Armenia’s Prime Minister Resigns

YEREVAN (Tert.am)–Armenia’s Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan submitted his resignation, which was accepted by President Serzh Sarkisian, announced ruling Republican Party of Armenia spokesperson Edward Sharmazanov following the party’s plenary session on April 3.

Sharmazanov said that Sargsyan had tendered his resignation a month ago, but given that the Constitutional Court was still reviewing Armenia’s pension reform, the president had asked him to continue his duties.

On April 2, Armenia’s Constitutional Court overturned the controversial reform law.

Armenia's Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan resigned on April 3
Armenia’s Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan resigned on April 3

The announcement also came days after Armenia’s four major opposition parties announced plans for joint protests against the Sarkisian administration and in support of a vote of no confidence in the government, which is sought by opposition parties in Parliament. In their announcement, representatives of the Armenian National Congress party said that while the coalition as a whole is not yet asking for the resignation of President Sarkisian, the resignation of Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan and the other cabinet members would pave the way for a “complete regime change” in the country.

Sargsyan has said that his decision was a serious one and that he had weighed it for a long time. Sharmazanov said Sargsyan’s resignation was for personal reasons.

The Prime Minister posted on his public Facebook page on April 3: “Dear compatriots, back in February I made a request to President Serzh Sarkisian to accept my resignation. The decision was weighted and conscious. We agreed to postpone presenting the application for my resignation taking into consideration a number of important state events and the need for holding the economic conference of Armenia’s Republican Party. I thank all the people with whom I worked and most of all to the President of the Republic of Armenia for trusting the high position of the Prime Minister to me. I wish the new government patriotic and productive work.”

Sargsyan has served as Prime Minister since April 2008. He was last reappointed as Prime Minister in May 2013.

Under the Armenian Constitution, a new prime minister has to be appointed within ten days after the current one’s resignation. A new government has to be appointed within 20 days after the appointment of a new prime minister.

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4 Comments

  1. It would be a wisdom decision if the new prime minister is chosen from the Armenian Diaspora for the simple reason: more integration and a faster osmosis between the Republic of Armenia and the Diaspora.

    • They are running a country not an international corporation. Which diasporan would properly understand Armenia and have the administrative skills and political savy to run all the ministries?

  2. Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan has excessively abused his position of power in public office. He has arrogantly disregarded his duty of serving the people of Armenia and instead has used his position to enrich himself, his family members and friends. The people of Armenia should unite and bring this tyrant to justice. We would like him to explain in the courts exactly how he managed to deposit huge sums of money in foreign banks, and build mansions in foreign countries when the people of Armenia are struggling to make end meet on a daily basis. The time has come to provide an explanation to the Armenian people, as many leaders have done in the last 5 years. People of Armenia, I encourage you to unite to ensure that the former PM does not easily escape from Armenia to a foreign country where he will continue to enjoy a good life at the expense of the citizens of Armenia. There is no time like the present for our leaders to account to its citizens!

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