YEREVAN. – Hraparak daily of Armenia writes: Apparently, the government will extend the state of emergency [due to the COVID-19 situation] on May 14. The decision was made yesterday, although it has not been officially announced yet.

The main motive is political—the issue of the constitutional referendum, the solution of which the ruling team does not find.

The thing is that after the lifting of the state of emergency, according to the law, the suspended referendum should be held within 50 to 65 days, but the authorities are faced with a dilemma. On the one hand, the spread of the epidemic is gaining momentum [in the country], and the holding of the referendum could endanger the health of thousands of people. On the other hand, they have doubts that the referendum will fail, especially now.

That is why they intend to extend the state of emergency for another month, hoping to find a way out of the situation.