for early elections,” Marukyan noted, adding that the only condition they set before the authorities was this.

“June 1 is our deadline; that is the earliest date for organizing early elections,” Marukyan elaborated. However, he pointed out that if early elections are held in the autumn, the LHK has not yet decided.

Regarding whether early elections would be conducted under the current Electoral Code or a new one, Marukyan stated that the authorities want to change and transition to a 100% proportional electoral system. “We have said that since the elites of most political forces are from Yerevan, the representation from the regions will be excluded, and it will become a Yerevan parliament. Therefore, the existing majoritarian system remains. When we were proposed early elections in December, it was suggested under the current code. Now, we either go under the existing code, or if they want to go with their own drafted code, they must vote, adopt the desired law, and then go for early elections, expecting that the opposition will vote in favor of the draft that it opposes,” Marukyan added, stating that they are ready to participate in early elections under any electoral code before June 1.

“These elections are not necessary for us, for the BBP, or for anyone else, they are necessary for the authorities to reaffirm their mandate if they have a mandate to govern the country or to not reaffirm it and leave. In such a crisis situation, the elections are necessary for the authorities,” said Marukyan.

It is recalled that during a press briefing with journalists today, Vice Speaker Alen Simonian stated that “the LHK believes that elections do not need to be held and will find numerous reasons to avoid early elections, simply using this period to enhance its position,” adding that he knows the operational style of the LHK well.