YEREVAN. – Prosperous Armenia Party leader, National Assembly (NA) “Tsarukyan” Faction head, and tycoon MP Gagik Tsarukyan has joined the nationwide movement in the country, according to Zhamanak (Time) newspaper.

“29 MPs of the ‘Tsarukyan’ Faction [on Tuesday] voted in favor of [opposition movement leader, Civil Contract Party Political Council member, and NA ‘Way Out’ (Yelk) Faction head] Nikol Pashinyan’s candidacy as [Prime Minister].

“Besides, according to Article 149 of the Constitution, in the second round of the PM’s election [by Parliament], which should take place on May 8, only one-third of the MPs—that is, 35 MPs—can nominate a candidate. The ‘Tsarukyan’ bloc has only 31 MPs. But they can nominate a candidate together with [the] Yelk and the [Armenian Revolutionary Federation] ARF [Dashnaktsutyun Party [factions].

“Since the [NA faction of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia] RPA has rejected Nikol Pashinyan, what remains is for Pashinyan to agree to the option of PM Tsarukyan,” wrote Zhamanak.