YEREVAN. – I don’t intend on thwarting the government program, said new Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, speaking to reporters after Thursday’s Cabinet meeting of the government of Armenia.

He noted this when asked whether a snap parliamentary election may take place by way of deliberately thwarting the government program.

To the remark that, if the government program is approved, the Constitution of Armenia does not allow for conducting a snap parliamentary election within a year, Pashinyan responded as follows: “There are many opportunities. If you read the Constitution carefully, you’ll see that those opportunities exist.” 

As for the remark that the former ruling Republican Party of Armenia—which still makes up the majority in parliament—does not want a snap parliamentary election—so as not to lose its parliamentary seats, the new PM said, “The [Armenian] public makes the decisions, and the public will make—in this case, too.”

As for the time frames for this snap parliamentary election, Nikol Pashinyan said, as follows: “We will decide as a result of discussions. [It shall be conducted] within the shortest but logical time frames.”