An opposition movement held its first rally in Yerevan on Saturday, calling for combined efforts to prevent incumbent President Serge Sarkissian from remaining in power after the end of his second and last term next month.

Despite his public promise in 2014 not to seek a position at the top of the government after the constitutional reform transforming Armenia into a parliamentary republic, Sarkisian is able to become the country’s next prime minister as party leader Republican in power (HHK).

Sarkissian has not yet spoken about his plans, but a number of senior HHK officials have expressed “personal opinion” that there is no better candidate than the current president for the post of future prime minister. The next prime minister will be the country’s first political decision maker under the reformed constitution.

By organizing its rally in Liberty Square on Saturday at the end of the day, the group called “Front for the State of Armenia” aims to become a key platform for a change of power in Armenia. The members of the group explained that their movement would gather around different political parties and individuals sharing the same attitude.

The speakers at the event presented the main provisions of the movement’s program. At first, the Front plans to set up a “provisional government”, to “declare amnesty and release political prisoners”. In the future, the movement intends to “establish the Constitution through the Constituent Assembly and organize new elections”.

Among the political parties and groups involved in the Front that are known to the general public in Armenia, the most important is the Zharangutiun (Heritage) Party.

Its newly elected president, Armen Martirosian, said in his speech that the movement is essentially non-partisan and should unite all efforts to prevent the HHK from appointing Sargsyan as a candidate for the post of prime minister of Armenia.

According to Martirosian, if the HHK decided that, “then tens of thousands of Armenians will emigrate from the country in the years to come. “And that’s what should not be allowed,” he said.

The opposition felt that attendance at the rally was quite high, which they said was unexpected.

The movement has scheduled its next rally for March 16, which will also mark the first anniversary of the death of Artur Sargsian, the man who broke a police cordon to deliver food to members of a group of radical opposition, the Sasna Tsrer. Sargisian was jailed with dozens of opponents after surrender to the security forces and died shortly after being released on bail the following year.

The Armenian Front also announced “periodic” rallies during the week beginning April 9, when President Sarkisian’s powers will end and parliamentary factions will have seven days to nominate candidates for the post of prime minister. .

Yelk parliamentary opposition leader Nikol Pashinian, member of the Ararat Mirzoyan faction and a number of human rights activists also attended the rally.