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The Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) has not changed its position over the candidacy of Nikol Pashinyan and all concerns voiced previously remain in place, the head of the party fraction at Armenia’s National Assembly Vahram Baghdasaryan stated today ahead of the parliamentary vote to elect the country’s new Prime Minister. 

“I have to reiterate our fraction position [over Pashinyan’s candidacy] that I have stated during my previous speeches, briefings,” Baghdasaryan said, noting an unprecedented situation has occurred in the republic where everything is centered around the societal divide ‘between blacks and whites’ and what he called as “in a dominant atmosphere of hostility.”

“On April 31 and then on May 1, the Republican deputies addressed thorough, inclusive and multilayer questions to PM candidate Nikol Pashinyan. The reason for that was the fact we hold responsibility for the security of our state. We are interested in the foreign orientation of our state, the economic development, preservation of traditional values. It was extremely important for us to understand whether the PM candidate is ready to take the burden [of ruling the countryt] or our people are destined to live in a chaos. Let me state our concerns are not diffused. May God we are mistaken,” Baghdasaryan added.

Reminding that the Republican party will support to elect a new PM, Baghdasaryan clarified the party position ahead of the second vote.

“I want you to clearly distinguish our current statement from the previous one. Not only we do not obstruct but also [we now] assist. We are committed to our pledge,” said the head of the RPA fraction.

In his speech Baghdasaryan next slammed “the atmosphere of hostility disguised under the veil of love and tolerance.” Referring to the threats and intimidation directed toward some Republican deputies and their supporters, Baghdasaryan said. “You have crossed the limits of the personal and permissible and it would be hardly possible to remedy through politics.” 

Baghdasaryan urged to eliminate the widespread hatred to the benefit of Armenia and the Armenian people that obstruct the people’s regular life, activity and way of living.

“That obstructs our future cooperation. Do not involve school students and children [in politics] do not sow hostility in our future generations and avoid taking politics into schools,” the Republican MP stressed.

Speaking of the Republican party decision to support Pashinyan’s candidacy, Baghdasaryan said: “The RPA decision was taken cooperatively. The party is against Pashinyan’s candidacy, yet we will give 10+1 votes in support of his PM bid. Those ten deputies share the RPA position, yet we asked our fellow members to vote in favor to fulfil our pledge [to make Pashinyan Armenian PM]. I call on you to not personalize those deputies and to not perceive them as independent members of the parliaments. Instead of them other ten could be,” Baghdasaryan said, expressing hope Pashinyan will submit a logical government program to the National Assembly for the future cooperation to take place among other things.