Opposition "Armenia" Alliance has decided to take the parliamentary mandates it received as a result of the National Assembly elections on June 7.

The respective statement released by the bloc reads as follows:

"Dear compatriots, dear voters,

After the Constitutional Court's [(CC)] ruling [on July 4], the ‘Armenia’ Alliance considers it necessary to present its position on the further strategy of the struggle.

We reaffirm our assessment: the CC's decision does not correct the electoral fraud and does not resolve the issue of the legitimacy of the authorities being. The reproduced administration is devoid of legitimacy.

It is necessary to clearly state: we are challenging the authorities’ representation in the National Assembly and its right to form a government, and not the votes received by the opposition. The dignified vote of more than 550 thousand citizens, given to the opposition with conviction, which was given for the sake of saving the state, is strictly binding for us. It should also be clearly stated that the challenge to the legitimacy of the vote attributed to the ruling regime in the Constitutional Court was aimed at documenting this reality.

As previously announced, in the matter of assuming [the parliamentary] mandates, the ‘Armenia’ Alliance was and will be guided by the imperative of having a unified position of the opposition and the logic of continuing the struggle, having previously discussed all possible scenarios and risks with public and professional circles.

For us, the status of an MP is not a position or a convenience. It is an additional tool, a legal and political toolkit, and an opportunity for daily counteraction. Therefore, we believe that in the upcoming difficult struggle we are obligated to use all possible means to fight against the anti-state plans of the authorities. The [parliamentary] mandate is a weapon, and voluntarily giving it up would be irresponsible towards our state and our voters.

We view representation in the parliament as a tool for protecting citizens’ rights, raising their concerns and proposing solutions, which will serve to strengthen ties with the public and international actors, present alternative approaches on international platforms, as well as to organize large-scale public mobilization and resistance. All our steps in the National Assembly will stem from the fundamental agenda enshrined in the joint statement of the opposition forces that petitioned to the CC.

1. Preventing forced amendments to the Constitution of Armenia: Counteracting any attempt to change the Main Law and attack the sovereignty of the RA [i.e. the Republic of Armenia] with the entire parliamentary apparatus and public mobilization.

2. Protecting the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church: The NA [i.e. the National Assembly] rostrum and parliamentary powers will be served against any illegal campaign aimed at the church and [Armenian] national values.

3. Protecting the rights of political prisoners and prisoners of war: Use of the parliamentary mandate in Armenia and on international platforms to protect the rights of those subjected to political persecution, as well as Armenian prisoners of war being held in [the Azerbaijani capital of] Baku, and to have them released.

4. Removal of the current [Armenian] regime: This is our main political imperative. Parliamentary mandates will serve to deprive this regime of power and form new quality of national authorities.

Dear citizens,

Thanks to the high participation of citizens in the elections and the votes given to the opposition forces, it was possible to deprive the incumbent authorities of constitutional majority [in parliament] and grant the opposition forces a much broader set of tools to form an agenda of nationwide resistance and implement a change of power. The [July 4] decision of the Constitutional Court is not the end of the struggle, but the beginning of a new, more coordinated phase of the struggle.

Realizing our responsibility to the homeland and voters, the ‘Armenia’ Alliance will send to the parliament an ideological and unbreakable political team, which, being at the forefront of political resistance, is ready to assume its share of responsibility.

There is no alternative to struggle and resistance. In parliament and outside the parliament, we will continue our struggle for a secure and competitive Armenia."