Vazgen Manukyan: Holding early elections under the incumbent  authorities should be prevented at any cost

ArmInfo. Vazgen Manukyan, candidate for the RA Prime Minister from the Motherland Salvation Movement, listed three proposed options for overcoming the crisis  which Armenia faces today.

Thus, Manukyan's statement received by ArmInfo notes that Armenia,  having survived a shameful and catastrophic surrender, is now on the  verge of a new catastrophe - a deepening security crisis, political,  socio-economic and systemic crisis.

According to him, the first option for overcoming the crisis, offered  by the Motherland Salvation Movement, which, in particular, assumes  through demonstrations and acts of disobedience to form a national  movement, forcing this government to leave. Then, through the  National Assembly, elect a new prime minister who will not be from  the ruling force, form an interim government, stabilize the situation  in the country, hold fair parliamentary elections in a year, in which  he will not participate, and will leave power.

The second option, according to Manukyan, and which is preferred by a  significant part of the country's population - the army takes power  into its own hands, forming an interim administration, and after a  while parliamentary elections are held. "Or the same thing happens  during a popular uprising. This option is considered dangerous on the  grounds that the interim government formed in this way will be  perceived by the outside world as illegitimate. I think in this case  the danger is exaggerated, especially since a temporary period is  offered, after which parliamentary elections will take place. There  can be other more dangerous situation than the current one. At this  time we will cooperate with our natural allies, and our enemies will  be on their guard, "said Manukyan.  And the third option, the  opposition candidate continued, is the one proposed by the Armenian  government (not to mention the fact that this proposal is most likely  a political game, not a viable option), namely, to hastily hold early  parliamentary elections under Nikol Pashinyan ( or formally appoint  someone from his team as prime minister).

"This is the most dangerous option that will deal a big blow to  Armenia and significantly aggravate the shame of surrender. Holding  elections in a state of chaos, division, external threat is absurd  and not only will not lead our country out of this situation, but  will further aggravate it. In order to stop the processes harmful to  the state, it is necessary to achieve the displacement of the current  authorities.

One should not forget that power in Armenia has always been  reproduced through elections. The opposition never came to power  through elections (even in the 2018 elections, since Nikol Pashinyan  was already prime minister at that time), "Manukyan emphasized.  In  this regard, the candidate from the Motherland Salvation Movement  recalled the secret of the reproduction of power: power levers;  financial resources, both state and personal; the ability of the  authorities to falsify election results and to retain power by force.   According to him, under the current authorities, there are all  conditions in order to implement all this in the worst possible way.  

"But there is something that did not exist before - the intervention  of external forces.  Our current struggle is being waged not only  against these authorities, but to a greater extent against the  authorities, through which powerful foreign forces controlling  Armenia have a wide spy network in our country, as well as a  propaganda network that manipulates the people and has already proven  its effectiveness. In such conditions, it is naive to believe that  the opposition will win the elections.

It is no coincidence that we propose holding elections within a year.  During this time, we must free our country from the espionage  network, as well as force the prime minister of the interim  government not to participate in the elections in order to exclude  the possibility of abuse of the levers of power, "he assured.

At the same time, he once again stressed that holding elections under  Nikol Pashinyan or his formal successor would lead to dire  consequences - the same power would be reproduced; Armenia will  continue to be under external influence; all the losses that the  country suffered as a result of the war and continues to suffer will  be legitimized.

" The very fact that the current government can hold elections will  legitimize our defeat and losses.  Therefore, the holding of early  elections under the current government should be prevented at any  cost. If, nevertheless, the authorities take this step and announce  elections, then they should be removed before the start of the  pre-election process, "concluded Manukyan.

It is worth noting that today the head of the "Bright Armenia" party,  the head of its parliamentary faction, Edmon Marukyan, said in an  interview with reporters that the elections in the republic should be  completed by June 1, therefore, the process of dissolving the  parliament should begin in the next ten days. Timing is important,  Marukyan continued, because the crisis is so deep that it needs to be  resolved quickly, and the fastest possible elections can take place  in May and end on June 1.

"If the parliament is now dissolved, we will gladly go to this  process, if not, then this topic is closed, we will move on to the  next issues," he said, adding that their party is ready to go to the  elections with the old Electoral Code. He added that almost all  political forces in the country are preparing for early elections, so  there is already a consensus on the elections.