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New Promising Era "President" & VP Nikol Pashinian

new promising era president armen sarkissian vp nikol pashinian new promising era president

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#61 Yervant1

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Posted 22 April 2018 - 08:40 AM

Serzh Sargsyan Armenia is not a Kingdom or a Sultanate. We don't need or want a KING or a SULTAN. You changed the constitution in order to stay in power, just like ErDOGan and Fake Aliyev. If you wanted to copy them, why didn't you declare yourself president for life when you changed the constitution? Your time is up just please leave in peace and let the country live in peace.

Deutsche Welle, Germany

April 21 2018
 
 
Armenia: Tens of thousands call for PM Serzh Sargsyan to step down after 'power grab'

Police have arrested more than 230 protesters attempting to block streets and stage sit-ins. Opposition leaders have described the president-turned-prime minister as a "political corpse," vowing to reject dialogue.

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Tens of thousands of opposition supporters have taken to the streets of the Armenian capital, Yerevan, calling for former President Serzh Sargsyan to step down as prime minister and demanding fresh parliamentary elections.

Armenia has been rocked by protests over the past week after Sargsyan signaled his intention to become premier despite serving two terms as president. On Tuesday, Armenia's parliament swore him in as prime minister under a new parliamentary system, making him the country's most powerful official.

Sargsyan served briefly as prime minister in 2007, was elected president in 2008 and this week became prime minister again. In 2015, a referendum transferred power from the president to the prime minister.

Some protesters clashed with police while trying to block streets and stage sit-ins. At least 230 people were arrested, according to police figures.

Call for dialogue

Sargsyan called for immediate dialogue with the protesters. "I'm deeply concerned by political developments in the country and call on MP Nikol Pashinian to start a political dialogue in order to avoid irreversible losses," Sargsyan said in a statement. "It should be done immediately."

Pashinian, who has led the protests, rebuffed Sargsyan's offer of dialogue, saying he was only prepared to discuss the prime minister's resignation.   

"We are only ready to discuss the conditions of his departure," news agencies quoted Pashinian as saying after Sargsyan called on the opposition to enter into talks with authorities. 

'Velvet revolution'

Other demonstrators held up placards reading "Sargsyan is a dictator," chanted slogans such as "Make a stand, say not to Serzh" and waved national flags. Decrying government corruption, one protester said she wanted a "free, fair Armenia, where there's decent education and plenty of jobs."

Read more: Eurasia's fault lines move between sovereignty and democracy

"The whole world can see that this is a people's velvet revolution, which very soon will be victorious," opposition leader Nikol Pashinian told protesters. "Sargsyan himself is a political corpse and one does not conduct a dialogue with a corpse."

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Earlier this week, police warned protesters against disrupting public order

Holding on

Sargsyan came to power in 2008, when he won the presidential election. However, the results triggered mass protests and deadly clashes with authorities.

Since assuming office, he has managed to balance a pro-Kremlin foreign policy with closer ties to the EU. Analysts have said his transition to the prime minister's office mirrors similar moves by political leaders in other former Soviet countries.

Read more: Uncertainty, competition mark the space between the EU and Russia

"Obviously, this is a mechanism that allows Armenia's current ruling elite to stay in charge," said Thomas de Waal, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Europe think-tank. "It's a familiar tactic in the post-Soviet space, where leaders endlessly tinker with their constitutions to perpetuate their power."

http://www.dw.com/en...grab/a-43479239

 

 



#62 Yervant1

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Posted 22 April 2018 - 08:44 AM

Armen Sarkissian choose wisely, are you for democracy or corruption!

 

News.am, Armenia

April 21 2018
 
 
Armenian President arrives at Republic Square
 
 

YEREVAN.- Armenian President Armen Sarkissian has arrived to Yerevan’s Republic Square to meet with opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan.

As Armenian News-NEWS.am reported, Sarkissian came to the square accompanied by a small number of bodyguards.

It should be noted that Armen Sarkissian released a statement earlier today, noting that he is "willing to meet with Armenian MP Nikol Pashinyan with the purpose of mitigating the existing tension through dialogue between political forces.”

Earlier it was reported that Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan urged Nikol Pashinyan to immediately start political dialogue and sit down at the negotiating table, and the police threatened to disperse the rally.

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https://news.am/eng/news/447607.html

 

 



#63 Yervant1

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Posted 22 April 2018 - 08:48 AM

It sounds like a fear tactic to me, we've had elections before we can have one also after you resignation!

ARKA, Armenia

April 21 2018
 
 
Armenian prime minister explains why he agreed to take the post
6e07a9f714f38c23e026eaf315978d22.jpg

YEREVAN, April 21. /ARKA/. In a response letter to an open letter addressed to Armenian prime minister Serzh Sargsyan by a group of Armenian graduates of foreign universities, Sargsyan presented the reasons why he agreed to become Armenia’s prime minister after serving two terms as president.

The open letter to the prime minister was signed by 61 Armenian citizens who graduated from prestigious foreign universities with the financial support from the Luys Foundation. In their letter they   asked Sargsyan to resign. 

In the response letter Sargsyan says the main reason why he agreed to be nominated for the post of prime minister by his Republican Party of Armenia was the need to ensure Armenia's security.

"The decision was due to one circumstance: in our geopolitically complex region and in a period full of challenges, we are obliged to ensure the country's safe development and continue efforts aimed at a worthy  resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh problem," Sargsyan said. He noted that the problems raised by the authors of the letter are resolvable, and once they are resolved, other people may govern the country.

In a statement issued earlier today Serzh Sargsyan said mass street protests were e fraught with unpredictable consequences, endangering the public order, and could undermine the complex and subtle harmony of Armenian society.

‘Each of us must remember that besides him, there are other citizens of Armenia who are not less proud of their civic stance; who live, learn, work and rest in this country. Our country’s social harmony should be based on cohesion and tolerance. I am deeply concerned about the inner-political developments. In order to avoid irreparable losses, I am urging National Assembly member Nikol Pashinyan to accept our call of political dialogue and joint the table of negotiations. It should be done immediately. I am confident that all the political forces of our country can contribute to the launch of such a dialogue adequate to the situation.

However, Pashinyan responded that the only issue he could discuss with the authorities was Sargsyan’s resignation, after which other terms, which should be acceptable not for him, but for the people, could be discussed 

The anti-government protests in Armenia began on April 13 after Armenia's ruling Republican Party nominated former president Serzh Sargsyan for the prime minister’s post. Serzh Sargsyan resigned as president on April 9 and was elected as prime minister during a special session of parliament on April 17 by a vote of 77 to 17.

According to  Armenia’s amended its constitution, approved in a national referendum in 2015, Armenia has switched  the government from a semi-presidential to a parliamentary system making the presidency largely ceremonial and strengthening the office of the prime minister.

The protests are led by Nikol Pashinyan, the head of the opposition Yelk parliamentary faction, who declared April 17 the beginning of popular, non-violent "velvet revolution" urging  demonstrators to keep besieging ministries, the prosecutor's office, the central bank and other governmental buildings.-0-

http://arka.am/en/ne..._take_the_post/

 

 



#64 gamavor

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Posted 23 April 2018 - 06:23 AM

Serj Sarkisian resigned!!! Armenia is not Russia and is not Azerbaijan. Bravo!

#65 Yervant1

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Posted 23 April 2018 - 09:08 AM

Armenian prime minster — who is also the country's former president — resigns after protests Serzh Sargsyan's appointment caused 10 days of protests in the capital before his resignation Monday
xaz128-ap.jpgA demonstrator waves an Armenian national flag during a protest against the appointment of former President Serzh Sargsyan as the new prime minister, in Yerevan, Armenia, Sunday, April 22, 2018. Crowds of protesters gathered in various districts of Yerevan and there were clashes as police tried to break them up, with some scores of demonstrators detained Sunday, said police spokesman Ashot Aragonian.Aram Kirakosyan / AP
Avet Demourian

 

April 23, 2018
10:31 AM EDT

 

YEREVAN, Armenia — Armenian Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan resigned unexpectedly on Monday, an apparent move to bring to an end massive anti-government protests.

Residents of the capital, Yerevan, poured out on the streets to celebrate. People hugged and kissed each other, and motorists honked their horns.

The surprise move, announced on his website, followed 10 days of protests in the capital, Yerevan, against Sargsyan’s appointment as prime minister, which is part of a transition to a new governmental system that reduces the powers of the presidency and bolsters those of the premier.

Critics saw the move as an attempt to stay in power by Sargsyan, who served as president from 2008 until term limits forced him out in March. Armen Sarkisian, a former prime minister and ambassador to Britain, was elected in his place.

Thousands of anti-government protesters have been rallying on the streets of Yerevan since April 13, and Sunday’s rally attracted some 50,000 demonstrators.

Nikol Pashinian, the protest leader, was arrested on Sunday after he met the prime minister for talks. He was released Monday afternoon.

Sargsyan in a stunning statement on Monday admitted that he should not have resisted the demands of the opposition.

“Nikol Pashinian was right. I was wrong,” he said.

Opposition leaders have not yet commented on Sargsyan’s resignation and have called a rally in central Yerevan for Monday evening.



#66 Yervant1

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Posted 23 April 2018 - 09:14 AM

I'm proud to call myself Armenian today, it's done without colour revolution or blood shed. Thank you citizens of Armenia you showed the world how it's done in particular the youth, job well done. I'm glad Serzh saw the writing on the wall and resigned I hope he takes some of the oligarchs with him because their time is up as well. Armenia is above every person, long live Armenia free from East or West.


Edited by Yervant1, 25 April 2018 - 09:35 AM.


#67 Yervant1

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Posted 23 April 2018 - 09:35 AM

The Guardian, UK
April 22 2018
 
 
Armenian opposition leader detained amid political unrest
 
Nikol Pashinyan ‘forcibly taken’ by police following a meeting with new PM Serzh Sarksyan
 
Agencies
 
Sun 22 Apr 2018 11.57 BST Last modified on Sun 22 Apr 2018 15.59 BST
 
 
 3670.jpg?w=620&q=20&auto=format&usm=12&f  
The new Armenian PM Serzh Sarksyan, left, debates Nikol Pashinyan in a televised encounter, shortly before Pashinyan, an opposition leader, was detained. Photograph: Vano Shlamov/AFP/Getty Images
 
 
Armenian police have detained the opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan as protests against the former president Serzh Sarksyan’s appointment as prime minister entered a tenth day.
 
Police said Pashinyan was forcibly taken from a rally on Sunday, shortly after Sarksyan rejected demands to step down, as riot police and demonstrators clashed in the capital. Nearly 200 protesters were also detained.
 
Demonstrators accuse Sarksyan of clinging to power following 10 years as president. Tens of thousands of opponents have marched through Yerevan in recent days, blocking streets in the city centre and staging sit-ins.
 
Under a revised constitution approved in a 2015 referendum, most state powers in the small, former Soviet state have shifted to the prime minister and the presidency has become a largely ceremonial post. Opponents say the shift effectively makes Sargsyan Armenia’s leader for life.
 
Sarksyan met Pashinyan, the opposition politician leading the protests, in Yerevan on Sunday but left talks a few minutes after their talks began.
 
“This is not talks, not a dialogue. It’s just an ultimatum, blackmail of the state, of the legitimate authorities,” Sarksyan told Pashinyan.
 
He said the opposition had failed to learn the lesson of 1 March, referring to a protest rally after his re-election in 2008 when 10 people were killed in clashes with police.
 
“No one has dared and will dare speak to us in the language of threats. I am telling you, you have no understanding of the situation in the country. The situation is different to the one you knew 15-20 days ago,” Pashinyan told Sarksyan.
 
“The situation in Armenia has changed, you don’t have the power of which you are told. In Armenia, the power has passed to the people,” he said.
 
 
Pashinyan then vowed to step up pressure on Sarksyan to force him to resign. He was detained hours after the encounter.
 
“Despite repeated calls to stop illegal rallies, Pashinyan continued leading a demonstration,” police said in a statement, adding that he and two other opposition MPs were forcibly taken from the site as riot police dispersed the rally. They dismissed reports that Pashinyan had been arrested.
 
Sasun Mikaelyan, an opposition MP, earlier told journalists that Pashinyan had been arrested. “People must liberate Nikol,” he said.
 
As an MP, Pashinyan is protected by a parliamentary immunityand cannot be arrested without its approval, according to the constitution.
 
Opposition supporters have criticised 63-year-old Sarksyan over poverty, corruption and the influence of powerful oligarchs in the landlocked South Caucasus nation of 2.9 million people.
 
More than 70 people were arrested on Saturday, according to authorities, including two people suspected of preparing bombs. In the evening, about 50,000 demonstrators gathered in the capital’s central Republic Square.
 
 
AP, Reuters and AFP contributed to this report
 

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#68 Yervant1

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Posted 23 April 2018 - 09:42 AM

Washington Post
April 23 2018
 
 
Armenia’s prime minister resigns amid large-scale protests
 
 
by Amie Ferris-Rotman
 
April 23 at 9:16 AM Email the author
 
MOSCOW — Armenian Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan said Monday that he was stepping down as premier amid large-scale protests against his rule.
 
Anti-government demonstrations erupted almost two weeks ago against the pro-Russian Sargsyan when he was appointed prime minister after a decade as president, part of a new transition of governance that bolsters the role of the premier. The move effectively tightened the 63-year-old’s grip over the former Soviet republic in the South Caucasus.
 
Sargsyan’s political opponents accused him of changing the law so he could effectively retain power into a second decade.
 
Tens of thousands of people, including unarmed members of the military and clergymen, have taken part in the protests — crowding the center of the capital, Yerevan — against widespread corruption and what they called Sargsyan’s authoritarian rule.
 


#69 Yervant1

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Posted 23 April 2018 - 09:44 AM

FRANCE 24
April 23 2018
 
 
Armenian PM Sarksyan resigns after days of street protests
 
sargasyan.jpg
 
© Emmanuel Dunand, AFP | Armenia's President Serzh Sargsyan takes part in a EU Eastern Partnership summit with six eastern partner countries at the European Council in Brussels on November 24, 2017.
 
 
Latest update : 2018-04-23
 
Armenian Prime Minister Serzh Sarksyan said on Monday he would resign to help maintain peace in the ex-Soviet republic following daily street protests since before he took up the post on April 17.
 
 
Sarksyan, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, had served as Armenia's president for a decade until earlier this month and had faced accusations of clinging to power when parliament voted for him to take up the post of prime minister.
 
Earlier on Monday pressure on the 63-year-old to quit increased sharply when unarmed Armenian soldiers joined the anti-government protests in the capital Yerevan, which first began on April 13.
 
"I got it wrong," Sarksyan said in a statement issued by his office.
 
"In the current situation there are several solutions, but I won't choose any of them. It's not my style. I am quitting the country's leadership and the post of prime minister of Armenia."
 
Under a revised constitution, the prime minister now holds most power in the impoverished southern Caucasus nation, while the presidency has become largely ceremonial.
 
(REUTERS)
 

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#70 Yervant1

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Posted 23 April 2018 - 10:01 AM

Asharq Al-awsat English
April 23 2018
 
 
Armenia Thrown into More Turmoil as Soldiers Join Protests
Monday, 23 April, 2018 - 09:00
 
law_enforcement_officers_disperse_protes
Law enforcement officers disperse protesters at a rally against the appointment of ex-president Serzh Sarkisian as the new premier in Yerevan, Armenia. (Reuters)
Asharq Al-Awsat
           
A group of Armenian soldiers joined on Monday anti-government protests that have swept the capital Yerevan and other cities for almost two weeks.

Images of hundreds of men wearing military uniforms marching with protesters had earlier appeared on a live stream of the demonstrations being broadcast on the Internet.

The Defense Ministry condemned the soldiers who took part in the illegal protests, vowing that “harsh legal measures” will be taken against them.

Earlier opposition supporters staged more protests in the capital, a day after protest leader and lawmaker Nikol Pashinyan was detained by authorities.

On the eleventh day of the protests, hundreds of students, some medical students in white coats, marched arm-in-arm through the streets, holding Armenian flags.

Young men in small groups briefly blocked roads and shouted slogans such as "Join us!" and "Victory" and Pashinyan’s name as drivers beeped their horns in support.

The demonstrations, which drew tens of thousands in Yerevan over the weekend, are protesting the rule of Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian, the country's former president.

The whereabouts of Pashinyan, the leader of the Civil Contract Party, were unclear after he was detained. As a lawmaker, Pashinyan is protected by parliamentary immunity and cannot be arrested without the approval of fellow MPs.

His lawyer Rustam Badasyan wrote on Facebook: "There is no answer to the question where he is."

The speaker of the country's parliament, the National Assembly, met Pashinyan and the other detained politicians overnight, however, the parliament's spokesman told AFP, without giving details. 

The speaker Ara Babloyan was quoted as saying that he urged Pashinyan and the others "to take part in real talks."

Pashinyan and two other opposition politicians "were detained as they were committing socially dangerous acts", the prosecutor general's office said in a statement on Sunday.

Sarkisian earlier on Sunday stormed out of tense televised talks with Pashinyan, accusing him of "blackmail."

“I am telling you: you have no understanding of the situation in the country. The situation is different to the one you knew 15-20 days ago,” he told Sarkisian.

“The situation in Armenia has changed, you don’t have the power of which you are told. In Armenia, the power has passed to the people,” he said.

Pashinyan last week announced the "start of a peaceful velvet revolution" in the landlocked country of 2.9 million people.

Nearly 200 people were detained at protest rallies held across Yerevan on Sunday, while on Monday the Investigative Committee, which probes serious crimes, said that 26 had been detained on suspicion of "hooliganism" and use of violence against police.

In a statement, the European Union’s foreign policy arm called for more dialogue and a peaceful resolution.

“All those who have been detained while exercising their fundamental right of assembly in accordance with the law must be released immediately,” it said.

“It is of utmost importance that all parties involved show restraint and act responsibly.”

Sarkisian was elected prime minister by lawmakers last week under a new parliamentary system of government that transfers power from the presidency to the premier, while the president becomes largely a ceremonial role.

Sarkisian, a shrewd former military officer, was first elected as president of the impoverished Moscow-allied country in 2008.

After that poll, 10 people died in bloody clashes between police and supporters of the defeated opposition candidate.

He was reelected in 2013, with his second and final term ending April 9.

The protests, though peaceful so far, threaten to destabilize a key Russian ally in a volatile region riven by a long low level conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan and would, if successful, be a rare example of people power delivering reform in the former Soviet Union.

Critics accuse Sarkisian of ruling the South Caucasus nation for too long, of being too close to Russia which has military bases inside Armenia, and of doing too little to root out corruption.

Sarkisian says his country needs him and that his party enjoys large-scale popular support.
 


#71 Yervant1

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Posted 23 April 2018 - 10:05 AM

Aljazeera.com, Qatar
April 23 2018
 
 
Armenia soldiers join anti-government protests in Yerevan
 
Hundreds of troops join Yervan protest, calling on prime minister Sargsyan to step down over corruption allegations.
 
23 Apr 2018 11:03 GMT
 
0b91ee623582460bbf410cecac463048_18.jpg
Protesters have demanded Serzh Sargsyan, Armenia's prime minister, to step down [Vahram Baghdasaryan/Reuters]
 
Hundreds of soldiers have joined anti-government protests in the Armenian capital of Yerevan on Monday, accusing the country's prime minister of corruption and authoritarian rule.
 
In a response to the ongoing protests, the Armenian defence ministry said it would take harsh measures against any member of the military taking part in the demonstrations.
 
Al Jazeera's Robin Forestier-Walker, reporting from Yerevan, said Monday's events are a surprising development.
 
"There are pictures and videos of the soldiers walking down main Yerevan streets. We understand that they are on active duty and that they are part of a peacekeeping force for missions abroad," Walker said.
 
"We have also seen members of the clergy coming out into the streets to take part in the protests," he added.
 

Monday marked the eleventh consecutive day of anti-government protests in Armenia.

On Sunday, Nikol Pashinyan and two other opposition politicians were arrested at a protest in Yerevan.

statement from the prosecutor general said the opposition leaders "were detained as they were committing socially dangerous acts" and the government justified their arrest during a press conference on Monday.

 

The protest movement, which has seen thousands of people take to the streets since April 13, largely comprised a network of self-organising opposition supporters, built by Pashinyan.

According to Walker, the mood among the protesters has been largely positive, adding that it is hard to know what will happen next.

"Both sides will be watching each other very closely on how to move forward," he said.

Protesters have called on Serzh Sargsyan, Armenia's prime minister, to step down citing corruption allegations and fears of oligarchic, authoritarian rule.

Sargsyan was appointed prime minister this month after serving 10 years as the country's president.

However, Sargsyan has made clear he has no intention of stepping down.

https://www.aljazeer...3103106657.html

 


#72 Yervant1

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Posted 23 April 2018 - 10:12 AM

You knew other solutions would have cost you dearly, that's why you resigned. Even your resignation is filled with selfishness just go away!

Public Radio of Armenia

April 23 2018
 
 
Armenia’s Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan resigns
 
Serzh-Sarsgyan-181-620x300.jpg

Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan has issued a statement announcing his resignation.

“Dear compatriots,

I’m addressing all citizens of the Republic of Armenia,  the elderly and the dear youth, women and men.

I’m addressing those standing in streets chanting “Say no to Serzh” and those trying to reach their offices through blocked streets.

I’m addressing  all those following the live broadcasts and those ensuring public security day and night.

I’m addressing  our brave soldiers and officers standing on the border and my fellows-in-arms.

I’m addressing my fellow party-men,  all forces and politicians.

I’m addressing as the head of state for the last time.

Nikol Pashinayn was right. I was mistaken. There are several solutions to this situation, but I will not apply to any of them. It’s not for me. I’m leaving the post of the country’s leader, the Prime Minister.

The struggle in the streets is against my tenure. I’m fulfilling your demand.

I wish peace, harmony and reason to our country.”

http://www.armradio....rgsyan-resigns/

 

 


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#73 MosJan

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Posted 23 April 2018 - 01:16 PM

 

FRANCE 24
April 23 2018
 
 
Armenian PM Sarksyan resigns after days of street protests
 
sargasyan.jpg
 
© Emmanuel Dunand, AFP | Armenia's President Serzh Sargsyan takes part in a EU Eastern Partnership summit with six eastern partner countries at the European Council in Brussels on November 24, 2017.
 
 
Latest update : 2018-04-23
 
Armenian Prime Minister Serzh Sarksyan said on Monday he would resign to help maintain peace in the ex-Soviet republic following daily street protests since before he took up the post on April 17.
 
 
Sarksyan, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, had served as Armenia's president for a decade until earlier this month and had faced accusations of clinging to power when parliament voted for him to take up the post of prime minister.
 
Earlier on Monday pressure on the 63-year-old to quit increased sharply when unarmed Armenian soldiers joined the anti-government protests in the capital Yerevan, which first began on April 13.
 
"I got it wrong," Sarksyan said in a statement issued by his office.
 
"In the current situation there are several solutions, but I won't choose any of them. It's not my style. I am quitting the country's leadership and the post of prime minister of Armenia."
 
Under a revised constitution, the prime minister now holds most power in the impoverished southern Caucasus nation, while the presidency has become largely ceremonial.
 
(REUTERS)
 

 

Achqd luys Hay joghovurd !!! mi nor skizb !!!



#74 MosJan

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Posted 23 April 2018 - 01:19 PM



#75 MosJan

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Posted 23 April 2018 - 01:19 PM

marti 1  menq chenq moratsel. yev der qez & qo molor barekamnerin hishetsnelu enq !!!



#76 MosJan

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Posted 23 April 2018 - 01:20 PM



#77 MosJan

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Posted 23 April 2018 - 01:57 PM



#78 Yervant1

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Posted 24 April 2018 - 10:28 AM

News.am, Armenia
April 23 2018
 
 
Armenian opposition leader: Snap parliamentary elections are needed
20:55, 23.04.2018
                  
 
default.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

 

YEREVAN.- There is a ne power in Armenia from now on, Armenian oppositon leader, MP Nikol Pashinyan stated during the rally in Republic Square.

He spoke about his detention, which took place yesterday. Pashinyan noted that "a group of officers of the National Security Service abducted him and secretly drove him to the Sevan Police Department."

According to him, at first he was kept in isolation but when high-ranking officials visited him, he realized that the velvet revolution has occured.

However, he reminded that there are several issues on the agenda. "The second step is the National Assembly shall be entitled to nominate candidates for Prime Minister within a week. Until then, an interim government will be formed, after that snap extraordinary parliamentary elections are needed,"said Nikol Pashinyan.

"We said that we are ready to discuss conditions of Serzh Sargsyan's resignation and transfer of power. And now, as Sargsyan left, we will continue negotiations with the acting prime minister Karen Karapetyan on transfer of power at 11:00am on Wednesday," Pashinyan said.

https://news.am/eng/news/447929.html

 


#79 Yervant1

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Posted 24 April 2018 - 10:31 AM

EuroNews, EU
April 23 2018
 
 
How 11 days of protests brought down Armenia's leader Serzh Sargsyan
By Alasdair Sandford last updated: 23/04/2018
   

How 11 days of protests brought down Armenia's leader Serzh Sargsyan

 
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The statement from the prime minister’s office came as a shock — for its frankness as much as its content.

“Dear compatriots,” it began, before addressing everyone in Armenia including “those standing in streets chanting ‘Say no to Serzh’, as well as security forces and politicians.

 

“(Protest leader) Nikol Pahinyan was right. I was mistaken. There are several solutions to this situation, but I will not apply to any of them. It’s not for me. I’m leaving the post of the country’s leader, the Prime Minister.”

These were not the words anyone expected from so-called strongman Serzh Sargsyan, accused by opponents of wanting to cement his own position of power above all else.

What events led up to the prime minister’s resignation?

Earlier this month the announcement that Serzh Sargsyan, president for the past decade, would become prime minister — and the country’s most powerful figure — sparked protests that have now continued for more than 10 days. Their goal is specific: to get the longstanding leader to stand down.

Led by opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan, various parties and civil groups took to the streets. That did not prevent Sargsyan from being elected prime minister on April 17. His chosen successor as president, Armen Sarkissian — no relation — was sworn in a week previously after also being elected by parliament.

On Sunday (April 22), a day after he saw the new president, Pashinyan came face-to-face with Sargsyan before live TV cameras at Yerevan’s Marriott Hotel after securing a meeting with the premier. It didn’t go well — or last long.

After only a few minutes, the prime minister rose from his seat and walked out, muttering about blackmail after his opponent had said he was there to demand Sargsyan’s resignation.

Later that morning Pashinyan was grabbed by security forces at the latest protest rally in Yerevan and detained for over 24 hours before being released on Monday, hours before the prime minister’s resignation.

 

808x528_cmsv2_7293e215-978f-51b1-85c4-7bSerzh Sargsyan meets opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan in Yerevan, Armenia April 22, 2018 REUTERS/Vahram Baghdasaryan/Photolure

 

Who are the protesters and why have they been so angry?

The protesters are described by CivilNet.AM, an Armenian website, as a grassroots movement which is “not led by any one political power”, as well as “highly diverse, having pulled in people from various segments of the society”.

Demonstrations have been non-violent, spread around the country and have needed minimal organisation. Even when protest leaders have been detained, people have continued to take to the streets.

The now-ex-prime minister’s attempt at a “power grab”, in the eyes of many Armenians, was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

It followed years of frustration over social and economic issues, and ultimately the “four-day war” in April 2016 over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh territory that caused dozens of casualties, bringing Armenia and Azerbaijan close to all-out conflict.

Who is protest leader Nikol Pashinyan?

 

404x279_cmsv2_e3384079-41fd-58a2-bacf-d0Armenian opposition protest leader Nikol Pashinyan Reuters

 

The protest leader of the past fortnight is a former editor of The Armenian Times newspaper, highly critical of governments including that of Sargsyan. In 2004 he survived an alleged assassination attempt; his car blew up but he was not in it.

Having supported a rival candidate in the 2008 presidential election, he went into hiding amid the unrest that followed, before turning himself in to police. Despite being accused of murder and disorder, after two years in jail he was granted amnesty along with other political prisoners and freed.

Pashinyan was elected to Armenia’s National Assembly in 2012 and formed a new political group, Civil Contract, the following year.

How did Sargsyan go about his alleged power-grab?

Having been president since 2008, Serzh Sargsyan was responsible for pushing through constitutional changes in 2015. Armenians voted in a referendum to move from a presidential to parliamentary system, boosting the prime minister’s role.

There were complaints of large-scale vote rigging and outside observers warned that the changes were designed to preserve Serzh Sargsyan’s grip on power, as he would be eligible to become prime minister at the end of his presidential term. This has duly happened — albeit briefly.

Observers drew parallels between Armenia’s so-called strongman and the Russian president, as well as Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Turkey. After completing his limit of two presidential terms, Vladimir Putin became prime minister of Russia in 2008 before returning to the presidency in 2012. Erdogan graduated from years as prime minister to become president, with beefed-up powers.

Sargsyan has a close relationship with Putin, which critics say has made Yerevan too tied to Moscow.

 

808x539_cmsv2_50c4d4e7-3882-5813-b88d-b6Serzh Sargsyan's resignation followed 11 days of street protests Reuters

 

Euronews spoke with Anahit Shirinyan, an expert on politics in Armenia and the South Caucasus with the UK’s Royal Institute of International Affairs. Her answers to our questions came shortly before the announcement of Sargsyan’s resignation.

Euronews: Beyond Sargsyan's “power grab”, what's behind the depth of feeling illustrated by these protests? Who are the protesters?

Anahit Shirinyan: The protests reflect accumulated grievances towards government policies of at least the last decade. People are unhappy with under-performing economy, lack of sense of justice, emigration, and also feel like past election results have not really been reflective of their vote. Every time Armenians have felt they weren't able to change power through elections, they have taken to the streets. They feel like they deserve a better life and a more democratic country.

The protesters come from all social backgrounds. There is a truly representative presence. Remarkably, most of them are young people — often referred to as "the generation of independence" — born after Armenia's independence of 1991. People who have previously demonstrated political apathy or were deemed as apolitical are involved too.

Euronews: How big a moment is this for Armenia?

Anahit Shirinyan: This is a remarkable time for Armenia. The country has a long track record of anti-government protests, but these ones have consolidated greater numbers and more diverse groups. Even though most of the protest leaders have been detained shortly, people have de-centralised and self-organised to march throughout Yerevan and other cities. This is likely to force the authorities to seriously reckon with the protesters. This also signals the emergence of a wider civil society in the country. If the protests are successful and also lead to a radical democratic reform of the country, they are likely to open a new page and a new beginning for Armenia both domestically and internationally.

Euronews: What international ramifications could this have?

Anahit Shirinyan: It is hard to tell at this stage as to what international or geopolitical implications this could have precisely. However, one thing is clear: at a time when liberal democracy is in decline in the region and elsewhere in the world, these protest signify that it is still the desirable option in Armenia.

http://www.euronews....-serzh-sargsyan



#80 Arshak1946

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Posted 24 April 2018 - 02:32 PM

Success without blood , without violent , let the world see real democracy and learn. bravo , the day to be Armenian and proud.






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