The list of candidates for MP of the Civil Contract Party will mainly comprise the current members of the My Step faction of the National Assembly. This is what Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia Alen Simonyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

“I take pride in my colleagues because we underwent many trials and tribulations together in a short period of time,” he said.

When told that there are deputies of the My Step faction who haven’t stood out with statements and haven’t presented bills over the past three years, Simonyan opposed and said some of those deputies have already left the faction and are currently independent MPs.

“Based on my evaluation, Sofia Hovsepyan, Gor Gevorgyan and Vardan Atabekyan can’t take pride in being active deputies in the past and present. Sofia Hovsepyan might be able to take pride as a public figure, but not the others. There are deputies who are involved in activities that are not visible in parliament. When the list is ready, some people might move from the government to parliament and vice versa,” Simonyan said.

Representatives of the My Step faction have already declared that the ruling party will be represented by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan during the upcoming snap elections and that Pashinyan will be the candidate for Prime Minister in the future. In response to this, Simonyan said the following: “Based on all surveys conducted in Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan is the most desired politician and head of state, and the Civil Contract Party, which reflects the opinion of the citizens of Armenia, shares this opinion. I know the motives behind Pashinyan’s actions, and he has done and will do everything, even the impossible,” Simonyan said.

Touching upon the fact that people were brought to Republic Square through administrative resources during the rally that the government held on March 1 and the disclosed audio recording featuring the advisor to the regional governor of Lori Province, Simonyan insisted that the authorities didn’t use any administrative resources during the rally held on March 1.

On February 28, Dejavu Telegram channel disclosed audio recordings in which one can hear that the crowds at Nikol Pashinyan’s rally will be ensured through the use of administrative resources. During the phone conversation, Advisor to the Governor of Lori Province Armen Harutyunyan assured the young man who presented himself as a member of Civil Contract Party that “there will be a normal number of people from schools”.