ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan addressed the nation tonight live on television and announced he is stepping down.
He said that the goal of the resignation is to bring the non violent, velvet, people’s revolution to an end through holding early elections of parliament and returning the entire power to the people.
“Dear countrymen, dear people,
Proud citizens of the Republic of Armenia,
As I said before, I am resigning today as Prime Minister of Armenia
The goal of this resignation, however, is not to distance myself from the office of Prime Minister, meaning is not to escape from the responsibility that I have assumed before you, on the contrary – to bring the non violent, velvet, people’s revolution that we together carried out to an end, through holding early elections of parliament and returning the entire power to the people.
The roadmap for achieving early elections of parliament is the following: after my resignation the President of the Republic immediately accepts the resignation of the government, the National Assembly doesn’t elect a prime minister twice during the upcoming 14 days, which results in the National Assembly being dissolved and the President of the Republic calls early elections of parliament.
During this entire period of time Cabinet members will continue carrying out their duties, I will continue fulfilling the Constitutional powers of Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, that is to say I will continue being the guarantor of the people’s victory and if you give a vote of confidence to our political force in the upcoming elections in December, I will be re-elected as Prime Minister.
Certainly, many have fears and voice a question: what if parliamentary forces nominate another candidate for prime minister, are we indeed ready for this kind of a scenario?
I don’t even want to say, that the October 2 events showed that we are more than ready for any scenario, because not a single force can stand before the will and desire of the people.
But now I don’t even want to discuss any such scenario, because as much contradictions and harsh debates we were to have with a number of parliamentary forces, I can’t think that they have a goal and intention to act against the people and Armenia’s national security.
Parliamentary forces showed that regardless of all contradictions and misinterpretations, our state, its stability and security, are a red line for them, and I believe that they will never cross this line. Especially that both the HHK [Republican], the Tsarukyan bloc and ARF factions have publicly stated that they aren’t planning to nominate a candidate for prime minister or elect a prime minister.
I would also like to tell the representatives of the former National Assembly majority that indeed we have criticized and we criticize you, but this doesn’t mean that we are seeking enemies in Armenia, or that we should seek.
I’ve said during my entire political activity, and I would like to repeat now also: I didn’t have, I don’t have, and I won’t have enemies in Armenia and among Armenians.
And I would like to wish good luck to all political forces in the early elections of parliament and to affirm that our government will guarantee the free expression of will of the people in the elections.
Dear countrymen,
Although this resignation carries a formal nature, the moment is actually emotional, because with this we recap yet another phase of our revolution and we enter an entirely new time period.
And now, addressing the past five months of my Premiership, I would like to thank you for your unlimited support and trust. I would also like to apologize to all those whom I have disappointed with something, whose just and lawful hopes I did not justify, whose excitement I have somehow shadowed.
But, dear countrymen, I want you to know definitely and undoubtedly: all your pains are in my heart, all your needs are in my thoughts, all your dreams are in my soul and give me wings and strength to stand before you and to confidently say – everything will be all right, everything will be very good.
Prepare yourselves for new victories and prepare for building a new and powerful, free and happy Armenia.
I love you all, I am proud of you all, I bow before you all, I kiss you all.
And so,
Long live Liberty,
Long live the Republic of Armenia,
Long live our children, who live and will confidently live in the free and happy Armenia,” the PM said in his resignation address.
Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan (Armenpress)
