Armenian PM resigns after protests


Prime Minister of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan has just announced his resignation.

The information has been published on the official website of the Armenian government.

“Nicol Pashinyan was right. I was wrong. The situation has several solutions, but I will not take any of them. That is not mine. I am leaving office of the country’s leader, of Prime Minister. The street movement is against my tenure. I am fulfilling your demand,” his statement reads.

On April 22, the police used riot control weapons to disperse crowds of demonstrators in Erebuni district. Students and unarmed military also joined the protests.

Today leader of the protests Nicol Pashinyan and MP Ararat Mirzayan have been released.

“Over the last 24 hours I have been closed off. It will take me a few hours to discuss everything wih my colleagues, to tackle the issue of the release of the arrested. At 17.30 our victory rally will start,” Pashinyan told his supporters.

Sargsyan is leaving after protests which started on April, 13.

On April 9, the newly elected president Armen Sarkissian dismissed the government. When the presidential term of the previous leader of the country ended, the amended text of the Constitution came into force. According to it, Armenia becomes a parliamentary republic, and power will be concentrated in the hands of a government, not a president. But the ruling coalition’s decision to nominate Serzh Sargsyan, who had already been a two-term president in the period of 2008-2018, as Prime Minister triggered a wave of protests.

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