A senior member of former President Serzh Sarkisian’s Republican Party (HHK) on Tuesday accused the authorities of forcing some of its deputies to agree to the early dissolution of Armenia’s current parliament.
“According to my information, pressure was exerted on and the state repressive apparatus was used against a number of deputies,” claimed Armen Ashotian. “They even tried to find ways of influencing some deputies from abroad.”
“But I don’t exclude that there are also [HHK] deputies who willingly changed their positions,” he told RFE/RL’s Armenian service (Azatutyun.am).
At least ten HHK lawmakers have openly voiced support for Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s efforts to force snap parliamentary elections in December. The HHK leadership says that the vote must not be held before May.
Ashotian argued that none of the HHK dissenters voiced objections when the former ruling party’s parliamentary faction issued last week a statement that argued against holding the elections in December. He said at least some of them subsequently voiced support for Pashinian’s plans as a result of government pressure and intimidation.
Ashotian refused to name any of those lawmakers, however. “Let those people themselves talk about that pressure,” he said. “It is evident that such pressure first occurred when some deputies left our 58-member faction [in June] and we became a 50-member faction.”
Hrachya Hakobian, a lawmaker representing Pashinian’s Yelk alliance, dismissed Ashotian’s allegations. He challenged the HHK representative to present evidence of his claims to law-enforcement authorities.
“It looks like Mr. Ashotian is confusing the current situation with the situation that existed during their rule,” said Hakobian.
Pashinian on Monday praised HHK parliamentarians for breaking ranks. He said they should be “encouraged” by his supporters.
Meanwhile, the HHK faction issued another statement on Tuesday saying that it will not nominate a candidate for the post of prime minister if Pashinian resigns to pave the way for the December elections. But it said it continues to believe that the polls must be held in May or June next year.