Acting PM Karapetyan

YEREVAN, APRIL 25, ARMENPRESS. Acting Prime Minister of Armenia Karen Karapetyan doesn’t accept opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan’s proposal on the election format of the people’s candidate, reports Armenpress.

“I don’t know any country where people’s candidate is elected in that way, there are elections for that purpose. Now for one citizen someone is acceptable, and for the other another figure is acceptable, so what to do? The people’s candidate is not being elected in this way. I propose to hold snap parliamentary elections, and if he is the people’s candidate, he will come [to power]”, the acting PM said.

He said it would be better for the political forces to meet and discuss the current situation, and for this purpose a platform is being proposed.

“We have developed laws, Constitution, we cannot get out of this field. It’s not so that everything is being done by the will, dictation of one political force, everyone must sit and decide how to hold snap elections. The laws say so, the people’s candidate is being elected by elections, the choice is the election, if you know a country that is being elected in another way, please tell me”, the acting PM said, adding that it is maximally necessary to return to normal life.

On April 23, at 16:00, Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan resigned as widespread protests entered the 11th day. On the same day, as required by law, the government resigned.

First Deputy PM Karen Karapetyan was named acting PM at an emergency Cabinet meeting.

Later it was announced that Mr. Karapetyan will have a meeting with Mr. Pashinyan – leader of the opposition – on April 25. But around midnight of April 24, the government said that the meeting has been cancelled because the opposition leader unilaterally made new demands. Acting PM Karen Karapetyan addressed the President to organize a meeting in a format of his preference, with participation of a wide spectrum of political parties within and outside the parliament.

On April 24 MP Pashinyan told foreign media outlets that the people’s candidate will be decided at the Republic Square. The name of the candidate will be announced, and the candidate will determined by the reaction of the people.

PM Karapetyan visits Haigazian

Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan visited the Armenian spiritual and educational-cultural centers in Beirut. the second day of his official visit to Lebanon. As the press service of the government reported, the head of the Armenian government first visited Haigazian University where he met with faculty and students. During the Premier’s a tour of the university, Rector Paul Haydostian introduced Karen Karapetyan to educational institution’s activities and academic programs, as well as to the monument commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide and a rocket monument installed in the yard of the university, the author of which is an Armenian engineer.

The Prime Minister appreciated Haigazian University’s contribution to Armenian Studies, describing it as extremely important and necessary.

“I was very much impressed to see here, in Beirut, a similar educational center which stands out among other Armenian, international and tolerant cultures. the Premier said, addressing the university staff, praising their dedication to the preservation of the Armenian identity.

Karen Karapetyan noted that he had held productive meetings with the Lebanese leadership, the business community and the banking sector representatives.

“I am convinced that we have aroused specific interest among Lebanon’s business circles, including the banking sector, and we will have the necessary feedback in the near future. We talked much about our recent economic growth: Armenia’s economic growth turned out to be much higher than the regional average, and we are well poised for ensuring continued and sustainable growth in the country.

We know which way to lead the country in order to reach the proposed horizon, and I want to assure you that we will have a very good, logical, just and developing country,” the Prime Minister said.

Karapetyan’s next port of call was the Bzommarvank monastery, one of the most outstanding Armenian cultural and spiritual centers in Lebanon, where the Head of Government met with the representatives of the Armenian Catholic Patriarchate and the members of the congregation.

Acting PM Karapetyan doesn’t accept the format on electing people’s candidate as proposed by opposition MP Pashinyan

Armenian, PM Karapetyan visits Haigazian University and Zommarvank Monastery in Lebanon